Special Memory

The kids and I went to see my grandmother today.. (The picture is from the end of July).  We know that the end is near and it is so hard, but such a sweet memory was created today.

Michaela, who is an extreme mommy's girl and RARELY goes to anyone, stuck her arms out to Nana. So, I held her down and she gave her one of her wide open mouth kisses. Michaela is stingy with her kisses.  Nana, who has been unresponsive for the last week, gave her a kiss. I even saw a smile.  Michaela then tried to squirm out of my arms to get on the bed and sat there for a brief second. It warmed my heart.

The BEST part of the day, and the special memory for me, was this.  When we got ready to go, Michaela waved and said, "Bye." Her very first word was to Nana.

Who's the Parent?

We have struggled lately with bossiness from our eldest child. In fact, I am beginning to wonder who is the parent around here. Grayson seems to think that he is the dad and is constantly ordering Hope around, correcting her, etc. I read a while back in Creative Correction that an idea for disciplining this was to allow the child to do all of the parent's responsibilities for the day. For example, make lunch, wash clothes, dishes, etc. I am not sure how well this will work with an almost five year old. We did tell Grayson that if he continued he could do all things that a daddy does if we heard him correcting Hope.

Today I was in my room and heard Hope say, "Grayson, if you don't stop it, Mommy's going to make you wipe my bottom." I laughed and thought, "Great, now we have another mini-parent in the house."

The Big O-N-E

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

One year ago today, we welcomed what I have deemed the blessing I never knew I wanted. How glad I am that the Lord's ways are infinitely higher and better than mine. You complete our family.

I'll never forget you daddy saying on the way to the hospital that he couldn't wait to hear the soft, newborn cry. He was greatly disappointed as you came out with full blown Crockett lungs. You haven't tuned down the screeching since then. You made and are still making your presence known. I can't say that I am surprised. I knew from the beginning that the Lord has great plans for you and I have prayed since I was pregnant that you, my sweet child, would make His name known. He has certainly given you the lungs to do so. I can remember my walks 9 months pregnant praying about you proclaiming His name.

As for your first year, daddy and I would characterize it by the phrase, "that's what babies do..." We were still in awe of you finding your toes, rolling over, giving us wide open mouth kisses, and putting your arms out, we just didn't find ourselves talking about it constantly like we did with your brother. It doesn't mean we love you any less, I just don't have the pictures to show for it. One of my friends told me with the third that I became an expert at parenting; I have determined I have become absentminded as one and often times don't know where the camera is to capture it. I wouldn't have it any other way, being absent minded that is. I do wish I had taken more pictures.

Michaela, you have captured my heart. From the beginning only I have been able to comfort and soothe you. You bring a whole new meaning to the phrase, "mommy's girl." You don't want me out of your sight for a minute and scream bitterly to get my attention. You are attached at my hip constantly. At night, you want me to rock you and sing no less than three songs. You lay your head on my chest just like you have done every day since the day I brought you home. Every day I sing you Jesus Loves You because more than anything we want you to grasp this reality.

You do love your bubby and sissy and follow them everywhere as fast as you can tripod crawl. You will soon be running after them as you took your first steps this past week. You are so proud of yourself. You giggle and light up when your siblings walk in a room. I pray that you all will be the best of friends.

You love the water and are not scared to jump right in. I see you as being my fearless child.

I can truly say as I put on your birth announcement last year, "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with Joy."

Happy, Happy First Birthday, Michaela Joy! You are so incredibly loved.

Mommy's First Girl

I keep asking myself, "Where did Hope get this attitude, standing with her hands on her hips?"

Hmmmm...I wonder...

Mommy's Baby Girl

Every once in a while, I catch a glimpse of me when I look at the girls. I wish I had the close up picture of me from this age. It's at mom's house, but the expression, the way Michaela's hair flips, it's like looking into a mirror many moons ago. Not to mention that she has my loud lungs.

Hope Turns 3!

You are such a joy and delight to us.

