Hannah @ 16 Months

Hannah love,

You are becoming a little girl right in front of my eyes, and I can’t seem to figure out how we’ve gotten to this point so quickly. Was it not 2 weeks ago that you laid around and cooed and slept all day? Sure seems like it.

But now you’re up and going! You’re everywhere. Into everything! Specifically: the trash cans, toilet paper rolls, cabinets, refrigerator, dirty clothes boxes, DVD baskets, book cases, CD cases, etc. You love to empty out things (and sometimes put them back).

You’re saying more words: Daddy, Mama, byebye, heeeeey, ah oh, cracker, and possibly thank you. We can’t quite decide if you’re trying to say thank you or not.  

You’re in a size 5 diaper, a size 12-18 month/18 month clothing, and size 4 shoe.

 

You drink juice/chocolate milk like no child I’ve ever known. When you get your cup, you sometimes only come up for 1 breath during the entire gulping of the cup of juice. And then you pee a tremendous amount at one time…hence the size 5 diaper.

You’ve decided you’re a fan of the outdoors—hooray! Your brother was relieved when you made it known you no  longer loathed grass. Mud is your BFF and you ate dirt the other day. You enjoy riding in your push car, playing in leaves, riding in the jeep with Drew, riding in the wagon, and sliding down the slide. Sometimes I let you and Drew out in the backyard and you usually play together really well. Then you’ll decide you need an adult out there with you, so you come inside, grab my hand, and pull me back out. A woman who knows what she wants—that’s a good thing, right?

You love: passies, babies, Elmo, sleeping, wearing shoes, painted toenails (painted them for the second time last night), juice, bananas, baths, showers, Dora, dancing, singing, jabbering, Fridge farm, spaghetti, pizza, green beans, peas, lima beans, ice cream, and french fries. Strangely, just like your brother, you love helping with laundry. However, you aren’t OBSESSED with the washer and dryer like he was—thank goodness!

You dislike: being woken up, not being with mommy, your bows (sometimes), Drew messing with you (!), being told “no,” and being left in class at bible class/worship.

Your smile is so adorable! Two molars have cut through and more are on their way. Bless your sweet heart!

You can point to your eyes, your nose, your hair, and your ears. You really love to point to my nose, then insert your finger into my nostril until you nearly touch my brain. You think that’s funny and do it every time before I lay you down for naps. And this crazy mama lets you because it makes you laugh!

You sleep from about 8pm-9am which brings no complaints from me! Then you nap for 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours in the day. During that time, Drew and I usually do something fun and I take a shower. It’s a desperately needed down-time! But when you get up, we usually play outside which thrills you!

You’re beginning to understand and follow commands: sit down, go to your chair, put on your shoes, take off your shoes, hold your arms up, get the baby, get the ball, etc. I can’t believe you’re old enough to “get” those things yet. SLOW DOWN!!

Oh sweet girl. I just love you. You melt me when you take hold of my hand, when you laugh and run, when you lay your head on my shoulder at bedtimes. I just want to soak you in and slow life down a little. Drew grew up quickly, but it seems your life is going even faster.

I absolutely love having a daughter and can’t imagine how wonderful the next several years with you are going to be. You are so special, and I know God has great, great plans for you! I look forward to seeing you grow and your heart mature and having deep spiritual conversations with you and teaching your sweet heart. I pray we will always be close and use our foundation of our love for Jesus as our largest commonality.

You are loved, my baby. So much!

Love,

Mommy

Embrace the Mess

I was talking to my friend, Natalie, in my driveway today. We were expounding on our young mom's bible study. I revealed to her that I really struggle with embracing activities that make a mess, regardless of how much fun they may be. As I turned to answer Drew calling my name, I saw them. Both of my children. Sitting there in their own little mudpuddle they'd just created, Hannah covered from head to toe in mud. Drew splashing mud every.where. As my mouth hung open wide enough to catch the early mosquitoes everywhere, Natalie reminded me to embrace the beauty of the moment as she drove away. I sighed and laughed aloud at God's sense of humor. He had to have been listening to our conversation.

So we made mud pies. And ruined some good clothes. And took pictures. And made fun, messy memories. And mama smiled the whole time!

He is Faithful

Just a note to our blog friends: we found out last Tuesday that our precious baby had gone to be with Jesus. The Lord held our hands the entire way through and he has comforted our hearts in so many beautiful ways and given us a peace we can't comprehend. He is binding our wounds and is remaining close. He's never left our side. These verses and song have helped a lot:


Tenth Avenue North- Times (heard the chorus on the way home from the doctor's office. it was so comforting at that moment and even now)

well My love is over, it's underneath
it's inside, it's in between,
these times you're healing
and when your heart breaks
the times that you feel like you've fallen from grace
the times you're hurting
the times that you heal
the times you go hungry and are tempted to steal
in times of confusion and chaos and pain
I'm there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
I'm there through your heartache
I'm there in the storm
My love I will keep you by My power alone
I dont care where you've fallen, where you have been
I'll never forsake you
My LOVE never ends, it never ends

Lamentations 3:22-24 (The day after everything was done, this verse echoed in my heart.)

