Wordless Wednesday

Life-giving Reading

I had the joy recently of going to a "Mom's Heart" conference by a grace-filled woman named Sally Clarkson. She has written several books on motherhood that have greatly inspired me. She has 4 children mostly grown now and does several conferences every year.
One of the highlights of my time there was having Sarah Clarkson (her oldest child - 25) sit next to me during the luncheon. Quite an unexpected blessing considering there were around 500 women there! I had bought Sarah's new book, Read For The Heart, a few weeks before the conference and loved having an opportunity to chat with this young woman who radiated grace, peace, hope and a zest for life. I highly recommend her book and it has inspired us to embrace the beauty and benefits of reading more fully in our home.
We are doing Just David as a family read aloud book every evening and I have been reading Strawberry Girl to the girls at bedtime. I love exposing my kids to book that look at lives different from theirs and help them see that this life is a HUGE adventure and that their God and Creator has great adventures in store for them!
I am reading Greg Mortenson's Stones into Schools on my own. I highly recommend his first book, Three Cups of Tea, and am sure this one will be equally inspiring at what one person can do with some conviction and determination.

And he is off!!

Fun times in our home these days as we all sit around and cheer for Mo!

Moges ~ 11 months old today!!

And yes, as this picture indicates, he is starting to walk! He is up to about 4 steps at a time to the delight and cheers of his sisters, brother, mom and dad!
We love you MoMo and are so excited to celebrate big O-N-E next month!!!

Daddy's Birthday ~ Feb 18th

We had the most fun lovin on our favorite hubby/daddy last night! We made his favorite food, gave him presents, and the highlight was a song composed and performed by three of his favorite kids, while his other favorite child tried to interfere! : )

A leaf blower - fortunately for me my man doesn't
mind having a bit of a honey-do list! : )


Spicy Thai Noodles

Chocolate Pudding Pie ~ his fav!

God's Extravagent Grace to Us Remembered on This 6 Month Anniversary of Meeting MoMo

A picture can speak volumes over words in these moments. I meet my forever son and fall deeply in love and in awe
Moges checkin out his new Mama ~ July 13, 2009
Daddy tearing up big time while he tries to get a good look and a bit of a snuggle in with his new son
He has progressed through so many milestones since arriving home on July 17th. Solid foods (here is an early attempt but these days he gets much more IN his mouth), rolling, crawling, standing, and dare I say sleeping through the night, and climbing stairs
He is a delight every day and each morning wakes up with a few more curls than the day before!
First Christmas - here at Gram and Papa's house
Silas is not content to have taught him how to crawl ~ he is determined to get him to walk next!
MoMo, I can't wait to see what the next 6 months hold and I am so thankful to have gotten to be your Mama for each the days in the last 6 months!

Moges Walking?

Silas took this video today with his 5th generation ipod nano that he got for Christmas! : ) The outfit MoMo is wearing was Silas' when he was a baby ~ one of a few favorites that I had saved in a box.

I am trying to wrap my brain around the fact that it is 2010. 2009 was such an eventful year going from heartbreak to great rejoicing and blessing over a baby in the family. Mike and I hadn't planned on having another baby and God really took us by surprise with this turn of events. More times than I can count over the last 5 months, right after we get in bed Mike will say "a baby changes everything". It was true as first time parents and in a sense seems even more true this time around. MoMo has changed the whole dynamic of our family. Silas, Kate, and Maria simply adore him. We all sit around delighting in his babbling, crawling, playing, spitting, and now standing and walking with help.

Jesus truly is the one who gives us life in abundance and inspires Mike and I to do what we can to train our children well in love and grace. I think Jesus is using MoMo to draw each of us out of ourselves. I see 2010 as a year of growing closer as a family as we each grow closer with our Creator, Savior, and Redeemer.