choosing words. (67)

18 Jun

Almost a third of the way through this 100 day challenge, tonight I’m hard pressed to find more than a few words to share. Do you ever just have one of those days where a conversation doesn’t go the way you’d hoped or planned it would in your head? That was me today, and I walked away feeling defeated, and somehow buying into a few of the fear-based ideas that were tossed my way. I presumed the discussion would be uplifting, which perhaps was my own mistake. But either way, I’ve spent the rest of the day battling a fifteen minute exchange that left me upended and undone.

It wasn’t the end of the world, really. Just two people expressing contrasting ideas and a less than favorable outcome. The weight and delivery of words can be so important, because what you’re saying and what you mean might come across as two different things (as was probably the case this afternoon). Unless you know your audience well (and they, in turn, know you), I’m not sure it’s wise to take too many sarcastic liberties–especially when the topic is one you’re obviously both passionate about. I’m a somewhat sarcastic person by nature, but as I realize more and more how bitter a taste sarcasm can leave, I’m trying to eliminate it from my communication wherever possible. It’s a challenging change to make.

At any rate, I have no idea if the other person even thought a thing of our word volley today (and it’s ok if they didn’t), but it left me reeling. I felt defensive and protective, misunderstood and misheard, disregarded, and suddenly in a category I didn’t want to join. My boldness somewhat backfired, and I’ll have to figure out how my next approach will be different in hopes to elicit a different kind of response. I think we were both trying to protect our side of things, and there’s nothing wrong there. I can’t walk around uneasy about it for very long though, so I need to find a way to get back to my own heart and what I know to be true–and quickly. There’s much more to focus on, and a light at the end of the tunnel that I’m hoping to reach with as much positivity and strength as possible. I’m not sure there’s a whole lot of room for emotional fender benders along the way.

doing my best to shake it tonight. grateful for a mama who listened well and quelled my fears with rational wisdom. a sounding board who loves you and knows your heart is never a bad thing at the end of a day like today.

we’ll try again tomorrow. it will be wonderful wednesday, after all.

mm

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two year old gratitude. (68)

17 Jun

So often our little ones are the very best reminders of what’s important in this life. Quite plainly, I had a completely spiritual experience tonight as Henry prayed his beautifully simple prayer before bed. His words always help me to see the world through childlike eyes and with a childlike faith–something I might miss if I didn’t have him to remind me daily that loving God is really best without all of the nonsense. As an adult, I think I can have a tendency to clutter things up too much sometimes. I have no doubt that Henry’s words to God are just as pleasing as a long-winded prayer I can offer (although I trust that God hears both equally and honors our efforts to seek Him regardless). I wish there were more days when my go-to prayer sounded like this:

Thank you for today.

Thank you for Mommy, and thank you for Daddy, and thank you for Henry.

Thank you for my stuffed animals…and my bed!

Thank you for my basket and thank you for my laundry.

Thank you for my Bible and my water…and thank you for my toys that I can play with.

Thank you for Daddy’s clothes, and Mommy’s clothes, and Henry’s clothes, and the baby’s clothes.

And thank you for the baby, and Kruger.

And please keep the baby healthy and safe. And thank you for everything.

Jesus. Amen.

Amen and Amen. I couldn’t agree more. I think about the passage in scripture that talks about the birds of the air and the flowers of the field–and how if God cares enough to look after them, how much more He must care for us as His sons and daughters. He cares enough to help us know in our hearts that our clothes and beds and water and toys all come from Him. And he cares enough to nourish us with His Word, and to bless us with family and provide all that we need…and then some more.

I am beyond thankful to see God cultivating a heart of gratitude in our little boy. We pray daily that God would move in Henry’s heart, and that he would know Christ more and more–and God cares enough to answer our prayers!