22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”


Psalm 34: 15, 17-20

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears are attentive to their cry;...
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

he delivers them from all their troubles.

18The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19A righteous man may have many troubles,

but the Lord delivers him from them all;

20he protects all his bones,

not one of them will be broken.

Lamentations 3:22-24

22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

Hebrews 13:5-6

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

6 So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”


Lamentations 3
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone.

Thank you for your prayers, sweet friends. God is good. All the time.

If This House Could Speak

If this house could speak, it would fill volumes. Unspeakable volumes. More than I'd know to write.

The walls would talk of the red juice stains that have repeatedly been painted over, but are quickly replaced with new ones. They would tell tales about how each mark got its permanent place--a dent from a fallen frame here. A smudge of muddy hands there. A long red strip down the bar's wall where we rode our outside toys inside when the sun was beating down ruthlessly one summer.

The poor carpet. It would sing of times spent wrestling in the floor with daddy, laughing and squealing with excitement. Of picnics in the floor while watching Elmo, Dora, and Veggie Tales. It would tell how it cradled little babies as they slept and played on its surface. It captured the moments of first crawls, first steps, first bumps and bruises. It would complain of all the days and nights spent having trenches walked in it as we shushed a colicky baby. And it would be lying if it said we hadn't taken a toll on its fibers. Heaven knows--we have.

The bathtub would rave of all the bubbles it held, the loud songs it contained, and the memories that were made almost nightly at 7:00pm. And it might tell that it secretly knew it was my secret for sanity since Daddy's almost always on bath duty.

My poor couch would tell a painful tale: of drink spills, diaper leaks, sleepless nights, bouncing children, chocolate stains, and bearing the weight of the exhausted parents at the end of the night. That couch has seen the worst of us.

But if my house could speak of all these things, it might then tell the truth. The whole truth. It might tell what goes beyond surface level stains and wear and tear. It would be real in its tale. That we fuss and fight like everyone does. It would tell of a mother who loves-loves, loves, loves-the blessing of her family. It would ramble on about discipline, correction, and teaching-constant, consistent, never-ending teaching. That sometimes Mommy snaps and yells to gain attention, and moments later cries and hugs her babies and apologizes. It would speak of learning gentleness, patience, and long suffering. Every fiber would tell of each of us learning selflessness as we learn to submit to one another in love. As we share the same space with the same people all day long.

I would hope it would sing of the love the man of this house has for the homemaker here. How he sacrifices constantly, loves her through the tough times, and supports her when it's hard. How we've grown leaps and bounds in our spiritual relationship with each other and the Lord. And it would say we are more in love and dedicated now than we were 5 years ago when we first moved in to fresh carpet and paint.

It would echo the love, joy, and energy contained in 2 beautiful babies. Growing, active babies. It would tell of their worth, their achievements, their imaginations, their progress, their failures, their struggles. Oh and their love for one another--it is so immense!

But I would hope more than anything that the air of the entire house would say in unison that this place is filled with Jesus Christ. All the way from the ceilings to the floors. That his love echos from all the corners of this home. From the richness of quiet morning devotionals to the prayers uttered by a 3 year old at lunch time. To the nighttime Bible readings from Daddy told with enthusiasm and laughter. To the prayers offered to God to help us and forgive us as we struggle throughout the day. I hope it would sing of the verses we repeat on respect, truthfulness, discipline, gentleness, and kindness-all because we desire to be more like our Creator Himself. That we're growing, stretching, and learning all the time and growing so deep in our relationships with Him that it flows out of us to each other. That it would tell the vast improvement of respect and love shown between a husband a wife, the strides made in gentleness and patience and selflessness. And it would know we do not do these things to attain a higher level of "achievement," in ourselves, but simply because we are aiming toward Him with everything we've got. Our hearts yearn to please Him in all we do and say.

Oh if this house could speak. It would not say we are perfect. That we don't struggle. But it would definitely say that we are joyful. That we've made unforgettable memories. That my children are surrounded with unconditional love. And it would say that this house and the hearts within it, belong to the Lord, every nook and cranny. Oh, if this house could speak...

Photo Dumping/Update

My sweet aunt, Deda, checks my ailing blog daily. I mean even when I don’t blog for a month. She is here. Looking for pictures of the babies. So Deda, this is for you!

I finally unloaded pictures from my camera onto my computer. The transferring cable has been lost for weeks, and today my husband nonchalantly says, “Why don’t you use the SD card on the front of the computer I just installed a few weeks ago?” Oh….well, that would have helped! Truthfully, I do not have the time/energy/desire to give you a caption for all of these pictures. I’m sure you can add one yourself if you need. Enjoy, Deda!

Starting in November….lots of fun. Hannah turned 1. Lots of Christmas card photo attempts. Thanksgiving fun.

 

 

Moving to December…Met Santa, Artie moved in for a month, had Christmas celebrations, remembered our Savior, celebrated Mamaw’s 90th birthday party, saw zoo lights, it snowed (and was so cold!), Hannah took her first steps, and made lots of memories!

 

And, finally, January 2012….Visited Mamaw’s house, played inside, and Drew got a booster seat!

 

So now I’m caught up!