Izzy

One of the amazing things about having two girls, somewhat close in age is how different they are.

Try as I might to coordinate their outfits or convince them that they want to watch the same cartoons,

Izzy and Éva are different.

Where Éva is more shy, Izzy knows no strangers.

While Éva thinks of sensible names for her stuffed animals and dolls, Izzy calls them "Punk" and "Monkey" or my favorite "Ha."

While Éva made me a mother and turned our house into a home, Izzy made it more full, more complete, and more joyful!

Izzy is not a fearful or shy child. In fact, this quality in her makes me nervous at times. She's so willing to talk to someone new that I often fear she'd just walk away with anyone, chatting their ear off as they stole away with my baby.

She's an adventure seeker. Just yesterday, I took her to the park and she proceeded to climb every single part of the jungle gym that I would've rathered she didn't. And she did it well. Sigh...

Izzy has never wanted to be little. She decided right after her 2nd birthday that it was time for her to be potty trained and she did it...all I did was help her onto the potty. I am convinced that this child sees herself as more of an adult than I see myself.

Izzy talks incessantly. She. is. always. talking. Her first words to us almost every morning as she bursts through our door are "Hi Guys!" and she doesn't stop all morning long. My favorite things she says right now: "Mom, look how big my am!" or "I wuz you too, Mom" or Paul's favorite, "Guys, here's the plan..." as she pops out a hip and puts one hand in the air.

Izzy is the life of any party and in so many ways, she brought us all out of our shells. Éva struggled intensely with separation anxiety and nervousness, but as Izzy has grown, so has her relationship with her sister and we've seen amazing changes in Éva as she gains confidence watching her little sister do all the things she's wanted to try so badly. Izzy will even look at her sometimes and say, "C'mon Éva, you turn!"

Izzy is most certainly made up of leadership material and she has no problems coloring outside the lines. I love these things about her and I know raising her will be one of my life's greatest challenges. Izzy will always need room to be Izzy...I just pray that I am able to have the discernment and wisdom when to recognize when to reign her in and when to set her free.

She is my joy; My comedic relief through most days. While Éva is affirming and affectionate and sweet and makes my heart all warm and fuzzy, Izzy makes me laugh

and gives my life cheer,

and abundance :)

Éva

Like keeps happening around here.

It happens quickly.

So quickly sometimes that I'm not able to catch it and that kind of breaks my heart a little.

I heard somewhere this week that life with children under 5 means "very long days and very short years."

So true.

Éva and Izzy continue to grow and learn at an alarming pace and I find it hard to keep up.

There are moments that I wish I could freeze in time.

I want to be able to remember this time with my girls. All of it.

This time when I was still the epitome of beauty in their eyes,

when their Daddy can do no wrong,

when an exertion of their will (very strong will) over ours will merely land them a time out instead of a heavier consequence that they might carry with them forever.

It's a time of innocence and humor and I fail sometimes to see it in the shadows of the daily grind.

So here today, I want to document them. Today,

Éva:

Éva is in preschool this year at a local church. She comes home every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon with something new. A new letter, number, idea, friend or attitude. I've loved watching her interact with the other children and her amazing teachers! She graduates next week. I'm making cupcakes (shocker!).

Éva by nature is an encourager. She's always ready with a kind word or a helpful tidbit. She tells me daily that she loves me and that I'm beautiful. She's good for the self-esteem :) She also loves rules. In fact, I find her creating new ones all the time.

For example: The other day, as she delicately ate each fruit snack in her daily, highly anticipated package of fruit snacks, I found her holding the last one tightly in her hand and it seemed she had no intention of eating it. "Aren't you going to eat your last fruit snack?" I asked. She looked at me with all kinds of seriousness in her eyes and said, "Of course Mom. But I have to wait until after Veggie Tales is over."

Éva saves things for God. Whether it's her last bite of ice cream or the toy she got out of her Chick-fil-A kids meal, she'll set it aside and tell me that she's saving it for God. I love this quality in her. I hope that she'll always save things for God. Most of all, I hope she saves her heart for Him and all the wonderful things I'm sure He has planned for her.

Éva is an emotional child. She's very in tune with how she's feeling and very willing to express it. While this quality can bring about a bit of unpredictability, I love it about her! Being so in tune with her own emotions means she's also able to recognize quickly emotional shifts in others and she responds with such compassion. She'll be a wonderful friend. While Paul was gone, I had a few "sit-on-the-stairs-and-cry "moments. Éva never hesitated to sit beside me, rub my back gently and ask, "Mommy, do you miss Daddy?" When I would tell her yes she'dlook at me and say, "Me too. But he'll come home soon. It's going to be all right," which are the exact words I'd say to her when she was having "I miss Daddy" moments.

