rainy day sewing

It's another overcast, chilly day here.  The oldest is working on her Amelia Earhart report, the youngest is sleeping, and the middle is building with his Legos.

Middle.

I still get fluttery in my stomach when I think about the fact that I have three children now.  That's enough to have one in the middle.  I am the middle child in my family- it's a special spot.  One of distinction, even!

With everyone quietly at work and at rest, I have found myself cutting out another peasant blouse for my baby girl.  This is the fourth one I have made for her, but only the third wearable one.  The first was riddled with "learning", and passed over to the doll chest.

I have had this fabric forever in my stash.  Never touched.  Just waiting.  It's funny to think that I bought this before there ever was a baby Birdy, and now it is just the thing to wrap her up in.  It never grows old- the wonderful way this world works.

Here is a blurry Instagram shot of Miss Birdy in one of her shirts.  Another buttery, soft Anna Maria Horner voile.  If you want to join me on Instagram I'm @herbanhomestead.  Hope to see you there!

ash wednesday

I've been deep in thought over the past week about Lent.

About what I want to give up.

What I want to gain.

I have identified an area that needs some reigning in, so this will be a season of practicing self-control.  I've also been prayerfully seeking things in my life that may need to be completely abandoned.  Areas of the heart that are hindering my relationship with God.  What I've come to discover about Lent (and as a protestant, Lent has been a wonderful discovery!) is that it is not about focusing on what I am doing wrong, rather, it is a time to focus on greater intimacy with the Lord.

And if that means giving some things up, I pray for the strength to do that.

If it means adding some things to my life, I pray for the courage to do that.

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For the next 40 days our family will be sharing in the same devotional we have done for the past few years.  We do ours right after dinner while we are all still seated around the table.  During my personal study time I am adding this again.

If you would like to read more about Lent, Christine Sine will be blogging daily through the journey.  Read what she shares today.  It is beautiful and moving.

valen-heart dance

We had such a wonderful Valentine's Day around here.  The kids both made us tons of love notes and gifts, and John planned a super fun scavenger hunt at lunch for them that led to their gifts from us.  I like to buy them a book for every special occasion.

After a dinner at home we got gussied up and had a bonafide Valentine's dance in our dining room!  Buddy opted out of dancing, preferring to be our photographer.  

We had such a fun time dancing to disco and funk, working out some new moves and laughing at ourselves!  We ended the night with ice cream and cuddling up with our new books.

Love these valentines of mine...

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How was your day?  Did you do anything special?

flowers for moonpie

Know what I love even more than getting flowers from my husband?  My little girl getting flowers from my husband.

 swoon.

Moonpie has been wanting some extra daddy time lately, so this morning he asked her to go on a date with him.  He came home from work with a bouquet of daisies wrapped in pink paper and a purple ribbon.  I wish you could have seen the shine in her eyes when he handed them to her.

She put on a dress, we fixed her hair, and they were off.

John and I have worked with teenagers for about 17 years now.  Here is one thing I have learned over that course of time- if a little girl doesn't feel special to her daddy, she is going to look for it elsewhere.  If the first time she ever gets dressed up and has a man tell her that she is a knock-out is when she is on her way to the prom, you better believe that trouble will ensue.

Moonpie hears that she is beautiful about one million times a day.  You'd think her name was "Beauty" because that is what she is called most of the time.   Tonight, when she was in her dress, with her hair neatly combed and her lip gloss on just right, she walked up to our bedroom door and knocked on it to let her daddy know she was ready.  He opened it and saw her sweet little face beaming up at him.  His eyes lit up as he told her "wow!  You look so beautiful!".  That child's face shone like the moon reflecting the sun.

She knew it.

She knew she was beautiful because her daddy told her so.

new year's tree

On new year's day we hauled our Christmas tree out back and began setting it up for the birds and squirrels.  I had some fruit from a couple of fruit baskets we received that was past its prime, so I sliced it up and dehydrated it over night.

Buddy poked holes and Moonpie slid the strings into place.  I marveled at the sunshine coming through the dried orange slices.

After we had our fruit ornaments ready, we hung them on the tree.  The kids made up new words to "Oh Christmas Tree" as we decorated!

We have decided that we will continue to add to the tree as the days go by.  Next on the list is a popcorn garland and some peanut butter and seed pine cones.

