So happy together...

We will have an egg hunt later today using the eggs we dyed earlier this morning. But, before I post pictures of that, I wanted to share a sequence of photos that I took back in February. So sweet of them together...

How much do I love...

taking and admiring newborn pictures?

These are photos of my friends baby girl, taken last summer.

She's just precious isn't she?

Guess who turned 11 months old?

Won't you join me...

in praying for this little one and his family?

"just the girls"...

This quote is from Ella Jane. At 1:30AM.





Setting the scene...





Sara wakes for the 2nd time at 12:45am. I go in to console and quickly realize it will do no good. I'll need a distraction. I make my way to the living room so as not to wake the rest of the crew. Baby Newton is playing and who walks in but Ella Jane. I beckon her to come to me and with a sweet smile on my face she falls into my lap. I tell her it's the middle of the night and then she hops over to the couch telling me in a very chipper voice that it's "just the girls, having girl time." Technically, I suppose she's right although I would prefer our girl time to involve a midday treat at Starbucks.

Sara went to bed about 15 minutes ago and so far so good. I picked her up and then bent down to get her blankies and paci and when I did I was leaning forward a little and I felt her grab onto me a little tighter. I knew I wasn't going to drop her, but instinctively she grabbed on.

I immediately thought of God and his grip on me. Sometimes it feels as if I might be dropped but that is never God's intention. And He would never trip up and accidentaly drop me either. What I found amazing and comforting was this scenario play out in my life with Sara. I'm constantly picking her up and putting her down. Most of the time she's just along for the ride; even when I bend down to get something it doesn't seem to faze her, she knows we'll get back up. She knows me and trusts me.

Tonight I feel like it's God beckoning to me, asking me to trust Him, to hang onto Him. Thank you Lord. And thank you Ella Jane. Time well spent...even at 1:30am.

ear and sinus...

infection. Sara has both right now. This is the first time she's been this sick. I should've guessed the sinus infection when the yellow/green snot completely covered her nose and mouth yesterday morning. And as far as the ear infection, well she's surpassed brother and sister in this department. They both had their first one's at 8 months. We hope she starts to feel better soon.

torn....

between the feeling of gratefulness that Matthew is getting better and (praise God from whom all blessings flow) and utter astonishment at how my perfect plan for the day can be twarted in an instant with a little (or a lot) of foolish behavior.

We packed a picnic and met a friend at the park. Sara's world has just expanded and she loved climbing the stairs and sliding down the slides! The glee that comes from within her is contagious.

We came home and while Sara napped I let the kids play with shaving cream at the table. After explaining to them that I was going to get my energy back (go love and logic) by doing some e-mails I let them have at it. Calm, quiet, shaving cream play.

Or was it?


After 10 min. I hear things like "look at me Ella Jane, I'm Santa Claus", "HO, HO, HO".... Do you see where this is going?

Matthew, clueless to the fact that he's about to get into trouble proudly displays his handsome shaving cream covered face, hair, and neck to me while I'm in the middle of an e-mail.

There goes whatever energy I had left.

We will have an early dinner and bed.

*** Matthew was treated for Pneumonia. When they took the x-ray on Friday it was just too early to see anything, so he wasn't treated for it. He did develop a cough on Saturday and by Sunday they had changed his antibiotic. He's looking A LOT better now and will be going back to school tomorrow. He's very excited and we're all looking forward to finding our sense of normal again.

Man, he scared us...

Matthew's temp. soared to 104.4 last night. Talk about stress. Thank goodness for Tylenol. A dose of medicine, cold compresses, a glass of apple juice, and a popscicle later...it finally came down. For some reason we just can't keep it down, hence the antibiotic. We hope he starts turning the corner tomorrow.

In the meantime, while he feels well, and the weather was warm today, we went for an explore to check out the kids' fort. The one they started last fall with Jim. It's still there, just a little muddier than when we left it.

Sara's got the fever now so we are trying to keep her comfortable, the trick with her is getting her to sleep. Mmmm.....sound familiar?

We're still tired. But I'm told that when they grow up and leave the nest, we can sleep again.

Fair enough.