Tender Mercies
It was a standard morning around here. Chores, scriptures, getting dressed and doing some school. Kids running in and out of the house playing. I had great plans to do a lemonade stand with my girls, and that's about the total of our ambitions.
12:30, a whisper of a thought passed through my mind. "Hazel, Liberty Girls".
Hazel is in a club for homeschooled girls based on the American Girl books. It's absolutely fabulous, and has been such a great experience for her. They were having a huge end of the year retreat for all the chapters. An all-day, pre-paid, much-anticipated retreat.
And it was today.
My heart dropped as I realized that she'd most likely missed it. I checked my email for the details, and it started at 1. I read this at 12:30. I got her ready in a flash, and Steve was home and available to drive her to it.
Waves of gratitude washed over me as I realized that the Lord cares enough about a little girl's happiness to remind me gently about this activity for her. He will compensate for my failures because he loves us. Humbling, and so beautiful to think that we are known so individually by a loving Heavenly Father.
Labels: blessings
Life with four
Why is it so hard to post lately?? I certainly have plenty to blog about--there's an absolutely adorable baby who delights me daily, but for I'm just tired lately. Maybe because of this adorable baby?
He's a marvelously good baby, he sleeps well and is constantly good natured. But there are four of them now, and that in itself is reason enough to be a little tired.
So there's the excuse, and here's the update around here.
I gave Steve a gorgeous hammock for our deck for Fathers Day. But...it was Father's Day 2 years ago. I told him I'd set it up and then never did, because I weirdly get paralyzed by projects if I don't know exactly how to do them. The stupid hammock sat for 2 whole years in the garage, and I felt guilty every time I thought about it. So I finally called wonderful sister Andrea, who put the big scary thing together in about, oh, 6 minutes flat. Hooray for a sister who can help me even when I'm a complete freak. Note to self--just get over it and at least try things!!
For dinner on Sunday, Steve requested Soul Food. So I made ribs (a first for me) and waffles with fried chicken (another first--I don't really fry things ever). We ended up with 23 people over and had a fabulous time. The food turned out great, but I should really break this habit of trying out new recipes on large groups of people.
We took Samuel to church for the first time on Sunday. So fun! Here he is in his handsome little Sunday clothes. He's three weeks already. I'm trying so hard to savor every single moment.
Labels: holidays, Kids, Steve
LIfe in suburbia
We took my mom out to dinner tonight for her birthday. Since it's a Saturday night, the place was packed and there was an hour wait. We were in one of those ginormous, has-every-store-under-the-sun type of places, so we decided to walk to Barnes and Noble to kill some time before dinner.
While walking back to the restaurant, Chloe looked up at me and asked, "Are we in New York?"
"Ummm, no, we're in Utah, honey. Why do you ask?"
Her reply: "We're walking someplace."
OUCH! If that isn't the definition of life in suburbia articulated by a four year old!
Labels: Kids
A glut of Samuel pictures
Pictures galore, because I can!!
Sleeping brothers. Calvin is a little unsure about this whole baby thing. He's pretty standoffish. He'll occasionally kiss the baby's head, but holding him is right out. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to be upset at all by Samuel, just indifferent. He does tell me, though, that, "My brudder's one good guy. Him's perfect!"
Chloe and Hazel are having so much fun holding this baby. In fact, if Samuel were a toy, he would be confiscated because of the amount of squabbling over who gets to hold him.
And yes, all these pictures are taken from my bed, since I've spent the last many days here. I did get the midwife's go-ahead to walk around the upstairs now, so I'm loving the new freedom. I got pretty stir crazy, but it was really very nice to have such a calm, peaceful time to spend just loving this new baby. With four kids now, real life is crazy. It was nice to focus on bonding with Samuel.
