siblings – Page 4 – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Love is in the Air

It’s looking pretty pink around here!

The kids helped me decorate for Valentine’s day this week and I must say that it’s just so cheery and sweet around here.

I LOVE love…probably because I have the best husband on the face of the planet…and I LOVE Valentine’s day. I’m not one of these cynical people that think it’s a Hallmark holiday and that you should love your spouse everday. To that I say, well DUH. But what’s the harm in specifically showing them that on a certain day? There’s none. Love away, friends…love away.

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Sawyer took little Valentine’s to her Cubbies class on Wednesday. She’s not big into sweets but she loves marshmallows! She found some heart shaped marshmallows that she just had to have so we made little s’mores packets.

I need s'more friends like you! — I need s’more friends like you!

She ate her marshmallows on the way home and gave the cookies and chocolate to dad.

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We tried out some heart hair yesterday and it’s sooooooo cute!

This was post-nap so you can see it held up quite well!

We took a section of hair and secured it in a ponytail. Then we sent the whole ponytail back UP through the section of hair. Divide the ponytail in half and twist the left section counter clockwise and the right section clockwise and you see a heart start to form. Secure the bottom of the heart with a rubber band and voila! Cute, easy Valentine hair!

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We snapped some pics of the kids last Sunday in front of some pink and red Valentine bunting I made. I made these two little cards to send out to the grandparents and aunts and uncles. The kiss is my FAVE.

They. Are. So. CUTE. (If I do say so myself…)

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I’ve had the privilege of having this guy as my valentine for 13 years! How blessed am I??

He is, hands down, the best thing that has ever happened to me (next to Jesus), though he’s a gift straight from Him, I know.

He loves me so unconditionally, so wholly…He is definitely the better half of this relationship, no doubt. He points us straight to Jesus and exudes the fruit of the Spirit more than any person I’ve ever met.

Happy Valentine’s Day, honey! YOU are why I love this day! I pray I can love you just as well as you love me; I’ll die trying, that’s for sure. I don’t even want to think about doing this life without you. Smooch. Smooch. Smooch.

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Happy heart day!

Random Rambles

Oh, goodness. We had SUCH a good weekend. (I feel like I’ve been saying things like that a lot lately…but it’s true. We are so blessed to have a happy, healthy family and some gorgeous weather to boot…)

I showed you the DIY project I did on Saturday but that’s not all we got done! Wrexy worked in the barn and got two rooms ready to raise baby chicks. We have quite a few hens that like to sit on eggs so he added some lights and wire and nest boxes to get those girls a going! The man loves all kinds of livestock but I really think he might be happiest in the chicken house…

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Speaking of the chickens, we hatched out some black Old English bantams and ended up with about six roosters. I don’t know what you know about Old English, but they’re feisty, cocky little things. The little guys we have love to crow and walk around with their chests puffed out…and they like to attack people. *Ahem*

Cocky little things... — Cocky little things…

They’re tiny and can’t really do much damage, but they’re definitely annoying……..and they scare Wryder to death! He has been victim to their taunting more times than I can count. We’ve given him permission to defend himself but he just freezes and cries until one of us comes to the rescue.

This weekend was no exception. They had him cornered outside the barn door and he was crying and get stared down. Sawyer came to the rescue with her baby stroller and cleaned house. 🙂

Later, Wrex and I were talking about what we needed to do with them and Sawyer said, “We need to give those naughty roosters away! I think we need to send them to Iraq so they can get dead.”

It seems as though every naughty/evil/mean thing hails from Iraq in her mind after we talked to her several months ago about praying for our people there. It’s not a funny situation but to hear her solution definitely was. We had a good laugh about that one!

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Saturday afternoon, the wind died down and we took the opportunity to burn tumbleweeds. Those things are rampant around here and we hauled and burned for well over an hour.

After we were done, we took advantage of our few little burning embers and roasted marshmallows – good use of fire, yes? This was Wryder’s first time having a warm, gooey mallow and they were a hit!

He stole two cold ones out of the tin while I was getting things ready, ate two warm ones and then stole one from a chicken that Sawyer had been trying to feed. *Ahem*

He also had his first corn on the cob that he got to hold himself. He was equally impressed!

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We made a quick trip to Denver on Sunday for a birthday party for a really special friend of Sawyer’s. We ate lunch with Uncle Warner beforehand – always a good time.

Uncle Warner and a happy niece and nephew!

