Thank you

You listen patiently.

You help constantly.

You pray faithfully.

You care tenderly.

You lead strongly.

You love well.

You dream with me.

You are a Joy.

The big girl room

On Saturday I decided to turn Lydie's crib into a big-girl bed and change her room around to celebrate. I had $20 to invest (a little pitiful). I spent $15 on artwork and $5 on a new frame. The other frames and things have been found at yard sales over the last year from pocket change.

No more babies in our sweet little crib. We were given the opportunity when I was pregnant with J 10 years ago to choose any crib that we wanted. We fell in love with the white, sleigh bed-stlye. It's held up so well. I have been very emotional about seeing it turned into a toddler bed. That little crib symbolizes so much for me- hope, innocence, everything sweet and lovely that a baby brings to a home. While I am a little heart-broken, Lydie has done wonderfully. She has stayed in her bed every night and only fallen out once. When I went to rescue her she had rolled over and found a comfy spot on the floor without missing a single snooze. The great thing about change is that where beauty is lost, there is always more to be found.

It looks a little different:

Come on in!

I took her dress from her first birthday party and another dress that I made her and displayed them this way. I picked up these frames and needlepoint circles at a yard sale, for pennies. Soon the frames will have black and white pictures- one with Lydie and me, and the other with Lydie and Andy. (*I use the word "soon" loosely.)

She loves to cook. I hung some pails on hooks for her food and tea sets. She can take the pails down, or just reach in and grab a thing or two.
Above her table is this little display. I bought the bird watercolor from our artist neighbor for $5. It looks great in this 10 cent frame. (The bird theme is carried throughout the room. Lydie loves birds and sings like one, too!) The mini tea set was my Grandmom's. The frame has a black and white of all three kids together. This potter's bench-stlye changing table that Andy made for her converts nicely for toys and baskets. She loves music and books and princess toys. Those hanging iron stars and dragonfly have been one of my favorite things in her room.

There is no way I was getting rid of our rocking chair. It too has been around since J was born, although I recovered it when I was pregnant with Lydie. I remember rocking and praying when I was pregnant 10 years ago, and then with each pregnancy. I wonder how many times I nursed these little ones right there? No, she will probably be an adolescent before I can bear to move out this chair!
The pink flower painting cost $10 from the same neighbor. The tree art was a free download. The mirror and green framed bird silhouette were all second-hand finds, too. That little yellow cross says, "Celebrate!". Someone gave it to me when we were pregnant with our third baby that we lost. And I love it! We try to celebrate life every day!
These plates used to be in the kitchen. Lydie loves them. So here they are for her to enjoy. We will add more above the bed as time and our budget allow. They are a little small for the space, but it's nice to have room to add and make a collection. We just used a baby quilt for her bed. I know she will soon outgrow this toddler bed, so I didn't invest in a nice bedspread. Her room is a very eclectic mix of color- anything goes!
Her little dress up area is fun. The mirror and hook are at her eye level. I remember buying them for her when I first found out I was having a girl. Her dress up clothes are just inside the closet. She LOVES this new area.

I had to frame her Gigi book cover above the dress-up stuff. If Gigi were real, she would be Lydie's soul mate. Every girly-girl needs a Gigi book or two.

So there it is, the big girl room. We now have no diapers, no crib, no babies. Time for a new chapter (sniff, sniff).

"A girl is Innocence playing in the mud, Beauty standing on its head, and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot."

-- Alan Beck

As Ms. Frizzle says...

"Take chances!"

"Make mistakes!"

"Get messy!"



Pictured above:

Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus series,

Lydie picks out her own clothes and it works,

we decide to take the "secret" tour at the aquarium and get to see the penguins, another aquarium picture,

Toot trying to figure out a game by trial and error,

the trick-or-treat bag that got a hole from the iron,

carved pumpkins,

painting,

Toot fixes his hair,

Lydie playing outside in her farmer costume

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return. "

~Mary Jean Iron

Up-hill battle

Last night I went out to dinner with the ladies from our community group at church. It is so nice to sit and chat comfortably with a group of ladies that are not judgemental or manipulative. I always walk away inspired with a group like this one. Last night I found my inspiration in the dedication these women have to be good stewards of their bodies. It seems I am the only one not exercising on a regular basis. So...this morning I got up and out the door by 5:45. They got me in their gym (that costs only $10/month, I might add) and I gave it a whirl. The thirty minutes of cardio has not given me extra energy yet, but it has forced me to drink the adequate amount of water that I should. (I am squatting down for the picture. I have not been the shortest person in a picture since my 6th grade family portrait. It looks funny. But aren't they cute??)

Every month I do my family inventory. And every month I see progress, God's grace, discipline, etc., in slow but steady movement, except in the area of my health habits. Next month I will be 34, and so I have one year until 35. All of my friends tell me that my metabolism will take a serious nose-dive around that time. My doctor even calls it the "pre-menopausal stage". I would love to be in tip-top shape before then. I know the only way to accomplish such a lofty goal is to get up early and go to bed early. I hate having to do that! But I am not willing to take time away from any other area, as we have found a smooth, steady routine (which requires at least 12 hours each day of my unwavering devotion!). It's so easy to start these routines, but so easy to get off track when illness or "interruptions" come along.

Day by day, I'll see what happens. This is not going to be easy! Prayer, patience, persistance-that's what I need.

Praises

~that my son does not need glasses. The doctor's opinion: He doesn't like his math lessons. Therefore, every time we do math, he gets a headache. Interesting!

~that I have a bushel of apples waiting to be eaten and baked!

~that the God provided half a day for us to wander the mountains and enjoy fall in all its splendor!

~that my daughter is finally getting over cold symptoms. We think she has allergies and finally we have found a medication that works!

~that we saw our good friends, after one year of being apart. Things are still the same. Don't you love friends like those?

~And for our single friend whom the kids adore. They call him "Vance", by his last name. He carried around the 3 year olds all night. They just love him. Some lady will surely be lucky!

~that we got to be a part of our church's fall festival. We saw so many guests from our community come and join in the fun. Many prayers were answered!

~Lots of yummy, healthy things to bake on the agenda for the week. How many different things can I make from apples and pumpkins??

~that we got to be at our niece's 4rth birthday party(little sweetie pictured below last Christmas)! Watching my brother raise his kids (and love ours) never gets old. What a precious family he has!

:::And now, we begin the last week of October! I can not believe it!:::

Making my heart dance

In the car earlier this week:

Lydie: "What do we live for?"

Jaybird: "We live to worship Jesus, Lydie, until He comes back to get us."

Fall celebration with friends

6 boys, 8 girls. I love the way my kids are learning to play with all ages.
A fun game of eating the donut off the string with no hands. This was an alternative for bobbing apples for the germaphobic mommies! :)

Jaybird and his friend getting their sugar fix

My friend encouraging her daughter to perform a "trick" and get a "treat"

Beautiful Cleopatra

Darling girls

11 yr. old W, 3 yr. old B, and 9 yr. old Jaybird

Lydie gives it her best shot

What a fun party! Thanks, Alicia, for hosting us!