The Jesus Storybook Bible

Reeves is a very active kid. He isn't a big fan of slowing down to read or write or do much of anything "school related" during the summer! Nope, according to Reeves, summertime is all about the fun!

Don't get me wrong, I love some fun, too. We have very few rules during these lazy summer days. I take each day as it comes and let them get away with a whole lot more than I should! I hope they'll look back on their summers with the same kind of fondness that I do. My mom made summer fun....big time! I want the same thing for my kids. We have sleepovers and playdates and pajama days and picnics and snow cones whenever we feel like it! We eat all sorts of junk and fresh produce (I am blessed with fabulous eaters.....summer fruit is at the top of their list), stay up as late as we want, sleep in as late as we can, and wear whatever we feel like wearing. Our hair stays wet, our feet stay bare, our beds stay unmade, and our plans are always ready and waiting for a new adventure!

But alas, school will be in session in a few short weeks, and I figure I better try to get in at least a few moments of structure before the first bell rings! Reeves and I have been searching and searching for a good book for him to read, and this morning we found just the thing!

Our pastor at a2 Church recommended The Jesus Storybook Bible to me a few months ago, and I made sure to pick it up when I saw it at Barnes and Noble. Every once in a while I have flipped through the colorful pages and read a few stories, but have been too busy to really dig in. I wish I hadn't taken so long to crack the spine! Let me just tell you....it is one of the greatest books I have ever read!

This morning my kids blessed me by sleeping in. I woke up at 8:45 and Reeves was soon to follow. We had about 30 minutes all to ourselves and I decided to take advantage of our quiet time. I was flipping through the book when he asked what I was reading.....I couldn't wait to share it with him. I got my pot of coffee going and cuddled up with him on the couch. We took turns reading pages, and by the time we got through a few stories, tears were streaming down my face.....it is such an amazing interpretation of the stories in the Bible! I loved when Reeves would retell what he had heard about a story or character in his lessons at church....I soaked in every detail of his recollections from his lessons. There is such truth and beauty and detail in every word of the book we were reading.....it is beautifully and intricately written. It's like no other children's story Bible out there, I can promise you that!

Just read this....

No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this Story is - it's TRUE.

There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day - but wait! Our Story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning.....

~Sally Lloyd-Jones

Wow!

Simply said, it just might take your breath away. Could she have said it any more perfectly?

So for these last lazy days of summer, Reeves and I are going to dive into The Jesus Storybook Bible. We are going to learn more about the love of our great God and precious Jesus while we get a little reading in.

Nothing beats cuddling up with my favorite little man and a good book.

What A Weekend!

I can't believe that it's been over a week since I got a post up on the blog. The week has flown....thanks to all sorts of excitement around the ole Mileski hizzle! We are soooo busy. Work, school, talent show rehearsals, school projects, church stuff, sniffles, 911 calls, household projects, birthday festivities, snowdays.....whew! B.U.S.Y. !!!

This weekend was all kinds of fun though. Snow....

WE. HAD. SNOW!!!!

Greer and Daddy marched around in it for over an hour before the big kids finally made it home from school. They managed to make it for over half the day, and enjoyed a snowy recess....a rare occasion here in the deep south! Days like these are what memories are made of! Right? Right!

Gotta love a snowy sunset......something we rarely may never, ever see again.

I want to freeze this picture in time! Gorgeous, huh?

....or maybe this is the most gorgeous photo of the weekend!

Chris and I went out for our Valentine's date last night (more on that and the 911 call tomorrow)....

....but today we made it special for the kiddos!

It was cold and dreary this afternoon, so I decided that an afternoon at the movies was the perfect solution! I took the big kids to see "The Tooth Fairy" while Chris and Greer set up for an awesome candlelit dinner at home! The kids LOVED it!

Dim lights. Candle-light. Cheesy, dollar-store gifts and decorations. Plastic Champagne Flutes filled with sweet tea (we forgot the sparkling grape juice). Norah Jones on the Apple TV. Jarred Spaghetti (their favorite). Paper Napkins. Mom and Dad waiting on them hand and foot (we had the waiter and waitress thing down pat!).....

Lucy said, "Y'all are the best Mom and Dad, EVAH!"

Reeves asked, "Are we Rich? Are you our Servants?"

Chris said, "Yeah Buddy, something like that...."

Big Girl's heading to Duke!

****UPDATE! ****

Our Duke treatment won't be till March 22nd! Just be in prayer for

us till then! Thanks so much, sweet friends....

