Carted and Shelved

The professor has been nosing around at Surplus Property again... he's good at that. Always armed with an eye for turning trash into treasure, he stops by every few weeks to peruse the university's latest batch of "surplus." His most recent finds are two rolling, vintage book carts that were discarded by the main library on campus.


Constructed of sturdy oak boards, these work horses are strong with plenty of mileage left in them. {Literally!} Someday I would love to use them in a more visually noticeable way but for now they're the perfect solution to our need for additional shelving in two of the bedroom closets. Costing only $10 each, they were less expensive than Closetmaid... and "installation" was a breeze!

The God of Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

Peace and Thanksgiving

Soothing Repetition

4/52 for MCP Project 52

I count with a thankful heart...
301. Some good nights of sleep.
302. Some bad nights of sleep.
303. Shooting stomp rockets in the driveway with Little Brother.
304. Warm, fresh clothes from the dryer.
305. An empty laundry hamper.
306. Her short, fat legs.
307. Their smiles.
308. Watching Big Brother read the Sunday comics.
309. Five years old.
310. She waves at her reflection.
311. Hot pink gerber daisies.
312. More strep.
313. The smile brought on by Little Brother's description of Legos being "unsimple."
314. Clean floors and the husband that cleaned them.
315. Unknown purposes.
316. Post-Christmas deep discounts on items I can give next Christmas.
317. Listening to calm classical music during the hard early evening hour. Wow, what a difference!
318. Dancing with sister.
319. A warm, sunny Friday.
320. Very few plans for the weekend!

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

since as members of one body you were called to peace.

And be thankful.

Colossians 3:15

In the kitchen we can build a snowman...

He is the king of creative modifications. At the ripe age of five he practices joining the letters of his name in his own non-cursive ligature. For his birthday he insists on a quirky fusion of traditional birthday cake and cupcakes. {Yep, that's what he requested again this year.} He has a fun, creative flair, he notices beauty, and he savors all that is sweet to behold {and taste}. He is my idea guy.

Last week he came to me with a vision and a plan for birthday treats to share with his class at school. "Mommy, I want snowman cookies. We can have a big circle cookie and a wittle circle cookie, and we can bake dem next to each other and decorate dem with gwitter."
Envisioning a gaggle of preschoolers at the emergency room after eating glitter encrusted cookies, I humbly suggested that we use white icing instead... "to look like snow." He was agreeable. So, we built snowmen in the kitchen and he shared them with all of his little friends at school.

Five

Last night I sat in the dark feeding Sister and I listened to Daddy tell you, "This is the last night that you will be four. You will never, ever be four years old again."
When Sister was fast asleep and tucked into her crib I tiptoed into your room. I looked at your sweet, sleeping face in the dim light. I rubbed my nose in your silky hair and kissed your not-so-chubby cheek. Goodbye four... it's been a wonderful year.
This morning when I woke you for the day you were five {and much taller, you say}! You're a friendly, sweet, quirky, creative, bossy, blonde wonder. I thank God for five precious years of loving you!

Winter's Occasional Sepia Afternoon

I never tire of watching how the sunlight changes with the seasons of the year and over the hours of the day. While spring's fresh, dappled light and autumn's golden glow are my favorite times on the yearly calendar of light, from time to time winter surprises me by trading what is bleak, dull, and gray for a late afternoon showing of warmth in sepia tones. Irresistible!

The Finished Kitchen

In the Fall of 2009 we completed our kitchen renovation except for the new floor. In the Fall of 2010 we installed a slate tile floor that we love and I gave you a sneak peak. Well, my friends, our kitchen makeover is now officially, one hundred percent finished. Here is the total package...

{the view from the laundry room}

{the view from the kitchen door}

{the view from the living room}
Ahem... Please keep in mind that these photos are glamour shots! If, on any given day, my kitchen happens to be this neat and tidy, just know that it only lasts for about five minutes. We live with clutter and crumbs, backpacks and junk mail, dirty dishes and spilled milk just like you!

The Lord, My Shield

As for God, His way is perfect:

The Lord’s word is flawless;

He shields all who take refuge in Him.

Psalm 18:30

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.

My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.

Psalm 28:7

Ending With Thanks

This week the theme for Project 52 is Shades of Gray.
At our house, we're quite partial to gray.


This handpainted card arrived in the mail yesterday for our Strawberry Girl... a thoughtful gift painted by a longtime family friend and watercolorist. I adore it. The giver and artist is an inspiration; her life has been marked with deep sorrows and brokeness yet she lives simply and never ceases to find joy, to take pleasure in small things, and to count her good gifts.

