Reflection

This week marks six months since Josiah spent some time in Children's Hospital, giving us all a good fright. In some ways it doesn't seem like it could have been that long ago, and in other ways I feel like it is so far behind us!

But six months is a long time when you are only 21 months old...

I spent some time earlier this week looking at our November photos at marveling at how far he has come since then. From those first few days when his mysterious fever had my instincts on edge, to my four nights by his side in the hospital, a long recovery at home, seeing him smile again, and finally reflecting on God's goodness through that painful time.

Not a single day goes by -- and I mean that in the most literal sense -- that I don't thank God for his little life, and for entrusting Joey to our care for as many days as He sees fit.

Perspective

Thursday night was really good for me. I'd had a difficult 24 hours emotionally, and I was looking forward to some time with the ladies in my church Bible study, but I was also dreading the how-are-you-doing's and are-you-okay's.

Let me back up for a minute.

On Wednesday afternoon we got the letter from Lucy's soon-to-be school informing us of her Kindergarten placement. I hadn't truly prepared myself for the idea that she might not get into the afternoon class, which was our first choice. I was hearing from so many people that we were a shoe-in, that surely we'd get her into the afternoon class because everyone else wanted mornings. And the fact that we were one of the first in line for registration back in January helped boost my confidence.

We waited three long months for this news. Three months of making plans, being hopeful and praying for the perfect placement.

She was placed in the morning class.

Suddenly I felt my plans and ideas for this whole next year come crashing down around me.

Sounds pretty dramatic, huh? That one little X on a line was to me a shattered dream.

One of the biggest reasons for preferring the afternoon class for Lucy was so that I could continue to take her to BSF with me next year. Her Wednesday mornings for the last three years have been a phenomenal experience for her, and I wanted that to continue for one more year before she would be in school all day until adulthood. The morning that we got the letter, she had said on our way home, "Mommy, it's going to be so much fun to have Joey come with us to BSF next year!" (The program starts for kids when they turn two years old.)

There were other benefits, too. Like being able to do other activities in the morning with both kids, having Lucy in school while Joey naps (which would give me a break, too), and just feeling like I was able to have her home with me for just one more year. (I believe I mentioned the dread of adulthood already.)

Well, needless to say, I was sad. Sad that she will have just two more days of BSF this year, then never be able to come with me again. Sad that she will miss out on the amazing Biblical instruction and learning next year that have impacted her so much already. Sad that our other fun plans for the mornings would no longer be possible. And sad that I only have a few more months until she starts school (which already seemed a hard hurdle!).

So I went to my Thursday night gathering and started crying pretty much as soon as I walked in the door.

But as the night progressed, I became aware through conversations and prayer requests that there is really so much to be thankful for that it outweighs the sadness. And in my heightened emotional state, this recognition made me cry even more, of course.

Why am I thankful? Some states have all-day Kindergarten, and I need to be thankful that Lucy will only be gone for three hours a day this next year. And just the fact that we live in a nation where our children are educated in a healthy environment -- or at all! Some people are dealing with the death of a child, and wow, am I grateful to have a nearly-five-year-old who is beautiful, happy, healthy, and alive, and heading to school!

Serious perspective. It really put my so-called drama in its place.

I understand that I'm allowed to be sad for the changes in my plans (even as I type this, Proverbs 16:9 comes to mind -- "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps"). But there is really so much more that I need to be thanking God for.

Thanks, friends, for your listening ears, your sympathetic hearts, and the perspective you bring into my life. I am beginning to wrap my mind around this new thing and am having more peace as each hour goes by...

And thank You, Lord, that you've given me these five years to care for and teach and nurture my beautiful baby girl. Thank You for the three wonderful years that Lucy has had the privilege to come to BSF with me, and the loving teachers who have taught her so much more than even I thought she was capable of learning at her tender age. Thank You that You know better than I do what is best for us, and help me to rest in Your will and Your plan for this next year and beyond.

I'm sensing a trend here

Thursday, 12:00pm:

Friday, 12:00pm:Early to bed and early to rise makes a boy... tired, apparently.

By lunchtime.

Two days in a row, now, he has fallen asleep in his highchair with untouched food in front of him.

This is not a good pattern. (But it is pretty cute!)

A new form of torture called 'Easter photos'

The kids were dressed in their Easter finest, and of course we wanted to take some precious photos to remember how sweet (Lucy) and dapper (Josiah) they looked on this day.

What possessed us to believe they would cooperate is beyond me.

