Today

I am finally understanding that life is truly about choices. Now that I am no longer a foot-stomping brat (well, most days I am not) and I am almost in my mid-thirties (gasp!) I finally now get it that you cannot have it all.

Years ago I decided to give up any notion of a "career" to be a Momma. It was not an especially tough decision at the time despite the fact that when I made that decision I had a few courses under my belt towards my masters degree in Special Education. (nice foreshadowing there huh?!)

So for the last nine years or so I have been home to mother the babes that God has blessed us with. Life as a stay-at-home momma is not always easy. Heaven knows there is very little glamour in cleaning toilets and scrubbing stubborn cheese off the lasagna pan. There is no award ceremony on TV for the "best" mommy, and the people in my household can at times, take this momma for granted. I earn no money and my social security check down the road will be ridiculously small.

But, there are days like today when I take my little piggy-tailed girl to the park to play, that being at home with her just feels right and I am so amazingly thankful to God. We listened to the leaves falling from the trees, we looked for fish, we slid a million times down the slide, and this momma enjoyed being in the moment with a little girl that will not always be this little.

I hope in the next few years I will be able to use my teaching degree again and teach some little people somewhere. Maybe one of these days I might even wear a "power" suit again (are those even in style now)?

But today, I am thankful for this little girl who reminds me how fast life is hurling by and I am beyond thankful that today I was right by her side.

Random Pictures and Thoughts

Here are some precious pictures of my two playmates from yesterday. Last night David and Hope had their first music class for the semester. They were both so excited to get a new CD to listen to at home. We came home and David started playing it right away. We love the new songs and it was so sweet to watch them play as those songs played loudly in our living room.

As a mom of almost nine years now (gasp!) I have the perspective that precious stages do not last forever and I am choosing to cherish each stage. I LOVE this stage that Hope is in. She is still tiny (20 pounds now at 15 months) but she is walking everywhere and just takes the world in. I love reading books with her:) She is also very into kissing and here is a sweet kiss I caught between her and David!

She is loving her little pigtails and she keeps them in all day long.

I love this stage where a laundry basket can seriously entertain her and David for hours!

Loving on the her sweet Bitty Baby.

David is also very into books (hence the pile behind him) and these little animal counters. He is suppose to use them for doing Math, but I think I caught him in this picture playing football with them! Ha!

On a random note, if you listen to the new song that is first on my blog playlist you are in for a real treat. The song is called The More I seek You and I am in love with it. I have played it now for two days straight and It just speaks to my heart right now.

We all feel weary and overwhelmed during various stages of our life. We all feel spent because our "tank" is empty. This song just ministers to my soul. I love the chorus

I want to sit at your feet

Drink from the Cup in your hand

Lean back against you and Breathe

Feel your heartbeat

This love is so deep

It is more than I can stand

I melt in your peace

It's overwhelming

I don't know about you today, but I really need a Father that I can lean against and allow His peace to overwhelm this stressed-out, calendar maxed out, weary Momma.

Also, the part about feeling Jesus' heartbeat just makes me have chill bumps all over. We all have loved ones with Him now and just to know that they are in his presence and can feel his touch brings me joy. I still miss my Pawpaw so much and this line about leaning on Jesus and just breathing touches me so. BECAUSE of Jesus my Pawpaw is able to literally lean on Jesus now and take a deep unassisted breath. He is witnessing first hand the overwhelming peace that can only come from the King of Kings.

Our Girl

It just seems like life is flying by fast too fast for this little girl in our house. I honestly cannot believe how toddler-like she looks these days. Her hair is getting long and crazy, so this weekend, we experiemented with some pigtails and ponytails. Mike really wants her hair to grow out so the beautician told us not to cut it now and just let it grow out.

I love me some piggytails on a cute little girl:)

Walking barefoot through the backyard.

She loves our new playground and really loves to slide.

Sweet baby legs:)

Kyle is so great to help her do stuff liking slide down the big slide.

She has also fallen hopelessly in love with Elmo. Here she is actually watching TV! This is the first show/character that she will actually watch and here she is dancing to his little song. She also can sing the "la la la la elmo's world song!"

Walking to get to her baby stroller. She loves that thing and the baby inside of it.

I love this cute hairbow that I bought for her at Dollywood. There is a new monogram shop there that has the cutest stuff. God bless my Dad for watching my boys so I could shop there for a minute:)

I love the polka-dotted legs and her new Bobux shoes:)

It has been fun to shop for her fall clothes this year because they have such cute things for her size and age. I love little leggings and tops to match and of course we had some great hand-me-downs from the Whites. I am not ready for cooler weather yet, but when it comes this little one has a closet full of clothes ready to go!