Giving Thanks.

As I look around… I realize how much I have to Give Thanks for. Although this “mommyhood” thing has played with my emotions--- making them more up and down the the scariest of roller coasters--- I still have be blessed in abundance. Life is funny that way. Some how when we are the most blessed, is when the enemy enters with the most force. He enters with such a strong force that we can be momentarily blinded to all the good that surrounds us. He tries to take those moments from us, and I’m not having it anymore. God has blessed me, and blessed me abundance. Because of Thanksgiving, November has become the “thankful” month, but why just November? So here is what I have decided--- each month, one post will be focus on “Giving Thanks.” Because being thankful is a choice ( sometimes it may be more difficult than others), it’s a choice we need to  choose daily.

So we will start today--- and in honor of Thanksgiving, I will share 22 things from my list (in no particular order)

1. A God who is with me in the ups and downs, the bumpy and the smooth, and always provides me hope.

2. A husband who loves me and our daughter so well.

3. A beautiful and healthy baby girl.

4. Family who loves and supports us.

5. A home that provides us shelter, warmth and a place to welcome others.

6. Neighbors who visit us on walks, and love on us so well.

7. Friends who brighten our days and give us encouragement.

8. A country that allows us great freedoms.

9. The most beautiful smile on my baby girls face.

10. The fact that volleyball is almost over and we will get more quality family time.

11. Having a job that pays the bills, and with people who I enjoy.

12. Good health.

13. Good food on our table.

14. Being able to sleep again, after two weeks of insomnia.

15. Toys for my daughter to play with, to encourage growth and development.

16. Moments spent on the couch reading Dr. Seuss books.

17. Hannah having aunts and uncles who love her like crazy.

18. Hannah having cousins who will teach her the ropes.

19. A reliable car so we can visit family far away.

20. My daughters “coos” and “babbles” that melt my heart.

21. Hearing my husband singing to our daughter.

22. A perfect little family.

Lord, I give you thanks…. I have more than I deserve.

One person who changed all my relationships…

On July 25th, our whole world changed! Almost exactly a month early, Baby Harvey decided to make its entrance into the world. Not only were we surprised by an early arrive--- but even better we were surprised with the blessing of a daughter. In the beginning we decided to wait until the birth to find out the gender of our child. Due to my three nephews, we were convinced that a boy would be joining our family--- but we were wrong. At 4:21pm, a 6lb 6oz baby girl joined our family! Hannah was absolutely perfect. She is still absolutely perfect.

It is amazing how such a small little person can cause so much change. The minute I held her in my arms, looked into her eyes, touched her soft wrinkled skin--- I melted and everything changed. At that moment I felt more love for my God, my husband and a newfound love for my child. Having a baby is a pure miracle—it is the most amazing experience and something that makes God’s love so evident. He created a beautiful, perfect, sweet and most importantly healthy child--- and blessed our family with her. When labor started, so did the prayers. Being almost five weeks early I prayed for our childs lungs, I prayed for its weight, I prayed for its complete health. Once again, God was faithful. Hannah has experienced some minor health problems, but they have all been MINOR. I am so thankful to my God for the amazing gift of my little family. Seeing Matt with Hannah melts my heart. He is an amazing father who is already loving and leading Hannah so well. Seeing him soothing her at 2am brings tears to my eyes (and not just because I am sleep deprived). I feel closer to my husband then ever before and am so thankful for the man that he is and that father that he has become. My life feels so full.

Hannah I pray that you always know how much you are loved. Not only by daddy and me--- but by God. You were made special by him. Every part of you was created with thought, with love and with a purpose. At barely three weeks old, you already have so much personality. You tell a story with your hands, you already know what you like and dislike (and are not afraid to let everyone else know), and most importantly you melt our hearts with your dreaming laughs.  I cannot wait to see what your future holds. I feel so blessed to be your mommy and have already created so many memories with you. I love you with all my heart. And please remember, “You is kind, you is smart, you is important” from The Help.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:13-14 (Hannah’s life verse)

Baby Hannah

Yesterday I was blessed to spend time with the Walker Family. Baby Hannah is the newest member and made her debut about two weeks ago. Take it from me, she is so sweet. I have to be honest and say that newborn and child photography are probably two of my favorites. Everything is so new, exciting, different---- so many “firsts”. Yesterdays session was no different. Hannah was as precious as can be and older brother Jacob was all boy and so much fun as well. We were even able to snag a few shots of them together. The bond between siblings is so fun, and I am excited for the Walker siblings to form their own relationship.

With “40 days” left in my pregnancy and the temperature rising, I am getting more and more ready to meet the newest member of our family. Even more excited to see if we will be welcoming a Bryson Robert or our very own Hannah Grace. My crazy pregnancy dreams and my “inuition” have been nudging me that I will soon be hold baby Bryson in my arms. Making yesterdays photography session a little more special. I was already able to capture pictures of Hannah, even if it was not my Hannah--- it is so fun with all the pink, flowers, frills, ruffles, and bows. And if we are surprised and Hannah Grace enters our family--- yesterdays session becomes extra special because I got to take pictures of a prospective best friend (they’ll have to be friends since they share the same name and all).

