pigtails

elise looked so stinkin' cute yesterday, i couldn't help but do a photo shoot...and then it dawned on me that this could potentially be her last solo photo shoot. so here's her latest (with pigtails!):

wow...

well, i just finished being the recipient of a full body prenatal massage. my wonderful husband got it for me for mother's day. our friend's sister came to the house, with table, music, lotions, you name it...and i got the royal treatment! (if you're interested, i'll get her contact info for you...she was awesome!) for a moment after i got up, i almost didn't feel like i was even pregnant! i have to admit, i'm secretly hoping it relaxed me enough that i'll go into labor soon...but as my OB reminded me today, only God knows the timing of that.

but for now, as i sit here, totally relaxed, all lotioned and smooth, and craving Friendly's mint chocolate chip ice cream...i am so grateful for justin! what a blessing and a gift from the Lord to have a husband who would not only listen enough to my daily ramblings to know what would bless me...but then secretly schedule it, not tell me, and leave me a note on the kitchen table, which basically said what i was to do today, where i was to be and when...and that he had arranged childcare for elise for the whole afternoon! i almost don't even know what to do with myself! so Lord, thank You...for such a kind, loving, and gracious husband.

and with that thankful heart, i'm off to run a few errands that are going to be much easier without elise...and maybe just maybe...stop at Friendly's :)

a little sicky

what do you do when you wake up from a nap with a 102 fever?...you snuggle up with your favorite blankie and toys, of course.

and when you're starting to feel better you go to the park for a little fresh air. (for as much as she LOVES the park...she has no patience for the swings...as you can tell by her face)

mother's day

it's sad that it's taken me so long to write about mother's day, but better late than never. it was a great day. i know that's not a very profound or deep statement, but it was. here's elise that morning in her oh-so-cute outfit, saying "cheese." (oh, and in case you're wondering what she's doing...she was dropping the uno cards around the house as if practicing to be a flower girl. she's got it down for any of you out there in need of a flower girl!)

here's my prego belly shots. (the only ones i've even taken this pregnancy!)

finally, a family shot! we haven't taken one in so long!

lisey and jojo. what a pair they are! they are as different as can be, but seem to so enjoy being in each other's company. i'm so grateful elise can grow up near most of her cousins.

elise and her dada.

oma and her crew...i can't believe they're all looking!

silly faces!

may is here

in welcoming may, we also got to celebrate my birthday this weekend. justin treated me like a queen, and we had a relaxing day together as a family. i couldn't have asked for more.

elise continues to make us smile with her ever-developing fun personality. and isaac continues to grow in my belly-while kicking and settling into not-so-comfortable places. (yes, that's his name unless some other name drops out of the sky and smacks us over the head in the next five weeks!)

here's some fun pics of life in our home lately...

she's a born cook, just like her daddy!

lounging in her reading chair (yeah for yard sales!)

i walked into the living room to find her watching elmo in the laundry basket. it would seem that getting out wasn't as easy as getting in.


her newest love...bags. she likes to walk around and just put stuff in her bags ("stuff" including justin's shoes, toy trains, her blankie, the mail, you name it!). is she trying to tell me that she's going to love shopping?

too quiet

after reading psalm 71 this morning, i was convicted that i have been too quiet.

"But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
of your salvation all day long,
though I know not its measure." (v.14,15)

the words "praise" and "tell" stood out to me in this amazing verse, but as i read the rest of the psalm, more and more stood out:

tell of your righteousness
proclaim your mighty acts
proclaim your righteousness
declare your marvelous deeds
declare your power to the next generation
declare your might to all who are to come
praise you with the harp for your faithfulness
sing praise to you with the lyre
shout for joy
sing praise to you
tell of your righteous acts all day long

what do i speak of, think of, talk of all day long?

simply put, i have been too quiet.

what might acts, marvelous deeds, displays of power and might do i have to share that God has done in my life or my midst? MANY!

healthy babies born, relationships restored, prayers answered, hearts changed, souls saved, families having houses to live in, illnesses healed, jobs provided...

seeing the power and magnitude of multiple thunderstorms this week...seeing the power and might of God throughout the old testament...

seeing Him at work in my heart and our daughter's, as i continue to learn how to parent, teach, train, correct and love elise better.

let's not be too quiet to sing and praise Him today
and to tell, declare and proclaim Him all day long.

jedi tradition

oma, elise and i went to chick-fil-a yesterday to enjoy a lunch out together and let elise play in the play area (now that she's coming out of her shell and is willing to talk to most anyone and attempt new toys, that were scary not that long ago). anyway, while in the play area, a little boy named Jacob (and his sister Julia) introduced themselves to us. before long Jacob was calling elise by name, saving her from getting knocked down by little girls coming down the slide, and so on.

as a kindergarten teacher, i thought i'd had my fair share of kid conversations--you know the ones--where they do most of the talking and you listen, nod your head, slip in an "uh-huh" here and there...well this conversation with jacob (who's 7 and 1/4 years old, i might add) topped them all!

i heard about everything from his dad's broken collar bone and torn wrist ligaments, to how yesterday was take your kid to work day and his dad is an engineer, to his favorite sports being tennis and swimming, to how tall he is for his age, to comparing our favorite star wars movies...and on and on it went...i enjoyed every minute of it, i have to say. this kid was so sweet, so kind, so intelligent and the conversation so enjoyable.

but (and my main reason for even writing this post) was that the highlight of the entire conversation was this:

Jacob: I know it sounds crazy to some people, but I'm not going to get married.
Me: Why?
Jacob: It's Jedi tradition.

how can you argue with that logic?