Playing in the Hotel Shower

January 9, 2010

We went for Greer's two-year-old check up today. It's crazy to me to think that she has been a part of our little world for over 2 years....CRAZY! She is such a blessed ball of joy, I can't even stand it! All wide open and curious and into everything. I think the best way to describe her is BIG! She sleeps big, she eats big, she loves big, she laughs big, she runs big, she grows BIG! In fact....she is the height of the average 3 year old!!! Off the charts for a child her age. I could just eat up all 33 pounds and 37.5 inches of her! Oh, and did I mention how BIG her feet are? In the words of my pediatrician....."those are Sasquatch feet!"

I caught my pediatrician up to speed on the current state of the birthmark treatments, so I thought I better catch all of you up, too! My last post on the subject was back in the fall when we were trying to come up with a game plan. It's kind of a long story, so here's the link if you want to catch up. We had some big decisions to make and we have prayed and worked through all of our options. I am still planning to write some letters to the "powers that be" here in Alabama, but for now we must travel out of the state to get what she needs.

We had a few options (California, NYC, or North Carolina)....but we decided that traveling to Duke made the most sense for us. Dr. B comes highly recommended, and we are blessed to have a home away from home in Raleigh. My precious Amy moved there last Summer and will host us for the long weekend. I'm trying to think of it as a little vacation and a good excuse to spend time with my beloved friend! I feel an amazing peace about all of it and know that God's plan is unfolding before our very eyes.

Greer's birthmark has shown remarkable fading through all of this, but we have seen significant darkening over the past 6-8 months. Last summer she had close to 75% fading, and now I would say it is more like 50%....some days it's darker than others. NOT traveling to seek better lasers is not an option for us. I want to know that I did everything within my being to maximize the chance to remove this birthmark. So we go. and we continue to pray. and we continue to praise our Heavenly Father for the opportunities he has given us.

As we were leaving the doctor's office this morning, I noticed a young hispanic mother with a large facial PWS. It was dark, dark purple with thick tissue in places. She was a beautiful woman. She seemed happy and confident, and I wanted to get to know her. I wanted to ask her a million questions, but I knew she would think I was crazy. I prayed that if Greer's birthmark never faded even one little bit more and if it eventually became as dark as the one on that lady's face that she would be just as confident and lovely.

I prayed that Greer's BIG, beautiful spirit would shine as bright as it did back on this day. This is a day I will never forget. This is a time I will treasure forever. I really don't think I could love a little soul any more than I love my Big Girl!

The Unexpected....

Well, today didn't turn out exactly how I had planned....

...but, does it ever? One thing I've learned since being a parent is that you've always gotta be ready for the unexpected. Amen?

I had a long (and quite busy) weekend at work. Working 24 out of 48 hours gets harder and harder (but is more and more rewarding) as the years go by. Most of the time, Labor and Delivery is fairly slow on the weekends. NOT this time! I didn't notice if it was a full moon or not, but lots of Mamas were having babies these days. And I mean LOTS!

As my Sunday was coming to an end, I posted this on my facebook status:

"Looking forward to my "Saturday" tomorrow....it's been a busy weekend at work! I miss my own babies!"

If I believed in luck, I'd bet that this status update jinxed me for the night....what do you think?! All kidding aside, it is pretty funny, don't you think?

I had the perfect evening/day planned. I would come home from work, throw in a load of laundry, kiss my babies goodnight and pack their bags for another busy week at school! I would load them on the bus around 7 am, drop Greer off in carpool at Mother's Day Out, and enjoy a few hours to myself. A few hours to shop, organize, shower in silence. A few moments to ready myself for all the business of the week and to get my house in order.

Yeah, that didn't happen.

When I got home from work, Chris told me that Reeves had had a tumble at a birthday party earlier in the day. He was coming down an inflatable slide (head first), crashed into the end, and hyper-extended his neck. Reeves was in terrible pain (and stiffness) by the time I got home and I knew that he needed to have it checked out. After a quick call to my parents, we decided that it was best to call the after hours service....Reeves just wasn't himself.

Much to my surprise, they recommended that we call 911 and have the paramedics come out to evaluate him before heading downtown to the hospital. They said that neck injuries are nothing to mess with (go figure) and that we should make sure he didn't need a c-collar before we drove him in. May I just say.....Reeves thought it was pretty cool that the firetruck and policeman made a visit to his house! (Making lemonade, friends!) Thank you to my sweet neighbors, the Holdens and Elrods, for checking in on us. Chris was happy to snuff out any neighborhood drama by explaining that it was NOT any sort of domestic incident...

