Sunny Days

Last week, as I remember it, was bliss. We went to our favorite park three days in a row and spent hours drenched in sunshine. One sunny afternoon as Sofia napped, I took Kardelen outside for a "book picnic," and we read nearly all of the (12?) library books we'd checked out that day.


As we packed up to go inside, I found that our bleeding hearts had begun to bloom! One of my earliest memories is sitting in front of the pink bleeding hearts in my grandmother's garden, and thinking that they must be the most beautiful flowers in the world.


When I came back inside after taking pictures of them, here's what I found!


Apparently Kardelen can push a chair up to the counter, climb up like the monkey she is, and grab the box of cookies as a snack for her sister, who had just woken up from a nap. (And to her credit, the cookies were all for Bia. She got upset when I snitched one!)

This week, we've had a few rainy days. No problem--at Kardelen's request, we set up our (huge!) tent in our living room. Hard to find walking room these days, but it's a blast!

On Sacrificing for God

toytrkman left a comment on my Jehovah Jireh post that I wanted to share with you. He said,

Hmmm, sacrifices for serving God, I really can't think of any. Ok, at one time some things SEEMED like sacrifices, but later I realized they really weren't. They were actually for my benefit. God loves us so much, the things He asks us to do are always for our benefit even when we don't think they are at the time.

Well said.

(By the way, in addition to being wise, toytrkman also happens to be my terrific brother-in-law.)



P.S. Sorry, toytrkman, that your words are published in pink. I assure you, it's all Blogger's fault. :)

Overheard at Our Home. . .

Having a crazy day? Hang in there!

On my cranky days, I really should remember to read through the little book of the girls' quotes that I keep. It never fails to put a smile on my face.

I'll let you in on a few:

Mommy: Don't you girls want to go outside? It's gorgeous out there!
Kardelen: It's about six-thirty-below outside there, Bia!


Kardelen, peering in the oven at the bread baking: I smell the sound of cheesy bread!


Outside with her friend Lynnea, riding my old Strawberry Shortcake trike: This bike needs a seatbelt!


Mommy: Kardelen, what are you thankful for?
Kardelen: Band-aids and lollies!


Kardelen: Mom, Bia's got a big pufftail in her hair. [Kardelen was making it stick up in the air.]
Then later: Mom, I want Bia to have a pufftail in her hair, but she keeps melting it away!


Kardelen: I'm counting.
Mommy: You're counting what?
Kardelen: I'm counting yace.
Mommy: Yace?! What's that?
Kardelen: It's something you shake, and eat, and love!


Kardelen, looking at Sofia: Look! It's my jellybean!
Mommy: Bia is your jellybean?
Kardelen: Yes, because Bia is the jelliest sister in the whole world!


Daddy: Kardelen and Sofia, do you want to go to a zoo sometime?
Kardelen: I want to go to Kalamazoo!


Kardelen, walking away from Sofia in the living room: Don't talk to strangers! I'll be right back!


Mommy, looking at the girls eating ice cream: I think these girls are gonna need a bath.
Kardelen: Maybe we need to be hosed down!

Jehovah Jireh

One of God's names is Jehovah Jireh, which means My Provider. He's been that to us so much lately.

When I think about telling others about Jesus, what I really want them to experience is the relationship I have with Him. Not my adherence to a strict code of rules, but a relationship. How He loves me no matter what I have done (or will do), and there's nothing I can do to earn His love. (It's given freely, by His grace, by simply asking for it.) How He responds to my needs in a real way.

Every once in a while I'll actually think, "How do I know that what I believe is truth? How do I really know?" One of the most powerful ways I know is by personal experience. (And it's hard to deny that.)

I've seen God move in my personal experience lately, and it's 1) thrilling, 2) humbling, and 3) makes me love Him even more. These examples may not seem earth-shaking to you, but let me tell you, they really meant a lot to me.

One night I was shopping with my Mom at Wal-Mart. I'd done the budgeting recently, and knew that our general fund had single-digits until our next paycheck. As I walked toward the pharmacy section, I prayed, Lord, we need some shampoo and conditioner. Could you please help me get a good deal on them? Or a rebate or something? On the shelf was brand I'd never seen before, with little cardboard rings around the bottles saying "free with rebate." Mom got one, I got the other, and God provided shampoo and conditioner absolutely free. (If you don't count the two stamps.)

Last week I lost my keys. House, car, mail, it was all on that one ring. I lost them on a day we'd run errands, so after looking around the house, I started calling businesses. No luck. Started praying. I was pretty confident that God would help me find them, as there's been about one lost item a week the girls and I have been praying for, and we've found them every time. Yesterday my neighbor came over and offered them to me. Are these yours? I was relieved--yet not surprised. God's been so faithful to answer prayer.

The last illustration's a little complicated, but I'll try to summarize. We were given a $20 gift card for JCPenney, and also a coupon for $10 off a purchase of $10 or more. So I had the opportunity to buy $30 worth of merchandise without having to pay anything out-of-pocket. Jacob and I had just discussed our summer budget and I was looking ahead and thinking of meeting some clothing needs so we wouldn't have to spend money elsewhere. But then I saw the sundress.

