Every time we prepare for another little Wallace to join our family I get super nostalgic. And in actuality, I’m nostalgic quite a bit of the time anyway. Remembering brings about joy and thankfulness – all good things.
And this is why we consider moving to California practically every day…
Enjoyed some “nostalgia time” with Abi & Doons today – thankful for beautiful memories.
Whenever I hear the word ‘eclipse’ I want to start singing “…a total eclipse of the heart…” It brings back middle school memories. Ahhh, there – I’ve got that out of my system.
Because of the science/nature nerd in me – when I heard that the solar eclipse would be visible this past week; well, I had plans to see it.
This is what the lucky few in North Texas saw:
That is not what abi & I saw.
Oh well.
We walked outside at 8:15 – a comfortable 5 minutes before the eclipse was supposed to happen – and apparently I had overestimated how generous the hill on our street was; because we could not see anything! Well, except for a pretty spectacular sky. But, that was not the point of our 8:15 jaunt!! So, Abi & I loaded up in the car and raced to the lake, driving to the highest point that I could think of that was super close to our house.
And we missed it.
I tried to stay upbeat for Abi (she wasn’t as excited as her crazy momma about the eclipse) – but we decided that it was still pretty fun to hang out in a field, in your pajamas, playing rock-paper-scissors (abi’s new favorite way to pass time in random locations – or in the car at stop lights.)
It was a memory nonetheless. I’ll remember our silly chase, sitting in the field with a bunch of strangers, waiting for something that had already happened (thankfully a kind lady described it in great detail to abi!) Special times with my girl. Sometimes, it’s just about the story.
First off, let me tell you how delightful it’s been to read some of the articles/blog posts that have been circulating on Mother's Day. So many honest, genuine ‘takes’ on a day that is beautiful and wonderful…but also can bring about expectations that are raised to some insanely high level that is just not practical OR honest.
So, bravo to honesty.
Bravo to genuine. I will take another helping, please.
And bravo to acknowledge the good that the Lord has done in mommas and through mommas (and the good that is done in our hearts when delightful families celebrate mommas!) – yet also the freedom to proclaim that for some Mother’s Day is a day that can be filled with pain, with disappointment, and with longing.
This Mother’s Day, my beautiful family made me feel loved and treasured.
This Mother’s Day, our church highlighted the cause of the motherless, of the abandoned – and my heart ached, yet my spirit soared with the hope of a movement.
This Mother’s Day, I was thankful for the fantastic, biological momma that I have, the rockin’ mom that I was given through marriage, and the many spiritual moms who love me and offer me wisdom.
This Mother’s Day, I am thankful for a day to reflect, to be thankful, to be inspired, to PRAY more.
*Great post that made me laugh (and cringe) at some silly that has been in the news as of late.
Get ready for something truly shocking…the weather in Houston completely rocked. I’m not trying to be extra negative on Houston (we have a ton of love for Houston and always have a delightful time there); but weather is not usually one of Houston’s finest qualities, in my opinion. I had to eat my words a couple of weekends ago – the weather was perfect. And do you know what adds to perfection? Wonderful family who will heat up their pool so you can swim when it’s a delightful 75 degrees outside!! Amazing!!
We had MC’s party on Saturday morning (have I mentioned how morning parties are just awesome?!) and then we just got to hang out and enjoy each other and the weather for the rest of the weekend! McGowns…thanks for the good times.
I love this next picture…extremely pensive while drinking capri suns. Serious business.
So, here is to some time set aside for serious contemplation while enjoying something delicious! I’m thinking coffee…
(I kind of feel like that title should be the title of a TV show…maybe bones?? Well, probably not, not with ‘joy’)
I digress…
The other night, this little window made me happy on so many levels. We were in those crazy hours before dinner, but after nap, and nate & abi were playing in the toy room (soon to be nursery/toy/oh my goodness room) and abi saw our neighbors outside playing.
Immediately, the window must go up so she can have a little chit-chat with her buddies. I mean, seriously, so cute. I love hearing what sweet littles talk about. Makes you smile.
And then…Abi wanted to go play. On her own. What a big deal. After my agreement, little lady grabbed her shoes – and out the window she went. Yep, sweet thing hoisted the screen and exited our house a la window. JOY.
Nate didn’t know what to do with himself. He kept watching them in the backyard. Half entertained, half really bummed that he hadn’t climbed out the window too.
