Summer

A 'little' peek at our summer days so far...

Lots of book reading!! I happened upon this scene one afternoon and they were reading so sweet together all on their own. :)

A 'little' weed flower watering! ; )

Hanging out on the front porch....

...watching the 'big' littles play! One day, buddy, one day!

Splish-splashing in the hippo pool!

Hanging out with friends. :)

Going to the zoo and seeing the brand new Asian area with several new animals!!

Going to the splash park. :)

If the first couple weeks of summer have been a gauge for the rest, we are going to have a busy one!!!!

Busy days

I can already tell this summer is going to be a busy one! Monday was a packed day, including a fun afternoon at the park as a family!!

The middle little is a yummy, adorable, melt-my-heart sweetie these days! He is growing up so fast and I'm trying to soak up this stage as much as I can. Before I know it, he will a full fledge boy and then on to manhood!

My littlest little is so cuddly, smiley and is starting to 'talk.' I really want to get the adorable facial expressions when he is having a conversation. I just don't want to forget it. :)

And my oldest little...

...well besides thinking she 2 going on 13... she will be going to "school" 2 mornings as week starting in the fall. We toured the preschool on Monday and she didn't want to leave! Little Dude was so cute and when he realized his sister was in the middle of a group of kids in a class singing songs, all he could do was try to get to her and kept saying 'Sissy back! Sissy back!' He pretty much adores her. :)

As busy as the days will be, I hope they are filled with days at the park, soaking up these littles, while they are still little!

Especially this 'big' little, she's growing up too fast!

These are the ones

These are the ones.

The littles that I adore.

And these are the ones, the pictures of littles in their pajamas and acting silly.

These are the ones that will be my favorite to look back and remember our days. 

Little Dude {19 Months} OVER DUE!

Over due notice!! I really want to record him and what he's is saying and doing before it passes and he is 20 months!


Little dude of mine, you are such a ham.

Whether you mean to or not, you crack me up all day long! Sometimes it's completely on purpose and other times it's out of sheer cuteness and I can't contain my joy over the adorable little dude that you are.

When I was little, I would get so frustrated at my brothers because they could always get out of trouble by making my mama laugh when she was scolding or disciplining them. I have to try really hard not to do the same!!

You are still my sweet, tender hearted, gentle spirited child. It doesn't take much to correct you, most of the time. You certainly didn't get lucky enough to have the stubborn genes pass you by. I apologize! ; p
When you do get in to trouble and I correct you, you are pretty good about responding with "Aye mommy," your way of saying "Yes, mommy." And you have the whole Puss in Boots, innocent look that you do so well. Melts me every.single.time.

And just under a year ago you were wearing the same rash guard at the water park!

You are your sister's shadow. Everything she says and does, you are right behind her saying and doing the exact same thing. But I have noticed that you are breaking out of your shell more lately and want to do things your own way when you are playing together. Any time sissy is gone or still sleeping when you wake up you always want to know "Where sissy?! Where sissy, mama?!" I think you would be lost with out her. I hope you two grow up to be best friends, even in to becoming adults.

Some of the sweet things you are doing and saying that I want to remember right now:

~ You call yogurt "mo-gurt"
~ When you fall down you say "Ouch, hurt, really really hurt." {From Yo Gabba Gabba}
~ You LOVE having a popsicle on the front steps in the afternoon.
~ Some where you picked it up and say it all the time now, you say "Ssssss - SNAKE!" And then you laugh! One day you said "Ssssss - SNACK!" And then pretended to bite something and chew it up! I think you were trying to tell me you were hungry!
~ You love to put your shoes on and you love to go bye-bye. If I say anything about going some where you are a whiney mess until we are in the car and going. I try not to say anything until we are out the door!
~ You would live in the bath tub if we let you. You will start climbing in before we get you undressed!
~ You have an enthusiasm about even the little things that I adore. I'll ask you if you are ready to do something, anything and you say "YEAH!" or "ALRIGHT!"
~ You LOVE to "wing" at the park. You will sit in the swing the whole time we are at the park if I let you. Sometimes I do. :)

I am really enjoying the little toddler you are becoming! I see more of a two year old and less of a one year old every day. You are growing, learning and changing so much! I know I'm going to miss these sweet days of you being a 'little'!

