I will most gladly

Three

2011-12-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

Zinnia Naomi and Esther Gwynne,

Happy Third Birthday! I treasure the miracle of your lives, you are an abundant gift. Zinnia Naomi, I love your loud voice, your giggles and huge smiles, your questions, your vocabulary, your spunk (you're totally twin A), and your heart. Esther Gwynne, I love your singing and dancing, your sweet little voice, your hugs, and your gentle love. You are perfect blessings, and I love you.

Love, Mommy

Delicate Magnificence

2011-11-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

The fog lifted revealing trees thick with beauty. Branches bare, dipped in frost.

Branches clothed in ice. A magnificent canvas.

I am moved to worship my Creator, in awe of the delicate strokes of His mighty hand.

    O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
    You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
        you discern my thoughts from afar.
    You search out my path and my lying down
        and are acquainted with all my ways.
    Even before a word is on my tongue,
        behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
    You hem me in, behind and before,
        and lay your hand upon me.
    Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
        it is high; I cannot attain it.
    Where shall I go from your Spirit?
        Or where shall I flee from your presence?
    If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
        If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
    If I take the wings of the morning
        and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
    even there your hand shall lead me,
        and your right hand shall hold me.
    If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
        and the light about me be night,”
    even the darkness is not dark to you;
        the night is bright as the day,
        for darkness is as light with you.
    For you formed my inward parts;
        you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
    I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
        my soul knows it very well.
    My frame was not hidden from you,
    when I was being made in secret,
        intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
    Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
    in your book were written, every one of them,
        the days that were formed for me,
        when as yet there was none of them.
    How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
        How vast is the sum of them!
    If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
        I awake, and I am still with you.
(Psalm 139:1-18 ESV)

Breathtaking

2011-05-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Psalm 19:1

The Patio

2011-05-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

It's funny about my house, I think I like the outside better. When you back to an open space and get to enjoy sunset views like this, how could you ever want to stay inside?!

Feel free to stop by anytime...I wish I had a better camera to do the views justice! Yes, the train comes by and it's cool...the whistle doesn't blow, just the cars rumble by. They are mostly freight cars, but we've seen a few passenger trains and once we even saw tanks and other military vehicles. The kids are full of reverence for the tracks. Zinnia often will run in the house and in a sweet, gentle voice, quite matter-of-factly state, "Mommy, Thomas scare me." She doesn't really cry, mostly just announces it

One fun feature of our backyard is a great patio and tonight we spent a fun family night on the patio. We ate dinner and then used our fire pit for the first time. For it's inaugural fire, we made s'mores. Anthony even taught us how to melt the chocolate on the side of the fire pit. It was fun and I felt like a grown up...you know, grown ups do things like roast marshmallows with their kids. Woah!

Rourke has lost 3 teeth. Actually he's lost two in the traditional method and the other was given a head start by a rope he tied across the swing set. His tearful account was, "We were swinging and Mommy, Frannie said something funny and I laughed and my tooth got stuck on the rope!". We took him to the dentist and x-rays showed it was going to come out soon anyway..thankfully, no broken teeth...yet. Rourke's currently into space shuttles and night crawlers. We watched the launch a couple weeks ago and he picked out 8 books about space shuttles from the library. He's also planning for his future. He said that on Mondays he will fly space shuttles, on Tuesdays he will be a train conductor, on Wednesdays he will fly jets, and the rest of the time he will be a geologist. We learned about rocks a few weeks ago in school and he's been investigating rocks ever since. He said he might be a good fisherman someday because now he knows how to hunt night crawlers because his Uncle Casey came over for some man time and they dug in the dirt and found some huge ones. They are still in the fridge if anyone needs some fishing bait!

Lydia is such a sweet girl. Look at the way she's holding that s'more. Pinkies raised and everything. She loves anything pretty, fancy, and shimmery. Dresses are her preferred attire. Lydia has a beautiful heart and is our most spiritually sensitive child. She is keen to the heart of Christ and very compassionate and kind. She loves to help, which is an amazing gift to me. When we named each of our children, we did so with a prayer request and character quality in mind. Lydia in the Bible is an amazing woman who was eager to help others and I am often stunned how accurately my Lydia is named and am thankful that He is building in her the character we've requested. Last week she was sitting with me at the table before breakfast and said, "Mommy, I had a wonderful dream last night. Rourke and Frannie, and I got to spend the whole summer with Jesus and it was so fun." She gave me a little giggle and then said, "It was such a nice dream."

I LOVE this picture. This is such an accurate representation of Francesca.. She is just digging in, determined, and really happy to be eating her s'more. Frannie doesn't really like to eat. She never has, even as an infant I had to work so hard to get her to nurse or take a bottle. We went through a zillion brands of bottles and she would just sort of move the nipple around in her mouth like she was annoyed. However, the girl likes her dessert. We had ice cream at a birthday party last weekend and her container was nearly licked clean! This sweet girl is fiery and wears her honest heart on her sleeve...whether she's upset or full of love. Recently it's been a sweet, tender heart. God has really grown my Frannie Beth. She has grown in patience and affection for Zinnia & Esther and for others in general. Some of the things I've been hearing from her are, "Sweetie, you're okay." or "Come here, Esther, I can help you with your shoes." My favorite part of this is her reaction when I tell her how blessed I am to see her showing such love and that Jesus is pleased with her heart for others. She crinkles up her nose, shrugs up her shoulders and offers a sweet two syllable giggle, "tee, hee." She is a delight, a joy, and brings so much life to our family.

Zinnia is hil-ar-i-ous. She thinks she is funniest girl alive...she might be! I was in her room last week in Sunday school. There is a large mirror on the wall. She was pacing back & forth in front of the mirror, waving to herself, giggling, shrugging up her shoulders. Then she walked right up to it and started making faces and laughing out loud at the hilarity coming back to her. She does this thing where she leans forward and just belts out a loud laugh, it's 3 big, "HA, HA, HAs!" in a too deep for a two year old girl voice. After her performance laugh she sorta chuckles, if a chuckle could talk, Zinnia's would say, "yeah, that was awesome." If she doesn't get a reaction from us she tries again. What a turkey! As someone else in the Sunday school room commented, "Well, you better sign her up for drama, it seems like she's a natural." Either that or stand up. Oh, and Zinnia LOVES her daddy.