The birthday party was a Frozen theme and Sawyer had a ball, of course! She came home with a bag full of goodies, one of which was a little bag of marshmallows, pretzels and raisins with a tag that said, “Do you want to build a snowman?”

She ate it on the way home last night and said, “Hmmmm. That tasted kind of funny. I’ve never had an Olaf before.”

She was serious as a heart attack and we about drove off the road laughing so hard!

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We had a good, productive trip! We found a brand new bassinet on Craigslist for $25, got Wrexy measured for a tux for a wedding he’s in this summer, loaded up on a few diapers, wipes and a few thrift store goodies, ate some Red Mango for an afternoon snack and took a trip around the Orchard in the little train.

Wryder loved the train, especially every time the whistle blew. He’d look at me with this little surprised face – so cute!

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A sweet little dog named Booey got to spend the night with Sawyer Friday night – one of her favorite things.

She even got her own animal to sleep with. 🙂

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We did a few more little things in Sayble’s room that I’ll have to show you some pictures of…we snapped a few pics of the kids for a little Valentine’s card for the grandparents…washed a pound and a half of dirt off of each kid…and just enjoyed our time together. This week is shaping up to be just as pretty…can’t wait to enjoy it, too!

Bubba’s Big Boy Room

Of course we couldn’t forget Wryder’s room! He’s officially moving upstairs AND into a toddler bed – Lord help us! Sawyer was in one at 18 months…but he sleeps a little wilder than she does. We haven’t made the switch just yet but we have a few months.

I mentioned in a previous post that I had bought him some John Deere curtains and I must say, I think they look adorable. Plus, hearing him yell, “Tractor!” every time he runs into his new room (and then hug them) makes them well worth it.

We kept the big bed in the room so that we can still use this as guest room as needed. He’s small and flexible enough that he can sleep anywhere else in the house when company comes.

I didn’t know what I was going to think of this room with all we had to make fit but I think it turned out pretty cute. The fact that he loves it and that sister is SOOOOOO excited to have him as her “neighbor” is enough for me! I just don’t know how my little boy got so big…….

Pink is Making a Comeback

So today we worked in the toy room, which is now going to be Sayble’s room when she comes along (hopefully not anytime soon). We left the toy box and the bookshelves but added a few touches to make it a little more girly. I still have a little more work to do on the curtains (if my nesting energy prevails) but until then, here’s the {somewhat} finished product.

This changing pad cover was my inspiration for the room.

Wrex said it was a little gypsy…that made me like it even more!

Looking in from the door... — Looking in from the door…

These hold all the good stuff... — These hold all the good stuff…

I’m so excited about all of this pink that is returning to our home! Wryder hasn’t seemed to mind too much either…

I’m Trying

A friend of mine from high school just lost her sweet four year old baby girl. She had a bacterial infection that turned septic and is now in the arms of Jesus.

I found out last Friday night and was so shocked and dumb founded. I was breezing through Facebook and I saw her post and thought it was going to say her daughter was having a birthday or was getting a new sibling or something…anything but that.

Having a sweet little four year old myself, it hit me pretty hard…as most things dealing with death or mommies and babies often do. I sat weeping in my chair for a good ten minutes, crying out to the Lord on their behalf. How incredibly, ridiculously unfair…

One of my biggest fears is to lose my babies…especially too soon. How soon is too soon? Would there EVER be a good enough amount of time that it would be ok for them to go? No. Not yet, Lord. Not yet.

I often feel like I’ve led a decently charmed life. I grew up in a home with two parents, even if their love and marriage wasn’t perfect. We never wanted for much and my parents did everything in their power to make sure that we were more than provided for. They were never sick or seriously injured, nor was my brother or I; we didn’t face any catastrophic childhood diseases or lose a parent before we were married. I wasn’t bullied, nor did I struggle in school with making friends or with academics or with extracurricular success. I married a man that is so much more than I ever dreamed or imagined. We’re out of debt, have 2.6 beautiful, healthy, happy children. We don’t want for much and are blessed more than we even deserve. We haven’t experienced a devastating loss or blow or catastrophe…

When you hear stories about kiddos dying or you turn on the news or venture out past your own front porch…you start to wonder…when is it gonna be my time? When will I be the one holding the cards of doom? When will it be my family that’s going through the agonizing pain of loss? Because, isn’t it due me???

