Spicy Magnolia

One Blessing After Another

April. I’m not sure where it went. But it went. And it went somewhere fast.

April is one of my most favorite months. Not just because it’s my birthday month, although that has a lot to do with it, I’m not gonna lie. It is hands-down, in Texas, the prettiest month of the whole year. And we’re blessed with an unseasonably cooler and lingering spring this year. But enough about the weather.

Fun and full. That was April.

For the second time this year, Matt held down the fort beautifully for a few days while I traveled with most of our missions team from church for a conference in Asheville, NC. Matt got to see some of Brennan’s fun school activities up close and personal. This time it was the petting zoo. This boy has come a long way. Once upon a time he would’ve melted in mess of fear and trembling being so close to the bunnies.

These were the amazing people from our church whom I had the privilege of traveling with to NC. It was a jam-packed weekend that left our brains overloaded. But it was also an incredible time to see believers from all over the world come together with a united vision of purpose and mission to share Jesus’ love. I don’t know why I am so blessed with these opportunities to be a part of a group like this, but I am very thankful.

I can’t talk about the month of April without giving a huge shout-out to Matt. I mean, seriously. Four days with the kids by himself on a school day and the weekend; juggled a soccer game and a birthday party all in the same morning; everyone was alive and happy and the house was in order when I got home. He is an amazing, supportive man, and one other gift I have no idea how I was so blessed to receive.

He even put together this fun video for me to watch while I was away.

https://vimeo.com/63375116

Look at my boots, everyone. They’re pretty spiffy.

She’s become quite the momma. Even the sweet ladies in our church nursery have labeled her the nurturer of all the baby dolls as she cares for them one by one.

My beautiful birthday flowers from my husband.

I don’t remember the last time I had a donut. So on the day of my birthday, the day that actually began three weeks of sickness in our home, I treated the kids to Round Rock donuts. I’m not exaggerating when I say this boy scarfed his down like he hadn’t eaten in days. I think he wouldn’t have hesitated eating the renowned gigantic RR donut if I’d let him.

After our first of five doctor’s appointments, we made a spontaneous spot at Brushy Creek Park to play. It happened to have some fabulous patches of bluebonnets. In between throwing rocks in the lake and pretend fishing, I was able to catch this treasure.

He’s my tree climbing monkey.

She’s my peek-a-booer.

And these are good and perfect gifts from a really good Father.

April marked a first for our boy: he played on his first soccer team, Team Avalanche! We’ve held off joining a team and adding additional things to our schedule, but we thought we’d give this season a test run. It’s been a lot of fun. We made it onto Coach Travis and Alex’s team, and we were really sad when Alex broke his arm. He’ll resume play in a couple of weeks, but meanwhile, he’s been an excellent cheering fan as he watches his team play.

Brennan is an intense, serious player and it shows all over his face as he’s running up and down the field. You can also tell he’s a rule follower by how studiously he stays within the boundaries.

The weekend of my birthday we had the above soccer game that my parents came in town for, and I was spoiled with a pedicure and something else unmentionable that will rank up there as one of my most embarrassing moments ever. When I returned home with my face still flushed red, I walked into this beautiful table set by my momma for my birthday dinner of homemade chicken curry. Pure loveliness.

And the cake! It tasted just as gorgeous as it looks.

For the month of April, Matt and I helped lead the nursery kids at church. Only my husband would think to make use of the clown noses given as a party favor for the attention-getting, entertaining benefit of 3-5 year olds.

A few days prior to this picture I’d thought to myself I wished for more snuggle time with my precious Kensie Jane. After we took Brennan to school, it was apparent my wee one wasn’t feeling well at all. So we went home and did just that…snuggled.

April is our yard work month. Two full weekends we spent cleaning out flower beds, mowing, trimming, weeding, and mulching. It felt so good to be done! The kids helped out and also enjoyed play time with their buddies. We’ve soaked up our time with them as today they are actually moving. Six and a half years of growing in friendship and having the neighbors you dream about where your families commune as often as possible. They’ll still be close, and we’re excited for them, but both Leah and I have said it a number of times: it’s the day we’ve dreaded, and we’re plain ol’ sad.

Matt said it just right: “Working hard or hardly working?”

She’s keen on Lego building!

Hams.

Little sister. Big cheerleader.

Moments like these.

The last day of April, we had a very special visitor: Popsie! He was in town for a conference and joined us for lunch at Brennan’s school. That boy was so excited to show off his grandpa to his friends. He spent the night with us, and I had an extra special treat: a daddy-daughter date at Jack Allen’s! We enjoyed each other’s company for hours.

Only from the fullness of His love have I been given one blessing after another!

For all you precious women: friends, daughters, mothers, those longing for babies, those mourning the loss of babies, those wishing for another day with their momma, sisters, mentors, mothers-in-law…all of you precious, precious women… may you know the deep, deep love and goodness of your Maker this weekend.