...thanks for clearing that up, Chris. I know they were worried! :) JK!

So, the good guys at the Hoover Fire Department arrived in record time, gave us the Ok and and sent us on to Children's Hospital.

Where we waited.

and waited.

and waited some more.....

...poor Reeves was passed out by the time we were finally seen (and we were in the higher priority category.....I felt sorry for all those other children waiting to be seen!). The verdict? Bad strain/hyper-extension. Heavy doses of anti-inflammatory meds, limited physical activity for a while, rest, and TLC.

I can handle that.

So, we got home around 2:30. Crashed. Slept in. Ate a good breakfast. Drank coffee and hot chocolate. Watched Elf. Followed up with our pediatrician. Skipped school. Stayed in our pajamas all day. Were all-around lazy.

So maybe the weekend was crazy, and last night was not very fun....

.....but today is what memories are made of! I love any excuse to stay at home in my pajamas with my babies!

What has a hold on you?

It's that time of year when (along with all the gifts under the tree) we tend to get all wrapped up. Consumed by what we need want (steam washers and new clothes and the perfect tree and flatscreen tvs and the most beautiful decorations for our house and the cute holiday outfits for our kids and the list goes on and on and on). It's so easy to do....no matter how hard we try to contain ourselves.

And I am guilty. I confess that I am the world's worst when it comes to this attitude. I want and want and want some more. The sales and the shopping frenzy and the hustle and bustle get a hold of me and I am overcome (don't worry Chris, if you are reading this. I have NOT done anything crazy). I have friends whose kids have lists a mile long....who live for the biggest and best on Christmas morning. I was that way.....I remember revising my list over and over till I got it just right. It's something I have struggled with my whole life.

Why then, have I been blessed with such unassuming children? Sure, they have an idea of what they would like to find under the tree come Christmas morning, but I know they will love whatever they get. They've never asked me, "Is that all?" and they genuinely appreciate the gifts they receive. Sure, they have hopes and desires, but I know that if we could only get them a couple of very small gifts, they would still say they had a magical Christmas. They've always been pretty grounded like that.....I sure hope it lasts.

You see, my children are way more thrilled by the antics of their silly little elf than they are by how many gifts they will get from Santa. They could care less if our Christmas card is picture perfect or if the decorations will impress the neighbors.....they just want to drive around and look for lit up manger scenes and inflatable Grinches. My kids want to buy gifts for a little child who won't get anything for Christmas and hang ornaments on our tree.

They want to sip hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and a peppermint stick stirrer and sleep in for a couple of weeks. They want to tear off the paper rings and count down the days till their stockings are filled with chocolate. They want me to sit and tell them the story of the night Jesus was born (again and again and again) by acting it out with their little toy nativity scene. They want to bake cookies and visit family and watch Christmas movies in their pajamas. Hoping for Christmas Carolers to knock on our door.

Isn't all that the good stuff? The things that we remember loving about the holiday season? I remember singing Christmas songs in church and cookie swaps and live Nativity scenes and the taste of the Christmas turkey. I remember waking up before sunrise and leaving cookies for Santa. I remember the smell of the holiday candles and praying for snow to fall on Christmas eve. Curling up in one cozy bed with my sisters and our animals....

I couldn't tell you what I unwrapped on my 9th Christmas or who all gave me presents when I was 5. Most of it was quickly forgotten or broken or taken for granted. Only a few things were treasures that stood the test of time.....and most of those weren't really expensive gifts. They were things that meant something.

So, you wanna know what I want most this year? I want the spirit of Christmas that has a hold on my children.....that really stirs my soul. What about you?

Storybird

Reeves and his buddy Jake have been writing stories back and forth (well, let me correct that.....Reeves is still working on his story, but he was pumped to get one from Jake last week). These boys are little kindred spirits (just like their Mamas) and it breaks my heart that he is not just down the street anymore. Amy and I are always trying to find ways to keep them connected. You won't believe what little gem I was just introduced to.....it is amazing!

You have got to check out Storybird.....

