warm-snap

oh i'm so thankful for the unusually warm february weather that allows us to leave the back door open, play outside all day, be barefooted, wear skirts without tights and leggings, baby can be in just a onesie, prepare our little garden for spring. it is especially a blessing to us as we continue week 2 of potty training. graham is doing pretty well, but he has not yet earned his way out of training pants and into regular clothes and regular life where we go many places. he does a lot of playing outside in his underwear...and at least for our family, the "boys are harder than girls" theory holds true for this particular adventure. we are also abundantly thankful for a day off for adam in the midst of a crazy month.


barely big enough for the swing and he is wearing adam's childhood hat


she was having a 'big hair' day

same eyes

not sure what the tragedy was this time, but graham has been fully embracing his twoness lately with lots of emotion about pretty much everything.

holding hands :)

sweet visit with a friend and marit just adored baby jennifer. good to see you becca!

they humble me

my children are as imperfect as the rest of us, but there must be a reason why the Bible says we must "become like little children" to enter His kingdom. my little ones humble me on a daily basis, by their wonder at creation and finding beauty in the simplest things, by the sheer joy with which they approach life, by the quick compassion for others, by the soft hearts that are quick to repent.

the other day i was putting my contacts in and it still takes me a few minutes because they are new. graham was bouncing around the bathroom (he is my earliest riser). my contact went in folded over and i cried out in frustration and pain. graham came over and patted me and said "i take care you mama." quick to compassion.

another day we were playing outside, marit was struggling to cheerfully obey and be kind to graham. she was crying on the porch swing where i made her sit for a few minutes when she cried between sobs..."i need Jesus to help me!" she ran to me and we prayed together for enabling grace that only Jesus can give. how i can learn from her to be quick to run to Jesus in my frustration over my sin. quick to repent.

today we enjoyed the incredibly warm weather and went on a morning (!!) run. i am so glad i brought the camera because afterwards, marit and graham got out to exercise too and i was hurrying everyone along as miles would need to eat again soon. they happened upon a patch of flowering weeds. you know this kind.

they were beside themselves with flower-picking joy..."this one's for b-ma, this one's for ashtyn and jada, this one's for daddy..." they picked one for everyone they knew because they thought they were such lovely flowers. wondering at creation.





one day miles will be less bored by such adventures


next they joyfully shouted in the tunnel to hear themselves echo.


i teach them all kinds of things all day long, but it would be a tragedy if i failed to notice the things they can teach me as well...

it is month day

i want him to stay small and snuggly and straightforward, but he isn't. he is already 4 months old. seriously. every age has its challenges and joys, but i must say that i have just been soaking in the infant stage this time around. he is delightful. not perfect or anything...cries plenty and has needs, but the simplicity and innocence of a baby has been such a blessing to our household.

he has just a few skills and they include:rolling over from tummy to back and only to the left, smiling all the time-we call him "smiley miley", talking and cooing, laughing, sleeping through the night, eating pretty much every 2.5 hrs during the day, being generally adored by his older siblings and parents.

he just graduated from the bjorn to the ergo carrier and he looooves it and even catches some naps in there. his napping schedule is still a little confusing, but we are working on it. he loves to hold his giraffe when awake and his monkey when asleep. he is officially too strong to swaddle so now he sleeps in sleep-sacks. he barely shed a tear during his shots today thanks to his trusty pacifier and he has taken his first cold like a champ. he has still been enjoying the swing and bouncer, but likes to be in someone's lap best.

his stats are:
14.09 lb, 50%
25 inches, 60%
head circumference still 75%

oh my! we are so thankful for the gift that little miles is!

miles has a new trick

this is such a real life video...my videographer skills are pretty much terrible, the floor is a mess, and there are "helpers," but this is pretty much miles' first trick besides smiling, laughing, and sleeping through the night! sorry about how high-pitched my voice is...

and, if you are viewing this in facebook, you have to click on "view original item" to get over to the blog.

the post that has taken me all week to write...that's my life these days, crazy but slow

we've been trucking along around here. some days i get to the end of and realize i accomplished very little outside of nursing, cuddling, diaper changing/potty-helping, listening to little voices, correcting, instructing, losing my temper, repenting, regrouping, making meals for all five of us, occasional text-message to/from and mommy friend or adam. and then at the end of the day i'm exhausted. but then, i am living my dream life. i want to be a stay-at-home-wife to adam and mama to these little people. even more, this is what i'm called to do right now and i want to be faithful in it, but it is not possible to even do a decent job, much less an excellent one, without God's grace. i have never been more aware of my inadequacies. lately i have been sensing my brooding grumpiness is related to a sense of entitlement that has been coursing through me...i mean, i think i deserve a life that isn't largely mundane at times, or children that magically don't actually need to be parented, time to/by myself, or a husband who works only 40 hrs a week, or a body without stretch marks, dark circles under my eyes, and loose skin, or lack of med-school debt, blah, blah, blah. it is shameful, discontentment lurking, ingratitude, yuckiness in my heart. today while i was exercising during rest time marit and i were watching this sermon on the narrow door and the 2nd half of the sermon surprised us with worship and video footage of baptism after baptism of new believer. i started crying right there on the elliptical machine while listening to Jesus Paid it All.
I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness....watch and pray
Find in me....thine all in all

Chorus:
Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin hath left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone
Can change the leper's spots
And melt the heart of stone

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calvary's Lamb

And when before thy throne
I stand in Him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat


i was struck anew by the beauty of the Gospel, how undeserving i am of Jesus' blood and of the everyday graces i experience each day, but that's what makes each moment grace. can you tell i've been reading 1000 gifts?

i started this post nearly a week ago (and it keeps growing and growing!) and have since lost my voice due to a cold for nearly 3 days now and have still been struggling with feeling entitled to all kinds of things, but i've been ruminating on grace, on God's goodness and faithfulness to me even when any particular moment in any particular day overwhelms me...i can be thankful for his tender care for me.
"If our love were but more faithful,
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be thanksgiving
In the goodness of our Lord."

below are some recent photos of my everyday graces...i am thankful for:

tummy-time, even if it is boring

sweet husband who has been working so hard lately...what a busy month for him and yet he has given me a few moments by myself so i can finish this post...thanks babe!

siblings that make their own fun...choo-choo!

reciting a book, she giggles and says "i'm mary, the mother mild. how i love my tiny child."

i am just loving this sweet snuggly baby stage so much this time around...and i'm thankful for my new contacts (thank you health savings account we didn't know we had!)

abundant baby smiles...he especially loves to be sung to

beautiful places to be together

11 yr old car can still carry our little traveling circus!

big-brother serenades

sweet kissable child-skin (this my be my favorite picture i have ever taken)

promise of spring

daddy games

dear missionary friend visit

stuffed 'friends'

camera stare (smiles until he sees the blinking light)

helpful big sister moments

toothy grins

hills to run up and down

this one looking so grown

glamorous kitchen help