More Birthday Fun

So, I didn't actually post pictures of Adelin's party, or the cake that took the better part of the day I should have actually been, you know, shopping for the food I was going to feed the guests and all that. It wasn't as cute as it was going to be in my head, but it was a lot cuter than some of the pictures I found when searching for ideas. 

Better late than never, I always say!

 Here's the butter cream icing. I didn't really like it once I got it made. I need a better recipe. 

 I started with a 9x13 cake

 Cut it to shape...

 And iced it.

 Here's my "elevation"

 Did you know you can buy fondant already tinted? It's very handy.

 This was supposed to be a naptime project, but someone woke up early and wanted to help.

 Here's the first shoe. I was pretty darn proud of it. 

 The second one kind of flopped.

 See?

 Adelin said she didn't care.

 The wonderful thing about fontont: when little fingers mess with the cake,

 it just makes an indentation, not a big, gaping hole.

 Here's the cake table

 Adelin said she didn't care that the top shoe sagged.

 Neither did the other girls, it seems.

 Opening up birthday presents is so much fun!

 She loves it!

"The only thing is, the grownups keep taking my cool new stuff away and giving me another box to open"

She had a very happy day. Most of the kids I invited weren't able to come, but who needs kids when there are hordes of doting grandparents to be had? We are very blessed to have most of our families within driving distance. The kids love getting to see their grandparents and great-grandparents all the time! My mom's parents lived close when I was little, and time with them has been SO wonderful over the years. I'm glad my girls will get to experience that too.

Biloxi

Last weekend, we went to visit family in Biloxi, and we decided to take a day trip out to Ship Island, so Andrew could fish, and the kids could play on a pretty beach. Everyone was pretty cherry on the boat ride over.

 Ianna wore these glasses the whole weekend, even at night. It's was a little insane.

 She had to lift them up to see.

Except Adelin. She's pretty mommy-centric these days, and she had to sit with daddy for a minute.

 Ianna was totally set on riding dolphins. There were some around the boat, 

but I don't think she actually knew what they were. She didn't get to ride them though.

Overall, the trip didn't really work out as planned. Ianna was miserable, because she had to walk all the way across the island, and it was hot. By the time we make it to the beach, Andrew was so exasperated with her whining, he walked into the water with his phone in his pocket. Salt water is not good for phones. You wouldn't believe how much it costs to replace a smart phone. The kids did have a good time playing in the water, though. I didn't get any picture, because I was busy trying to supervise two little people in the water while Andrew was fishing. He only caught nasty catfish that aren't good to eat, though, which is sad. And I got totally baked. Like, a week later, I'm still burned, baked. Not cool. 

The rest of the weekend was good, though. We got lots of visiting, which was nice. Here's a picture of the whole crew at Papaw Tommy's birthday party.

Adelin Turns 1!

I think I'll start blogging again. Adelin's first birthday seemed like the perfect come back post :-)

I can't believe that a whole year has gone by already. She's a sweetheart, and lights up our house with her cheeriness.

We did her nursery in Ballerinas, so we did a ballerina party. 

 

Little Prima Dona

 Hehe. Girls love their shoes :-)

She's a little doll.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

Sucess

Why are some homeschooling parents sucessful, and some have children that wind up hating everything their parents stand for? It's something I've wondered often through the years, and it's a more relevent question than ever. I've moved past the state of "homeschooled child" and "homeschool graduate" and am not entering the season of "homeschool mom."

New Baby

It's a new baby :-)
Life is a three ring circus these days!


She's completely precious, and almost always nice. Life is wonderful. :-)

New Beginings

Autumn is my favorite time of year. It always seems more like a new beginning time of year than New Years. I don't know why I always feel that way. Every year, on the first cool day, I get a feeling that wonderful things are just around the corner. And as it happens, they often are. Here is this year's wonderful thing :-)
It's amazing how much life can change in a year. A three weeks ago, I became a mother. And Wednesday, my little sister became a mother. Talk about unreal.


The moment they put my baby in my arms was perhaps the most surreal of my life. Just looking at the picture overwhelms me with emotion. I couldn't get my mind around the fact that she was MINE. A little soul to cherish, train, love, and show the way to the Saviour. It's a little scary. Now, after a lifetime of watching other people raise children, and trying to figure out why some things work and some don't, I'm the parent. It a awesome, overwhelming, and humbling thing.

