didn't you know?

What's better than ONE baby to empty out drawers? . . . . .

TWO BABIES!!!!!

(although truth be told, one baby was by the far the instigator. I'll let you guess who)

this explains SO much . . .

In my babycenter weekly update, I read this today:

"How old are you now?
In one short week, your baby will be 1 year old! You, however -- thanks to those nights of not sleeping, making each day equivalent to two days -- will technically be two years older. And when you factor in the bionic aging power of babies, this is really 20 years. Which explains a lot, no?"

Here's to kissing the years good-bye . ...

like mother, like daughter

You often hear that children model what they see - right?

I'm sad to say that is true already. . .and I"m not sure it's in a good way.

A favorite thing of Ava's lately is to climb up on the couch and just bum. Last night, I had sat down and she immediately came over and said 'Up."

As soon as I put her up on the couch by me, she laid back and plopped her feet in my lap and just giggled as I rubbed them.

Then she just wanted to sit and hang out and would just look from Ryan and I and grin.
snuggles - this is fun mom!
sigh - my daughter has already learned the art of bumming. It's too bad she's learned that so well from Daddy (ok, that's a half-lie . . .mommy may have played a small role)

and I just had to post this picture because I liked it - how I love them!

yum,yum sweet corn!

Ava got her first taste of sweet corn last night . ..I'll let you decide if she liked it.

(and no she didn't eat a whole ear! : ) )

some more of the 4th

what a fun group of girls!!

sunday morning
sporting Grandpa's alma mater

playing "babies" with Sophie one morning

and then you get back up .. .

I saw a great view of the ceiling last night.

You know the feeling?

Life seems fairly under "control."

You're plugging along.

You tell God, "I think I've got it." (maybe that was the problem . .. it should have been "we.")

then you trip.

ok. . .

I'll be honest.

I just plain got layed out.

Have I ever mentioned my ceilings need some serious repainting? I got a GREAT look at them last night.

God brought me face to face with some old battles last night. Lessons I thought I had learned, He showed me still needed some teaching. Lessons I thought I had put long behind me, I found still need some surrendering. God showed me how much I still need Him . . .even when I think "I have it."

As I was pondering it all, an old conversation with a friend came to mind. We were discussing a huge struggle in my life at that time and I was berating and berating myself. I was struggling with comprehending how can a perfect God not get so impatient with someone as imperfect as me.

This friend looked at me and exclaimed, "Amber it's easy . . .He doesn't see the failure. He sees the step forward."

She then proceeded to share how a nephew of hers had recently begun taking his first steps. With those steps came many falls. Many. Yet never did his parents look at him and condemn him for falling. They didn't grow impatient that he didn't master it in 3 tries. Instead, they scooped him up and rejoiced at the step he took, that had been the cause of the fall . ..and many more still ahead.

This analogy has always been a powerful teacher for me. It hits home even more as Ava takes beginning steps of her own. I'm eager to help her begin again and cheer on each new attempt. I want her to be encouraged by the forward progress and not discouraged with the setbacks. I'm excited to keep moving forward with her.

Reading last night God brought me back to a favorite passage of mine in Isaiah 40 that taught me just a little bit differently in the moment.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. he gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young [wo] men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."

So in this journey of mine God has shown me I have a choice. I can choose to stop and sit while lamenting the stumble. OR? I can choose to acknowledge the stumble occurred before God (and I guess now man!), praise God how far He has brought me . . . and start walking again.

I'm starting new today with my Everlasting God who does not become weary. Even when I stumble He gives me strength and I will walk.

I've realized independence isn't really all that glamorous. It lands me on my back looking at our ceiling again.

Did I mention my ceilings really need repainting?

Hmmm . ..which makes me think maybe that's where I need to have Ryan start.

What about you?

11 months old!

Ava turned 11 months old a week ago today (yes, I'm a little slow on the upload these days!). She constantly amazes me these days on how grown up many of activities, and even play, seem to me! Her favorite routine of late is brushing her teeth - I think she feels quite cool and grown up or something. Here's a few action shots for grandma!

and so it begins

Here's the start of a fun week/fourth in Michigan! As I described in an earlier post, on the 4th my family goes to a large outdoor celebration with the Detroit Symphony, fireworks and lots of great fun. Here's some snapshots from that night (a little out of order, by the time I figured it out I didn't feel like uploading the pictures again!) : ). Ava was a trooper being up until 11:00!!

I'd love to know what she was thinking here!

For the most part, Ava enjoyed the fireworks more than I thought she would. Although it was more like an "I'm not sure if I like this or hate this mom!" I'm glad to report it was a glorious and INJURY FREE fireworks display! : )
sisters
snuggling grandma
the detoit symphony orchestra on stage
sharing some of her cracker with grandpa
Ava and her cousin Sophie

movie star sighting!

cousins!
Ava and one of her favorite people - Auburn
playing peek-a-boo with Cole
what a guy!

gone for the 4th!

We're heading up to Michigan tonight to enjoy a fun week with the family! Hope everyone has a fun (and need I mention SAFE 4th!!)! : )

fireworks are fun . . .right?!

So I mentioned I saw my life flash before my eyes this weekend? It's true. Let me share . . .

I've always considered fireworks to be a fun part of summer. I always "oohed" and "ahhed" with the best of them and would merrily go on my way home afterwards. That was not quite the case this past saturday night.

During the summer, every saturday night there is a fireworks display after the tiger's game that is set off on the field. All the lights of the stadium are turned off and it really is a fun event. Here's my poor attempt of capturing the show for you all (I know, you "real" photographers out there are probably cringing!).

(this is where YOU "ooh" and "ahh")
But look a little closer at this next picture. Towards the top right you can see the path of a firework curving around? It's an exciting new type of fireworks that does "curly q's" in the sky before extinguishing. I thought they were fun and different . . .at first.
About 5 minutes into the fireworks, one of these "curly q's' (Dont' you love my technical names!?!?!) went hay wire. It did one circle and then proceeded to shoot (fully lit and burning) sideways into the stands barely 20 feet away from where we were sitting. There was no time to react. No time to move. It hit one girl in the head before then hitting another man nearby in the side and then died (the firework that is it). I've never had such a pit in my stomach. It's one of those times that you see something but still don't believe what you saw!!

You hear fireworks are dangerous. You know it. But truly - it's kind of one of those things you hear but kind of brush off in the excitement of them. The girl was rushed off in an ambulance and we never saw what then happened with the man because they cleared out everyone in our section of seats for the remainder of the fireworks (no one was volunteering to run on the field and pull the plugs with the fireworks going off).

I haven't heard or read anything in the papers since then but I just keep praying that both people weren't injured in a life-altering (or ending!) way.

Every 4th of July my family goes to a big outdoor concert in Michigan put on by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Army Band and Choir. It's outside. It's patriotic. It's great time with family and friends. It's one of my favorite family traditions. THERE"S FIREWORKS.

Now granted, the fireworks are shot off at least a half mile away. But I have a feeling this year, I may not "ooh" and "ahh" quite so easily. I'll probably still "ohh" and "ahh" for the really exciting ones. Yet I'll also probably hold Ava a little closer. And I'll probably breathe a small sigh of relief when it's all said and done.