Foresight

Christmas morning 1988 wasn’t the Christmas I’d laid in bed awake envisioning with anticipation the night before. Mid-morning Mac ran into Gaga’s kitchen with tears streaming down his face and his hand holding the back of his head. The next thing I knew, my parents swiftly loaded him into the car with blood soaked towels pressed up against an inches-long deep wound, and Mac's tears transformed into wails and screams. He and my cousin had been jumping on the couch and Mac fell backward landing perfectly on the sharp rim of the coffee table, cutting his head open. As I watched the car drive away from the large living room window, I instantly was sick to my stomach. The blood didn't make me queasy, but both the knowledge of my brother in pain and the unknown of what he was going through without me being there, put my stomach in all sorts of knotted contortions. For hours until he returned I laid on the bathroom floor next to the toilet. It was a memorable Christmas, of sorts.

Since then, I have on occasion felt that same bundle of nerves twist around in my stomach because of something Mac was going through. It usually strikes when I'm not with him but want to ever-so-badly be there. While wanting to be there to calm or help him, oddly,the reverse happens: he calms me.

So on Easter night, although so excited I could hardly stand it, I found myself once again knotted and twisted.

My brother was getting ready to see his babies.

And I so badly wanted to be there. To celebrate. To share in the moment. To cheer him on. And to be calmed. The nervous excitement of waiting on pins and needles while Julie delivered those precious babies she's carried for nine months was making my insides bounce and twist. (I recognize I have no legs to stand on talking about my insides as I’m writing about a birth <grin>!) Even after Mac texted with the announcement of their healthy births, I was awake most of the night awaiting more news and pictures.

We are ever so grateful these little ones remained tucked in the center of Julie held by God's hands for as long as they did. Together they totaled over 13 pounds and they didn't have to go into the NICU! Julie should be awarded something great in my book.

I am a doubly blessed aunt that I get to introduce Wynn Law and Mays "Maysie" DeLaddy!

This man, one of my best friends, is a daddy.

My parents flew up to meet their new grandbabies a few days later. I know I have nearly tipped over the edge to obnoxiousness for how much I text Mac asking for news and pictures. He might very well say I’ve already arrived. I have no shame.

Popsie and Mees in heaven.

At two and a half weeks. Pure bundles of love!

I foresee hours of make-believe time playing house, school, airports and restaurants for these two. Secrets between just the two of them that will drive their parents bonkers. Times of rubbing each other the wrong way because they know just the right thing to do and say to get under each other’s skin. I foresee lots of laughter and teasing. One asking the other…pleading with the other…to include them in hang-out times with friends. Tickle times that get out of control because Wynn didn’t know his own strength. At least a couple of times when Maysie wins an Indian-leg wrestling match that she can hold over his head for years to come. I foresee looks across the room that acknowledge how the other is feeling. Wynn coming to Maysie’s defense. Maysie coming to Wynn’s defense. Wynn cheering for Maysie. Maysie cheering for Wynn. Wynn rolling his eyes at Maysie because she’s exhausted her word count for the day, and especially because it was laced with so much emotional and relational info it makes his head want to explode. But he’ll have the patience to listen. And Maysie will be the utmost protector of Wynn, a living guard between girls and her brother. They’ll share a bond of memory and family unlike that of any other. There will be moments of sheer adoration and sheer annoyance. Moments of affection powerful enough to make them feel like they will burst. And from time to time, there will be an anxiously-wrought stomach on behalf of the other, wanting to rush to the other’s side to help, support, to simply be in the other’s presence.

All because of love.

Easter Blessings

There will always be a huge draw for me to write whenever I have the chance. It’s my outlet, and this little blog is my sole record keeping for our family. Ever since becoming a momma, an inner turmoil has existed within me that’s vacillated between a longing to write as often as I can to wondering if I should just give it up all together for a while. I want to write more often, more creatively, more powerfully, more authentically, and when it just seems like I can’t fit the mold I envisioned, my hands want to immediately go up in the air with a white flag waving. And this turmoil has been in me almost. every. single. day. I feel a burst of energy and accomplishment if I wrote something worthwhile, then for days…weeks…until the next post, I beat myself up wondering why I can’t get it done.

So, here’s where I am as I get ready to publish this post I began more than a week ago. Just like all of you, I’ve got a lot on my plate. In grace, trying not to give him the short end of the stick, I’m a wife who is ever so thankful for the husband she had no idea how she got in the first place! And despite having kids who from time to time scream at me when they’re mad or grab toys from each other for the millionth time, I find great pleasure and significance in shaping their little hearts and being home with them. This past year, I have wonderful things I’m involved in with our church community. I have no way to get it all done. My type-A, list-making, organizing freak self has lived in a whirlwind the past four years and I can never catch up. Some seasons I am mostly content with that and some seasons it drives me into literal panic attacks. And in between, I like to write.

But here’s the thing I’ve come to realize that’s taken me a long time to be ok with: this is not my season to write. I’m trying as hard as I can to get something thrown up here weekly that is some semblance of memory-making. My Google Reader has an unread list that’s exponentially growing. Just like everyone else, I need to streamline my time and be wise about it. That means less blog reading and as painful as it is to admit, less blog writing. I share this on here mostly for me, to free me of the inner battle of trying to write more frequently, creatively, and about something more than family news. In sweet surrender onto Him who has placed me in these roles, I lay this non-existent writing season in His hands.

