baby girl frills

I've been dreaming of putting flowers and bows and sparkly accessories on my baby girl since the first moment I found out about her!

A few weeks ago, I picked up some fold-over elastic at Jo-Ann Fabrics and tucked it into my sewing box. It really has taken this long for me to make it to the actual crafting stage. Life with a toddler, friends! It's beautiful, messy, full, crazy, hard, wonderful, and too busy most days for crafting.

But, today, I did a little bit.

Behold, the polka dot and floral cuteness:

Also, ignore the poor quality phone photo. This is life, currently - can't always pick up my nice camera!

What do you think? I can't wait to put it on my sweet baby girl!

finding me

In being a mom, it's sometimes easy to throw all of me into my child and his needs and to forget my own. Including eating, sleeping, time alone, devotions, and the creative outlets I enjoy. I'm trying to fit in one (or more) extra me-time things in each day, and it has been a bit better.

In the middle of July, I realized that I hadn't used my camera to take pictures of flowers since the birth of my son. I love taking detailed pictures of flowers and little bees and bugs - the details no one sees. I enjoy that! But I had forgotten.

So, I took the camera outside for a few moments and snapped a few pictures, not realizing that the lens had fogged up with the change from air conditioning to humidity, and these pictures were the result. I had to adjust brightness, contrast, and color to make them look less...foggy...but I think they turned out okay, especially for not having done this kind of picturing in a while.

Five Minute Friday: Red

 The color of romance, love, fire, rage, stop. Extreme emotions, loud, bright, unmistakable.

And yet, also, the color of blood, of hurt, of pain.

Red. It reminds us that we're human beings, that we feel deeply and act, sometimes without thinking. It's the chosen color for the words of Christ in the printed Bible, and the color of rich, velvet, kingly luxury. It brings to mind paintings - cubism, impressionism. Woman and little girl in a field of poppies, boats bobbing in the lake, and strange faces and sharp angles.

But mostly, I see red as life. Red itself seems alive, and full, and passionate. It seems warm and welcoming to me, with a dash of peppery spice, of vivacious surprise.

What is it about color? Memories, places, people. Some hear music and see color, some think words and associate a hue. Amazing that we can see in color, and share that added beauty together.

little things

It has really been too long since my last post. I have been busy: washing baby clothes, preparing for choir rehearsals, cleaning, napping, laundering, washing dishes, baking, napping... third trimester is a bit tiring! But, anyway, here are the little things for which I am thankful:

My morning glories don't know that it's fall. I don't mind.

1. bright orange, white, green, and yellow gourds decorating my coffee table
2. cozy sweaters that still (kinda) fit
3. lots of hugs from the hubby
4. knowing that I've made and frozen the three kinds of Christmas cookies I've been meaning to make for this coming season
5. checking Christmas gifts off the list
6. hearing at my last baby checkup that the little guy's heartbeat is "perfect"
7. enough food, water, gas, blankets, and candles to make it through the coming BIG STORM
8. my very entertaining, sweet sister and her roommate
9. friends who ask how I really am and care to pray for me
10. being able to go to our small-group Bible study two weeks in a row

...and so much more, of course. Like waking up next to my husband and being pulled in close to him, held tightly and safely for just five more minutes before we start the day. Like this time of unemployment that helps me feel less stressed about preparing for our baby's arrival. Like the opportunity we had to participate in music at church yesterday.

God is good. I hope you can rest in Him today!

little things

Oh, the little things.

Tiny purple flowers, barely-there breezes, fluttering leaves, sunshine and shade dappled grass, tangy lemonade, bare toes, the comfort of leaning on my husband's chest, a content stomach, a full heart, a peaceful mind.

Each day holds something little to be thankful for.

Today? 

1. The speckled bird just above me as I put a thank-you note in the mailbox.
2. The reason for the thank-you note: a fridge full of groceries that we couldn't afford on our own.
3. The beauty of picked-for-me roses, hand delivered by my momma, with a hug, of course.
4. A not-too-hot, not humid morning with clear blue skies, sun, and a breeze.
5. Clean sheets and a dryer that works
6. As much water as I need
7. Comfortable, stretchy workout pants. Today, I will walk.
8. Tears that simultaneously express my pain and heal my heart
9. The possibility of a collegiate teaching position - daring to hope
10. Peace in the knowledge that all my needs will be met. All of them. Praying for contentment and wisdom to be willing to let go of things I don't need, and trusting for the things that we really do need.

our living street, or, on the street where we live.

We live on a

DEAD END


road. There's a big yellow sign with bold black lettering to prove it. I find that somewhat insulting.

We live.

There must be better terminology for streets without a connection on both ends.

• no outlet
• no exit
• quiet street
• no through traffic
• one way in, same way out

I guess this is not really a big deal. But to prove that things LIVE on our dead end street, here's a little walk up and down our road!

This is my tiny little shade garden, full of little annuals that I picked up at Lowe's for just $5.

...pink begonias,

...impatiens in pink, white, and bright pink, and some coleus for color.

Right in front of our porch, we added some pachysandra.

Here's a better view of the little pachysandra garden in front of our porch.

Across the street is our little parking lot. There's a large vine growing with these beautiful white flowers. I don't know what they are, but they're pretty, and fragrant!

As we walk down the little street, there are little surprises, like this forget-me-not, tucked under a bush.

The house nearest the end of the street has a few pretty rose bushes that peek out through their fence.

See the little bee?

Spray roses spilling out onto the sidewalk. If they're on the sidewalk, I can pick them, right? Right? Oh.

Today, there was also this moth...butterfly? as I walked along.

Such bright pink roses!

Doesn't that just shout "summer"? Love the coral pink/bright blue contrast.

Butterfly rests for a bit...

Weeds Wildflowers growing in the sidewalk cracks

Behind an abandoned brick store, there are these pink beauties. Is this bee balm?

Looks like a cluster of pink, glittery stars to me!

Growing in the gravel...

And, to remind us that this is, indeed, the city: broken bits of green glass, glittering in the sunshine.

Still somehow pretty.

Back at our apartment! 

Thanks for joining me on a walk around our very living street!

celebrating beauty

As we were on our way to church on this beauteous Sunday morning, my husband noticed a bright flower on the side of the road and tried to point it out to me as we drove by. Unfortunately, I missed it in my headache-induced mental fog and worries about being on time. He described it as a coral-colored flower, and I couldn't think of what it might be. Coral flowers? Nope, couldn't think of one.

On the way home, though, he spotted it again! This time, we pulled over, and he told me to hop out and pick a few! Oh, yes! Poppies. So sweet. I love the way he knows what I like - the little things that delight me. Back when we were dating, it would be rare if he would even notice a flower, let alone point it out to me. I'm so grateful for the husband God gave me! He's pretty great.

 

Here are the glorious poppies he found for me! Look at the neat shadows they make.

I love the way their "furry" stems droop under the weight of their tissue-paper thin petals.

Doesn't it look like it should be a day at the beach? Something about those colors....

I love the way their seeds aren't really black, but a deep gray-purple. And so soft!

And this picture makes me almost like the white painted plywood replacement top for the white metal patio table that our apartment was "furnished" with. It's kinda shabby-chic with flowers on top.

The petals feel like a really rich silk. 

Can you imagine a swirly summer skirt made of perfectly wrinkled coral silk?

These photos are just begging me to pull out my watercolors and try to capture the beauty... I'll have to plan to paint soon after our move.

Isn't God's creation amazing?