{ 18 From Forever }

Today we have been married for 18 months!

I love you, Tim. Now more than ever.

{ Happy 5 Months Old }

Oliver, Today you are 5 months old. It is so hard to believe it has been 5 months already since you made us a family, and yet your daddy and I also feel like it's been much longer than that, like you've always been a part of our lives. We love you so much little boy. More and more everyday.

This past month has been full of new and wonderful discoveries for you:

Sitting and standing with our help
Trying new foods

Rolling over and discovering your feet
Stroller rides
Loving to play with other babies in the nursery at church
Sleeping through the night
Waking up in the morning and talking to yourself contentedly
You love your voice... sweet baby talk, blowing bubbles, cooing
The feel of grass, sticks, pine cones, and the sun on your face

Playing with your toys

As your mommy, I love it when you take my face in your hands and smile big,
or put your arms around my neck and snuggle close.
You want to touch and taste everything I have,
and you love peek-a-boo and my silly songs.

Your daddy gets such a happy little boy to welcome him home at night, with wiggles and arms outstretched to be picked up.
You can't take your eyes off him, especially when I'm trying to feed you!

We love you, from the top of your fuzzy head with two cowlicks, to the tips of your tiny toes.

Happy 5 months old!

{ Letters After My Name }

source

As I was moppiing my kitchen just now, having first cleaned the bathroom, I was thinking about success, what is it to me, what is it in our society. (It was related to mopping, really!)

The topic began in my mind because I was feeling so good about myself for having cleaned the parts of the house on the day of the week I've assigned to myself. I don't do very well with that as a general rule. I keep my house very clean, for the most part, but consistency is a struggle and there are certain areas that suffer more frequently than others.

I have been challenging myself to look at my home duties as my job. Like a "real" job. What I was thinking about today was, "why don't I"?

The times in my life that I have had a "real" job, I was always striving to be a good employee. That meant things like being on time, staying busy, challenging myself to learn the system and be the best I could be at my job.

If I approach my job as a housewife and mother with the attitude of striving for success, what would change? Because I don't have an employer, someone paying my salary, it is a lot easier for me to become complacent and yes, even lazy at times.

So what is success? Some would say having a career. A degree. I realize I feel insecure in my position at times because I "only" have an associate degree and never ended up having a job in my field. Because we live in a small, university town, with another university only a few miles away, I am surrounded by very educated people, and I doubt myself sometimes.

In my heart, however, I feel successful. God has granted me my "dream job", and as I was thinking about all of this today, I realized there is a lot of room for me to grow, to in essence, receive a higher education.

It is my desire to push myself towards new levels of knowledge, proficiency, and creativity. As spring begins, so will my next step, a new semester of learning to be a better woman, wife and mother.

{ Improvements }

Ever since we got married, I have been planning to paint the kitchen and breakfast nook.

A year ago I cleaned the walls.

Picked out paint samples.

Decided on colors.

Took a long, long break to plan and consider other color schemes.

Saved up money.

Then Oliver came and life got wonderfully busy.

The day before spring arrived Tim and I got a bug to start the project. An hour later we were at the store buying the paint.

Today I cleaned the walls again.

We're so excited! It's going to be a huge amount of work and it will go slowly, as I will work on it during nap time, but the finished project will be so worth the wait!

{ What we have to show for our labors so far }

Project #1 Breakfast Nook
Soon these lovely colors will be brightening up this space

{ Happy St. Patrick's Day }

Today I really believe that spring is on its way. My snowdrops are blooming, tulips are poking up, daffodils are making my kitchen sunny, and the sky is a rich, springtime blue.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A bit of Ireland in spring, from my husband's trip to Ireland several years back.
Sure wish I could have been with him on that trip!

{ Dusting Off Ambitions }

I am so thankful for my husband.

For lots of reasons.

Lately I am thankful that he has encouraged me to dust off some of my ambitions. I've let some things go for several years now, like playing the violin, hardanger embroidery, crocheting. Sad but true.

Probably a month or so into our marriage I showed him the drawings I had done when I was taking lessons. It had been several years before and I hadn't thought about it much since then. He got so excited and ever since then has been looking for an artist's easel and encouraging me to do more. I am humbled that he wants to hang my drawings up with his photography, which in my humble opinion really is spectacular.

I feel far from being an artist, it sounds like such a lofty title, but it is sweet the interest he has taken in the abilities I do have. Last Sunday he found what he was looking for. We brought it home and I am beginning a drawing of the little church we visited on our January picnic.

I am so grateful for his encouragement! It feels good to go "back to the drawing board".

{ I drew this one for Tim our first Christmas, Bryan Hall, WSU}

{ Thankful Anyway }

It's so easy to be thankful because.

But is it easy to be thankful

Anyway?

I've been asking my heart this question.

When we are down to one vehicle.
When rain is on windows and sun would be nice.

Am I thankful anyway?

When friends hurt and I hurt with them.
When someone has what I want + I don't understand.

When friends move away.
Dirty dishes pile.
Dust gathers.
Dead leaves fall on swept floors.

Am I thankful anyway?

Phone is silent.
Doorbell doesn't ring.
Projects wait for free-time.
My pillow grows cold during night feedings.



Do I tune my heart to thankfulness.

When dirty diapers mean
I am a mommy.
When piled dishes mean
I have a family.
When dark, rainy days mean
spring will be green.
When projects waiting mean
I'm taking time to see him growing.

Rejoicing always.
Giving thanks in everything.

Am I thankful anyway?

{ Snow Day }

March came in like a lion... A roaring lion.

















Enjoying the beautiful snow!
















My wonderful husband battling the elements












Our car is under there somewhere












Snow Bunnies













Pulling snow off of our roof


Happy March 1st