…she’s cute!
I love this capture of my sweet girl from last week! One of her absolute favorite things to do right now is listen to Adventures in Odyssey on her mp3 player. It’s not unusual to see her walking around the house with her headphones on, but I got so tickled to find her, recently out of a shower and with a towel on her wet hair, with those headphones on over top the towel! This might be one of those times when ear buds are more appropriate, but she made it work!
Earlier in the week we woke up to a crisp, clear, cold morning in which everything was covered in a layer of frost. It was gorgeous! So I decided to brave the cold and take a photo walk around my yard to see what I could find.
Typically right now everything in my yard looks dead and ugly. But, I love the way the delicate frost gives everything new life. Even a dead, brown leaf looks kind of pretty with a layer of frost covering it. And bare tree branches sparkle in the morning sun when dressed in little ice crystals. Winter where I live requires me to search a little harder for beauty. But it’s there. All I have to do is see.
[4/52: Unexpected Perspective]
I thought this was applicable for today…
Jesus Calling: January 20 (Sarah Young)
Approach this day with an awareness of who is Boss. As you make plans for the day, remember that it is I who orchestrate the events of your life. On days when things go smoothly, according to your plans, you may be unaware of My sovereign Presence. On days when your plans are thwarted, be on the lookout for Me! I may be doing something important in your life, something quite different from what you expected. It is essential at such times to stay in communication with Me, accepting My way as better than yours. Don’t try to figure out what is happening. Simply trust Me and thank me in advance for the good that will come out of it all. I know the plans I have for you, and they are good.
Isaiah 55:9-11; Jeremiah 29:11
My plan for the day involved cleaning, organizing and a quiet stillness. God’s plan involved icy roads, no school, and lots of cozy together time with my kiddos! Yep, His plans for me are good!
[linking with Deb for This or That Thursday]
Today my Baby turns 10! No more single-digit birthdays at our house.
I love this girl with my whole heart! She is the perfect combination of sassy and sweet and she compliments her two older brothers perfectly. She completed our family on the day of her birth and she completes our family now. We are so thankful for our sweet girl!
What a blessing it is to be this kid’s momma! I’m so grateful that God gave him to us twelve years ago today. He lights up our world and brings joy to our family!
It thrills me to no end to watch him growing into the person God created him to be and I absolutely cannot wait to see how God will continue to work in his life. I know God’s got big things planned for this boy with so much potential!
Yep, I’m his biggest fan!
The blog has been quiet this week. Reason #1 – I haven’t had my camera out as much lately. Reason #2 – it’s birthday week at our house … two birthdays, four days of celebrating, two parties and a lot of other details to think through.
Since the kids were off school on Monday because of MLK day, I did manage to rope them into a mini photo session in honor of their birthdays.
I’ll let this one go first since his special day is tomorrow. He is my Lego-loving kid so we tried to incorporate them into at least one shot.
Tomorrow I’ll share another shot from our little session that was based off an idea I saw on Pinterest recently.
This was my submission for this week’s Project 52 theme which was open. Long after the rest of the flowers from the bouquet had died, the Stargazer lilies finally opened in all their splendor. But I’ve also been thinking of the word “open” in other terms as well…
Earlier this week we attended a parent orientation meeting at our local high school for all current 8th graders and their parents. I went into the meeting feeling slightly anxious and left feeling a little overwhelmed. I’m finding that there are so many emotions involved in sending our firstborn to high school this fall. I’m sure I felt the same way when he I dropped him off for his first day of preschool or when he started kindergarten or just recently on his first day of middle school. But there are also different emotions involved. On one hand, I’m super excited to watch Andrew grow and mature and become all he was created to be and on the other hand, I’m aware that our time with him here in our home is becoming less and less. And that the next five to ten years of his life will be filled with some pretty major life decisions.
Joel and I both feel strongly that it is our responsibility, as his parents, to guide him into this next stage of life, ensuring that he takes classes that are best suited to his talents and gifts … classes that will put him on a path towards his future. The problem with that, however, is that he is a fourteen year old boy, living for today, with no clue what he wants to do with his life. And the choices? Oh, there were so many class options – even at the freshman level. It was seriously overwhelming!
So what I keep coming back to is the fact that God knows. God knows what Andrew will become. And he also knows what the path looks like to get there. With all my heart, I believe that God has a perfect plan for my life so why then would I have trouble believing the same for my kids? Yes, I want to be in control, but God is reminding me that it is not my job to be in control. It is my job to be open to what God has in store for Andrew – not only in high school, but now and for the rest of his life.
It sounds so simple doesn’t it? Trust God. How hard can that be? [*wink]
January 12: Jesus Calling (Sarah Young)
Let me prepare you for the day (or year) that stretches out before you. I know exactly what this day (or year) will contain, whereas you have only vague ideas about it. You would like to see a map, showing all the twists and turns of your (or your son’s) journey. You’d feel more prepared if you could somehow visualize what is on the road ahead. However, there is a better way to be prepared for whatever you (or he) will encounter today (or in the future): Spend quality time with me.
I will not show you (or him) what is on the road ahead, but I will thoroughly equip you (or your son) for your (his) journey. My living Presence is your (his) Companion each step of the way. Stay in continual communication with Me, whispering My Name whenever you need to redirect your thoughts. Thus, you can walk through this day (or year) with your focus on Me. My abiding Presence is the best road map available.
