Glorious

What a wonderful, nay, glorious Saturday! What was so special about it? Well, it was cold and overcast all day, but we were all together the whole day. Josh put his studying on hold and built the railing for Noah's loft bed. I did some playing with the kids, some cleaning, some laundry. There was a wedding across the street. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner together. The sun broke through the clouds just in time to set. We ate birthday cake. We all sat on the couch for a family movie. The kids were in bed by 8:30 . . . and I listened to Bronwen sing to herself until 9.
That is a beautiful day.

An anniversary to remember

Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end. ~Author Unknown

Happy 34th Anniversary Mom and Dad

Missing Teaspoon

Sir Hillary Teaspoon died early this morning. My mom had him and his sweet sister since they were hand raised hatchlings from a friend, 17 years ago. Pandora's Crackers (Pandy) died last year and Teaspoon was never the same. His is a miraculous story, I'll have to tell you sometime.

35 isn't just a number

My sweetie turned 35 today. I surprised him with a party at the theatre at my cousins' apartment. We had cake and popcorn while we watched Return of the Jedi.

Brittani took pictures for us to mark the special occasion.

She's coming in . . .

DAYS!!!!

Expectation

This is what God the LORD says -

he who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth with all that springs from it,

who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Pumpkin pickin

We were back at the patch this morning. It's such a beautiful day, but we were a little too cold. Funny, it didn't feel this cold when we left the house and I was afraid they might be too warm. We survived. Bronwen did much better on the tractor ride this time.

Peace and Quiet

Recently I was at Mom and Dad's and at some point I noticed it was wonderfully quiet. I knew that Annabelle was sleeping, but I wasn't sure what the other two were up to. I found them in Aunt Jayme's old room where they had built themselves a nest of pillows, surrounded themselves with books and were each deeply engrossed. Bronwen caught me peaking!

Today is Annie's birthday. Happy Birthday chic :)

Seven

What a difference a month makes. She looks so much bigger now that she can sit on her own. I think she's teething: hard time sleeping, uncomfortable and wanting to nurse all of the time. Through it all she is still such a delightful child. So sweet and even tempered.

My favorite things

the feel of clean sheets on my bed

the smell of a new box of crayons

pumpkin pie

a full moon

my babies' feet

watching my children sleep

sunrise

fresh baked bread

my mother's hands

the crisp Autumn air

squash

my sister's voice

Noah reading devotions for the close of our day

My husband's arms around me

Just now

What a beautiful weekend we have been blessed with. Can you believe this is the end of October? We just came in from outside where I took some pictures of the kids. It looks like it is still summertime and not the beginning of fall!

There are quite a few pictures here . . . quite a few more on my hardrive. I just couldn't help myself. They were all three in such good humor enjoying being outside.

Annabelle can sit up without support for the first time today. She just cannot get to that position by herself yet.

Butterflies for Angel

Hurt no living thing: Ladybird, nor butterfly Nor moth with dusty wing. - Christina Rossetti

The Butterfly Alphabet by Kjell B. Sandved


A friend of mine saw Noah's alphabet art project and gave me this amazing book to borrow. The entire alphabet and numbers are found and pictured here in butterfly and moth wings. It took the artist 25 years and visits to more than 30 countries to discover all the letters in the alphabet.


"Butterflies truly are the 'symbol of the soul.' Their delicate beauty and dancing flight from flower to flower help create love for nature and the desire to protect them. . .Nature's message is loud and clear for all to see . . . it is written on the wings of butterflies!" - Kjell B. Sandved


On wings aloft across the skies - an Alphabet of butterflies. Each Butterfly in secret brings a letter hidden in its wings.The rainbow gave to butterflies spots of Color just their size. They Dance among the forest lights like floating flower petal sprites. Each lifted by a gentle breeze, they soar above with simple Ease. In their soundless Flutter, see a playful color melody. Gilded like a jeweled crown or like a fancy wedding gown. Each a tiny, stringless kite soaring up to treetop Height. So Innocent and unaware of the riches that they wear . . . the Joy a butterfly imparts awakens wonder in our hearts. Behold their lovely, sparkling flight, a Kaleidoscope of colors bright. The flutter of their little wings inspires Love for all small things. Merry nymphs in brilliant dress - Messengers of happiness. Butterflies enchant the hours sipping Nectar from the flowers. Ornaments floating in the air, charming all who see them there. They tumble on the breeze all day like carnival acrobats at Play. Quickly flitting, never still, free to wander where they will. Radiant colors catch the light - imagination taking flight. When butterflies in gardens meet, every flower smells more Sweet. Nature's angels fill the skies in Twinkling butterfly disguise. Each morning, butterfly wings Unfold their treasure: scarlet, blue and gold. So simple is the majesty of nature's Vibrant tapestry! Delicate Wings grace the air as gently as a whispered prayer. No delight is more eXquisite than a surprise butterfly visit. Daydreaming, our fancy flies Yonder with the butterflies. A butterfly wish - that all may see and love their Zigzag liberty!

God bless you on your new business venture Angel!

I have faith in you.

My sweet boy

Noah has been asking me all about the day he was born and I told him it was a day for which I had waited most of my life. Being my first born, he was the one that brought me into motherhood. I began yesterday telling him how my day went six years ago: I groomed the dogs in the morning, ran errands with Granma in the afternoon - including dropping the tub off for storage at the hospital - waited an unbelievably long time in line at the social security office, went into labor. Not in the office, but in it's parking lot. Well, just my water broke.

It was the 15th of October. Throughout my whole pregancy I was praying that he would be born on the 16th - my Granma's birthday. God smiled on me as He answered my prayer and little Noah was born at 1:50 AM on October 16.

Then I blinked and he turned 6! Happy Birthday Noah, what a fine little man of God you are, and I couldn't be more proud of you.

Noah's Party

Thank you Christine for being my photographer today! The pictures are priceless.

Ooh, it's so hard to wait!

Noah received a birthday package in the mail today. He anxiously looked at the return address and was thrilled to discover it is from Aunt Jayme and Uncle Scott. He started to open it right away, but I gently reminded him that he would have to wait until his birthday, four days from now. Well, at least he has to wait until his birthday party tomorrow.