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Such A Sweetheart Valentine's Day

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Fun Times...

Ojii comes to eat lunch with us at the house every few weeks.  We love his midday visits!  Ojii and Emi Claire are good pals! :)  It is such a blessing to have grandparents close by. 

Emilynn has been pushing her little car more and more and standing on her own without holding onto anything.  Maybe she'll be walking by her birthday, but we aren't rushing her!!!  She is mobile enough at the moment! :)  I posted one video on Facebook, but this one is a little longer and cuter!

Emilynn is at the age (almost 11 months) that I always said was my favorite age of babies before having kids.  She has proven that it is truly my favorite.  Emi Claire is ALWAYS babbling about something.  Ross and I were talking at dinner tonight about how fun it is that she laughs at nothing out of no where.  It is beautiful to see the joy of the Lord in her!  Ross has been having crawl races with her down the hall.  She is just so playful!  She has been taking baths without her little ducky tub.  She loves to crawl from one end of the bathtub to the other!  She also had her first tooth appear last weekend!  FINALLY!  She weathered it fairly well.  Think another may be making an appearance soon. 



New books! Yay!

Well I finally got to change the books that we are reading over the side panel!  That's a big deal to me.  I was so thrilled to finally finish both of the previous books and have added reading back into my days.  It has been delightful and encouraging to my heart.  Ross and I are reading the first book together.  Ross' mom gave it to us for Christmas.  It is a wonderful book so far and very applicable for where we are at in our walks and in community.  Paul Miller articulates the love of Jesus in practical, historical and realistic ways...Not to mention that His love is all that really matters anyway.  I also started reading Heartfelt Discipline by Clay Clarkson.  The first few chapters have already been encouraging to me.  It is by no means a "how-to" book.  It is heart-changing, enlightening and practical in a grandeur scope.  This has been an area of parenting that I am finding that I have stronger thoughts about than I realized, so it has been good for me to really solidify my heart in Jesus' way.  Clarkson is a very well-rounded, educated and honest writer...not to mention and experienced parent.  So far both books are excellent. 

It's been good

We have a had a wonderful week.  For the first time since putting some kind of calendaring schedule in place, I feel freedom.  I know that sounds strange...but I do.  Because for the last few weeks I have been getting things done when I needed to get them done, I have felt the freedom to add some other things in this week.  And I have not felt overwhelmed in the least.  It's been wonderful.  I know what needs to be done, so now I know what can be done and added.  So.  We had lunch with two friends this week and one coffee morning with another.  Emilynn is going to a new music class now on Tuesdays.  I have also been able to see some hopes for 2012 come into fruition...  I have started yoga and will start my 3rd week of a 6 week yoga progam this week.  I have finished one book and am almost done with the other.  We are in the process of planning our trip to Alaska, and Emilynn's birthday party invitations are ordered.  It has been a tough season trying to figure out how to do life, but I am thankful for the Lord guiding new productivity and speaking so clearly to me about how to spend my time. 

Today we hung out with good friends and then we went to the Stock Show.  Emilynn had fun in the petting zoo.  Her very favorite was the bunny.  He made her smile, but petting the goat was pretty funny...she didn't like the way they felt. :) Then we visited the Children's Barn.  It was a good night complete with corn dogs and a funnel cake. :)

Just doin' life...

I was asked by several people over the last couple of days how we were doing and what we have been up to.  My response has been over and over, "We've just been doin' life..."  I have felt so many things as I say that...guilt for not "doing" more like meeting up with people or having a crazy, busy week full of stuff...boring because there had to  be something out-of-the-ordinary that we did...thankfulness that things haven't been crazy with sickness and busyness....peace that we are doing what we need to be doing right now... 


While I'm very ready to catch up with some friends and church family and have some more intimate time, we had a chaotic Christmas and holidays that was full of sickness and busyness.  It has been nice to just rest in the Lord and get used to some new ways of life that the Lord had really laid on my heart (organization, addition of new things, faithfulness of quiet time and reading, etc.)  Our days have been made up of pushing Emilynn on her new swing in the backyard, sharing meals with my family, reading about Jesus to Emilynn, rocking her more ;), finding a new mattress because ours was deemed defective, prayer walking, running with Emilynn and Kodi, and long talks with my hubby.  It's nothing spectacular or mind-blowing, but it is life and it's been peaceful.  Like I said, I am ready to have some intimate time with ladies and I can't wait for the mom conference in February, but I have enjoyed this time of soaking.  I've needed it.  It's been fun to explore with Emilynn, pray for and over her and be faithful to the many things the Lord has asked of me for this new year.  So, doin' life...doin' good. 

blueberry face :)...and hair :)

I love Emilynn's panda hat and her winter coat...so cute :)

We love to swing!

Sporting her scarf that her Obaa made her :)  She actually has two...I know...She is super sylish

Fun moments...

Looking for a ball under the couch...

Checking out the outside...curious is beautiful...

Eating a sock...

Going after her favorite, unallowed toy...

