My favorite time of year!

Those gorgeous fall days that I so dearly love have been few and far between this October. Instead rain and cold weather very reminiscent of late November have taken their place. However, earlier this week we did have a beautiful afternoon or two. Daniel and I made the most of it and spent lots of time outdoors. I snapped these photos as he played!

One hundredth post!

I started this blog exactly two years ago this October. I originally created it to help us keep connected with our family members and friends. It has become something of an online scrapbook, documenting Daniel as he grows and changes. It is also a place for me to post things God shows me, things happening around our home, and just any random thing that seems interesting to me! I usually have five or six blog posts floating around in my mind, but only a few actually make it out of my head and onto the computer.
In addition to this being the two year birthday of the blog, this is also my one hundredth post! Here is a photo journey through these past two years (and hundred posts) of our life.

This is me very pregnant with Daniel. Well, not very pregnant,
since I still had almost two more months to go.
December 2007

Daniel, only a few days old. I hardly remember him being so small!
February 2008

Daniel at 7 months and already a John Deere fan.
September 2008

His first Halloween. Moo!
October 2008

His first Christmas.
December 2008

Daniel's first birthday. See how he is holding up one finger!
February 2009

First trip to the pool!
July 2009

Daniel, at 20 months, taken yesterday.
October 2009

I've said it many times, but I'll say it again...time flies! How did my baby grow so fast? I am looking forward to see what the next hundred posts brings!

Happy birthday, brother!

Twenty-two years ago today, I became a big sister! Happy birthday, Jonathan.

You are a blessing to me and to many, many others. I pray for you much joy today and in the coming year. We love you!

Just Like Daddy

Daniel's favorite word is "Daddy!" He talks about his daddy all day long. He was staring off into space the other day, and I asked, "Daniel, what are you thinking about?" He looked at me, smiled, and said "Daddy!" I am sure he was.
Here are some photos of Daniel trying to be just like daddy.

Insisting on wearing Daddy's coat outside

Trying on Daddy's boots

Playing with his new tools...just like Daddy's

My stay-at-home story

A couple months ago, I ran across Amy’s blog at The Finer Things. I really enjoyed perusing her site, and I quickly became a regular there. She posts some excellent recipes and kitchen tips. We actually made her brown bag burritos last night, and I had her lazy granola for breakfast this morning. Yum! Recently, she has been doing a series called, “Mommy, Come Home.” I have been inspired and encouraged by the posts that she and other moms have written. She offered the opportunity for other moms to share their stay-at-home stories, so I decided to write mine. Here it is. And if you have time, click over to Amy’s blog and check out the entire series.

I always knew I would quit my job and stay home with our children. My mom had stayed home with my brother and me. My husband’s mom stayed home with him. My heart told me it was the right path for us. Even though I felt so assured about this, the road to staying home had its challenges. I like having a plan for everything, and my plan was to finish my master’s degree and work as a school counselor awhile before we had children. However, I was six months into my master’s program when I felt God’s nudge to have children. I awoke one morning with an amazingly vivid dream still in my mind. In the dream, a doctor was urging Brian and me to have children immediately. Now, I don’t usually put much stock into dreams, but I couldn’t get this one out of my mind. Over the next few weeks, things kept happening that seemed to shout “Have a baby now!” Finally, I committed the whole issue to prayer. Was this the Lord speaking to me or just a bunch of crazy coincidences? After several months and lots of prayer, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was time for us to have children. Convincing my husband took a little while, and then it took some time to get pregnant, but in February of 2008 our son Daniel arrived.

Becoming a new mother was a wonderful, yet exhausting experience for me. I never knew that my heart could hold so much love. The joy was great, but we had some trials too. Daniel was colicky and did not sleep much for weeks. Being at home with a crying baby all day, every day was challenging. I remember at one point sobbing and saying, “My life is no longer my own!” And then this thought came clearly into my mind: my life never was my own. It always has and always will belong to God. That revelation brought peace and perspective to my heart.

Daniel is now 20 months old, and he is a delightful toddler. He learns new things every day, and I have the joy and privilege of watching him develop. I would not trade this time for anything. ANYTHING. It doesn’t matter that the money is tight or that homemaking chores are sometimes monotonous. It doesn’t matter that my degree is still incomplete (though I am praying about how and when to finish it). What does matter is that I am following God and doing what is best for our family. I am so grateful to have this opportunity!

This is my story. Many mamas have different stories that are just as right and just as joyful. God is the only One who knows what your “right” story is. I pray you find it, and that you are blessed.

Tea party

A few weeks ago, Daniel got to play with some brightly colored, toy dishes that our Parents as Teachers leader brought to the house. He loved them! And I liked how they gave us an opportunity to pretend and to talk about different colors. So, I set out to find a similar set of dishes for Daniel. Wal-Mart had some, but they were pink and purple--not exactly what we wanted. My mom finally found a set on Ebay and snatched them up for us. We got to play with them for the first time this week, and Daniel had a blast!





We were having so much fun that we even invited my mom over for a cup of tea!

The book is available!

My mom is an author!!! Her first book, shown above, was released today! I already have a copy, and it is a beautiful book. Here is a snippet from the back cover:

My Mom Has Alzheimer's chronicles the inspirational and sometimes humorous adventures that Linda and her mother have shared together. One hundred readings provide Christ-centered coping strategies that will enable caregivers to find strength and hope in God. This very practical book includes:

• Daily readings that contain stories about caregiving and related Scriptures.
• Words of hope for caregivers.
• A question-and-answer section that addresses issues such as respite care, legal counsel, and choices related to long-term care.

This book has been a labor of love for my mom. I am SO proud of her! If someone in your life has Alzheimer's Disease or if you are a caregiver of any kind, I highly recommend this book. It will be a blessing to you. Check out my mom's website for more information about the book and about ordering a signed copy. The book is also available at Amazon and Christian Books (although it is cheapest at my mom's site).