Thursday, March 29, 2012

just an ordinary day



it was just an ordinary day.
nothing special.

except that face....


...and the squeals as they rushed down the big slide...


...and how the sky was so blue, it was almost purple...
...the way my big girl called her sister, "sweet love cupcake pie"...


...my wee one looking out from under long lashes and begging me to pick up her cup just so she could laugh as she droped it again...


...the buttons on her jeans...


..the way this one got real brave and tried a previously-banned big kid portion of the park.
...her look of determination...
...as if she was about to accomplish something very important...



...how baby girl took not one, not two, but thirteen purposeful, steady steps...
no wobbling.  no falling.
and the look in her eyes that said, 
"I can do this.  And I won't take 'no' for an answer."


...the grin on his face when she rounded the corner...


...those lashes...that smile...


maybe there are no ordinary days.
just a long string of one extraordinary moment after the next.


Monday, March 26, 2012

firsts


we've had some firsts worth mentioning around here...

Peach was deliriously happy about being invited to her first birthday party (besides her own)

we got crafty and made some sweet hair clips for her little friend
and a frame with ribbons to organize them

wrapped it all up with purple and pink polka dots, put on a special party dress, did her hair up in piggies and you would have thought this girl was the mayor of our town, parading around, announcing the festivities and waving the gift for everyone to see.

on our walk to the birthday party, she asked if every single house we passed was the party house...
and I giggled, looking back into the wagon at her happy little face and trying to remember the last time I was this excited about something.

two hours later we went to pick her up and she reported that it was everything she'd hoped for:

chocolate ice cream
a project
playing outside
and the birthday song.

her birthday-lovin' heart was full.
no, make that overflowing.


And as if all that wasn't enough excitement,
Tulip has taken her first steps.
Wobbly toddles, swaying back and forth.
Arms waving like helicopter blades.
She knows she's on to something big...



Stumbling over and over again, she continues to get up.
Stick that tongue out.
Try again.
Make it better.
Go further.


No looking back.


And my heart swells.


A reminder that the pursuit of what is good is usually not easy.
And can sometimes leave you downright exhausted.
But reaching the goal is oh so worth it in the end.




These girls...

They don't know it, but as I'm teaching them about walking and waiting and manners and letters, I'm also learning....

About finding joy in the littlest things.
And perseverance.
And determination.



And how to savor every last drop of this one, wild and wonderful life.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

enough

Today is Saturday.  The day I've been looking forward to all week.  Waking up to coffee and little girls and not having anything important to do.  In my mind, today was going to be so peaceful.  But by 10 am, I had already yelled.  Ouch.  I hate to admit it. 


Peach wanted to do her own thing.  Tulip wouldn't eat her breakfast...threw it on the floor.

My blissful Saturday was quickly turning into frustration station.


And instead of being the patient, joyful mom that I want to be, I got angry and threw my own little temper tantrum.  There were tears all around.

Tulip napping and Peach in time out, there was lots to do.  But all I could do was sink into the couch with palms up, asking God to fill me.  

Lord, I am not enough.  But you are.  You are enough patience.  Enough joy.  Enough energy.  So, fill me.  I trade my emptiness for your abundance.

It's not always pretty.  But, we take the good with the bad.  Asking the Good Lord to prune away the prickly thorns. 

 As Easter approaches, Lord, make me New.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

pen pal


my best girl, K, came to visit over the weekend
i could hardly teach all week.
thinking about spending a whole weekend with her leaves me bursting at the seams with joy.

we prepared by making chocolate nests...
to give our guests a proper welcome



while waiting outside for our visitors to arrive, 
J hopped on the neighbor kids' new bike and took it for a spin
spontaneity is one of the reasons i married this guy.


beautiful blue eyes and I watched from the grass






and, to my surprise, this little love button just up and walked right across the driveway.

eyes brimming with tears, we whooped and hollered, cheering her on to greatness.
one step at a time


she has since taken up to eleven steps all on her own, without the aid of toys or big people hands.
this girl is going places
more posts to come as she navigates through the world of walking.

but where was i?
ah, yes...weekend with a pen pal.


the wait seemed like forever, but, at last...


they arrived.


due to the over five hour drive that separates us, it had been months since these girls had seen each other

however, they've been keeping in contact as pen pals.

they send each other cupcake-shaped cards, notes scribbled on hello-kitty stationary, trinkets, treasures and homemade crafts embellished with way too many stickers.

Peach twirls around the living room clutching the envelope anytime we get mail from her pen pal.

and having her at our house, in real life was just too much fun.



we jam packed the weekend with nothing in particular but every thing special:
 wagon rides, stories, 



new headbands made by mommas who should have been in bed, but stayed up chatting and crafting until the wee hours


running in sunshine


backyard whatever


dessert on the driveway




sand...everywhere


goofy faces


pretty hair with extra clips



and books by the dozens....


it was the weekend we'd been hoping for.


after we said some teary good-byes and promised to make the trip up their way this summer, Peach and J got down to business with washing the vehicles.





and we stayed outside until the last drop of sunshine faded from the sky


feels like summer around here

lucky for us, the opportunity to fulfill that promise to meet up with our buddies again will come quicker than we think

until then, we'll be nurturing the idea of pen pals.
sending good old fashioned snail mail and loving each other long-distance.