Do you ever feel that way? The defense system in me rises up to be prepared and to take all the steps necessary so THAT doesn’t happen…but that’s not even remotely possible. How do we shield ourselves and our family from every kind of evil or every bacteria or virus or every freak accident or every decision of everyone around us? We can’t. We’d be exhausted. We’d be spent. We’d be dry and weary and empty. Don’t ask me how I know…

These precious people I get to call my family are just far better than I ever imagined they’d be. In my wildest of dreams, I couldn’t have designed a better group of people to share my days with; they are just something else…and the thought of losing any or all of them makes me physically ill.

I am continually dragging myself back to the foot of the cross, laying my family down again and again and again. I KNOW He loves them more than I do (so hard to really grasp that, isn’t it??) and I have to trust that He will protect them better than I ever could…or believe that I could. It’s a process. And it’s going to continue to be a process for me.

Part of the “laying down” is going to have to involve more than just my family, more than just “my arrows.” It’s a laying down of what I think my life should look like. If I truly believe He is sovereign and good and that His ways are best, I have to choose to believe that whatever story gets written for me is good and best. I’m not quite there yet, I’ll be honest. How in the world can losing your little girl be His best for someone?? For anyone??

I don’t want to find out. And that’s the crazy part, isn’t it?? That His best might involve loss, yet we hold on so tightly because we don’t want to have to walk through the bouts of sometimes agonizing pain that are sure to come just to see the other side. Is it worth it? I don’t even think I want to know…

And not that His best always includes THAT kind of loss…but there’s always a loss of something; something we have to lay down for our own good…for His best. That’s part of following Christ, isn’t it? We can’t keep holding onto the same old sinful things and expect life to be different. To live your life you’ve got to lose it…

I ran across this post from a friend of a friend who has struggled through more than her fair share of loss in the past two years. Her strength and resiliency and faith have moved me and astounded me more than I can put into words. She wrote this on January 1st of this year; the timing of her writing and my reading was not lost on me. Maybe it’s time for something new…

It was appropriately titled – Lay It Down. (Full credit to Lindsey Dennis of vaporandmist.wordpress.com…my hyperlink button isn’t working)

My rights to how my family may form
My rights to watch a little baby grow up
My rights to what my life “should” look like

Lay it down
he says
Lay it down…
lose your life and you will find it. – Matthew 10:39

It is often not until the expectations of your life come to a crashing halt
disappointment ensues
that you realize you had any expectations at all,
that you were holding on to your life.

It is the privilege, the blessing of the sufferers,
the disappointed
the broken hearted
to learn to lay it down-
to wrestle in the laying down-
to know HIM in the laying down.

And the laying down gives us room –
Room to dream.
Room to breath.
Room to hope,
to hope in the one who is the author of hope
to hope that all will not be as expected,
it will be far greater
it will be true living
when we lay it down.

To know that he knows the way we take. -Job 23:10
He directs our steps. -Proverbs 16:9
And He knows, He Knows, He KNOWS…
The why of the blessing that has come in a form you never thought would be the way he would ask you to take…
The blessed to be a blessing.

We were blessed with two daughters in the past two years, but for a moment.
To be a blessing both now and to come.

And I’m laying down the “to come”
Because just as this year I anticipated a different path to joy our lives would take,
a baby in our arms, in our home…
I could never have written what unfolded.
It was and is broken and beautiful.
And still the grace that has been given in the broken pieces is finding a way to feed our souls,
To direct our steps
To be multiplied into the lives of others.

I want to plan this next year,
anticipate,
hope
for the blessings I think best.

Lay it down
he says
and
I will give you ALL.

The blessing has been Him. ALL him. Always him.
We just sometimes can’t see it or want it to be different or think that the fullness of joy can’t really come from simply just His presence.

“No good thing does he withhold from him whose walk is blameless”
-Psalm 84:11

The goodness is Jesus, redemption, rescue, grace.
Jesus in the pain. Jesus in the joy.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

“I count all as loss compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
-Philippians 3:8

That’s how good it is to know him.
I see it more in the loss,
in the laying down.

“And suffering produces endurance
and endurance produces character
and character produces hope.
And hope does not disappoint.“
-Romans 8:3-5

The kind of hope that comes from the love of God
poured down
poured in
poured through
poured out.

Lay it down.

It’s the only way to love, to hope, to joy…
the kind we really want,
the kind we really need.
the kind that will pour out blessing upon blessing,
not the material kind-
the eternal kind.
The blessings that matter.

