becca boo...

I finally got a picture of Becca walking...

school daze...

Well, we made it! The first day of Kindergarten! I shed just a few tears as we left her. She was very excited and a little bit nervous. I am so excited for her! What a big step...and oh, what fun she will have! Her best friend, Emma, is in her class and I was able to get a quick pic of them in before Jonathan shooed me out. What do you mean I can't sit in the hallway and watch her all day?? Her little brother is quite sad and a little lost without his playmate, but I think he is also a little happy that he gets me to himself a little more than normal. Becca has been sick, so she is actually napping already and the house is unusually quiet right now. Her teacher, Ms. Little, seems very sweet and we have heard excellent things about her.

This picture of Izzy and her teacher, Ms. Little, was taken at Back to School Night. I had no idea how chaotic and rushed this night would be. I think this stressed me out more than the first day of school. I am trying to remember to stop...breathe...acknowledge my emotions...and then give them God. When I actually remember to stop and breathe, things go much better. But, I find that in the whirlwind of the moments, I get caught up in the pace of my surroundings and I forget to slow down and take it all in. But, a friend gently reminded me that I am practicing...not perfecting. Every time I step into the stressful, hurried pace of the world, I can take the opportunity to practice simplifying...boundaries...peace and joy...and not expect to be perfect at it.
On Friday and Saturday my girlfriends and I were able to go to San Antonio to the Living Proof Live Event with Beth Moore. I was so not excited for it...I just kept thinking of everything I had to do and frankly was down right cranky about it. So, I knew that meant that I really needed to go. It's like the gym or Celebrate Recovery...sometimes when you least want to be there, are the times when you most need to go. Because of my attitude, I knew that God wanted to speak something to me through it. And boy, did He! I told Jonathan that it was like Beth and I were having a private conversation in front of 10,000 people at the Alamadome. She spoke from Psalm 16 and told us of our Beautiful Inheritance and how desperately we need to get it into our thick heads that we ARE the heirs of God. What would are days look like...how would we feel...if every morning we woke up, looked into the mirror and said with boldness, "I am an heir of God." Sometimes that is so hard for me to get through my thick head and heart. Isn't it so easy to believe for others? Her message spoke to the most tender places in my heart. I am so blessed that God does not give up on me! I am still practicing...

rainy days...kickin it old school...

It has been raining the last couple of days here in Austin...and it has been wonderful. Not only do we need the rain for our seriously dehydrated lawns and flowers, but it helps to lower our scorching temperatures to a high of 90 degrees. It also gives us a great excuse to slow down, stay home and kick it old school. By kicking it old school, I mean stay in our jammies, watch cartoons, play dress up, make forts, watch movies ("Because of Winn Dixie" is one of my favorites), make hot chocolate (of course with marshmallows), color and play pirates...all in all, replay the old days of our youth. I remember making up games, playing dress up, making forts, jumping over "alligators", reading books...using our imagination. I find that my kids do best (and I do too) when we have the time and the space to do these things. (If only I could get them to clean up consistently!). And hopefully we are creating memories. Isabelle and I watched "Nim's Island" the other night. It was wonderfully imaginative. We also watched "Kit Kittredge: An Amercian Girl" when it came up in theaters. It was excellent. She and I both loved it. So much so, that she has decided to forgo a birthday part to go to Dallas to the American Girl store and restaurant with "the girls" (Nana, me, Izzy and Becca). Jonathan and Nicky will have some boy time. Countdown to Kindergarten: 5 days. She starts on Monday. We have Back to School night on Thursday to meet her teacher, Ms. Little. Her best friend, Emma, is in her class. Izzy is so excited about that, but has very mixed emotions on starting school. I will keep you posted.
Nicky's input to our rainy day games is usually anything with Superheros. Although, when he heard "pirates" were coming, he jumped right into it...with his cape and "Clark Kent tie" that he borrowed from daddy. Nicky, who follows Jonathan around constantly when he is home, now wants cologne like daddy puts on on the morning. I am suggesting we start with some hair gel and leave it at that for a while. I can only take one child making huge growing steps at a time! He wants to play soccer again and will start his preschool again with his friends, Audrey and Luke, in a couple of weeks. I think he will have a really hard time with Izzy gone all day every day. But, Nicky and I will have some one on one time that we have sorely missed. I think it will also allow him time to grow closer to Becca. He plays with her a lot, but Izzy has always been his buddy. As Becca starts doing more, I think it will give them an opportunity to become buddies too.
As you can see, another way we are kickin it old school is by bringing back "The Mullet." Not only does Becca have a modified Mullet, but she has this cowlick that sticks up right in the back...and it's not even thick enough to hold a bow or clip or anything. I have thought about having her hair cut, but honestly, it's the only hair she has!! She has started walking. She still prefers to crawl, but she is taking more and more steps every day. She also loves to dance. She starts by bobbing her head back and forth and up and down. Then she will throw her body into it. If she really gets into it, she throws her arms up into the air and shakes her hands, like she's Praising the Lord! As you can see from the picture below, she is just getting going. It is really something to see. She is starting to take her baby babbling to an understandable level. She says "Dada", but not always just at Jonathan. Sometimes it sounds like she says "Izzy" and "What's that?". She says "Mama", and if I had the accent mark capability on my computer, there would be one on the second 'A'. Yes, she sounds like an Italian baby. I keep waiting for her to do a backwards wave with her little hand and say, "Ciao, bella."
I am almost done with the book, Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life. I really wish every person would read this book. It has been inspiring. And so speaks to my heart. It has made me stop and listen and look for God more. It has made me realize it's O.K. to stop for a while. To create time and space to listen...to breathe. And we have to create it, because the world and people will just take our time and our focus away if we allow it. It has made me start prioritizing and start setting boundaries...a new thing for me. Between personal struggles and health struggles this year (anemia which lead to extreme fatigue and stress and hurry that led to IBS), this book seems to be bringing all of it together. Boundaries, Simplify, Single-Focus on God...When Christ called us to a life of following Him...He called us to a simple life. He never said it would be an easy life. Simple and easy don't always go together. Our choices to create simple life focused on Christ and His will for our life are rarely easy. I am so blessed to have my wonderful husband, kids and girlfriends that encourage me to do that. To live my life in a way that is a reflection of Christ and reveal an authentic heart that is full of gratitude for His forgiveness, mercy, grace and blessings.