I think we finally have a verse for you, I love it so much:

"Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and the waves will not overcome you." Isaiah 43:1b-2a

I pray that your heart be turned towards the Lord and that you will desire to seek and follow after Jesus all of your days. That you will have a hunger for God's Word and a heart for all people.

You are loved!

Overwhelming Impossibility

"I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

This past Sunday, God gave me this verse. And since then I've pressed in, and asked begged Him to lead me.

I know I'm blind and I'm lost and bound to mess up if I'm not being lead by only One who knows. The sovereign One, who is working all things for good. {Romans 8:28}

As opportunities have recently presented themselves for my business and for our family, I can't help but yield to my God and ask that He lead us and show us the way. What might seem good and right to me, could be completely wrong. But what may seem overwhelming and impossible might be the very way He wants to show Himself to us.

I know that I know that God has put adoption into my heart. I weep at the very thought of it every time. That I could be the receiver of grace and then pour that grace on to others, it's humbling and nearly shatters my heart with the joy of it all. 

And now, He leads us. With the eyes given to me by birth, I can only see the here and the now. The overwhelming impossibilities that are present before us. But God has made a way for my heart to glimpse the good He is working all things together for, and my heart leaps inside of me.

Is this real? Am I understanding this correctly, God? How can I be worthy of your favor? What good have I done that You would want to use me and let me be a part of this work that You, only You could turn to good? I want to believe. I want to trust You. That you are good, and that Your love is great. Even when it comes to me and the purpose for my life.

Life in the fast lane

Wow.

I'm not even sure where to start.

I'm feeling like life is in the fast lane right now and it's so much out of my comfort zone that I'm not sure if I want complain or just hold on tight and take the ride.

Besides the obvious reasons (times 3, under 3) that life is going by so quickly, hubby and I recently decided we want to change specific things about our lifestyle to start living healthier and taking better care of our selves. We are looking into new ways to eat better and better quality and we support each other in keeping up with regular exercising. We are planning to run our first 5k together at the end of the summer!!

We invested in a health supplement program and have seen our energy levels increase and our over all health has improved in just a month. For the first time in my life I've been willing to be disciplined and deny my body the unhealthy cravings and now I'm in control. I'm not saving I've arrived but practice makes perfect and so far I have seen a huge increase in energy that helps me be able to keep up with my precious littles who are growing up so fast!

Today is a perfect example in that I didn't sleep well (several times waking with two of the littles) and our morning routine was thrown off a little bit so I felt frazzled and frustrated. Not to mention the house and the way it seems to be in a constant state of choas. I was able to round the littles up and convince them to help me 'clean' while I got the wood floors swept and mopped, the rugs vacuumed and even pulled the couch from the wall to clean underneath it (which hasn't been done in a looong time), cleaned the glass end table tops and several other small tasks.

Normally, that would be enough to have me crashing on the couch and say, 'I've done enough for today  the week.' But after lunch and the littles' nap time, we went out front and set up the water table and sprinkler. After just sitting and hanging out with the littles I got inspired to pull some weeds - turned to digging out a small tree we have been meaning to dig out, rake the dead brush from the flower beds, cut back dead branches on a bush and several trees. And the kicker is I still felt like I had energy to spare!

I am loving the potential of being an active part of my littles' lives and know I'm making healthier choices for my family!!

Water Table

We decided it was warm enough for the water table yesterday. The kids had a blast playing and splashing in the hot afternoon after their naps. It was a blast so I think we will be having many more afternoons like this.

Itty Bitty joined us after he woke up. He is so cute I could eat him up! He is sitting in his bumbo seat for short periods of time. He is loving being up and watching his siblings.

Loving my view. Couldn't imagine being more blessed as a mommy.