++++++++List of thanksgivings from March 19th-April 1st+++++++++

• Brennan’s school is so much fun. I’m up there any chance I get for their monthly special events, March being the pony rides. They graciously include Kensie. I can’t list his teachers and the director of the school on here enough.

He looks like he’s outgrown ponies.

We joined the cowboy for lunch. As you will tell from other pictures, it’s the year of the silly face.

• Wednesday, March 20th. Hands down it was one of my all-time favorite days. It ended up being a celebration of spring. We made chocolate bird nests in the morning before heading to Lowe’s to get an assortment of beautiful flowers. After rest time we went outside to eat our nests, read Wild Birds and plant together. Brennan participated fully by wearing his gardening gloves and meticulously and ever so carefully placing the flowers in the pot. He gave me thirty minutes of effort and then resorted to playing with the hose.

She always hugs her brother during pictures.

• Some days I’m going to lose my mind refereeing with all the grabbing of toys, but some days are laced with sweet companionship and a variety of pretend play. She is his shadow.

• I’d lose my mind if it weren’t for Matt. He gets the kids out of the house and plays with them allowing me, in this case, to get the food and our home ready for company we had over for dinner.

• We had the vestry and their spouses (who are an invaluable support) over for dinner a couple of Saturdays ago. They are a group of people with whom I love serving and highly value. They entered into our rhythm of Lent and we shared a beautiful evening together.
• All dressed in red and ready to loudly declare, “Hosanna in the highest” on Palm Sunday. The meaning of Easter has sunk deep in Brennan this year, and it’s been one of our highest privileges as his parents to hear his questions, see him processing and intently listening. Maundy Thursday was a sacred night for our family. We drove to Chuy’s and quickly turned back home after hearing it was a 55 minute wait. God had something else in mind for our family and surprised us with His Spirit. I’ve personally journaled what happened to remember it. But the Lord was in our home and it was a capstone for our family.

• Dying Easter eggs was fun and wasn’t as messy as I anticipated. Yes, I’m thankful for that.

• We have a very special church community. I can’t describe the depth of love I have for our congregation; I highly esteem them. Our Good Friday service is a night of testimony using the last seven words of Jesus. Each personal story fits with His last words (i.e. “It is finished.”). My brothers and sisters are courageous. They lift up His cross and His resurrection; His suffering and His glory; His life and His death; His becoming nothing and His reigning over all…all of who He is was lifted high through the words of their testimonies.

• Jesus Christ has risen! He is risen indeed! I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and I love Him ever so much!
• Easter service growing up was my all-time favorite service. Throughout Lent we’d see a huge wooden cross in the front of the church, covered with chicken wire. On Good Friday, it was hung with black cloth. On Easter morning, all the families would bring in fresh cut flowers to stick in the chicken wire so what remained was a cross laden with splashes of bright color, signs of life and a sweet aroma.

My second favorite part of the Easter service was the last song we’d sing during communion called “I Am the Resurrection”. The trumpets and horns would resound with glorious declaration as we sang at the tops of our lungs. It was the last song played during our wedding after communion. And now I find myself among a community of believers who play the song on Easter Sunday as well. A tender smile of affirmation from Matt when they started playing it shows how well he knows me. That song. That song will be played at my memorial service.

• Smiles from Donna Jane and Kensington Jane.

• I’m grateful for a family who let me take the “let’s go out to eat on Easter” wild card this year. We feasted at Jack Allen’s, a new favorite of ours.

This fella had his shirt untucked with grass stains on his pants within minutes. As we dressed for church, I wrongly thought he had pants that fit! Somehow overnight, he outgrew two other pairs of pants he tried on before he managed to squeeze into the pair he wore. I am not exaggerating when I tell you he has eight, EIGHT, pairs of pants in his closet he has either outgrown or worn holes through since November.

The kids were more excited about the Easter egg hunt than the few gifts in their baskets. The baskets and eggs provided days of entertainment.

• More on this later because it deserves a blog post all in itself, and you’re champs if you’ve stuck with me this long. But this is a clue as to what was our huge Easter surprise blessing!

• My MOPS mentor mom has been a joy to get to know this year. She had our table out to her amazing log cabin home the Monday after Easter for a sip and see. The kids had another Easter egg hunt and Brennan surprised me with a huge handful of bluebonnets he pulled for me, roots and all.

Tree buds. Good buds. We love the Hoyts.

Not exactly what I was going for, but I’ll take them however they come <grin>.

 

Meet Anubhov

On this Tuesday of Holy Week, I want to introduce you to someone I’d like you to meet. His name is Anubhov, a three year old little boy from Bangladesh. When Matt and I first sponsored a child from Compassion shortly after Brennan was born, we chose a little girl, Rubina. After a year of sponsorship that particular Bengali Compassion location closed and we were able to sponsor another little girl, Moriyom, from another part of the country. We were thrilled a few months later when the opportunity arose to connect with Rubina again, grateful for how Compassion handled the situation and kept us abreast of what was happening in-country.

