Tippie Toes

Look who's standing!

The pack and play just will not do anymore!  I knew this day was coming...and this girl is on the move.  :)   I'm thankful for back-up in the form of a protective big brother. 

 Have at it girl!  ;) Oh wait, can you fold those clothes before you throw them down? 

Supervision of our little cruiser has gone to a whole new level.  She looks for any tiny thing to put in her mouth, pull down from a table...making her momma a nervous wreck! 

But for Miss Millie, independence is bliss...

A Week of Firsts

This week Camille has learned to stand up with support!  The first day, she pulled up to stand on the beanbag chair and fell right back on her bottom.  No tears though, only a big, proud grin.  :) 

Tonight Graham and Hannah Reece both had a first at the park...they learned to pump their legs and swing themselves!  The sheer joy...the bliss of independence...so wonderful!  We enjoyed a lovely evening at the park as a family.

Speaking of freedom...independence...Daddy and I have struggled today...it seems that we don't know quite what to do with a free Saturday!  We've spent so many weekends with no opportunity for "relaxation"...full and scheduled weekdays and weekends have been the norm since we returned to Florida.  House projects and full schedules have turned us into weekend  warriors-ready to conquer the next "project".  GOD has commanded that we remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, sacred.  We must learn to rest, to commit one day of the week to rest and worship.  This is a struggle!  I must learn to plan and prepare, making the most of each day, to prepare so that we as a family will set apart one day to rest.  It is needed, it is commanded, it is how God created us to live. 

We love you, so very, very much precious children!  Even though we will have struggles and frustrations at times, we love each other and most of all the source of our love is GOD and HE is love.  We seek HIM and HIS love continually transforms our hearts and our lives.  Our hope is in the LORD alone.

Stories

Tonight, we finished our first ever read-aloud chapter book.  The kids held on till the very end, I couldn't believe it!     It was my first time reading this classic fairy tale, and I think I enjoyed it even more than the kids did.  :)  In celebration, I ordered the dvd from N*tflix yesterday, so hopefully eager little hands will find it nestled in the mailbox tomorrow just in time for family night!

Anyone recognize this?  Oh yeah, baby!   If you were a teenage girl in the early nineties, then you know all about Caboodles.  ;)  My mom's been cleaning out all kids of saved up junk memorobilia from the garage. This puppy was chock-full of all kinds of 80's/90's bling.

 "Property of SKS"  what a HOOT!!

 Of course we had to model the bling for posterity's sake.  ;)

 OH MY WORD.  Bushy eyebrows and bad bangs?  Yes, please. 

This weekend, why not dig up your own long lost junk treasure, and get lost in a good book? :) 

Ordained

On January 30, 2011 Dan was ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament. The service and reception were held at our church, this was such a sweet time with our relatives and church family. We glorify GOD as HE is the one who has carried us through many years of schooling and preparation to equip Dan for the pastorate.

Dan answering the constitutional questions (to the candidate) for ordination

Laying on of hands and prayer of ordination by church leaders



When we begain this journey, Graham was a baby...now we are a family of five!  Side note: The sash Dan is wearing is very meaningful to him.  Two (graduated) students in our youth group visited Ghana several years ago on a mission trip, and brought this back for Dan.  He promised them he would wear it for the first time at his ordination.  It is handmade and I think it is so intricate and beautiful!



Our big 'ole family (minus my brother and his family, they had already gone home)

P.K.'s ;)
(preacher's kids) 

Our church hostesses went all out to prepare a wonderful reception for all to enjoy.  What a wonderful evening!

Our pastor, Dan's mentor

Thank you, Lord!

Sometimes the Funnies...

...hit close to home!  I've done 12 loads of laundry in the last three days (with several more still hangin' out in the baskets)...NO HI, their dirty laundry does NOT, in fact, average out.  ;)

Routines Rock

The last nine months have been full of change and chaos for our family.  Since we moved back, I've not felt settled.  I think a big part of this is the fact that our home is perpetually messy and not just that, many things still don't have their proper place.  Because certain areas are "in progress" with remodeling, it kind of affects the whole order of things.  Any fellow order-er's out there....please tell  me I'm not crazy?!  ;)

Since I was a little girl (and my mom can attest to this!) I've been a person who needed and craved order.  A place for everything and everything in it's place.  When things are out of place, it affects my mental and physical well-being.   Sometimes I wish it weren't so!  I think it would be so freeing to be able to live happily and creatively in a mess, and be unaffected!  I have been so concerned about restoring order in our house, that I have neglected something even more important....order and routines for our family. 

Camille's sleep schedule has been so erratic.  We've gone from waking up once for a feed and back-to-bed to 3 or even 4 times at night.  I am EXHAUSTED.  Man, lack of sleep can take a major toll on a person's mental health!  She is mildly teething, but apart from that, nothing that would warrant an all night all-you-can-eat buffet at the expense of mom's sleep.  :)   So, I decided to take her to the pediatrician this morning.  Surely something was going on.  Maybe her ears?  Turns out, her ears were fine.  A little clear fluid in there, but no infection at all.

Dr. V gently informed me that Camille is at the age now where she may be "testing" her sleep boundaries with us and that maybe it's time for a little cry-it-out.  I can't belive I didn't consider this!   Now I know why the "baby" of the family  is considered "babied" a little too much!  ;)  I was so hard and fast about routines and schedules with our other two children, we had very few sleep issues.  With Miss Millie, however, I've just been grateful that during this time of transition, she has rolled with it-she is so go-with-the-flow!  Well, now I know that go-with-the-flow has a price tag.  So tonight, we began again our bedtime routine.  Tonight was peaceful and calm, and even the big kids went to bed calmly and without protest. 

We revisited this old favorite with Miss Millie tonight:

And began this classic with the big kids:

It's the "abridged" version, and so far they can't wait for more.

Last year, my father-in-law challenged all of the grandchildren to learn the Lord's prayer, I still can't believe how quickly they learned!  We ended our day by sharing our good and bad thing for the day and praying the Lord's prayer together.  It was such a sweet time.  No fussing, complaining or going to bed frustrated.  I'm thankful and hoping for many more evenings like this one.  Good night!  :)

If You're Happy and You Know It

This has been a week of milestones for Millie.  In addition to clapping :) she's also learned to eat cheerios, teeny-tiny bits of apple and cheese from the tray of her highchair.  *This little clip was at the end of mealtime and she was *finished* with the high chair (as you can see!)  ;)