a day for mamas

Sarah, Mom, and Me - 1986

{a day to celebrate mothers, a day to say thank you.}

Mom and Me - 1991

Where do I even start with my thanks?  Thanks for giving me life, loving Dad and our family with absolutely everything, showing me how to love God, and making everyday sacrifices for your family.  Thank you for modeling the kind of mother I strive to be.  For doing a billion loads of laundry, making detailed packing lists, teaching us how to roll the perfect lefse round, and giving us all the gift of music.

Baby Ella and Grandma Karen

Just thank you.

Baby Ella and Daddy and Grandma Mary

Thank you to my mother in law, who mothered two very sweet boys, hard working and totally devoted to their family.

Ella 2007

Reese 2009

I don't think I ever really grasped the power and depth of a mother's love until I held my own sweet girls.  In that very moment, I looked back on all the times I may have rolled my eyes and now, I understood my mom.  I was raised with an overwhelming sense of love, and I feel that now as I am bringing up my daughters.

Baby Reese and Grandma Mary

I am so richly blessed.  Not only do I have a wonderful supportive and compassionate mom, I gained another when I married Spencer.  Especially when I am so far from my family, and don't get to see them often, having a mom in your corner is the best feeling in the world.

Baby Reese and Grandma Karen

And not only that, I have the gift of friendships with mothers who share their joys and frustrations, advice and support, and are truly the most loving women I know.  The sisterhood is a shared understanding, and a knowledge of just what mothering is all about.

To me, mothering comes in all shapes and sizes.  It isn't strictly about giving birth to your own, it's about nurturing and loving and making lasting influence to shaping the future.

I am blessed with two joyful daughters who daily remind me just how beautiful life can be.  I simply cannot explain the paradigm shift that occurred when I held that sweet little baby on September 19, 2007.  And then, how my heart pretty much exploded with love when another baby girl blessed our family on July 30, 2009.  Every single day, that love seems to bloom.  They teach me patience, forgiveness, acceptance, and most of all, grace.

wishing you and yours a very happy mother's day, celebrating all the ways we are blessed by mothering.  :)c

giving love

All you need is love...

And really, in our house, "giving love" solves pretty much every single problem.

When we're feeling crabby, we give love.

When we've hurt someone's feelings, we say sorry and give love.

When we're happy and dancing around, we give love.

Giving love to us means giving hugs, but it is more than that.  We smile, appreciate, and take time to snuggle with each other.  Sometimes we rub noses.  And it really does work.

Take this past Sunday.  We braved Sam's Club to get groceries, the girls and I.  Reese was nearing nap time and pretty cranky, and Ella was tired from a weekend of later nights and swimming.  Of course, every nice little double seater fancy cart was taken, and so the girls settled into a cart, packed in and a little too close for comfort.  I was just about to the bakery when the elbow nudging and head butting started.  Both girls ready to screech and pool their tears, I threatened no movies and no treats for the ride home.  But then, I had a thought --"why don't you give Reesie some love Ella".  And so, for the rest of the trip, the girls took turns hugging and snuggling in the Sam's Club cart.  

(I will say that in the checkout, they (and I) lost motivation and things turned pretty ugly, but at least we got through the store!!)

...Love is all you need.

{create} one thousand gifts

So, I am in love with this book, and I'm not even finished with it yet!  Ann Voskamp, a blogger over at A Holy Experience, released her newest book One Thousand Gifts.  Poetic, inspiring, and uplifting, life-changing.  Need I go on?

When I look at my to-dos (hypothetically though, as I am not a list maker :)) I am always thinking of that end result.  How I want my house to look, my kids to behave, and my dinner to turn out.  I have truly been missing out.


That gifts are tucked in the journey, waiting to be uncovered and celebrated.  That joy is really hidden in every moment.


And that is the real Amazing Grace.  That is where we see Him in the midst.

"Gratitude for the seemingly small and insignificant -- this is the seed that plants the giant miracle in the midst of it all.  So count the ways He loves..."

my gifts this week {and always}:

1.  Amazing Grace

2.  My helpful dishwashers and sous chefs.  

3.  Spencer's hard work

4.  Sleeping babes

5.  Sports and leisure... with my sisters

6.  A group of "sisters" to revive the soul

7.  Sunday phone calls with my mama

8.  My babysitters for the girls.  Always there.

9.  Reese and Ella dancing and spinning

10.  Going on "safaris"

11.   Laundry folded and put away

12.  Gentle reminders to slow down

13.  Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth. - Psalm 98:4

14.  Morning sun on fresh fallen snow

15.  Bed head

16.  Hearing the girls say "Daddy-o"

17.  Church with girls, Ella working on "being patient"

18.  Girls "giving love"

19.  this book

20.  Pennies from heaven - thanks uncle Jon

21.  advent of calving season

...and counting

{create} time management

I've always lacked time management.  I can hear my parents rolling in laughter as they read that.  I will sheepishly admit to constantly being late for my curfew in high school, and it is safe to say that still today, I struggle to be on time.

I will blame this on my inability to read analog clocks.  No really, I can read clocks, but my sister likes to tell people that I can't.  Truth is, I think when we worked on clocks in elementary school, I was sick or something.  Maybe I was in DisneyWorld.  To make matters worse, every school thereafter have fancy digital clocks, and really, I didn't have to learn.  But anyway, this isn't a story about my clock-reading discrepancies.

So after consulting Google, I found this wonderful site that helps with home managers (that's me!)

life.yourway.net - fabulous resources!
lifeasmom.com - again... love!

I'm not much of a list person, but I'm starting to be!

Plain and simple -- our home needs it!  :)