Lord, please help me to have a Henry-like faith, and to see things at face value and appreciate them for exactly what they are–your provision. We are so blessed to know you, and to be able to watch our child(ren) grow in you each day. Please be at work in our precious baby’s heart as well, even now, that he or she may grow to love and serve you in each and every day.

thank you for gratitude. and for sweet reminders of what matters. love.

mm

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a little adventure. (69)

16 Jun

What would Father’s Day be without a little adventure? I’m not sure you can have our last name and avoid adventure, actually, and it seems to me that’s part of what drew me to the man behind the name anyway, so…I say, just embrace it when it comes! Hopefully this will bode well for me as Henry grows up, because he’s already cultivating the thrill from his dad and I’d like to stay his “cool” mom for as long as possible (within reason, of course). If this munchkin in utero happens to be a boy as well, then I’d really better buckle up–we’ll all be adventuring all the days of our lives around here if that’s the case :)

Tonight, after a lovely family time at the pool in fairly perfect weather, we decided on pizza and tacos at a local/staple pizzeria in town. I laugh, because we absolutely didn’t have plans to go there until about 10 minutes before arriving, and it makes total sense that we’d be dining in the restaurant in town that would fill up with smoke mid-meal. One minute we were having great conversation and enjoying our food, and the next we were grabbing cell phones and matchbox cars from the table and quickly exiting the restaurant with every other guest. At first, it seemed completely surreal that smoke was coming from every vent in the room. I looked at J, and when he quickly got up and grabbed Henry, I figured it wasn’t one of those “we’ll just wait this out to see what happens” moments anymore. I’ve been in a room filled with smoke before (my own kitchen maybe, once or twice, due to oven user error…), but I’ve never really choked on it prior to tonight. There’s a first time for everything.

We knew the place wasn’t on fire, but a belt in a fan unit atop the building had burnt up or fizzled out or…whatever it is that fan belts on restaurant roofs do when they malfunction. Within a few minutes, everyone had filed out of the building and four (FOUR!) firetrucks and a number of other emergency vehicles had surrounded the place. It seemed a little excessive, maybe, but it did make for a really great show (especially for our two year old who loves all things with wheels and lights). And we just so happened to have his fireman hat in the car, so…even better. With one entrance/exit to the parking lot and the town’s largest hook and ladder blocking the way out, we figured we may as well make the most of our staying put and catch all of the action. And after a while, we moseyed over to our favorite (and conveniently close) ice cream spot to kill more time and fill up on the dinner we’d missed eating at the restaurant. Bummer ;)

firetrucks are on the scene...

firetrucks were on the scene…

fireman henry is on the scene.

…and so was fireman henry.

hanging on to dad while hanging out with the entirety of our fire department.

hanging on to dad while hanging out with the entirety of our fire department.

fire truck heaven for our Bug.

fire truck heaven for our Bug.

and the captain (and a little ice cream) saves the day!

and the captain (plus a little ice cream) saves the day!

Probably thirty volunteer fire fighters, all of those trucks, a bump for H (he slipped off the curb while taking it all in), a Jr. police badge, a few ice cream cones, an hour and a half, and (if you can call it that) a free dinner later, the crews all moved on and we made our way home to put H to bed. Hank’s retelling of the story to the dog was pretty cute, but mostly, I just love that we were all together and making the best of things at the tail end of this particular Father’s Day (and weekend time, of course). Undoubtedly, we’ll welcome the new babe into the vigilante fold without haste come late summer, but I’m still relishing these times we have as “three plus a bump.” We’re a magical trio, if I’m entitled to say so. My boys make my heart so warm when they’re adventuring together. On nights like tonight, I have the very best seat in the house!

my fave image from the evening. LOVE our shadows and the bump in tow.

my fave image from the evening. LOVE our shadows and the bump in tow as we stand by and watch all of the action. totally a coincidence that we got this one.

thirty weeks and my first smoke out down. ten-ish (and preferably no further smoke outs) to go.

mm

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this weekend we’re… (70)

15 Jun

…celebrating this dude and the fact that he’s the man of the house. Hank’s daddy. His buddy. And as Henry put it tonight, “my friend.” How true it is. These two are best buds, and I adore that.

j and henry enjoyed a car show and classic cruise together last weekend. h is still talking about it daily :)

j and henry enjoyed a car show and classic cruise together last weekend. h is still talking about it daily :)

Hard to believe that in just a few months, J will be toting around TWO munchkins. But he’ll be awesome at it. We know this from experience–just ask Little Man. Daddy is his partner in crime. His matchbox car-playing, LEGO-building, adventure-seeking, walk-taking, slide-testing, swing-pushing, emergency vehicle-tracking, make you laugh so hard you cry-tickling, fro-yo creation-crafting, beach-combing, car carrier truck-drawing, get you all clean in the tub-washing, time for a bedtime story-reading, make you feel like you could do-anything DAD. Boy, is he lucky!