But looking at these now brings back the memory of a room full of family and friends laughing til our tummies were sore, and that alone brings me more joy that a perfect photo.

Sitting in the rocker was apparently not an option...

...though Mommy, Lucy, and the Easter lamb all tried...

...and Daddy's foot didn't do the trick to keep him put, either...

Okay, so one sitting and one standing isn't so bad, if only they would both smile. Let's try having them both sit...

Yeah, that didn't work either...

Ahhh, there are those sweet smiles! Close enough. :)

We may not have a photo we can frame on our wall, but what's more important is feeling the joy and love in our home...

My favorite time of day

I am soooooo happy that both my kids are good snugglers! I don't know what I'd do if they weren't. But as they get older, those times of snuggling become less frequent, more brief.

I'm starting to see this with Josiah. My baby is becoming a little boy. That's why bedtime has become my favorite time of the day.

At 20 months, he is a very active boy, but he still has his moments when he wants to snuggle. It usually starts with his thumb in his mouth and his spare arm raised for me to pick him up.

And then he puts his head on my shoulder.

When he's hurt, he points to the rocking chair, which apparently is the healer of all wounds, bumps, and bruises. When he's tired, he points to the hallway where he knows the stairs are, so I will take him up to bed.

And when I'm lucky, he points to the big blue chair in his bedroom. That used to be his request to nurse, but recently it has come to mean, "Mommy, I'm not ready to be done snuggling yet. That looks like the perfect spot for us to sit together for just a few more minutes..."

*sigh*

It's usually over all too soon (for me), when he picks his head up and points to his crib to be laid down. But those few moments of peace, quiet, and snuggling are the best. That's why it's my favorite time of day.

Branching out

I love to bake, and I love to eat, but as for the food preparation in my own kitchen, I'm not typically very adventurous. I can follow a recipe, and the kind with just six ingredients or less are just my speed.

I also have two relatively choosy eaters under my daily care, which often makes me steer clear of anything but the norm. My kids both eat a pretty good variety for their ages, but they are kids, and they generally like to stick to what they know.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

Needless to say, when it comes to lunch, I don't like to be a short-order cook, so we generally all eat the same things each week: shells and cheese, quesadillas, PB&J, grilled cheese, and deli sandwiches (turkey and cheese with mustard and sometimes cucumbers).

But this weekend I felt somewhat inspired when I dragged out the sandwich fixings, and I reached for a few extras. Here was the result:


I started with honey wheat berry bread and spread it with ranch dressing, then sprinkled crumbled bacon before adding shaved turkey. Then I covered it with colby jack cheese and toasted the whole thing. Topped with thinly sliced cucumbers, it was warm, crisp, and a welcome change to my mundane lunch routine.

I can't say I've ever taken a photo of a sandwich I've made before, but I felt this very small victory in my personal life and wanted to document it.

I know. You don't have to tell me. I need to get out more often...

Mommy and Me

Moms, if you are in the Denver area, you have a tremendous opportunity!

My friend Mandie at Been Blessed Studio is putting together a "Mommy and Me Photo Session" package from now until the end of April. For $50, you get a 30-minute photo session, 10 proofs, and I'm teaming up with Mandie to include one of my custom photo pendants as a part of the package! It's an unbelievable value!

Oh, and Mother's Day is coming...

I don't know about you, but we have no shortage of adorable pictures of our kids. As a mom, however, I find it so true that I'm often behind the lens of the camera to capture the kids in those moments, but it's so rare that I'm actually in a photograph with them.

This special offer will capture you and your kids. Together. In an unforgettable way.

And have I mentioned yet that Mother's Day is coming? This would be a great way to treat yourself to a gift that will last a lifetime and beyond.

And wouldn't your mother love some gorgeous photos of you with your kids?

My kids and I had the privilege of having Mandie take some priceless pics of us a few weeks ago. Even with a grumpy boy (not Joey!) and a sometimes-I-just-don't-feel-like-cooperating-by-smiling girl (couldn't be Lucy!), Mandie's talented and trained eye still managed to snag some truly precious moments that I'm going to cherish for ages...






(Click here to contact Mandie or find out more.)

Celebrating a Legacy

This day, 45 years ago, was my parents wedding day.

They met during the summer between their Freshman and Sophomore years in college. My dad was looking for a partner to help him teach ballroom dancing the next year, and a friend suggested my mom as someone who liked to dance. She auditioned with him in her living room in Villa Park, IL, while both of their mothers watched.

