TWO.

Last week, we celebrated emma's SECOND birthday. can you believe that? i certainly can't. we had a few of her little friends over and had pizza and cake. then we followed that with going to see the movie planes (which was a total disaster). It's taken me several times to sit down and make this post, but i think i've finally gotten it together enough.

Emma,

Two years ago on august 19th i went in for my weekly visit to my doctor. I was 3 days away from being 40 weeks. normally your daddy went with me but for whatever reason, he couldn't make it. so your nana went with me. i was told that i was being sent to triage immediately to be monitored for high blood pressure. i was pretty nervous. around maybe 7 that night they told me they were keeping me over night and i would be induced the next day. in total honesty, i was a complete wreck. i had this plan of how i wanted to get you here. this plan was my security. and i am NOT a planner, which you already know. so...my plan fell apart. i was so worked up they wanted to help me sleep, so they gave me medicine (your yaya and daddy can tell you those stories). the next morning, august 20th, they started induction. i remember pain, i remember fear, but NONE of that, and i really do mean none of it, compares to what i remember about you. you came in a flash. no time at all. the second you took your first breath of fresh air your daddy and i lost it. i have never cried so hard in my life. your sweet cry, your big ol baby self, laid on my chest. my heart grew ten times the size. i've never experienced such immediate love before. you had your daddy wrapped around your chubby little finger all too quickly, and still, not much has changed.
since that first day of your life, you have had everyone you've came in contact with so in love with your joyful spirit. you are silly, and sweet, and all things beautiful. you brighten my day with your sleepy grin every morning. the greatest blessing of my life has been being your mommy. i love you and your exciting love for life unconditionally. and i hope to raise you to know how beautiful and special you truly are. not just to us, but to Christ. you are His. one day you will learn this. i am so thankful to have each day with you, to teach you, and mostly to learn from you. you keep life full of fun and adventure. never stop dancing, singing, or dreaming. i promise to ALWAYS be in your corner. no matter what. i have enjoyed and savored every moment with you. from your first breath to your first step to your first swim lesson i have prayed over you. you have made me a better woman, and i will always be so grateful for you. happy second birthday, emmalynne joy. i love you little bear.

mama moments

ok. time is slipping away from me lately. i blink and another month has gone by! it is AUGUST! and almost halfway through august, at that! stupid crazy. i'm squeezing in this post while both kids are STILL napping. just wanted to post to say we're good and growing up like crazy over here! wyatt boone is rolling all over now like a mad man. emma is paci-less AND going potty. her vocabulary is expanding hourly! i'm such a proud mama, y'all. but yet, a sad mama. they're both getting so big so fast i feel like i frantically batting at these fleeting moments just to get any kind of grasp to keep it still. to freeze time. to keep them exactly how they are at this so precious stage in both their lives.

and as for my husband. God has been doing major things in our marriage. he has us on the exact same page with him right now. he is showing us the fruit of running the race together, and man is it good. that man of mine has the most beautiful heart, he keeps me laughing, which in turn keeps us both sane. it's a good feeling...being so in love. that makes a lot of people nauseous i know. but i'm not sorry ;)

been struggling to find the time to keep reading "glimpses of grace" and i'm truly missing it. STILL working on that post too but i'll give y'all some nuggets from what i've highlighted so far:

"your private prayer life is one of the key indicators that your Christianity is inner and true and not just the product of your environment"- Tim Keller
 -- i find myself praying over everything lately. seriously, i wonder if God is like "ok han, i get it. give me a moment to process your others first" haha. but really, i think that's what he desires from us as well. that's what makes it a relationship instead of rules or earnings. it's your lifeline to God through your faith in Christ. so cool.

"God's power in the gospel can transform us for his glory as we live by faith-right where we are in the mundane of our homes...he has made us in his likeness of true righteousness and holiness (ephesians 4:24). the grace of God radically changes us. but how does He change the way we wash the same dishes every day?"
 -- so. dang. good. y'all.

"through his work of grace, God changes the dynamics of our hearts so that we long to be with him. God also provides the power we need to be like him"

here are some scriptures to go along with those excerpts

philippians 3:9
ephesians 2:8
colossians 3:23-24

mondays really aren't so bad, huh?

love.