The Simple Things: Redefining the Good Life

Hey y'all. Hope you had a great weekend! Ours was busier than normal, but full of good times. Friday morning I walked into the dining room to find my Valentine's Day gift from Dennis sitting in front of my computer - the Nashville Season Two CD, and a family-sized pack of Chips Ahoy cookies. He speaks my language. I popped the CD in on the way to pick up Micah from preschool and promptly proceeded to listen to "A Life That's Good" by Lennon & Maisy about 300 times. Not only are the girls ridiculously cute, but they're also crazy talented, and the song is so, so good. It's the sole reason I wanted the CD in the first place. Here: see for yourself.

This song. It preaches to me. At the end of the day, all that really matters is that I have a life that's good and pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. Nothing else really matters.

This crazy culture that we live in wants us to believe that material things are the most important things in life. That we work hard so we can buy the next best thing. That what we have isn't good enough, impressive enough, new enough, and the-next-best-thing enough.

It's time to push back against that lie and say enough is enough. Because the words of the song are true. At the end of the day, the things that I need are simple indeed. Two arms around me. Heaven to ground me. A family that always calls me home. Four wheels to get there. Enough love to share. A sweet, sweet song. At the end of the day, Lord I pray, I have a life that's good.

What are you praying for today?

Until next time, grace and peace.

My Little Loves

Happy Valentine's Day from my little loves. These two have taught me much and more about what it means to love and be loved. Special thanks to my big sister for the cute Valentine shirts. My girly girls love them!

Hope your day is filled with lots of love and laughter.

Until next time, grace and peace.

One Short Year

A year ago today, this is what I was doing. Eighteen hours after going into the hospital for a labor that was sure to be "quick and easy," my littlest lady was born. A year ago, I wondered why it was taking her so long to make an appearance. Now I know that she does everything in her own time, not a bit sooner.

She is, without a doubt, one of the greatest joys in my life. My favorite moments of every day are the quiet minutes after she and her sister first wake up. We all pile up in the bed and snuggle together for a few short minutes before the day begins. Kendall lays her little head down on my chest and lets me cuddle with her. Then she demands breakfast.

The years are short, but the days are long. One short year later, and my itty bitty newborn isn't so little anymore. We have some loooooong days. Sometimes I think they're never going to end, but they inevitably do, and here I am after 365 of them, wondering how it all passed so quickly. Crazy, I know.

At any rate, this little girl is one of a kind. Unless it involves eating, she's not in a hurry to do anything. With a big sister and four adults at her beck and call, she has no incentive to crawl, much less walk. She'll get there eventually...just not yet.

She is so, so, sweet, and I'm so grateful that God chose me to be her mommy. My prayer for her today and every day is that she will become a young woman who loves and serves the Lord with all her heart. That He would protect and preserve that tender little heart for the man she will eventually marry. That she would share an unbreakable bond with her sister. And of course, that by some miracle of God, we'll be able to do this parenting thing without totally screwing her up.

That's the goal, isn't it?

We're celebrating my sweet girl's birthday with family and friends this weekend. Expect to be inundated with pictures later.

Until next time, grace and peace.