Mother's Day. (Picture Overload).

For Mother's day, I asked Dave if he could snap a few pictures of me with the kids.  He took us on a walk to Silver Falls and then we all sat down in this little grassy spot for a while.  It seems so strange to have to my arms free in some of these pictures....just watching them all able to run around together....
....making daisy chains and racing and spinning in their daddy's arms....
....laughing and bringing me their flower collections......

It was dreamy.
But most days aren't all dreams and flowers.
Many days are full of chaos and lack of balance and awkward bouts of learning new things (on all our parts).
Many days, even in the midst of obvious beauty and blessing, I feel like I am running in place not sure where this is all heading.

Like I read this morning....

"Will my children make the right choices?  Will they become the kind of people I hope they will become?  Am I loving them enough?  Do I sacrifice enough?  Am I making huge parenting mistakes?  Am I making a series of small mistakes?  How will I know if I'm failing?  How will I know if we are going to crash?
...[But] I have new peace and new strength- and a new companion for the journey.  God is here with me in this beautiful everyday riot of my house and my heart.  He is with me as my redeemer, my sovereign, and also as a parent himself, a Father who has revealed his own tender, hurting, hope-filled heart.  I know now that parenting is not meant to paralyze me with guilt but to send me running freely to God.  Parenting is not meant to cripple me with insufficiency but to lead me to God's sufficiency.  Parenting is so much less about me and so much more about God!  This is God's holy enterprise- and wondrously, joyously, I get to be a part of it.  
Now I am able, even in the midst of the questions and delights of a parent, to return to the highest call upon my life:  to love God with all that I have and all that I am.  I hope to teach my children the same.  Together we can marvel at this sovereign God, this fiercely devoted heavenly parent, this loving, holy Father who will one day call us to live with him in his perfect, unending home." -Leslie Leyland Fields

It was really just so nice to observe and enjoy the kids yesterday.  In the same way, it refreshes me to know that I can enjoy this journey and internally rest in my sovereign Savior as I try to be their mom.

Eadie Cate, Levi, & June----you guys are more of delight to me than I could have imagined, more than I can say, and more than I even know.  I am so glad I'm your mom.  I love you!

Two.

Two years ago, one stormy night in Tennessee, precious 'lil June peacefully entered our family....

Being her mom is one of my greatest joys, and watching her grow this year has been so amazing.  

June-June, you are spunky, fearless, cuddly, sweet....you love to sing & wrestle & leap & laugh.

Lately, you are trying to learn a million words and are saying 'Hi' to everyone. Your blue eyes & curly hair & left-handed-ness still surprise me daily. You are starting to really want to be with Eadie Cate and Levi more than with just your mom.  (But you still let out a big holler if anyone else tries to cuddle with me:). 

You are a blessing to our family, & we LOVE LOVE LOVE you.

A few pics from our family schindig....

Life + Levi's Room Tour

Life rolls on quickly.  The seasons are really changing here (fin.all.y.)....and a fresh sense of life abounds as the trees keep blooming and the sun makes more of an appearance from the looming Oregon sky. Anniversary, vacation, visits with family, June's exit from babyhood (i.e. she turned 2....ancient, I tell you). (More on that later).
We are all learning, growing, changing....living in the tension and mystery of this walk, day by day.  I often try to imagine these days from God's view....how much more they must be accomplishing than I can even see or know.

'Oh, my God
I feel it in my blood
the warming of the winter
the coming of the flood

Springtime song
born without the words
waiting for a flower
longing to be heard'

-Denison Witmer, one my ever-favorite songwriters....his newest is fresh off the press.

But, anyhow....I digress.  I really just got on here to post a link to APARTMENT THERAPY.....because I just love that site and because Levi's room was featured there last week:).  If you haven't been there and you give one iota about decorating, carve out a few hours (or days) before you proceed....and do so with caution....it's so inspiring.

Head over there to see a few more pictures and words about the space.
And let's be honest, most of the time (read: almost all of the time)....his room looks far more like this:

:).
Have a great weekend!

Ten.

What a wonderful, wonderful whirlwind.
Grace upon grace....upon grace upon grace.

You know what I love about these photos, babe (old, unedited, and flawed)?
That our eyes look happy.
Because we are.
Infinitely undeserved, but so true.
Tainted by our sin, our shortcomings.....
but redeemed and lavished in boundless grace.

Thank you for making me belly-laugh everyday I can remember.
And, more than anything, for making me more confident and more in love with our Savior.
He looks bigger because of you.

"From the fullness of grace, we have received one blessing after another." John 1:16

April, June.

 

We're well into April, and spring has arrived in Portland for sure.  During a recent visit from my dad & grandmother, we got to visit the Japanese Garden for the first time.  It was really so beautiful.

The whole family got to go, but June got the most attention from the camera that day.  The other two were very busy documenting treasures on their maps.  June will turn two soon, so I am thankful to get a few pictures of her at this stage.  She is always changing so much....as they all are.  It is so amazing to watch.

Today it changes from rain to sun by the hour.  We go out for small increments of sunlight...Levi practices his glide bike and Eadie Cate pretends to be a super hero.  And then we get back in when the clouds and rain come....

Enjoying spring....hope you are as well....

Easter.

Easter, for us, meant...
....watching the sunrise over Mt. Hood; declaring aloud the work of our risen Savior with the saints.....
....gathering with his body to celebrate and worship....
....a little Easter feast around the table with family.....
.....egg hunting and jellybean eating.....
....long naps....
....multiple walks around the block....
.....leftovers.....
....loads of sunshine.....

To think that all of the good now is a mere shadow of a future and eternal celebration....and that His rest comes to us even now because of Christ.

Now the daylight flees
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two, 
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the victory cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.

-Power of the Cross

Tree Planting.

As of yesterday, we have lived in our current home for one whole year!  As things go, we had the opportunity to plant two maple trees last weekend with Portland's Friends of Trees program.  I'm pretty thrilled that these two trees will commemorate our 'first year' in this home and hopefully (if we don't kill them!), we can watch them grow for many years.  I can just picture the kids driving off to college under these trees...full-grown and boasting of color.  Time will tell....

Maybe soon I'll get out the camera and take some 'before & afters' of the house....
and write some more about the joy of making a home:).