Late Monday Night

beautiful flowers sent from a dear friend.


it's almost midnight.

I sit with the washer and drying hum-hum-humming in the next room 

and piles of folded towels on the table.

i'm not usually up this late doing laundry 

{though sometimes I probably should be!}

--

about 2 months ago, I wrote this on my blog:

if I may be honest for a moment,

I do get kinda nervous about what health issues we'll face in 2012.

but I remind myself of God's very specific direction in our lives,

and I {try} go into 2012 confidant, bold, ready.

at the very least, I go into this New Year trusting in the One who knows what new trials we will face.

----

well, over the past few weeks, we've found out what some of the new health issues may be.

and ya know?

i'm kinda thinking that health issues may be our thorn in the flesh, 

as the apostle Paul put it.

it's just kinda one thing after the other in our family.
but ya know?
it's okay.
it's truly, truly okay.

because I trust in the One who knows the future.
whose Plan is far greater than I could ever imagine.
who has time and time again shown Himself faithful to our family.
especially in the midst of health crises.
  -
so, I go back to folding laundry.
i've got 2 hours left to stay awake before this crazy sleep-deprived EEG.
who knows what these test results may bring -
hopefully as something as innocuous as weird migraines as suggested by the neurologist -
but at least I can trust the One who already knows the results.

and, well, at least my laundry will be folded.

song

As I sit down at the computer,

things to write about in mind and on my heart,

Grace comes pitter-pattering into the office.

{pink fuzzy jammies, messy hair, messier face}

she comes to me and lays her head on my lap.

as i start to type,

i hear her little voice.

she starts to sing.

i pause, thinking i recognize the melody.

she's too little. how does she know all those words?

i start to type again.

head on my lap, she keeps singing.

{it's unmistakable}.

"...all the children of the world.

red, yellow, black, white

they precious His site.

Jesus loves little children world"

my heart pauses. i am stunned.

as i rock her to sleep at night, 

thinking of a very special little boy in Africa that I wish I could rock to sleep nightly,

i sing that song.

kiss her on the forehead.

I love you, Gracie-girl,

but Jesus loves you more

and into her crib she goes.

I've never heard her sing it back to me.

wherever you're at today, whatever you're doing,

Jesus loves you.

even my 2-year-old knows it.

believe it. live it.

----

We love because he first loved us.

i john 4:19

the sweet singing Grace.

Sparkle On

Our Mondays are usually pretty mellow.

because our Sundays pretty much wear us out.

{wear us out in the best way possible}

So, today we glittered and glued and sparkled and shined.

I let Grace squeeze and shake and paint and smear 

all by herself, 

as much as she wanted to,

even though there was serious Operation Clean Up afterwards.

because sometimes,

a girl's just gotta have some sparkle.

right?

{hope your Monday was sparkly, too.}

Tuesday.

so, I've been quiet recently.

not because I don't have words overflowing inside of me that I've wanted to write,

but because my camera's {my beloved Nikon!} been broken.

{my photos have looked like this.}

and, for some reason,

i cannot write with out photos.

but, for whatever reason for which I am grateful,

my camera is working again.

whew.

so, it's my afternoon Diet Coke break time.

{i'll switch to coffee soon.}

my favorite newly-turned-5-year-old is playing with his quiet time toys.

{and this beautiful girl}

is napping because she is crazy sick with a nasty kidney infection.

doing an ultrasound of her kidneys as well as a upper and lower back x-ray soon

to see why she's getting kidney infections as well as {hopefully} figure out the cause of the back pain she's been complaining about for a couple of months.

as soon as I hit [publish post] I'm going to tackle some of the kitchen disaster and start 

the Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pot Roast for supper.

{even my mostly vegetarian self likes it}

so, that's my Tuesday.  

i love staying at home with my kids.

truly.

i've talked with several other mommy-friends recently 

who struggle with their stay-at-home-mom-ness.

it is a hard position.

i get it.

it can sometimes feel like a shot in the dark.

and, yes, sometimes it's just so hard.

so hard to be loving and patient and kind all.the.time 

to little people who are whiny, crying, and just so needy all.the.time.

but i guess I just think it's so very, very worth it.

it's an opportunity to invest so deeply into a few little lives.

i mean,

our kiddos could be the next Chuck Swindoll. or Mother Teresa.  

or congressman. or missionary.

or the next father who loves his family really, really well, 

and serves His Savior really, really well.

that was one of my New Year's Resolutions -

to be even more intentional with these kiddos.

  {and to be even more intentional with my own life.}

for, as they see me serve, love, and honor my Savior, 

hopefully they will, too.

so, that's my Tuesday.

even in my running clothes, bed unmade, dishes undone,

I'll take it.

for this is the day the Lord has made.

{i will rejoice in it.}