breathe...

Not only is this the title of the amazing book I am reading right now, but it's something I was able to do on our 2 week vacation to Colorado and what I am trying to do more often in my life. This book, Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life, was given to me by my sister-in-law. It's wonderful and just what I need to be reading right now. It's the kind of book you just want everyone to read...so, everyone, please pick it up and read it! It talks about Sabbath Simplicity and incorporating and really working at making that a priority in your life...by keeping God in the center. Ignoring the noise of the world and the voices of others -- event those well-intentioned people -- to follow God's path for your life. To breathe...to renew...to focus on the One thing that brings hope to the hopeless and peace to the restless.

And I love how God works things out and His amazing and perfect timing. He met us on every excursion, journey and moment on our vacation. He met us in a beautiful rainbow. He met us on this incredible hike we did that ended with a magnificent waterfall. He met us in every dandelion the kids blew wishes on. He met us in the mountains...in the sunshine...in the deer that was 15 feet away from us...in the bear tracks we discovered. He met us with our family...invited us in and opened the door with those that do not know Him. He met us in the gym...yes, the gym. I had some amazing workouts to praise and worship music! He met us in the resort and covered us in His love, peace and protection.

While I still need a vacation from our vacation, I loved it! We were able to celebrate Becca's 1st Birthday there and share precious moments with our kids. I was able to finish the last 3 books in the Yadda Yadda Prayer Group series. We got to grow closer to the family that we don't see very often. And I am so blessed by that. I hope you enjoy the pictures...there are a lot of them. I may not post them regularly, but when I do, I sure do make up for it!

We will be spending the next 3 weeks getting ready for Kindergarten, starting dance, registering Nicky for soccer, wrapping up appointments (praise that I am beginning to getting better and finding answers), Beth Moore Conference, planning women's mini retreat, finishing bible study, cleaning, laundry, and trying to remember to...breathe.

Give Us Clean Hands by Chris Tomlin

We bow our hearts
We bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes
From evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols

So give us clean hands
and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh give us clean hands
and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another

Oh God let this be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob

becca's first birthday...

adventures...

Isabelle and her cousin Ben rock climbing.
Playing kickball with Grandma and family.
Nicky by our resort. See the rays of light?
Our resort.

family ties...

My awesome sis-in-law, Jody. Wish we lived closer!
Cousins.
Bungee Trampoline...

the bonfire...

Every night our resort had a bonfire for the kids (and big kids) to roast marshmallows or make smores. It was wonderful to put on a light jacket, sit by a fire with family and watch the kids create memories.

the hike...and the waterfall