Lay down your rights,
your dreams,
your hopes,
your expectations

To the one who Loves. Who is LOVE. Who pours Love out and in and through and around…
and covers us with his love in more ways then we could imagine. -Ephesians 3:20

And let him rebuild
renew
restore
with dreams far greater
hopes unexpected
JOY found in the most unlikely of places.

It comes in the suffering
the trials
the broken pieces
the mundane places

This is where we either lay it down, or clench our fists.
This is where we learn to hope or walk the bitter path.

It is a constant, daily, moment by moment surrender.

It is a life of laying down our lives… to the one who laid down his life for us.

It is a life where beauty is found in the surrender.

Oh Lord, let this be a year of laying it down.
Of counting all as loss compared to knowing you.
That I would know more deeply what the Psalmist says:
“In your presence there is fullness of Joy.” -Psalm 16:11

It is you Jesus. Always you.
And tomorrow when I forget,
and I clench my fists and hold on to my dreams,
remind me to lay it down.
That YOU are where life is found.

I’m trying, Lord….

Random Ramblings

My word, the weather was B-E-A-UTIFUL today! 71 degrees in January, are you kidding me??! It was gorgeous!

We went to work with Wrexy today. Wryder went grocery shopping with me, Sawyer stayed at the barn with daddy and then we all met up again.

Learning from the best... — Learning from the best…

We watched cows sell for a little while and then the kids and I took advantage of the weather and hit the park. The kiddos had a ball and were covered in sand from head to toe.

Riding a squirrel? Chipmunk? What IS that thing??

Wryder loved this yellow horse... — Wryder loved this yellow horse…

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We got home, unloaded groceries and decided we STILL couldn’t drag ourselves indoors so we saddled up sweet Ozark and hit the road.

Old man looks really good these days. We are so thankful for all of the days we’ve had with him and we’re praying for more…

After supper, they weren’t quite done riding horses so Sawyer volunteered.

Ride a little pony... — Ride a little pony…

It turned out to be more of a bucking bronc fest but it was good watching!

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I posted this picture of Sawyer on Facebook a day or so ago…

I love this girl’s style! She loves accessories and shoes and fancy dresses; she is all girl and I love it!

She went upstairs to grab some jammies tonight and brought down some beads for me to put on her, too.

Jewelry with pajamas?! Of course!

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With all of the nesting/cleaning/rearranging going on, Wrex and I decided that our room would officially be downstairs and the kids would each have a room upstairs. I always feel like our room gets neglected – does that happen to anyone else?? It’s the place we sleep and get dressed and other than that, we don’t spend much time there and I feel like it shows.

We used a little paint, bought a new bedspread, made some paper flowers, rearranged the room and voila – “new” bedroom! I’m really happy with how it turned out…Hoping to get lots of rest in there tonight. I feel whooped!

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It was just SUCH a good day. A REAL good day. And tomorrow…with 75 degrees as a high…I hope is even better.

Denver Days

Wrexy’s boss and good friend came up from Texas for the National Western Stock Show in Denver and he kindly brought us some meat from the plant, so we headed west to snag that and let the kids see some stock.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous! I’m positive I’ve never experienced anything near 60 degrees any other year we’ve been there, but we did this time. It was nice to see lots of old friends…and see how many people actually paid $50 to park right next to the yards. Freaks. Me. Out.

Checkin' out the petting zoo — Checkin’ out the petting zoo

Who doesn't love a pot bellied pig? — Who doesn’t love a pot bellied pig?

Sawyer thought this little donkey was pretty cute... — Sawyer thought this little donkey was pretty cute…

Sawyer LOVED the milk cow. She now thinks we need one... — Sawyer LOVED the milk cow. She now thinks we need one…

We figured out Wryder needs to attend a farm show, rather than stock show. He was all about the tractors, surprise, surprise.

My Cute Cupcakes

The Chair

I posted this picture last night because, well, it was funny but also because he just looked so darn cute sitting there with his feet up and his BUCKET of ice cream.

I had gotten up to get some water and I came back and took in the full view and I just couldn’t help myself…

Wrexy bought this chair for me (us) after Christmas. We got it on sale at Menards and it is really comfy. The later weeks and months of pregnancy can be a little uncomfortable and he thought it would be nice for me to a have nice place to sit when I get the chance. Trust me, I know; I’ve got a good one.