Esther loves to eat. She eats and eats and eats. She enjoys her food...she likes to feel it, to see what it sounds like, to see what happens when you splash it, to see how it works as shampoo, and she can eat as much as her older siblings. Esther's affections for mommy are fierce. She often just wants to be held and she makes it clear when she's not ready to be done. Often I'll sit with her and have my arms tucked around her frame. If I move my arm down to my side, even for a second, she picks up my hand and draws my arm back across her belly. Very sweet.

Tonight was a fun night. It was relaxed and refreshing. We just enjoyed each other. I'm looking forward to enjoying many more nights like this, together, on the patio.

Did I mention she loves her daddy?

Ant Rourke, Ant Lydia, Ant Francesca

2011-01-21T14:55:00.000-08:00

Next week in school we are learning about I-i-insects and will be observing ants. Our ants came yesterday, so we set up our ant hill and dumped them in our habitat.

Pretty much ever since then the kids have been staring at the ant hill. I don't really like bugs and ants creep me out, but they are fascinating. I was amazed at how delicate their bodies are yet how strong they are, that the sections of their bodies connect through sections that are so small they are difficult to see.

This morning they started to tunnel and I was trying to tell the kids how much work it is for the ants, that those ants are carrying pieces of sand nearly as big as them.

This was their application.

After they used their mandibles to toss all of the pillows and couch cushions down the stairs they brought them all back up and put them away, then they asked if it was rest time because they were tired from being hard working ants.

The dailyness is a gift

2011-01-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

Anthony dresses Zinnia & Esther many mornings, but the mornings I get to do it are a treasure, one of my favorite things to do.

After I get one dressed, I pick her up. Give her a kiss and a hug. She is still small. She cradles my hip and holds on tight.

As I carry her out of their room, down the hall and into the sunshiney living room, I am happy and so is she. She is clutched to my side, smiling, peaceful, and at rest.

We get into the kitchen and I strap her into her seat and she eats. And then I get go back and do it again.

I plan to carry them to breakfast as long as I can because the dailyness of this task is such a gift.

That's where they all went??!!

2010-12-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

Today I walked into Zinnia & Esther's room and saw something a little strange...do you see it?

I thought, "What the...", so I went in for a closer look:

Umm, is that a pacifier hanging out of the curtain?!

How did it get there?

Are there more?

We have owned exactly 893 pacifiers and as of this morning I knew the location of a total of 4. With this discovery, we now have 7. The location of the other 886 are probably King Soopers, the Council Tree Library, the street, Wal-Mart, and partying it up with all the missing socks.

Are you missing pacifiers? Next time, look in the curtain, I mean that's where I always look!

For now, Esther is happy to have her pacifiers back and I'm going to have to work on my sewing skills!

A walk, ride, scoot, and the ABCs

2010-04-09T18:22:00.001-07:00

Tonight we went for a walk after dinner. I LOVE taking walks after dinner, it is my favorite time to go for a stroll. There is something peaceful, relaxing, and unifying about sharing a meal and then a little exercise.

For Christmas Frannie & Lydia got bikes. Aunt Lexi and Uncle Booie also got Frannie the perfect gift, a pink scooter! Just a few weeks ago Anthony took them each on a one-on-one date to get helmets.

The weather is finally getting warmer, so with Rourke and Lydia on their bikes and Frannie on her all to perfect scooter, the babies in our stroller, and Anthony as the bike steerer and boost provider we took a walk through our incredibly hilly neighborhood.

I've been teaching Rourke perseverance by making him ride his bike up and down the hills while I push the girls in our quad stroller. His reward for not fussing is getting to push the garage door opener button when we get home. His sisters are missing out on the treat more and more because I'm pretty sure with all of this bike riding, Rourke may be able to squat 500lbs! He is certainly getting better and growing in perseverance.

Lydia has been a natural at riding a bike. It started with a vintage red tricycle and she would ride around for hours. Her frame was so adorable as she rode. Her back would be straight up and she held firmly to the handlebars. As she petaled her tush would wiggle back and forth with her motion of her legs. The expression on her face was delight. She has eyes that smile and they, along with her cheeks, lips and teeth would be exuding joy. I miss that wiggle on the tricycle, but the smile is the same as she rides her bike. This is a picture from the day she got her helmet. She had NO problems pedaling!

When Bill & Lex drew Frannie's name for a Christmas gift exchange they called to ask what she would like. It was a hard question for me to answer because she really is unique in her interests. She is happy to join in on whatever thing her brother or sister is doing and she really enjoys it, but there isn't much that I could define as something that she just loves. I think that is because we are learning that Frannie's interests are much more abstract than the other kids'. She is incredibly compassionate and has a very tender heart. The things that bring her joy involve the enjoyment of someone else's interests. So, I told them that she might appreciate something that is different than what her brother & sisters have. They saw the scooter in the store and knew...that was perfect for Francesca Elizabeth. It's a sweet, little, spunky thing, just like her! She does really well on it and is barely tall enough to see over the handle bars. Here's a little video (sorry, it might make you sick...I'm not good at video and pushing a stroller...).

Esther and Zinnia are movers. Zinnia's walk is just about as adorable as her craw. When Zinnia first learned to crawl, she did this speed butterfly stroke thing. Quickly swinging her little arms around, grasping for the floor ahead of her. She would hold her head up, looking straight ahead and her body would remain fairly still, quietly following her arms as she would pound them down on the floor to drag herself along. When she began to use her legs to crawl, she sort of gracefully, pranced. Her motions were very up and down and quick, like she was crawling on hot coals, not wanting to let her hands or knees touch the ground for very long. Now that she is beginning to walk, she still has this little springy prance. Zinnia is really vocal and says: Hi, Bye, More, Please, Mom, Here, Moo, and she tries to say many other words. Whenever she sees Anthony, she squeals, saying, "eeeeee." She loves lights and consistently calls them, "hhhhaaaaaa" and to cuddle. She even sighs and delighted hum when you give her a hug.

