for some reason, i keep expecting them to pop up and say hi.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
in all of life
isaiah's school christmas concert was on friday night. a school wide concert where he had two songs to sing. the girls dressed in their fancy christmas dresses, daddy proudly showed them off to colleagues and parents of his students.
isaiah and his classmates were dressed as lambs. he was handsome even dressed up. i loved watching him in the back row with all his classmates. my son -with his friends - apart from me. laughing, playing, talking. waiting until it was his turn.
the older kids filed onto the stage, the conductor readied them. the music began, the choir started to sing, the conductor waved her hands. and sweet sophia on daddy's lap, stood up, waved her hands and started to sing as well. i watched from the left as daddy encouraged but shushed our budding songstress. my heart full at her joyful response to the music.
when isaiah's time came and he paraded down the isle i felt that burning pride. that feeling that no kid could ever be so handsome. later i found out he was saying to himself as he walked, 'why am i doing this? this is so embarrassing!' it's was a grand chapel, with bright lights. i guess i could have prepared him a little more.
but he sang out - unafraid. signing the words he sang. words about Jesus our beautiful, wonderful savior. the king of everything.
his sister, not really aware of concert etiquette, yelled out to her brother. alaythia waved and called, seemingly desperate for him to know that she was there. that she loved him and was proud of him - all things she told him over and over in the car on the way home.
as we snuggled before bed and recounted the night isaiah asked us to name our favorite part...second favorite part and so on down the line.
you isaiah. you alaythia. you sophia. you are my favorite parts. not just about the concert, but in all of life.
isaiah and his classmates were dressed as lambs. he was handsome even dressed up. i loved watching him in the back row with all his classmates. my son -with his friends - apart from me. laughing, playing, talking. waiting until it was his turn.
the older kids filed onto the stage, the conductor readied them. the music began, the choir started to sing, the conductor waved her hands. and sweet sophia on daddy's lap, stood up, waved her hands and started to sing as well. i watched from the left as daddy encouraged but shushed our budding songstress. my heart full at her joyful response to the music.
when isaiah's time came and he paraded down the isle i felt that burning pride. that feeling that no kid could ever be so handsome. later i found out he was saying to himself as he walked, 'why am i doing this? this is so embarrassing!' it's was a grand chapel, with bright lights. i guess i could have prepared him a little more.
but he sang out - unafraid. signing the words he sang. words about Jesus our beautiful, wonderful savior. the king of everything.
his sister, not really aware of concert etiquette, yelled out to her brother. alaythia waved and called, seemingly desperate for him to know that she was there. that she loved him and was proud of him - all things she told him over and over in the car on the way home.
as we snuggled before bed and recounted the night isaiah asked us to name our favorite part...second favorite part and so on down the line.
you isaiah. you alaythia. you sophia. you are my favorite parts. not just about the concert, but in all of life.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
thanksgiving
i can't take the credit. i didn't take the pictures. but i'll let them do the talking.
it did my heart good to have my family in my home...together.
it did my heart good to have my family in my home...together.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
last week in atlanta
we were in atlanta last week. and what a week we had. matt was presenting a paper at a conference in the city and a friend invited us to come to her parent's house and stay while he was gone.
the stringer family opened their home to us and i have to say, the hospitality and generosity was like nothing i've ever experienced before.
i am not a good receiver...and i got schooled this last week. home cooked meals, a beautiful home, specially planned events just for us, 20+ acres to explore, tractor rides and a cook out. yeah. it was pretty unbelievable.
to top it off, we got to see a great friend who was also in town for the conference. she extended her stay to hang out with us. we went to the georgia aquarium and coke museum and what a day we had. if you are ever in the area, those two things are a must.
everyone was working hard...
in this picture, they are on a rush from bucket loads of HiC....
thanks again to the stringers for hosting us in your amazing home. and to aunt dana for staying to hang out with us!
the stringer family opened their home to us and i have to say, the hospitality and generosity was like nothing i've ever experienced before.
