mother's day and such

 <----sickly ones

it has been a little wild around here since mother's day as we each succumbed to the evil stomach bug flying around our church.  it was a slow week, with many aches, lots of mess, and lots and lots of cuddling.  there were also many moments when i held each sad baby that my heart was simply filled to overflowing with gratitude at the privilege it is to mother these children.  they are precious, precious gifts and the Lord uses feeble, selfish old me to comfort, care, nurture them.  those humbling moments of realization were also a gift of grace, as all you mommies know, stomach bug week is usually one of the more discouraging ones in the year. 

so anyway, i found this picture of my mom and her brood when she was just a few years older than i am now.  here she is in the midst of life with a newborn, homeschooling the older boys.  i'm the little 3 yr old on the right.  i don't remember much from these busy days (but boy do i appreciate better now what my mom's life was like!), but i do remember being touched and nurtured and i also remember being told about Jesus all the time in life-giving ways.  and those are the two things i am most grateful for.  thank you mom for loving us well and gently pointing us to Christ as the only thing that can truly secure and satisfy.  i can never thank you enough.

i am also, deeply grateful to adam's sweet mama for raising such a wonderful son.  thank you carol!  we love you!


i failed to get a picture of the fam on mother's day, but here we are today on our "hooray, we are all well, let's get out of the house nature walk!"

this is my mother's day card this year, dictated to adam.  it cracks me up and i will treasure it always.

and for the record, we hardly ever have hot-dogs, but marit asks me to get some nearly every grocery store trip.  and when miles says "no!" he pulls his shirt up and pokes his beer belly out..."no" also means "yes" so sometimes it gets kind of confusing.  graham kept giving me hugs all day long and saying "mom, hugs are the beeeest thing."