space to breathe

We pass this beautiful barn to get to our new home.

It has been quite the whirlwind two months!
(three months since I last blogged. whoops!)
Mid-May our household belongings were all packed up and we left Texas to travel to see family and then to our final destination: Tennessee.
Moving is always so stressful and this time was no different.
It was probably even harder this go-around with THREE kiddos.
We have spent so much time in our van driving all around our new town.
We have been eating out far more often than any of us would like.
Nonetheless, we have found a seemingly perfect home to live in for at least the next year!
For all my worrying, stressing, and FIVE days straight of house hunting, God had just the right home waiting for us!

My very wise and wonderful friend Rachel, sent a lovely letter that was waiting for me when I arrived at my Mama's house.
She included this fitting passage:

Philippians 4:6-7
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all [a]comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I went back to these verses many times during our searching for a home.
When I felt hopeless and overwhelmed with worry I read it again.
After numerous disappointments in our search, on a whim a realtor we met with suggested a house that had just become available for rent. And had also been reduced in price.
"It's is kind of far from town, you will have quite a commute to work" she said.
Perfect we thought.
And it was!
Immediately the drive out to the place was peaceful.
The rolling hills, dotted with cows, corn and wheat fields.
Green pastures, blue skies, and puffy white clouds.
And then we arrived. . .
The yards were substantial and neighbors not too close.
On the grounds were numerous fruit trees.
Pear, apple, peach. . . The neighbors even maintain a mini-orchard of sorts, behind our home.
It felt like home.
And we could breathe out here. . .

The side yard of our new home.

My Girl, exploring the neighbor's mini-orchard.

Sunlight through fruit trees.

breakfast in bed

Mondays around here typically hit hard and mercilessly.
Today, we seized the day with breakfast in bed!
I invited all of my littles back to bed, to enjoy our breakfast together.
Much giggling ensued, and we started the day in a cheery mood!
What a wonderful way to usher in a new week!
It also happened to be "sheet day" in my laundry routine! ☺
-------------------
I won't mention the meltdowns that occurred later in the day, from Mama and babies. . . ;)

Coming Soon

We will be joyfully welcoming a new little one into our family this Fall! Nearly 12 weeks along now, and I am finally feeling semi-normal again. After a period of great fatigue and nausea, my energy is finally returning, and my belly is growing! :) Being number three, I think I "popped" early. Others might think I've just eaten a big meal! :) We've spent much time talking about "when the baby comes" and practically all of us have had dreams of the baby. We've talked of names and how we expect some things will change with a new little one. We couldn't be more happy or excited about this little blessing. ;)

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb." (Psalm 139:13-15 NLT)

ten on ten - February 2012

9:40 am - banana nut muffins and coffee

10:40 am - morning dishes

11:40 am - lunch prep

12:40 pm - making our bed with sheets fresh from the dryer

1:40 pm - relaxing in the sunshine with Nana

2:40 pm - afternoon pick-me up - vitamin D and more coffee

3:40 pm - a game of Scrabble with my Mama and My Girl

4:40 pm - three cheers! even more coffee (and a hot cocoa for My Girl)

5:40 pm - Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookies

6:40 pm - Pizza time!

ten on ten 

is a fun monthly photo project to document

"life and beauty among the ordinary things of our day" 

and can be found at 

A Bit of Sunshine

treasures. . .

These images have been sitting in draft for months, waiting for the right words to express how much they mean to me.
I just cannot put my feelings to words, so I will let the images speak . . .

Thank you for this indescribable gift Alicia!
(images made nearly a year ago, funny to see the changes in the kids.)

My Love Cooks

Once in a blue moon, My Love cooks...

Today he looked up recipes (keeping in mind we don't eat meat and steer away from most dairy), made a list, shopped, and prepared a most delicious meal of vegetable burritos, plantains, and SANGRIA!

It was really cute to watch him. As soon as he got home from the grocery store (3:30 PM) he wanted to start cooking, he was that excited!

He didn't ask for any help, and took charge in the kitchen. I was surprised he worked in there so comfortably.

I had the privilege of keeping the children from underfoot as he worked away in the kitchen.

Let me tell you that is no easy task with a very energetic almost 2 year old!

By dinnertime, I had declared "I'll take cooking over this any night!" ha! ha! :)

While we waited we played Angry Birds online...

Cars in the tent...
Baby Boy had fun snapping pictures of me! He would laugh this really big belly laugh as each image appeared on the LCD screen. It was really cute...

My Love working away...

The finished result...BEAUTIFUL! (and delicious!)

ten on ten - May 2011

ten on ten is a fun project I did back in March and can be found at A Bit of Sunshine.
I set my phone to remind me of this project every month.
The challenge is to capture ten photos, on the 10th of the month to capture the beauty in the everyday.
I was only able to get 8 in on this busy day. We spent half our day commuting in the car. :(
Anyhow, here was our day...

8 am in early for My Girl... ;)

Baby Boy looking sleepy already...

A naughty snack...I shared mine with Baby Boy.

Tending the garden...he loves to help water the plants!

Lunch time! 

Them: Annie's Mac & Cheese with grapes & clementines. Me: Leftover Chili with Greek yogurt and cilantro fresh from the garden.

Mama drives alone to a Dr. appt. while the littles are being taken care of by a dear sweet friend. 

This audiobook has opened a whole realm for this Mama, and I took this book along to the Dr. office. (Francine Rivers is my favorite Christian fiction author!) 

I also brought along a copy of Texas Gardener but didn't get to read it.

The busy-ness of dinner...Late tonight! My hubby does more than his fair share of dishes around here, and I LOVE him for it! :)

Tiring out the babes...

I fell asleep while putting Baby Boy to bed, hence only 8 photos. ;)