Deep Roots

Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots. / Victor Hugo

I hope that as my kids grow, they'll learn a lesson something like this from me. That some things are ok to change, (your hair, the music you like, your location, hopefully your socks and underwear, etc) but what you believe is something that makes up who you are, and what (or rather, Who) we believe is really what gives us life. I hope that I raise them to see their Savior in their roots, and to see Him as the future they can cling to.

Movement...

This is a time for bold measures. This is the country, and you are the generation.” 

- Bono

We are spending the weekend with our kids. Not our kids, but we care about them as if they were our own. These are the students we work with, at the church where my husband is student minister.We are hoping this weekend is a turning point in some of their lives, a lifetime memory that keeps them full of life, the start of a movement in their circle of friends and beyond. We know they are capable of 'bold measures'...it wasn't that long ago when this was us. We were ready to take on the world, and even though sometimes that fire gets buried under bills and life, it's still there. Sometimes they just need someone to believe in them, and give them a little nudge and say 'hey...you've got this.' 

1 Timothy 4:12

Check out more shots at The Paper Mama

Twenty-Five

That's how many years my husband has been alive. His birthday was Monday of this week. I have a friend who occasionally does lists on his blog for his wife on days like birthdays, so I thought I'd steal his idea and do one myself. (Hope ya don't mind Rob!) So this post is 25 things I love about my husband...and yes, it's going to get sappy. You've been warned.

1. He is unbelievably patient, even when I'm not. (I'm rarely patient, actually...who am I kidding?)
2. He absolutely loves our kids, and loves all the things being a dad is teaching him.
3. He loves me, even though I'm a handful.
4. He listens to sermons on his iPod. I tease him about this relentlessly, but I really do love that he loves learning about our faith and God.
5. He laughs at me. He thinks I'm funny, and I love that I can make him laugh.
6. He likes good music. We both love rock music (our favorite band is Shinedown), and I love that we share this together.
7. He talks good about me in front of people.
8. He gets up with the kids so I can sleep in on his days off.
9. He makes me cookies almost every night. It's a wonder we aren't huge.
10. He is really good at listening and working things out.

11. He is a great student pastor to the students he works with. He really invests time into their lives and cares about what happens to them.
12. He thinks I'm the best photographer ever. Which I'm not, but his faith in me gives me a lot of confidence.
13. He is not afraid to tell people what he believes. Sometimes he surprises me with how he stands by what he believes in. I wish I was more like that.
14. He isn't interested in having a wife who waits on him, and I love that in our relationship we are on the same level.
15. He thinks my temper and sarcasm are cute. Even when they really are probably more like a pain in the butt. ;)
16. He prays with our babies every night before they go to sleep. He reads Merrick's kiddo Bible to him, too.
17. He is like a little kid when it comes to presents. He gets so excited about giving and getting them.
18. He works very hard at whatever it is he is doing. Whether it's fueling planes at the airport where he works, or preaching a sermon at our church...he gives it all he's got.
19. He can make anything. I have sent him pictures of things I want on several occasions, and somehow he makes them out of totally random junk he finds laying around. He's like MacGyver or something.
20. He likes spending time with me and the kids. Some guys spend a lot of free time with their buddies...but he enjoys being with us and makes an effort to protect his time with us so that we can just chill together.

 21. He is really good at taking care of me when I get sick. He's taken care of me after both of my really rough labor/deliveries with our kids...getting up to do midnight feedings and changing diapers while he let me sleep.
22. He chased me unrelentlessly in high school. He knew he wanted to marry me, even before we were dating. I'm really glad he kept after me even when my mom tried to run him off. ;)
23. He always shares his food with me, even though I hate sharing my food. I know...I'm not fair.
24. He likes to dress up.
25. He is my best friend...I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else. I compare all other men I meet to him, and always wonder how other women can handle not having a Billy in their life.

I love you, stud. Thanks for everything that you are! Happy birthday!

The theme at YouCapture this week was "L"...so I went with Love of my life :)

Favorite parts.

There are so many little things I love about each of my kids. Things that I know I will remember long after they've outgrown them. Recently I blogged about M's eyelashes. They are definitely memorable...I wish they sold them in my size.

Today? Let's talk about Tizzy's dimples. This girl was born with dimples. When I first saw her I was a bit confused, honestly. This baby looked nothing like my last one. But she got her little dimpled chin from her daddy...he just hides it under his ever-present goatee. And she has a dimple, just one, in her cheek too. Not sure where that came from. I don't have any dimples that cute.

I sometimes just stare at her (and Merrick), and soak up all their cuteness. I don't want them to outgrow these favorite parts; their little baby bellies, those funny little teeth, or their cute-shaped baby feet with all their toes the same length.

I've had to stop the openly staring at Merrick, though. The other day he told me, "Mom, you're scarin' me." I guess I figured if you gave birth to someone you could stare at them all you wanted. But apparently that's not the case. ;)

Check out more shots at Sweet Shot, Trendy Treehouse, and The Happiness Project.

(The first shot is my pick for this week)

Maybe...

...he is a little bit like me.

Merrick is so much like his daddy. It's nice to see a least a little bit of myself in him. 

