I Mean, Seriously

Yes, it's the next day.  Yes, I'm still documenting a boy in a tutu.  

Yes, I'm still giggling about it.  

And...yes, that's the same shirt he was wearing yesterday.  Well?  It was only mildly soiled.

My life is a laundry pile, you have to cut me some slack.  

I Am Sorry Tristan...

That I have to document all the things you might regret later.  Heh!

And yet, I have to admit...I'm not really that sorry...

  

After all, this is what it is to have naive fun when you're 2!  

You love the attention from your sisters, and they love you beyond reason!

Happy Birthday Gracie!

Yesterday you turned 5.  I couldn't be more proud of you.  I couldn't be more blessed by you!  My baby, my firstborn, we love you so much!!  

PS.  Is that loose tooth ever going to come out?!

Old Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA

Isn't their enthusiasm remarkable?

I mean, who wouldn't be energetic after a long and restful night like this?

Ah, well, nothing a little face-painting can't cure.

And then of course, there's George:

Sophie really was enjoying this, she just takes her responsibilities very seriously.... 

And then I proceeded to douse the kids in hand sanitizer.  

But we don't need to talk about that.

The End

A Single Step

A journey of a thousand miles

Earthbound Farms, Carmel Valley, CA

begins with a single step.

Earthbound Farms, Carmel Valley, CA

Jeff and I just need to take a single step, not complete the journey in one day or one thought or one action.  All God's asking for is a single step...

Since walking closer with Jesus, I've kept one ear closed.  Very scared I might hear Him calling my name.  Very  wary that He might like ask me to actually, like, you know, do something to further His kingdom.  

What exactly is He asking Jeff and me for?  When exactly is He asking it to be done?  If you know, please tell me.  But for now, I'm doing my best to be obedient.  To not be relaxed in my comfy American life.  And to be still.  To draw near, so that I'll be ready when that first step is made clear.

Bittersweet

I feel "five" coming fast.  

And while I look upon this changing creature with awe and slight panic, I greatly respect and adore the little person she's becoming.

She's not a baby anymore. It makes my heart do funny, wistful somersaults.  But her path is just sheer beauty unfolding in front of me.  Even the mess-ups and the mix-ups.  It's all beautiful.  It's an honor to be a part of it, a blessing to help guide her.

Innocence is Beautiful

So.... I don't let my daughter watch PG movies.  (And some G movies too!)  I don't like movies with sexy princesses and teenage romance as the central theme.  I don't like adult humor infused into children's movies.  I don't like the use of the word "fat", "stupid" or "idiot" in children's movies. I don't like movies where the characters are disrespectful to their parents and mean to their friends. Call me crazy.

Grace doesn't yet understand what a "boyfriend" is.   Call me overbearing.

She doesn't yet have an attitude.  She wouldn't even know the first thing about putting her hands on her hips and rolling her eyes.   

I take one look at her, see her thriving, see her so in love with God, and I think--am I missing something here?

For heaven's sake, let them be little!  I guess you can call me conservative if you must, but I'm really not.

There will be plenty of time for all the concerns of a young woman later.

But for now, she can just be whoever she wants.  She can be a precious little girl who found out on her own that she likes dresses and snails and climbing trees (while wearing dresses!) and her rock collection and fuzzy black spiders and flowers and tea party gloves, without a TV commercial telling her so!  Imagine that!  

Anyway, right now, she's too busy building a relationship with the first man in her life, Jesus.  The one who will never leave her, never change on her, never fail her and never stop loving her.  

Oh, and yeah, you can call me a Jesus-freak any time!  Thanks for the compliment!