Buddies

Beckham has been loving Evalyn so much lately. He has been giving her toys, rocking and singing to her in the carseat and kissing her little pigtails. He says," There Evalyn, don't cry. All better!" It is precious and I can see him being such a thoughtful and loving big brother.

Each night as I put him to bed I say, "If Mommy could pick out any little boy in the whole world, I would chose you every single time. " Tonight as I was placing him in his crib he said, "Beckham would pick Evalyn." What a precious gift she has in her brother.

How often do we say what we would pick? More time, less work, less worry, more money, more friends, less pain...

I feel God whispering, " God chooses Heather." God choses you too. He always chooses you. You are precious and delighted in. He loves what makes you unique and what fills you with joy. He loves you and chooses you when you are sad and struggling and when you are overflowing with praises. Just open your ears and eyes. He will show you all the ways he chose you. You are His beloved. Just bask in that for a moment.

Snow, Snow Go Away!!!!

We have been playing outside whenever we get a chance. Evalyn hangs out in the stroller and Beckham shovels and pushes his walker around. He LOVES being outside and says, "lots of snow, Beckham play outside?" Evalyn isn't quite as sure, she is my little girl!

Crafts

If I had more time I would make these all day long, and knit, and sleep, and take pictures. Here is little E with some of her new headbands. Please ignore the bedhead. She just woke up from her nap. Based on her big smiles I think she likes them :)

As Promised...

As I shared earlier, Evalyn returned from church a few weeks ago in boy clothes. Here are the pictures I promised. Notice the hairbows and adorable painted toenails. I laughed so hard at her "Handy Man" outfit!

Evalyn at 8 Months

Here is a peek at Evalyn at 8 months.  She is full of giggles and loves snuggling everything. My heart melts for her. She is so dainty and beautiful. I am amazed I get to be their mom.

God chose me. I have no idea why, but he did.

Beckham's 2 Year Photos

Heather Barta took pictures for the kids. Here are Beckham's 2 year photos. I just LOVE him and the sneaky look in this eyes. He is a charmer and just fills my life with joy.

Best Friends

My dear best friend has a little girl 4 months younger than Evalyn. We are praying that they become life long friends just as her mom and I are. I pray they laugh together, cry together, learn together and discover what it looks like to be passionately in love with God together. Just another gift God has given me, another generation of best friends. These pictures totally crack me up!!!!

Blessings 51-60

We are hope and nothing like a crazy 2 day blizzard to welcome us home from paradise. Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing. The weather was amazing and the hotel was breathtaking. I am missing reading and having room service for breakfast set up for us on the covered balcony. So this weeks blessings cover a week (or 2). Here goes...

51. Monkeys crawling all over, swinging from trees, throwing their babies on their backs as if to say...what are you doing? You aren't big enough to swing from tree to tree. Howling that woke us up at night (monkeys, not the kids).

52. Christians. Believers on fire for God and filled with the holy spirit.  A few were on the trip and God used them to speak peace into my life.  Prayers at just the right time...always prayers.

53. For Dirk and for time to enjoy my husband. For the Romantico Dinner and scratchy wristbands, for finding lost items and laughing. For his boldness and intentionality. That he doesn't take things lightly. For his sensitivity to people with special needs. For his heart and arms and love.

54. For the way Beckham says, "Costa Rica". May it never end.

55. For Beckham's sweet kisses on Evalyn's pigtails. For the ways he brings her toys and sings her songs when she cries. For their first bath together and how he washed her toes for her.

56. For Evalyn's cries. They are pathetic, dramatic and I just love them.

57. Praise God for sunshine and the feeling of it soaking into my winter white skin. For the way it warms my heart and spirit. For the sound of waves crashing and a good book in my hand. For cucumber water and guacamole.

58. For Grandparents who watch and love my kids. They are adored and spoiled when they get to visit. Thank you for loving my babies while I was gone and every week. They love their Nana and Bapas.

59. For the way Beckham started kissing me all over my neck and face. I laugh and say, "too much!!!" which makes him laugh and do it more. I am going to miss these moments when he grows up. As Taylor Swift says, "Oh, darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up, just stay this little." How I go through my days saying this.