Esther is still as sweet as ever. At this point, she is into throwing food off her tray, smiling, not taking naps, screeching, throwing her pacifier out of her crib, and running away from Lydia's overwhelming bodyslams...err hugs. She loves to splash in the bath (while Zinnia screams in sheer terror), swing, and just wander around. Her favorite place is still standing at the front door looking out the window on the screen door. She is a really observant baby. When she first learned to stand up against things, she would turn around and watch the craziness around her. She's been walking for at least a full month and was balanced from her first steps.

This evenings walk was a gift and a great way to kick off the weekend.

P.S.
When we got home I watered the flowers the kids and I planted last fall. Hyacinths are my FAVORITE, they smell so good and are beautiful! Springtime flowers bring joy to my soul, they are such a gift from my Creator who knows that my heart rejoices in the beauty of springtime after a cold, colorless winter.

The kids picked up some sidewalk chalk as I watered. This is what Rourke did:

A through I

J (it's backwards) through T

Q through Z

Yep, folks. This is the first time he's written the entire alphabet. It was totally unprompted. I knew he knows how to write each letter, but I've never asked him to write the ABCs as a whole.

I was most impressed with his placement of the letter M. He is a SMART little guy!

K, L, M N, O

Second This Post

2009-12-06T15:32:00.000-08:00

My sister just updated her blog and I wanted to second her post. Please pray for this family and if you can, consider helping this family by joining us for spaghetti or making a financial contribution.

Junior is my nephew Connor's cousin. Robin and I were in my brother and his wife, Alexis' wedding with Junior's mom, Marie. They are like family to us and we love them!

http://eggers-neveradullmoment.blogspot.com/2009/12/junior.html

Finally an UPdate!

2009-11-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know I am a lame blogger...I just don't keep up. Really it's because I'm working through my perfectionism. Seriously, I don't do it because I can't put the text and the pictures in the arrangement I want. Do I sound much like a whiny little kid? I think so...maybe it's time for some personal growth!

Rourke is HUGE! Really, he is a big dude. He is learning to ride his bike and is a gentle, loving big brother. He's a big help to me and I am so blessed by the way he really loves his sisters! Amazingly, you can't take the boy out of him. He has a good buddy, Jay, and every time they get together they immediately pull out the noodles and just wale on each other!

Lydia is all girl! She loves shoes, princess dresses, shoes, crowns, jewelery, and shoes. She is so sweet. She is a good little mommy too. Lydia is so nurturning toward her baby doll, she coos at her, tucks her into bed, comforts baby when she is sad, it's really cute. She also loves to play with Zinnia & Esther.

Francesca "Funny Face" keeps us on our toes. She is so silly, has the cutest little voice, and is a joy! She isn't really into anything particular except swinging. She could swing the entire day and the smile on her face is priceless, you can see that she is really enjoying herself. She is a pretty good playmate for both Rourke & Lydia as she happily jumps in on what they are doing.

Zinnia is hilarious! She loves to dance and has this speed crawl. For a long time she just dragged herself around like a butterfly stroke in the pool. She may very well be a fast swimmer! Now she does this half gallop where her body stays still, but her arms and legs are moving at the speed of light. She HATES getting her nose cleaned...which is a problem because it's always full. We are in love with her blonde hair & blue eyes, she is a charmer for sure!

Esther is well, sweet. She has a precious smile combined with her dark hair & big blue eyes she just melts you! She too likes to dance and is a fan of making noises & screaches. She was quick to learn a few signs and waves her whole body when she tells us, "all done." Today she copied me when I said, "uh oh." It was cute to hear her "talk." She is a good eater, really, really loves momma, and doesn't like to sleep. Both Esther & Zinnia are still pretty small, so it's fun to have babies that are still cradle & snuggle size!

Anthony is a gift to all of us. His love for Jesus propels our family toward things that are good, right & healthy. He is truly my best friend and my mate. He loves, encourages, & cares for me with intention and in all of the ways I need him. Just last week he surprised me with a candlelight dinner, complete with delicious wine, chocolate cake, and dancing. Our kids ADORE their dad. Zinnia especially is a little daddy's girl. He is an example of strength and integrity toward our son. He is a charming prince for our daughters and Lydia is so proud to tell everyone that she is daddy's princess. He is a really awesome horse and lion. He is a hard worker and provides for our family with integrity and God has blessed him in his job where he is respected and continues to succeed.

Over the last year he has spent many hours coaching (sort of a discipleship/mentorship relationship) other discipleship team leaders in our church and it has been a joy for him to spend time praying for and seeing these men grow as they together are striving to learn more about what it means to trust & follow Christ, love their wives & be dads that are winning the hearts of their kids. It has been mutually encouraging for him to build these relationships with men from our church who love Jesus! I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my husband!

I have heard this analogy that there is a season in life as a mother when you are in a submarine. Where from the surface it doesn't look like much is going on, but really, deep under the water there is an intense amount of activity. I am tempted to sit here and write about all the great parts of my life (and there are many), but that's just not completely honest. Daily life for me is not always easy and not always fun. I often find myself struggling to control the fit welling up within me and just striving to make the next right choice...because it is hard...of course it is, God has given me, along with Anthony, the privilege of shepherding 5 precious souls and they are young and needy.

I am learning what is actually restful for me, how to ask for help when I need it, and that for a season, life in a submarine is a good, right thing. I am learning that I can still absolutely love my friends if I don't get to really connect with them for weeks at a time. I am learning that a washcloth, awkwardly folded in the linen closet, is a gift from a 3 year old girl who wants to help. I am learning that I don't need to make every meal from scratch. I am learning that I love to teach my children, doing their little preschool lessons a few times a week is fun! I am learning to seek Jesus throughout my day. I am learning to forgo the household tasks and read a book, I've read 5 since the 4th of July & it has been so much fun! I am learning to scrape away and peel off protective fig leaves of pride and comparison and allow Christ to be my only...to give him the glory for his working in my life rather than cling to my own self-sufficiency and good ideas. I'm learning to fight against Satan's ploys to steal & destroy my view of who God is and what He says about me (and you too!). I'm learning that "having it all together" is lame and just puts so much pressure on me to perform and sometimes I fall apart and that's okay as long as I am falling into the ever open arms of Jesus.