We named the baby Ianna Lynn. People keep asking where we got the name. Well, we got it from that most un-romantic of places, a baby name book. But it's like this. Most of the names we both liked were fairly common, like Elisabeth or Victoria, and we wanted something a little unusual. We also kind of wanted something that reflected our families' heritage, which for both of us is mostly Scottish, German and English. And last, but not least, we wanted something with a meaning more profound then "dark-haired girl". Ianna is Scottish, and it means "God is gracious".

A few hours after Ianna was born I was laying in my room, thinking about the events of the day. Poor Andrew was trying to sleep, but I had a thousand things to say. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning Andrew told me that Ianna was born with her cord wrapped around her head, her body, and her neck. Thank God, she was fine, there weren't any related complications. "I think we picked a good name, Love" Andrew said. And as I lay there, with my mind racing, I thought about the totally amazing, painful, and altogether overwhelming experience of giving birth, I agreed. Things couldn't have gone much better. My labor was short, and without complication, and the people I loved the most were there to share it with me. My nurses and dola were wonderful, and I felt like everyone there contributed something that I needed. Here's Robin contributing some much needed laughter. She declared that the chairs were uncomfortable. (And they are, as I found our Wednesday. I was not invited to join her on the bed when she was the one in it, though ;-) )

So anyway, I'm sure I'll have more to say on the subject sometime. And for now, I'll leave you with some more pictures.

Here is Ianna with Selina two weeks ago:

And yesterday. Neither one of them look to happy, but they wouldn't both be awake, fed and happy at the same time.

For some reason this one decided to come out small. Oh well, it's still cute.


And here's my little family. So yeah, I'm pretty much the most blessed woman in the world :-)

Baby Picture and Maturnity Clothes

I've had two sonograms now. This is the first one. It was amazing to see the little bitty baby looking like -well - a baby! It's was about an inch long, but it was amazing that it already looked distinctly human.

I'm done with my first trimester! YAY!! I feel better, and I'm starting to not fit into my clothes. Robin and I broke out the box of clothes we dubbed the "Too Big for Us Box, May it Live forever". That just sounded better than "May it Live 'Till We Get Pregnant". One way or another, they are no longer too big. One perk to not fitting in anything you own: you get to go clothes shopping. Which is always fun. And on top of getting a whole new wardrobe, you get to buy fun baby things. I love buying baby things. They are all so CUTE!


While I've even seen pictures and all that good stuff, it still hasn't really sunk in that I'm really having a baby. I mean, when I was younger I always talked about "When I'm married and have kids", but I can't quite believe that it's really real!

But two sonograms, three months of being more or less sick and a growing belly all bear testament to the fact that it is all really, indeed real. So, on that note, I'm going to go clean house so I can clean out the spare room so Baby will have a place to live when it gets here :-)

Wedding and Such

So many things have happened the past year. My blog has been totally neglected, and I doubt if anyone even bothers to check it anymore. Every time something of note happens I thing "I should blog about this" but there are so many important un-bloged-about things that it seems that I can't post about the latest life changing event till I post about all of the preceding events.

I can't believe I have been married more than 2 months! Time is flying so fast.

It's funny, really. My wedding went off without any major glitches, but I keep having dreams that for some reason we have to have another ceremony and SOMETHING is always a disaster in these dreams. Last night Robin was talking while the preacher was trying to talk. I thought you were supposed to quit having wedding disaster dreams after the wedding was over...

The real life wedding though, was wonderful. It really was a little surreal. I remember Kevin saying that he didn't remember much of the sermon from his wedding, and I thought "I"m listening. I'm even paying attention. I think I'm doing pretty well." But, as it happens, that is practically the only thing I remember him saying. Oh well. Fortunately, I have a video coming, so I'll be able to hear all the good advice and maybe retain more of it.

But for all the blur, there are some things that stick out clearly in my mind. My dad calling me out of the brideroom to practice pulling my veil back. Teary eyed, I might add.

Gramy comming into the Bride Room saying that Grandpy was asking to see me. When he came in he was teared up. He hugged me tight. "I wish you all the happiness in the world, Darlin'. You deserve it." He almost made me cry.

