A little tale about a family from Michigan and Australia!
Friday, February 4, 2011
BBF Getaway
Alan and I are so thankful that we are a part of a community of friends that have become family. They are aunts and uncles to Eliana and Kirra and their kiddos are like sisters to our girls! Matt and Corrie Boyle and Randy, Jen, Norah and Sydney Byrne are a part of our house church that we call BBF. We have been wanting to get away as a group for a while now and just after Christmas we were able to go away for a couple nights to Interlochen without the kiddos!!! We had an awesome time of playing games, eating yummy food, learning more about each other, and playing in the snow!
Tis the Season
December came and went in a blink of an eye. I accidently posted all of my pics backwards (in terms of dates) so we're starting off with HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 and then heading back to the beginning of December! (note: our other camera is broken so all of my Christmas pics with my sister and family are stuck on there! bummer)
The kiddos saying, "Happy New Year" just before their apple juice toasts and early bedtimes of 8pm! :)
Kirra received three semi-big gifts for Christmas, dance lessons and outfits, cross-country skis, and well, you'll have to keep reading for the 3rd gift! She was a PRO the first time out! She even convinced Papa to take her out late at night!
Realizing she didn't get a "real dog" that she kept asking us for, but a fish! Not too disappointed thankfully!
My Grandma Strite spent the entire two weeks of Christmas break up at my mom and dad's with us! I love that my girls are getting a chance to spend quality time with her!
Alan and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary on the 21st!!! We actually did a little night out a few weeks prior, however, and went to see Michael Buble in concert and stayed at the JW Marriot downtown! I get blown away by the life we have been given together and am so thrilled to be doing it with my best friend!!!!
Monday, January 3, 2011
6 Months Old
A half of a year old already?!
Eliana is growing to be such a fun baby...as long as she's not crying!!! (That child has been given the MOST high pitched cry we have ever heard...trying to find the blessing in it, but it's difficult especially at 3 in the morning!) I did ask our pediatrician if there is anything we can do...she simply informed me, "NO, but it really can't be that bad." Her statement was quickly retracted when Eliana demonstrated it for her...then Dr. R said, "Oh, that is horrible!" :) I told her so!
I don't remember her specific stats...they're downstairs and I'm lazy, but she's exactly 1 up on Kirra in everything at 6months...1 cm longer in head circumference, 1 in longer, 1 pound heavier!!! She's my big baby! :)
Not many "tricks" to speak of at the moment...she's in no hurry to roll, crawl, or even move for that matter! Elli is perfectly content (as long as I am within reach) to just lie on her play mat, to simply swing in her swing, or to be held.
She LOVES food and is doing really well eating thus far--avacado, rice cereal, squash, peas, green beans, apple sauce, bananas, rice puffs, carrots, potatoes so far!
Her smile is fabulously contagious!
Watching/listening to her belly laugh at Kirra is probably one of my favorite pastimes...and a good core workout too!
November Rush
I love November. The smell of fall. The chilly air. Lots of family time. Thanksgiving. Here are some pics to highlight this busy month...
Our friends Eli and Asher came for a Tuesday visit...Eli gladly played the role of the Prince and Joseph while Kirra was the Princess and Mary...and Asher was the LION, cuz all great stories have vicious lions! They formed a traveling band in this photo.
1st Food! We were thinking of waiting til she was officially 6 months old, but then convinced ourselves that by feeding her real food, she may sleep better...didn't work! BUT she loved it all the same!
I LOVE how much Alan LOVES his girls!!!!
Monday, November 29, 2010
5 Months
So I couldn't resist comparing the girls again at 5 months!
Elli (we've begun shortening her name...Elli Belli is one currently that Kirra and I use!)
Silence
While I was in Denver, Alan had a chance to have a LOT of silence in his life. During that time he realized that silence/peace is something that we have NOT been intentional about in our lives, our marriage and in turn, I personally have somewhat lost my soul. I have worked so hard to become a good teacher, a good wife, and now a good mommy, but in 8 years of doing those things, I've lost ME. I used to have hobbies. I used to enjoy something. I used to be passionate. But, I don't really know how to answer those questions now. So, when I got home from Denver, Alan told me that I was going away the last weekend of October. BUT, I had to choose what I wanted to do. My initial thought was, "who can I go and visit?" or "who would like to join me in my "retreat"' Over the course of a few days, there was a still, small voice that kept whispering, "Do this alone."
If you know me well, I do not do "alone" ever! I receive life from community, people, relationships, conversations, sharing in life with others. However, since having Eliana I have been desperate for "me time". So, I began searching for something retreatish. After several nights of staying up late searching retreat centers (found one in the British Virgin Islands that looked amazing, but it would be a pricey plane ticket last minute!), I finally discovered one in Michigan (only about an hour away) called the Hermitage. After reading their website, I decided this was where I needed to go...even though I was terrified! I called the next day and booked one night!
Once I got over the initial fear of actually being alone and in silence, my 27 hours at The Hermitage were life-giving! God met me in my fear and in the silence, reminded me that I am truly never alone, reminded me that my dreams and passions are worth pursuing, and I fell in LOVE with solitude. I journaled. I walked the trails. I prayed. I ate in silence with other people. I cried. I laughed out loud, alone. I played the piano and sang. I read my Bible. I listened. I spoke. I slept. I drank tea. I wrote poetry. I took pictures. I simply WAS for the first time in a very long time. This experience was just the beginning of me finding ME again!
Here are some photos I took on my solitude retreat...and part of a poem I began to write...
Shimmering up on the dew covered earth
is the light of a God who
gives life to those who believe...
(okay, so if you have ever been a nursing/pumping mom, you will get the humor in this last photo...I couldn't resist!)
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