Yellow!

I've been a little obsessed with yellow lately. 

It's a beautiful color that makes me happy! 

And it happens to go really well with blue, 

which is my all time fave color. :)

Yellow, you are second place, but it

doesn't mean I don't adore you too. 

Just. Can't. Get. Enough!

Newly painted bookshelf for the schoolroom.

Hands

It hit me yesterday. I have three more months of what I have now. I'm not really even guaranteed that. 

Life will be changing. 

My "baby" is doing more and more on his own every day. Just last week he needed me to open the 

emergen-C packet. He can do it himself now. He asked me to teach him how to make oatmeal. 

One more thing he can do independently. 

While being pregnant I have had days of pure exhaustion which allows all three kids

to learn something new. Mama can't or just doesn't have the energy to, so I let them take over. 

It's a bittersweet thing. 

I love that they are learning life skills. I love that I am learning to not have to be in control all the time. 

It hurts just a little when I get all emotional about how fast kids grow up and realize how they are not

so needy for Mama anymore. But then the dishes get done and their shoes are tied and their teeth are brushed and their beds are made. That makes me happy!! Not gonna lie. ;)

Yes, life is changing and I am OK with it. We have to be don't we? 

Glad there is another little one coming soon. I lie in bed dreaming of changing diapers, 

giving baths, nursing, even waking up in the middle of the night.  I'm sure this optimism 

will change a bit when exhaustion sets in, but for now I will enjoy the moment. 

Oh the wonder of it all......

Two year olds are fantastic! 

They go along for the ride, 

excited about wherever Mom and Dad are taking them. 

Excited to sit in chairs. :) 

Gotta love their sweet simplicity. 

I wish we could stay young hearted like that! 

Happy with the little things in life. 

He seriously LOVED this chair! 

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning if I do say so myself. :) 

Sweet

For the last 3 summers we have gone berry picking at a farm close by. Tradition gives me great joy as I know it does for most people! 

Early this morning I wake and realize I haven't made my husband his coffee. I usually get it made up the night before. It's 4 AM. I want to justify my sleeping. I say to myself, "He can handle it." But deep down I know it blesses him. So I rise slowly, husband still lying there silently in the dark next to our youngest who crept in our bed sometime in the night. I turn the dimmest light on possible and do the mundane. And then I get a wiff..... raspberries on the counter!! 

While I love the smell of coffee, it was not what was overtaking the kitchen this morning. Or at least not until I got that coffee going!  It was sweet and overpowering. The verse came to mind of being a sweet smelling aroma to the world. To the Lord. To my husband. 

So often I get all bent out of shape when things get off a bit. I take things personally. I get flustered as to how to communicate. Love gets lost. I concentrate so hard on the circumstance and my feelings, that I forget how to act like Christ has shown me in the scriptures. I want so badly to be a sweet smelling aroma. A holy sacrifice. I want to communicate love to my husband. I've learned coffee and food are two good ways! 

There are the days when I am the most selfish creature on this planet. Me me me is all I can think about.

And I can tell you that it makes me miserable. God's kingdom and ways are very backward to how our society thinks. He says to serve others and we will be blessed.

 He tells us that it will be a rewarding life. We try to wrap our heads around that idea and come up short, until we decide to give it a try and realize that God is quite smart! I would have felt bad for not taking the time to make my husband coffee this morning. Not because he is demanding and expects it of me, but because I know he really feels loved when I do that for him and I want him to know I love him. Even in the wee hours of the morning when sleep beckons the puffy eyes. 

That blurry blue is the baby bump. :) Happiness. 

I get it in my head that service "stinks" most of the time. It's hard work. Putting others needs before my own desires. But then I smell that sweetness and it can be so inspiring and addicting that it spurs on the desire to do things God's way. I sure would rather smell like sweet raspberries while serving others than

the stank of selfishness. You can decide for yourself what that smell might be!!

The fact of the matter is we need each other. It builds us up. It encourages each of us to know we are a team working together in this life. We can inspire each other to do well. To think good thoughts. To give thanks in the hard. To listen when the other one is really going through something. To laugh when life is hilarious. It is the best to laugh with others! 

I'm glad I didn't get all those raspberries dealt with yesterday. Maybe effeciency isn't always the best... 

B&W

I am so thankful I am not color blind and that our world is not in black & white, but sometimes I just can't help but go all B&W in photos. There is just something classic about it. Sometimes it doesn't fit, but other times it is quite perfect. Or at least to me! And that is the fun of being artistic. You get to make the decisions. ;) 

This is the sweetest family! They are an example of love and service as they give and give and give and never expect anything in return. Such a beautiful thing to witness. I am happy and blessed to know them. It was such an exciting text to get when they had their last baby, A BOY, after two girls!! 