i am not a good receiver...and i got schooled this last week. home cooked meals, a beautiful home, specially planned events just for us, 20+ acres to explore, tractor rides and a cook out. yeah. it was pretty unbelievable.
we found a park on a lake one day...
alaythia took kubota rides just about every day around the 20 acres.
isaiah helped mr. stringer get the fire ready for the cook out.
to top it off, we got to see a great friend who was also in town for the conference. she extended her stay to hang out with us. we went to the georgia aquarium and coke museum and what a day we had. if you are ever in the area, those two things are a must.
we loved having aunt dana with us!
everyone was working hard...
the last room of the museum is a tasting room.
there are fountain machines everywhere with different coke products
from around the world. so you grabbed a cup and tried whatever you wanted.
the kids thought they were pretty cool....
there are fountain machines everywhere with different coke products
from around the world. so you grabbed a cup and tried whatever you wanted.
the kids thought they were pretty cool....
as you left the museum you got to grab a bottle of coke.
in this picture, they are on a rush from bucket loads of HiC....
thanks again to the stringers for hosting us in your amazing home. and to aunt dana for staying to hang out with us!
redeeming myself
i remember in college i had a roommate that hated the tradition of christmas cards. i remember her saying how she hoped the tradition would die with our generation. i vowed to her i would keep it alive. even last year, when i had to order a double set because i screwed up our first set of 100 -- i was not deterred. (although my husband wasn't too happy).
with all the new technology, yes even blogging, it's easier to keep up with people and their lives. but in this digital age, i know i find myself not printing as much pictures, not having peoples faces around my house. and that is why i LOVE christmas cards.
during the holiday season i am eager to see what chrismtas cards arrive each day. i display them around the house as decoration and when the holiday season is over, cut out each picture and post them on our bulletin board for the year.
there are a lot of options out there and this year, i'm hoping to use shutterfly for our christmas cards. there are tons of creative designs and fun ways to show your family. even if i can't get the perfect picture of all of us together, there are options to get individual shots and make it look fabulous. i've used shutterfly for photobooks and stationary and always love how things turn out.
and yes, by writing this post, i'm hoping to redeem myself from last year ordering a double order.
with all the new technology, yes even blogging, it's easier to keep up with people and their lives. but in this digital age, i know i find myself not printing as much pictures, not having peoples faces around my house. and that is why i LOVE christmas cards.
during the holiday season i am eager to see what chrismtas cards arrive each day. i display them around the house as decoration and when the holiday season is over, cut out each picture and post them on our bulletin board for the year.
there are a lot of options out there and this year, i'm hoping to use shutterfly for our christmas cards. there are tons of creative designs and fun ways to show your family. even if i can't get the perfect picture of all of us together, there are options to get individual shots and make it look fabulous. i've used shutterfly for photobooks and stationary and always love how things turn out.
and yes, by writing this post, i'm hoping to redeem myself from last year ordering a double order.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
typical morning
after being without a camera for the past week or so, i am snapping photos like i'll never be able to again.
here's a snapshot of a typical morning in our house.
here's a snapshot of a typical morning in our house.
isaiah starts off the day creating an epic battle.
mommy can't get enough of this toothless grin.
snugglie and sleepy.
creativity - and ready for whatever the day will bring.
swinging in daddy's work chair.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
the first last
MATT ATTENDED THE LAST CLASS OF HIS EDUCATION TODAY!
he was done with his required course work last semester. but each student must attend 5 semesters of a colloquium. a meeting once a week with all the new testament faculty and PhD candidates to argue, debate and 'chew the fat' if you will. today was the last day of his 5th semester.
as we were on a family bike ride tonight he said, 'today was my last class ever.' like it was no big deal.
his last class of his formal education. i wonder how many classes he's taken? how long has this journey been anyway?
we're nearing the end people. i am not being naive. i know that writing a dissertation is no small thing. i know it will take more energy and thought than he's had to produce ever in his life before.
but we're at the end. i can see and feel the end. the end. there is one step left. one final step. a huge step - but it's just one huge step.