But, then we got some sweet time together. During the crazy hours. When does this happen? Unexpected JOY.
And when my little one came back in – smelling of outdoors and red-cheeked – she was just so happy. She had so much fun and felt like such a big girl because she got to go “by herself.” (It was the first thing she told her daddy when he got home, big deal here, folks!) And the feeling when your heart swells because you see the JOY in someone else. That is one of the sweetest gifts of parenthood.
The final days to wrap up our little delayed week o’ fun!
Day 4 – Park & Walk
Poor Nate got sick! Today was supposed to be our head to the park with friends and have a picnic lunch. Plans change :) But, thanks to some awesome friends; Abi still got to park it up while I stayed home with Nate. We went on a walk – very exciting stuff.
While we waited for her ride – some sidewalk art.
one of the many things I love about our boy…he is never too sick to eat. Even feeling crummy…snacks are in hand.
We took some toes & flowers shots along the way…
Day 5 – Arboretum
My sweet friend & I did our meals-on-wheels route alone (which was a treat for us – because although I adore doing this with Abi – selfishly I got an entire 2 hours to hang out and talk with a dear friend!) Abi was absent because…her cousins were in town! She decided that she would miss “seeing her friends” so that she could hit up the arboretum with Josh & Mary Claire. I joined them after our route was over! What a way to spend a Friday afternoon.
Nate had other things on his mind…
These next few just crack me up. Can you get more personality??
Never forget to take time and smell the roses (err, tulips)…
Mommy & Daddy, courtesy of Abi…
He wouldn’t miss out on all of the action – Nate is always up for a good time.
Days(s) 6,7 – Cousins!
Did NOT document these days well at all! Thanks, J&B, for coming up to Dallas and ending our spring break week o’ awesome with some awesome company.
As you can see…Josh & Abi always manage to have a good ol’ time!
We hope the memories of your Spring Break weeks have made you smile much!!
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars, we claim Thy grace.
We had a beautiful Easter this year; it was quiet and rainy – a gentle day of remembering hope and Christ’s victory.
Sweet, sleepy Nate. He had passed out in the car on our way home. Too much excitement! Don’t worry – he got in on the action later!
We had such fun preparing for Easter this year. As Abi gets older, it is such a blessing (and often times conviction to me) on being intentional in my heart to prepare. Discussing Holy Week with a 3 1/2 year old really showed me the mystery and awe that the Easter story contains. It was such a treat and humbling!
Here he is! Good morning, little Nate.
Abi’s little “Jesus is alive today!” just brought smiles to our faces – in addition to the true reason we have hope…abi also hoped for lots of yummy treats to enjoy – she was not disappointed. However, Donald & I may have set ourselves up for failure in future years…I guess we keep going up on the silly? We hid 65 eggs for a 3 1/2 year old (who really got it) and a 1 year old (who just thought it was funny to find a silly plastic thing and throw it on the ground!). Next year, 100 eggs?? BUT, I must admit – my face was a big bundle of smiles and laughing the whole time we were hiding them!
Everyone knows my heart on this…food makes a day extra special to me. I don’t know what it is; but I am so affected by food! I remember moments with food, it adds to my joy…oh, and I like to eat it. A lot.
And then the rain came…but we loved it! We rested, enjoyed the fun treats in Easter baskets, and watched some Masters. Happy Day – especially for the guys.
But the rain stopped! And one of my favorite memories of late…out to the boat we went for Nate’s maiden voyage!
*Silly, but we call the canoe, the boat :)
It was so quiet and peaceful on the lake. Right after a rainstorm is one of my favorite times to be at the lake. The animals are super active…so minus the trash that was in abundance b/c of the storm…all was beautiful. But, even the trash ministered to us (weird statement) – there was such evidence of how we muck this life, creation up sometimes – made the beauty of Easter hit me in another way that day.
I just think our captain is so handsome…
And our little Nate…SCREAMED at the beginning for a good 5 minutes, we definitely thought that we’d have to call our excursion early. But by the end…he was SCREAMING that we wouldn’t let him get his whole arm in the water (remember the nasty trash?!). And the end of the day – the boy’s a fan of the lake. What a Wallace.
We pray that your Easter, the week prior, and this past week have been a wonderful encouragement to you!
The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.
Parts of a poem by Edward Shillito (1872-1948), a Free Church minister in England during World War I
