first annual godshall valentine's day

valentine's day i hope was the start to a new tradition in our family. february is so busy for me, with two birthdays...that naturally i signed up to do the valentine craft in isaiah's class too!

i took the girls with me and they loved getting to be in isaiah's class and get to see daddy teaching. sophia sat on isaiah's lap for the activities and alaythia helped pass everything out. once the kids had passed out their valentine cards

we headed to the lunch room to eat with one of our favorite boys.

we loved being at the school together.

several months ago i read a book by andi ashworth called, 'real love for real life' and she had some great ideas regarding valentines day and how to make it a family event. it was a great night as a family, sharing our love for each other.

we had a fancy candlelit dinner. they loved eating off china and drinking out of stemware. we all shared about our days even little soph shared about getting to go to daddy's class.


when dinner was over we headed to the living room where we all began our love note reading. those of us that could write had written notes to every other member of the family. we took turns standing up on the piano bench and reading to each person.

the person being read to sat in the chair in the middle of the room.


since alaythia and sophia can not write yet, they stood up and told each person why they loved them. alaythia's revolved around playing with her, soph simply said, 'i love you bro bro.' or 'i love you mama.' so sincere, so sweet.

needless to say this time ended in tears... it was such a rich time of being purposeful and expressing our love to each other. i saved all the letters and hope to each year so that we can keep a record of our love notes over the years.

we played some valentine games. a 'minute to win it' candy obstacle course, a maze and we ended the night shooting cupid's arrows onto a heart (q-tips out of straws) but that soon turned into a shooting war. which actually was quite fun.

i love that the day was not just about me and matt, but being together as a whole family, expressing our love to each other. i am blessed to get to live with this crew of people!

best days of my life

it's very rare when life goes as planned. usually, in our house, we're just trying to keep up with the chaos. trying not to be swallowed by the insanity.

i read a blog the other day that talked about how older women come up to us mom's in the thick of toddler-hood and say, 'enjoy these days, these are the best of your life'. and how we're so freakin' tired and just want them to go to bed that it just heaps more guilt on us that we're not enjoying 'the best days of our life'. this blogger suggested that looking forward to bed time is okay - and even normal. and that what matters is to be in the moment. to take the rare moments of pure bliss and burn them into your mind. and that really, those are the things that stick. those are the moments we'll remember. and that's why one day we'll probably turn to a haggard young mom and tell her 'she's in the best days of her life'.

isn't it funny how once something is said aloud, pointed out, or given words you just couldn't find - how it just changes your perspective?

last night we had one of those 'moments'. it was a truely restful sunday. we all fell asleep at one point or another during the day. we played games, we cleaned the house, we played wii together.

we sat down for dinner and there was no complaining. no one commented how they didn't like the food. no one spilled their milk. they passed with manners, they ate all their food and asked for seconds. and when we were just about done eating, isaiah picked up the bible.

matt usually reads to us at dinner, but without even asking isaiah picked it up and began to read. and read he did. the entire section. the girls were silent, intent on listening to the new voice that was speaking the same truth. i watched in wonder as my son took on the role his daddy has...with eagerness and confidence.

when he was finished alaythia decided she was also going to lead us. she instructed us on who would sing and when to sing. we were to pick our favorite song and sing it for each other. around the table we went, even little soph singing 'Jesus loves me'....'they weak, he be strong!' alaythia making up her own songs which are the truths of God sung back to him. isaiah drumming to the beat. daddy's voice cracking because he was overcome with emotion.

we moved to the living room to play a game. everyone involved, everyone happy, taking turns, mommy and daddy flirting, sophia adding her own rules as we went.

it was perfect. a rich, sweet, blessed time as a family...and i found myself thinking, 'maybe these really are the best days of my life'.

2012

it's the first day of a new year. you'd never know it if you just popped in on our house today. the same routine, the same events. a quick mention here or there on 2012, but for the most part it was business as usual.

yet tonight my heart is full. full of the past year and the hope of the next. life is mundane and rich. routine and unexpected. what the past held i could not predict. what the future holds i dare not dream.

but i'm grateful. grateful to be where i am. loving, living, learning, giving. and centered in the heart of a great God.

sweet girl

my sweet sophia...she brings me so much joy.

i love how much she loves the color blue. sitting in a blue chair, eating out of a blue bowl, coloring on blue paper with a blue crayon, blue rubber bands in her hair.

she is speaking clearly now. i-zay-ah! good morning! i love you mama. each time she says something clear as day, it's like i've heard it for the first time.

the thumb sucking. it has to stop...but not yet. the way her little lips curl around it...it's just too cute.

her skin is so soft and cushy. i love to kiss her cheeks, and squeeze her thighs. i love to watch her chubby fingers grabbing for things.

my sweet sophia...she brings me so much joy.

st. louis with great aunt lydia

this past weekend we headed out to st. louis to spend time with matt's aunt lydia. she lives in southern california but was refereeing a college volleyball tournament in st. louis. so we all met up and had a really fun weekend.

we headed back to the magic house, an absolute favorite. we also went to the arch...where matt, lydia and isaiah traveled to the top. mommy was just fine to stay on the ground with the girls.

it was a perfectly timed escape. much needed and a huge gift. thank you aunt lydia for your generosity and for making it happen.

instagram sunday

pammy was my bear when i was little. i love seeing them play with my thing.

little hands, little feet

friends

tree climber

alaythia is the only one that cooperated

little soph had a procedure done yesterday. while we were
waiting she was singing with daddy.

taken at 11:11am on 11-11-11