This little girl teaches me lessons on a daily basis. She's actually a lot like me (stubborn as all get out!) and that means that we often butt heads. But behind that strong willed demeanor is a heart that is being shaped and molded by her Creator and I'm blessed with the privilege of being an active participant.

On the Cusp of a New Season

Spring is coming.

I know you're thinking, "Spring?!? What?? Anne, honey we just had Christmas 3 weeks ago."

And maybe Spring isn't literally coming...

but metaphorically speaking,

for me,

Spring is near!

And I'm giddy.

A season of Winter and solitude is leaving and dusting off the cobwebs in my heart along the way,

and leaving a path for love to shine through!

And I know this is all a bit mysterious...

but be patient,

this time of vague metaphors is drawing to an end for me,

and it looks like Valentine's Day threw up in my house.

But hey,

like I said...

I'm giddy ;)

Great Expectations

A New Year.

A time for resolutions and renewed goals and brand new goals and new dreams and so on and so forth...

A new year is usually very exciting for me.

I love the list of endless possibilities; the idea that I could completely transform myself into the picture in my head of the wife, mother, person I want to be.

This year...

not so much.

Along with those lists of goals and dreams and possibilities, comes a list of expectations for myself.

And when I don't meet them,

I feel like a failure.

And that's no fun.

My mom and little sister came to visit over the holidays and we all got sick.

We were sick 90% of the time they were here.

Kind of a bummer, huh?

However, all the sick time gave us a lot of talk time.

My mom and I had one particular conversation that has changed me, encouraged me, renewed my sense of contentment with myself and my life.

I was going on and on about the picture in my head of what I wanted my life to look like.

What kind of house, how many kids, what kind of routine and schedule would be ideal for me.

She listened with graciousness before she opened her mouth and said,

"Where did that picture come from?"

"Me," I replied. "It's been there since I was 15."

"I know," she said. "And now you're 28, and you have this life and this house and this number of kids and it really doesn't look like you thought it would. It looks like God thought it should. And it's time to be happy with this."

WOAH!

Now maybe for some of you, that's not a life changing statement. But for me, it rocked my world and brought me relief and peace. PEACE.

And it's not that I'm not HAPPY with my life. I am. I love my husband and my girls and my home. But I've struggled with the completeness of it all, or the lack thereof.

But God is sovereign. And I can put a whole heapin' pile of expectations and plans on my life, but if they're not in accordance with what God's plans are for me well, I'm just running in place aren't I?!?

And when I stop to think about what my plans were versus what He gave me, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

I'm one truly stinkin' blessed lady.

And I'm ready to erase those synthetic pictures in my head and really wait for the path that the Lord leads me to instead.

Because His path, is a good path.

Life Held Still Photography

It's the best path.

Meet Charlie

Overwhelmed.

That is all I know to say to describe my life these days.

Blessed and totally overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed with stressful things,

overwhelmed with sad things,

overwhelmed with really good things too.

Like Charlie.

He is the newest member of our family.

He's a 17 week old Goldendoodle and he's perfect.

No, really.

Perfect.

He doesn't jump, he doesn't chew. He merely whimpers when he needs to go outside, because yes, he's housebroken. He's affectionate, he's smart and he makes my heart happy.

I've had him only 4 days and already he walks on a leash at my heel on my left side with little to no tension on the lead. He walks like a pro next to my big double stroller when we go to the lake. He can sit, lay down, come and we're working on stay.

He's gentle with the girls and calm. SOOO calm. Even when someone new comes to the door, he just sits down, watches them for a few moments and approaches slowly to start sniffing.

Love him.

Perfection in a dog.

Summer Recap

So, I didn't blog much over the summer.

I'm sorry.

But life was crazy,

and busy,

and wonderful,

and stressful,

and all of the above.

But, even though I wasn't blogging, I was taking pictures.

Lots of pictures!

You wanna see?

I thought so ;)

Well, we kicked off the summer with a visit from my parents, little sister and brother (professional photographer from Hawaii).

I have LOTS of pics of this on my computer, but they are not mine, they are my brothers and I'm afraid to touch them or edit them for fear that you may think I took them and believe me to be a much better photographer than I actually am.

But he did take a few photos that I know I have permission to share.

Such as this one, from my girls' Wizard of Oz birthday party.

It was a pool party complete with blue gingham bathing suits and ruby red flip flops!

And cupcakes, of course...

The Summer progressed from there with more visits from family...

Like the one from my beautiful sister in law, Anna and her 3 amazing kiddos.

And then there were neighborhood bbqs...

complete with cupcakes, of course.

Juice boxes,

Dogs,

Lots of dogs ;)

Soccer,

Family Movie Nights,

More birthdays,

and a big End of Summer Luau to bring it all home.

All in all, it was a very ABUNDANT summer.

And we've all made it out alive and happy and truly blessed!