Ordinary Wonderful

I love my sweet Karis Joy.  She has a smile that can melt any heart.  She is curious, inquisitive, friendly, and determined.  She's just sooooo cute!  Today is her first birthday, and I am waxing sentimental.  I am so very aware of how precious every moment is.  I keep thinking about an old Gloria Gaither song..."We have these moments to hold in our hands and to watch, as they slip through our fingers like sand.  Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come, but we have these moments today."  I have so enjoyed watching her little life unfold.  I've loved how she has developed physically.  There's nothing more thrilling to me, than to watch a little one figure out rolling over, sitting up, crawling, crusing, and walking.  It's amazing!  I've loved the continued revelation of her personality.  From day one, she has been a person who 'knows what she wants' and is determined to let you know just what that is!  She is a happy little girlie, unless she is mad.  I pray very often that God will use her passion and fire for His Glory.  I laugh when I say that, but it's really true.  I've loved how she studies everybody and everything.  I've loved how she works to open something that's closed.  How she has developed preferences in blankets, toys, and activities.  I've loved having that 'front row seat' to her cognitive development.  It's still incredible to me how she now responds to our requests.  She'll give kisses, give hugs, and rub noses.  She tells us "Uh- uh" when she doesn't want something.  She squeals when she does.  Each of these developments are so tiny.  Like the pictures I took of her each month, the changes are hard to see when looked at individually.  But when you compare birth day to first birthday~all of those tiny changes together have produced an amazing transformation!


Just born

Mother's Day

Recently, so that we could be with family, and so that I could get a little help during the day, the girls and I spent a week at my parents' house.  Each day, my husband would call to check in with us.  One day when he asked what we'd been doing, I said, "Oh, just ordinary wonderful stuff." It was true.  We weren't doing anything, but we were together.  Karis was making new discoveries, Gracie was creating wonderful make believe scenarios for us.  There were hugs, kisses, giggles, lots of  'Hey Dadda, da, dadda'.  Ever since I made that statement, though, I've looked at my days, my life a little differently. 

I do the ordinary task of laundry:  I sort, go through pockets, treat stains with Advanced Shout (a product I love, btw), load the washer, etc.  It's ordinary but wonderful because the clothes are tiny, the stains consist of markers, watercolors, and various food items.  It's wonderful because most of the clothes I launder are PINK, and they belong to Karis and Gracie.

I sweep the floor- an ordinary task, but it's wonderful because what I sweep usually consists of at least one goldfish cracker!  Tonight, the pile sparkled due to the 'Happy Birthday' confetti that had landed on the floor.  It made me smile.
I put things away...ordinary.  But now wonderful, because I get to put the same item in its place multiple times as it is pulled out almost as quickly as I place it, by tiny little hands.
I watch TV.  An ordinary thing that's done everyday, but wonderful to me because I watch 'Gracie and Karis Shows'.  I know all about Dora, Diego, Little Bear and Olivia~ to name a few.
I brush hair, ordinary stuff, but wonderful because it's this cute little tuft of hair. 

For many years, I dreamed of having children.  I prayed and believed God for children.  I knew God would answer my prayers.  I just didn't know how or when.  And now that those prayers are answered...walking and crawling right in front of me, I just can't help but stand in awe, and try to be intentional about my gratitude to the Living God for making it happen. 

I pray every day that my girls will come to know Him, and that they will be convinced of his love for them at an early age.  I especially pray for Karis, that she will never doubt His love, nor our love for her.    

Happy first birthday baby girl.  We are so glad you are ours!