Birthday love

Today is Clint's birthday - 29.  It's nice it is today, on a Friday with fun possibilities :).  Happy birthday Clint!

I love him...

• Overall he is the best friend, lover, partner for life that I could ever ask for
• He is a man of integrity and a man of his word
• His faith is steady and unwavering 
• He is constantly forgiving and full of grace
• He makes me laugh
• He puts up with my intensity and, I believe, even loves me more for it
• He does not live his life to please others, but is still compassionate and truly cares about people
• Evee adores him and they have so much fun together  
• He wants to be with me and be with Evee - we are a joy and priority to him
• He works hard and provides for his family
• He also knows how to rest
• He has great wisdom and discernment
• He is committed to the end
• His intent is never to harm me and over and over again thinks (both intentionally and simply out of who he is) about how he can add blessing to me life- he believes and wants the best for me
• His passion and love - he keeps these just for me
• He is very handsome and ever so fine
• He is strong while being surrendered and broken
• He is a dreamer and thinks big picture all the time
• He is smart, works hard at all he does and is respected greatly
• He is naturally a leader - he cannot help but lead
• He is a lover of life, passion, and things that matter

This is the amazing man I get to spend life with...

  

 

More interesting reads

Some posts I've been reading and thinking about.  Not anything that pertains to life now, in these moments, but still things to ponder over the years ahead.

Passing them on just in case they are of interest to anyone else. 

On schooling - info on thinking through your child's education
On adoption - thoughts on adoption

A party indeed...

Wednesdays are great nights anyway, but this week there was an added party :).  In the last of the potty training posts I mentioned an upcoming "potty party".  Last week we had that party. 

On Wednesday nights a few friends gather for dinner and then to watch Tuesday night's LOST episode.  As a side note, I do love these nights.  We all bring something to contribute to the dinner, everyone talks and hangs out, and kids play around us.  It's a great mid week get together.

Last week Evee and I made cupcakes and we hosted the dinner at our house.  I must say, what I love about our friends is that they actually engaged in the moment.  To be honest, I was thinking, "is this silly?"  But, I had told Evee that we would do it when her chart was filled AND it truly is a thing worth celebrating.  Our friends went above and beyond though...  One friend brought her balloons and two little girls brought her pictures they had made and a pair of panties each.

Here are some pictures of the evening (and the cupcakes)...

 

  

  

 

Grateful

With a kid in tow, I often think about how wonderful it would be to have family nearby.  Living on the far east coast of the US, our closest immediate family member lives in Indiana.  Other than that most are overseas (all of Clint's family and my parents).  My other 2 siblings are on the far west coast.

Lately I've just felt so blessed at how God provides people, though, when we need it.  Last year we did a lot of swaps, which was wonderful.  Swapping tends to come and go in seasons.

I'm enjoying a swap right now, in fact.  It's Sunday, it's been a weekend of lots of activity, Clint has been away since Friday (it's now Sunday), and a friend (who's husband is also away) and I are swapping this afternoon. 

So even though Clint is gone, right now I'm sipping on a drink, enjoying some time alone and writing this post :).  It's a beautiful thing and was wonderful timing.

Moreover, in the last few weeks each of the following has happened...

• We were coming home from church trying to decide whether we should go out for Valentine's day and thinking about who we may be able to swap with to save some money.  As we were walking to our apartment a friend called out of his apartment, "Can we take Evee tomorrow night so you guys can go out?"  Um, yes.  I think my answer was "seriously?". 
• Then I was in a wedding 2 weekends ago and there was a last minute get together of all the bridesmaids.  I had a friend who offered to take Evee for the 6 hours or so that Clint was in class so that I could leave a day early.
• Last weekend we went to a prayer retreat and that same friend (above) and another friend helped us out for a good portion of the day (8:45-3:15pm) on Saturday.
• I have a conference at the end of April, but it's during the week.  So, hard to find childcare.  Our backup was to have her in daycare all 3 days, but we were hoping for something else, but not sure how it would work.  Last Sunday a friend comes up to me and says that she has been thinking about it and would really like to offer to keep Evee as much as we need during that time.  

Isn't that amazing!  That each of those literally happened?  I just feel so amazed and blessed by people's generosity.  So many blessings...

For Joni

I always wanted my sister to send us pictures while she was pregnant so we could see her little belly in process.  She never did... :)

Now, she has been asking for some and I feel the same hesitancy.  I don't know why it feels like a vulnerable thing to post pictures while in process of getting bigger.  Even though it's such a beautiful thing...

Well, here are some pictures for Joni.  Maybe then next time she's preggers I'll get some sent my way :).  Not that it's my motivation, but...

(note: I took pictures on 2 consecutive days thinking that maybe I'd look smaller in the blue shirt that's not as tight.  right.  Also, it's ironic that both of these shirts are ones that Joni passed on to me from her pregnancy.)

We are right around the halfway mark...

 

 

Going slow

I saw this quote on another blog...

Loving yourself has a lot to do with slowing down…
Rather than adding one thing more every day, why not try adding one thing less?
…Try editing your days; craft them to sing concisely like memorable lines of poetry.
…Rushing is anxiety in motion.
- Mike Mason, Practicing the Presence of People

How true the words are...at least in my own life.  "Rushing is anxiety in motion".  I've never thought about it like that, but it makes sense.  And rushing creates more anxiety in my own life as well.  

This is a lot of what I was getting at in this post.  Things that require me to slow down, be present, and remind me of the simple beauties of each day.  

More winter meanderings...

From Friday...

Today turned out to be another snow day (this winter has been amazing, really).  Although, for us, this is a normal Friday.  Fridays are the beautiful day of the week that is completely free...where we usually have a clean slate each week.  And we enjoy it.

The only thing that the snow meant this morning was changing a date to play with friends.  It didn't end up snowing too much and now it's just beautiful outside, so it seems a bit silly now that we canceled.  But at 10 am, when it was snowing, it was hard to make that call.

After a quiet morning with a quick visit (Evee and I) to friends, Clint came home for lunch and then headed out again to class.  Evee and I got to work...

I wanted to finally finish a "craft/play" blanket that I'd started last spring.  I'd made one for my sister (since I knew she'd appreciate it and a lot of it was her own leftover fabric - thanks Jules!), but still needed to finish Evee's.

Evee and I did it together as she likes to do with most sewing projects ("let's do it together").  Then we used it straight away to make a long time intended thank you note that can finally go in the mail.  Painting, drawing, writing of notes, putting on of stickers...lots of fun.

 

 

Evee then saw a friend playing out in the snow.  She, this friend, and the friend's 2 older sisters have now been very happily playing outside, sledding, for a good chunk of time.  I'm so amazed at the moments I am having.  And, all when I had wanted to start on this project - perfect timing!  I've been cutting out fabric, listening to music, and glancing out the window for awhile now.

Clint just called to check in and I told him that I'm alone, doing whatever I want.  He was so happy for me...which is ever so sweet since he has been working all day and was checking in before working again until he comes home for dinner.  I wonder if I'd be jealous if I was him...but he was just excited for me.

I think I see Evee making her way back...should go now :).