Full Hour's Work

Hard at work.

     

Just for you, Grandma T. Kole! 

Whew, Duplo building is exhausting, especially with a crummy cold.

Ah, popsicles.  Just what the Mama ordered.

Thanks, Grandma.  The blocks are getting lots of use!

Best Friends

The babe and I have both been dealing with colds.  I think I may have got the worst of it (which I'm thankful for, actually).  Regardless, we have been spending a lot of time laying around, watching cartoons, and reading.  This happened today while laying on the couch together:

Norah sits up after I've been tickling her with my feet.
NRK: "Mama, I have a question for you."
Mama: "Yes, Norah?"
NRK: "You can tickle me all day long."
Mama laughs: "Oh yeah?"
NRK: "Yeah.  We're best friends."


Special thank you to my hubbs.  He slept on the couch last night so I could have the bed to myself.  He basically parented 98% of today so I could sleep/rest.  I married a good man.

It's Ours!

Mama and NRK see a puppy and its owner outside the apartment window.
NRK: "Look Mama!  A PUPPY!"
Mama: "Oooo, I see it NK. Isn't it cute?!"
NRK: "Maybe it's ours?!"
Mama: "No. It belongs to that lady right there."
NRK: "No.  It's ours!"

If I could, I would my dear.

Too cool for school...

...also too young.

At peace.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

Not the plans we have for ourselves.
Not the hope we create for ourselves.

This verse is very difficult for a control junky - someone who likes to have the details of life all planned out.  I find comfort in knowing my life has a plan and purpose.  A purpose that is deep, beautiful, and can help bring heaven to earth.  But my brain immediately searches for details - what does that look like right now, tomorrow, the future?  Then I worry I should be doing more.  But worrying is pointless.  God has it all figured out; planned out.  Everything I do has the potential to impact the world around me.  The catch?  I have to chose to trust even when I'd rather be worrying.  Isn't that absurd?  Sometimes I find it easier to make a list of all the options and possible outcomes of a situation rather than trust God has the best ending for me... one that I may not even think up on my own.

Evidence:  Six years ago, did I think I'd marry someone like MK (I mean that in a very kind and endearing way)?  No.  Did I think I'd get engaged and marry someone under a year of dating?  Heck no.  Did I think I would end up in NH?  Definitely not.  Did I ever think I would have a baby at 24?  No stinkin' way.  You get the idea.  Basically my life at present is something I never imagined possible.  But I could not have created anything more blessed myself.  I never knew I could love one man and one little girl SO much.  I never imagined having friends who truly ARE family.  I never knew I could actually have a job that I enjoy - where my organizational abilities, attention to detail, and intelligence are highly valued and appreciated.  When I am striving to love my husband, my daughter, the people around me... even myself (in an unselfish way), regardless of location or details... I am bringing God here.  One small act of faith at a time, I am bringing heaven here.

Shalom.

Pigtails

Space

Sarah says that turn down the opportunity to go into space if it were presented to her. She's crazy, man.


MK

Silly Sayings

Our kiddo has been on a roll.

At the New England Aquarium, looking into the massive core tank...
Mama/Papa: "Look!  That fish swam up to look at you and say hello."
NRK: "Yeah, I want him to be my friend."

After receiving a text message...
Papa's response: "Who's it from?"
NRK: "JESUS!"

On our way home from church...
NRK: "Where is Liv & Matt?"
Papa: "They are in their car right behind us."
NRK: "That's dangerous!"
Papa: "No, they are a safe distance behind us."
NRK: "Oh, I need my binoculars."

Valentine's Day...

...Is for people who are really into overpriced chocolates, absurdly expensive bouquets of roses, and other generally meaningless forced displays of affection.

Unless you're just a few months short of three years old -- then Valentine's Day is about getting stoked on finding baby corn in your Thai take-out.

We heart Sundays.

This past week was nuts for our family.  MK left Wednesday morning on a jet plane.  He was scheduled to return last Thursday night.  But due to technical difficulties, his first returning flight was majorly delayed, resulting in him missing his second flight.  MK stayed the night in Atlanta and was able to return to NH mid-Friday.  

NRK has been recovering from a cold and was up early Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning coughing.  Norah has also been nap protesting or growing out of naptime.  I've been sleeping poorly.  Needless to say, by Friday night, all three of us were exhausted.

BUT(!) today was such a blessing.  We didn't do a whole lot - went to church, ate Subway, lounged...but it was just the kind of day we all needed together.

We busted out and successfully used up the $1.00 watercolor paints NRK found on Christmas morning in her stocking.  She had an excellent time, but the finished product -  not as noteworthy. :)

Massive concentration.

"Mama, wanna paint with me?"

Why use one brush when a person can use two at once!

ARTIST!

All that creating definitely makes a kiddo hungry.

I'm pretty sure this photo was taken mid-sassing.

This photo is especially for Great Aunt M. Wiley.

We had so much fun working on this together; and I'm so proud of her.

She is one smart girl and very eager to learn! 

An attempt at wavy hair.  

There was no wave after the braids were undone (just curls), but NRK liked having the braids in.

Our bedtime routine for the last week has included watching "The Grinch".  Tonight, we read the book afterwards.  NK is a big fan of Christmas and can't get enough.  She still asks to go driving around to look at Christmas lights.  I'm pretty sure we will still be watching "The Grinch" occasionally come July.  

Oh well, I guess there could be worse things for her to enjoy.

We love you all and may God bless each moment we are given.

SLK

Giraffe

NK:  Mama, what do you wanna be when you grow up?
Me:  A mama.
NK: Oh.  What do I want to be when I grow up?
Me:  I don't know.  What do you want to be when you grow up?
NK: A GIRAFFE!
Me:  Yeah?  Why do you want to be a giraffe?
NK:  Because they are tall and eat trees.  SEE!
(NK proceeds to crawl on all fours and stick head straight in air.)

I'm such a fool.  Why would I want to be a mama when I could aspire to be a giraffe?!

Photo Fix

A friend of mine mentioned loving [her son's] baby feet.  I agreed.  There is just something precious about small and soft baby feet.  Even though NRK isn't a baby at all anymore, I still love her cute little toes.

But in all other cases, feet kinda gross me out.

"Ready, set, GO!"

This is Norah's ready stance for racing.

My parents have similar photos of me when I was younger.  Awesome.

A blurry photo of NRK's recent skeptical face.

He's a good papa.

A classic photo for our friend, K, who is currently teaching English in South Korea.

We are one good lookin' family.

Love you all.

Quotable

Norah has been highly quotable over the last few days. I feel like she has animals on the brain, like, all the time.

Me: "Norah, who's your favorite person?"
NRK: "Umm... Puppies?"
Me: "No, puppies aren't people. Who is you favorite person like papa?"
NRK: "Oh. I like Justin."
Me: "Uncle Justin is your favorite person?"
NRK: "Yep. And puppies."

---

Me: "Norah, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
NRK: "A giraffe."
Me: "I don't know if that's possible."
NRK: "Okay, I am a dinosaur."
Me: "You want to grow up to be a dinos--"
NRK: "ROOOAOAAAAAOOORRRRRRRRRR!!!!"

---

Me: "Norah, how is your pancake?"
NRK: "It's good, papa. OH MY!!"
Me: "What's wrong?"
NRK: "Look... There's a chocolate chip in it. Oh my goodness, it's soooo BEAUTIFUL!"


What a nerd. Who else's kid double-fists broccoli like this?

MK

Jesus was a socialist

Thanks for finally calling that out, Obama. Major respect for using the character of God as a motivation for pushing the right policies. God Made Obama do It