Compassion is allowing their bloggers the opportunity to choose a child in need of sponsorship to give you all the opportunity to be the ones to sponsor him or her. And so with excitement, I want to introduce you to this precious boy, Anubhov.

Many of you may already sponsor a child from Compassion or another organization. Will you take a moment to leave a comment to share with others how it’s blessed you and your family?

We love having Rubina and Moriyom as part of our family. We regularly pray for them, show the kids their pictures, write to them, and talk about their lives and their country with Brennan and Kensington. The best part is when we receive letters from the two girls. We get to see their beautiful drawings, hear about what they’re learning, and the kids are enthralled with the Bengali script. It looks vastly different from ours!

It’s a great big world out there, and I want my kids to know about it, hopefully getting to experience it firsthand. But until that day comes, I will pursue ways to show them the precious people that live beyond these borders of ours. Some of those ways present themselves in local opportunities, and another way is through Compassion sponsorship. Not only do we have the blessing of giving to children in need, but more so we are given the gift of relationship.

There is no pressure or obligation to do this, and Compassion isn’t giving me anything for writing this. But maybe you’ve been waiting for the opportunity to sponsor a child and this could be that time. Click here to see Anubhov. Ask the Lord and see what He says.

Many blessings to you and yours this Holy Week!

 

Five Minute Friday: Remember

 

 

This past Friday I joined The Gypsy Mama in her wonderful 'Five Minute Friday' series that encourages writers to write "without worrying about getting it right". We set the timer for five minutes and write freely without editing or over-thinking. I don't do it often enough.

During the kids' rest time last Friday, I hammered out something that resonated within me for the promt, "Remember". I wrote it, hit publish, and within the next hour removed it. It was too fresh, too sacred, and well, some of my posts need Matt's blessing before they're posted for the whole world to see.

So we sat with it for a couple of days. I haven't edited it despite a growing urge to add a little here, delete a little there. The over-thinker in me wants to backtrack, explain, contextualize. But simply, the promt enabled me to take a moment to process what occured on Friday from the overflow of a grateful heart...

It’s been eight months since we first stepped foot in the “beer man’s” office, a term we affectionately call our counselor. I remember what it felt like to plant foot in his office that Friday morning. Angry, scared, ashamed, crushed. The feelings were too much to bear and the vulnerability was palpable. He greeted us with kindness, a listening ear, and a lot of time-proven wisdom. Amazingly, we left hopeful and encouraged.

Matt and I walked into his office today with a mutual feeling it might be our last meeting for a while, that we crossed over into the “let’s meet on an as-needed basis” realm. Five. We had five specific goals we wanted to meet during our counseling sessions, and we talked about each of them: how far we’ve come, what we’ve learned, how we’ve grown, what’s changed. The overarching theme: how to live intentionally within our marriage, that there is no such thing as over-communicating.

At the end, we sat in silence. In reflection, we remembered not so much with focus on the situation that brought us there in the first place, nor those overwhelming emotions we experienced sitting in his office those initial sessions. But remembered that…

God loves soft hearts. He can work with them, mold them, change them. Humility is the posture in which to live. Dependence in the Lord is a position in which He delights. We can’t do anything without Him. Nothing. He is good. He’s faithful. He provided friends and family to pray for us, provided godly counsel.

And humbly, we remember and pray for those who bravely walk through those doors. You’re not alone.

“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Deuteronomy 4:9

 

Thankful Tuesday: Friends

Spring in Texas is glorious. Everything from the bluebonnets, to the vibrant splash of colorful tree buds, to the various bird peeps before the crack of dawn, it's divine. Our days lend themselves to picnics, bike rides, bar-b-ques, and contentedly basking in the sunlight on the many cloudless days. I can't help but blast country music on the radio that takes me back to the days I visited Mac at Texas A&M in the spring. There certainly is such a thing as Texas pride, and spring in Texas undoubtedly plants the State's position solidily as the best.

Our family had quite the spring break, leaving us with full hearts and what feels like a slight hangover. I actually haven't experienced a hangover, but just work with me. I imagine it's way worse than what we're actually feeling <grin>. Even so, the kids played so hard they've each slept over 12 hours a night and taken longer than 2 hour naps since we got back home. Our family plays intensely, mostly because of a boy with boundless energy.

The past week had a major theme: friendship. 

I'm thankful for...

