Another update...

It has been one of the best weekends in a LONG time. Relaxing at home with the family. We went hiking at Cooper's Rock. We had a picnic. Corey and I have been watching Harry Potter when kiddos are asleep. On that note, Libby is doing great! She is walking without assistance. Her spirits are up. I am telling you-not much keeps this kid down.

Libby with her newly decorated cast-Thanks Erin for the glitter paint!

But I am realizing how little time I have to spend blogging. And I think that is okay. During school, I am on my computer A TON. I decompress with blog posts. Right now, it is more stressful for me to find time to blog, and I never want it to be a burden. So posts may be few and far between. We are alive and kicking. And I will share photos of all of our adventures. I just don't want to miss any of them by spending too much time staring at the screen.

Quick Update

Libby's surgery went really well... and really FAST. She was in and out in just over an hour. Her last surgery was a painful 6 or 7 hour ordeal that exhausted everyone. She has a pink "princess boot" and so does her puppy Buster. They will both be casted for about 6 weeks. She was a trooper-as always. She would whimper a few times, but she deals with her pain better than some adults that I know.

Note Buster's pink and purple cast.

Thank you for all your prayers. Our community-both real and virtual-is a great support system. Ane we appreciate all of you. Libby is a special little girl who wouldn't be here at all without the prayers and petitions of countless people near and far.

tomorrow...

Libby is having her surgery. I would be lying if I said that I was completely fine. It is always painful to know that you can't help your baby. I remind myself-and others-that she was never supposed to be here, so what's a few surgeries for muscular-skeletal stuff right? But while I KNOW that in my head, my heart still breaks a little that my sweet girl has to jump so many hurdles SO early in her life.

Libby after her double-knee operation

SO tomorrow she is having her foot operated on. A soft tissue release and something where they move a tendon to the other side of her foot. I am not a doctor. I do not really understand. But I trust those that do. She will be in a cast for 6 weeks. Then a brace. She is one of the most resilient kids I have ever known. I am sure she will be fine with it. I just wish she didn't have to be.

Prayers are appreciated. The procedure starts at 8:30.

¹⁰ So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

what the kids are learning.

I am a part of a start up church called cityCHURCH. It is small. It is new(ish). It started about a year ago. Everyone pitches in. So children's church is the same way. A month or so ago, a group of women got together to plan what we wanted to teach our kids in church. I am NOT good at kids stuff-despite having my own. I would never have volunteered to do this. However, when you are in a small church, it is all hands on deck. The experience has stretched me beyond what I thought I could do.

So we decided to teach the kids about LOVE. Specifically 1 Corinithians 13. All the attributes. It is patient and kind... it never boasts. Love never fails. It's been on my heart a lot today. God's perfect love never fails. It is the never-ending, never-stopping, FOREVER kind of love. No matter what I do. WOW. How I need to CLING to that. How I need to dive deep into that truth and never come up for air. I can't get away from His love. I feel privileged to share it with 20-25 kiddos too.

Tonight

I was just about to blog about my newest book selections when I realized I have homework to do before tomorrow night. WHOOPS. So instead of reading this...

the book I have picked is Portrait of a Lady--which I bought SOLELY because it was mentioned in Notting Hill and I love that movie.

I will be reading this...

Dispute Resolution: Negotiation, Mediation and Other Processes

not nearly as fun.

Oh well. Such is the life of a law student. More later

my crazy life...

Corey and I have a knack for adding more and more things to our plate. When Corey was in nursing school, we added Libby. When he finally graduated and our life was pleasant and normal, I decided to go to law school. And of course, when I am on "break" for the one week I have between school and my technical start date for work, we have new floors installed in our house.We opted to do all the demo our selves to cut down on costs. Luckily we have some great friends who came over and helped us get it all done in 2 HOURS. MUCH THANKS to you Brent and Stu!!

So we started off like this...

then this...

and now this...

While it has been CRAZY busy, the new floors are amazing.

In addition to floors, we spent a great weekend celebrating Scott and his graduation. I am sure Danie will post photos as soon as she can (busy busy girl too).

More on life later...

playing around...

I am not a designer. That said, I am having fun trying to make my blog my own. It will probably continue to change as I get better at using Picasa-and better at taking photos. But for now, this is the new look of my blog. I like it. Makes me happy. That is what matters right?

this photo also makes me happy.

Today was another day spent in the record room--my blog will be very one-dimensional if I talk about work everyday! But I am excited to get back in the swing of writing down my thoughts and sharing some of myself with the blogging world.

Yesterday I read a really beautiful verse in my Valley of Vision...