I do love Jesus and have been recently refreshed in the amazing way he was fully man, able to sympathize with my weaknesses in every way; and amazed that he is also fully God, able to draw me to his throne of grace and mercy! I am not alone and when it is hard, that's okay because Jesus promises to help me! (Hebrews 4:15-16) I am thankful that Jesus laid down his life for my sins and there are no righteous, good, noble works I could ever do to earn that freedom from sin. It is such a relief to know that I don't have to worry about anyone's opinion of me, I don't have to live up any one else's standards for my life because the only measurement of my life that matters was already calculated at the cross. Thank you, Jesus for meeting all of my needs!

Here's a bunch of photos...8 months of photos. Enjoy them!! I did put captions on a lot of them, so it's sort of like blogging...right? Let me know if you want any of these and I'll send them to you in a higher quality file.

March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009

So fun

2009-07-26T20:36:00.001-07:00

Just a fun photo of our oldest girls. I love Frannie's face, she is having a great time!

He created them male and femaie

2009-03-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

Today I witnessed a clear expression of the inborn role of a man. I had the opportunity to introduce our kids to my favorite childhood game, Candyland. Oh how I wanted to be the princess! It was a pretty fair success teaching a 4 year old and two 2-year-olds how to play. What was most impressive was how Rourke took it a step further.

Rourke was having fun drawing the cards, so I left him to moving his gingerbread guy (the green one, of course) and took Frannie & Lydia upstairs for their nap. When I returned, Rourke had turned a truck on it's side as a fort, placed it on the game board between the evil Lord Licorice and the sassy Lolly and the beautiful Princess Frostline. Two of the gingerbread men were standing standing on the tires of the truck and the other two he was walking around the truck.

When I asked him what he was doing, he said, "These guys (the gingerbread pieces) are keeping these girls safe from the bad guy."

WHAT?!! This is play he has never encountered, he really came up with it on his own. We don't really have any movies with such a story line, no books I've read to him, Rourke doesn't have any GI Joes or army guys of any sort...something in him just knew the girls needed protection from the bad guy.

After he was satisfied that the lovely ladies would be okay, he turned the board game into a ramp, turning one of the gingerbread men into a stunt driver, saying, " "look at this trick, mommy."

Somehow I don't think any of our daughters will come up with that sort of storyline.

I am encouraged that my son has an understanding that part of his role as a man will be to lovingly protect the women in his life.

A few other cute things heard in the Alvarado home in recent weeks:

Frannie, "Mommy, I really like this "taught-toe-late hot" (say it out loud with the emphasis on the t sounds and you'll get Frannie's version of Hot Chocolate).

I made grilled cheese for the kids for lunch and told the kids we were going to have grilled cheese. Lydia asked, "Mommy, are you going to make boy cheese for Rourke?"

Rourke's rundown of Zinnia & Esther's doctor appointment, "Yeah, Zinnia got shot today at the doctor and is throwing a fit about it."

Frannie: "I need some stapstick please!" (chapstick)

Lydia is so sweet and always complimenting me, "Mommy, I like your hair that way. It is soooo cute."

Rourke on his jammies, "Yeah, sometimes they get outside inside."

Pictures!

2009-02-16T20:46:00.000-08:00

Here are some new pictures and videos to enjoy!

January 2009

February 2009

2009 Videos

Faithfully Courageous

2009-02-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

***I intended to post this on Thursday,February 5th, but the internet was down and I'm just getting back to it...either way, I am so proud of my 4 year old son!***

Me, "Rourke, remember when you're 4, no more blankie." Rourke, "Yep, because I'll be bigger." Anthony, "Should we put it in the fireplace?" Rourke, "No, how about if we give it to someone else." Teary eyed me, "Rourke, that is so sweet! That would definitely honor God."

Today is Rourke's 4th birthday! Happy Birthday to my sweet little man. 4?! Seriously? I'm sure I will be even more shocked by how quickly the time flies by when he's 14 or 40.

Since now he is big and 4, some of the things Rourke thinks 4 year olds do are drive, take mommy on a date and pay, not use a blankie anymore, & give up thumb sucking. I'm looking forward to those dates!

Rourke has a good head on his shoulders as evidenced by another recent conversation:

Grandpa, "Rourke, what are you going to be when you grow up?" Rourke, "I want to be a daddy just like my daddy."

We continue to pray Rourke Jonathan's name, that he will grow to be a faithfully courageous man!

Pictures!

2009-01-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to share some photos, just click on the picture & enjoy!

December

Laugh at the days to come!

2008-12-22T20:56:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 31: 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

Today was my first experience taking care of all 5 children at the same time. It was perfectly planned, should have been a smooth hour.

Anthony and his mom, Sherry, were taking a trip to the grocery store. We had to start defrosting a turkey for Christmas dinner, so tonight was the night. Rourke, Lydia & Francesca were in bed for about an hour and should have fallen asleep by the time they left.

Zinnia & Esther were due to eat...in fact, right before Anthony & Sherry left, Anthony informed me that if I didn't hurry up, "Esther is going to eat Zinnia's face off." Twins are so used to being really close to each other, it is comforting for them to sleep right next to each other. If you've never seen it, you should really come by and take a look, it is incredibly precious! However, there are some hazards like getting your face eaten off by a hungry, rooting sister!

So, I averted the crises, Zinnia indeed still has her face, and began to feed the babies. Shortly after I sat down, I saw a shadow outside the door. Someone was not in their bed fast asleep. It was not Anthony & Sherry, the garage door had closed and not reopened, Lydia & Frannie's door never opened, it had to be big brother, Rourke. Apparently his blanket had gotten twisted up and the little guy needed some help to get covered up.

