flashback friday

Halloween 2006::

{still with a house full of wallpaper :: LOVE my walls now!}

thankful thursday

I'm so thankful for the glorious fall we've been having. The weather has been just perfect! It's a bit windy today, but the sun is out. The kids have enjoyed their walks to and from school. The laundry has been flapping on the clothesline nearly every day. The crafting has been done outside rather than in. The swings make their squeaks as they go back and forth entertaining the kiddos. Bikes, helmets, rakes, scooters, bats, balls and jumpropes litter the driveway and make coming or going in a vehicle a bit of a chore. Fall is my absolute favorite season! Enjoy.

a letter to my daughter

Dearest Sara,

That might be the stinkiest poop I've ever smelled . . . and I've smelled LOTS of poop!

When I'm sick I like to sleep more, not less. Just sayin'!

I promise the snot sucker will help you feel better. It wouldn't be quite as much like torture if you would just hold still.

You are adorable and a blessing to our family. I can't imagine life without you. I love you so very, very much.

Always,
Mom

P.S. I am happy to change your stinky poop and wrestle with you to suck huge amounts of snot out of your nose and get up with you multiple times in the night even though I prefer to be sleeping at 2 am (and midnight and 4 and 5 . . . ). Just wanted to clarify that for you. It's my job, I know. It's what I signed on for and I wouldn't trade it for anything (although sleeping through the night and being healthy would be fabulous!) Love you, honey!

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post, which all started a while back, right here on a wonderful, amazing blog that I read each day.

"One Thousand Gifts":

1641. volunteering with friends and being stretched and coming out of my comfort zone
1642. a {wonderful} home to live in :: safe and warm
1643. 15 years a marriage
1644. an adventure with my mom
1645. a powerful message
1646. a wonderful, wonderful concert :: and sitting only about 10 feet from him made it all the better!
1647. a new family member :: our family decided so sponsor another child {through Compassion International -- we've sponsored Marilyn from CSC for years now!}. Melvin is 7 and lives in the Philippines. Welcome to the family, Melvin!
1648. worship
1649. fabulous, much-needed, wonderful night away for our anniversary::






1650. 1 football win and 2 soccer wins during the 27 hours we were gone
1651. a massage
1652. wandering around the farmers market on a chilly morning with my love
1653. a long, leisurely walk::

1654. the History Center :: I'd never been there without kids and it was such fun to take our time and look around
1655. the majesty of an eagle in flight
1656. home!
1657. dinner with friends
1658. a good, hard laugh

Alrighty, that's it's for now. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.

awake my soul::

this view earlier today had me humming track 5. give it a listen::

Third World Symphony by shaungroves

actually, give the whole thing a listen. it plays on repeat at my house these day. it's fabulous! and powerful. and my 3-year-old has nearly the whole thing memorized. i got to hear him speak this week and heard him sing too. he's a pretty great guy! enjoy!

flashback friday

another couple wedding pictures in honor of 15 years::

thankful thursday

Today I'm thankful for all the years. Yesterday was our 15th anniversary. 15 years since that day of excitement, shared vows, a motorcade of VW Beetle convertibles, light rain showers, bubbles hanging in the air, clinking glasses and kisses. A decade and a half. Lots of life lived and unimaginable adventures still to come. I am so thankful for the blessing -- the grace in my life -- that is my husband. I love him more each day!

{I'm also SUPER thankful for, and excited about our just-over-24-kid-free-hours that begin tomorrow afternoon. Whoo Hoo!}

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post, which all started a while back, right here on a wonderful, amazing blog that I read each day.

"One Thousand Gifts":

1627. the whir of the washing machine :: soundtrack of my days
1628. first game of the football season ending in a win
1629. fall is here!
1630. looking forward to Friday and a kid-free night with my love {thanks Mom!}
1631. a new season of Parenthood {my FAVORITE show}
1632. making it through the first full week of school
1633. good conferences with Rebekah, Lydia and Joe's teachers
1634. fans at Jacob's first home game {in addition to his whole family he had :: 1 youth pastor, 1 grandma, 2 cousins and an aunt -- thanks for coming guys!}
1635. 3-year-olds singing along to some great music ::
"Without you we all fall down
Without you we all fall
You make life with living
You make me want to start giving
More and more away to you
It's not mine anyway
I could never try so hard
I could buy a place in your heart
But here I am
My name written on your hands
Because you paid the debt I owe
Without you we all fall down
Without you we all fall ::

