my moms.

Most would say having one amazing mother in your life who modeles love, service, humility, gentleness, hard work, sacrifice, is God's greatest gift....

And yet here I am with two...

I don't take for granted for one second that I have such an amazing mother who I have fun with, laugh with, enjoy talking to; but that I also have all those things with my mother in law. Truly something I feel overwhelmingly grateful for. And although I am not a mother myself yet, I will count myself blessed if I go through the rest of my life with as much love, grace, service, and joy to not only my children and husband, but everyone around me with as much as these two women do.  

Happy mothers day to you both. You both deserve so much more than I can give you :) But I am beyond thankful for both of you every. single. day! I love you!

 

... her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
'Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!'
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
    The woman to be admired and praised
    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.'
Give her everything she deserves!
    Overwhelm her life with praises!

proverbs 31

celebrating moms.

It was colder than last year, but none less beautiful outside, and fitting to celebrate the life and joy that my moms have brought to me. Mom... Chris... I thank the Lord for you every day and remember how grateful I am to have not one, but two moms who love the Lord, love their husbands, love their kids, and set a beautiful example of what a Godly wife and mother should be. Thank you. 

Chris, although we couldn't be with you on this day, you were celebrated, prayed for, and thought about. :) When I think about the home my husband grew up in, the values he was taught from you, and the way  he looks up to your work ethic, the way I see your love and commitment to your husband, your church, your family, I am reminded of just what a joy it is to be a part of that family.  You welcomed me in as one of your own kids, and I will forever be thankful & in awe of how blessed I am to have you as my mother-in-law, and the relationship that has formed. I love you!

This year, keeping with tradition, we brunched with our friends the Squires at Oak Ridge Center in Chaska. I look forward to this spread every single year. Some of the best food I've ever had - and we only get it on this special day. Family pictures are a must, and we usually spend a few hours all together. We love this whole big family.

So thankful for family. And now,

TO THE WOMEN IN MY LIFE...

For my moms - I love you both so much. You are the single most special and influential women to me. I love you both to the moon and back. For Cheri - my mentor, my friend, thank you for your Godly example and continual challenge to me. For Shyla - my growing up years spent at your house around your family are coming into view as being some of the most shaping of my life. Although I didn't know it at the time. Seeing you run your household as a woman and mother impacted me more that you know. Sarah - I know I can always call you if I need anything. Thank you for your love for me and for never hesitating to help mother me. Carolyn - you will always be my "momma #2." Always. For my girlfriends who also happen to be mom's - Kait, Mindy, Amber - thanks for your willingness to be open and share the ups and downs of motherhood. You guys are rockstars. For my sister-in-law Lori - you ARE the big sister I never had and a woman in my life whom I look up to. I love you so much.

I thank the Lord each and every time I remember all of you. Happy Mother's Day to you all. 

oh, what you've taught me

A finite list does not do you justice, mom. Oh, all the things I've learned from you....

1} send thank you cards
2 } don't bite your fingernails
3 } work hard
4 } don't lay down after dinner
5 } if i'm bored, clean something
6 } clean things whether i'm bored or not
7 } submit
8 } prayer changes things
9 } spontenaity never hurt anyone
10 } wasting time doing something you enjoy is not time wasted
11 } keep a list
12} always try the recipie the way it's written first, then change things
13} snack on fruit. have a banana.
14} give lots of hugs
15} love God first, and my family second
16} how to make a bed
17} how to iron
18}  the importance of reading
19} how to cook
20} the example of studying the Bible
21} the true meaning of humility
22} to always lotion your feet
23} if you're going to sneeze, may it be heard to alaska.
24} to pray intentionally
25} to find the simple pleasures in life, and drink them in

A list of 25 that has already exponentially grown in my head. The list doesn't end there. Day in and day out she is in the buisness of teaching me, growing me, and challenging me. And
although this is not a reality yet, I can say with FULL intention, that the #1 thing my mom is teaching me day in and day out, is what it looks like to be a woman of the Lord who is a mom. She is the greatest example the Lord could have blessed me with. I love you mom!!! A happy {and belated} mother's day to you!

for my mom.

it's her birthday. it's a special day! because she's special to me, and i couldn't imagine having any better of a friendship with my mom.

in many, many ways i am already a lot like her. she gifted me with lists & organization, a "like mother like daughter" face, a love of books, strong fingernails, and the ability to find simple pleasures (jared thinks its uncanny how we find the same things to laugh about.) and those are relatively unimportant things. she not only taught me all the good stuff when i was little, but she continues to teach me the grown up stuff about what it means to be a wife & mother. selfless. hardworking. patient. slow to anger, abounding in love.

happy 29th birthday mom. ;) i think your'e absolutely amazing, and i hope i grow up to be just like you!

Mom.

I said a Mother's Day prayer for you
to thank the Lord above
for blessing me with a lifetime
of your tenderhearted love.

I thanked God for the caring
you've shown me through the years,
for the closeness we've enjoyed
in time of laughter and of tears.

And so, I thank you from the heart
for all you've done for me
and I bless the Lord for giving me
the best mother there could be!
-Anonymous

Celebrating and being thankful for a mother and her heart deserves some sunshine. Last weekend we finally hit some nice temps, the trees started blossoming, and the flowers brightened up. This Mother's day weekend stood out for Jared and I as it was our very first time apart since we've been married. Definitely sad, but we both did get some wonderful qulatity time with our moms. I had to work, and he went down to Storden for a family member's wedding. Big bummer. BUT... we both admitted it was so good to get some mom time. Keeping with tradition, we did Mother's Day Brunch at Oak Ridge with the Squires, and as always, it did NOT dissapoint! We're talking, the best gourmet food around, all you can eat, NICE, food. Custom omelettes, steak, pastries, decadant fruit, waffles, and think the BEST of all those things. And even at 11am, who can resist this?