This was such a fun way to begin our new year; taking care of our new neighbors in our backyard!

We saw a robin red breast for the first time yesterday.  He ( Moonpie grabbed the bird book to determine his sex ) was quickly run off by a territorial blue jay, but for that brief moment, we were pretty excited!

our day in austin

I have a new little niece that will be here very soon!  I cannot wait to see her sweet little face and just breathe her in.  We recently met my brother, my very pregnant sister-in-law (who looks fantastic, by the way), and my sweet nephew for breakfast and park time in Austin.  It was so much fun and truly my dream Friday.  Does anyone else have these fantasies of meeting up with family every Friday morning for breakfast at a great cafe and eating pancakes as big as your face while having lively conversation over the voices of all of the cousins?

While there I was finally able to give them the pants I made for sweet baby Mae.  I was given Anna Maria Horner's book for Christmas, but this was my first time to make anything out of it.  I had only intended to make one pair of pants, but they are so very fun to make!  So one turned into three sooner than I realized.

side A

the flip side

Oh, and there were the head bands.  Because I can't leave well enough alone.

After breakfast and gift giving, we headed to Zilker park for some fun!

At this point we parted ways and headed to Deep Eddy pool for a lazy afternoon of swimming.

We had a wonderful day in one of our favorite cities, with some of our favorite people.
  

happy labor day!

swimming at Deep Eddie pool - Austin, TX

love,
Moonpie and Buddy

our weekend

Our official school year begins tomorrow.  The kids are jazzed and I'm feeling ready.  Ready for some rhythm (wow!  I actually spelled that right on the first try!), ready for a little order to our day.  We're jumping in even though I'm sure I could use a few more days of planning to feel prepared.  Maybe.  Maybe I'll never feel completely prepared.  I'm ok with that.  One of the many beautiful things motherhood has taught me is to just let that go.  Be ok with where we are, and go with it.

To end our summer, we had a little cousin time on Friday.  My sister-in-law and her family came to visit us on her birthday.  We were so honored to be dubbed the official "making birthday dreams come true" destination!  Not to mention I got to kiss on the littlest cousin all day long!

photo credit: Buddy

Do you not want gobble that little girl up?  She is our little MerBear and we love her so.  And then there's this guy, my sweety nephew J getting his Blue Bell on at the factory.  Look at his dreamy eyelashes. 

He is growing up so fast.  He is such a sweet little boy.  He's two and way too busy for kisses from his Aunt Mandi.  However, he did let me hold his hand.  I'll take what I can get!

Here are some more pictures from our time at Blue Bell (sorry Uncle Max- you seem to have not made it into any pictures...)

Buddy loving every minute of his brightly colored ice cream that his daddy let him have (ahem).  Yes,  his t-shirt is on inside out.

My little wookie.

Do not let John near your baby.  This man has some serious baby fever and will try to steal any baby that will let him near.  Ok, maybe not steal.  But definitely give some lovin'.

This is my sister-in-law Johanna.  The great thing about being with John since toddlerhood (or high school, whatev) is that I've been a part of his family for a very long time.  Jo and I had spanish class together!  I love that we have a history.  We are friends and sisters, and that means so very much to me!

Tonight we wrapped up summer with a family showing of Swiss Family Robinson.  One day I too will live in a tree and have a refrigerator kept cool with water from a waterfall.  One day...

lessons from a flower

image credit: here

It was before bed time, the sky was pink and dusky blue, begging us for some time.  The kids and I set out, out walking the day light, reaching the fallen tree by the time the sky was newly dark.  On our way we passed flowers planted along the park perimeter, and were passed by pick-up trucks- one after another.  We filled my pockets with dead flower heads and a couple of live ones too.
We turned back, following street lights and the rhythmic sounds of hip-hop - the sounds that play a back drop to our gardening, our play, our laundry hanging- the sounds that lead us home.  Hip-hop, R&B, rap...
We returned home with Buddy on my back and Moonpie carrying the bouquet we wove together on our journey.
Buddy busied himself with flower arranging, and I began the task of collecting seeds.  The black-eyed Susans handed over their seeds happily, dropping them by the dozens on the kitchen island.  I pulled out my seed saving tubes, wrote out the labels, and tucked the seeds away with a smile.  Easy, satisfying work.
Until I came to the echinacea.
She guarded her seeds fiercely with prickles that kept digging into my fingers.  I marveled out how desperately she held onto her seeds when she was designed to eventually have to let them go.  That is the point of flowers after all (so my botany professor taught me), to spread more seed and guarantee that the species will go on.
And of course, viewing all things through mama eyes I thought of my own seeds.  My two little lovelies.  And I could commiserate with this plant.  Wanting so badly to hold on, to protect, fully knowing that one day they must go on - and I must let go.

adoption update

We have a home study scheduled!!!