• I love one-on-one time with my Momma. When I picked up the kids from her last Tuesday, the four of us picnicked in Dripping Springs, and she and I had two hours together. Both of us wrestled through the night a week ago, unable to sleep. The words that keep resonating in both of our hearts from the Lord at the moment are, "Trust Me." 
• As an introvert, I highly look forward to time by myself, so those days my folks had the kids were good for my soul. But boy howdy, it was good to hug those little ones again, and they were pretty excited to see me, too. That's always something to be grateful for: being gladly welcomed.
• On Wednesday we had a very special visitor, our friend, Melissa. We go back a decade now, traveling a couple times to visit her when she lived in South Asia, and we've seen God do mighty things in and through her in all sorts of various seasons of her life. She's walked with me through my own, and we're grateful for any time we have with her when she returns to Austin.
• On the first day that felt officially like spring, the kids and I picnicked in our backyard. There's something very precious to me about our meals outside. Brennan was fascinated by the new wind chimes my Momma gave us saying, "It's singing to us. It's singing Jesus Loves You." May He always have eyes to see His gifts and Presence all around us.
• It never fails: whenever we're rushed to get out of the house, things turn ugly. I turn ugly, I should say. We loaded the car to Dallas Thursday morning with a few soul-scrapes. I'm thankful for my kids who respond to me with a loving, "We forgive you. Now let's hit the road," said without a pause or breath in between the two.
• Sara, dear Sara. We try to squeeze in a visit whenever possible, and she always has a gift in hand, usually a book for me to read. The kids have a great time together, and Sara is an example to me of a thoughtful friend and a cheerful giver.

• Chris, Jill, Harrison, Haddie, and Hays! That Rutland family makes my kids' world go round; they stand with us, kneel with us, cry with us, pray with us, and crazy laugh with us. They feed us amazing food. And you know they're true friends when Chris loans Matt his boxers because Matt's bag didn't remember to put itself in the car. Jill is my regular mani/pedi companion of which we partook this weekend. She knows me so well that when Kensie Jane protruded a pouty lip because she wanted more food, Jill took one look at her and robustly declared with a cackle, "She's her mother's daughter!" We delight in this family. A particular highlight was sitting outside on the hammock with Jillie eating our treats, wrapped in blankets, and gabbing away.

This cutie was my shadow, and I love her lots.

 

At the Ft. Worth Stockyards, a number of people commented about these 'twins'. One man said while we passed him, "Here comes double trouble." These two were sweet on each other! We're saving up a dowry.

Besties. Inseperable.

 

This girl LOVES animals.

 

He made a friend he quite creatively named "Goatie".

 

• The Shireys made it to Turkey safely and smoothly!
• Guess where I'm going?! In May, I get to jump on a plane and meet my niece and nephew!!
• I'm deeply thankful for Matt who knows how to pray for me. Genuinely and sweetly, he covers me with prayers when I hurt and ache over not knowing how to be a mommy, and God uses him to speak rest and peace to me.

Due to technical difficulties, it hasn't been the easiest to publish this today. So before I lose my mind or pull out all my hair, I will say, 'So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight.'

And now not only am I craving a viewing of The Sound of Music, I know that song will be stuck in my head the rest of the night. 

Adeui!

 

 

Thankful Tuesday: Making Memories

During our year and a half of dating and the first few years of our marriage, Matt and I were regulars at the Borders bookstore down the street from my apartment (our apartment after the rings and vows were exchanged). When Molly became a part of our family, she’d occasionally trek with us on a pleasant evening whereupon we’d sit outside with our hot chocolate and chai, and everyone would admire our adorable dog who crossed her paws lady-like. On a particularly wonderful visit, Matt would buy me the chocolate lava cake. Each bite melted in my mouth, and I hesitated sharing. Engagement days would call for perusing the bridal magazines or calligraphing our wedding invitations. A year into our union I devoured novels from the Mitford series and mysteries by Dorothy Sayers while Matt judiciously studied for the GRE and his subsequent Masters degree. When I think back to our early years of marriage, those bookstore rendezvouses are remembered amorously.

A decade later, herein I sit in a bookstore with my husband. We come every now and then, but generally our dates consist of a meal out and then back home before I turn into a grumpy pumpkin. I’ve never been able to adjust to Matt’s night owl nature. It will still be an early night, but since we have been kid-less for a few days, it allows me to be slightly more flexible with my beauty sleep. And who are we kidding? With pre-schoolers and toddlers who can really call any sleep ‘beauty’ sleep but rather just a grasp for any amount of survival sleep possible?

So to top this week’s list of thanksgivings, it must be said that I’m most thankful for my parents who took the kiddos for a few days! Molly immediately reverted to being an only child; she has an innate sense about these things. And we’ve certainly enjoyed the quiet home and extra, legitimate ‘beauty’ sleep.

Also:

• March is our doctor/dentist checkup month, and I’m grateful for the health insurance and good doctors accessible to us. We saw a great pediatric cardiologist last Friday that confirmed the two heart murmurs Brennan has are innocent. We’re incredibly thankful for our healthy children!
• This is still a drought-ridden land, so when rain comes, we don’t tell it to go away, we tell it to stay around for a while. We had a couple days of refreshing storms.
• Molly had her checkup, too, and at 11.5 years old, she’s looking good. She has a number of loving caretakers.

• Brennan usually doesn’t go into a lot of detail about his time at school despite my questions, but on Thursday he was so excited about the nature walk he took and the projects he made, he talked about it the whole afternoon. I got to hear all about it!

• Matt and I only last about twenty minutes with Brennan climbing into bed with us before we carry him back to his room. But he has incredibly tolerant grandparents who love him so much, they were willing to sleep like this on Saturday night.

