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it’s {embrace} the camera day!

i am a part of a message board online for parents of delayed children.
it amazes me that even the most simple question such as,
“how are you doing?”
sparks words upon words upon words.
your heart completely unfolds and you bear your soul.
to total strangers.
but total strangers who unfortunately understand.

check out my new “all about this blog” link at the top.

for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10

241. a mother-in-law who honestly likes to do laundry
242. a mother-in-law who honestly likes to iron
243. swinging in the front yard
244. baking cookies
245. complete and total strangers

this is all over the place.
just like my mind today.

first off…

aren’t these the most beautiful tomatoes you’ve ever laid eyes on?
and they taste even better than they look.

L and i have been pouring through paperwork, assessments and evaluations

in order to prepare to fight for his much-needed therapies.

see, in this photo, he’s showing me that in this report,
his doctor recommends he continue with all therapies,
not discontinue them.

as you can tell,

he’s been a huge help.

and for some other random things…
when i was visiting my sweet friend, KS in KS, we went into downtown wichita
and pulled into a parking garage. i kid you not, her 3 year old
asked where we were as she had never been in one.
not in wichita, at least.
how awesome is that?
so awesome.

and, (note to self) while complimenting the TSA officer of the efficiency and ease
of going through security at the airport in wichita,
i got a complete pat down.

while in KS, i learned that KS and her husband have a rule.
whoever is last out of bed in the morning has to make the bed.
B must have thought i was joking because
it’s been over two weeks since i told him about it.
i wasn’t.

and lastly, i just took my sis to the airport
and she packed four pairs of heels with her.
for a six-day trip.
i cannot even imagine.

236. sleeping the best i have slept in years
237. an all alone drive in the car
238. a full, wonderful day ahead
239. Auntie B who does my costco shopping
240. finding exactly what i needed at staples

it’s {embrace} the camera day!

you know those days where everything goes smoothly,
your children are
sweet,
kind,
and obedient
all day long,
you have endless amounts of energy
and you never need to tap into your extra pocket of patience?

well, that was not today.

today, i was informed that L has been denied
for one of the therapies that he is currently receiving.
one of the therapies that is so necessary to his progression.
i am able to appeal the decision (Praise God)
but, it entails preparing for and getting a hearing date set.

perfect. just perfect.
it’s funny
(not really)
because i was just
(not)
thinking that i had a whole bunch of
extra time on my hands
and was wondering
what on earth i was going to fill it with.
now i know.

there’s nothing i wouldn’t do for this little man.

but then, i was able to have a quick visit with Katherine Wolf and her husband
(who both have endured so, so, so very much.)
and how could i not leave feeling encouraged?
it wouldn’t be possible.
just being in the presence of my dear friend brings hope.
hope in the Lord.
and, a visit
always,
always
provides sprinkles cupcakes.

Be joyful in hope,
patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12

and this one has been ringing in my ears:

Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12:1

the race marked out for us.
not the race marked out for others.
the race marked out for us.

226. a sprinkles cupcake
227. a mellow night ahead
228. none of your children need to visit the public restroom at the mall
229. getting everything on your list from target
230. promised dessert from yogurtland

update at 8:47pm:
God is so faithful.
as B is out getting us some yogurtland,
i had my quiet time and prayed for my children
(and my husband)
and do you know what was on the calendar to pray for my children today?
perseverance.
and do you know what verse was listed?
that’s right,
Hebrews 12:1.
He is so faithful indeed.

a little while ago, i took the kids to the hollywood bowl.

we took a picnic lunch and
got to listen to a free rehearsal of the la philharmonic.

everything about it was lovely.

well, except for the fact that my children were there.
as you can see, K thoroughly enjoyed the music.
and after about seven minutes, they were ready to go back home.

i on the other hand, would have loved to stay and eat my lunch
while the beautiful music swept me away to some far away land.

i love these shots because
she is two

and he is four.

they were quiet during the rehearsal
but only because i had to constantly remind them.

while i was praying for L the other night, i heard God whisper,
“just wait.
just you wait.”

He is so so good.

221. God’s whispers
222. a morning with my girl
223. a husband willing to do anything to get L back to sleep at 3am
224. finished projects
225. feeling prepared

yesterday, we went to the getty
for one of their garden concerts for kids (and adults).
we saw elizabeth mitchell perform for the second year.
and yes, she was amazing.
again.
she’s one of those rare children’s musicians that doesn’t sound like a children’s musician
(a.k.a. drive you up the wall 15 seconds into listening to their music).

but, i did something i almost never do.
i forgot my camera at home.
i know, can you believe it?
neither can i.
it sort of felt like i had left one of my children at home.
sort of.

not to worry though,
my mother-in-law remembered hers and my dad had his iphone.
phew.
i’m glad we were able to document the day.

not only did she remember her camera, she brought guacamole.
yum.
it was homemade, but i don’t need to say that
because just about everything she serves is homemade.
i learned that pretty quickly into my dating relationship with B.

