In With the New...

And so...
This will be the first page of your next book for this next year, Dear Ones.

My Christmas gift from Rachael.  Love.

 I am reminded of a quote that was going around Facebook on January 1st that said:  "Today is the first blank page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one."  That's how I want this next year to be for us:  Despite anything and everything.  Let's choose to make it good.  I have no idea what potential heartache or crazy adventures are in store for us - but I choose to embrace them...to let God write "His-tory" in and through me and my little family however He sees fit.

A whole lot can happen in 365 days, we know this to be true...

But already, I know that this year has great things in store for us.  Our baby girl will turn one!  This sweet gift of life...this daily reminder to slow down and to savor... this -- deep fear I once had in raising a daughter -- has been completely obliterated and is here with us now, wrapped up in a beautiful package of sheer delight and joy for our home.  How blessed we are....

Happy 8 Months, Today!

We are living life and "walking alongside" with deep, soul friends.  Our two families - we are choosing to do life day in and day out...to bear each other's burdens...and to see each other raw and real.  We are choosing to mesh our worlds and our lives, to break bread...and to break up little boy fights...to hear each other's hearts...and to wear each other's wounds.  How very blessed we are...

Uncle Charlie.  Fussy London.  Mama & Daddy on a date.  Charlie rocks.

This year will be our first in having one of our kids go up into the double digits for a birthday.  That's crazy to me...and it kind of slays me just a bit.  But, I am loving the journey.  I love each stage...and I love that Lord willing, I will still get to have him for eight more years.  Although, with him - time is no longer on my side.  But, it is good.  And blessed we are....

2014 marks fifteen years of marriage for Kev and I, as well.  And as far as I'm concerned, I'd say that's a milestone worth celebrating!  Four babies, multiple jobs, many moves, and I love that man more and more with each passing day.  I trust him.  I respect him.  And I know he has eyes for me alone.  I am so very blessed...

So...
While your Mama is not one for making New Year's Resolutions...I am one for choosing perspective.  I am well aware that pain and joy go hand in hand, and I know without doubt that we will experience both during these next many months.  But this I know, as well.  God is always good, and we are always loved.

What school looks like some days.

And I whisper with the blind beggar:  "Lord, I want to see you." (Luke 18:41)

I want to see Him in all of the moments....in the whirling and the swirling...in the rushing.  In the daily mundane of meals and of laundry...of three boys crazy and of one baby teething.  I want Him in my messy and in my days of conquering.  In my moments where I can barely get out of the way of myself...and in those days where I gasp to say that He is good.

I want more.
I choose Him.  Always Him.
And I choose joy.

And when Life throws pain like Life is so very good at doing...
I will choose forgiveness.
And I'm choosing trust.  Palms outstretched, full and complete trust with abandon.
I'm choosing second chances.....a thousand second chances.
I'm choosing not to compare...because we all know that "comparison is the thief of joy."
And I'm choosing to be fully present.  To stoop low.  To listen and to truly see.

Come Hell or high water, I'm choosing to not worry about what people think.
There will always be haters, and there will always be naysayers.  I don't want to be one of them.
The world has enough of them...and we are our own worst critics, anyway.

Boys...this year, let's let God do soul surgery in our hearts.
Let's practice seeing life through the lens of His eyes...
What if we let God have all of us?  What if we gave Him freedom to do whatever?....

Let's let our lives speak our beliefs...
Let's count our blessings and name the graces.
Let's begin again.

Push to reset.