Exodus 33:14; John 15:4-7
(parentheses mine)
Yesterday I shared a storyboard of store-bought Stargazer Lilies that was fulfilling my need for a little bit of color in the middle of winter. Today I thought I’d use the newest storyboard creation from the Coffeeshop blog to show off my other store-bought flower.
Hyacinths are my absolute favorite! In fact, I love them so much that my husband and I have a long-standing tradition … every year he buys me the first hyacinth he sees when they make their appearance in one of our local stores. Neither one of us believes that we’ve ever seen one as early as January, but last week we were walking through Walmart and there they were! Such a pleasant surprise!
Yes, we are in the middle of winter – and I’m not yet to the point where I’m completely wishing it away – but, it is nice to enjoy a touch of spring when the days are cold and grey.
[Linking up with Deb for This or That Thursday]
It may be the middle of January, but there is color to be found! Never mind the fact that the color comes from a package of store bought flowers … during the cold, winter months of the Midwest, you have to take what you can get!
I used the Coffeshop Webboards 5 and am linking up with Sweet Shot Tuesday.
I’m finally getting to my December favorites. All of the other month’s posts were done at the same time and were scheduled to post on on specific days but the December post never got done because I got so far behind on my editing. Now that we’re a few weeks into January and Christmas is all put away, it was kind of fun to go back and relive the fun memories we were able to enjoy during the month of December. I didn’t choose December’s favorites based on their technical greatness – although I did throw in a few “pretties” – most of the ones I chose were picked because they remind me of the special things we did together as a family during the advent season.
1. Katelyn looking so cute in her holiday t-shirt and pigtails
2. My parents at the Frederik Meijer Gardens Christmas Around the World tree exhibit
3. A “pretty” from the indoor conservatory
4. Hanging orchids
5. Christmas berries
6. I loved the color on this particular tree
7. Holiday poinsettias
8. Pretty light flare from the garland on my banister
9. Annual Christmas cookie baking day with my mom
10. Cookies, cookies, cookies
11. A splash of color in our otherwise colorless, winter woods
12. Katelyn’s gift to Andrew (it was fun to watch the kids really get into buying and giving gifts to each other this year)
13. An annual tradition … Christmas Eve fondue
14. Christmas morning
15. It was the year of the Nerf gun (even Daddy got one!)
16. The sweetest Christmas elf
17. The Christmas centerpiece on our dining room table
18. Playing in the snow
19. Our ginormous snowman
20. Joel and his sweet Grandma
21. Celebrating Andrew’s 14th birthday
22. My parent’s Christmas tree
23. Katelyn’s Christmas choir concert at school
24. Enjoying the scenery through the mirror on my van
25. Our tree on Christmas Eve
26. Daddy agreeing to let Katelyn paint his nails while on a lunch break from work (she and her cousin set up a nail salon in our living room during Christmas break)
27. A drive through a Christmas light display
Whew! I didn’t realize I had chosen so many for the month of December. If you’ve stuck with me till the end, you deserve a prize!
Thanks, again, to those of you who journeyed with me throughout the year! I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings in regards to this little hobby of mine!
The beginning of a new year is a great time to start a photography challenge. Initially I didn’t think I wanted to take part in any of the challenges I’ve seen sponsored at various photo blogs, however, I’ve been a little frustrated with my photography lately and decided that maybe I could use a little inspiration.
The first challenge is something I’m doing on my own - I’ve taken a photo a day this past week and am purposefully working on my perspective … getting down low or shooting from above … basically just trying to see my subject from a different perspective.
Then yesterday I came across a Project 52 – take one photo a week for a year – at Paint the Moon, which sounded interesting and do-able. Most of the photo challenges I’ve come across for 2012 have themes. I’m typically not a theme lover when it comes to photo challenges because I feel too confined. However, the Paint the Moon challenge was different in that there were a couple of themes to choose from … one that was more open to the photographer’s interpretation and another that could be taken more literally. And the really cool part about this particular photo site was that they also are sponsoring a challenge for kids!
So I decided to give it a try and was able to enlist the kids to be a part of the kid’s challenge as well. I’m not going to commit to post every one of my pictures from the challenge, however, I will start by sharing this week’s capture…
The two themes for this week were “all natural” and “sharing.” I think it’s pretty obvious which one I chose, although I do have an idea for the “sharing” theme as well that I’m going to try and capture this weekend.
I’m hoping that this challenge will push me to learn and I’m excited to be doing it with my kiddos. The themes for their first week are “pets” or “metal.” Andrew is helping Joel work on his truck this morning out at his brother’s shop so he took the camera with him, hoping to find some good shots that involve metal. I can’t wait to see what he came up with! Hopefully I can share some of their captures throughout the year as well!
If you’re interested in more photo inspiration, you can visit the challenge’s flickr site here.
Wow! Only one more month to go and we’ve come to the end of 2011! Time sure flies when you’re having fun. Ha! Seriously though, thanks for walking this journey with me. I never really know who visits my blog, but I truly thank those of you who do.
These November shots represent the last days of fall as well as the ushering in of winter. Some you may have seen already and hopefully a few you have not. Either way, please enjoy these favorites from the month of November…
Again, I thank you for stopping by … I hope you’ll stop by and take a peak at my December favorites as well! Have a blessed day!