The first week or so, we were both so careful not to sit in it all the time; we always wanted the other one to have the option to have it first. Now, it’s a mad dash into the living room after the kids go to bed and chores are done – ha! I told him we should’ve bought two…

The kids have loved it and I have too. The chair has already brought lots of snuggle time and lots of rocking…lots of praying together and over each other…a place to read lots of books and watch a lot of football. It’s been a little refuge when someone got hurt or just needed a little bit of a time out with mom or dad. The chair has been where the kids have felt Sayble kick for the first time and where I’ve taken refuge after a day of taking care of my family. It’s been a place where Sawyer has cuddled with Wryder while she helped him learn the words in his picture books and where he has rocked it as far back as he could without knocking it over. Ahem.

It took us weeks to agree to make the purchase but we’re really quite glad that we did. It’s become more than a place to sit; it’s a little haven of memories and closeness and time together…and you know I love that.

Random Rambles

This weekend was filled with a lot of sorry football. Sigh. I get so excited for the playoffs – especially when we’re a part of them – and I attempt to really relish the last couple of games before we say goodbye for 6 months…

I was just sorely disappointed this weekend. Four times over. The Patriots won (not a fan), the Seahawks won (not a fan). The Cowboys lost and our Broncos forgot to show up for the game. Sad, sad days.

My little football fan made the weekend better just by being her. I love her enthusiasm; it’s contagious!

The best part of the game, hands down... — The best part of the game, hands down…

Sayble rooting on the Bronco's, compliments of the husband's stellar photography. :) — Sayble rooting on the Bronco’s, compliments of the husband’s stellar photography. 🙂

Alas, there will be more football games to watch and I haven’t really thought about it again until I started this blog post. Must mean there are more important things in life…can you believe it? 😉

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I’m loving the Bible study I told you about earlier last week. I love dissecting a simple Scripture and allowing the Lord to have His way through His word.

Yesterday’s verse just got me! I know I’ve read it several times before and I know it’s one of a series of verses on our refrigerator, but yesterday it hit me like a ton of bricks. (Abridged version below). Ahem.

Proverbs 3:7-8 says:

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.

Healing for your body…….. I want that! We all have our own health/body issues and the Lord is telling us how to heal them…fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Health issues really scare me. (There, I said it). I have a heart arrhythmia that’s deemed non-dangerous but when it acts up (especially for hours or days on end) it can send me into a tailspin.

A lot of it the responsibility I feel in being a mother. I’m home all day with my kids. I have the responsibility to BE ALIVE to care for them. So when my heart acts up or my blood sugar gets low and wonky or I feel weird or off or just not 100%, fear creeps in so fast, unfortunately.

In all of my fear, I get so often wrapped up in keeping myself alive.

If I just don’t move…

If I just lie down…

If I concentrate really hard…

If I prep Sawyer on how to get help if I need it…

If I make sure and be near a hospital…

If I make sure and have Wrex come right home from work…

If I have a backup plan…

If I, If I, If I…

It’s all on ME! THAT is relying on my own wisdom, as if I could truly keep myself alive if I wanted to.

And He gives His people wisdom, no doubt! I know there are common sense things I should/shouldn’t do to prevent death or an accident, but I know I so often tend to hold whatever I’m fearful of REALLY close to home and attempt to control it as best I can. Sometimes, it works. Scared of driving on bad roads? Don’t go out. But I have to learn that if it’s the Lord’s will to spare us or take us, He will spare us or take us regardless. I have to learn that He really is trustworthy…He hasn’t failed me yet.

Instead, fear the Lord…revere Him, honor Him, respect Him, stand in awe of Him…then you will have healing for your body.

Man, I need that. I NEED that.

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The kids have loved the kitchen set we got them for Christmas.

We’ve gathered a lot of “food” over the past few years it seems. One of their favorite things to do as of late is have feasts!

That's a lot of food! — That’s a lot of food!

Sawyer pulled out all the stops and hosted a feast for her and brother and some of her favorite friends. It takes a little time to put together and clean up but it’s sure fun to gnaw on wooden cucumbers with furry guests…

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We pulled out the construction paper this morning and made these with the kiddos.

For some reason, Wryder did NOT like having his hands traced (though it’s one of Sawyer’s favorite things in the world….go figure) and cried through the majority of the lesson. Here’s to hoping SOMETHING soaked in…

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Hubby is on his way home, the kids are napping and I’m enjoying a few moments of quiet with some coconut coffee while listening to the dryer whir as I watch little tiny snowflakes fall.
Here’s to an equally peaceful afternoon for you…