Thanks---from Dallin

Dear Grammy and Papa,

Thank you for coming to Colorado to see me play soccer. That was really special that you would come just for me. It was a really good surprise. I love you!

love,
Dallin

haunting memories

As I was putting together the kids' 2009 costumes, I was reminiscing about all the fun ways we've dressed up in the past. I thought it would be fun to have those memories 'front and center' for the holiday. So, I dug up some of my favorite Halloween Haunts from years past, found Haloweeny-colored frames, and put them up.

Something simple that makes me smile every time I walk by this table.

done.

We’re officially done, Davis and I. After 9 1/2 months of cuddly closeness at feeding time, our nursing days have passed.

For the last month and a half my milk supply has been deteriorating and Davis’s appetite increasing. I rarely had enough to satisfy his hunger, so we’d been doing a lot of bottle supplementing. But, I was still able to squeak in a few feedings a day. Then, over the last week or so it’s been only a morning and middle-of-the night feeding. Last night, however, he wouldn’t nurse. Or, I should say, he wanted to nurse, but I had nothing to give. My heart tried to will my body to do what it’s instinctively done for nearly a year. But, for naught. After several minutes of trying and crying, I scooped up my boy, kissed him on his head, and plodded down to the kitchen for a bottle. I tried once again this morning. Nothing. At breakfast I realized it had been over 24 hours since I last nursed him. I had an inkling yesterday, as he snuggled in and sucked, content and happy and mine, that it was probably one of the last times we would do this. My body made one last ‘big meal’ for my boy, one last moment to enjoy. And, now, we’re done.

Another piece of babyhood, gone.

gift from my talented sister...

Thanks, Kami, for the DARLING pictures! We love them and we love you!

budding photographer

The latest 4-year-old obsession is the camera. She's taken hundreds of lovely shots. Here are a few favorites:

her prayers tonight

Thank thee for my family.
Thank thee for my good day.
Please bless that I can love everyone.
Please bless that everyone can be modest.
Please bless that Mikey will like playing with me better than playing his video games.
Please bless that Jesus can always be our King.
amen.

...I love sincerity in prayer...

finding joy

Long drives demand music variety. Which is how a hand-me-down John Denver CD ended up in the mix. And, days later I’m still thinking of the words to a not-so-familiar JD tune:

Joy was just a thing that he was raised on.
Love was just the way to live and die.

These words have me thinking about the role of JOY in the lives of my children; thinking of what I can do to make our day-to-day more joyful. So, even though it isn’t even close to New Years, a resolution I have made: find more JOY; find a way to make the work and the errands and the cleaning and the learning and the together time more full of joy.

Suggestions?