Happy Birthday, Trophy Husband!

I'm crazy blessed to be married to this guy...

...AND, this guy, his alter ego.  

He's the life of our family party, and the perfect polar opposite of me.  It also just so happens to be his birthday.  And, as awesome as it is to be married to him, he's the most difficult person I know of to buy a gift for.  He doesn't need anything.  His clothes last forever.  I can't afford an Elk hunt (one day, I promise).  So, I did what any good wife and mom would do.  I asked the three year old for advice.  And, he didn't disappoint.  He had a great idea, in fact, he insisted he knew just the right place to celebrate Daddy's birthday. So, where did Sam think Daddy would love to go for his birthday?

Why, Chuck-E-Cheese, of course!

Pizza, games, prizes, a dance show every hour featuring the big mouse himself!  What's not to love?!

I actually thought Sam's plan was pretty cute, and I helped him with the minor details, like paying.  Otherwise, he planned the perfect Sunday afternoon celebration for a super rockin' dad and husband.

Happy Birthday, Trophy Husband, Super Dad, Scarecrow!  Know you are loved!

A Look at Lucy - 9 months

I am getting later and later every month on these update posts.  Life is so very busy right now, and free time to sit and blog comes at a premium.  Somehow laundry or schoolwork or cooking dinner always seem to take precedence.  Why do my children need to eat every day? :)  However, we managed to work in this mini photo session between bath and bedtime one night.

Official 9 month photos and stats:

Cheerios are a new staple on this girl's menu

Waving bye-bye right on cue

Still only two teeth

Standing unassisted for a few seconds at a time

Walking while holding my fingers

Belly laughing when tickled or while wrestling with Daddy

Finally starting to get a head full of red hair

Tortillas are this girl's best friend.  I think they must soothe those teething gums, so she loves chewing on them.  I don't mind this new habit though.  It's pretty smart really.  It's a whole lot easier to clean up than those frozen (melted) fruit teethers.  Oh, the things I've learned by the second go-around.

                                        

These are Lucy's buddies at school rockin' it out for music time at school.  Lucy doesn't even think about crying when I drop her off every morning.  She is laughing and practically bouncing out of her seat each day.  It's really nice to know she is having so much fun while we are apart each day.

                         

And, we have a climber!  We don't have stairs at home, but she is drawn to stairs wherever we go.  They are a fun game to her and a heart stopper to me.  I guess I better learn how to breathe and chill though because this girl is as fearless as her brother.

My babies are destined for the stage!

While waiting for Daddy to finish his gig at church, they can't wait to get up the stairs and onto the stage.  Sam created his own magic act and Lucy just smiled with pride in herself when she reached the top.  Love being Momma to these funny kiddos.

                            

One Word 2014: REJOICE

It's year number four of my one word resolutions.  In the past I have chosen, anyway, see, and tell as anchor words to drive my actions and thoughts throughout the year.  I have accepted life isn't always what I want it to be (no small feat for a type A control freak) and worked to live it anyway, imperfections and all.  I have navigated a year long journey to truly see God at work around me and in my life.  I have cultivated a more courageous faith stance and stepped out of my comfort zone at times to tell my God story to others.  It hasn't always been pretty, and it surely isn't perfect, but it's my honest attempt at self-improvement and personal growth.

So, here goes.  My word for 2014 is… REJOICE!

Before I go explaining my word, I must acknowledge what strange and uncharted territory I am in right now.  My whole life I have been anticipating the next step.  Anxiously waiting to mark important events off my life checklist.  Waiting to finish school.  Waiting to get out on my own.  Waiting to land the perfect job.  Waiting to find "the one."  Waiting to marry "the one."  Waiting to have a baby.  Waiting to have another baby.  Waiting on my sweet husband to finish his nursing degree.  Waiting to be debt free.  The list goes on and on.  But this year, I'm not waiting on anything.

Waiting implies practicing patience.  Long suffering.  A sense of longing or discontentment until the thing I was waiting on came to pass.  At least that's been true for me.  Only now, I realize I may have missed some opportunities to rejoice in what is.  To find contentment in right now.

Don't get me wrong; I still have plenty of things I want to do.  Save more money.  Visit Israel.  Build our dream home.  Dance naked by the light of the harvest moon.  (Kidding on the last one; that was for my Practical Magic girlies:)  But in the meantime, I want to intentionally rejoice is His plans and provisions for me today.  

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us REJOICE and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

If sunny skies lie ahead, I will REJOICE.  

(Probably more whole-heatedly since I prefer the sunshine and rainbows route.  I'm human.)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

If His plan includes refinement for me this year.  Bring it, and just call me a rejoicin' motor scooter.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.  Roman 5:3-4

And, if you catch me wallowing in discontent or impatiently whining over my own unfinished agenda, feel free to hold me accountable to my new attitude and demand to see my special REJOICE dance.  It's a good one :)