Saturday, December 26, 2015

Dear Bindi,


It's been almost two months since we welcomed you into our family, and I have to say, it's not at all what I had expected.
You see, when I finally conceded to letting your favorite person have you, I was fraught with stress and panic and an overwhelming feeling of "what have I done?"  I already had an overflowing plate, with VERY BUSY twin toddlers, a nine year old, a six year old (with their own schedules and needs), a (much too) hard-working husband, a home to care for, friends and family I didn't see enough of; you get the picture-a very FULL life.  How could I have committed to taking on more?  How could I possibly manage caring for one more thing when I already felt I was on the brink of sanity most days?  My house is never completely clean, I always have laundry to catch up on, and for goodness sake, I don't even shower daily.  My list of reasons not to get you was extensive, to say the least.
  Shouldn't the twins be potty trained first?  Wouldn't it be a good idea to have lived in our home a full year and actually finish unpacking (not to mention all the painting and nesting that I wanted to tackle)?  What about our family vacations?  What would we do with you when we travel?  My carpet is so new and clean and fresh-is cleaning up puppy-potty really how I want to spend my 'free' time? See, lots of reasons (and those are only just a few).
But then we picked you up, on that terribly rainy, chilly day in October. And I melted.
We were instantly smitten with you.  You had that puppy charm, with those soft brown eyes and tiny little puppy paws.  And your smell- you had that irresistible puppy smell, and I swear we had never seen a cuter puppy.  I mean.
We brought you home beaming with excitement and I braced myself for the other shoe to drop.  For you to wake me up during the night, whine incessantly to be let out, let in, only to want to be let out again.  For my furniture to be chewed to pieces.  I was afraid the puppy-moon phase would be short and sweet and for reality to kick in and leave myself asking "Why in heaven's name did I do this to myself?"
And I kept waiting.
And waiting.
And waiting.
And during the waiting there was some middle of the night whining.  There were also messes to clean up (like the many times when the twins decide to help feed you and clean up your water bowl with hand towels). An occasional chewed up shoe and the inevitable (surprise!) accident around the house.



But there was so. much. more.
So much that I did not anticipate you would bring with you.  Like the evenings you spend curled up beside me (when you're not with your favorite person) in bed, soothing me with your fluffy softness that I can't get even get enough of (you are just SO FLUFFY I WANT TO DIE).  Or how you wake me up with those sweet puppy kisses. And how your entire body wags when you see us and you run up and jump into my arms.  The dedication and loyalty you already possess as you cry when your favorite person leaves for school, or how you run and play with joy and reckless abandon with your kids in the backyard.  I didn't anticipate how much our littles would love you and be so gentle as they pet you and offer you their food and care for you in their tender toddler ways.
I didn't anticipate all the joy.
Yes, I suppose there are more messes and work, but the value you've added to our family in the deeper, unseen ways could never be overshadowed by those small insignificant things (that come in the form of puddles on the floor).
So, thank you sweet Bindi. Thank you for helping me realize, in your own little way, the sweet, truly meaningful things in life.  I am so thankful for you and the 'yes' that brought you to us.  God really does use the small, seemingly insignificant things of this world to show His love, mercy and joy. You have brought fun and laughter to our home that I didn't even know was missing. You have brought joy and love and compassion to our family, and gave unexpected balance and peace to my life, in your little, unassuming, furry form; and for that, I will always be grateful. Thank you Bindi, for being so much more than I was expecting.


Monday, November 2, 2015

Monday, October 19, 2015

London


When your baby decides to love and follow Jesus, well, it's about the best thing in the entire world.

















Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Just a few things I want to remember......


Noble and William wrestling/running/acting like little boys in the morning before Noble heads off to school (while I'm telling him for the emp-teeninth time to please put on his shoes)......


London reading her bible before bed and writing down her thoughts and prayers in her journal...

Summer taking William's hand and leading him on the sidewalk......

William and Summer reading one of their favorite books with me before bed (Moo, Baa, La, La, La) and Summer being so excited about the 'La, La, La" part she skips the pig, trust me, it's adorable.

Noble holding my hand on the walk home from school.....

William walking Noble's balance bike all around the cup-de-sac, wanting to be exactly like his big brother......
 
Reading 'Little Women' to London before bed......

Making puppy training plans and reading up on all there is to know about crate training a puppy with L.......

Bath time with Will and Summer; watching them rub shampoo in one another's hair.....

Noble still asking me to sing him a bedtime song.....

Listening to all the new 'baby' words Summer and Will add to their vocabulary each day (Boble is probably my favorite).....  

A quiet afternoon to write down a few little pieces that fill my heart.......


Tuesday, September 22, 2015

A happy home


I read an article about 5 common things happy people have in their homes, and it made me stop and think about all the people I love and what specifically about their homes makes me feel at home, loved, and just happy (besides them of course)! All of them have a home that is inviting, begging me to stay for a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine).  I see comfy throws, friendly pets that plead to be snuggled, family photographs, yummy food, candles burning, music playing, kids scribbles and drawings taped up on walls and refrigerators, to-do lists, scriptures on the walls and just an air of openness about them.

It also gave me new eyes to see what, in my own home, at first glance might drive neat-freak me a little bonkers ( overflowing toy basket that I keep saying I'll pare down), but after a second, deeper look, shows something much more beautiful (a house full of children).

The evidence of our abundance is all around me.

My never clean windows show smudges of sweet little faces watching the world around them.  My casserole dishes, waiting to be returned on the counter, show loving care of generous friends and family during those not-so great days of illness. Medicine on the counter reminds me of our 24/7 access to medical care during these bouts of sickness, the hairbrush that is always on our table brings to mind all of the little blonde bed heads that I get to detangle every morning during breakfast.  Pillows on the floor (and not on the couch) are evidence of a giggly game of chase the twins played with one another just this morning.  Dishes on the counter and laundry on the couch are evidence of more than enough food to eat and clothes to wear.  Dirt and grass on the floor reveal a yard to run and play in.  Flies all over my kitchen point to neighborhood children running in and out the front door, making themselves at home.  The mess and joy of life completely surround me.
Here's to seeing the happy in our home.



Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Friday, September 11, 2015

My own little (9 yr. old) mermaid

The weekend of London's ninth birthday, I ended up catching some sort of yucky, achey, makes you feel totally miserable bug.  I'm attributing it to the fact that while out shopping with my mom and sister, London picked out (and came home) with an adorable top labeled 'Tween'.
 So it begins.
We had the best time though.  L was beaming all weekend.  What's not to love about a nine year old? She likes to shop, get her nails done and her favorite restaurant is Olive Garden.  Oh, and her top birthday request was for a mermaid tail she can swim in.  I'm sort of jealous.  Okay, I'm really jealous.  Trying to justify why I need a matching one, although we don't have a pool and I don't think it would be socially acceptable for me to wear a spandex tail in public.
Happy 9th Birthday sweet baby girl, you light up our lives!

Wednesday, September 2, 2015