60. For dry shampoo. If you have never tried it  you should. It just might change your life.

blessing 41-50

Just to clarify. I do have help. I have a wonderful husband that does everything to help me and uphold me. I have a Mom that loves my kids almost as much as I do and puts aside things in her own life to help them and me when we need it. I have inlaws that adore my kids. I have friends and siblings that light up at the stories and pictures of my family as we walk through life together.

Sometimes it's just too much. The plate of a working mom, planning a trip, learning a new product, writing an annual review, packing for a trip and wanting to do nothing more than love on and laugh with my kids. It has left my plate overflowing and running all over the table (well at least that is what happened on Saturday.) I have people to delegate to, it's just that I can't delegate these things. They are mine and they need to be done in the next 7 days.

We have been watching Jonah here at our house and sometimes I feel like Jonah. I feel like I am running away from God and what is asking me to do. Sometimes I just don't know what to do. The past week has been full of these moments. We are praying and waiting. God will show us, he ALWAYS does.

So here I am...looking for and amazed at the blessings in my life:

41. Handy Man clothes that E was placed in at the church nursery. (pictures coming soon, it is worth the wait!)
42. The high school student that loved on E during church.
43. B bringing toys to E, lots of toys.
44. Sharing at school
45. giggles with our blanket
46. Mommy hold me in the morning
47. Grace, compassion and understanding from Dirk
48. B, E and me in Mommy's big bath
49. Getting my hair thinned and trimmed
50. That I will have to count my blessing next Monday from Costa Rica!

STRESS

I have so much going on in the next week that I am feeling totally overwhelmed. How am I going to do everything? I need help and I just don't have it. Please pray. I am OVERWHELMED. Wish I could take a bath and a nap. Maybe in April I will have some time... or not

Blessings 31-40

The previous post was from last week and I never got it posted...yes, I am a little behind on the blog and just about everything else too! Last weekend Heather Barta took some pictures for us and it was wonderful! Beckham doesn't love to sit still so she had to work pretty hard to get a few good shots of my little man.

This weeks blessings...
31. Cars and the joy they bring to my children. Hours of enjoyment, kisses and pretend play. Thank you God for cars.

32. Yellow Bus - I find myself shouting hello at them even when Beckham isn't with me.  The magic, the amazement and the pure joy of being a child is incredible.
33. The way E's snorts every time I wash her face.
34. Our photo shoot and the anticipation of getting our pictures! www.heatherbartaphoto.blogspot.com
35. B kissing E on the head yesterday without being asked to
36. My precious husband giving me a night off. Actually, offering me a night off to get ready for our trip. This is what I left at home.

37. The perfect little black dress.
38. Cheese puffs- a food all 4 of us can eat!
39.  The sound of E's mobile at night and her delight at turning it on herself
40. A warm bath with baby oil and time to remember.

May your week be filled with tiny moments that you have the time to capture.

Blessings

Starting off another week after a weeknd of both B and I having the stomach flu. It was one of those weekends that makes me appreciate my health and that my precious kids don't ever get sick. Little B and I camped out on "our bed" as he called it (aka towels on the floor) and he snuggled in all night.

I got a swim suit for the trip to Costa Rica...the experts picked a bikini. That is terrifying! And we ended the weekend with a wonderful evening at Sesame Street Live. Bekcham sat in amazement (minus the last 15 minutes when he was "ready to go"). He loved Big Bird and Elmo. He did the dances when he was supposed to and when we were leaving he said "More, just 1 more time!" He thought that we could make it happen again...oh to see things through the eyes of a child.

I feel filled with hope, peace and excitement as I tackle all a new week of managing a home, working, cleaning, organizing, loving and laughing. Before the craziness starts here my heart rests to thank God for just a few small "gifts".

22. Stillness, darkness and vanilla tea
23. Tears of joy that I get to be his mom
24. An empty laundry room and a husband that helped make this possible
25. Rainbows- God keeps his promises and my 2 year old that tells me that
26. A home with enough room to hold the activities of my family when the temperature is sub-zero
27. An organized and clutter-free master bathroom.
28. Gods whispers in the quiet of the night.
29. Health- that the stomach bug is only a 12 hour one
30. Stillness- no wind, the trees stand tall and silent as if waiting on a message from God. So waits my soul...