It’s no wonder H looks forward to weekend time so much, or that he asks for daddy first thing in the morning when he wakes up. I’m so thankful for J’s dedication to fatherhood, and for his seeking every opportunity to build into Henry’s life. He is truly invested in H’s well being, his learning, his growth, and his little heart moving towards God and knowing Him better. At mealtimes and bedtime, Henry always says, “Daddy pray.” I love this, because I know it makes a huge impact on our sweet boy and the direction his life is taking.

These days, J is playing double duty as I slow down a bit and get closer to the end of this pregnancy. And pretty soon, he’ll be on deck as we usher baby #2 into the world. Those hours of labor and delivery when H was born were some of my favorites ever with JMK, and I love thinking about getting to do it again. Our time in the hospital as a trio was sweet and sacred, and now there will be more love to share as Henry joins the mix after baby is born. We make a great team.

So, here’s to Henry’s dad (and the Button’s, of course), and to all of the time spent pouring into our little kiddo who admires his daddy like crazy. Happy Father’s Day, J! And Happy Father’s Day to our dads and Henry’s awesome grandpa’s, too! I’m so, so thankful for the strong men in Henry’s life who will teach him all about the world and the most important things in it as he grows!

grateful for the reason to celebrate,

mm

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visualizations and staying positive. (71)

14 Jun

Last night, when I was nearly doubled over in pain and fighting back tears, my resolve was admittedly a little shaken as I considered the calendar. “Ten weeks to  go,” I thought. “How on earth am I going to do this for ten more weeks?” We were downtown as a family–J, H, my mom, myself and the Button, enjoying the perfect summer weather and our local street performer series, when it really kicked in. I asked J if we could go upstairs to his office for a few minutes, and our evening ended too soon as I quickly realized things were not going to improve enough for me to make the trek back to the car.

I am not good at being down for the count.

I guess I don’t know who is, really, but I know for certain that I’m not programmed to sit things out or take a break very well. It seems this pregnancy may dictate otherwise. I’m not ready to put the next 2.5 months in a box and say that this is the trajectory of the next ten (or so) weeks. I just can’t do it. Not for my mental and emotional state, not for the fact that it’s my favorite time of year and there’s so much I want to do, not for the list of things I’m still planning to accomplish before we meet this sweet baby who is growing stronger every day. And so, I’m deferring to some of the most valuable things I’ve learned as a doula–and also to the coping skills I gained in classes as we prepped for Henry’s arrival two-ish years ago. The same tools that got me through H’s delivery unmedicated are going to have come out of the reserves now. I’m gathering my arsenal.

The thing is, I love pregnancy. I love so many things about it–not the least of which is the fact that I believe it’s a sheer miracle…the way my body can be the vessel with which God chooses to grow a human. I am in awe of all of it, and if you asked my husband, he’d tell you just how often I point out something small and somewhat benign about this baby-growing phase and say, “Isn’t that amazing!?…Isn’t that awesome?!” I probably could solicit an eye roll here or there with all of my expectant interjections, but the fact of the matter is, I’m just so happy to be celebrating a baby on the way! This is why the crazy pain I’ve had these past few nights is so challenging to me. I feel like I have to have my A-game on to battle this…to not get defeated…to stay positive and encouraged and uplifted in this stretching season.

I ended up calling the dr today and they asked me to come in for an impromptu appointment. The suggestion is my gall bladder at this point, but we’ll know more in a few days after an ultrasound. Baby sounds AOK, and judging by the movement in my belly at all hours, is quite happily tucked away without knowledge of whatever is going on. If it is my gall bladder, we’re most likely just going to have to hang in there, so I’m focused on thinking the best and staying hopeful that my discomfort won’t linger long or be constant.

