Look What I Made!

Visited my happy place today!

It's been a long time.

Too long.

Here's what I whipped up!

Our Peanut was in need of a lovey and since all of my girls have (yes, present tense) a taggie; it seemed logical to go with what I know works.

This one is little different since it has some shape to it . . . love how it turned out . . . and even better, she loves it too!

Playing w/ Photos

Had a little time this weekend to play around with some free photo editing online. Not that these cutie-pie subjects need any editing!

Disclaimer:  any readers who are pros at photo editing; don't laugh at my humble attempt . . .

Isaac~before (note the recent head injury):

Isaac~after (head injury healed):

Isaac and Katie~before (whenever we have these two together, they are mistaken as twins!):

Isaac and Katie~after (retro color)

Finally, unedited, but a few of my favorites:

(love, love, love this girl!)

Katie going in for a kiss; Isaac having none of it:

Ha!

Katie Jammin'

things i love about this seemingly simple activity:

~she's listening to a cd full of truth that i love & my kids ask to listen to!
~she talks really, REALLY loudly while listening.
~she sings and hums along to the songs she's hearing.  off key.  our poor children have inherited their parent's lack of any musical ability!
~she wants to wear the armband i wear when i'm running.  she can't keep it on her arm without bending at the elbow.
~she thinks this is such a big girl thing to do!

On Opinions

A few weeks ago I was fixing Ella Grace's hair:

EG:  Don't fix it they way you fixed it yesterday; it looked ridiculous!

ME:  (jokingly) I'm so tired of you having an opinion!

EG:  I'm so tired of you having a different one!

Day One

 First day of 2nd Grade!

 First day of Kindergarten!

They were both so excited this morning and walked confidently into their classrooms!  We are excited to be at Mountain View Elementary this year!  The girls are both in multi-age classrooms and we're really excited about this unique way to teach and learn!

Mom?  Well, I did fine ~ no tears!  However, I'm not sure Katie has gotten a word in edgewise in the past three years, so she's trying to catch up today!  I also don't know what to do with just one and a half kids.  I guess I have no more excuses for a messy house!  =)

Dad?  Started his first day as the new principal of Riverside Middle School.  I'm so proud of all his hard work over the past few weeks (and over the past few years to get to this point!)! 

Here's hoping that today is the beginning of a great year!

Annabelle's Turn

Annabelle & Nana heading to afternoon tea!

Raw

Besides the fact that I feel an obligation to this post since so many have supported our family on our journey this week, writing helps me process. This is bound to be laced with raw emotion, so read on only if you can handle complete, utter brokenness.

Moments ago I kissed my Sweet Cheek's cheeks for the last time. I can't explain the pain, fear, hurt and loss that we feel. There is no word in the world to describe . . .

It happened with my girls. I remember with each of them looking back at some point during the first year of their lives and not being able to recall what life before them was like. The truth is, that our family doesn't remember life without this child. It will take us a while to remember how to do this without her here.

How are we doing? So many of you have asked. Truth? We are struggling to remember why it is that we do this. Watched this several times this week to remind myself . . .

We've repeated truth to ourselves over. And over. We've leaned on love and support from so many who loved our girl. We've chosen to believe that God is greater.

Our prayer for Sweet Cheeks is the same as our prayer for our girls: That God would pursue their hearts relentlessly until they fall deeply and passionately in love with Him. In our minds, the best place for that prayer to be answered for Sweet Cheeks is here, with us. It doesn't make sense that God would hear our prayer and choose to answer it a different way than we picture. But He does and he has and we choose to believe that this is for her best even when we don't understand, even when we are hurt, even when our greatest fears could become a reality . . .

There is not one moment of one day this week that part of the song The Greatness of Our God hasn't gone through my heart.

". . . Give me grace to see beyond this moment here

To believe that there is nothing left to fear

And that you alone are high above it all

That you, My God, are greater still . . . "

God has shown us this week that He is here in this moment and He's used many of you to show us that. Thank you. Your lives are a testament to our family of who He is. We are blessed beyond blessed to walk with you as we live out our part in His story.

Hold our girl, Sweet Jesus, in the moments of her life that we'll never see. Show her that You, My God, are greater!