Even if it is that he thinks cellphones are really cameras that make phone calls.

Seeing Red

When it comes to food, Tirzah means business. Merrick eats like a bird. Actually, I take that back. Because birds eat a lot. At least the ones hanging out at our bird feeder stuffing their beaks do. Anyway, he knows it makes her mad if he doesn't share his food.

So, in true sibling fashion, the other day when he had a popsicle, he made sure to tease her with it before he actually shared it. He ran away from her, waved it in her face, nibbled at it...all because he knew she wanted some.

He did eventually share, with some coaxing. She was all too happy to help him finish it off. Between the two of them I think they managed to get it on every surface in the house. Next time maybe they can share something that doesn't melt, or they can eat it outside with those birds that are eating me out of house and home.

Check out more shots at The Paper Mama

Warmth and Light

This week has definitely felt like spring is on the way. We've had a nice little warm up, and had temps of about 60 for a few days. It's amazing what a little light and warmth can do. I know in my own life a little sunshine makes things seem a lot better.

I've sent the kids (and myself) outside to soak up as much Vitamin D as we can...since I'm sure the colder temps will be back before I'm ready to see them. Even when that happens though I am realizing the attitude around our house doesn't have to be affected by the weather. A warm attitude from me makes a big difference.

I want our house to be a place full of light and warmth, no matter what the season. This is something that seems next to impossible on some days. Tired, grumpy, stressed out days. I know that it's possible, though, even on those days when it's raining and the kids are taking no prisoners. ;)

 You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. - Samuel 22:29

Check out more shots at YouCapture  and Perceptive Perspectives

All about the candy...

Valentine's Day, as I've said, is one of my favorite holidays. Right up there with Christmas and Halloween. Odd combination, I know, but as you can see...my favorite holidays revolve around presents or candy, and interesting color schemes.

I'm not too picky about what kind of candy. Carrot cake will do, too. We went to the Valentine's Day dinner at our church last weekend, and there was plenty of this stuff going around. I ate enough to make sure I got my full serving of veggies out of it. I'm a "go big or go home" kind of girl, as you can tell.

I'm not even sure I want to know how much of that cake my kids ate. The smaller kiddo was passed around all evening, picking food off people's plates, and the older kiddo was busy chasing a girl 3 years older than himself around the church. (Just like his Daddy, that boy. I'm 3 years older than Billy. ;)

I'm consoling myself with the fact that Merrick chases anything that moves...little sisters, bugs, birds, aunties. She was just an obvious target with that long curly hair. ;)

Check out more shots at Trendy Treehouse, Sweet Shot, and The Happiness Project
(The 3rd shot is my pick for this week)

Moving Target

Small child. Clear crystal. Bright and dear. Faceted as none before you. Catching the light from every lovely thing and turning it into a rainbow. reflecting beauty back into the world, making all things new. / Pam Brown

From a family session last weekend, with a little guy who just turned 9 months old. This little guy is growing up in front of my lens...and I never get tired of his big grins and friendly personality. It's so much fun to photograph him and his family. This last session, he was on the move and crawling/cruising like a pro. It was so much fun to catch his latest milestone...glad I've been practicing with my own moving targets. ;)

Don't hate.

I am so excited for Valentines Day. And yes, people, it's Valentines Day. Not Singles-Awareness Day. I don't care if it's a made up Hallmark holiday designed to rake in the money, or give us an excuse to wear colors that normally clash, or eat too much chocolate. I love Valentines Day.

I've even loved it when I was single. Maybe because my dad (and my mom) always made an effort  to give us candy/flowers for V-Day. Any holiday involving that much chocolate can't be bad. Give it a chance. Don't hate. And my kids are candy lovers just like their mom. I try to keep them on the straight and narrow when it comes to food, but when you walk into Target and are attacked by Cupid in his little diaper, and he's throwing chocolate into your cart, who am I to say no?

I'm not one for being all weepy and sentimental (we've discussed this before), but something about the straight up cheesy of Valentines Day just reels me in. I even talked my hubby into giving me my present early. Have I mentioned that I love that about him? He can never keep a present until he's supposed to give it to me. He proposed to me earlier than he had planned, simply because he couldn't wait to give me the ring. :)

So...come Monday, you can probably find me eating way too much candy, (and probably letting the kids eat it too) being more sentimental than normal, and most likely wearing my socks with pink and red hearts on them. Like I said, don't hate.

Check out more shots at The Paper Mama 

(The last shot is my pick for this week)

It's Cold Outside...

The kids seem to have noticed (now that it's February) that it's cold outside, and they are stuck inside. They try to make a run for it when we get home and I get them out of the car. They revolt when I  try to zip them into their coats, and Merrick insists on trying to wear shorts.

I know how much they want to be outside, but come on, kids, it's 30 degrees out here. As cooped up as they are feeling, I'm feeling it too. For some reason, this winter has kicked my butt. I am not really sure if I'm getting old and grumpy, or if it's just been colder than normal. Could be either. ;)

For their sake (ok, ok, and mine) I'm hoping that groundhog character I have no faith in knows what he's talking about, and Spring comes soon. I know it will come eventually, but sooner would be much appreciated. These kids, and their mother, are not getting any more tolerant of the cold temperatures.