My labor with Henry taught me a lot about staying strong and believing in my own capacity to withstand the process of giving birth. Not only that, but it has been an invaluable reminder over and over again that God provides what we need in the moment we need it, and that He created our bodies to do amazing and unbelievably strong things. I won’t start doubting myself now. I can’t. I’m going into this next delivery with a purposeful resolve, and although I know we can’t control how birth goes altogether, I’m leaning heavily on the knowledge that my mindset, attitude, and faith will all come heavily into play in that room on that beautiful day. Even now, as I approach these more challenging moments with slight concern or reservation, I’m battling back with prayer and affirmations and relaxation techniques to pull through. This is absolutely not a sprint. It’s a marathon. I’d never want to run one without training first.

I share all of this for a few reasons, the first being that I want this little baby to someday know that it’s ok when things are hard. It’s ok to take a moment (or moments:) to cry and question and wonder about what’s next. But it’s also important to trust that God has us and sees us and can carry our yoke. The second reason I share this is because I think it’s important to strike a balance between being positive and being real–and I think there’s room for both. I feel positive about this pregnancy on a daily basis. I never wish I wasn’t pregnant instead. I just need to say that it’s hard sometimes. And the truth is, pregnancy is hard for everyone at some point in the process. You can be glowing and pulled together and breezy for 39.5 weeks, but there will still be some point in time when the process is hard. And well it should be. Growing an entire, perfectly formed little being from nothing is no job for the faint of heart. God uses us to do His will in bringing new life into the world, but He warns us that it will come with its own set of challenges and pain. I think it’s all part of the process of grace, really. Sharpening us to extend grace to ourselves, to our developing babies, to those closest to us and to the world around us, in a season when it would be easy to make room for a lot of excuses and negativity if we really wanted to. And of course, encouraging us to bend to our knees and ask our God for His grace in getting us through. He is the best birthing coach around, and He knows the drill. He created the process, for goodness sake. He can certainly fill in the gaps.

Someday soon this baby will be here, and so much of this journey will seem trivial and trite as it fades to the background. Until then, it is a molding and shaping and growing time of life for us as a family, and I’m so thankful for that! I’ll be here visualizing the best possible outcome and staying hopeful for the next ten (nine? ;) weeks. And I’ll be praying a lot! Couldn’t do this otherwise.

keeping my chin up, and leaning on God.

mm

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ladies who lunch. (72)

13 Jun

Tonight has not been the easiest in the pregnancy department, but the contents of my afternoon were absolutely lovely. Parking on that this evening, and a delightful interaction between a beautiful group of women and absolutely delicious food in a picturesque setting…as is often the case, I’m left thinking, “I should have taken more pictures.” Fortunately, the group I was with captured every moment, and there will be hundreds of incredible shots from our gathering. Here’s a few little snippets:

greeted by this beautiful summer table on the porch at today's lunch gathering.

greeted by this beautiful summer dessert table on the porch at today’s cooking class and lunch shindig.

and then there was this glorious setting...

and then there was this glorious setting…

my favorite from the day...the wild rice salad.

my favorite recipe from the day…the wild rice salad.

copper river salmon, blanched snow peas, candied beet salad, kale saute, and wild rice salad. seconds, anyone?

copper river salmon, blanched snow peas, candied beet salad, kale saute, and wild rice salad. seconds, anyone?

chocolate macaroons and fresh berries for dessert. oh, my.

chocolate macaroons and fresh berries for dessert. oh, my.

so thankful for the beauty in the day. and for family who will fill in the gaps when exhaustion and discomfort get the best of me at the end of it. here’s to friday and weekend time!

mm

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mini-outbursts and the funny bone. (73)

12 Jun

You know, every day with a two year old teaches me something about life, about kids, and about my capacity as a parent. It’s a really fun stage to move through, around 85% of the time.

