Science School – well, kinda

Oh Perot Museum – we sure do love thee.  Of course, your early childhood offerings will always be referred to in our house as ‘Science School’ – but hey, that’s what you get when you had a killer program at your old location. 

Abi’s taking a class at the museum – and it is just so awesome.  Stellar teachers / stellar curriculum / everything that makes this zoo-education nerd in me get REAL excited.    Their dinosaur unit just ended and they are currently diving into the world of plants and seeds!

(can you tell we visit the dinos QUITE a bit?!)

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So, just a little plug for the Perot Education Classes.  To quote Abi when asked where she has learned the most (the girl has had quite a little tour of early educational offerings in Dallas, poor thing)…”Hmm, well, I think Science School.”  Enough said.

Sanctification through Motherhood

This glorious thing called motherhood – without a doubt – the biggest tool that the Lord has used to change, sharpen, and mold me.

And I am continually mystified by it.  How motherhood gives me no greater joy.  Yet, it is through revelations during ‘it’ that I have had some of my darkest moments.  I am frequently left baffled – left with my mouth open – left wondering ‘how in the world did that just happen’ – left wondering how I was entrusted to raise these little souls – left totally spent at the beauty and enormity of it all.

I have been having some dramatic days as of late :)

‘Hear my cry, O God. From the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint.  Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge , a strong tower against the enemy.’  Psalm 61

Yet all of the drama gets reduced to something quite simple: I am the daughter of a most loving God.  Pray more and believe in its power!  Give thanks continually.

 

Even as I type these words, I am somewhat chuckling because I know that I will be dramatic and crazy and overwhelmed all too soon again.  And God, in his graciousness, will teach me lessons that are so very simple and wonderful in nature.

And just like that…

My boy is 2.

Oh my goodness.  Look out world, Nate the Great is 2.  And with him will come the tornado of crazy, joy, laughter, willfulness, ninja, and love of life that is my Nathanael.

6 months

Sweet William…you are six months.  Oh my, oh my.  Even though we would love (at some point, Lord willing!) to add another sweet Wallace to the mix…you are certainly in the baby role of our family.

I baby you.  I so do.  We laugh that it took me forever to put you in the stroller without your carseat…something that I was doing with Nate SO much earlier…but you see, you’re my baby.  Hitting the six month mark is significant – we treasure these past six months of our family and anticipate with humility the next six.

To my sweet baby…please try and nap better in the afternoon – please keep your amazing eyes and that glorious smile – please keep on reminding me that this life is so worth savoring and I need to be intentional in the mundane.

You are loved, dear sweet-six month-old little one!

(from his first eating experience this weekend)

   

PS Angela

In the midst of days where I have believed the lies that the world would have be claim…a line from a song that has delightfully haunted me…

‘Don’t look to the right or to the left…keep your eyes on me.’

-Bethel Music

Surrounded by women whose company I am humbled and inspired by the other evening – I felt as though the Lord was whispering to me this line over and over.  It has stayed in my mind and in my heart.  The words are healing and are true.  They are certainly not always easy to obey; I would foolishly choose to think that relationships, great organizational skills, waking up early consistently, having a really clean house, knowing with absolute confidence what next year will hold for Abi’s education, eating well all the time, working out with great regularity…and on and on…

I am tempted to believe that those things will provide me with peace.  That they will provide me with comfort and fulfillment.  I try over and over again to control my soul’s journey…this is not what is asked of me.  Gently and graciously the Lord whispers…’please, keep your eyes on me.’ 

And in this place, here I find the fullness of joy.

Life ‘round here

I am continually laughing at the things that occur with our sweet little third that NEVER would have happened with our first (mainly) and probably not our second either…

Case and point:

Oh William – thanks for making us all more chill – it’s good to see that you’re taking your own advice.  We love you!

Oh yes, real life, hello again!

My goodness, this is just how I feel!  My darling Donald has been delightfully not working at the office for a very, VERY lovely 2 weeks.  Just bliss.  This, my friends, is how life should exist.

And consequently, life has looked very different for the past 2 weeks – the holiday season was beautiful – I am thankful.

(let’s be honest, there are more than 2 weeks represented here…but I need to do some serious catch-up!)

My abi-girl was just darling in her first Christmas pageant

We got our first REAL tree as a little family – while our ‘original’ fakerton is still proudly displayed in the office…memories are just the best.

Abi rocked it during her ‘open’ ballet class.

We made the most random, messy, and amazing gingerbread house.

 

We had so much fun at the Perot Museum…I’ve been waiting for this place to open for SUCH a long time! 

The boys & Daddy turned Nate’s crib into a big-boy bed…it is NOT going well.

We had Donald’s 30th party…such a wonderful day.

All of the roommates came in from A&M…a few little bodies have been added in the past 10 years…

We had a wonderful day celebrating Christmas…

oh right…it SNOWED

  

Celebrating New Year’s (at 8 o’clock) with the most delightful crew…

And all the random in between that makes the holidays oh so special.

 

As we start 2013…may grace and peace reign in our hearts.