• Matt’s been reading some of our favorite books about Easter this week with the kids (Light of the World and The First Easter), and it’s been a gift to listen to Brennan’s questions and excitement. He picked out bright turquoise (not my choice of color) flowers at Hobby Lobby to set at the table Easter Sunday for Jesus, and he specifically wants to bake Jesus a white Easter cake because “he likes the color of Jesus’ robe.” As we journey through Lent, we look at the cross on our Way of Life Wreath placed on our kitchen table, and Brennan says, “He’s getting closer. He’s getting closer to dying.” I’m soaking in his child heart, and love Jesus all the more for how He declared His own love, care and protection for children.
• I am naturally a very nostalgic person. Sometimes this lends itself to make me more melancholy, but it also makes me appreciate the gift of memories more acutely. Often I will reminisce about something I remember vibrantly and fondly with someone to discover they don’t recollect it at all or at best minimally. At first I was a little taken aback, slightly offended, thinking, “How could that not have meant as much to him/her?” But I’m finding it’s more how I was made and my love for memory-making than anything else. I’m grateful for opportunities to make memories, for my children to make memories with our loved ones. In this particular case, it’s with my parents. And I can’t tell you what a treasure it is that it’s with both my momma and my daddy, both Brennan and Kensington’s grandmother and grandfather. Memories of playing in pretend forts eating oranges, going to a dog show and the Alamo to “get books”, playing outside and getting wet so that the only things left to wear were Popsie’s t-shirts.

• For a variety of reasons and commitments, I need a break from our women’s Bible study at church. And the ladies couldn’t have been more encouraging and supportive, praying over me and my other roles before I left. I love those women.

I’ll pick up the kids in the morning. I’m eager to wrap my hands around those two and smother them with kisses listening to Brennan say “wipe off, wipe off” as he rubs his hand over each place I plant a smooch. It’s spring break here. We have some fun plans this week. So you know where you’ll catch us?

Making memories.

Love to you and yours, and may your week be filled with sweet memories, too!

Desserts and Jibbitz, There is a Connection

Greetings from the place that can’t make up its mind about the weather. One minute it’s in the 60s with wind gusts up to 35 mph, then the weather’s finicky personality kicks into gear and shoves us all the way up to a near 90 degrees. Rumor has it it will be back down into the 60s tomorrow. Our A/C and heater are in a huge territorial brawl. I imagine, from experience, the A/C will immerge victorious, much to my chagrin.

The girls in the house have been on the down and out lately with viruses. I’ll blame the weather. Amazingly though, this is the first bout of illness we’ve had since Thanksgiving and minor at that, so no complaining here. Especially when I have a hubby who takes good care of me when I’m sick.

It’ll be early to bed for me this evening (I’m writing this Monday night), so let me jump right to it. A few things I’m thankful for this past week:

• I can’t help myself. This might just be a delight to me and Matt, but this video of Kensington is a sure-fire way to put a smile on my face. The boy adds an extra amount of entertainment, too. By the way, I’ve noticed I unintentionally adapted my wave to be that of a floppy, weak-noodled wave like Kensie’s. That needs to change.
• I’m grateful for a solid day of taking it easy with the kiddos on Friday. It’s rare we have a stay-in-bed-all-day kinda day, and because we weren’t feeling that great, it was just right. We played dinosaur games with the sheets, watched movies, read books, wrote our Compassion girls, and snuggled. We were in the same place we were when Matt left for work: our big, comfy bed. An extra bonus was when Brennan wanted me to hold and rock him just like the boy in the book “Love You Forever” after we read it.

• I received a much needed reminder of God’s love for me. A love that is solidly and profoundly enough. (I highly recommend listening.)
• It takes a special physician and his team to make a woman walk out of her annual OBGYN appointment and say it was one of the highlights of her day.
• Saturday I had a date! Brennan and I went to ZACH Theatre to see “Goodnight Moon”, a play based upon the children’s book. It was so much fun! It was the first time, however, that my little guy didn’t want to sit in my lap through a play <tear>. Afterward, we ate lunch together at Shady Grove, an Austin hot-spot. What an awesome five hours! Brennan was most excited about getting a dessert. We ordered one that exceeded both our expectations.

• Aside from my signature/favorite Magnolia blossom, the fragrant Mt. Laurels hit a sweet spot in me. And I sure appreciate the moments the kids and I take together to take a whiff of the aroma or catch a beautiful bird perched on a tree singing its melody.

• I’m thankful Kensie and I weren’t detained, charged or arrested last week. You see, the cute little girl above shoplifted a few Croc jibbitz from the store by placing them in the basket of her stroller. Thankfully, she pulled them out when we got to the car and I was able to return them before we left. She has a knack for hiding things!
• In the confusion and challenges Matt and I find ourselves in this particular season of parenting, a time when I long for a formula and feel stretched way beyond my comfort zone, I am so grateful for a husband who holds me and whispers in my ear that it’s ok. That as we seek God in it, He’s giving us soft hearts that can then be shaped by Him.
• Can’t help but rejoice when these two play well together, help each other, and love one another. Endearingly, Brennan recently named Kensie Jane his “sissy” or “Kens”.

