A Glimpse

Look at that little look she is giving me! I think I'm gonna have my hands full!

But she is SO sweet, I could eat her up!

Family Days 2012

Finally, I have accepted that I can have great intentions for time well-spent, but unless I put it on the calendar, then the calendar will overrun my intentions. Case in point: family days. We have been saying we were going to set aside one Saturday a month for family time since Lee was born, but we only do it about three or four times a year. Not in 2012. They are on the calendar, and we will be busy!

Our first trip was to see the model trains exhibit at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. I have to be honest to all of you whose boys (and girls) love trains - this is not much of an exhibit. But we had some favorite parts, for sure:

 Lee wasn't even sure we were still there, he had been so engrossed in the train table.

 KW listened intently to the bluegrass band.

 

 Deconstructing the train in the playroom and building tunnels.

In the Works

Paintbrushes in the fridge =
stuff gettin' done

Before we moved, Lee and KW were sharing a room. Even though I had changed up the furniture to prepare for her arrival, most if it went straight into Lee's room the day of the move. One awkward bookshelf found its way into KW's room, but I wanted to change it up - and add some of the "bun feet" that have become a trademark for the nursery furniture in our house.






Last weekend, we unveiled the finished product after naptime, and she loved it - I almost think she would like it better if I left it empty! I am going to need to add some more shelves, but I know at least one section will be left open for you-can't-do-that-on-tv antics between KW and her brother.

What Broke My Heart

One of the things I love about God and his family is how He provides a means for all of his children to be cared for by putting different passions and heartaches inside each of us.

I just finished reading The Help, way after everyone else, so I pretty much knew what the book is about before I picked it up. But I had no idea what would actually make me cry.

Obviously, we are supposed to commiserate with the maids. And I do. It is so hard to believe that this treatment went on - even goes on today - but it did. And, I thank God for the people He has called to fight the battles of racism, mistreatment in the workplace, and women's rights all over the world. But they did not make me cry.

Most people would not feel any sort of tenderness towards the employers in the book, but I did. How sad.  To live your life cow-towing to the popular girl, trying to live up to unspoken standards, always living in fear of losing love, not even aware that you are empty and not experiencing any love at all. To have no idea of your real value, and therefore be unable to treasure the value in others. Women who really didn't grasp the Father's love, or understand what it could be like to be friends with Him. In general, I believe God has called me to walk beside women, and help unlock this relationship with them. During this early season of child-raising, however, I know he has called me to lay that aside and focus on the souls of our babies. So they, also, did not make me cry.

Who made me cry? Mae Mobley.

I know I was supposed to be happy for her Aibee when she was being set free to find out who she could be in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, but all I could think about was how she was being left alone in a loveless home. Despised. Un-hugged. Ignored. I didn't just cry, I sobbed.

Christmas Dress! (Hand-Made Version)

Nothing beats the antiques (yes, they are technically antiques) on my little girl!