Tuesday, May 19, 2009

It is the simple things in life sometimes...

Who ever knew a pillow case could be so much fun?

Today my mom came to Keller to help me out by watching Maggie for a few hours, so that I could sleep. I worked last night. Of course, she ended up doing more than just watching Maggie. She is a chronic NON-Sit stiller, hahaha. After I woke up, she had been working on some of my laundry and then wanted to help me change sheets. Whoa! What a blessing, for sure. I am so thankful to have such a giving and caring mother. She shows me how to be the best mom I can be. She is always there for me!

After we were done changing the sheets on our bed, Maggie started playing with one of the dirty pillow cases on the floor. Then GiGi started playing along with her and before you knew it...she was getting the ride of her life. Who knew a plain old pillow case could be SO much fun?

Enjoy the video below...hope everyone is having a good week!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Salty....


So I have been reading a short little book about women of the Bible. It is a quick little read, that I have added to my daily quiet time. It is so cool to find encouragement and likeness with women who actually walked with Jesus!


Today, I was reading about Lot's wife. Poor thing! She lived in a tough time. Though there was no indication she participated in the sins of the region of Sodom, her story implied that she had learned to tolerate it and that her heart had become divided as a result. Lot's wife is remembered less for who she was---a wife, mother, daughter and sister---and more for what she became....a pillar of salt! With one irresistable and forbidden glance back to the region of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord turned her into a pillar of salt.


So I said, Salt? Why salt? I found that the New Testament only uses the word salt, 6 times. All of these times it was symbolic. Jesus, said to remember that as a believer we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13, Mark 9:50, Luke 14:34). As believers, another words...our attitudes and actions can cleanse and season and purify our surroundings...just as salt seasons, cleanses and purifies. So awesome, right!


When we respond graciously to someone who is ungracious, we season our world with salt. When we treat and irritable child (I have had one of these today) with kindness and tenderness, we season our homes that God has given us with salt. When we comfort the hurt, console the lonely, encourage the discouraged, or calm the unsettled, we season our world with salt!


As Godly women of Christ, we are all saltshakers (hopefully FULL ones!), busy sprinkling our world with the Christlike salt that flavors life!


Go get salty, cleanse, season or purify...and shake your salt all around!


Love to all,
Leah

Oh the Joys.....

Oh the joys of FOUNDATION REPAIR!

No seriously, this is actually an answer to prayer! When we bought our new home back in September, we knew we were buying a home that had a history of having a total foundation overhaul. But this home came with a LIFETIME WARRANTY, so we knew that it might need a touch up here and there over the years..but with a warranty. Another words we were hoping it was repaired and done, when we bought it, but knew that it might need work in the future. My husband, the construction professional, prayed and pondered and still felt like it was a good choice for us. We have LOVED our new home immensely!


A few months ago we stared noticing a few new cracks and such, which was to be expected. We had our foundation company out to evaluate the movement and give us a game plan. They absolutely stunned us with their response. They initially wanted to RE-DO the entire house and raise it another few inches. WHAT? This would mean we would have to move OUT of our home for 2-3 weeks, that they would have to rip out all of our flooring, that our house and yard would be torn up, entirely! Ugh! What are you trying to teach us Lord? We quickly fell to our knees, to seek the Lord's guidance. Both Todd and I had a great peace about it all very quickly. We both felt...hey it is all in God's timing....and it just an inconvenience...not the end of the world...not cancer or loss or devastation, you know? We continued to pray that there could be a less invasive way to fix the problem, and that the foundation company would do all that they could before the drastic re-do of everything.

God answered our prayers! The foundation company was been so very wonderful and helpful! They have tried several approaches to fixing the problem and one of them seemed to help. So they are here this morning in full force, applying their solution to the problem to the outer perimeter of our home. This solution will only take 3-5 days, and the best news is....that we don't have to move out!

We, of course, know that this is only an attempt to fix the problem. Not a certainty. We could still have to move forward with the original plan to re-do the entire house. But for now, we are praying that this will accomplish what they want it to.

God is so good! Below are some pics for all of you foundation novice's out there, hahaha! Aren't we all! Pretty impressive how they go about this type of work!

Hope everyone is having a good hump day! Take care!
Love to all,
Leah

P.S I had to include on FUN pic of my girl! She discovered her tutu yesterday (the tutu I had from her 6 month old photos shoot), and had it on over her dress. She would not take it off for an hour. So girlie! Love it!


The best foundation repair company around....:)!