How about y’all? What are you thankful for?

I hope you all have a fantastic week! I’m off in search of my pillow where I can dream about that awesome dessert then wake up from a nightmare that I found a whole stash of shoplifted jibbitz.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

Whenever I’m able to sneak in a moment to read a blog, Micha’s is one of them, particularly her “Thankful Tuesday” posts because I love how they provide a glimpse into her everyday life. And I’m looking for a way to somehow consistently post about our own, so I’m going to bedazzle you with my copycat skills and jump on the “Thankful Tuesday” bandwagon. Knowing my track record, it might end up being “Thankful Friday” or something I post every other week, but here’s to a solid start effort.

• Hands down I’m thankful for Matt who, even after staying up a solid straight 24.5 hours for work, sent me on my merry way to Georgia while he stayed home for four days with the kids. He did a splendid job, even mastering Kensie’s pigtails. AND he cleaned the fish tank. That skyrocketed his points off the charts in my book.
• I’m crazy blessed by this boy who still thinks every beautiful flower he sees is one that should be picked for his momma, even if it came from our very own garden.

• Time with loved ones is always a gift. Time with loved ones who are getting ready to move overseas is all the more dear. So my four days in Georgia with my friend, Corrie, and her three children were precious to me. Her husband was house-hunting in their soon-to-be new city, and I had the privilege of keeping her company and lending a small helping hand. Friends like her who speak Truth when you need to hear it are hard to come by and very necessary. I’ll have to share some stories about Corrie in the near future; in the fourteen years I’ve known her we’ve collected some doozies.

I’m “Auntie Eggs” (aka Auntie Megs)

Precious baby Lucy. There’s nothing like holding a newborn. And no, although she’s incredibly irresistible, it did not make me long for another baby.

• Thirty-six years of marriage is something worth rejoicing over! On this day that marks my parents’ anniversary it is absolutely worth giving God a shout-out for His goodness and mercy!
• We are two days shy of making it to March 1st, a HUGE mile-marker for my niece and nephew. It’s been our hope and prayer they’d stay put for at least this long (their due date is April 23rd, but it’s been a rough haul), and I’m so thankful that they’ve held tight this long!
• It’s a blessing to have fun phones to receive pictures like this when I’m far away and not able to snatch them up and give them kisses.

• I’m incredibly thankful my children have a daddy who thoroughly enjoys being with them! Here are some of Matt’s and Kensie’s adventures last Thursday while Brennan was at school.

 

• Despite the crazy timing of my little girl only wanting her mommy right before I left and having a fit otherwise, I sure loved the additional snuggles before bedtime.
• I’m thankful for him, for his innocence, his zest for life, his carefree spirit that will jump at any opportunity to wear his rain boots.

• Friends. I’m so grateful for the friends my kids play with, for their moms I love, for the life-long friends far away to whom I can text at night just to say ‘hi’.

In deep appreciation for this new day and the One who gives me breath,

“Auntie Eggs”

All Things Kensie

It’s horrifying. Well, horrifying is a strong word. But I am somewhat aghast that I spent the last twenty minutes trying to find a recent update I wrote about Kensington since she turned one, and have found none. I managed to slip in an announcement she started walking but that’s it. So in honor of my baby, the second child who is renowned to be jilted on the memory-keeping, this post is a summary of Kensie Jane over the last 6 months because she is, as of January 29th, 18 months old!

To start, here are a few progressive pictures.

At 14.5 months she started walking and is now running. With a big brother chasing and tackling her (which she enjoys most of the time), she’s gotta be quick on her feet.

She’s my shadow and follows me everywhere. As moms all know, we inevitably gain bathroom buddies when we have kids, and well, this picture happened to be taken in the bathroom. Before you get to thinking she’s crinkling her nose for a legitimate reason, don’t. This is her normal crinkle face I was happy to catch on camera.

This picture was taken by Julie as Kensie was coming around a corner. It tells you a lot about my girl. First, she loves to wear hats. Anything that remotely looks like it can be put on her head lands there. Second, Kensie beats to her own little drum. Case in point: she’s always preferred to suck her paci upside down. I don’t know why, but even when I try to take it out and fix it (which I’ve ceased doing), she takes it out, flips it around and slips it right back in her mouth.

Some things to note about my sweet girl:

• She’s fairly fearless. She doesn’t hesitate to climb; will choose to go down any slide, the faster the better; loves to swing; doesn’t hesitate to hold a ladybug; rides horses; didn’t cry at the Rainforest Café with Popsie and Mees; and loves to be tossed high up in the air by Daddy. I have to make sure to buckle her in the grocery cart and her booster seat or else she’ll make it a point to stand up the whole time.