Zinnia & Esther had just begun to eat, so getting up was not an option. I asked Rourke to stay with me. Also, just moments before I had called my mom and was chatting with her. Phone went to speaker so Rourke could say "hi" to Manga (Frannie's version of Grandma when she was first learning to talk and it stuck with my mom) while my mom & I finished our conversation.

Ladies & Gentleman, I was feeling good, what a great multi-tasker I am!

Rourke, Lydia & Francesca are over all doing great with Zinnia & Esther's arrival home. However, they are young children and some reaction is to be expected. Lydia's reaction has been delaying sleep for water, a Kleenex, unsnapping her zipper cover on her footie pjs, asking for her baby that is right next to her head, etc. We have been trying to give her grace and meet her needs tenderly, but firmly explaining that she needs to just get to sleep, her water is right there and she already has 30 Kleenexes in her bed.

Well, tonight she began to cry again, just after I was feeling so great about multi-tasking, I decided I could not multi-task this one, so I thought, "She's fine, she'll just have to cry until I can get up."

Well, she cried for about 15 minutes, I began to suspect that something may really be wrong and I was at a good stopping point with Zinnia & Esther. Rourke was happily talking to my dad at this point.

I went into Lydia & Frannie's room to discover one very distraught little girl. Whose face was covered in blood! Well, my puffed up pride was soon shrunk down a bit, this little girl had the worst bloody nose I have seen. Her hands, face, pjs and pillow were covered.

I did not know if the culprit was a finger or a bonk from her headboard shelf, so I quickly turned on the light to discover indeed a finger up the nose was to blame.

Rourke had run in at this point and was quite concerned for Lydia. Frannie was woken up by my light flicking and I was feeling quite bad for ignoring Lydia's cries for so long.

Okay, now I had 5 awake children in my sole care! I knew Zinnia & Esther wouldn't last long, so I had to be quick. Lydia was melting down and the babies were beginning to make the case that they were still hungry.

I calmed Lydia as much as I could and began to wash her hands...a full scale bath would have been most appropriate, but there was no time for that. Certainly not at 8:30 at night with 4 other children! So, a sponge bath would have to do. As I began to make progress at Lydia's hands, Zinnia & Esther began to make progress at convincing me that they were hungry. Rourke & Frannie were practically crawling into the crib they were so concerned about this unmet need.

A wise mom who too has a large sum of little ones told me once that when I get overwhelmed, to first meet the needs of the youngest and work your way up. Praise God for this advice!!

So, a half cleaned up, mostly still bloody Lydia, Rourke & Francesca got to watch a movie at nearly 9pm! I sat down to finish feeding Zinnia & Esther while the other three enjoyed their Steve Green. The babies ate like champs and I got them settled and laid down for bed (or for a few hours anyway). I also had a chance to call my mom back to tell her it was just a bloody nose that I quickly hung up Rourke's conversation with my dad. Nothing to worry about.

Now, I cleaned up Lydia and just as I was finishing, Anthony & Sherry arrived. Sherry took Rourke to bed and Frannie & Lydia camped out on Frannie's bed while Lydia's stained sheets were removed from the bed and clean ones put back on. Anthony finished tucking in the girls and all was well...even my soul!

This situation to a sleepy new mommy would send most of us into an emotional disaster. However, it was different tonight. I was calm, even giggling about the circumstances. Here I am, my first hour "on my own" and Murphy's law was really clear! God gave me an incredible amount of grace and peace.

At other times, this moment would have been a catalyst for anger or fear of "how am I going to do this?" But tonight, it just wasn't so. I was really peaceful. God met me right where I was at, He gave me the reminder of wise counsel, and He filled my heart and mind with peace to cope. I was smiling and laughing completely at a place of peace!

So many people have flat out asked and many more alluded to the question of, "how are you going to do it?" I pray that I will do it just like tonight, reliant on God's grace to give me peace and wisdom for the day (hour or minute) ahead! Please join me in praying that God would meet me in this way again as I learn to be a mommy to 5 young children, pray this verse for my life...

Proverbs 31: 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

Outstanding Among Ten Thousand

2008-12-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

My lover is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand. Song of Solomon 5:10

Anthony is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand! He is an incredible man, a Godly, loving husband, and a father who loves his children fiercely.

I have been overwhelmed this morning as I have considered the faithfulness from the life of Anthony.

Firstly, my husband loves the Lord. He desires more than anything to be like the Jesus, to love like Jesus, and to honor and glorify God. Anthony seeks to understand the Word of God with diligence and passion. He desires wholehearted understanding of the Bible and is continually assured that the Bible is the truth through his faithful study and fearless pursuit of answers to questions that are hard. Anthony never gives up seeking to understand what the Bible really says about life, trials, and living as a redeemed man because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice. I love that my husband has wrestled to understand what the Bible really says and has always come to a clear understanding and full peace that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I love that he is eager to share this passion with anyone who wants to hear. I love that Anthony passes on the wisdom and truth that he so faithfully seeks to our family.

I love that my husband is strong for us and for others. That he protects us from my own do it all drive. There is no earthly place more secure than that in arms and faith of my husband. He covers our family in prayer, I love that he blankets us with leadership that is inspired by God. I love that Anthony is humble and tender to his sin. He admits fault and confesses shortcomings without blame or pride.

I love the way Anthony loves. The way he loves me, the way he loves our children, the way he loves our family & friends, his tender compassion for those who are hurting. Ephesians 5:25-30 says:

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.

This may seem strange and can be difficult to understand. But as I study this passage more and see my husband loving me as Christ loved the church, I see the beauty in Anthony's love for me. That like Jesus, he sacrifices much for me. He reminds me of the Word, gently washing me with truth when I am emotional or fearful or in sin. He delights in my splendor (even though I can be plagued with selfishness and irrational expectations). He overlooks all of my shortcomings, seeing no spot or wrinkle or any such thing (like a GIANT belly!), calling me perfect and without blemish...both in my appearance and character. I know I am not perfect and every woman has inward and outward blemishes they stive to cover up or heal, but my husband consistently overlooks all of that, loving me as his himself. He nurtures me, he protects me, he treasures me, and serves me in our home and with our children, he cherishes me because I am his wife.