un-freakin'-believable.
he was done with his required course work last semester. but each student must attend 5 semesters of a colloquium. a meeting once a week with all the new testament faculty and PhD candidates to argue, debate and 'chew the fat' if you will. today was the last day of his 5th semester.
as we were on a family bike ride tonight he said, 'today was my last class ever.' like it was no big deal.
his last class of his formal education. i wonder how many classes he's taken? how long has this journey been anyway?
we're nearing the end people. i am not being naive. i know that writing a dissertation is no small thing. i know it will take more energy and thought than he's had to produce ever in his life before.
but we're at the end. i can see and feel the end. the end. there is one step left. one final step. a huge step - but it's just one huge step.
un-freakin'-believable.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
blissfully joyful
the tornado feels like a lifetime ago. with the kind of week we had coming...it was fitting that it started that way i guess.
on wednesday matt began comprehensive exams that lasted until this past monday. grueling tests all right on top of each other. i have never seen my husband put his head down and plow like that before. it's really been the whole month of october. the intensity of it, the timing and deadlines. the do-or-die mentality.
matt said i was carrying his stress too much. but i couldn't help it. each morning i felt suffocated with the pressure of what he was about to do. on friday, i just couldn't hold it together anymore. it was (what he thought would be) the hardest of the tests and as i watched the clock tick i felt myself beginning to break.
the kids had started some music and were having a dance party together. all happy, all distracted for the moment. so i took the opportunity to go in my room and have a good cry. and boy did it feel good.
as i finished and was composing myself, i noticed the music was a little louder, the song a little faster. when i walked back onto the scene i found the two older kids stripped down to absolutely nothing and sophia in the middle of them, pointer fingers up, pumping the air.
i stared in disbelief and then felt my heart get lighter. the music shook the air, their faces and bodies were so joyful. blissfully joyful. and i thought of their dad, working his guts out at that moment, their mom crying her guts out -- and them -- having no idea.
it's why we remember childhood so fondly. no worries, no cares. it's not because there was no stress. it was there. but we were unaware, blissfully unaware. dancing around naked to our hearts content.
the tests are over, and while we don't have the grades to know officially that matt passed, we feel hopeful. i would say it's safe to say we're basking in each moment together. thankful for 'post comprehensive exam life'.
on wednesday matt began comprehensive exams that lasted until this past monday. grueling tests all right on top of each other. i have never seen my husband put his head down and plow like that before. it's really been the whole month of october. the intensity of it, the timing and deadlines. the do-or-die mentality.
matt said i was carrying his stress too much. but i couldn't help it. each morning i felt suffocated with the pressure of what he was about to do. on friday, i just couldn't hold it together anymore. it was (what he thought would be) the hardest of the tests and as i watched the clock tick i felt myself beginning to break.
the kids had started some music and were having a dance party together. all happy, all distracted for the moment. so i took the opportunity to go in my room and have a good cry. and boy did it feel good.
as i finished and was composing myself, i noticed the music was a little louder, the song a little faster. when i walked back onto the scene i found the two older kids stripped down to absolutely nothing and sophia in the middle of them, pointer fingers up, pumping the air.
i stared in disbelief and then felt my heart get lighter. the music shook the air, their faces and bodies were so joyful. blissfully joyful. and i thought of their dad, working his guts out at that moment, their mom crying her guts out -- and them -- having no idea.
it's why we remember childhood so fondly. no worries, no cares. it's not because there was no stress. it was there. but we were unaware, blissfully unaware. dancing around naked to our hearts content.
the tests are over, and while we don't have the grades to know officially that matt passed, we feel hopeful. i would say it's safe to say we're basking in each moment together. thankful for 'post comprehensive exam life'.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
i prefer earthquakes
i started my day visiting my friend christi's blog. (you must make it to the end picture and explanation...i laughed for a good long while.) she inspired me. i went to my blog, signed in, clicked on 'new post', determined to take the lemons in life right now and make lemonade.
nope, nothing.