Sweet little guy fell asleep as we wrapped up the photo shoot. :)

  

Here he is all smiles! 

And let's not forget the big sisters! 

Three is a magic number, yes it is.... 

So many great things come in three's. ;) 

Growing

I adore being pregnant. One of the best things on this planet to enjoy and experience in my opinion. 

While I have experienced some heartache due to pregnancy and babies, I praise God for this new baby 

and am SO STOKED to meet him or her in a few more months! All is going well and I cannot give enough thanks to God who holds all things together for that. I am starting to imagine the birth. Praying my husband and midwife will be there the entire time. I would love to have that support and not be alone like I was for a lot of my last birth. I take comfort in the fact that God already sees and knows how it all will work out. I take comfort in knowing HE is with me at all times, I just need to acknowledge His presence and there will be peace. 

I watched a video of a woman giving birth and she didn't know what she was having. It was so, so precious. I am looking forward to that. I really wanted to know what we were having at one point, but am really happy with our decision now. Our 8 year old daughter wants to be at the birth and I think it is going to be so sweet. I want to try to orchestrate it where she can be the one to tell what the baby's sex is. Needless to say, with her having two brothers already, she prays for a baby sister. We have talked about the fact that it very well may be a boy. She is OK with that. She is just darn excited to have a baby in the house! 

Having the baby right after Thanksgiving (or so) is going to be perfect! I guess if I had a baby anytime it would be perfect, ha! But the timing of the holidays, and hunkering down for winter and having an early Christmas present when we lost our baby on Christmas two years ago, well, perfect. :) 

I plan on doing nothing but snuggling that little child for at least a month! Well, that and maybe cooking and cleaning and schooling my others. But I don't plan on going anywhere!

There have been thoughts of loss in this pregnancy. No more are the days of eating cereal, p.b toast and 

forgetting to take my prenatal vitamins. 

Now it is no lifting, lots of rest, all sorts of vitamins, greens, greens, greens and the most prayer I have prayed in my whole life, which has led me to the most thankful heart I have had in my whole life. 

God has been my constant through these last 6 months and more and I hope to keep Him in the center

for the rest of my life. Showing my kids that we can get through anything, good or bad, 

with the help of a Father in heaven who loves you. 

Isaiah 26:3 

You will keep her in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, 

because she trusts in You. 

Scripture. Goodness, the words that keep me grounded and joyful and full of hope. The words that sometimes are hard to read because I realize my life is not lining up with them. But the grace that comes
from reading those important words, asking God to line me up again and moving on with my day to
live it all out. In the case of the scripture above, peace. All will be well with those who follow the Lord.

Another year gone by

The thing about daughters is that just when you go and get excited about

having one, she turns out to be a complete daddy's girl. 

Sure, she says she loves you and gives hugs and wants to cook 

with you in the kitchen but those eyes and that small beating 

heart is all for Daddy. ;) 

That's how it is in this family at least. 

She is a laid back kind of girl, only being sassy with her little brothers.  These photos remind me a bit of Hawaii with the colors, just missing 

water! She would fit right in with the island life. 

She also has her own ideas and usually will not give in to what Mama wants! Hair, clothes, books,

whatever! In a lot of ways I am thankful for that. She hopefully will stand up for herself and 

not let others tell her what to think or do as she is immersed more in the world. 

Photography and food are two things we have in common. 

This girl will eat just about anything! And she is known for snagging the last bite off of the plate!

I love having a daughter, even if it is a lot different than I thought it would be. Well, motherhood in
general is. Those boys are a conundrum sometimes too! 

If I could use one word to describe my daughter that would be a disservice to her.
A few words come to mind when thinking about my girl.
 Creative ~ fun ~ silly ~ loving ~ helpful ~ bossy ~ tough 

Last year we started a tradition of taking our kids on a date for their birthday and also making sure

we get some good photos. It has been a really sweet time that we all look forward to.

Psalm 139:14 

I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well. 

Unexpected

There I was walking along, paying rent, and BAM! 

This little beauty. 

In a whole driveway of concrete and rock,

life is springing up! 

Sometimes it's the unexpected things that can have big impact on us. 

I haven't stopped thinking about this silly little flower! 

The determination and strength to push through the hardness. 

I want to be like that. 

Some Bible verses that have been rolling around in my head lately:

Nehemiah 8:10b  

Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Psalm 27:14

Wait on the Lord;

Be of good courage,

and He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the Lord! 

Proverbs 31:25

Strength and honor are her clothing;

she shall rejoice in time to come.

James 5:11

Indeed, we count them blessed who endure. You have

heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end

intended by the Lord-that the Lord

is very compassionate and merciful. 

Which brings me to this scripture...

Jeremiah 29:11-13

 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, 

say the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a 

future and a hope. 

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 

Currently seeking God and His plan. 

Praying that never stops!