Chuckles

Things that made me chuckle (or cringe) this week:

"Mama, I turned around today. Now I'm four because I turned four."

"Ni ni cwothes, bruth teeeeeeeeeeth, ni ni time." "Yes, Shae. Your teeth are sooooo yellow, you need to brush them. Here, let me do it FOR you."

Two minutes after Daddy leaves for work. Dramatic Sigh. "I am just missing my Daddy. But he is going to work to get money for us. Do you think he'll give me a penny when he gets home?"

"I need some strawberries because my back is hurting. It will feel me better."

"Ear Dod. Ank oooo for ood. Bess it do dour bobees. In Esus ame. Anen."

"Sha-NA! You are not being kind and you are making God sad because you are not giving me the *** fill in the blank toy*** I want. You need to share with me. Obey."

Upon reading a story book. "It wasn't a whale, mama. It was just a big fish that swallowed Jonah. Why would they lie?"

"God did so much for us. He made me, He made you, Daddy, He made you, Shana, and mama, (dramatic pause) He EVEN made YOU."

Happy Mother's Day

A Mother's Love

A Mother's love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.

- Helen Steiner Rice -

To my mom, I love you.
To my mom in law, thank you.
To all you mothers that have encouraged, taught, and led by example, I will remember.

To the new moms, cherish every moment.

If you are missing your mom this weekend, may God soothe your pain.
If you are waiting to be a mother, and it hurts,
He sees your tears.

To my girls who have made me a mama,
i. love. you. always.

Five Years

I remember what I was doing five years ago at this time. It was the night before my wedding, and I was watching Pride and Predjuice with my bridesmaids, and mom. We were sprawled out on mattresses and sleeping bags on the floor of our apartment - our new home. The kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms were all set up. Items from our hope chest were lovingly placed, and there was even food stacked in the pantry. I was in a sort of surreal cloud. I was feeling that bittersweet emotion. Leaving home for the first time. Thinking about marrying the man that I truly loved. The details of the wedding had become irrelevant. I just wanted to get that white dress and veil on.

Tonight, I am wrapped in a thick blanket, sitting on the bed. Children's toys are in a basket in the corner. We are in a different house, in a different state.

Instead of two, we are four now. The love we had then has multiplied. All I know is that God in His perfect wisdom knew who was perfectly suited to me. I love being married to my husband and best friend. I can't believe we've crammed all of this happiness into five years.

Happy Anniversary tomorrow sweetie ...

Sisters

We've painted and hammered and nailed and arranged. The two sisters are sharing a room. Last week we heard them giggling together, playing, when they should have been asleep. Lena was reading out loud to a bouncing and giggling Shana. Their delighted screams brought a smile to my face even though I tried to be stern as I said, "WHAT is going on in here?"

Secretly I was delighted. Because I want them to love each other forever and always.

Shana is so adoring of her sister that she will.not.leave.her.alone. Poor Selena has to do her puzzles on high surfaces and read her books on the couch so that her precious things won't be ruined. She knows that her hair will get pulled constantly, and that her sister will drool on her face giving kisses.

Shana has to put up with Lena following her around with a blanket trying to "cuddle." Shana does not have time for this pasttime, and her older sis will not take a hint! She has been awakened multiple times by a too loud noise, or a sudden opening of the door.

Mama is loving this.

Some Pictures from our Vacation

So we are homey home again. And it is nice to be home, but vacation was so great with some wonderful memories that we'll treasure!

Here are some of them ...

Our family with a sleeping Lena in Washington D.C.

Lena in her very own room, with her very own stuffed animals.

The girls in D.C. at the National Zoo.

This is the scene that we got to view every day from the front porch of the house. It was a wonderful place to sit and relax or have devotions.

The Naval Academy (neesie and I)

We got to cook a few really yummy delicious meals. And I love cooking in vacation house kitchens!

Cuddle times

More views.

And some memories that I will treasure that aren't pictured?

* My man and I got to sneak out for a Starbucks date.

*The giggle fest that Lena had with me, mom and Neesie in her bedroom and ours! She actually did this twice where she dragged us into the same room, held us captive, and bounced on the bed and on top of all of us.

* Neesie and I gave each other massages every night. It was wonderful. And we painted each other's toenails.

*Seeing Lena on the teacups when we went to Adventure Park USA! She was thrilled beyond imagining!

And traveling with little ones? Umm, we are used to it. But you'll have to ask my parents and sister how they felt! ;-)

Family

"O God beyond all praising,

we worship you today

and sing the love amazing

that songs cannot repay;

for we can only wonder

at every gift you send,

at blessings without number

and mercies without end:

we lift our hearts before you

and wait upon your word,

we honor and adore you,

our great and mighty Lord."'

from O God Beyond All Praising

Christmas Cookie Fun

Baking with Mommy is so much fun!