The image of my poor bridesmaids shivering outside the church won't be forgotten. I felt bad, 'cause I had a nice warm cape and they were all huddled up together. It was windy too. My veil and train were a mess coming into the church. And there was something wrong with that darn doorway. My train snagged on it and my veil got caught. One side came unattached from the flowers in my hair, and I was very glad that Sarah and Mom had pinned the flowers in so well.

Right after we said our vows I knelt next to the love of my life and we partook of the first Holy Communion of our married life, a visible symbol of our unity with Chirst and his Church. I was swept away in the utter beauty of the moment. Some of our dear friends and my dear sister were singing "The Lord Bless you and Keep You", and they sounded heavenly. That moment defined my wedding for me. We were had been joined in the holy bonds of marriage, and we knlet there together before God, and it was perfect.

Another precious moment was as I was coming out of the room where the cake was, I stopped and gave a hug to one of my great uncles who had come in from out of town. His wife died recently, after a long bout with leukemia. He seemed to be doing well, and he gave me the most touching good wishes of the day. "Well I hope you marriage is as good as ours was, except that it lasts longer."

All in all, everyone was wonderful, my wedding party (especially my sister) pulled all the little details off wonderfully and it was the happiest day of my life.

And for all the questioners who ask "So, how's married life?"

It's wonderful. In some ways it seems a little unreal. I've always known what I wanted to do with my life, and now that I'm doing it it seems like it can't really be me. But on the other hand, it seems like the most natural thing in the world to meet Andrew every evening when he gets home from work, and to fix his meals and wake up every morning beside him. I'm loving each little season right now, and learning that none of them last forever, and they all have joys and trials, and that they are all wonderful in their own way. I miss some old seasons, and I'm looking forward to some coming up, but I love our little time of "just the two of us"

I felt that I simply had to post all this today, because tomorrow I have my first doctor's appointment for Baby, who will be here in late October, and I might have related thing to say :-)

St. Louis and Such

So I'm informed that I never post. Which has been mostly true I'm afraid. So to make up for lost time I'll post some pictures of what I've been up to for the past three months or so.

This is what I did. I was in St. Louis from the beginning of February until last week with the Capasso's. Elise is the mom and the children, from left to right, are Ilenia, Viviana and Isabella.


This is me with the two older Capasso girls, Isabella and Viviana. We are freezing. I did a lot of that...

Ilenia didn't like the cold too much...

How about that sled?

We make bread (Translation: I made bread with the cute, but rather unhelpful help of three year old Vivi) I thought this picture of Ilenia was too cute.

Andrew came to see me and took this very cute picture with Ilenia.

We took a road trip to Chicago and visited some friendly nursery rhyme characters.

Me in Chicago.

This is Easter. It snowed. It was insane.

These are the flowers Elise informed everyone Andrew sent her for Easter. But he didn't. He sent them to me :-)

Me and my Tissy. I managed a short visit to see the McDonald's while I was up North.

:-D

Viviana is a sweetheart. She was the only one of the girls that didn't have an aversion to the camera that day.

I'm Alive!

Just so all my dear readers (all three of you) know, I'm still alive. I'm just in St. Louis until April 15 with not much time to blog, alas! Actually, I have posted since Christmas, but Blogger hates me and insists that I wrote that post in November. So anyway, that's where my latest post is. It's titled "Growing Up". Just in case you care. If you don't, why are you here? Just a thought...

So anyway. Maybe sometime I'll actually have something to say next time I post. Until then, Adiu!

Growing Up

Growing up is a strange thing. When I was a child my mom would sing a line from some song that went "Life used to be so simple, but it's not simple anymore." I remember analyzing that and thinking "When was life simple? I don't think life's ever been simple." And really, mine never was. The complexities of life started to show out about the time I was four, and things haven't been simple since. I remember hearing people talk about childlike faith and wondering what was so wonderful about childhood. I figured I must have missed out on whatever that magical childhood was that everyone talked about.I remember thinking when I was about 10 that I had filled my quota of difficulty and was entitled to have everything go my way from than on. But from the vantage point of 21 (gosh, a I that old already?) I can see that there is a quality trust inherent in childhood that is precious. As children we believe things because... well because someone we trust said so. And that's enough. It's a scary place to be when it's no longer enough that Mom or the preacher said so. I now understand why so many young people lose their way. The old standards of judging truth aren't there anymore. Unless one believes that if God says it that's enough, one could fall very far indeed. It has frightened me at times to see how far I could stray from everything I hold dear. I have looked at myself and been terrified at what I saw. I have seen that I, in and of myself am unable to fully trust in what I believe. I have clung to the hand of my father, and seen that I wasn't strong enough to hold on. I have known that he was holding me, that his grip was stronger on me then mine could ever be on him. And I have been given the strength to hold on by his grace, one day at a time.


