2009 in Pictures, Post #2: Daisy Girl & Brotherly Affection

In April, Sarah Grace turned 20.

Did I just write that? My little girl, my second child, is how old? Didn't I just bring home that little pink bundle last week?
Anyway, what touches me about this photo is
1) her beautiful smile
2) the flowers that Stephen gave her, and how many questions he asked me about a gift that would ultimately bless her, which told me that he had really grown up, too. How precious that he would honor his sister. I told him that she loves daisies, and that it would mean an extra lot if he delivered them in person to her place of work so others could ooh and aah over them. Chicks dig it, I told him.
3) how Sarah grew up beautifully in spite of the rough start. I didn't feel mushy-gushy when she was born, can hardly remember the first six months except for the crying (hers and mine), and I didn't take nearly as many pictures of her as I did of Ben, our firstborn, but yet God's grace got me through her babyhood. I've blogged ad nauseum about my postpartum depression after her birth, but I hope I never speak more of it than of how God used it to cast me upon His mercy, and the compassion it gave me for women who don't just absolutely love the newborn phase and who feel guilty about that. My daisy girl is a continuous reminder of God's grace.
4) She's working in a job with people she loves in an area of her many giftings: administration.


Post #3 May: Beanie Kitties Play Uno


I had to look up the date when this picture was taken (April) but that's irrelevant in my mind. I just remember that Joel's personality was all over this scene:
1) He likes to wear as little as possible, but if he has to, then make it a Star Wars shirt.
2) He adores cats and enjoys collecting beanie baby kitties. Every time we go to Goodwill, he buys one for two
bucks and just says, "Aww, Mom, aren't they so cute?"
3) He set up his stuffed "friends" with a round of Uno cards and helped each one play his or her hand (paw?). You can't see Molly in this shot, but she was observing the action, lying down, head on paws, almost as if she wanted to be invited into playland. Talk about so cute. I wanted to photograph that, but I was afraid of disrupting the scene as it was.
4) Best of all was Joel's clean, soft skin. The cheeks, the fingers, the legs. All so soft. Sometimes soft skin is the one reason I would consider having more babies. But soft skin covers sinful hearts and takes far more work than I have the energy for. Anyhow, I know the time will come when he won't enjoy (nor would it be appropriate!) for me to touch his soft, clean legs, and his hands will be calloused, and his face will get stubbly hair on it. All too soon this boy will be a man.

I am weeping now as I write this. Time, please stand still, won't you?