First Shoes

It happens twice a year, and twice a year I can't ignore it... the dreaded children's clothing consignment sale. You know, the big one, where mothers run and dive and dig... it really isn't my idea of fun. But, let's face it, when it comes to my children's play clothes I'm a bit miserly and consignment sales can be good for miserly moms.

The boys desperately needed shorts and there was a certain pair of Modge-Podge encrusted khaki pants that needed to be replaced. With Bunny at my side we faced and conquered. Forty-five minutes of shopping and less than $40 spent, the boys have the shorts they need and Sister has her first pair of sneakers. The boys, of course, could care less. She, on the other hand, is very, very proud.

In Which Bunny Arrives...

And makes us all happy. Everyone should have a Bunny.

Dressing Table Beauties

Fresh blooms... an array of bottled perfumes... soft morning light... simple, easy beauty.

Graces Like Rain

413. Rain to wash the pollen away.

414. Cherry blossom petals blowing in the wind.

415. A quiet hour.

416. Allergy medicine for itchy eyes.

417. Draining days when Baby decides not to nap.

418. Sitting in the front yard watching the moon rise with the boys.

419. An overwhelming week.

420. Bits of encouragement.

421. Wise counsel.


422. The boys pulling her around the backyard in the wagon.

423. Her smile of delight from her spot in the wagon.

424. The professor driving up just in time to see the wagon ride for himself.

425. Buckets of water poured on our altar.

426. Trusting and waiting to see how God works.

427. Dogwoods in bloom. They look like white eyelet petticoats.

428. A dry grocery cart.

429. Skype.

430. The grace my children extend to me.


Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe... Hebrews 12:28

God Answers

It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer... Isaiah 65:24

Playing in a Patch of Sunlight

A Unique Challenge

In January, my friend Becky at The Blue Hutch contacted me about possibly doing some special photography for her. She was envisioning a seventh birthday gift for her oldest daughter {affectionately known online as Little}... she wanted some photos to hang on Little's bedroom wall that she would love.


Little is a precious and special young lady. Her very life... her living, breathing, running, playing, singing, dancing, reading, active life... is a beautiful testimony of God's mercy and grace. Little was born without a portion of her brain. Despite facing some learning and developmental challenges she is growing and shining brightly, glorifying her Creator God.


Little's main interest is computers... she loves them and excels in using them. Becky had a vision and she believed I had the skills to capture her vision with the camera. She wrote, "Little's birthday is next month and I would love to add some artwork to her walls. Her “thang” is computers but it is hard to find pictures of computers that are also feminine... I was wondering if you might take on the project."


I was honored and excited... what a unique challenge! When I told the professor about the opportunity he said, "Feminine photos of a computer? Good luck!" With some input from Becky I was pretty sure I could do it. Becky's confidence in my ability was a huge blessing and encouragement.


I asked Becky about color preferences and she wrote, "Little's room is done in pinks, oranges, and yellows. I am almost finished with a quilt for her bed in these three colors. She loves pink and orange; bright happy colors. You do such pretty things with flowers so I don’t know if there is any way to use them in one or two shots."


Thanks to email and online photo sharing we were able to work together on this project despite being miles apart. Becky offered so much guidance and feedback that was tremendously helpful to me in the process of capturing her vision. This was such an iterative process... I would do a photo shoot, upload the photos, get feedback from Becky, and proceed once more with a better idea of what she wanted. We worked together over several weeks to create photos that were exactly what she had in mind.


Dozens of photos later, when it was all said and done, when I had nearly reached my deadline, these are the images that Becky chose for Little's room. With each one cropped to a square, she plans to hang them in square on the wall over a bookshelf.


Most important of all, the birthday girl loves them! Becky recently shared with me, "When I pulled them out for Little she touched the one of the computer and daisy and said softly, "They are so beautiful." It was so precious." Reading those sweet words put a smile on my face for the rest of the day!

Unchanging God

But You remain the same,

and Your years will never end.

