Do you like "haps"

This is a great conversation that Owen and I had this morning:

Me: Perhaps. "Perhaps" means "maybe."

Tali: Oh.

Owen: Daddy has "haps".

Me: He does? He has haps?

Owen: Yah, in his cah. He has haps in his cah.

Me: Haps in his car? Hats? He has hats in his car?

Owen: No, Mommy. Haps! An Daddy has jazz, too.

Me: Do you mean that Daddy has "hip hop" music in his car?

Owen: Yeah! Daddy has hip hap hip hop.

(p.s.- When Owey saw this picture of himself he said, "I sink I was sayeen 'OH' in dat picshuh.")

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Some Differences

Here's Owey at around 3 months.

This is Addie Beth at around 3 months.

This is Tali at around 3 months.


Owen's around 3 months old in this picture.

This is Tali at 2 months old. Look at those chubby cheeks!

Here's miss Addie Beth at 3 months. Doesn't she look like a dainty little thing compared to her sister as a baby?

I just love babies! It's so good to have one to snuggle again since my big girl is 3 and my little boy is 2. We're so blessed and grateful for these children to love.

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Looking Up

I can't change myself, that's for sure! I'm so glad, though, that God is able to change me and that He's given me His Word that's living and active. The last couple weeks I've been seeking to meditate on some things to help me look upward rather than get overwhelmed by all that goes into being a mom. When my mind is filled with these truths, my day is so different! I'm trying to pray through these verses in the morning when I'm feeding Addie and then at little times throughout the day. Looking at God is SO much more encouraging than looking at myself!

What is my hope for being a mom today?
God gave His son to die for my sins; surely He will meet every other need that I have today.
-"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32


God is with me!
-"Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

In my own strength, I can do nothing but He is much stronger than me!
-"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

-"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Cor. 12:9


How does my Lord parent His children?

He is patient and loving
-"The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." Psalm 145:8

Jesus didn't grasp at His own rights; He humbled Himself and became a servant
-"who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant" Philippians 2:6,7

Jesus didn't demand that He be served, He gave up His life to serve that we might know God
-"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Jesus had compassion on the people when they followed Him around; He knew they needed Him
-"When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things." Mark 6:34

What does God call me to do as a mom today?

To live for Christ and not myself
-"and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." 2 Corinthians 5:15

To love my children with a tender, affectionate love to adorn the Gospel
-"and so train the young women to love their husbands and children...that the word of God may not be reviled." Titus 2:4,5

To teach God's Words to them
-"You shall teach them (God's Words) to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 11:19

To discipline them and instruct them
-"...do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

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Wow, our kids are cute!

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Prayer Request

Some of you probably know or have heard of Bob Kauflin. I've been incredibly blessed by his music and leadership through Sovereign Grace Ministries. His son and daughter-in-law (Jordan and Tali) recently found out that their little boy has leukemia. Please pray for Jack's complete recovery and for much strength and grace for this family. Jordan's in the Pastor's College right now and Tali gave birth to their 3rd child a little after we had Addie. Such a severe trial and yet they are trusting the Lord and resting in His care. Please pray for them.

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Addie Beth at 12 Weeks

Tomorrow our cutie will be 12 weeks old! It's funny how SLOW 12 weeks goes by when you're pregnant and feeling nasty, but when you have the baby in your arms 12 weeks just flies by. It's hard to believe that we've had 12 whole weeks of snuggling our baby girl. Here's some pertinent info:

Weight: a couple weeks ago she was at 11.4pds

Height: I don't remember but she was at 70th percentile (as opposed to her brother who is currently in the 6th percentile)

Daytime Sleep: Napping like a champ in her pack-n-play bassinette! 4 naps still happening.

Nightime Sleep: Very irregular. Sleeps from 9:45pm-??? Usually wakes up around 3am & then 5am.

Temperament: Cheerful, sensitive, sweet, snuggly

Favorite Things: Sucking her pointer finger, Owey rubbing her head, smiling at Mommy, hitting "play gym" toys

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Numbering My Days

My greatest fear is that I will waste these days with them-that I will squander the precious few hours given to me to love them in our home and to show them that Jesus alone is eternal life. My greatest fear is that I will waste away these days with wishing they'd take longer naps and that she'd eat what I fix her and that he'd stop using his hands to eat yogurt. I know I'm doing it, wasting the time, wanting a break instead of hugging them longer, getting tired of their questions, rushing the bedtime routine instead of reading one more book. I'm wasting the days and I can't have them back, not one single moment and I should know better.

When they are finally sleeping quietly in their beds, I stop to think and remember. Harsh words spoken, angry footsteps upstairs to answer yet another plea for me to come and help, a constant refrain of "in a minute" or "I can't right now," more "no's" than necessary. And I can't stop thinking about what could have been done differently and I cry because I feel like I am wasting these days.

Yes, it is very true that they have an imperfect mommy who sins against them each day, one who forgets that they are gifts and not interruptions. But it is even more true that there is a perfect One who doesn't ever fail in His parenting. So today I cling to the hope that the God who came while we were yet sinners will take this tattered attempt at loving and make it into something beautiful that will point them to the cross.

Please God, help me not to waste the days.

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

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Happy Birthday, Uncle David

Here's a sweet rendition of "Happy Birthday." (Notice that they didn't want to miss an opportunity to blow out a candle at the end.)

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Staying Warm

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This One's For You, Mom!

In an attempt to occupy my kids for a bit, I printed off this tracing sheet that I'd found. When I showed it to Tali, she said, "Well...I can't do that Mommy. Maybe when I'm owed-er an I can do it all by myself, THEN I can try that." I explained to her that she could at least give it a shot. Here are the results of her first ever tracing. (Mom, I knew you'd want to see it even if no one else does!)

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