life has been hard around here lately. we've got our heads down and we're plowing. we're tired, but can't let up yet. we've known for a very long time that october was going to be like this. but it doesn't seem to help when you're in the midst of it.
no sleep, sick kids, unimaginably hard comprehensive tests. so i guess it would seem fitting that we faced a tornado today. as if life wasn't throwing enough at us already.
isaiah and matt spent the day at school in the basement. isaiah was in the 'duck & cover' pose for 35 minutes, as he recalls it. matt was with jr. and sr. high schoolers trying to keep them contained.
me? i was at home with the girls, watching the t.v. in terror as i watched the storm head my way. i listened to the weather man tell others 'now is the time to seek protection - now!' i let him tell me what to do, where to go. i'm an earthquake girl. i'm familiar with that natural disaster. tornadoes...well, not so much.
while we did get hit with the 60+ mph wind, and torrential rain. while tornadoes did touch down around us, we came out unscathed. except for the knot in my stomach and mess to clean up. the mess was due to me determining the hall closet was going to be the safest place for me and the girls, so i emptied the entire thing -- making it ready for us to bolt into it if need be.
after everything had passed, my men were home and light rain was falling outside i determined a couple things. facing a tornado puts things into perspective. we're safe. we're together. we're healthy and okay. AND because there is no warning, because you can't watch it come at you, because once you know it's upon you it's over -- i prefer earthquakes.
nope, nothing.
life has been hard around here lately. we've got our heads down and we're plowing. we're tired, but can't let up yet. we've known for a very long time that october was going to be like this. but it doesn't seem to help when you're in the midst of it.
no sleep, sick kids, unimaginably hard comprehensive tests. so i guess it would seem fitting that we faced a tornado today. as if life wasn't throwing enough at us already.
isaiah and matt spent the day at school in the basement. isaiah was in the 'duck & cover' pose for 35 minutes, as he recalls it. matt was with jr. and sr. high schoolers trying to keep them contained.
me? i was at home with the girls, watching the t.v. in terror as i watched the storm head my way. i listened to the weather man tell others 'now is the time to seek protection - now!' i let him tell me what to do, where to go. i'm an earthquake girl. i'm familiar with that natural disaster. tornadoes...well, not so much.
while we did get hit with the 60+ mph wind, and torrential rain. while tornadoes did touch down around us, we came out unscathed. except for the knot in my stomach and mess to clean up. the mess was due to me determining the hall closet was going to be the safest place for me and the girls, so i emptied the entire thing -- making it ready for us to bolt into it if need be.
after everything had passed, my men were home and light rain was falling outside i determined a couple things. facing a tornado puts things into perspective. we're safe. we're together. we're healthy and okay. AND because there is no warning, because you can't watch it come at you, because once you know it's upon you it's over -- i prefer earthquakes.
Monday, October 18, 2010
fun, not scary
every year the louisville zoo puts on a halloween party for kids. you walk a certain path around the zoo, pick up candy along the way, and you get to meet some of your favorite characters.
i have to say that the highlight for the night was when alaythia had her picture taken with, and got to meet, aurora, cinderella and belle. the look on her face was worth fighting all the crowds. worth all the walking and sweating (it was mid 80's) and all the hassle it was to get dressed up and get there. she was so happy, even standing in line a second time to get a second round of pictures.
we braved it again this year, taking along some of our favorite people.
we had the cutest pink kitty cat.
isaiah and jakob fought everything in sight....
each other
t-rex
even being army guys and knights at the same time.
what more could a little boy want?
we had the cutest pink kitty cat.
isaiah and jakob fought everything in sight....
each other
t-rex
even being army guys and knights at the same time.
what more could a little boy want?
i have to say that the highlight for the night was when alaythia had her picture taken with, and got to meet, aurora, cinderella and belle. the look on her face was worth fighting all the crowds. worth all the walking and sweating (it was mid 80's) and all the hassle it was to get dressed up and get there. she was so happy, even standing in line a second time to get a second round of pictures.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