And, there are so many good gifts to count with a thankful heart...
278. Wise church leadership.
279. She dances.
280. Whispered I-love-you's and Goodnight's in the dark with Big Bro.
281. My grandmother's comfortable chair.
282. The beginning of a good work.
283. Another round of clean scans and good bloodwork for my mom.
284. A sore throat.
285. Wise husbandly leadership.
286. Provision of some needed clothing for the boys.
287. A warm afternoon.
288. Little fingerprints everywhere.
289. "Oh the noise, oh the noise, oh the noise, noise, noise, noise!" Joyful noises.
290. A hope deferred.
291. Making chocolate pudding with Little Brother.
292. Watching a movie with the professor.
293. Opportunities to intercede and encourage.
294. A gorgeous full-moon rising.
295. A burden to write letters... oh, that I will follow through!
296. Sunlight through windows.
297. Decluttered countertops.
298. This book in my mailbox.

299. A new windshield and the man who made a house call to install it.

300. Backpacked school boys waiting for me in the carpool line.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends.
May gratitude be the song of your heart.

Of Beautiful Babies and Such

I suppose every mother is entitled to believe that her baby is the most beautiful baby in the world so I feel justified in saying that my baby is the most beautiful baby in the world! Total strangers support me in this belief; it seems everyone loves to see a redheaded baby. When we're out and about Baby Sister induces smiles, turns heads, and stops traffic with her copper colored angel hair.

For me, her red hair is a symbol {just as she herself is} of how the Father loves to surprise and delight His children in unexpected ways... in ways we don't deserve! And, isn't that the gospel in a nutshell? All glory to Him, He does great things.

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And speaking of Sister... she had her 9-month check-up this week. For posterity's sake I'm noting here that she weighs 16 pounds, 5 ounces and is in the tenth percentile. My parents tell me that when I was a baby, and on the smallish side of the growth curve, the pediatrician noted that "she's at the bottom of the chart, but at least she's on it." Apparently the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

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My parents also enjoy retelling of story of the day I came home from preschool talking about a boy named Alexander. "What is his last name," they asked. "Zander!" I replied with indignation.

I'm not sure what it is about preschoolers and names but Little Brother has been coming home this week talking about a new friend in his class named Chahee. Really? Seriously?! Chahee? I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding. Maybe her last name is Zander.

Have you seen Kerianne Brown's beautifully simple baby photography? Her work has been a tremendous inspiration to me this week.
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Last of all, I must acknowledge that Big Brother is totally rocking big number column addition! After several days of blood, sweat, and tears during the homework hour it is clickin'. Way to go, Bro!

Bedside Views

{hers}

{his}
Today I've been pondering photography and how it is far less about the camera and far more about training my eyes to see. Certainly, a good camera is a wonderful tool for making beautiful pictures, but if my eyes remain untrained to notice beauty and light and moments the camera is of little use.
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It felt like spring today. This afternoon I loaded up the children and we went to the park to feed the fish. We enjoyed feeling the warm sun on our backs.
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If you're in the midst of a trial right now please read this Letter to One in the Valley. If you're not in the valley read it anyway. Aside from God's word these words will be some of the best you read all week... words of grace and truth, conviction and challenge, encouragement and comfort, balm for weary souls.

Make and Bake

The Sure Foundation

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic."

Isaiah 28:16

Spinning Records, Giving Thanks

Just take those old records off the shelf...

This week's theme for MCP Project 52 is Illustrate a Song. These "records" don't play old time rock and roll, but, as you can see, we've been spinning them all week thanks to the professor who dug this vintage beauty out of storage last weekend. Did you have a Fisher-Price Music Box Record Player?


Still counting His blessings with a thankful heart...
261. The perfect birthday gift for Little Brother.
262. He said, "Why don't you take the baby and visit your parents this weekend? I'll keep the boys."
263. Sister sitting in the sunlight mesmerized by floating dust fairies.
264. Two snow days.
265. The prick of conviction, the balm of forgiveness, the fresh start of repentance.
266. A particularly rough witching hour mommy sanctifying hour.
267. Grace when I needed it.
268. Early morning email from a dear friend.
269. All three kneeling at the front window looking out.
270. The boys' consciousness of her safety.
271. A fun evening with the professor.
272. Unexpected treats in the mail.
273. The joy of a project.
274. Tough decisions.
275. Her 4:30 a.m. wake-up call.
276. A hard transition.
277. The long weekend ahead of us.