We danced around the kitchen singing, "Ta-daa!"

Lena was amazed.
"Mommy, two rollers!"

Frequent breaks to kiss baby Shae Shae were taken

All ready to paint the cookies with icing!

Finished product to serve to Daddy. I think my little helper may have taken a couple of bites!

Finding a Rhythm

Our precious Shana was born just eleven days ago. This is my first week on my own, and I have to admit that I was apprehensive and nervous about being alone wth my two girls. Today went really well, and I am pretty sure that I can do this!

Having child number two is vastly different from my first experience! I am amazed at how much I can love Shana, when my love for Selena is so great. I am still in awe of the miracle of birth and that this sweet bundle was inside of me for nine months. I feel so much more peaceful and less worried about the little things. With Selena, I was worried about doing everything perfectly. Now I know that I can't. I am thankful to see the love that Lena has for her little sister, and I pray that it will always be so. This morning, as all three girls were in bed together, I thanked God for the two of them. I pray that God will save them both at early ages. I pray that we will always be close.

The biggest issue for me is the sleep deprivation that I'm experiencing right now. However, I know that this is only for a season. These moments will be gone all too soon! I can't say I'll be sorry when I have her sleeping through the night though!

So today I was able to get my girls dressed, keep them fed, take a nap while they both napped, make dinner, clean our bathroom, and do one load of laundry. I was also able to read to Lena for an hour. So as this week progresses, I will be slowly finding a rhythm and redoing our schedule.

Any tips or advice from any of you? Many of you have more then one child and have made this transition already. I'd love to hear from all of you!

Oh dear, Shana just anointed her daddy with spit up and he is calling for reinforcements!!

good bye all ....

Love Is Bouncing off the Walls!

In our house, love is bouncing off the walls! Shana Elizabeth is here, and we are so thankful for God's blessing to our family. We can't stop kissing and hugging our two girls.

Shana arrived Friday, October 10th after a very long labor of 20 hours. I had been to the doctor on Thursday, and I was 1 cm dilated. After my appointment, we all went out to eat, and had a great time. I was having contractions, but they weren't bad at all.



By 11pm I was definitely laboring, and we were timing my contractions on the computer. They were coming anywhere from 3-5 minutes apart. We called my parents to come and watch Selena at about 12:10 am. By this time, I was bending over my bed face down, breathing through each contraction.



I went to Lena's room to kiss her and breathe a soft prayer that the experience wouldn't be too hard on her. I told her "I love you," very quietly so as not to wake her.



We arrived at the hospital at 2ish, and began our really long labor experience. It was four times as long as my labor with Selena ... but no matter. It was all totally, completely, wonderfully worth it.

Shana Elizabeth

7lbs, 20 inches long

born 10-10-08 at 4:46pm

I've been doing a lot of this lately ...

"I will sing to the Lord, for He has dealt bountifully with me." Ps 13:6

Autumn Musings

Tomorrow, we welcome October with open arms. This is a crucial season for our country, isn't it? We are in the midst of the turmoil of an election season, the fear of a volatile economy, and yet we can be at peace.

Why?

We as Christians can know that we have one constant in the middle of all the change that may come. Our God will never change.

Things I have been cherishing and enjoying ...

• Hearing Daddy and Lena praying before bed.
• Having daily devotions with Lena and watching her learn about God.
• Watching Lena rush to help me get something that has fallen on the floor. What a helpful girl she is lately!
• The anticipation of approaching labor. Feeling those sharp pains that I remember - the time is quickly approaching ...
• Open windows with cool breezes that stir the curtains.
• The strong hands of my husband - perfect for a back rub!
• Starting some preschool activities with Lena - we sing songs, practice sitting at a desk, practice simple word recognition/reading, shapes and colors, and counting to twenty. We also do puzzles and building with blocks. I think I may be enjoying this even more then she is.
• Blueberry cobbler coffee - sooooo yummy.
• Doing Lena's hair and letting her play with mine!
• Movie nights with my husband.
• Having so much time to read lately.
• Quiet. (I know this won't last too much longer)

Along with the cherished moments I have been enjoying, I have definitely been disappointed in myself at times lately. I have allowed myself to become too easily irritated over small issues -- things that simply do not matter in the grand scheme of things. When I realize that I have been bogged down in those day to day irritations I am thankful that His compassions fail not, and that He is faithful to His children. How grateful I am that we have a merciful God.

I Chronicles 29: 11-13 "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name."