Over the last couple of months as I have grown in size and fatigue, Anthony has tirelessly and never once complained while he has managed not only his full time job, but has taken care of our home, done piles of laundry, cooked dinners, given himself fully to our children...they delight in their daddy! He has mastered the fireplace, keeping our home delightfully warm. He has shown unwavering love and patience as his wife has grown weary from daily life and has turned into a sleepy pumpkin by 8pm most nights. He never complains, never grumbles, just kisses my cheek saying, "sweetie, let's go to bed."

Likewise,husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
1 Peter 3:7

Anthony has lived with me in such an understanding way. Showing me honor, protecting me with his strength and love as I have literally become the weaker vessel. If you are not familiar with this passage, the phrase "weaker vessel" is actually linguistically rooted in a description of the finest china, treasured and well cared for. Anthony has treated me with such treasure and care, as something priceless and worthy of special care and attention. I delight in falling under the arms of his honor as my husband. I am tremendously thankful that God has graced me with a husband who does this without bullying, demeaning, demanding from me. That I can be real with who I am and who God has made me to be in the protection of a husband who cares for me with such tenderness. I will confess, I like to think I can do it all on my own, but I can't. I need a strong man, and I treasure the gift of the man God has given me. He is truly Outstanding Among Ten Thousand.

Thankful

2008-09-12T13:12:00.001-07:00

This morning was one of those moments where you are just overwhelmed with gratitude, overcome with emotion.

I woke up with a sore throat, a stuffy nose, and head ache. It was raining and gloomy, I really just wanted to stay in bed.

I went downstairs to our "quiet time" place. Anthony had warmed up water in the tea kettle and the hot cup of chai was a refreshing way to warm up a bit. I pulled my journal and Bible and read in Isaiah, chapter 11 verses 1-9. I was so struck at how refreshing Christ is. This passage follows 10 chapters nearly completely full of description about how difficult life will be in the end times, there will be famine, injustice, evil and hatred will abound, life will be universally painful and hard, espcially for the people of Isreal and the Jewish nation.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

It is completely crazy to understand that justice COMPLETELY belongs to God. That God is GOD, not one of many, but the one true GOD. God is fair, no one will ever be able to say, "that wasn't fair." He is righteous and faithful. He will bring peace, unimaginable peace...wolves dwelling with lambs, a baby playing over a cobra's hole, without fear of danger. All will be "full of the knowledge of the LORD." There will be no disputes or wondering, it will be clear.

It kind of makes you stand back and go, "woah." God is BIG and I am so small.

As I continued with my time, I read the following verses in Psalm 56: 8-13

You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

How striking, that God can be so powerful to completely redeem the injustice and terror in this world, and at the same time be so intimately connected with my life. God knows each of my tossings, knows my tears, knows about when I have been hurt. GOD IS FOR ME! God has delivered my soul from death and kept my feet from falling. I deserve to be one of those struck down His rod of justice because I, like every human, have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But Jesus Christ offers forgiveness once and for ALL sins to any who seek Him for it. He promise to never (NO, NOT, NEVER) leave or forsake those who have trusted Him for that salvation. He has surely kept my feet from falling and delivered my soul from death.

I was feeling so thankful!

As I got the kids up and made them breakfast, I put on a CD a friend made as a testimony to a time she was struggling to believe that God had good for her life as she longed to hold a baby in her arms while struggling through months of unsuccessful fertility treatments. I was just overwhelmed with gratitude for her life and for the 2 children she now has. How God knew each of her tossings and will not forget one of her tears. I looked at my children eating their peaches and honey combs, seeing them dance a bit to the music and was just overcome. I tearily changed their diapers and got them dressed, amazed at the opportunity to be the mom of Rourke, Lydia & Francesca. I was overwhelmed with thankfulness for God's faithfulness, for Christ's sacrifice, and for the redemption given freely to me though Jesus Christ. I was so joyful!

The kids were having fun, singing along with the music (as best as they could, mostly "la's" and "oh's"). They were dancing, they were joyful and thankful too. Not that they could describe why, probably because Mommy wasn't a grump..I tend to not be the most chipper woman in the morning.

So, here is the rendering of my morning, a thank offering to the One True GOD!

The last night, scattered emotions and thoughts

2008-08-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

So much has happened over the last 3 months. The news of another set of twins, we took a vacation to my family's mountain cabin, the emotional ups and down of deciding to move or not, a rental agreement...fallen through, a real estate deal...closed, and now it is all slowing down. Tonight is the last night the kids will sleep at our townhouse and tomorrow will be ours.

God has over and over proven Himself faithful. We have been showered with support and help from our family and friends. Here is a portion of an email I wrote a while back describing sweet timing and reassurance from the Lord. I was feeling quite fearful of all that was happening in our lives and wondering if I would fail. I don't write to say that this is true, but when we are all being completely honest, we all have moments like these.

"I am encouraged. God has really been working on my trust of His provision for our lives, has been renewing my prayer life for my husband, and has been encouraging me as a mom.

I was really desperate for some reassurance that I/we are not going to fail at parenting all of these little ones and also some clarity from God living situation. God has been revealing little bits over the last few weeks bring a much clearer picture!

We are feeling like God may be closing the door to having someone live with us to help with the kids. God has been continually reminding me of what a wise woman shared with me about when Jesus fed the 5000, that He says to bring our loaves and fish and he will multiply them. That He says that we should do it and He will help. There has really been no interest or leads in a woman to live with us and I was feeling like I would just be all alone (I huge lie, I know!). Another woman shared with me a verse from Hebrews… “Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have for the Lord your God has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” She described to me that the never and nor are triple negatives, so God says, I will no, not never leave or forsake you! I can be quite thick so sometimes I need to hear it three times!

As I was praying over this verse the next day and just telling God that if He doesn’t provide someone to live with us to help me that it will be okay because He’ll be there. While I was praying I got a phone call that I let go to voice mail. When I checked the message it was from a gal at Summitview who had organized her whole team and a few other women to make me 2 weeks of frozen meals. She was just checking to be sure we had freezer space and no allergy issues. That was such a kind timing from God!

