Oh the Bliss!

This is Ben's new resting box. He asks to get in it at least once a day and then just lays there. :) He also likes too play peek-a-boo in it too. Silly little guy. :) We had a nice visit from Nana a couple of nights ago and she read Ben's favorite book to him - Goodnight Gorilla. I highly recommend it, it's my favorite too. Today I am thankful for... ~ my mom's visit the other day. Ben was missing her! ~. the loooooooong but very fun day at Disneyland on Wednesday with some of my sweet friends and their kids. It was so much fun we didn't leave until 8:30pm, crazy! ~. Carrie's fun emails and blogs that keep me close to her even when we're both pretty busy. ~. talking with Amanda all the time, multiple times a day, it's fun. ~. Leslie's little boy Tyler who loves Ben AND me and always asks about us, makes me feel like the cool mom friend I've always hoped to become. :) ~. a really good first day at MOPS and a very diverse table which I think will

So thankful for... ~Taylore's birth 25 years ago, yesterday ~ Wonderful evening with friends, two nights in a row. ~ Lolly calling at the perfect time yesterday. ~ Trader Joe's gift card well spent from Paul and Tina ~ cooler weather. ~ the mini apples that make Ben so happy.

One wedding and a funeral... That was the theme of my life yesterday as Mark and I celebrated our 4 years of marriage. It was sobering to be at Craig's funeral last night and hear about the years of marriage/memories he shared with his wife. Sitting next to my groom, holding his hand and knowing he's right here with me made me so incredibly thankful. I'd like to say Mark is 100% God's property, not mine at all, but I can't help but cling to a little bit of him and believe he'll always be mine . But seeing the empty chair next to Sheila and knowing what the wooden box in center stage was holding made me hold Mark's hand a little tighter and just be in that moment, praying for many, many more. I am so very, very blessed to be married to Mark. I sometimes think of who or what I'm sure I deserve and it blows my mind that God thought better and gave me Mark. But isn't that just the way God is with his children? What we think we deserve and what we are giv

I served my first ever homemade pecan pie tonight, to a bunch of southerners no less. As I sat it down on the island in my neighbors kitchen I pulled a Cressie Prince and said "well, it's a little more brown than I'd like it to be, but I reckon it'll be alright." Most people laughed but I'm pretty sure I saw the 80+ year old women raise their eyebrows and nod in slight agreement. I also made my first dinner for 16, thanks to some timely advice from Nonny and Tina, because it was my night to bring dinner over and it just happened to be the day most of the family arrived. I think I pulled it off and they showed much thankfulness. Their semi-over enthusiastic response to my dinner may partly be due to the fact that I showed up arms loaded, my swelling belly obvious, barefoot with a not-so-happy toddler (also barefoot) in tow. Or it could've been their sweet southern nature to be so gracious with me. Either way I'm good, just happy to be part of the neighb

Is that how it happens? Death, that is. Just a blink of an eye and it's over? Whatever time you put in on this earth - gone, just like that? How is that one man can lay in a hospital bed for years, agonizing over that day , saying goodbye to family and friends over and over, and yet another man can spend all day working in his yard, like the ox he's always been, feel a little woozy and excuse himself to the restroom only never to come out again? How is that decision made, Lord? And why? My neighbor died yesterday. My happy, healthy, horse of a neighbor. One of the very firsts to greet me and mark and welcome us when we moved in. The very one who made my plate at the 4th of July bbq, held in his backyard that he had just finished remodeling with his two sons. Craig. The rock of his family, and friends for that matter. A dad with a dad still living, with two sons thriving and a grandson turning one next week. Gone, within minutes, in his own house. You don't expect that, you

What happens when I turn my back for one second and someone is a little too enthusiastic about bath-time. :) Today I am thankful for... 1. walk around the lake with the girls followed by the kids getting to play at the park followed by bagels. All of which Ben had a GREAT attitude for!! (Thanks for your prayers.) 2. a fun talk with Darren last night and our potential online Settlers game. 3. Leslie's chattiness, reminds me of me. :) 4. chili cheese dogs. I think the baby loves them. 5. Ben using more and more words everyday, and putting some together. Yesterday he handed me his shorts and said " hee ya go, mommy." So cute. 6. oh, this is even cuter... I'm thankful for the Veggie Tales cd in my van because Ben has started to try and sing along. And that boy sings at the top of his lungs, it's so funny! The best is when the song Alleluia comes on (you know, "shake a friends hand, shake a hand next to ya, shake a friends hand and sing...) Ben can't really