I am just a little over the moon excited about this!  (As if the overuse of exclamation points didn't clue you in to that.)

It is going to take place one week from today.  We are working with a woman that our agency contacted on our behalf.  She is already cracking me up just from messages and our one phone conversation.  Thank you Lord for giving us a caseworker with a sense of humor!

In the mean time, I'm working on our photo book and leaving helpful reminders to my husband to write his "about me" section.  You know, while he's on his second mission trip in a row.  Ahem.  Let's be honest.  I've known the man since he was 15 years old.  I'm pretty sure I can write it and even have it sound like him.  And he's confidently hopeful that it's going to play out that way.

As of right now, I'm not anxious or nervous at all.  I've had enough friends go through this process to know that it really isn't a scary occurrence.  I'm just day dreaming about all of the food I'm going to make for her.  Oh, and where to strategically place the fire extinguisher.  I thought it was weird when my mom gave it to me in my stocking, but now I'm completely down with it!

If you've had a home study, please tell us all a little about your experience!

Howdy from Lubbock!

(I'm posting for the first time from the iPad. Please excuse any weirdness.)

We are back in Lubbock this week. We are partnering with Calvary Church offering a morning skate camp and working in their evening VBS. John promises that he will take to me to various VBS around the state to celebrate our anniversary every year. He really knows how to keep the magic alive!

The kids opted not to do skate camp this time around (once they realized that they'd have to share daddy with 27 other kids!). They decided they'd rather have some private sessions when we get home. So while John is doing most of the ministry this week, I'm trying not to overlook the fact that pouring into my little ones and making sure my husband has what he needs are just as important ministry opportunities.

Here's what I'm really enjoying this week:
-access to a pool
-the glorious proportions of a 4 year olds body (and the mane of hair that adds even more diameter to that sweet head)
- the creativity birthed out of living in a hotel room for week
- maid service!
- time to just play, play, play
- the company of sweet, old friends (and their remarkable children)

happy, happy

Ryan Price Photography

Today marks 12 years.

12 years of 

hugging

smiling

hoping

succeeding

crying

Ryan Price photography

making

doing

failing

laughing

kissing

supporting

and loving.

Ryan Price Photography

This life we have built together,

this is my favorite thing.

I am so thankful to have you, my best friend and love, by my side.

Happy anniversary to you.

To us.

All of us.

a new past time

Buddy has a new favorite past time.  He likes catching the bees that fly into the house in glass jars.  Usually he just puts a jar over a bee that has made it's way onto the floor, but yesterday he was feeling risky.  He trapped a bug that had been buzzing around the window.  Just like his daddy does.

Here he is, sliding the glass jar down.  At this point he ran to the drawer and came back with a lid.  He slid it under the jar, righted it, and screwed it on!

Success!

I have loved this about him lately.  His wanting to be just like daddy.  The way he passed up all the transformer, bat man, sponge bob sunglasses to choose the plain black ones.  The ones that are "just like Daddy's".  I see it in the little things like this.  The things that don't really matter in the big scheme of things.  But I also see it in the big things.  In the character building things.  The way he wants to work hard "like daddy".  Or how he reminds us to pray before meals ("umm, guys, aren't we forgetting something?").   All of us are so incredibly blessed to have this man in our lives.  A man of integrity, great wit, ability, strong work ethic, and deep love.   In my opinion, Buddy could choose no better person here on earth to want to be just like.

letterboxing

Earlier this week we picked up a buddy and went letterboxing.

We headed over to Washington on the Brazos (the birthplace of Texas) because it is close, free, and there are tons of letterboxes hidden all over the park grounds.