Our Henry has been exploring the tantrum throwing side of his personality lately, and I feel like I’m just sitting back and watching test run after test run. If they never happened in the most inconvenient and public of places, I’d probably just laugh at every last episode. The thing is, you can have a perfectly happy and well-adjusted child, but the moment he or she realizes their control over the sound and action coming out of their little body, look out world. This, coupled with the number of times a day a toddler doesn’t get his or her way, and you have the makings of a perfect storm.

What’s hilarious to me is that Henry’s tantrums are, at least 50% of the time, completely an act. The kid has mastered the fake cry, the sly look out of the corner of his eye to catch your reaction, the flailing of body parts at all of the most dramatic moments. He’s a pro at seeming mad or upset one minute and perfectly happy and smiling the next. I think this is the lot of the two year old life. It’s truly mystifying and magical, and it turns on and off with the flip of a switch.

I’m honestly having a decent time figuring out how to handle our latest adventures in two year old emotional territory. On most days, I feel like I can almost reason better with Henry after an outburst than in other moments of the day–perhaps because I have his full attention when he knows his antics have been less than favorable. There’s something powerful about the “close whisper” of discipline in a public or private space. Getting down to his level and talking slowly through consequences seems to do the trick, and I’m super thankful for that.

We’re just traversing all kinds of new parenting territory lately–with the two year old antics winding up, and number two fast on H’s heels as the days count down. I love this season for so many reasons, and the challenges that come with parenting and prepping for parenthood at the same time are mostly good and healthy…but I do have to admit it all requires a pretty good sense of humor. Thankfully, Hank has enough clown in him for all of us, and it’s fairly hard to keep a straight face for long when he’s around. You can’t stay mad. And that’s a good thing.

laughed all day today. we’ll have our hands full for a long time to come ;)

mm

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ann arbor. (74)

11 Jun

I’ve been looking forward to today and the chance to catch up with my dear friend Bekah…the chance to see our littles play together, to traipse around a different city, to browse fun shops, and to have lunch and sip coffee and just do life like we do. The contents of the day certainly did not disappoint!

H and I left home this morning around 8:30a to begin our “Adventure Day!” and head East. (Note our smiling faces as we began the day…lots of talking things up makes for fairly successful car trips and fun, action-packed outings with H at this age):

h was all smiles as we left this morning. i'm sure having his favorite things in hand didn't hurt. ;)

h was all smiles as we left this morning. i’m sure having his favorite things in hand didn’t hurt. ;)

i couldn't get him to take a smiling pic with me, but he agreed to make silly faces. i'll take it!

i couldn’t get him to take a smiling pic with me, but he agreed to make silly faces. i’ll take it!

2.5 hours drive or so (and a lot of matchbox cars and books) later, we arrived at the little blue house in Ann Arbor–welcomed by hugs and greetings and the smiles of two friends we’ve missed here on our side of the state. It is so good to have friendships that just pick up right where you left off, even if it’s been a few months since your last conversation, and even when there are busy and talkative toddlers now contributing to the mix. Honestly, our hang outs wouldn’t be the same without the kiddos; our friendship grew as we grew them together in our bellies, and life just kept carrying on in a beautiful way once they arrived. We’ve been having coffee and kiddo dates now for two years–I’m not sure what we would do without the extra busyness and life that our H’s bring to the table. :)

Together with H & H, we had a leisurely and play-filled morning and lunchtime, lots of running in and out of the house to explore outside, sweet homemade muffins and tea, time for making Playdoh creations, and as much catching up as we could cram into a few hours. The babes took naps (kind of;) while Bekah and I carried on chatting in the sun/shade of the back porch. Next up, it was “Adventure Time!”, and we all piled into the car to head downtown.

It’s fair to say that a few hours wandering around Ann Arbor is not nearly enough time for a girl like me, but we certainly made the most of it! On a different visit, maybe we’ll wander without two strollers in tow, but today it was great fun to watch our two year olds run around and enjoy the outing. Hannah and Bekah showed Henry and me all of their favorite places, and I soaked up as much pattern and color and creativity as possible as we browsed racks of adorable baby items, inspired prints, and my favorite paper store to date. While there, I picked up gouache in a range of beautiful colors, so now I can work on the little calligraphy project I’ve had in mind for the baby’s room. Bonus. ;)

i'll just take one of everything, thank you very much.

i’ll just take one of everything, thank you very much.

the colors and prints just do my heart good!

the colors and prints just do my heart good!