Something I love to ponder is the beauty of each season of life. There is the complete dependence of a new baby, and the wonder of a little child just starting to explore the world, asking always "What's that?" There is something that makes me smile about a ten year old learning to hold adult conversations and talk about important things.


There is youth, a season when anything seems possible, when we are willing to risk everything in hopes of being movers and shakers. I guess beause it's my area to explore right now, I'm partial to youth. There is a zeal to it that I find fascinating. Through much of history it has been young people that have changed the world. There was a line that struck me as I was watching Amazing Grace recently. One young man said to his friend "We're too young to realize that certain thing cannot be done. And we can do them." And they did. These two young men, William Pit and William Wilberforce, where the movers and shakers of their day. They changed the world. Often, when we are young, the price that would daunt someone with more knowledge of the world seems payable to us. I wonder if perhaps that's why God set things up that most people fall in love and marry in this season. Because by 40 we see all the risk that's involved in loving someone, and perhaps we'd be less willing to venture into something so very... risky.


I think the same may be true of friendships. There is something different about the friendships that someone very young and someone older. I look and my grandmother and the friends she's had all her life and those she's made since she was middle aged. It's just not the same. And frankly, I can understand that. I've never spent the night crying over anyone I didn't love. But it's still worth it. I guess I'm still young enough not to care.

And yet again, there are the seasons of Middle and old age. Honestly, I don't really understand these seasons. I can see that my the time one has reached these seasons one has gained wisdom. The preacher Sunday said something that I think might sum up some of the blessings of having spent one's youth. He said "I'm 68 years old. One of the advantages I have that you young people don't have is that I've lived most of my life, and I can tell you that God is always faithful. See, you still have your lives ahead of you and you don't know what it's going to hold. But I know that God is always faithful." It reminded me of the words of the Psalmist. "I have been young and now I am old, but I have not seen the righteous forsaken..."

So I guess that's pretty much it. As I look over this past year, I can see that God is faithful. And I guess that thing called faith comes in when I look at the coming year and say "God will be faithful." So happy New Year, everyone.

God With Us

Well, it's that time again. It's Christmas. Somehow it's sunk up on me this year, I'm not quite sure how. It's not like there haven't been obnoxious Santa advertisements blaring every time I turn on the radio for the past month. But some how the "Christmas Spirit" seems to have passed me by. I realized a few weeks ago that I had missed the first Sunday of Advent, and than boom! Christmas has come and nearly gone. But I'm sitting back and thinking, thinking about the mystery of God With Us, and I'm reminded of the first chapter of John.

IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things where make through Him, and without Him nothing was make that was make. In Him was life, and that life was the light of Men. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. He came unto his own and His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those that believe in His name.

The world has no problem with "Baby God" in a manger, all cute and cuddly. It likes angels and shepherds and Wise Men. But what seems to be forgotten is that that cute baby in a manger claimed to be God Himself. And not only that, but the only God. A holy, just and jealous God who will suffer no rival. The Alpha and Omega, first and last. That is a problem. That's insensitive. That has a very "I'm right and you're wrong" ring.

On another note, I'm thinking about Mary. Something I've realized is that God didn't shower Mary's path with roses. Why did God choose just that way to bring his son into the world? Why the stigma of an unwed mother? Jesus would deal with snide remarks about his parentage for his whole life. This was a world where a woman's purity was her greatest treasure. According to the Law her purity was to be all but announced from the rooftops on her wedding night. But here was Mary, who everyone knew wasn't married, pregnant. Why wasn't God more interested in saving face than that? I wonder how many nights she wept because of the things people said, or perhaps because the people she loved treated her differently.