1636. crafting
1637. almond latte for a chilly Saturday morning soccer game
1638. scrap wood {thanks Catherine!}
1639. rainy Sunday afternoon naps
1640. another week underway



Alrighty, that's it's for now. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.

flashback friday

football in the yard
fall 2009::

thankful thursday :: football

So our big guy is playing football this year. And LOVING it. He had his first game this week {they won 24-14} and he has another on this afternoon. I am thankful that he is having such a great time and that {so far} he is injury-free. Needless to say, he's taken a few hits, been stepped on and generally been knocked around a little . . . but nothing an Advil and a good nights sleep won't take care of. I'm looking forward to seeing him play again today. Here are a few of the 100+ pictures I took at Tuesday's game {he is blue #43 in case you can't tell which one is him under all that gear!}::

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post, which all started a while back, right here on a wonderful, amazing blog that I read each day.

"One Thousand Gifts":

1602. cool mornings :: fall in the air
1603. the hoot of an owl
1604. a quiet house and a good book
1605. soft snores coming from the bedrooms :: my 7 loves all still asleep
1606. time to think and give thanks
1607. leaves against the first light of morning
1608. snuggling with my big boy on the couch :: that he still wants to snuggle is truly grace!
1609. handsome blue eyes framed by black plastic :: and knowing that he can see clearly now::1610. tall sunflowers::1611. fabulous, caring, knowledgeable teachers for our kiddos
1612. a great first week of school
1613. one last swim in the outdoor pool
1614. amazingly glorious weather
1615. a fun date with my mom (& Sara)
1616. Tea Garden :: yum!
1617. crafting
1618. witnessing the exchange of vows :: two becoming one
1619. listening to my husband preach
1620. a new favorite -- so very, very true. give it a listen (or two or three or four)::
1621. "Behold the man upon the cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom"
How anyone can sing those words without the tears streaming down their cheeks truly baffles me completely. I was a mess :: always am!
1622. a good workout with a friend (everything is better with a friend)
1623. fun morning and good coffee with friends, discussing how everyone's first week went
1624. 11 months of Sara::1625. more cleaning, organizing and purging
1626. catching up with a favorite friend through an open minivan window :: ah, this life of mine!


Alrighty, that's it's for now. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.

soccer

Today we had our first games of the fall soccer season. I signed Rebekah, Lydia and Joe all up and got a message back that the 3/4 girls teams were all full and there wasn't a spot for Lydia . . . shoot! But then I found out that Rebekah's 5/6 team didn't have enough players, so I asked really nicely if they would take Lydia even though she wasn't technically old enough {plus, that would save me running people to practices and game for 3 separate soccer teams}. Rebekah's coach said it was ok with him, but he'd have to get it ok'd by the park and rec people. They agreed too, so I was happy {although Rebekah was a little miffed the she had to have her too-little sister on her team -- but when I explained that if there happened to be 3 soccer games that overlapped on a certain Saturday morning then it would be possible that neither of her parents could be at her game, but if she and Lydia were on the same team, they were pretty much guaranteed at least one parent}. So Joe is on a co-ed 1/2 team and Rebekah and Lydia are both on an all-girl 5/6 team.

Here are some shots from our really hot, no-win morning at soccer::

sisters::

a extra-cute spectator::

um, you can see better if you actually face the game::

game 2 {did I mention it was at a totally different park? and started before the first one was done? convenient, huh?}::

run buddy::

out-standing in the field::

eleven

It's hard to believe that a month from today we'll be celebrating a first birthday. Slow it down! . . . unfortunately I've been around the block enough to know that's not going to happen. Anyway, here's our cute, speedy, happy, sweet eleven-month-old "baby" girl::

flashback friday

A couple other first day of school pics::

First day 2007 {Jacob 3rd grade, Rebekah 1st grade}::

Lydia, kindergarten::

First day 2009 {Jacob 5th grade, Rebekah 3rd grade, Lydia 2nd grade}::