We rounded out our time with a quick stopover at Sweetwaters for afternoon treats and a visit to the toy store before returning B & H home for the evening.

it was hard to say goodbye to such a great toy store...

it was hard to say goodbye to such a great toy store…

It is such a delight to just be moms alongside Bekah for the day–I certainly miss the regularity of our visits, but I love that so much still feels the same when we’re all together in one place again!

Henry and Hannah had the cutest goodbyes:

swoon.

swoon.

this kiss and their accidentally coordinating outfits were almost too much to handle.

this kiss and their accidentally coordinating outfits were almost too much to handle.

And we attempted one group shot before H and I headed out for home. Not bad for the first try, if we do say so–everyone is smiling and happy:

our little quartet for the day (or should i say quintet? there's a bump hiding in here somewhere...)

our little quartet for the day (or should i say quintet? there’s a bump hiding in here somewhere…)

It was just the loveliest day with the loveliest girls. H and I are so thankful for sweet friends and the time and chance to spend a whole day together before life gets a little busier with a certain small person making his or her debut in the world. I can see seasonal trips to Ann Arbor in our future–we won’t be able to stay away for very long!

Before we officially hit the road, I felt it completely necessary to make one last stop…H helped me pick out a few treats and some more practical items to bring home with us (and he even helped his mama push the cart to the car–what a gentleman!):

oh, why oh why don't we have a trader joe's?!?!

Then of course we needed a little sustenance for the trip home:

"we're having dinner, my purple mommy!" (i have a purple dress on today. go figure:)

“we’re having dinner, my purple mommy!” (i have a purple dress on today. go figure:)

He makes such a good little adventurer and co-conspirator! Even at the end of a very long day, we were still pretty much all smiles and rainbows as we made our way out of town:

or at least, smiles and cars characters. same kind of thing, really.

or at least, smiles and cars characters. same kind of thing, really.

And at 8:30p on the dot, as if he’d made a deal with the clock, H fell soundly asleep for the rest of the trip home. I took advantage of the remaining hour and a half of quiet to think about all kinds of things, to be thankful…and to admire God’s handiwork at the end of the day:

never mind the streaky window, that is one fine canvas in the sky!

never mind the streaky window, that is one fine canvas in the sky! (of course i was careful, and didn’t really even attempt to do more than hit one button). the gist is still grand ;)

So now we’re home and the munchkin went straight up to bed without a fight. In fact, he pretty much just curled up in his dad’s lap while we navigated a wardrobe change into PJs. I’m not sure he ever really woke up. It was certainly an action-packed and adventure-filled day. Can’t wait to do it again sooner than later when life permits. In the meantime, I’m soaking up all of the good–the kiddos singing, loooong conversations with my beautiful friend, baby kicking all the way through the day, and a sweaty, tuckered out, curious little boy who makes every adventure more worthwhile.

so, so, so blessed and storing away new memories.

mm

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unshakable economy. (75)

10 Jun

Earlier today…

Sitting downtown this afternoon for an impromptu hour of uninterrupted time to think and read. I always wonder how I’ll make room for the things that are most important, but then I prioritize them and suddenly God makes space. His economy is far greater than we can possibly understand!

I asked God last night for time and energy today to be up and showered–with some room for prayer and quiet time mixed in, before H woke up. Admittedly, when the house was dark and silent this morning, I had the hardest time not moving toward tasks instead of spending time doing what I’d asked to borrow time for! But God is faithful in the very small things, including the Holy Spirit’s gentle nudging when we need to stay on track. Imagine my delight when I had just enough time to get ready and spend time in the Word before I heard the munchkin stirring…I would have felt so defeated if I was mid-dishes or laundry when H woke up. Instead, I was refreshed and ready to greet him–such a better option!