Psalm 102:27

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday

and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Two Strawberry Girls

I love this photo of Sister and me taken by the professor at the zoo yesterday afternoon. What a sweet moment. She loved watching the animals, which, to our delight, were quite active... they must have been enjoying the beautiful spring day as much as we were.
Isn't it fun to see our shades of red next to each other?! Her hair is definitely brighter than mine. Although my auburn locks have darkened with age, my dad tells me that my hair was never as bright as hers, even as a baby. Her little carrot top head and blue eyes make me smile every day.
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It's been a lovely spring break... simple and fun, which is just what we wanted.
Monday: The kids and I spent the afternoon at the library and came home with a huge stack of books.
Tuesday: The children and I visited a large, country park on the outskirts of town where we fed the fish, walked in the woods, and rambled through a nearby pasture in search of non-existent cows.
Wednesday: A visit downtown to Grandaddy's office and the frozen yogurt store filled our afternoon.
Thursday: The professor joined us for an afternoon at the zoo.
Friday: We stayed at home, which was very pleasant indeed.
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The professor and I enjoyed watching The Art of the Steal one night this week. It's a fascinating documentary that chronicles the controversial and dramatic struggle for power to control the Barnes Foundation, an impressive private collection of Post-Impressionist art that is worth billions. {Fair warning, this film does contain several instances of colorful language.}
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Have a wonderful weekend, my friends. Thank you for taking time to visit here. You make me smile.

Ineffable Love

Today our local church body grieves with one of our dear families as they taste sudden and deep sorrow. Tonight, I count God's mercies as a discipline... looking for His fingerprint, remembering that He is righteous and loving in all His ways, reminding myself that His mercies are new every morning. Oh, that He will give us eyes to see His mercy in tribulation and then lips to sing His praise.
395. The color green {my favorite}.
396. Gusty, whistling wind.
397. Her wake-up, morning curls.
398. Quiet house, washing machine whirring.
399. Boys playing outside all day.
400. Boys smelling of fresh air.
401. A husband of integrity.
402. Our spontaneous afternoon zoo outing.
403. A beautiful afternoon for visiting the zoo.
404. Quiet waiting.
405. A whisper of hope.
406. One perfect white camellia.
407. Listening to one son apologize to the other.
408. A walk in the woods.
409. She sipped milk from a cup.
410. Sweet spring fragrance in the air.
411. Her head on my shoulder.
412. Chilly mornings, warm afternoons.

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?

It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;

it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,

and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,

in Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;

Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,

our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.

from O Worship the King by Robert Grant, 1833

Movie Night

We are savoring the slow paced days and leisurely evenings of spring break. Last night after dinner the professor set up his 16 mm film projector and we enjoyed watching Where the Wild Things Are and Curious George Rides a Bike projected on our living room wall.


From setting everything up just so, to the steady whir of the old projector, to seeing dust fairies fly... the novelty of watching real film is exciting and fun, way more fun than Netflix!


After taking in our first two flicks everyone gathered around the box of reels to help choose our third, Dr. Seuss's The Hoober-Bloob Highway. Sadly, the film broke halfway through the showing... and then it was time for bed.

The Hundred Dresses

If your bookstore browsing or thrift store wanderings lead you to a copy of The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, by all means do take it home with you. This poignant, tender story is a lovely evening read. The gentle, graceful illustrations by the Caldecott Medal winner Louis Slobodkin are captivating.
When you have finished savoring the story on your own, brew two cups of tea {be sure to sweeten one with plenty of sugar} and share it with your young daughter. This little book is delightful while clearly conveying the importance of showing kindness and compassion to others.

Infinite God

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Psalm 90:1-2

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of His heart through all generations.
Psalm 33:11

Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity.
Psalm 93:2

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises
and faithful in all He does.
Psalm 145:13

Long Week's Ending {Edited}

This week the dirty dishes seemed to pile higher than usual and the laundry seemed to multiply. I stepped on and crushed enough Cheerios to fill a cereal bowl and Sister found something new to climb every single day. {Yes, my friends, we have a climber on our hands.} There were homework tears, middle of the night tears, and even a few mommy-is-overwhelmed tears. But, not only did we survive the long, long week... by God's grace we flourished.


The weekend is upon us! I plan to take a bit of time to relax in a comfortable chair, preferably bathed in afternoon sunlight, and sigh deeply, very deeply.


His mercies are new every morning {and they're new every week}. Next week is our spring break, which, for me, is an especially wonderful mercy. {I know my school boy agrees!} We'll be staying close to home this year. The boys have requested a hike and an outing for ice cream. If you're local and will be staying in town too, call me and let's plan some fun outings.
For the rest of you, what are your favorite simple ways to enjoy spring break?
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I wrote this blog entry earlier and set it to auto-post... As I've watched the devastation unfold today in Japan I am sharply reminded that Cheerio crumbs, dirty dishes, and homework tears are blessings not burdens. Tonight my heart aches for the mothers who can't comfort their crying babies, the mothers who don't have a clean blanket in which to wrap their children, and the mothers who wonder if they'll ever experience a soothing cup of tea in a comfortable chair again. Perspective, my friends. Perspective. Tonight I am exceedingly thankful that I have heaps of dirty laundry, crumbs on the floor, and my precious family safely seated around our dinner table.

