Full Circle

One of the sweetest moments for me of parenting a preschooler/toddler has been moments that come full circle...memories that I remember from my childhood that I get to expose Mali to or see her enjoy.
Yesterday it snowed a beautiful snow here in Amarillo (after 80 degree days). The snow flakes reminded me of snow flakes in Ouray when it would snow. To celebrate, we enjoyed hot chocolate piled high with whip cream. Mali was so excited about this surprise. And the taste of the whip cream just reminded me so much of going to the Silver Nugget with my mom and drinking hot chocolate there!
The second memory I've wanted to blog about for a while, but haven't made the time. My dad came over wearing a Burger King crown the other day and brought Mali one too. This is such a strong memory from my childhood. Every time we went to Burger King to eat with my dad (often on the way to the airport for us to go back home), he would put on a crown when we stood in line and wear it the whole time. It is one of those things that as a child you act like embarrasses you, but really it is comforting because it was who my dad was! I secretly loved that he did that! So now it is full circle, and I'm no where near embarrassed, but thrilled to see my daughter and dad enjoying those sweet memories that I have.

There'll Be Days Like These Momma Said

Yesterday was one of those days!!! It began at 5:30am when I fed Eleri and then she didn't want to go back to sleep. Finally about 6:45 she fell asleep in her craddle and I in my bed. My last thought was, if Mali sleeps until 8:30 then I can still get 2 hours of sleep. WRONG! Next thing I knew, Mali was at the side of my bed and it was 6:59am!!!! I knew that I was a little grumpy and on edge all day, but it also made me cry out to God and seek him more desperately because there was NO way I could do it in my flesh. The rest of the day went okay, Eleri had a crying spell when we loaded into the car for me to make a Dr. Pepper run to Sonic. Finally, it was time for ballet. A friend called to see if I could pick up her daughter, so we loaded up quickly and made it just after the start of ballet with 3 girls. I had to feed Eleri at ballet and then ended up holding her for a while. When I went to put her in her carseat, she cried and cried and was not comforted at all. My friend Julie, helped me put her in the car, she was still crying. Then Mali "fell" in the car and started crying. I was in a hurry to get home. Both girls are crying and Mali will not get buckled in, so I'm (confession time) yelling at her to buckle in. I back up and feel the car hit something, my first thought was that it was the curb, but NO it was a car!!! So I get out of the car and give the lady my insurance info (she is a ballet mom too), I'm shaking and crying. Thankfully, Julie was still there, so she washed her hands and held Eleri's pacifier in while I talked with the other lady. I barely hit the front of her car, thankfully, but it still did a little damage, and I HATE messing up. The truth is, there was just too much going on and I wasn't paying close enough attention, but every time I back out at ballet I'm always worried about hitting someone because it is a tight squeeze, and when I had my belly I couldn't turn around and see. So, we finally all get back in the car, Eleri starts crying again. And, I'm crying too. I start singing Jesus Loves Me to calm Eleri down. I'm still crying, Eleri's not crying, and then Mali starts crying because "when the song is beautiful it makes me cry". TOO MUCH estrogen in our car. When we get home, Eric takes Eleri who is still crying. Off and on he calms her, but she didn't stop crying until about 7:30 (ballet is over at 5:30). In the middle of this, a friend from BSF stops by with her two kids in a stroller and her husband and they ask if they can take Mali to our park for about 15 minutes. It was such a blessing. Even though it was one of those days, God provided for me with Julie and Jonna's help.
I've also decided my new 'Mission Statement' as a mom is to make beauty out of chaos, or at least make that my perspective. So I was thinking about this as all of this is going on. I read this quote "The good mother is a great artist ever creating beauty out of chaos "(Alice Randall), and although it isn't scripture, it did make me think of how God makes Beauty out of Chaos as well just as Isaiah 61: 3 says "to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor." I hope after days like these, I will be like an Oak, solid in my Faith in my Father who turns this chaos into beauty for Him!

Best Friend

Proverbs 17:17 NIV
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 18:24 NIV
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

This weekend my BEST friend, Carrie, came for a visit. We have been friends since my freshman year of college at Texas Tech. She was a freshman Challenge leader at nine30 and a sophomore. God has used her so mightily in my life in the past 11 years. I am so blessed by her love and friendship. I had known Carrie through Challenge and I think she gave a ride to some Challenge event, but then how we began "bonding" is a funny story. I was at nine30 (in the service) and we turned around to greet people, and when she turned around to greet me I just started crying and said "I got a tattoo". I had gotten my tattoo the night before, and although I love it now, I was worried about certain repercussions at that point. After that, our friendship was sealed, and she was drawn into the drama of my life!:) Carrie is the type of friend that always tells me what God wants me to hear, NOT what I want to hear, and spurs me on in my walk with God and encourages me every time I talk to her, even though sometimes what she has to say is hard to hear, I'm always thankful for it. She is an amazing friend to everyone around her and has walked through a lot of things with me and stood by my side. This weekend was no exception. Although she had her own baby (5 month old Claire bug) who was having sleep issues, she watched my girls so I could take a few naps, swept my floors, prepared us 3 meals and froze them, loved on Mali, gave me spiritual advice, listened to me, gave me advice on parenting Mali, etc., etc.,!
She has been wonderful throughout my life and really has been a step ahead of me in most things in life; marriage, job, etc., Although I did have my first child before her and finished my master's before her. One thing I love about our friendship too, is that she just gets me and thinks similar to the way I think. We both had our undergrad in Family Studies and then went on to get our Master's in Counseling, so we are really on the same page and skip past lots of explanations. I just had to post about how much I love my friend and how much she has meant to me. This is a little muddled though, I've been up since 5:30am!! I wanted to post one of our first pictures together, Mission Trip 1999 where we forced Dan to take our picture in Hollywood in front of a stretch limo, but I think it is in the attic, so here is another picture of us on Mission Trip the next year and a picture of our girls. We were too sleep deprived to take a decent picture of ourselves!:) Although, Carrie did get one in the car on the way to the airport!:)


I am also super blessed by my other friends, Beth and Melissa! Who have also cleaned my house countless times, cooked for me, listened to me, loved on Mali, and even took care of me when I was throwing up!:) Yeah for friends that God gives!