tea parties and panda bears

it was such a blessing reading everyone's sweet encouraging comments about the last post. a lot of times i don't feel like anyone actually reads this, and that's ok if they don't. but it truly means so much to me to know that some actually do. i value people and relationships, and mostly conversation. so this blog is such a fun way to have all of those things in one!

today was a fun day! i got to snap some photos of emma having a tea party with wyatt and nanny. it was the sweetest thing. then we took a little break from the fancy festivities to let baby man swing. he is so joyful, that boy. and they are both so stinkin funny together.

after naps, we played zookeeper. emma is obsessed with everything panda lately, and one of the tea sets she plays with is noah's ark which has 2 pandas in the window. so after she put on her costume, she kept babbling in her tiny precious voice about pandas. mommy to the rescue with the panda cam at zoo atlanta! her. day. was. made. seriously, the happiest two year old i ever did see.

growing pains

most of what i aim to blog about is mama material, marriage stuff, homemaking, life with littles, etc.. but today all i can think about is how God is growing me.

Jesus Christ has radically saved me. and changed me. and i am undoubtedly madly in love with Him. all i know about myself is that i try wholeheartedly to live my life making biblically sound choices that ultimately glorify Him. all that being said, it is crazy how your old self still creeps in.

even in high school i knew that i knew jesus, but honestly, i think i used our relationship as a wall to keep other people out. and i know i used it a chip on my shoulder. i'm really not proud of that. we all have things that we do, say, think that we wish we could take back. all too often i find myself upset about something someone did, or said, that made me feel hurt or left out or whatever. HOW SELFISH. i get sick of myself, ya know? but i feel God telling me, and more importantly showing me, that in those moments and realizations, that is where He wants to grow me. i'm not who i was 4 years ago. and in four more years, i hope i'm not who i am today. i want to continually grow in Christ. i want to be always be shaping myself into the woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend that HE wants me to be. i want to be open enough to see my own flaws, because in that transparency, i grow to be more sensitive to people. in that i grow to love people more because i see them like myself, and i know they are all loved like Christ loves me. and He is pursuing them like He is me, whether they see it or not.

i guess my whole point to this post is that all too often i let my past sin or even daily sin dictate my growth in Christ and i realize i'm doing exactly that he has called me NOT to do. i'm robbing myself of His grace. and i think grace gets enough abuse as it is. doing whatever you want because you think you're "covered by grace" is not salvation. and for me that means not always saying exactly how i feel or what i think just because i'm saved and think i have that right. my relationship with Jesus is the most beautiful privilege and i always want to make Him happy with my actions. and i want Him to know how much i appreciate grace and forgiveness.

my husband is my absolute favorite person on earth to talk to about anything. he always knows exactly what to say to whip my perspective into shape (well, most of the time. if i'm not being stubborn). we have completely honest conversations about everything and i always come out better after than i thought i was going into it. and blake in my life is how i know God gives us people to help us grow into who we are supposed to be in Christ. he sure does give me a reality check a lot, and i'm so thankful. he is the most "glass half full" person i've ever known. that is so refreshing. bless that man, i love him so.

it's not about me. it's not about me. it's not about me.
counting the happies, forever and always.

ps- i took a camera class on saturday with one of my fave photogs, so i'm trying to shoot in manual as much as possible. forgive me. my sister was in town with our nephew for my mom's birthday! love them.

update.

well... our house is OFFICIALLY under contract. we are moving out! in all honesty, i'm going to miss having our own space a lot. just somewhere to call our own, somewhere to completely be ourselves. but this is just a season, so i will make the most of any situation! God calls us to find happiness in every season under the sun. so we will. the silver lining to this is- we are one small step closer to being out of debt! stupid student loans.... anyways, life is good over here! we've been staying with my in-laws because, have YOU ever tried to keep a house spotless, toys up, dog away when your realtor calls and wants to show said house twice every other day? it's exhausting. so we've set up camp at the big ladd house. thank you Lord for blessing me with such wonderful in-laws. most people would be crazy by now. but not us! they put up with the crying, tantrums, princess dresses, toys and spit-up galore and seem happy about it! so once again, i'm thankful for this season.

this stage that emma is in right now, might seriously be my favorite. everything is so magical to her and she is so fun! not to mention, her manners! (proud mama right here) she says please and thank you for EVERYTHING! i sewed her a skirt yesterday, it's something I've been dying to try forever so i finally bit the bullet. while wyatt was napping i let her help me lay out the fabric. as i was cutting it she kept getting so exciting yelling "YAY mommy!" then i started sewing it and she kept coming over just to rub my back and say "wow, mommy! thank you! thank you very much for me skirt!" i died. right there. ugh, her cuteness.

and for my baby man! he is sitting up! he's almost ready to crawl and part of me wants him not to.. this 6-9 months baby stage is my favorite! he is SO funny. seriously the funniest baby. the way he gets so pumped up and flexes and grunts and kisses. it's the most precious thing. he hates veggies and LOVES fruits. he wants to eat whatever we're eating and does not understand why he can't have it. my sensitive little baby man.

so now for pictures!