I have also been realizing that many of my motivations for having someone live with us revolve around clamoring for “me time” and my interests. I have recognized selfishness in the motivation, not a genuine desire for someone to help me shepherd my children. Really someone to just let me get out, go to the grocery store, run errands, be by myself. This is not a right or need and I was really feeling like I deserved these things and absolutely needed them. (Not that these things are bad, my motivations were just not right)

This weekend I got an extended quiet time and was encouraged by the following verse:

1 Chronicles 28:20:

David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished."

Another thing that played into this is that if would could find a house where Anthony could have office space, he can telecommute next year for up to 20 hours a week. That is HUGE!!!! If someone was in my home, my husband is the absolute best option. What a blessing to have him there for me and the kids. "

God says to remember and tell of His glorious deeds. All of this to me was so glorious. I have to share this intimate encounter with my Lord. It is so good to recount all that God has done, it helps me tremendously to just rest and not fear.

So, tonight is the last night. It is such a bittersweet occasion...moving. We really love this house and are sad to move. This is really the only home the children have known. Rourke was only 6 months old when we moved here. Lydia and Francesca were tiny when we brought them home.

I will miss our neighbors, my little garden, evenings on the patio under the twinkling umbrella. Walks to the park, seeing the Robinsons just across the green space and the Youngs around the corner, the quiet nearness to the foothills, my huge kitchen counter. I never thought I would be so attached to a space, but I am attached to this little house and all that has happened here. I have had many moments of joy, thankfulness, frustration, fear, laughter, love, and growth. It is a treasured time.

However, our new home will bring many more memories. God has really blessed us with an amazing house to develop our family and to shepherd our children toward His truths and glory. We are thankful. This home meets our physical needs for a long time with 4 (5 really) bedrooms, a huge finished basement, a large yard, a deck, a patio covered with a pergola, incredible views of God's creation, and newly remodeled bathrooms and kitchen. It even has a garage (wow)! We will live literally down the street and around the corner from my sister, brother-in-law, and nieces. There is even a family from our church who live 2 houses down. We have been abundantly blessed with such a wonderful house to make our home. We are excited to welcome our two new children to this home.

I feel so grown up. I mean, really grown up. One of those moments when you realize that you are an adult, it hasn't all been a dream, you won't go back to mom and dad's this weekend. It's such a strange feeling. I have 3 children, a grown up house, and 2 more kiddos on the way! There is no turning back. I am sure with each passing year I will be amazing with the lightning speed of it all, wondering...how did this happen, where did all the time go, why wasn't more thankful?

I want to be thankful. I want to remember all the things that the Lord has done and give Him the praise and honor for it all. God has been gracious to me. I am incredibly blessed to know Jesus Christ as my Savior, Redeemer, Friend, and Eternal Father. My husband loves me and is thoughful of my needs and desires. He is my best friend, he is a trustworthy, honorable man who takes great care of me and my children. He is such an amazing dad! He loves his children. They adore him. I have the pleasure of being a mom to Rourke, Lydia & Francesca. I can't wait to meet the two inside my belly. They are but little tickles now, but soon I will know their names and see them grow. By the way, we are not finding out the genders. Surprises come few and far between, this is a great way to enjoy a surpise!

I am truly amazed by the support, help, and love shown by our family and friends. People have given generously of time and finances to display their care for our family. With many meals, free childcare, items for our house, help moving, prayers, timely questions of just how are we doing and loving understanding to allow me to be honest with my emotions or feelings of the day followed by gentle reminders of the truth I am not seeing. My dad did a wonderful job with a remodel project at the new house opening up a wall between the kitchen and living room so I can see the kids.

Wow! To have such a God and such faithful, loving people around us is humbling. I am so thankful.

1 in 1000

2008-06-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

There is a 1 in 1000 chance of:

Catching a foul ball at a MLB game
Getting Encephalitis from a case of the Measles if you are not vaccinated
Finding a double yolk in your egg
Having childhood arthritis
Naming all 5 First Amendment freedoms
Winning a Canopy Management Group Prize
An asteroid will hit the earth in the next century
Encountering a malicious website
Having a second set of twins in the same family!

Guess which 1 in 1000 we are!

We are expecting our next set of blessings around Christmas time. In the mean time we are exploring a bigger house, a bigger van, and enjoying all the time we get with the three little ones we have.

The message at church this week was fitting for this news. The speaker, Mitch Majeski, encouraged us with the truth that children are gift and blessing from the Lord. Not a burden. We are looking forward to the adventure our life will hold as we welcome our new children. Here's the link if you want to listen to it.

We would appreciate your prayers for:

Healthy babies.
A full term, healthy pregnancy and easy delivery.
Wisdom for our financial decisions.
Renters for our townhouse. Do you need a great 3 bedroom with a fenced front & back yard??? Give us a call!
That God would provide for our increased living expenses and for debt repayment as we will most likely need a different mini-van and will be needing to find a larger home.
That we would appreciate and parent well during the next 6 or 7 months before the babies are born.

For now, here's a cute picture of Rourke, Lydia & Francesca. Enjoy!

Sweet Words

2008-04-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

We finally had a nice day today! Over the last few weeks it has been unpredictable and not very warm. The kids and I walked to the park with our friends, Jeanne & Ben. A coupleof weeks ago we started some seedlings. The kids had so much fun and got dirty!

The kiddos are verbal these days, but my favorite are those phrases that aren't quite right! Here's a sampling of some recently heard from the Alvarado girls:

"help-e-you": "help me"
"too-ta" or "tipa, tipa": tortilla
"sucka": Lydia's fond calling for her sister, "Francesca"
"hangaber": This has dual meaning: hamburger and booger
diapie: "diaper" but so cute. Especially when Francesca says, "mommy, change diapie"
oak or oakie: "Rourke"

Rourke is quite clear in his language and has begun to write letters...he has mastered A, H, J, R, and O!

