seven years



 

Today's weather was beautiful.  The air felt warm and the sun shown brightly, after months of grey skies, rain, and snow.  It was the type of day that entices you outdoors, awakens your senses, encouraging you to slow down to appreciate the beauty of clouds parting and birds chirping. Today I was thankful for the sun's comfort on a day that continues to hold sadness and great loss for our family.  Today I remember my beloved brother-in-law, Brad.  Today I recall special memories, remember his warm and handsome face, and cherish the time I had to know him, learn from him, and laugh with him. 

 

Tonight as we gathered as a family, our sweet little man offered up a simple prayer before dinner.  In his awkward phrasing, he remembered his Uncle Brad.  Oh, how I wish his knowledge of Brad was more than a picture and the stories we share, but I cling to the hope and promise of our reunion in Heaven when our little ones with know in full the beauty of their uncle.

 

Remembering.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - walking with three

 



Month Five

There are many things in life that define a person.  For the littlest, it appears her plump physique is among the first things people notice about her.  It's hard to deny her round, kissable cheeks; however, her rolling thighs are gaining quite a reputation.  Each milky white roll is a reminder of her healthy appetite and middle of the night snack that she continues to indulge in (typically after six-seven hours of sleep, and falling sometime between 2-4am).  Month five is confirming my suspicions that our third born is quite the social butterfly.  She loves to engage in playful conversation, chatters loudly, and greets each stranger who is curious enough to peer into her car seat with a warm and genuine smile.  She squirms with delight when people stop to admire her, playfully responding to their pokes and inevitable cheek-pinching.  When on-the-go, she is becoming more alert and interested in the world around her, forsaking naps in favor of observing the action.  She is affectionate, reaching for hands and holding them tight.  She loves to be held close, but continues to appreciate time on the floor to stretch her roly-poly limbs or to stand upright in the exersaucer grasping for objects.  She is observant, and spends her days carefully watching her older siblings, who are so willing to entertain her.  Watching their close bond fills me with deep joy and gratitude. 

 

This month, the littlest has enjoyed the tastes of baby cereal, apples, prunes, sweet potatoes, and bananas.  She favors apples and prunes, and was frankly dubious when fed the others.  She also experienced her first real stroll in the baby jogger through our neighborhood.  Having found her feet, she daily demonstrates her flexibility and pleasure in reaching for her toes.  And, while she successfully rolled from her tummy to her back, she chooses not to do so on a regular basis.  She is our delight! 

 

 

 

on friendship

~ from Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle

The morning after

Burden is only a weight when bore alone.  When the burden is bore together, by a Body, the burden becomes bond - soul strengthener.

- Ann Voskamp

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words - a little adventure

With temperatures slowly creeping into the fifties, we threw on our fleeces and introduced the littles to downtown Milwaukee.  We were delighted to discover a charming used book store with creaky floors, roaming felines, and floor to ceiling bookshelves stacked full.

 



Easter 2013

He is not here, He is risen!  Remember how he told you while He was still with you. Matthew 28:6

 

Weeks before Easter, the little lady was confidently reciting her monthly Bible memory verse at the kitchen island, "He is NOT here; He is prison!"  Pausing to refrain from laughing, I quickly informed her that the word she was looking for was risen, not prison.  This year, Easter was especially meaningful as the little lady and man were very receptive to discussing the events leading up to Easter and the significance of the cross.  With impressionable hearts and eager ears, they listened to each Bible story shared in school, church and in our home and come Easter Sunday they excitedly proclaimed the good news, He is risen! 

 

Dressed in Easter pastels, we enjoyed Sunday morning worship at our new Milwaukee church, Epikos.  Following the service, we joined Doc, Mimi, Bob and Dawn downtown for brunch.  The little lady and man enjoyed their festive Bunny Hop drinks, holiday candies, and a trip with the Easter Bunny to hunt eggs.  I was pleased to make it through brunch without any major spillage. 

 

 

 

eggcitement.

 Sauntering down memory lane, remembering childhood traditions warms my heart.  I was blessed to be raised in a home full of traditions and surrounded by a large family.  It brings me great joy to watch our little ones participate in similar traditions, surrounded by loved ones, creating new memories to cherish.

In preparation for Easter, we spent Good Friday morning coloring eggs with my sister and her family.  As she placed, I kid you not, four dozen eggs on the table, I watched in amusement as little hands snatched eggs and began the process of coloring, decorating, and drying.  Listening to their eggcited chatter, filled me with great nostalgia as I sent text after text to my younger brother in California.  Via text, we shared favorite memory after childhood memory, a sweet exchange it was.  Coming off our year in Cleveland, it was a nice change to be surrounded by family, participating in Easter fun.

The following day, the little lady and man enjoyed a small Easter egg hunt in our backyard, something we have never been able to do being that we never had a nice chunk of land to call our own.  They were eggstatic.

 



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - blue blankie

Good-bye four, Hello Kitty

 When the little lady was a wee one, I remember looking down at her tiny face and thinking that one day she would turn five.  There was something about that age that sounded significant.  Alas, the day has arrived and our little lady is now five.  And as it turns out, turning five is a pretty big deal.  

On the eve of her birthday, our sweet gal did something she had never done before as if she, too, felt the significance of turning five.  Tiptoeing into the kitchen well after her bedtime, she was unable to sleep due to excitement.  As she climbed up onto a kitchen stool to watch me put the finishing touches on her Hello Kitty birthday cake, we chatted about her party and all of the fun things we had planned.  Our girl always has big ideas.  Since the age of two, she has specified the theme of each birthday party and since the age of three has designed each cake.  This year was no exception.  Once the party's theme was established, the little lady worked when I worked planning, preparing, crafting, decorating, and carrying out the details to make her special day so very special.  She enjoys the process as much as I do, two party planning peas in a pod are we.

The morning of the 23rd, she woke before 6:30 am, hopped in the shower, and was dressed and ready to go before 7.  Having five hours to go before guests would arrive, she busied herself with various projects around the house and did her very best to be patient.  There were only a few minor incidents as she waited out the clock, feeling as though 12:00 would never arrive.  As the familiar song goes, "it's my party and I'll cry if I want to."  Precious girl.

Once the party started, the little lady was in Hello Kitty heaven, celebrating the arrival of each guest.  She played and danced (creating the perfect party play list with Daddy) the afternoon away with family and friends. It was a delight to watch her in all her five-year-old glory.  As I watched our little gal, looking perfect in pink, I was overcome with gratitude for the five years we have been blessed to know, learn from, appreciate, observe, and love her. 

Early morning manicure with Daddy (his first).

The cake.



Hello Kitty Litter Treasure Hunt
(Lentils served as the "litter.")

The birthday girl with new fashion scarf.

The big moment.

 

After-dinner "movie theater."