Friday, May 13, 2011

Big Boy-ness

My big one-year-old got to ride in his new big boy car seat for the first time today. He LOVED it. He can now see where we are going instead of where we have been : )



He also got to experience his first Chick-fil-A kid's meal. He has definitely had Chick-fil-A before but this was his first time getting his own kid's meal. And, of course, we got our money's worth. He pretty much ate the entire thing minus the apples because he can't chew those yet. And he LOVED the ice cream once he got used to the coldness.



And I just have to brag about my totally awesome $8 craigslist find birthday toy. I was pretty excited about it and I think he liked it too :)



We had cookie cake for Caleb's birthday tonite. He isn't old enough to have a cake preference but my favorite is cookie cake and since a year ago today I birthed him into this world we had cookie cake :) I think he liked it!

Things I love about my one-year-old...


My Caleb Joshua, my second born, my baby, is one year old today. It's crazy that we've only had him a year. I don't really remember what life was like before him. He came into this world a calm, quiet little baby and has turned into a loud, rambunctious little boy. I wanted to write something sweet and eloquent today for his birthday, but since I have a three year old and a one year old, my house is a disaster and we have company tonite...so I will skip the "polished B.S" as my college english professor called it and cut right to the good stuff...

Things I love about my one-year-old...

-He's wild and crazy. I love the "little boy-ness" of him. He loves to wrestle and be thrown in the air and be held upside down and all of that crazy stuff.
-The kid has a seriously infectious smile. He doesn't smile for the camera like he did when he was a little younger, but if you can catch him smiling you won't help but be able to smile back.
-He inhales his food. No pickiness here. He doesn't care what it is...even if its dog food. He loves bananas and chicken and peanut butter sandwiches and cheese.
-He smells like graham crackers when I check on him in his bed at night. Randy says he doesn't smell graham crackers, but if you know me, you know I have a unique sense of smell...and he smells like graham crackers. I lean over his crib and inhale the sweet smell of baby boy. It's weird, I know. But it is what it is...
-He loves to be outside...as do I. He loves to play in the dirt and he can't help but get DEE-SGUISTING. He usually has to get a bath after we go outside. But hey, he appreciates what nature has to offer. He likes to climb in the flower beds (which are still flowerless...) and cover himself in the mulch. He could seriously spend hours out there.
-He is a mommy's boy. At this point in his life, I am the coolest thing ever (well, almost as cool as wires and buttons and things that light up.) I know his daddy will eventually be his hero, but I am enjoying this little phase of his life where I am his favorite.

All that to say, we are so blessed to have him in our lives. He is a bundle of joy and we are so proud of him. Our prayer for him as he grows is that he would see and understand the love God has for him and accept it and share it with others. We pray that we would be good examples to him.

We love you Caleb Joshua, more than you could ever know! Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Living Intentional

My New Years resolution was to live intentional. That's kind of a hard goal to set. It's different than saying, "I'm gonna lose 20 pounds by the end of the year," or "I'm gonna read the Bible all the way through in one year." What does it mean to "Live Intentional." For me it means that everything I do needs to have a purpose. It means that I need to live life in light of eternity. My relationships with my husband, my children, my family , friends, and those I don't even know need to reflect what Christ has done in my life.
One thing I did to live intentional is I got off of Facebook. Facebook is a wonderful tool to keep people connected with one another. And, while I miss the "connection" with people, I have benefited greatly from being away from it. I was going to stay off for two weeks. Then I decided to go forty days. It's way past forty days and I don't think I'm going to get back on. Honestly, I was in bondage to it. Not just the hours I spent on it but the tug it had on my heart. I yearned for the attention that I got from comments. I needed to be "liked" by everyone. Something I have been working on is finding contentment in who I am in Christ and that is very hard for me to do when I am looking for everyone else's approval.
Another thing I am doing to live intentional is I am working on memorizing a passage that has spoken to my heart in more ways than one these past few weeks since I stumbled upon it. I would like for myself and Randy and maybe, that's a BIG maybe , even Hailey to memorize it. That's gonna take a LOT of work on my part but it would be awesome.
The passage is Colossians 3:12-17:
"SInce God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing songs and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father." (NLT)
Have you ever felt like a verse or passage was written SPECIFICALLY for you. Yeah, this one was written for me. It applies to pretty much every aspect of my life. My life as a believer, a mother, a wife, a friend. Anyway, the goal is for it to be written on my heart and for me to be living it out. That's how I am being intentional right now. What about you?