D was happy there was music,

K was happy there was food,

L was happy i was there,

i was happy other people were there,

and i was also happy B was there,
(he missed it two years ago because he was busy writing his Tiger book)
and yes, i’ve forgiven him for living in solitary for forty days
(yes, forty whole days)
in order to finish that book.
i just hope he won’t have to do that again for the new book he’s writing.
okay, hon?
okay.
glad we got that settled.

little L is my sunshine.
(i started singing that song to him in the nicu, the first day he was born.)
it’s his song.

this little guy sure loves to have his picture taken.
but i don’t need to tell you that, do i?

p.s. what’s with all the halloween stuff popping up in catalogs and in stores already?
doesn’t the world know that i’m trying to live in the moment?

from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

216. garden picnics
217. bay cities deli
218. sleepovers
219. almost finished projects
220. grocery shopping all by myself

these are a few of my favorite things.

when i asked my sister if she had any leftover fabric scraps that i could have,
this little package is what i received.

and yes, she stitched this from a trader joe’s paper bag.
can you even imagine?

and then she put one of her new custom labels on it.
i know.
incredible.

i felt as though i was getting a present.
which i was, of course.
and yeah, she just threw it together moments before
going off to work at the fancy architecture firm where she is an architect.
yeah, like a real one.
amazing.
she truly is.

and this is my sister’s etsy shop.
she is so creative.
seriously.
i did not get that gene.
but that’s okay because when i need something creative, i call her.

He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work
as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn
and fine linen, and weavers — all of them master craftsmen and designers.
Exodus 35:35

211. brown paper packages tied up with string
212. quiet rest times
213. timing that works out just perfectly
214. B’s old toys that the children are completely and totally enthralled with
215. freshly picked fruit

it’s {embrace} the camera day!

isn’t it so amazing how life quickly changes?
just a few years ago, i would never have imagined that going
on a trip with a one year old would be considered taking a vacation.
but it was.
and it was amazing.

enter kansas.

first off, where can a mom go while only packing four diapers?
yes, that’s four diapers for four days.
not anywhere i frequent.

KS (my sweet friend, who used to live in socal now lives in KS)
provided everything for us.
and i mean everything.
from car seat to video monitor to stroller, to homemade baby food.
it was as though were at an all-inclusive resort.
seriously.
it was simply and purely wonderful.

didn’t oprah declare wichita as one of the most boring places she has visited?
well, she obviously did not hang with my friend, KS.
i found wichita to be absolutely fabulous.
we did fly over bales of hay right before landing,
but i find that exciting, not at all dull.

i loved spending so much time with L
and i think he enjoyed all the time he was able to spend with me.

i learned so much from spending so much time with KS.
she is an incredible Christian woman,
wife and mother.
the devotion and endless love
she shows for her husband and children is nothing short of admirable.
she is superwife and supermom.
all packed in one.


right after KS got married, she and her groom traveled the world.

and,
she also paints.
because she is incredible.
and her fabulous house allows for her to have her very own painting studio.
can you even imagine?
me neither.

another addition to her long list of talents is that she is a fantastic cook.
we munched on these all weekend long.
and of course, they are from her garden.

look at those clouds!

A, was such a good little mommy-in-training.
she wanted to do everything that we did.
including nurse her babydoll.
she even got to use her momma’s hider.

while the boys were sleeping, A busied herself by doing crafts.

she didn’t have any idea that she was adorning the
most perfect
tomato soup mustache.

A was a sincerely sweet and happy child.

not only was she absolutely darling
but she also wanted to help out in any way that she could.

this might possibly be my most favorite photo
(KS took it).

little P was such a good playmate for L.

he showed him what life as a one year old is all about.

swimming buds.

my little swinging baby.

what sweet little fingers.

because KS lives in kansas, that means that she has a basement.
which also means that L was able to sleep in a room
all to himself that didn’t have one window.
which means that it was dark and quiet.
every mother’s dream.

and this is what happened when i left L’s side for just a moment.
(thanks for the photo, DS!)

spending a weekend in kansas showed me what living in
peace and
calmness and
clarity
feels like.
i can’t wait to go back.

206. realizing three days after returning, that my watch is still on kansas time
207. a surprise fireworks show
208. walking in grass
209. running in grass
210. fireflies