Daddy's Girl

Bill had to work a few hours of overtime last night, much to Kitty's dismay. After a couple hours of Daddy not returning home she got quite worried. She would stand at the door and call, "Daddy!" and nod her head "yes." She was so upset when I'd open the door and he wasn't there. She sure was happy to see him this morning!

Kitty Says . . .

Kate said her first complete sentence yesterday. It had a subject, a verb, and a complete thought! And let me not forget to mention the beautiful use of direct address:) *sigh*

Kitty said,"Mama, I'm stuck!"

And indeed she was stuck.

Ike's Perspective

While driving up to a very busy drive thru at Starbucks:

"Mama, why are all those people blocking our way?"

~

Beware:

Babies and tummy growth is a hot topic at our house. Please don't be offended if my sweet boy asks if you too have a baby in your tummy.

Sweet Smile

Marks of the True Christian (ESV Bible)

Romans 12: 9-21

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Do not be slothful in zeal, but be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Looks like I have a LOT to work on . . .

Five is Grand!

Happy 5th Birthday, Sweet Boy!

My dear little Ike, you arrived perfect, puffy, and pink -- the most beautiful site I'd ever seen! And since that day, five years ago, you've brought so much laughter, joy, and healing. Who knew that one sweet, tiny package could hold so many wonderful qualities! Happy 5th birthday!

Steppin' Up -- a bit of rambling

I have a dear sweet mother-in-law who is gentle and kind -- quite frankly, she's very easy to love and adore. This makes being a daughter-in-law an honor and a position I easily enjoy. But in all honesty, I could step it up a notch (or two) and put in a lot more effort.

However, not every daughter-in-law has the blessing of a delightful mother-in-law. Yet as Christian women, we are required to show love (yes, that's that patient, kindness, not self-seeking, etc. kind of love!) to our mother-in-laws regardless of whether they treat us with the same love or not. I've heard stories about Christian women being terribly unwelcoming to the new daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law not eager on spending time with her new mother-in-law. It's actually quite shameful to treat one another in a way that is not God-honoring, but we (in our human way) do it constantly. We must remember, that we too may be mother-in-laws some day and we should treat our mother-in-laws how we would want to be treated.

I'd have to say that daughters are more drawn to their own mothers since over time, it's often the case that mothers and daughters turn into very good friends. This natural friendship is easy due to the fact that we know each other very well. However, a mother-in-law's friendship is also a gift and seeking friendship and showing kindness toward her is required of us -- regardless if she is cantankerous, judgemental, and un-affectionate towards you.

So, as a gentle admonishing to myself and the two people who may actually read this blog, lets step it up a notch. Let's remember that our mother-in-laws took a lot of time and effort to raise these boys to be men -- men that we actually esteemed high enough to want to marry and grow old with. Lets make sure, to be grateful for her and to pray for her. Lets take the time to show her we appreciate her and think of new ways to show her our gratitude. And above all, lets grow in love -- you know, the REAL Christian sort of love:)

Thanks, Barb, for being so sweet and gentle while I learn slowly how to be a daughter-in-law:)

Today, after talking with my Mom for a while, she gave me some good ideas on how to show appreciation towards my mother-in-law. If you have any good ideas, I would love input!

She Looks so Much Like Daddy . . . Sometimes:)

Subway Tiles

If you click on the picture, you can see a closer view of the subway tiles;) Bill took this picture with his phone so hopefully it shows up clear.

Ahhhh, Room to Cook!

Yes, I am aware that the lonely pendant light looks a bit silly. No worries though! We have a chandelier just waiting to replace it:)

We are set to walk through the house on August 28th . . . when most of the work should be wrapped up. After that, papers get signed and we'll be able to call this cottage home!

A Delightful Mistake

The finishing touches are being made to our new house and I must say, it's looking more and more like a home. I am beyond thrilled and SO ready to spread out and have some elbow room! I'm also looking forward to unpacking all my treasures. Mostly I'm looking forward to all my kitchen gadgets back! I miss the juicer, the mixer, the blender, the muffin pans, and the cake pans!!! Oh, what sweet delights to have at my fingertips once again.

Bill stopped by as the ladies were tidying up the place the other day to find a wonderful surprise -- subway tile in my kitchen!!! I had really wanted it, but took it off the list since we figured we could add it later. But there it is! Two rows of wonderful backsplash! And sweet Bill has committed himself to adding the rest of it after we settle in (which could take a while since I move at a snail's pace these days). But that doesn't matter really. It's there. It's started. And I will delight in my two rows of it!

I wonder if I could pass the disappearing of our bedroom furniture as a "delightful mistake" in order to have that beat up vintage door as a headboard . . .

Almost Done . . .

This is Kate's quilt. My Grandmother June had one similar to this one when she was a little girl. I happen to have her quilt, which has become quite tattered and torn over the years. Yet still it's beautiful and lovely to look at. I hope this one gets as much love and wear as her quilt did.

It's not yet finished, but it's ready for the edging to be put on. I have to go take it to Mom's magical sewing room and learn how to put the edging on myself. Hmm. I may just sneak a camera into her lovely workshop and post a peak at some of the quilts she's been working on lately. They are amazing and so inspiring!

Grandma and Kitty

Oh, Goodness

Ike greets me every morning with a gentle pat on my stomach, "Mommy, your tummy's getting BIG!"

~

We got Ike a little star chart to reward all his good behavior and now he notices if I don't do things. "Mommy," he shakes his head disapprovingly, "you didn't make your bed. You're not going to get a star!"