my helpers

happy big sister
very happy big sister!
proud daddy, taking Samuel to the farmer's market to introduce him to our vendor-friends who have been patiently waiting!

i feel soooooooooooo blessed.

1) dave has been such a GREAT support....i don't know of too many husbands that, when left to themselves for an hour, will organize the fridge and do the laundry....this man is a machine. i mean, i don't even need to open my mouth, these things just happen. he sat down and wrote out a list (susan style-haha) to feel productive for his 4 days off of work. (one of those items was a massage of my shoulders-- while i laid on my tummy for the first time in 6 months!!) Anyway, i love my husband. God made him very very special.

2) the next blessing: my daughter. first born and such a delight. julia has taken to this new position of "big sister" with a passion. her desire is to help, love and of course..play and open all the fun "bigsister" gifts. haha.

some moments-before this mommy-brain-of-mush kicks in and forgets:

-breakfast table, "dave, could i have the honey please."..."i'll get it!!!!!!!!" julia says excitedly JUMPING off her chair and returning from the kitchen with the honey and a knife from the drawer.

-bed time, daddy and sam crawl in to pray with her in bed. julia asks in her sweet excited hopeful voice, "can baby Samuel please sleep with me?"

-at every cry,she brings a toy. (or plugs her ears, or asks what is wrong-very concerned)

-Opa was holding Sam, and she says in her voice of concern, "you can't bring him home....."


3) my help comes from the LORD.
the Holy Spirit is given to us as a Comfort and a Helper.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - romans 15:13

i have a major weakness i like to call the "unholy hours of the night", when in reality, it is simply my selfishness controling my thoughts and actions. knowing myself all too well in this area, i began to pray for joy in my lack of sleep--about a month ago. so far, God is reminding me of His goodness and the surpassing joy of motherhood in the wee hours of not-day-time. He is also giving me rest, and energy to be awake more than i'd like to be. :)

dave and i have been studying phillipians, and how paul had joy regardless of the people, things, circumstances or worries that were soooo pressing and burdensome. and i stand in awe because the times that i lose joy usually have to do with my sources of joy (kids, etc), whereas paul endured REAL hardship. talk about convicting! haha.

God is faithful. He even works through others to encourage us in our journey to trusting Him and knowing Him better. For example: my friend Heather was doing her devotions on monday night and felt the need to pray for me - not knowing i was in labor. Those are just some of the prayers that helped Samuel's delivery and helped grow the faith of those involved.

very cool.
GOd is good.