Baby Sister and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Pants

Just one bright moment {among many} from today that made me smile.

Winter Morning

Lately

We've had some winter weather lately, of the icy variety...


Which has afforded us some snow days hot chocolate days spent at home.

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After peaking into our dining room last week Jenn wondered if we like Sister's new Gulliver high chair from Ikea. It's simple and lightweight, easy to use and easy on the eye -- we love it. However, it has a major design flaw... it lacks a tray. Obviously we haven't let that detail stop us from using it!

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Have you ever participated in a pounding? This afternoon some of the women in our church "dropped in" on an old friend who has just returned to town after several years overseas. Everyone came with simple, practical gifts {gleaned from our own surplus} to help feather her new nest. What a fun, easy way to bless someone else. Wouldn't a mother expecting her second, third, or fourth baby love a "pounding" of diapers or frozen meals?! Food for thought...

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Twenty-four hours ago I may have been in the town of my alma mater. I may have stayed up late watching college football...


After the game I may have attended a block party at midnight where I may have rolled the live oaks at Toomer's Corner...


I may have braced my husband's legs while he climbed a permanently placed decorative apparatus in order to capture photos...
However, one thing is certain... "I believe in Auburn and love it."War Eagle!

Ten on Ten: January 2011

Be sure to visit Ten on Ten for more sets of ten.
Stay warm... it's cold outside.

Alpha and Omega

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the First and the Last,

the Beginning and the End.

Revelation 22:13

Week's Ending

One photo a week for 52 weeks with a different theme each week... This year I'm excited to be participating in the MCP Project 52 weekly photography project. The theme for this week is "something around the house" and so, I present a corner of our dining room.
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I'm still counting good gifts...
242. New socks -- they feel so good!
243. "Let's get out of the house."
244. Fresh crepes at an outdoor cafe.
245. A thorough doctor.
246. Brothers choosing a gift for Sister.
247. Little Brother's chattiness.
248. Laughing with Sister.
249. Finding a dreamy home... for sale... yet finding contentment.
250. A $3 K'nex set from the thrift store that kept all three men busy all afternoon.
251. Time to sew.
252. A hard morning.
253. My school boy diligently working on math.
254. Listening to his voice read scripture.
255. The cardinal peaking at me through the window.
256. A quiet week.
257. Hosting and cooking for 14 tonight.
258. Simple menu ideas for tonight.
259. The professor spit shining my car and the house!
260. Day's end exhaustion and a soft bed in which to retreat.
When you thank Me for the many pleasures I provide, you affirm that I am God, from whom all blessings flow. When adversity strikes and you thank Me anyway, your trust in My sovereignty is a showpiece in invisible realms. Fill up the spare moments of your life with praise and thanksgiving. This joyous discipline will help you live in the intimacy of My Presence. from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

A Trip for the Boys

In December of 2009 the professor surprised me with a trip to New York City in celebration of our tenth wedding anniversary. This past December, in the days right after Christmas, we surprised the boys with a trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee.


So much of 2010 was focused on Baby Sister as she joined our family. It was a quiet year for us. We tend to be homebodies but this past year we stayed at home more than usual. Aside from a few visits to Bunny and Pop's house there was no summer vacation or weekend road trips. Over summer break we rarely went to the pool, had friends over to play, or enjoyed fun outings... the boys never complained. Throughout our year of transition they have consistently played together happily, they have been patient and understanding about adding an infant to our crew, and they have embraced their sister with hearts full of love. It was a delight for the professor and I to plan a trip that would delight them.


Several weeks before Christmas Little Brother informed me, "Mommy, we haven't been to a hotel in woooong time." He knew nothing of the gift that we were planning... How often does God to the same thing for us?!

We rolled into Chattanooga after several hours of miraculously pleasant driving {no baby screaming}. The boys were excited to stay in a downtown hotel and they were anxious to visit the Choo-Choo, Chattanooga's grand, old train station... something we did almost immediately.


We started early the next day at the Tennessee Aquarium which was amazing.




The aquarium is beautifully designed and impeccably managed; our experience there was pleasant and wonderful... worth every penny. All five of us thoroughly enjoyed our visit.


What trip to Chattanooga is complete without a visit to the kitschy tourist hotspot of Ruby Falls?!


It didn't seem wise to take the baby down into the caverns for several hours so my aunt and uncle, who happen to live on Lookout Mountain, kindly babysat.


The boys enjoyed our visit to deeper earth and were amazed by the underground waterfall.


It was a fun getaway for our family and a great way to conclude 2010.