Fall Days...Let's get a little dirty!

One of my favorite ways to escape from the stress of life is to spend time outdoors. Be it a run through the battlefield near our home or just a day getting my hands dirty in the backyard, I look forward to my time outside. Usually our backyard is in full-bloom during the summer thanks to an array of potted plants dotting our incredibly shady yard. This year, however, thanks to sweet FC's arrival I had absolutely NO flowers anywhere. This weekend I decided it was time to remedy our barren yard with a little mommy-daughter flower project. FC helped me pick out flowers at our local nursery and she even got to tickle her toes in a little dirt and moss while I planted our pots. Even as a fussy newborn she loved to be outside....maybe she will enjoy the outdoors one day as much as her mommy!

Beautiful day, beautiful girl!



She really loves orange...Daddy is teaching her young! WDE.
 

I love those precious toes...
 

Playing footsie with a leaf!

Ahhhh....
 



A Lesson In Trust...

Having a child has strengthened my faith in so many ways. Experiencing the miracle of conception and birth of a child first hand has been such an amazing blessing - there is no denying Our God, The Creator! In the past five months I have also been given a precious (and on-going!) lesson in Trust. The love and worry a mom has for her child can be completely consuming...especially since caring for a child is such a guessing-game. I truly believe the saying "your guess is as good as mine" came from a conversation between first time parents. So many times all I can do is Pray...pray for peace and protection over my sweet child, pray for direction and guidance as how to care for her, pray that my husband and I will survive the latest trial in one piece....and the list goes on. One morning a few weekends ago when I went to check on FC in her room I found her face-down, swaddled, in her rock-n-play! The rock-n-play sits at a 45 degree angle with sloping sides....it is not meant for tummy time by any stretch of the imagination. My. Heart. Stopped. I flipped my baby over and waited to hear her breathe. She was fine, of course! But, I was so overcome with fear...I kept thinking about all the "what if's" the rest of the day. And then my mom reminded me..."she's in God's hands".

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe." Psalms 4:8 NIV

How often does fear guide your decision making rather than your trust in God? I'm ashamed at how often I give fear such power in my life that I miss out on the experiences of life! I am finding peace in knowing that God loves me and has a special plan for me. He is in control of my life. Let me say that again for myself....HE IS IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE. Whew....breathe in peace, exhale fear. Repeat. Why fear what God has already planned for me and my family out of His deep and incomprehensible love for us? Find encouragement in the words of our Lord...

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" John 14:27

As the children's song says, "He's still working on me....to make me what I ought to be". God isn't through with me yet...so I will try to put this lesson into play in my life; I will live out this blessed life I have been given by trusting in God's promises...and oh, how much do we love our life these days!!

 

Just a little monkeying around!