Selena - Two Years Old Tomorrow

Dearest Lena,

I'm watching you draw crooked lines with your sidewalk chalk. You are singing - whoops! Daddy just swooped you up and is kissing you all over your face. And now, with nary a break in your song, you are returning to your artwork on the pavement.

This morning over a breakfast of toast and granola, you gravely informed me that you were two years old. Can you be growing up so fast?

You know, Daddy and I love you from the top of your tallest corkscrew curl to your sparkly pink toenails. At night sometimes we tiptoe into your room just to look at you. I often kiss you too much, and sometimes Daddy must warn me to stop or I'll wake you up.

You are so full of life and personality. Your favorite foods are pizza and hotdogs. You absolutely adore grapes and strawberries. You devour books and learn from them every week. You fill our house with music as you gaily run from end to end singing merrily.

Without you, we'd never marvel at the brightness of the moon, or at the vivid colors of a spinning pinwheel. You show us the world through your eyes each day. You love the moon, and your name means moonlight.

Each week, you become more and more independent at home, but you still get shy when there are a lot of people around. You like quietness and serenity. Even though you like quietness, you love to talk! You speak in paragraphs at a time, and fill our home with laughter.

As your Mommy, my favorite time with you is when we read together under our favorite maroon blanket. Your eyes are wide with the things I am saying. Sometimes you lean your head against my arm and burrow closer. When I hold you, your long legs hang down well below my waist, but you still fit perfectly in my arms.

This year will be one of change for you. I can't wait to see you grow and blossom. You are going to be a big sister. And you know? I can't think of a more perfect sister for our new little one. This will be new for us, and I'm excited as I know you are.

Daddy and Mommy's prayer for you is that you will know and love Jesus at a very young age. This is the most important thing that comes to our minds when we think about you. This is more important to us then anything else.

You are growing so quickly and each stage is special. Sometimes I want to freeze time so that I can snuggle you forever. But we can't live in the past or in the future! So I just want you to know that you are totally, completely, and extraordinarily special.

I. LOVE. YOU.

Happy Birthday tomorrow, my sweet princess.

Love,

Mommy

We recently went to the Inner Harbor just for fun so I thought I would post some pictures of our little trip.

Selena loved the many fountains we encountered.

Daddy's big girl!

Big girls get big girl dinners too.

We had to take frequent rest stops for Mommy too.

Playing in the hotel room was fun!

We went to the Children's Museum.

We had circle time there.

Lena got to put on a raincoat and play with water!

More fun!

They had a minature diner too, where the kids could cook and serve their parents :-)

A very tired girl about an hour before ... our car accident.

Yes, we were hit on the passenger side of our car on the way home as we were traveling on a major highway. I am still thanking God that He spared us from any injury. The car struck us right next to where our precious girl sits, so we are so thankful. Our unborn treasure is doing ok too!

Some news ...

We found out today that another princess is joining our family. I was completely wrong because I thought it was a boy! Mr. S thought it was a girl, and Lena insisted that she was having a "sisser."

Seeing our new little one on the screen made everything more real somehow. I came home and told Lena that her new baby was going to be a sister. She was at our house with Pop Pop, Nanna and Auntie Nee.

She looked at me and said "I apple?"

After she was happily munching on her apple, she was interested to see the picture of her new baby sister. She even gave it a kiss.

I just wanted to update those of you who hadn't heard. Have a blessed weekend!

Mrs Purple Thumb and her Little Gardener

Today I decided to help Lena plant her flower, which we now know is a Tuberous Begonia. Thank you so much to everyone who helped out with this!

We had a beautiful day to work in our little backyard. Above is the LG. Mrs PT was unavailable for photos.

The Little Gardener put her soil in the pot, counting as she went: "One, doo, free, four, five, six, deven, ate, nine, ten, yellow ..." Yellow? I don't know why she says yellow for eleven, but it works for her!

We carefully placed her begonia in the pot. The little gardener didn't want to touch it with her bare hands, so Mrs Purple Thumb had to help out.

More soil, and more counting to yellow.

Some water, but most escaped to the ground!

Time to take the pot to the front yard.

On the way, we discovered that out tulips are starting to come up on the side of our house!

Doesn't it look perfect? Hopefully this area is shady enough! We'll keep an eye on it.

Back to the back yard to plant some basil, oregano, and tomatoes. We'll start the seeds in little pots first.

We had fun gardening, but all good things must come to an end. We ended our morning with a good hand washing for Mrs. Purple Thumb and her little gardener, as well as a cold glass of water for each.

We'll keep you posted. Can Mrs PT and her LG keep these plants alive and thriving?