I learned of letterboxing this summer from a couple of friends that had been doing it for a while.  They told us about it before we left for our road trip up to Pennsylvania.  Unfortunately, we were only able to hunt for one letterbox on that trip and hadn't picked up our journal since.

Moonpie putting our first stamp in our journal.  She found a compass on the trail
and was pretty excited about that treasure!

Letterboxing is a nation wide scavenger hunt!  People hide boxes all over and then leave the clues to find the box on the letterbox website.  The letterboxes are small containers containing a journal and a stamp.  We have our journal, stamp and stamp pad.  When we follow the clues and find the box, we open it up and stamp our family stamp into the journal they have left behind in the box.  We also put our name and the date we found it.  Then, we take their stamp and stamp it into our family journal, including the location and the date.

stopping for a snack break.  yes, he's wearing a pajama shirt.

This week we found a letterboxer that left 4 boxes.  Her boxes had handmade stamps in them and followed along with the book The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie DePaola.  She even put excerpts from the story on her clue sheet so I could read them aloud at each stopping point.  Her boxes were somewhat of a challenge to find.  I had to climb under a low-lying cypress for one.  I have the scratches to prove it.

Moonpie and her friend  looking over the Brazos River

Interested in letterboxing?  Here's how it's done:

• find a journal for your family to use
• find a "family stamp"- one that represents your family.  Our stamp has four owls on it.
• get a stamp pad and pen
• keep it all together in a letterbox bag
• throw in a couple of zip-lock baggies just in case the ones in the boxes you find are trashed
• go to the letterbox website and type in the area you want to hunt.  You can even search for specific parks (like I did this week).  If you find a match, clue titles will pop up.  You click on one and then you will receive directions.

sweet friends.  i love this picture!

The fun of letterboxing is the adventure of it.  The clues we have followed have led us to places in parks that we never would have gone to without it.  It is age appropriate for everyone in the family and really just a fun, free way to spend a good time with each other.

***have older kids?  try geocaching!

m'lords and m'ladies

Last weekend we ran up to Dallas to spend time with John's sister and her partner.  We had a great time in the big city!  They live in the Oak Cliff area (home to the delightful Edie Brickell), so we were really central to a lot of things.  We ate at a little local pizza place (where they used local ingredients!) and I visited the fabric store of my dreams!  "Visited" doesn't exactly convey how much time I spent in there.  Gracious.  It was glorious.

Moving on.

For Christmas, said sisters-in-law gave us tickets to Medieval Times!  We had so much fun!  Who couldn't while (a) eating dinner with your hands (b) smelling horse poop while eating dinner (c) wearing paper crowns (d) cheering on valiant knights (who may or may not work a second job at the local gaming shop).  We laughed so much that night!

On with the pictures:

Aunt Sara and Aunt Traci

My valiant knight, Sir Buddy.

Just the five of us, enjoying a night on the town.

Daddy.  Isn't this the perfect picture summing up what a daddy does?

Princess Moonpie

Enjoying deliciousness.  This picture makes me laugh so hard!

Can you tell they're related?

resolution

Remember the big ol' road trip we took this summer?  All the way to Pennsylvania and back?  There was so much beauty to behold on that trip.  From the people we met to the waterfall we slid down- it was all so lovely.

While we were in Western North Carolina (my mistress state, as my friend calls it), I made a resolution.  I resolved that when I returned home I would try my hardest not to pine for the mountains, the rivers, and waterfalls that this area abounds in.  I resolved that I would find the wonder and the beauty in that which surrounds me at home.

Moonpie relaxing in a tree.

A few weeks ago a friend invited us out to her new home.  Her  home is very close to a campground on a lake- about 15 miles from me.  She suggested that we go out there and check out some of the nature trails- and I'm so glad we did!  It was beautiful- and just what I needed.
The next weekend we loaded up and went out again as a family.  This time we explored the lake front, and of course, the lake.

We did a little hiking and found this amazing tree covered in Spanish moss.  It was like a dream.  I wish you could have seen it with me.  It was so huge and welcoming.  I've been thinking about that tree this week, ready to go back and sit under it again.

I  must confess that this morning when John rolled over to check the weather for the day, my heart dropped a little when he said "high of 92 degrees".  I may have mentioned to him how I wish we were back in our little cabin, high in the Blue Ridge mountains.  But that thought doesn't make me any less thankful or amazed at what I have here.