A lovely sundress. Bright, bold flowers on a white background, with a thick brown sash. Gorgeous. Only problem was, it was $29.99. There was no way I should be spending that much money, I thought, because I should be practical and buy things we need. And we didn't need a thirty-dollar sundress I would buy just to wear for Jacob. (Ah, it was a little immodest.)

But I really wanted it. And I really wanted a shirt I'd found for Sofia, too. Yellow with a "pup," as she would say, and it would make a perfect birthday present. (Did you notice it in her birthday pictures?) But I didn't have enough store credit for both, and I shouldn't be spending anything out-of-pocket anyway.

I went back and forth trying to decide what to do, and I still hadn't decided by the time I got to the register. In a rush I set the sundress and the shirt on the counter and asked, "Is this dress thirty dollars?" The clerk checked the price tag and agreed. Man. . .

I bought it anway. And the shirt for Sofia, too. But there seemed to be a problem ringing it up. Because when all was said and done, I ended up not paying anything out-of-pocket, and what's more, ended up with a $7 credit on my gift card. Could this be right?

I asked the clerk about it, describing how it couldn't be correct if the dress alone were $30, but she said it rang up correctly. And wished me a good day.

See? God provided for our needs. God provided for our birthday gift. God provided for a fun outfit to wear for my husband.

Often we're afraid to fully pursue God's plans for us, because we're afraid of the sacrifices He might ask us to make. And there will be sacrifices. But He's our Father. He loves us, and He loves blessing us, just like you love blessing your kids. All the time you are desiring to follow Him and putting forth your best effort, He's rejoicing in you and blessing you all around.

He's so good.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sofia!

Our sweet Sofia turned two today.


We celebrated.


Part of her gift was going to her best friend "Daniel's house" for her party yesterday. I put this in quotes because it's a phrase we hear from Sofia every day! (Thanks to Daniel's parents for hosting our little party. You know you're good friends when you can invite yourself over for your own daughter's birthday party!!)

She wore this gorgeous dress from my friend Heidi, and loves her duckie from her friend Joy:


She also liked her birthday outfit from Mommy, Daddy, and Kardelen (I made the skirt loosely based on this pattern):


Kardelen had wrapped up Sofia's presents with pictures the girls had colored/painted and bits of ribbon:


(It was so much fun, she wanted to do it again today!)

Sofia awoke this morning to a special birthday sign and balloons at her booster chair and a breakfast of chocolate-chip pancakes. Then for family devotions, we reread her birth blessing. (Jacob has written a special blessing to speak over each of the girls at their birth.) God provided a warm day with lots of sunshine, so we took a walk and blew bubbles after church.

We love our little girl incredibly. She is such a blessing to us. Thank you, Father, for the honor of raising Sofia!

Stories That Make Me Smile (or Cry)

Today I want to share with you two stories you'll love.

At Brambleberry Cottage, Nanci shares the story of how, twenty years ago, her then-newlywed husband saved money for a year to buy her a very special gift.

My friend at JRDvorak Digital Digest tells how God met a great need for their family. Wow!

These (true) stories are so encouraging to me. I hope you'll be encouraged by them, too!

It's Coming Along

I've made about forty-two feet of this:


On Friday, I searched for braided rug patterns online and read just enough to make me scared. That I wasn't doing it correctly, I mean. And I decided to go through with it anyways. Even if it won't be perfect (I'm not even hiding the raw edges), at least there will be something to put down on the girls' floor!

I am pleased with how the braids are coming along, though. Braiding is relaxing, and I get lots of sunshine, as the braid is held taut by the window. (I assured my neighbors that I was not staring at them in their yard, I was working on the girls' rug!)


And I love the variations that come out when I use different fabrics:


The portions with the fuzzy green fur are my favorite! It would be fun to make a little rug from that kind of braid sometime.

Even though forty-two feet seem like a lot, my suspicion is that I'm nowhere near the length I need to make a large rug. So I'll keep braiding and braiding, and someday I'll be able to sew the braids together so they actually start to look like a rug!

Brewer's Yeast Cookies

These little "cookies" stir together in no time at all, and are packed with protein and important vitamins and minerals. I first started using brewer's yeast when I was nursing Sofia, as it supports a healthy milk supply. And I'm still using it because it's crazy-good for you.

A lady at the health store gave me the recipe for these cookies, saying that her kids loved them when they were little. (You can also make these terrific Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies, but the brewer's yeast is more effective when it hasn't been baked.)

Simply stir together one cereal spoon full of honey, a heaping cereal spoon of peanut butter, and add enough brewer's yeast so you can form it into cookie shapes. Then decorate with sprinkles, M&M's, whatever you like--I figure they're healthy enough already that I don't mind adding chocolate!

You can find brewer's yeast at health food stores. (My 7-oz canister cost $4.78 and will last me for several months.) Its strong taste is very well masked with peanut butter. It's one of the foods I feel great giving to the kids.

Does anyone else use brewer's yeast? What do you like to make with it?