This year we have watched you turn from a toddler into a little girl.  You have a sweet spirit and love everyone.  You light up the room when you walk in and are quick to give kisses and hugs to those you love.  Pops like to steal all your kisses and then make you tell everyone else that you are, "fresh out."  You will giggle and giggle telling Mimi that you are fresh out of kisses.

You are everything girly.  You love shoes, necklaces, bracelets and purses.  Most mornings you will get up dress yourself and will have completed the outfit with all the accessories.  The more it sparkles, the more you love it.  A purse always goes with us and your favorite shoes are silver sparkle flip flops.  You often times want your hair to be in a big ponytail, just like Ainsley Robinson's. You love Ainsley and look up to her.

You love princesses and dress up. You love playing mommy with your dolls. It warms our heart to hear you singing Jesus Loves Me and Holy, Holy, Holy to them. You have an active imagination and role play often with your brother.  You also like to play games with him.  Your latest games are Cootie and Zingo.

This year you have found a love for riding your tricycle and will ride "bikes and trikes" with Grayson on the driveway.  You want us to say "hello" when you drive up and "good-bye" as you drive away.  You also love play-dough, playing house in your playhouse and swinging. You have always loved the swing.

You still love to cuddle and want mommy or daddy to cuddle with you at night before going to sleep. It reminds me that you are still little. Every night you want to be covered up in your Cinderella blankie and you want to wear frilly nightgowns.

Hope, you still love pink.  You will hear people in our family saying, "I wore pink today for Hope."

You have captured our hearts and light up our lives.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Hope E.!

We love you so very much.

WFMW: Marriage Advice

I've been cleaning out some boxes lately and have had fun looking at things that I didn't remember I had.  Among them was a box given to me at a wedding shower. In it were cards full of marriage advice. I read a lot of them again, but there was one that I did not need to reread.  It was the one that has stuck with me through our marriage.  I partly laughed when I got the card and partly thought, "that's an odd piece of advice."  Oddly enough, it's the one piece of advice that I go back to regularly.

The card said something along these lines (I don't remember the exact wording):
When you have an argument with your husband, remember two things:
1. You married a boy and
2.  Remember how you felt on your wedding day.

I honestly didn't have a clue how good that advice was until I got into the trenches of marriage.  This was before Love and Respect, blue glasses, pink earphones, etc.  Jamison is a boy and that accounts for a lot of our differences when we are fighting, I mean having "intense fellowship" as a friend of mine would call it.

The other piece of advice is invaluable. I know I am not alone in saying that marriage is H-A-R-D.  My pastor said that once and I am convinced he sugar coated it.  Marriage is a gazillion times harder than I ever imagined it to be. Perhaps that is because God wants to make me holy, not happy (thanks for that quote Gary Thomas!)

This is what I can say though, no matter how mad I get, no matter how many times I want to throw in the towel, no matter how much Jamison infuriates me, I can go back to my wedding day.  All on that day was right; all was good; it was the way things were meant to be.  I knew that I knew that I knew that I knew that Jamison was and still is the one that the Lord had for me.

I remember standing at the back of the church with my daddy.  It is the one time in my life that I have been completely and totally overwhelmed by the presence of the Lord. I remember thinking that I was standing on Holy ground. I remember it vividly. I remember getting to the end of the aisle and the pastor saying, "it's almost as if you can hear the rustle of angel's wings."  It was sacred. It was Holy.  I can say, my marriage is exactly what the Lord intended for me. Without a doubt.

Even when I doubt because I am tired, worn out, or just simply being hard headed, if I go back to that day, I remember all that I am committed to.  I remember that my marriage is a reflection of the Lord.  That the Lord wants our marriage to succeed and that it is worth fighting for.  It is worth battling out and not giving up.

I am so thankful for the advice, but more thankful for the incredible husband and marriage the Lord has blessed me with.

What marriage advice works for you?

Linking up at We Are That Family, Works for Me Wednesday.