• At her 18 month checkup she weighed 23 pounds, 11 ounces (40th percentile) and was 33 inches long (85th percentile).
• She’s lost the strawberry coloring in her hair she had as a baby; now it’s full-on bleach blonde.
• In the last two weeks her vocabulary catapulted. Some of her regular words are bird, good girl, granola bar, hello, all done, bye bye (said dripping like a southern sweet-tea drawl), dada, momma, nigh-nigh, sky.
• On this day, February 5th, she told me, “love you” for the first time.

• She’s crazy about her Daddy, who takes her on dates like the Chick-fil-A Daddy-Daughter Date Night and the Daddy-Daughter Dance.

• When you tell her to take a picture, she nestles right into the person with whom she’s taking a picture and puts her hand around their shoulder.

• When Matt declares it’s time to take a bath or brush teeth, she’s the first one who dodges to the bathroom. She has an unusual love relationship with her toothbrush.
• Most of the time, she and Brennan play really well together, something that’s blossomed over the last few months. Brennan calls for her to come and stay upstairs with him to play. More often than not it ends in tears, but they get a good twenty minutes of happy time together. Her brother makes her world go round. He has no idea how enthralled she is with him.

• Kensie is ready for school; she’s a natural as she walks into Brennan’s classroom, confident in the routine and thinking she belongs there. Brennan’s teachers make Kensie feel very welcomed, pulling up chairs for her next to Brennan and kindly recognizing how she longs to be a part of his school. Always in her hand is his lunchbox which she carries in and out for him (also to note is her first official pigtailS were February 12th).

• She’s a girly-girl through and through. She loves to carry purses; wear hats; play dress up; rub lotion on her face and hands (an activity we could do together for a LONG time); sit and let me brush and fix her hair; and even let Brennan put makeup on her. One day last week she didn’t want me to put her tennies on, she specifically picked out her dress shoes (I’m in trouble!). She dresses much more fashionably and cuter than I ever do because 90% of her clothes have been graciously given to us by my good friend, Leah! I constantly have people compliment me on Kensie’s clothes. It’s mostly Leah’s doing, and I’m bound and determined to hire her as my own personal shopper soon as well.

(Brennan as a makeup artist.)

• While she’s a girly girl, she likes to get down and get dirty. She doesn’t mind dirt and playing with a bunch of dinosaurs, trains, and can hold her own with Brennan in a roaring contest. She loves to join in and play ball. I alternate between throwing the ball for Brennan to hit and tossing her the ball to catch. This is her ball stance. And catch and throw she does!

• Every time we get her from her crib, Kensie brings along her “Little Bear” and her blankie. If we’re in a store that has stuffed animals, they secretly call out her name to be loved by her.

• If she’s done eating, the meal is expected to be done for all. She’s not into lingering. Her dishes and placemat are immediately pushed aside while she declares, “All done.”
• Tuesday and Thursday mornings are Mommy-Kensie time while Brennan is at school. If it’s a pretty day, we usually have a picnic together. The prayer garden at Brennan’s school is our most favorite place to eat. If we need to be indoors, we usually eat in the entry way to Brennan’s school where they have an awesome aquarium and Noah’s ark art around the whole building.

• Much of the time you’ll find Kensington with a snack in hand; she’s a much happier baby with a full belly, and she constantly wants food. She’s more picky than Brennan was, but you can’t go wrong with cheese or yogurt. She’s my dairy queen. Bananas are her favorite fruit. She LOVES Chuy’s chile con queso.

• She has all of her teeth! Sometime this past fall, she was miserable and fussy All. Of. The. Time. Upon looking in her mouth, I was astonished to see she had grown EIGHT teeth in a matter of weeks! I couldn’t believe it. They all came in at the same time.
• She’s a chocolate fan. But I only know of a couple of people in the entire world that don’t like chocolate. She’s eager to grab any Starbucks drink I have knowing it’s hot chocolate.
• Thankfully she’s still a great sleeper through the night and takes 1 nap a day, about 2 hours long.
• If you catch her in the mood for it, she’ll snuggle with you. One of my most favorite things ever is she’ll be heading somewhere, either out the door to play or upstairs and I’ll say, “Bye bye.” She'll say, “Bye bye” back to me, wave, and swing back around to me for hugs and kisses.
• Kensie Jane is my imitator. Anything she sees me do she wants to do it: clean, give Molly water from her water bottle, put makeup on.
• The girl is low in drama (so far) and very even keeled.
• She loves books like her big brother.

• She and Ella Kate, a good friend next door, have a blast playing together and are sweet to each other.
• Little girl loves her Molly!

• Kensie Jane clearly knows what she likes and what she doesn’t, and she’s not afraid to let you know her opinion. She’s pretty independent and likes to try things on her own. Whereas Brennan is mostly compliant and eager to please, Kensie is going to be the one that pushes the limits to see how far she can go while she looks mischievously out of the corner of her eyes to test what our response will be. Oh, yes, she’ll be that child.

This picture, taken by a gentleman at our church, captures her so beautifully. My baby girl is now 18.5 months old. She’s full of sweetness and thoughtfulness. I’m beyond thankful for her joyful spirit, tiny dimples, wide smile, and soulful eyes. She’s pretty irresistible!