May I reach a higher platform,

leave the mists of doubt and fear in the valley

and climb to hill-tops of eternal security in Christ

by simply believing HE CANNOT LIE,

or turn from his purpose

I was struck by the fact that God cannot lie. He can't. It is not in his nature. That means that every promise, every word spoken to me is TRUE and REAL. I can bank on it. Bet all my money on it. I can rest on it, which might be the most important one of all.

I'm also ready to dive into some summer non-law reading. I started with Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom. It's an easy read and refreshing in the sense that I don't have to think very hard to enjoy it. In fact I was enjoying it so much yesterday that I am now slightly sunburnt. Who knew two hours in the sun after 6 months of dark, windowless rooms would not end well?

But I have some bigger fish on deck to fry--The God Father; Brideshead Revisited; Captains and Kings; The Brothers K (again). I am also UP FOR SUGGESTIONS. What should I be reading??

Here are some photos of other things we have been doing as a family since school ended...

There has been a lot of playing outside

and some yummy food inside

the summer is off to a lovely start--can't wait to see what else is in store!

Someday...

I will post again--with photos and happy thoughts about life and family! Suffice it to say this weekend was SUPER busy. And I enjoyed (almost) every minute of it. There was shopping and yummy food. We took the kiddos to the trail and let them run free for a while. Joe did not stop running. (he may have to run the 1/2 marathon with me next year).

Today I got to sleep in and was awakened by yummy smells of breakfast in bed. Corey has become quite the omelet chef and made me a bacon and cheese omelet with a side of toast and apple-butter! Yummy :) Then we headed out to Corey's parents to spend the day celebrating us moms! The kiddos played with their cousins; Becky and I kicked up our feet and enjoyed being a little bit spoiled.

Kiddos fell asleep in the car, so Corey and I took a lovely drive to dream about future houses. It is one of our favorite lazy Sunday things to do. We aren't moving anytime soon, but it's fun to dream.

I have photos of all of these events, but I am too lazy to go in and upload them. I am stationed on the porch with some spearmint tea, listening to the creek behind our house. Photos can wait until tomorrow.

PS Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful mommy's out there--especially my momma, I missed you today!

What a Week!

I am BEAT. Four days of standing all day in the record room has left me exhausted. But I like what I do, so I won't complain too much. And while I have not yet found the balance that I need, I feel like I am getting there. It will be much better next week when I do not have to take the kiddos to sitters. I was rushing around so fast this morning to finish my paper, get the kids dressed, get myself dressed, etc. I forgot to eat breakfast, couldn't have a quiet time and just generally felt discombobulated. I DO NOT like that feeling. As much as is humanly possible, I would like to avoid it this summer.

Anyways, rather than whine about my long day, I will direct you to one of the most positive people I know-Jess Potter. She is currently having a FAB giveaway on her blog Crafting Happiness, and I think you should ALL check it out!

CLICK HERE to find out how you can win!!

More tomorrow--hoping to share what I am reading--

and it does NOT involve the LAW. YAY!!

Whoa! Real Life Happened...

Crazy how school ends and real life begins. I am back to work full time which makes me happy, but I am definitely going to have to figure out a new schedule for the summer. I got used to getting up and working out, having a quiet time with a cup of coffee, and using afternoons to blog and do homework. A 9-5 job (more like 8:15-5:30) isn't always conducive to all of those things. Especially when I get home and the kiddos want to hang out with me (generally not with me on the computer). So I will have to do some trial and error--see what works and what doesn't. I won't stop blogging... if I have learned anything in the last 6 months, it is that I really love the community I have here. I love sharing my thoughts, my trials, my successes and reading all about my friends' as well.

I think this piece of word art (YES AGAIN) really spells it out for me. I have spent so much time walking on egg-shells in my own life. Terrified of being wrong. But here I can share my dorky creativeness--my thoughts on books, my photographs, my limited knowledge of fashion.

source

So what is the plan??

I think this week I will try to get up early and work out (since it looks like rain every afternoon). Have some time in the Word, get in a few minutes to blog (I'm not sure how early I am thinking to get all of this done... 5:30 or 6--might not last long). Then evenings will be free with the kids and the husband :)

Once the weather starts looking nicer, I can sleep a little later and use my evenings taking walks with the family--that sounds lovely. RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY! I want to take the kiddos on hikes and to the trail--capture it all on film. (What do we say now that no one really uses film?) I'll save really intense workouts for weekends when I am not so busy.

And if it doesn't work, I'll regroup and try again. That's how life goes...