He told his mom as they left that day, "I'm going to marry that girl someday."

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for continuing to give us an outstanding example of marriage, love, and commitment for us and for our children.

Happy 45th Anniversary! Keep on dancing!

Aussie wedding

Yesterday afternoon (yes, it was Thursday), we attended a cross-cultural wedding ceremony. The son of my husband's Australian boss married a Californian girl at the beautiful little historic Hope Memorial Chapel here in Parker, Colorado. It was a gorgeous 60-degree day, and we had a great time witnessing the laid-back ceremony as the Aussies "endured" some of our American traditions as well.

John and I consider photography a hobby and we love weddings for the opportunity to take numerous photos as we experiment with camera settings, lighting, and artistic subjects (or so we think).

We took 239.

Here are just a few of them...

The bride and groom kiss in the doorway of the chapel after several kids (and excited adults) took their turn ringing the bell with a traditional pull-rope. The Parker folks honked their horns in approval as we gathered on the sidewalk on Main Street.


The red, gold, and brown colors in the flower arrangements were a beautiful complement to the antique pews inside the chapel.


Mother of the Groom and the flowergirl (her granddaughter and Niece of the Groom) await their turn in the family photos in the yummy late afternoon sunlight.


The reception was at the rustic Hudson Gardens cabin in Littleton.


And besides the pretty photos, we used the opportunity to capture just a bit of the cultural flair and fun:

Okay, so this isn't quite award-winning photo quality, but I just had to document the main course: Roasted Herb-rubbed Kangaroo Strip Steak.

That's right, kangaroo. Think hop-hop hippity.

It was very tender and tasty! This followed an amazing Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Apple and Creme Fraiche (yeah, I'm not sure what that is, but I'm just telling you what the menu said), then a Caesar Salad in a Pecorino Cheese Cup. The roo (as the Aussies refer to it) was accompanied by Sauted Zucchini and Red Peppers, and Garlic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes. And ketchup.

Yum!

All of it was so good.


A pair of glass kangaroos adorned the top of the cake, which was an amazing white almond cake with butter cream. I'm salivating just remembering it...


Again, no awards for this one, but after we were served cake, we helped ourselves to some sweets at the Australian Candy Bar. Think 'salad bar' but with much more high fructose corn syrup. All of these beauties were imported (or perhaps transported by family and friends in attendance) from Oz, and we sampled at least one of each.

All in all, a beautiful, delicious, fun evening, and reportedly much less expensive than a weekend wedding -- that's our kind of party!

I can't really be upset about this, can I?

Lucy has been working herself out of her afternoon naps. To me it feels like it's about time, since she will be turning five in about two months, but she has never really been a very good night sleeper, so making up a few hours of sleep during the day has been essential to survival and sanity for us.

But she is growing out of this need. We've seen this in the fact that on the days she does take a nap, bedtime goes on and on and on. She's not tired at bedtime, and therefore we hear the telltale "Mooooommmmmyyyy" or "Daaaadddddyyyy" every twenty minutes or so until we go to bed. It's draining and frustrating.

So I've been in favor of cutting her naps out for a while, but that made our afternoons rough. Until a couple weeks ago.

So needless to say, we've discovered that bedtime goes much smoother on the no-nap days, she sleeps better through the night, and she is getting to the point where she can generally hold her emotions in check through dinnertime. It's a win for us all.

Yesterday we had plans to have dinner at a friend's house, and in the effort to keep peace while spending time with them, we suggested that Lucy take an afternoon nap.

She slept for a solid two hours.

Dinner was great. No complaining, no tears, no signs of tiredness. It was fabulous!

Then came bedtime.

She went to bed without complaint, but she did call down the stairs several times with various requests -- a stuffed animal that had been left on the couch, adjusting the nightlight, etc. Every so often we would hear thud, thud, thud, thud as she ran across her room and back, but we chose not to check on what she was doing.

Eventually it quieted down and we assumed she was asleep. So, an hour after he had officially tucked her in, John went to check on her.

Her room was clean.

She was still awake, but on the verge of finally falling asleep, and she told John, "I want it to be clean for Grandma when she comes on Tuesday, so I thought I'd clean up since I wasn't sleepy yet."

Sounds perfectly logical to me!

I still can't decide if I should be upset that she was getting out of bed repeatedly, or if I should be proud that she used her time well to clean up her very messy room... I think we all won in this situation, but either way, I think we'll skip the nap again today.