Internet Cafe Devotions "Guest Barista"

I am honored to have been selected as a guest contributor ("Guest Barista") to Internet Cafe Devotions, scheduled to be published on August 19th. I'd love for you to save the date and come by to show your support!

"Favorite Kid Photos" Blog Hop

This week's Blog Hop theme is "Favorite Kid Photos": one or more of your favorite photos of kids, grandkids, someone else's kid or even YOU when you were a kid. Funny, precious, heartwarming... your favorite!

A Little Princess and An Ice Cream Cone

Another Favorite...

I just love this image. It depicts Alexa's relationship to Drew so much! It's that nurturing kind of affection (spelt c-o-n-t-r-o-l) that usually has poor Drew in tears before she is through loving on him! I guess that controlling (I mean nurturing!) tendency is in us from the get-go! :)

Tiny Talk Tuesday - (Quotes)

I'm participating in the blog carnival, "Tiny Talk Tuesday" this week. With an almost three-year-old, the things that come out of her mouth seem to be daily quotable! It's a fun age!! Here is one of my favorites from this past week:

Dad: "Alexa, are you my little princess?"

Alexa: No! You are not the king. You are my dad and I am not your little princess."

Turns out she was playing "Mommy and Daddy" at the time, NOT "Princess."

Way to go, dad!

Check out Tiny Talk Tuesday to participate or to read more Tiny Talk!

A Few of My Favorite Things

-Recognition of who Jesus is. It is literally music to my ears in a time when "God" is popular yet, "Jesus" is sadly unpopular.

(This could stand alone, but I'll go on :)

-Love dining with my husband for hours, just he and myself.

-My time in the early morning hours

-A Sunday afternoon nap

I'll leave it at that this week! Thanks Amy for the opportunity to share a few of my favorite things!

Word-Filled Wednesday

Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8:9

A snapshot taken, with our poor beat up camera, of the Grand Tetons earlier this month. It reminds and amazes me that no matter how dingy the device is or appears to be capturing that landscape, it has no bearing on the beauty of what is...it is absolutely stunning!

Just like my own raggamuffin self has no bearing on who God is...He is forever majestic!

Laughter...An Unveiled Gift

I love seeing my children laugh together. Robby knows just what gets Drew belly laughing and just yesterday all three (Robby, Alexa and Drew) were sitting on the bathroom floor laughing together. Laughing together is a beautiful thing. Not just laughing...that is also a beautiful thing to see one of my children filled with laughter. But laughing together is a whole knew level of warmth expanding my heart. I don't think I ever really realized the gift laughter was until, like many things, I saw my own children experiencing it. What is better than each individual child, whom we brought into this world, finding enough delight in one another to laugh together?

Just last week, Rob's parents were visiting. We were all at Rob's aunt and uncles house (Rob's dads brother) along with Rob's grandmother and other family members. I was sitting with Rob's grandmother, our children's great grandmother (Granny Mae), on the outdoor deck watching the two brothers, her grown sons, playing ping-pong on the patio below. As we sat entertained by the fun they were having, Granny Mae stated something that rang dear to me. She said, "I love seeing my boys laugh." Aw...it occurred to me then that that delight in our children never grows old.

I can only imagine myself at eighty-four-years-old, with the same warmth I felt in my heart yesterday, watching my grown children laugh together. Yes, when I watch and delight in the laughter of my children, I am treasuring in my heart that beautiful, loving friendship that will last a lifetime.

More Quotes...

We were in Yellowstone over the forth of July and saw a man with a parrot on his shoulder. Robby sees him and says, "Wow! He looks like a pirate!!!"

On our way home, Robby camped with Grandma and Grandpa one more night in Cody, Wyoming while Rob, Alexa, Drew and I went on home. Knowing he would be away from his sister one night, Robby and Alexa have this little conversation:

Robby- "I love you, Alexa."

Alexa- "I love you, too, Robby."

Robby- "I love you very much, Alexa."

Alexa- "I love you, too, Robby."

Robby- "Alexa, you know I will never forget my love for you."

And when we part and say good-bye, Alexa is sad and says:

"But he'll miss me soo much."

SO SWEET! I love to see how much they care for eachother. Special.

Well-Respected, Put-Together, Cute, Hip, Mom

I remember a time, living in NJ at twenty-three-years-old, I was sitting in Starbucks reading and journaling wondering how my life would unfold, still searching and longing. Looking up from my journal, I spotted a woman walking in with her little girl, maybe three-years-old. This woman appeared to be much more mature than I. She had to have been in her mid to late thirties yet, darling. I looked at her with her daughter with admiration. I remember thinking she looked like a well-respected, put-together, cute, hip, mom. Aw...there was that longing. That is who I wanted to be some day.

Twelve years later, as we approached the fourth of July this year, I had some serious mixed feelings! How would I feel about passing that mid-thirty mark, embarking on thirty-six? I tried not to think too much about it, considering that number sounds OLD to me and did not even realize my birthday was actually here until two days before! However, regardless of my avoidance, that day did arrive and guess how I felt?

Like a well-respected, put-together, cute, hip, mom!

Phew! I have finally arrived, kind of like when I turned thirty and suddenly felt like I could be taken more seriously in the workplace. I'm not just a kid anymore pretending to raise kids. I'm a woman! And I love where I'm at in my life.

The biggest difference between who I am now and who I was then, other than the incredible blessings currently in my life, is my solid walk with God (with whom those blessings are accredited to). Those years of longing have required patience and faithful obedience, and with that obedience God has shown himself faithful beyond measure! That pattern continues in my life today, as I believe God places those very longings in our hearts and requires our constant leaning on him for fulfillment.

Maybe that longing twelve years ago was not simply for who I wanted to be some day but, for who God created me to be some day.

If a Theme Song Could Play To the Background of My Life Story...

If a theme song could play to the background of my life story it would be, "Here I Am" by Downhere. I love this song! It encompasses so much of who I am and what I am about. I wish I could set it as the background music to this blog! But, since I can't, I will share the next best thing-the lyrics.

Here I Am

Sometimes your calling, comes in dreams

Sometimes it comes in the Spirit's breeze,

You reach for the deepest hope in me,

And call out for the things of eternity.

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,

You move in me, so I can say,

[Chorus:]Here I am, Lord send me,

All of my life, I make an offering,

Here I am, Lord send me,

Somehow my story, Is a part of your plan,

Here I am

When setbacks and failures,

and upset plans,

Test my faith and leave me with empty hands,

Are you not the closest when it's hardest to stand?

I know that you will finish what you began.

These broken parts you redeem,

Become the song, that I can sing

Here I am, Lord send me,

All of my life, I make an offering,

Here I am, Lord send me,

Somehow my story,

Is a part of your plan,

Here I am

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness,

And the fear that I'll fail you in the end,

In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,

I can't put this together but you can.

Here I am, Lord send me,

I wanna live my life as an offering

Here I am, Lord send me,

Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,

Here I am

Here I am, all my life an offering to you, to you

Somehow my story, Is a part of your plan,

Here I am

What would be the theme song played to the background of your life story?