Catching a ball...:)



One of her favorite Christmas presents

Granny, Obaa and Emi...

Love that her mouth opens when she catches it!

Love!!!

Reflection and hopes for 2012

Well I'm finally getting a moment to really get my thoughts together about this last year and this coming year...

2011 was amazing and a whirlwind.  Honestly, I feel like last New Year's passed by and 2011 started and has flown since.  Things I think of that highlight the year for me...

• Emilynn was born on March 1st, 2 1/2 weeks early with my water breaking at work with NO contractions, having to be induced (not my plan), but still got to have her naturally (very much my heart) and she is amazing!  She is content most all of the time...She has been since the beginning...a good eater, sleeper and is quite the communicator!  We truly love EVERY moment with her.  Everything about bringing her in the world has been so beautiful, surreal, and a slice of Heaven!  A special shout out to Rachel Loth, who was an incredible doula and ushered me into natural birth so beautifully!  It was a special blessing to get to know you and go deeper with you!  And a shout out to Ross and my parents who faithfully walked beside me and ushered in Emi Claire in beautiful and profound ways!  I love all of you!
• I left my job/floor where I had been for 4 years in a whirlwind and started an evening part-time position that has been nothing but a blessing for Ross and I and for my role in the hospital setting.  I love and serve people in a different and deeper way...I feel that it is a blessing to Emilynn too.  My perspective as I serve the patients and families that I do gives me a different perspective as a mom, and Ross gets great time with Emi Claire at night. 
• I began to be better about blogging, keeping in touch with people, taking pictures, sharing my heart, etc ..I feel that this is directly related to...
• Breakthrough and freedom in areas of my heart that have been virtually shut down for several years now...I wrote some letters (didn't send) to many people that I had things I needed to say to them...maybe some will be sent... and the Lord began to wake up joy in me that has been missing...I am starting to really be fully alive again
• I shared my testimony with a group of moms, and it was big for me.  It had been a  long time (sad) since I had shared my whole testimony...it highlighted some huge things about life in the last few years and drew me even closer to the Lord
• I became a mom, a mother, a mama...My whole walk with the Lord has changed because of just this.  I am closer in conversation than ever before with Him.  I spend a lot of time praying for the smallest of things, processing things with the Lord.  I'm relearning how to abide in Him...
• Ross and I have taken our marriage to a different level.  We love better than ever...but we fight better.  (I know that sounds a little sad and too true..)  But we just don't have time to hash things out til they are fought to death.  Our priorities have changed.  We have higher expectations of our time together.  Not to mention the Lord has given freedom from depression and highlighted a vitamin deficiency that contributed greatly in our marriage.  And... I'm over the top IN LOVE with the man that I married 4 1/2 years ago! 
• I learned about thankfulness, eucharisteo...Thanks to One Thousand Gifts and Ann Voskamp for opening a beautiful arena of ENJOYMENT of life and the things to savor...Feel like the Lord planted a new seed of gratitude in my heart on many levels!

My hopes for 2012...

• New and deeper friendships... I feel that this is something really missing for me, but as one wise woman told me, manufacturing friendships is no good...So I have been praying and believing the Lord to highlight women close to me in proximity to deepen relationships with...(On a side note:  I am so thankful for my very many deep friendships that while most of them are not close, they are rich!)
• Finish at least two books that I have started (probably a year ago) and begin my personal reading list
• Vacation with Ross, Emi and my family to visit Ross' family in May in Alaska...believing it to be a memorable time!
• Continuing to fine tune my new calendaring/life scheduling that has made such a big difference for me which includes always leaving Saturday and Sundays open for free days (no laundry, cleaning, etc), working out 4 times a week including running, beginning yoga (never done it before), and strength training, and cooking more and more new and healthy things (planned the meals for the whole month of January)
• Celebrating in a fun way our 5 year anniversary...maybe a bed and breakfast or something of the such :)
• Celebrating Emilynn's first birthday with close family and friends and not waiting til the last moment to plan it
• Updating my iPod with new and fun music that I can introduce Emilynn to and worship to
• Having a worship time with Emilynn and Ross every few days to really enjoy dancing and singing
• Discipling...rekindling discipling relationships and discipling Emilynn
• Going deeper in prayer with Ross
• Really savoring the Mom Heart Conference in February
• Taking time to go and visit far-away friends

I'm sure that there are many more hopes for this year... But these are the things that God has really highlighted for me.  Looking forward to this new year!

10 Months! I can't believe it...

Here is our beautiful girl at 10 months...

New Year's Eve

We've all been sick for about a week and a half.  So we decided not to head to Austin this weekend for an annual get together with some of my closest college friends.  Things were pretty mellow around here, but I did get some good pictures of Emilynn.  She tried out her new swing that she got for Christmas.  We all had dinner with my parents and Granny at La Madeleine's.  Ross and I watched Friends and hung out after Emilynn went to bed and then shared some a kiss and some sparkling grape juice at Midnight.  We had a good night!