Ten on Ten: March 2011

Ten on Ten

At the Art Museum

This afternoon we joined the professor and some of his students on a field trip to the art museum. Our group was large and our destination was an hour away so we all piled onto a chartered bus for the trip. The bus ride alone was a major event for the boys... they loved it.
Of course, the museum {or "muzam" as Little Brother calls it} was fun and exciting, too. My favorite views included an incredible and inspiring photography exhibit featuring color and light, one of the most beautiful John Singer Sargent portraits that I have ever seen, a wonderful Mark Rothko piece that I would love to hang in my house, and an amazing sculpture collection.
The museum boasts a wonderful hands on area for children that the boys and the baby thoroughly enjoyed. While the Strawberry Girl was undoubtedly drawn to the life sized, three dimensional replica of an Edward Hopper painting, the boys were equally mesmerized with an abstract painting and exhibit featuring a local motor speedway, complete with working remote controlled race cars.
What an inspiring, fun, and special afternoon!

Thankful Coziness

This photo speaks to the cat in me... every time I look at it I want to curl up in that warm patch of sunlight and doze. Perhaps that's why I've started stuffing a heating pad under the covers at night just before going to bed. A warm spot is very soothing and relaxing after a demanding day.
When I was in the third grade I was stricken with the chicken pox. I remember spending most of that itchy, feverish week on the couch under the big picture window where the warm sun shined in on me. I read The Velveteen Rabbit that week and cried. My parents' couch still sits under the same window... I still love to read and doze there.
Before curling up in my cozy spot for the night I'll end the day with thanksgiving...
378. Chatting with a neighbor.
379. A gaggle of preschoolers all wearing construction paper rabbit ears in the carpool line.
380. Avocado sandwiches.
381. An unexpected pizza dinner... a night off from cooking!
382. Seeing firsthand that thanksgiving precedes the miracle.
383. Mid-morning toast.
384. A need met before I realized it was a need.
385. Quiet conversation.
386. The disheartening silence.
387. The professor home for lunch today.
388. Little lips smacking jam toast.
389. Sunlight on orchids.
390. New sheets.
391. Car windows rolled down.
392. New-to-me clothes.
393. Weekend family time.
394. Faith to believe that a dream can become a reality.
Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere.

Monday Color

Lunch... tasty refrigerator remnants.

Jeans... weekend bargain, only 97 cents!Flats... weekend hand-me-down. Thanks, littlest sister.{Y'all be sure to share your recipes with her!}

Everlasting God

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.
Isaiah 40:28

Fresh Longer

Because springtime's show of color doesn't last long enough, keep fresh flowers blooming longer by adding two tablespoons of vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar to each quart of warm water.

Eleven Months Old

How can it be? You are eleven months old!

A mother should never blink and then discover that her tiny, peach fuzzed newborn has become a crawling, climbing, babbling, eating, opinionated, redheaded wonder!


But so you have done, my little Strawberry.

love
{As I sit here writing Little Brother just asked me if he could type "love" -- how appropriate because we do love you very much!}


You love nothing more than to be with your brothers in their room where you love to sort {and eat} their Legos and shoes. {I know, gross!}

You often crawl about with a sock hanging out of your mouth and you never tire of digging in Mommy's purse. We've already discovered that you love lollipops.

You dig in our potted plants and have been known to sample dirt. You love to clean out cabinets {if only you would put the items away when you're finished}.

You must be part billy goat because you're a great eater of all things edible and non-edible. You love to be outdoors. You are quite capable of throwing a royal fit.

You have the funniest, high-pitched cackle. You have four teeth. You pass out easily and relatively often because you forget to breathe when you're especially mad or upset. Dr. Linda says not to worry.

You're quite opinionated about the dishwasher... it's your territory. You pull utensils and plastic dishes out of it as quickly as I can put them in. The other night I found you standing on the open dishwasher door, holding onto the top rack. You grinned, danced, and were, in general, quite pleased with yourself.

I'm reserving judgement, but you may be our most spirited child yet! This afternoon you climbed our step ladder when I stepped out of the room for a moment... when I returned you were standing on top. {Insert major mommy heart attack here!!!!}


A few days ago I couldn't find you. I finally discovered you tucked into a corner of your room with a pile of books. I hope you always love books.


You adore your daddy and your brothers. Trust me, the adoration is mutual! What a happy little girl you are! I thank God for putting your busy, little self in our family.