But than again, I wonder how many nights she stayed awake marveling at the life inside her and wondering what it all meant. Could she has fathomed that this little baby living in her womb was God Himself? She knew that He would save His people from their sins. But I wonder if she had any inkling of just how much that meant. I wonder if she knew that this Child would change the world, that he would reign literally forever. I wonder. There was short lived heartache, but in the scheme of eternity, what did it signify? I would think if anything, it only served to make her her more dependant on God.

And I think of what that all means to me. How many times in my life to I forget the long term gain in view of the short term trails? Sometimes I forget the Creator if the Universe is in the equation. He is God, and He is with us. Thank God, He is with us.

Give Thanks

Well, I don't have much time for a long well thought out Thanksgiving post. So I'll be brief.

On Sunday we where all eating in the fellowship hall and the pastor asked us to go around the table and share what we where most thankful for. I had a little time to think, and I decided that most of all I'm thankful that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it. I'm thankful that He's still working on me. I'm thankful for all the things I've wanted and he hasn't given me. I'm thankful and he is supremely wise and completely sovereign. I'm so very grateful that he chose to love and save me, in spite of everything that I am and everything I've done.

When I look at the plight of so many people in the world I am struck at how blessed I am to be in this great, though flawed country. I know that the price of our way of life is very high, and I'm thankful for everyone that has paid that price, for those first Pilgrims that stepped off the Mayflower, and the men that died at Bunker Hill, Gettysburg and Normandy Beach. And I'm thankful for the boys that are still fighting today.

I'm so blessed with my friends and family. God has given me people that I can laugh with and cry with. He's given me people who challenge me to be holy, sometimes by what they say and do, and sometimes just by being there and praying for me and giving me someone to pray for.

God's been good to me. He would still be good if I had none of the things I've listed... But I'm glad He decided to give them anyway.

Psalm 139

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain!
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Art

This is an online art album I compliled some time ago, but I couldn't figure out how to put it on my blog as it is, so you'll have to the host site to view it. I hope you enjoy it!
http://art-albums.com/albums/detail.aspx?album=03d252a6-aa85-408e-9971-0c5c09bffe04

Character

My friend Brooke needed some people to answer some questions relating to character for a school project and asked me to take her little survey. I thought I might as well post my musings.

What does the word “character” mean to you?
Someone's morals, virtues or lack thereof and disposition.

On a scale of 1 to 5, how important is character in life?5Is character necessary for success in life?

Yes. For example, if you do not manifest the character trait of honesty it will be a serious impediment to success in any area of life.
Where does character matter? (Home, office, school, other)Character is important in all areas of life. It is necessary in home life, in the workplace and socially.

How can a person build character?
Character, or at least the appearance of it can be developed by self-interest and pride motivating the exercise of self-control, generosity and honesty, among others. Sometimes we are persuaded that the appearance of these things will make us appear to others as better person, and sometimes it is for our own fulfillment and peace of mind. True character, however, is only available thought the work of the Holy Sprit and his power that enables us to cultivate these virtues for his glory and not ours.

Name 3 of the most important character qualities.
Honesty, compassion and justice.
How do you evaluate your own character or that of your family?

My natural tendency is to evaluate other's character in light of how it effects me, and my own in light of it's negative or positive effects on my circumstances or state of mind. This is however a very fallible gage of character. Another way that I often tend to evaluate character is my comparison, comparing myself and my family to others. The only accurate cannon for character evaluation however is the bible.

How do you evaluate the character of others?
Discrimination is the area of character is necessary. Reputation is a common barometer of character, but it is not always accurate. While it is wise to consider someone's reputation in interacting with them, I rarely draw conclusions based on it. I evaluate character of different people differently, depending on what degree of intimacy I have or am considering having with them. In business relationships I evaluate only the character qualities that apply to business, and rely mainly on reputation and the quality of their work. In casual friendship I consider reputation and my own perception as to how a given relationship is likely to effect my own character, based on the consideration that bad company ruins good morals, (1Co 15:33) that he who walks with the wise will become wise but that the companion of fools suffers harm, (Pro 13:20) and that you are judged my the company you keep. It is well in choosing friends to consider if the person you are evaluating fits the biblical description of a wise person or a fool. Character must also be considered in closer relationships. I consider someone’s honesty and trustworthiness before confiding in them. These considerations are more important with increasing closeness in a relationship and the amount of trust entailed.