Reeves' teacher is using the website in her classroom to let the children create and share stories of their own. We can read them from home and even leave comments....the kids LOVE that part! They can even collaborate with their friends or family to create a story! How cool is that? Reeves and Jake can create a book together and soon the site will allow us to print them and have them to treasure forever! (p.s. typing that last sentence brought tears to my eyes)

These are the kind of finds that make me love modern technology so much....seriously cool! The best part? It's free!! Go check it out for your own little "authors"!

Things I loved....

....about today.

1. It rained.

2. I got to stay home all day long! I love rain, but I love it even more when I get to stay home and enjoy it!

3. Greer slept till 11:00! Do you know how much stuff I was able to get done this morning while she slept? It is beyond belief....seriously!

4. I worshipped! I blasted my iPod and sang at the top of my lungs. God is sooooo amazingly, incredibly good! Nothing like praising Jesus while you fold your husbands underwear....Ha!

5. I laughed out loud when I couldn't get my front door to open for the Fed-Ex guy....it was really funny. Maybe you had to be there....

6. I got an unexpected call from a stranger dear friend! We chatted about life and fears and adventures and marriage and love and relationships and kiddos and the weather and the South and football and family. What a joyful surprise!

7. I fed my kids ice cream and cotton candy on the way to the dentist. What's wrong with me?

8. My kids didn't have any cavities!

9. Greer said Purple!

10. I figured out Apple TV.

11. I made a perfect pitcher of sweet tea. Ahhhhh!

Our Nana...

....I know.

Totally not what you were expecting from me tonight, huh?

I'm tired, and I have a lot to tell about our day today. I'll work on a coherent post in the morning. I just wanted to share this sweet pic of our pup and tonight seems as good as any! Nana loves fall. She chases leaves and gets to stay inside more and she's just so darn cute.

Couldn't you just eat her up?

Halloween 2009.....

......was soooo much fun!

We traveled northeast (...really only an hour away) to spend the day with my parents and their amazing neighbors. It was an incredible celebration, and we all had a blast! We couldn't have asked for better weather....or company. It was so much fun. See for yourself....

My little pumpkin won 2nd place in the costume contest, Lucy and Reeves got to ride in the parade, and Papa carved another amazingly "wild" pumpkin for all to enjoy! Hope you had a great weekend, too! Until next year!

Check Out My New Buttons!

My blog designer friend, Danielle, made me these cool little buttons!

Check them out and let me know what you think (all you have to do is click 'em and you'll see)! I will add blogs and buttons as I find new favorites, and of course, keep you up to date on Greer's birthmark journey. When you click on the "Bye, Birthmark" button, you'll find all sorts of info and links pertaining to Greer's story and vascular birthmarks in general. There's even a "birthmark buddies" blog link list!

Oh, and speaking of Danielle, check out the awesome holiday template giveaway she's having on her design site (along with a few other fun giveaways). I can't wait to have a holiday look on my very own blog....it'll be even sweeter if I can win one! She is so amazingly talented, and her spirit is as sweet as can be!

Thanks for all you have done for me, Danielle....I can't WAIT to meet you soon!

Just 7 Little Words....

....reminded me that it's all worth it.

"You're the best nurse I've ever had!"

Awesome!

Such accolades deserve to be rewarded, doncha think?

Punched the clock, peeled out of the parking deck, stopped by my favorite little Greek restaurant to pick up the most yummy meal, ever! (lamb gyro, tomato/cucumber/feta/basil salad, pita and cucumber dip), hurried home, threw on my pjs, poured a glass of vino, and settled in to watch the results show of Dancing with the Stars.

Don't mind if I do!

Speaking of rain....

The girls are still sleeping and Reeves just left for school, so I'm stealing a few minutes to post a little life update. After several days of fever and coughing, I decided it was time to take Lucy in to see our pediatrician. Turns out, she has mycoplasma pneumonia, but she should be on the up and up as soon as these antibiotics kick in. I am praying that this will be our last illness for a while....we haven't had 1 week since school started (that's almost 6 weeks) when all of us were well. Here's hoping for health and wellness!

Speaking of rain (I wasn't speaking of rain, you say?)....I have a confession to make: I have a love affair with rainy days. Give me a rainy afternoon over a bright sunny morning almost any day of the week. I know, weird.

I love the way the dark clouds make the light look on my walls. I love the sound of the raindrops on the window panes and the wind chimes. I love the flash of lightening and the roll of thunder. I love having a good excuse to stay under the covers or head out for a movie. And of course, I love any excuse to wear these....

However....