I think once Spring comes, after this cold Winter, it's going to be even more appreciated. By the cooped up hooligans, and their mother who has to live with them. ;)

Check out more shots at YouCapture

Of a Child

Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child. / Ron Wild.

I always realize that I have so much to learn from my kids. They look at everything with new, interested eyes. Every day is a gift. They trust me to care for them, and don't worry. They wake up from their naps like they just wont the lottery. (Merrick just woke up, runs in and says "MOM! Good mornin'! *although it's 3pm* I'm so glad to see you!" Melting.)

I know that not every day is fabulous...rainbows and puppies and all that stuff. As adults there are responsibilities that do make things hard...make contentment such a struggle. But each day is a gift I don't deserve. I want to trust God's hand, and to let that be enough.

Check out more shots at Sweet Shot, Trendy Treehouse, and Perceptive Perspectives.

(The first shot is my pick for this week)

Mostly about food.

I'm not really a fan of either team that played last night, but I'm even less a Steelers fan. So I was glad to see the Packers win, even though I'd never cheer for them during the regular season. (I'm more of a college ball girl anyway) I haven't really even gone to a superbowl party in years. Because, um, kids. But I stayed through 3 quarters last night, and ate my weight in foods that could potentially kill me down the road. So all in all I'd say it was a good night.

The kids were even called "well-behaved". Now, I love them, but I'm pretty sure that is the the first time they've been called that. Now don't get me wrong, my kids are bad at all. They are just...noticeable. ;) But they didn't break anything in our friends' house, and Tirzah also ate my weight in doritos which kept her happy. Not sure, but I'm thinking that it was called Superbowl 45 because that's how many cookies Merrick ate when I wasn't looking.

A very useful engine...

"Thomas the Tank Engine rolling along..." These words have become embedded in my head so far that I think I'll still be singing them in the nursing home one day. Merrick is madly in love with Thomas the Train...he literally sleeps with three plastic trains. (Thomas, Gordon, and James)

We found out recently that Thomas and Friends Live was coming to near where we lived. We love him so much that we decided to fork over some major dough and go watch Thomas sing and dance...you know that's love. All kidding aside, watching the look on his face was totally worth it.

Speaking of the look on his face, it would have been better documented had I remembered my memory card. Brought the camera, the camera bag, but no memory card. Where was it? At home, in my computer. But I am glad I caught the look on his face when he got eaten by the folding chairs. ;)

I did not realize that apparently every other child in our area is also madly in love with Thomas and all his friends. So many other yelling, screaming, train-whistle-imitating children that even mine seemed quiet. They even had these little flashlights with Thomas on them for the kids to wave around. Kind of reminded me of waving your lighter or cell phone, only it cost $12 to wave around. But he's still waving it around, whacking his sister in the head, losing it in stores, so I guess we are getting our money's worth.

We took him afterward to get some ice cream...since beforehand we were in a hurry and he didn't get his usual Chick-fil-a/trade-your-toy-in ice cream. That, as we now know, is one of the unforgivable sins. Thou shalt not go to CFA and forget your ice cream. We did have a great time hanging out with just him...even though I still can't stop singing "chug-a-chugga...whoo-whooooo!"

Welcome

It's snowed so much this winter (for our area anyway) that I think I have forgotten what warm weather felt like. Today, out of the blue, the temperature shot up to nearly 70 degrees. Ohmuhword...I was in heaven.

I think the kids were in heaven, too. I sent them outside as fast as possible, in case a random snow storm should pop up. They were thrilled to be outside, and even more thrilled not to be wearing the winter coats that make them so cranky.

This warm-up was very welcome, but I think it's obviously going to be short lived. The temperature for tomorrow isn't supposed to get to 40. Which I realize is warm for some places right now, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much. But I may change my tune tomorrow when I'm putting grumpy kids into their coats and having to hear their screams of protest. ;)

This week's theme at YouCapture was "red". We have lots of blue and pink around here, 

but not much red. So I guess M's shirt is going to have to do. ;)

The Play-Doh Commandments

Play-doh. Not really sure who invented it...but after searching for an hour for a big blob of black play-doh that Merrick "misplaced" in the house I kinda wish they hadn't.

Growing up we always has specific rules for play-doh. Kind of like the 10 commandments. Breaking one of them might be as bad as breaking the real commandments. One of the rules was absolutely no mixing. Don't care what your artistic vision might have been. My mama didn't tolerate rainbow colored play-doh.

Another one was don't leave it out. Nobody wants crunchy play-doh. And also don't eat it. Yes, that rule was for me. Some kids eat bugs, some kids pick their noses, some steal cookies, I was a closet play-doh eater. Embarrassing, but I'm going to say I had a sodium deficiency.

I let my kids play with it yesterday...and am proud to say even without the commandments there was no mixing (that would require sharing) or eating. Tirzah licked it, but apparently salt isn't her thing. The face she made tells me I don't need to worry about my habits carrying on.

 Check out more shots at Trendy Treehouse, Sweet Shot, and Perceptive Perspectives.

(That last shot is my pick for this week)