Today I am thankful for... 1. all the time Mark and Ben spent together today, I could see a good change in Ben's mood. 2. running some errands on my own. 3. Heather and Shalleen taking time out of their day to drive down and see me and Ben. 4. I didn't say this the other day, so I'm saying it now... I'm so thankful that I got to meet Owen Joel last Friday! Taylore looked wonderful; full of peace and joy holding her little boy. It was nice for me to get to hold that little one too, brings back such memories. Thompson and Ben were cute together too, so that was fun. It was really neat just to see my friend and share an hour or two with her. 5. my new idea for a photo board for Ben's room. I'm excited to start this new project! 6. Mark, for hanging some art in Ben's room. There are few things in life that Mark actually abhors and hanging things on walls is probably #1 on that list. So it meant a lot to me. 7. sitting down to three meals in a row with Mark and

Today I am thankful for... 1. time with my mom this weekend, and Jason + family on Sunday. It was really good to be with them, even in the midst of Ben's foul mood. 2. a trip to Disneyland! It's been a while so we had a good time. 3. Mark home safe and sound. I try to keep in perspective how fleeting life is, but I really love Mark and I really love life a lot more when he's with me. 4. the leaders meeting for MOPS today, first one of the season and it made me look forward to the start of the Thursday morning gatherings. 5. Amanda's sweet hug when she saw my discouragement/frustration towards Ben's attitude today. I'm praying it's a quick phase but I feel like shouting "I still have four more months till he turns two, throw me a bone here!" 6. Mark's reinforcing the discipline I've had to crack down on these past few days. (hmm, is there a theme here?) 7. Hawaii because my parents love being there and it's good to see them able to rel

Our last night we made it to Mama's and it was goooooood! As a special treat to us my parent's had phoned in and taken care of our bill! What a surprise and an act of love to us. It was great! I had to throw in just one last sunset shot. But should you fill the need to see more... just say the word! I tried straight up sushi with Mark at Mama's! Didn't love it, but I'd eat it over onions any day. We drove to the tail of the island which pretty much ends up in a huge pile of lava rocks. And when I say huge, I mean as far as the eye can see. Pretty interesting. Today I am so thankful for... 1. our safe return to our happy baby! 2. Ben having a great time and never really getting upset about us being gone. However, over the last 2 days of us being home he has told me off in his 97% Ben-language 3% actual words ranting which goes something like this, " da ha do a too a MAMA ah do to da da a GO a duh da too ha DADA ahd wa haa doo to Go!!!" 3. Taylore having

Gorgeous sunset picture #248, but it's just so pretty! Loving it - loving it!! What's a trip to Hawaii without a picture of a gecko?

Here's the first rainbow we've seen here... so pretty! We spent the morning snorkeling in our favorite spot. We both had been here before but just not together. I thought it would be funny if we were actually here at the same time and Mark said he did see a cute girl here. That Mark... :) Mark went back in while I took a little break on a quest to find a sea turtle, he was successful! I wish I would have gone with him! This is his second time seeing one, he must have a gift.

Aloha~ Day 5 here and we're still having a great time. :) I'm missing Ben a lot, but daily pictures and running commentary from Tina (counselor Gma) keep us connected. We do look forward to seeing him soon though. I have to admit to a bit of guilt as I write about our posh time here. The last travel blog my family read was from Darren's trip to Africa - a detailed summary of the slums and poverty and what he feels God is using His people to do there. Quite a shift from the day I could write about; my time at the day spa, Mark's morning with millionaires... but I take this trip with a grain of salt. Knowing that the gifts God gave us this year may not be given again next year, or ever again for that matter. Mark is a hard worker, but it is not him we thank at the end of the day. We are living it up here for sure, but this is not something we deserve, not a lifestyle we'll come to expect. This is the fire that kept Mark and I from our "big dinner date" at M