....I'm as sick of the rain as I am of my family being sick. As much as I've loved crossing a few things off our busy schedule, I am dying to watch Lucy play in her first softball game and Reeves in action on the flag football field. It's too wet to even practice! Here's hoping for some relief from the wet stuff....soon!

I need to call my sister in Atlanta today to make sure she hasn't floated away. Pray for that city (and all those under water)....I can't imagine how devastating it would be to lose precious memories and loved ones in flood waters. Have any of you been devastated by flood or fire? Chris' house burned down when he was in college and his family lost everything.....there are only a handful of pictures of him as a little boy and I don't know that I've ever seen a baby picture of him. It makes us both sad.

So stay dry and stay well and stay safe. And hug on your people....that's what I'm gonna do today.

I have a new love in my life.... SHHH, don't tell Chris!

See, I've been a little busy, so I forgot to mention him! **Gasp** I can't believe I forgot to mention him. Meet my new man....

I must admit, it was love at first site! We are still in the honeymoon stage, but I just feel like it is a romance that just might last a lifetime. I can't get enough of him and he meets my every need.

Well, pretty much.

I know, I know....

....all my other boyfriends died slow, painful deaths. I am here to tell you, friends, this bond will NEVER be broken. I just love him way too much! More than all the others plus, I couldn't get insurance on him so I have to be extra careful with him!

Thing is, I know that he has some hidden talents that I have yet to discover....some charming traits I've yet to uncover. I'm looking forward to lots of quality time together in the weeks and months ahead. In fact, I'd love it if you'd help me bring out the very best in him! Any cool tricks you've discovered your boyfriend can do? What features aka Apps turn you on the most? I'd love to hear all about your man!

Guest Posting, Randomness, Prayer Requests, and a Giveaway!

How ya like THAT for a Title? I probably could have simply titled it "Randomness", but that would have been just plain boring! This way, you know exactly what you're getting, right? Right. Here we go....

My Fabulous Friday post is up over on Danielle's blog. I was honored when she asked me to join in, but had a tough time coming up with a topic. I hope I haven't disappointed her readers with my sappy, sentimental topic {Fabulous Teachers}! Usually, her blog is all fashion and fun and I go there to keep myself feeling somewhat cool. Won't you please head over, poke around, leave a comment? You know the drill. There's even a chance to win something sort of yummy, too! You'll have to click here to see what's up for grabs!

Yesterday, another cellphone (owned by yours truly) fell prey to death by water. Yes, friends, this is the third phone I have killed in a year. My friend Lauren thinks I keep doing it to get a new phone (it has worked out pretty well for me thus far), but I promise I'm innocent. The hassle and stress it causes isn't worth all that, now! Thankfully, I keep a backup around just for this very occasion (you know, when I decide to wash my phone with my favorite jeans or drop it in the pedi-bowl....), and Chris managed to reactivate that old Razor for me to use in the meantime....

....while dear old Palm Centro dries out in a tiny tub of orzo and wild rice.

I didn't have much rice.....do you think it will do the trick? I've heard I need to leave it alone for three days (anyone else see the irony in that) before I see if it will live. I'm not counting on a second resurrection, but you never know!

On the bright side, turns out Chris is eligible for an upgrade. This very afternoon, I may be the proud owner of a slightly broken-in little Blackberry. Lauren, I promise I didn't know!!!

Speaking of great deals (that's what I was speaking of, right?)....do you Woot? We've been Wooting for a couple of years now, and Chris just loves it. I have to admit, I rarely see anything that really blows up my skirt, but they have finally gotten my attention. This week, our friends over in Wootland (hey, they have clever words to go along with their posts so I can too!) have launched a new site....

Kids Woot!

Genius I tell you! Great deals on fun toys/products for kiddos. You can bet I'll be clicking over every day! Maybe it'll inspire me to start my Christmas shopping before December!

And now for my last random thought today.....

Please say a prayer for my sweet grandmother, Bubba, as she recovers from rotator cuff surgery. My mom will be taking care of her for a few days and she could probably use some prayers, too.

And pray that my house gets rid of the sickies over the weekend....there's a suspicious tickle in my throat that is making me nervous!

Hope you have a happy, healthy weekend friends!

Great Finds

***Update***

So, I decided to play with a couple of pictures on "Picnik" tonight!

Scroll down to see the magic.....Cool, huh!?

Isn't it fun when you discover something really fun and cool? If it saves you money or time, well that is just a big 'ole bonus! I haven't had much time for scowling the internet or window shopping this Summer, so this list is going to be short....for now!