Walkers, I am so excited for you and the newest addition to your family. I pray that your home is now filled with more love then ever. That life allows you to experience and treasure all of the “firsts” of your two little ones. I pray that their relationship grows everyday and become more then just siblings, they become friends. Congratulations and God Bless!

 

“May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children.” Psalm 115:14

Something different---

This past Friday my sister was kind enough to take maternity pictures for us--- such a blessing! It is not very often that I am the one in front of the camera, it was a very different and fun change of pace. (I must say that it was a little weird editing pictures of myself) My sister did an amazing job and got some really good pictures--- maybe Ill be able to convince her to join me in photography some day. On Friday, as I was getting ready, it hit me. “We are taking maternity pictures today. We have less then eight weeks until Baby Harvey joins us in this world!” So crazy to me that we are in the single digits--- that anywhere between five and eight weeks from now we will be holding our daughter or son in our arms. Gives me the butterflies just thinking about it. The baby is moving more and more, becoming a little gymnast in there doing turns, flips, and sometimes even feels like back-handsprings. It is a very fun, miraculous and amazing feeling but I have hit that point--- I am ready to meet my baby! I want to see if a Hannah or Bryson will be joining our family. I want to kiss, rock, snuggle, and love my baby. Most of all I want all those things for Matt. I cannot wait to see him as a father. Imagining him hold our child in his arms already brings tears to my eyes because I know the love he already has for his child and the kind of dad he will be. I am a blessed woman! For now I will wait a few more weeks and hang some amazing pictures in the nursery. Thank you Auntie Casey--- you blessed us greatly!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

Family, memories, time---- Grau Family Preview

Today’s post is long overdue. I had the privilege of working with the Grau Family once again this past Saturday. Stacy and I met in nursing school and she is just as sweet as her family. It has been such a blessing to take pictures of her family a few times over the past few years. Seeing them interact as a family was so special. Their children are so clearly loved--- was very easy to see that they are a family who spends time together, making memories, and supporting one another. That’s what family is all about right? Being intentional, being supportive, being compassionate, being there.

As each day passes and I am one day closer to meeting our newest family member--- I find myself reflecting lots on these things. Getting more and more excited to start traditions, make memories, build a family base on love, and just spend time being there. That is my newest stance--- being there. Making intentional time of undistracted interaction. Although my husband would say that I am a “type A” personality--- I want to be the mother who lets the dishes pile up for the day because the books we were reading were too good, or the fort we made were too fun, or the conversations were too important. I want my children to be my priority and have comfort in the fact that everything else will eventually get done. This could prove to be a slight struggle as disorganization can get under my skin, but I don’t want to miss out on my children because of something fleeting.

Thank you Grau Family for sharing this special time in your lives with me. Enjoy those kiddos of yours--- they are something special! Happy Wednesday--- God Bless.

Life--- balance.

Do you ever feel that life gets in the way of life? I know, sounds silly. What I mean is that we are so busy or choose to make ourselves so busy doing the “things of life” that we don’t get to enjoy “life”. So busy with work, grocery shopping, cleaning house, cooking food, cleaning after cooking food ;) and the list goes on. I am not sure if other people or other places face this same battle but it seems that our culture is so busy with the “doing” that we struggle “being”. Almost every night last week we had commitments. After coming home from a great weekend out of town we found ourselves with an impromptu visit with out of town friends monday night, family dinner tuesday night, softball game wednesday night, returns and errands thursday night (our chosen quality time activity for the evening), more time with family friday night, dinner with brother in-law, sister in-law and nephews last night… and now tonight we rest. To start again on monday with commitments each night. Please don’t get me wrong, I LOVE being busy and would chose nothing over being surrounded by family and friends---however, sometimes it just seems like a lot fitting it all together. Finding the balance of which activities we decline and which ones we accept can be a fine line to walk. If only we had all the time in the world to be in fellowship with one another and that “the things of life” didn’t get in the way.

I find myself frequently fighting the urg to be superwoman. No the hero in a cape--- but the silent one who works full time, gets all the house work done, cooks good meals, connects with friends, loves her husband well and makes it look easy, simple and enjoyable. However, I more frequently find myself loosing that battle. Working full-time with a “messy house”, a husband who cooks, seeing friends when I can and trying by best to love and serve my husband--- all while making it look as difficult as it feels. As I wind down to the last eight weeks of pregnancy, knowing my life is about to be changed forever--- I am preparing. Preparing to slow down on the “doing” and start focusing on the “being”. Being faithful about my daily quiet time with the Lord, being a content and loving wife, being a mom who plays with her kids on the floor instead of cleaning it, being someone who loves other before “doing” anything else--- just being. Of course things still have to get done in order to function or make it through a day--- but changing focus. Making an effort to do what is important, and leave the rest. Because in the end--- family is important, friends are important, loving His people is important. So after a long winded post (that has been long over due), that is my message to you. Find balance in life. “Do” what needs to be done and the rest of the time just “be”.

I spend some amazing time with two families yesterday doing a photo sessions. I was so blessed by each of them. Here are some pictures from my time with one of the families--- I work with Esther and it was such blessing to take pictures of her with her grandkids. Such a sweet family, enjoy! Check back later for another update from the Grau Family.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” Galatians 5:13