Beautiful Things

I'm taking a quick break from catching up.


This week has been long. Not that we've been busy. It's just been long somehow.

The kids have done great with the new school routine we've started second semester. It's been fabulous to finally have a new structure since Breeley gave up her morning naps.

Speaking for Breeley, she is talking so much. She was saying a around 20-30 words right before Christmas. Now she's in the "popcorn" verbal stage. We are loving listening to her. Today she saw a gag gift I'd gotten Doug for Christmas.  (A really, really tacky hang over the door basketball hoop - that talks to you carnival style. Doug was horrified that I bought it from our friend's garage sale. The kids and I thought it was hilarious. It was Becca and Bree who played with it the most.) She pointed to it and said "Boom baby" totally enunciated. I was dying laughing. She also says "Ang Bur" when she wants to play Angry Birds on Doug's phone.  Some days I think my baby may be a genius; and then I see her eating crayons....

Hope and Becca have found a new love in playing together. It's fun to watch the two of them dress up and put on shows. Becca is normally the producer/director/ gopher, while Hope enjoys center stage. They both are happy that way.

Ty is getting ready for his first solo camping trip. It will be interesting to hear how he does overnight by himself. Of course it will be on private property, but it's still hard for this mom to believe he even is ready to try something like that on his own.

I'm being reminded right now of the beautiful work God is doing in my family. I know that God is working in every family who allows Him to be the center of their home. The gift and the honor that it is to be a part of the kingdom of heaven sometimes grows stale. I love that He has already made all things beautiful in his time. I pray that the eternal perspective he so greatly desires me to have is where my focus stays.

My family is growing up and these years are going so fast. Maybe that is why this long, long week was a gift. A time to slow down and scoop my babies off their feet to rock or read or color or play computer games. I want to grow close to the Lord's heart and close to my husband's and children's hearts so that I don't miss the beautiful things God is doing in our home.