Traditions

2008-03-20T19:02:00.001-07:00

The Alvarado Family has a steadfast tradition. It is one of great intensity and duration. Great highs and quick lows. Squeaks, cheers, and that sweet sound of a basketball flowing through the threads of the carefully braided net. That's right, folks, March Madness is a fond family tradition.

This year the kids have fully joined in with the fun! They chose their picks right along side the adults...and they have some good ones too!

Here's some video of the kid's choosing experience! They are learning how to cheer & it is delightful to hear Rourke chime in with his dad's "ohhhhs" and "nice". Lydia & Francesca have learned to wave their fist in the air while exclaiming , "go, go, go!" Isn't it fun!?

East is from the West

2008-01-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

"East To West "
Casting Crowns
(see below for full song lyrics)

Here I am Lord and I’m drowning, in Your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me, I yearn for peace and rest
I don’t want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight
I know you’ve cast my sin as far as the East is from the West
And I stand before You now as though I’ve never sinned
But today I feel like I’m just one mistake away

From You leaving me this way

Tonight I totally blew it. I yelled, slammed the microwave door & forcefully stomped on an apple jack. I felt so terrible. The kids weren't even doing anything bad...just being little children. I confessed my sin to them, asked for their forgiveness and we finished dinner & I got them ready for bed.

I have been loosing patience with them today and coming to the end of myself. A good thing, I suppose, to rely on the help of my Heavenly Father...if I let Him help. I snapped at Rourke a couple of times and was just hard on him.

Chorus:
Jesus can you show me just how far the east is from the west
‘Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
‘Cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

Tonight when I put Rourke to bed, I prayed for him as we do each night. We always ask him if he wants to pray, it usually goes something like this, " Dear God, thank you for this day and Grandpa and Grandma and Grandma Sherry and Frannie and Lydia and Daddy and Mommy and Connor and Laney (insert aunts, uncles, and friends). It is really sweet to hear him thanking God for those he loves. It is always in the same order. Tonight, though, it was different.

Tonight, he said, "Dear God, thank you for this day and mommy."

I said, "And..."

He said, "And you," pointing right at me with a big grin on his face.

I asked him, "Who else, buddy?"

He said, "Mommy, and...."

I replied, "And...?"

And he continued down his list. What a tender example to me of the distance of the east from the west. I was not patient, kind, loving, gentle, or understanding with Rourke today. Yet at the end of the day, he was purposeful (as much as a 3 year old can be) in thanking God for me. Such a gift that I definitely didn't deserve or earn from today's mothering installment.

This week has had other moments like this. I have been emotional and edgy the last few days. (I have been on my own the last 5 1/2 days because Anthony is out of town)

Three times, Frannie has come up to me, with her sweet little voice and said, "I love you, Mommy. Hug?" She really is the best hugger! She is like a koala...she holds on so tight and snuggles in close. Last Friday I was on the floor changing Lydia's diaper, Frannie came up from behind me, put her arms around my shoulders and told me she loved me. (She has a pretty good vocabulary and it is so cute to hear her talk...her voice is so tiny and sweet, and she says these big sentences. A couple of days ago Lydia smashed her finger in a bi-fold closet door. Frannie said, "It's okay Lydia, you alright." That's a 5 word sentence from a 19 month old!!!"

Lydia isn't too cuddly, but she let me hold her for almost 20 minutes yesterday. It was a joy to my heart!

What a gift & joy to be the mother of such sweet children. Children who I think teach me as much or more as I teach them.

I clearly understand that I am not a perfect mother, I do lose it sometimes. I am always learning and know it's okay to make mistakes (that's why you can't remember such young years, right?!). I am so thankful that God has allowed my children this week to encourage my heart, giving me an example of how far the East is from the West. Praise & Glory to God!

Full Lyrics:
http://www.songlyrics.com/song-lyrics/Casting_Crowns/Miscellaneous/East_To_West/264398.html

A Christmas Dance

2007-12-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

Can you guess the skilled singers in the background?? They are Rourke's favorite band!

She is her mother's daughter!

2007-12-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

DISCLAIMER: I have no favorite!

Lydia is so "her mother's daughter!" The evidence is absolutely clear...she easily slips on my shoes (cute picture, huh?), and she loves to eat, especially spicy food. She is emotional. She is delighted to help others...her most happy times are when she is helping me unload the dishwasher. She hands me a fork and says "doo, doo." She is telling me "thank you." I know she is really just anticipating what I will tell her, but I can see in her face that she really is thankful to be helping. She enjoys it!

Other proofs include: she's only cuddly during a video or at night (movies are limited, so I am sometimes tempted to let her watch more TV just so I can cuddle her!), she sleeps on her tummy, she is independent, and most convincingly, she is so clumsy!

I thought I'd include these song lyrics because they popped into my head when I began to write this blog...what a sweet song to hope for a daughter.

Martina Mcbride - In My Daughter's Eyes Lyrics
In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me
strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her hand
around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about

It's hangin' on when your heart
has had enough
It's giving more when you feel like giving up
I've seen the light
It's in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes

The First Post

2007-12-04T23:08:00.001-08:00

So boring, but I guess you just have to do it! Here is the first post...a bunch of links to pictures! Yippie! Just click on the month to be taken to our new & improved online photo album. You may download any of the pictures you want!

November, 2007
October, 2007
September, 2007
August, 2007
July, 2007
June, 2007

Eagerness & Anticipation

2007-12-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

"Turn on lights?!" is the first thing I hear in the morning. A big grin with eager eyes meet me as Rourke says, "Christmas Tree...downstairs?". He jumps out of bed, "Go get Lydia & Frannie?". Such joy to start the day, we get dressed and head down stairs. All three run to the tree, "Turn it on, Mommy," Rourke asks with such hope. I am now understanding why parents have more fun during the Christmas season than their children. I pray that God would give my children this zeal, eagerness, and excitement about the ways of Him. We went out and let each child choose an ornament to put on the tree. Rourke chose a huge, heavy truck, Lydia got a purse and Frannie has an apple and a book. They each proudly hung their ornaments on the tree...it will be fun to give them all of their ornaments someday when they have their own Christmas tree.