all smiles

mojo and i are pretty happy people but our offspring are the most cheery kids around.

maggie requires lots of focused energy and alot of attention (what 2 yr. old doesnt?). so when she is napping and after she goes to bed, we have implemented "hammertime"...which is when we both give our undivided attention to Abraham {except when i am blogging about giving undivided attention}.

he is so easy going and you'd hardly notice him if he wasnt constantly staring at you with HIS full attention and beckoning you with his dark blue eyes. yeah, i'm pretty much in love with the lil fella.

so i cant get the video to upload of him talking, smiling...so some pics will have to do for now...how do i post videos people?




i hate tummy time

basement

our basement is huge, 800 sq. feet....so it has alot of potential for fun. as of now, we have a guest bed up and ready for visitors and a playarea for maggie. mojo also has a closed in office/studio that he is loving. i'd love to do a mural sometime soon, but for now, i am pretty impressed with my chalkboard i painted. and maggie's reading sanctuary.

more pics

hallway leading to bathroom. kids room to the left, ours to the right.

the one place we painted

abraham's side of the room (although maggie is still sleeping in his crib)

maggie's side...her toddler bed awaits!

her own personal reading nook

new chapter has begun!

today marked mojo's first day as a student! i felt like i was sending off a child, i was/am so nervous for him! i kept saying, "pack some snacks! bring some water!"....i mean, he is taking GREEK...he'll need some nourishment after that class!

we are both very excited about this new season we are in. it hasnt feel real, its felt a bit like a vacation, being here. and there has been so much going on in both our minds, that its been hard to even sit down to write. we both feel like the hardest adjustment is just learning to juggle two children on our own. maggie is an absolute doll with "hammy" as she calls him...but she did accidentally step on him two days ago! i quickly realized i cant lay him on the ground and have my back turned at the same time. for me, the hardest part is trying to juggle nursing and being out and about with maggie. i have to always remember to bring snacks to keep her busy while i nurse the little guy so she doesnt run off while i am un-able to run after her.
other than that, its been pretty easy. caring for maggie is actually alot easier in our apartment complex...for those who dont know this, we live in a complex with all seminary families, many with little children.
there is always someone to play with or someone walking their dog. so we just walk outside and see what there is to do! its great! no packing up everything in a car for a playdate!

here is a glimpse of our new life. our apartment is on the end so we have a nice side yard and a bit of a back yard. we live next door to a family with a little girl so she has a close friend already!





our cute mix match terrace that i know that we will spend lots of time out there this fall...come visit!

my sweet kitchen thats easy to clean cause its tiny...i love it!

Jesus, Man of sorrows

dear readers,
please pray for the Peabody/Taffe Family. They lost their son to cancer today. You can read their blog "Pray for Joseph"-there is a link to the right. Joseph's true story has begun today.

please also pray for Nancy and Dan Macha, whose link is also to the right. Nancy has been given just a few days to live, also because of cancer. Dan said they are helping her pack her bags to head home.

quick update

writing now from st.louis as we finally got our internet hooked up. couple thoughts that have filled my mind this week:
1) moving is hard
2) moving with kids is really hard
3) st.louis is amazing
4) i love trader joes
5) feels like we've been gone weeks instead of just one
6) emotionaaly hasnt hit that we arent moving back
7) this is by far the best city for kids
8) as my neighbor said, our complex is like melrose place for christians

more thoughts to come as i sift through them and they become clear. lots of thoughts, lots of emotions.
until then, pictures from inara studios (www.inarastudio.com)

feels like only loss

we had a wonderful going away party filled with lots of laughter and memories. i wish i could have sat down with each and every person and said specifically how they have made our time in nashville a wonderful experience. everyone there has made an impact on us in some way and it was a fun time to say goodbye.

but because we havent gotten to st.louis yet and experienced the joys there, all we are left with today is the sense of loss. tomorrow, i know we will feel different and the sense of loss will be slowly replaced with excitement and love for a new city. we look to the days ahead!

true nature of things

a few weeks ago, Matt and i went and saw Hellboy 2. random, i know..but i actually like both 1 & 2. anyway, there was a scene when they used these special glasses and could see "the true nature of things." for instance, when wearing them you can see an old lady as the troll that she really is underneath and when looking at hellboy, you see his horns in all their fullness-the way he was intended. (he shaves them down b/c he doesn't like them).

it made me start thinking that moving cities for me is much like the glasses. moving has allowed me to see the true nature of things. i think so often our eyesight gets clouded by everyday annoyances. Our view of people is slightly skewed b/c of a conversation gone wrong or an expectation unmet.
moving has removed all that for me and its wonderful. it's like i can begin to see people for who they are and not with all my expectations or judgements on them.

its really made me appreciate all that i have been given.

we are excited about our move...just a few days away. we will be without internet for the first week so i am sure once i am back online, i'll have lots of pictures of our new tiny apartment and of maggie at the zoo. (my new favorite website: www.apartmenttherapy.com)