I love sharing great things. My friends laugh at me for it (yes, I have an unhealthy relationship with Costco....ask anyone who knows me well), but if I find something that is worth sharing....well, share it I must. I'll even venture to say that I drive a few friends crazy with these 4 little words....

"Guess what I found!?"

So, here is a list of my "great finds" this summer. Remember.....

If the text is lime green, then it's a link.....just click on it and see for yourself (just a little friendly tip for my less tech-savvy readers....You're welcome!)

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library! The gist? Register your less than 5 year old child and receive a free book every month until they turn 5. Free books....Yay! Greer just got her first one this week (The Little Engine That Could).

Bottle Cap Necklaces Sure wish I was still young enough to pull off wearing these, but my 5 year old can and she LOVES them. They're all the rage down here in the 'Ham.

Picnik As much as I would LOVE to understand Photoshop, well, it still makes my brain hurt (I'm not giving up yet though). In the meantime? I found this fun/easy photoediting site, and well, I heart it! (thanks Savannah)

Look what I did in a matter of minutes!

Marshmallow Fluff Let's just face it....everything is more fun with fluff. It was the token food of the summer 'round here (no, we didn't eat it for every meal, but I will always remember this summer as the "summer of the fluff"!)

Oh, and if you follow me on twitter, you saw that I was on the hunt for some "waterproof vinyl labels" for Greer's sippy cups and food containers.....

I found some great ones on etsy! These things are awesome!

What Cool Things did you find this summer? Please leave a comment if you have something you just can't NOT share! I promise it'll make you feel so much better to get it off your chest!

Ready to Rock!?

Backyard Bible Club

Our House

This Week!

Monday-Thursday, 6 - 8 pm

Know where I live???

You're invited.....

....and bring a friend!

a ministry of a2 Church

Dear Birmingham....

(make sure you scroll down and pause my playlist before you hit play)....




Wow, right? I can't wait to see where this sermon series takes our church and our city....or should I say, where GOD takes our church and our city. I'll be sure to post the videos as they come.....

Wanna read more about what's going on in the life of a2 Church? Check out Chris Goins' blog and the church website. Or ask me....I'll be more than happy to share.

P.S. Click here to listen to the message from week one (oh, and you can download it for free on iTunes. Just search a2 Church)

Who says.....

....you can't grow plants actual PRODUCE! and children at the same time?

Our brown blue eyed girl.....

(make sure to go down and pause my music at the very bottom of the page before you click on play.....)

We had a big night partying at the pool. Live band, lots of food, friends, fun....Greer even mastered dancing while swimming. She's a girl after my own heart! I am so proud of my little fish! Couldn't you just eat her up?

Yep, she is pretty much that yummy all the time! How did I get so lucky blessed?

The Real "Them"

I plucked these individual shots out of all the photos I have taken this summer, and in them I see a million things. Things that only a mother can see. It's like they speak to me and tell a story. You probably don't hear what I hear, but I'd be willing to bet you have pictures of your own children that read like a novel (or at least like a clever short story....some of my most favorite pieces of literature are short stories)....

Lately, I've really been taking note of my children's differences. Last Summer, I read a book by Kevin Leman (phenomenal book, btw) that pretty much said you don't fully see your kid's personality until they are closer to the age of 5. I soooo understand what he means. I can NOT believe how much my Lucy (especially) has come into her own this year (for better or for worse). I am finding that she is my "challenge" at the moment....in good and bad ways.

She hates when I take her picture, but she will gladly pose for others. She has a MILLION questions....tonight she asked me what heaven looks like. She wants her hair to be long, but she won't let me brush it. She's an early bird and a sugar addict and a charmer. She wants to be a big girl and she will strike up a conversation with anyone.

She loves ferociously. She loves Praise and Worship. She loves, loves, loves to read. She is stunning.....her honey brown eyes will melt you.

Well, I know she's funny. That much is for sure. She loves to put her head in the sand and feel it on her toes. She is cautious at first, but when she knows she is safe....well, she's fearless. She sleeps, a lot. She eats, a lot. She is amazing. She is a blessing and our lover. She is delicious.

Wonder what I'll say about her when she is 5???

Tender, cautious, passionate.

Skinny, dirty, careless, loving.

Determined, striking, gentle, kind.

Tough, boundless, oblivious. Amazingly sensitive. Wild.

I love my punks.