This is the one place that the phrase, "if it looks pretty, it probably dosn't taste that good" does NOT hold up. In the 6 years that our families have been going here for Mother's and Father's day, I have not been disappointed.

Mom - I love you. Even if we didn't go to Oak Ridge for brunch every year and stuff ourselves, I would celebrate the day because of how good a mom and friend you are. Everyone's mother/daughter relationship is different, but I think that we have the best friendship out there. Thank you for being such a wonderful example to me to what a Godly wife and mother look like.

And to Carolyn - I'm thankful for you as a "growing up mom"... I think Alison and I have one of the coolest growing up friendship stories ever. I'm so thankful you are in my life.

And to my mom #2 - Chris, I so wish I could have spent some time with you on Mother's day. I love being your daughter in law!! Thank you for being a wonderful, wonderful mom to my husband, training him up in righteousness, and loving ME like a daughter. I love you. :)

Mother's day just seems bright. Mom's deserve flowers, sun and hugs. I'm so glad I could just be home. (And that mom had such bright, happy flowers out on the deck for me to take pictuers of...) Aren't they pretty?!

So when the Lord decides it's time for me to be a mom someday, I hope that I can be just as loving, comforting, supportive, encouraging, Godly, respectable, hard working, and amazing as my mom is as a mother. Thanks, Mom!!! :) I love you so much, and am so glad I got to spend Mother's Day with you!

The Royal Morning

It was 4:30 am... we were in our jammies, wearing hats, eating scones and drinking tea. There were British flags, magazines on the Royal history, blankets, pillows, and enough feminine enthusiasm about this wedding to think we were actually in England! Close enough. When you spend the Royal wedding with a true British family you feel like the real deal! And I thought traditional English dinners with the Squires were fun!

We piled around the televison - my mom and I, and our best friends Alison and her mom Carolyn (our British hosts), as well as some neighbors and friends. Now, I don't really keep up with celebrities, let alone the royals, but something about this totally intrigued me. I think it was the fact that Kate came from a completely normal British family. Just picturing what her family was thinking boggled my mind. "Oh, there's the Queen... no biggie, it's just my daughter's Grandmother now..." I was rapt. A mulit-million dollar wedding. $82 grand spent on just the trees to put in the church. (Maybe she always wanted an outdoor wedding? Not like the Queen would let that fly.) But somehow, she kept it Grace Kelly chic, simple, classy, and refreshingly different from what I think we were all expecting. (Flashback to Di's wedding dress). It was difficult to even pull myself away from the TV to get at Carolyn's delish spread of food! Don't worry, I managed...

*note: it was 4:30. Excuse all the blurriness, off-centerdness, and greasy hair. :)

We toasted to the newlyweds, continued to gush over how beautiful Kate was, and how Will used to be SO much more attractive with a full head of hair. We picked Carolyn's brain on everything to do with Royal customs, traditions, and who's who.... and I actually really enjoyed it! I didn't realize how intersting that whole family system is. I was so intrigued with finding out lineage, and proper sequence of the crown, all about Queen Elizabeth's family history, what the Brit's really think of Prince Charles, and finding out about the Queen's husband (yah, didn't even know he was still around) and how even though he is the King of England, he holds no real power because it was her blood line and therefore she rules. Weird. How'd you like to be the King of England... but not. I'm finding that I'm much more curious and interested in this family. Having an "inside source" to get the ball rolling helps.  I think I'll be doing some reading.

I totally drank this morning in. My mom was telling my how she still vividly remembers getting up eartly to watch Charles and Di's wedding, and what a fun memory that was. I'm so glad I defied sleep to catch this. Even though it's not my country, it was really moving, and just plain cool, to be apart of British history (along with 2 billion other people I guess). :) To Will & Kate!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My mom is the best. The best mom out there! She’s closer than a mom to me… she’s my friend.  And every day I love her more! Mom, thanks for being such a good example of a wife, Godly woman, and awesome mother. I love you! Happy Birthday! 

In other thoughts, Jared and I have been challenged lately by James 1:5-8. Recently, we have been fervently praying over a specific situation in our lives, and this morning, God answered our prayers... the way our heart was asking. We had been preparing ourselves for whatever answer He was to give, trusting that HE is Sovereign and we are not. Our plans are not always His plans. However, He decided to answer our "selfish request" and we are so thankful. All glory to Him! After we received this confirmation, though, I still found myself doubting! And thoughts such as these went through my head, "Well, I'd still like another sign," or "I hope this is actually true." And then it hit me. James 1.

"If any of you lacks wisdon, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."

I had given this situation over to the Lord. We asked God! I had clung to Phillipians 4:6-7 and truly felt that His peace was "guarding my heart" from repeated attacks of doubt. But after our waiting period, when He finally answered, WHY was I still doubting? I have no reason. None. God heard me! I asked, He gave! I am now challenged even more than I was before. You can go through all the "steps" seeking to hear a word from the Lord, relinquishing control, and believing! BUT, when you finally hear from him (whatever His answer), DON'T look back. Believe it.


In Him,
S