Because time was on my side this morning, I was able to soak up this little gem from Jesus Calling as I started my day:

“Rest in Me, My child. Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant Companion who sustains you moment by moment. As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don’t even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours. How foolish you are, My child!

Remembrance of me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My Presence with you. This will keep you resting in Me all day, every day.”

How true it is! And what a relevant reminder today as I continue to try to set my sights on God and what He has–to take moments to pause and rest, allowing Him to guide and channel my days for His glory…and to make room for all that He has to offer my life, my family’s lives, the places where He will use me to have an impact in the world.

Oh, thank you, Lord, for sharpening me in this expectant season! You are always waiting to surprise and delight! And thank you for the blessed friend and sweet offer for a few hours to myself today. You know everything I need and you make room for it in your abundant economy. Even now, as this baby jumps around in my belly (forgot to order decaf for the first time in months…oops!), I am experiencing your JOY more fully as I take the time to really seek it and live it out.

celebrating the abundance and recognizing what an incredible gift it is!

mm

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when we slow down. (76)

9 Jun

Just a few days in, this refreshing of perspective and my efforts to slow life down a bit are taking hold. This weekend was full, but of good things and family and rest and some much needed quieting of my usual pace. If God has planned to use this pregnancy to stop me in my tracks a little, it’s working–and I’m really grateful. Mostly, I feel like I’m going to be able to look back on this time and remember…not always the kind of thing we think to do in the everyday, when surrounded by the mundane or ordinary. But I feel like my experiences have been so tangible these past few days, and I think it may be because there’s space around each moment to savor and process it. I’m loving the palpability of life right now.

We’re headed into a busy but fun-filled week, and I pray that within it, I can find plenty of moments to savor and appreciate. Still praying for more quiet, for the desire to be intentional, and for the wisdom to know when enough is enough and when too much is on the horizon. Before we move into the next few days of visiting and sharing and the like, let’s just park on today and this weekend and the good they had to offer…

had the chance to relax by the pool this afternoon while the boys enjoyed Henry and Daddy time (see them in the far background :) h has on a bright green floating thing-a-ma-jig.

had the chance to relax by the pool this afternoon while the boys enjoyed henry and daddy time (see them in the far background :) h has on a bright green floating thing-a-ma-jig.

my view in between swim sessions at the pool this afternoon. i have a similar photo from when h was 3 months old. l.o.v.e.

my view in between swim sessions at the pool this afternoon. i have a similar photo from when h was 3 months old. love that some things don’t change for a while!

our little fam on an impromptu walk down the state park pier tonight.

our little fam on an impromptu walk down the state park pier tonight.

hank and dad at the end of the day. h can't take his eyes off of the barge that's dredging the lake ;)

hank and dad on one last weekend adventure. h can’t take his eyes off of the barge that’s dredging the lake ;)

a freshly bathed munchkin in pjs at the end of the day, plus the pier and all of that lake and sky...what could be better?

a freshly bathed munchkin in pjs at the end of the day, plus the pier and all of that lake and sky…what could be better?

We needed this weekend filled with family time and making space and checking a few things off the list. We’ll hope to have a good few more of these before the Button gets here…the time is just too sweet. Of course we know that life will be all that much more full and good with another life in it, but we’re busy savoring at the moment. So thankful for the chance to do so with our Bug!

As an aside, I had a woman I’ve never met before say the loveliest things to me at the pool today, and it really blessed my day. After so many experiences I’ve had in pregnancy where people just say whatever is on their mind without clearly thinking it through, I could have cried when a total stranger spoke life and joy into my heart. She introduced herself as Laura, and when she left, she said she’d see me again soon. I sure hope so. I’ll take all of the beautiful grace in my life I can get. God totally used Laura today. And it made me think about how little effort it takes to bless someone else if we’re open to the opportunity to do so. Praise the Lord for Laura, and for her heart. May God bless her intentionality and overflow her week with joy!

looking ahead in anticipation of what God will do tomorrow…this week…the rest of the Summer…

mm

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