The piers they use to stack on top of each other under our foundation ...to Raise it Up!

Theses were my pretty little flower beds....will they ever be the same?


That is ALOT of mud! Poor workers and poor workers wives...having to wash their muddy clothes! (Can't help but think that way)

More work around the perimeter....


They dig way down into the ground...this is about 5 feet down.

Cutie pie, in her tutu, pushing her froggie around in the stroller. Is she a girl or what?


Her little shadow....Buddy the wiener dog! They look like they are up to some mischief!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mothers Day!

This sweet Mothers Day prayer was in our church bulletin this morning.


A Mother's Day Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for Your special gift of mothers; for the example of Your unconditional love they share with their children. Thank you for the mother who lets her child know without a doubt he or she is loved; and for the child who returns that love. Lord, today we pray You will protect and quide mothers everywhere; that You will grant them Your wisdom in loving and teaching their children. Today, may children everywhere remember the warm caresses and whispers in the night; the tears dried and Band-aids, the peach cobbler, and the laughter. Thank you for the mothers who played with us, taught us, nurtured us, fed us, listened to us and tried to understand us. Today, may we remember Mom's beauty when we were young; and her loveliness discovered as we aged. Lord, today draw especially close the mothers who are alone, for whatever reason; and grant them Your comfort, Your pleasure, Your peace. Today as we honor, celebrate or simply reflect on the woman who gave us birth, or who adopted us into her heart, we thank You, Lord for life and for Mom! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of being a mother. Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of having wonderful, Godly mothers raise both Todd and I!
My cup over floweth with joy and thanksgiving for this special day to celebrate both being a mom and having a mom!
From the bottom of our hearts, and to each of our Mothers...We love you!
Love,
Todd & Leah

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Daddy is loved....

Daddy is loved and adored! This morning while Todd was mowing the yard, Maggie was adoring her daddy. It was so cute. We had the back door open, since it was a cool morning. Maggie was awww-struck by her daddy mowing the grass. She sat on the back porch watching him the entire 20+ minutes it took him to mow it. She drug her little chair out there, had a snack, sippy cup, blankie and rubber ducky toy all in her lap while soaking it all in. She was squealing and laughing at all the crazy noises she heard. I think Todd loved having the audience. It is so precious for her to be crazy about her daddy. He is so wonderful to us! We love you Todd, a.k.a...the most exciting yard man, in town!


Caught on camera...Maggie loves her daddy!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Sand box fun...

Okay, so here is my girl having some sandbox FUN!

Fun playing, BESIDE the sandbox...not in the sandbox. This is a big step for her, because for a while now, she would not go near the thing...because, you guessed it...she did not want to get dirty! HA! My girlie, girl! Wonder where she got that from? She has decided it is okay to just sit beside it and play. Pretty cute, huh.

My girl loves being outside. This morning as soon as I got her out of her crib...she started saying, "bubbles---outside, sand---outside". So here she is, in her PJ's--right after breakfast. It was great though, she played and I got to have my quiet time and caffeine, to start my day, all while still in my PJ's on the back porch. Ah, glorious!

Have I mentioned how much we are looking forward to SUMMER? Outside all day, playing at the pool, warms days and cool nights....can't wait!



Notice, her dainty little way of pouring the sand...what a little lady. Funny how you don't have to teach them that...they just know!

Below is my cutie pie...in an original "GiGi made outfit"...aka...my mom! She is so crafty and constantly creating! Love the look...a little sweet and a little sassy! Just like Maggie!
Love to all,
Leah

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

A tiny little post....

A tiny little post, about a tiny little bunny!

A bunny in our back yard , that is! I couldn't believe my eyes. We live in the city, you know? I grew up in the country and it was no big deal to see some of God's great creatures everyday. But in the city, never. We rarely ever even see squirrels or birds other than those ugly grackles. On Sunday morning while having breakfast, we saw this sweet little cotton tail bunny hopping through our backyard. It was so tiny! Keep in mind we have houses or roads or 7-11 near us...no fields. Where oh where did that bunny come from?

Any how, it was a sweet site to see, and of course our Maggie was very excited to see him or her, too. It was only there for a few minutes. But below is our proof, it was there!

Hope everyone is off to a super-calli-fragilistic-expi-al-o-docious week (love me some Mary Poppins)! Okay, okay...random I know...I just wanted to see if I could sound it out(doubtful, its spelled correct). Forgive me, it is the cheese-ball coming out in me!

Love to all,
Leah