I am so thankful for...
children that love, that listen, that enjoy each other
a husband that encourages, that is compassionate, that makes me feel wonderful everyday
a fire in the fireplace when it's so very cold outside
books and more books to read to the munchkins, myself, and all together
a Lord that is merciful and faithful, always providing no matter the circumstances
a mama and a sister that remain my best friends despite distance between us
a daughter who writes and sings the most beautiful worship songs
children with imaginations
children who pray with all their hearts for the things on their minds..." Grandma and grandpa, Aunt Hanna, Uncle Davey, everybody in the world, a good day, Jack and Caleb, Jesse and Shannon, everybody in the world again..."
the ability to teach my children and see their excitement when they learn new things...and how they love to tell daddy all that they learned
babies who make you smile constantly
boys who love each other and talk about the restaurant they are going to have together when they're adults
a family that plays together
a family that enjoys being with each other
a nice, big kitchen to cook delicious food and bake yummy treats in
the pumpkin cake I just made :)
coffee
snuggling
God's Word... I CAN know Him, not just wonder about Him
seeing my children smile
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Something to make a mama smile
This past weekend we were able to visit with some good friends from CA. They were visiting a church nearby us to lead worship at a conference and we went to see them and then spend the afternoon with them. They blessed us greatly by taking all seven of us out to eat at Olive Garden. (Mmmmm....bread sticks)
When it came time to order, our six year old daughter, Layla, was all prepared to order for herself. The waiter asked her what she wanted and she remarked, "Chicken strips." The waiter said, "Ok, and french fries." The kids meals came with an option of french fries or broccoli.
Layla looked up and said quickly, "No, broccoli."
He stared at her a minute and then asked, "Are you serious?"
We laughed and she said, "Yes."
The waiter smiled and said, "That's a first. Good job."
That's something to make a mama smile.
When it came time to order, our six year old daughter, Layla, was all prepared to order for herself. The waiter asked her what she wanted and she remarked, "Chicken strips." The waiter said, "Ok, and french fries." The kids meals came with an option of french fries or broccoli.
Layla looked up and said quickly, "No, broccoli."
He stared at her a minute and then asked, "Are you serious?"
We laughed and she said, "Yes."
The waiter smiled and said, "That's a first. Good job."
That's something to make a mama smile.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sick and comfy
Today I am sick. Stuffy nose, sinus headache, weak body. It's not fun. The kids are all fine, and they are trying to make things very nice for their mama.
Here's a look at a sick day...
Mama in some comfy sweats and big shirt, bundled on the couch, reading when her hands are empty. Babies (still in their jammies) crawl up on her lap and snuggle, then get down and play. Kids doing school work, then coming to mama for some nice read-alouds. Bringing mama water, then going and doing more work or reading their own books. Taking breaks and playing with the babies and/or each other.
Lunch will be something easy...peanut butter and jelly and bananas, maybe.
More play and reading. Maybe a late afternoon family movie.
Dinner...I have frozen sloppy joe mix that I made a few weeks ago, just waiting for a night like tonight when mama couldn't cook. We will probably thaw that and have it for dinner, nice and easy.
It's not fun being sick, but everyone helps out and we make the best of it! As long as mama can read out aloud and snuggle, everyone's happy!
Here's a look at a sick day...
Mama in some comfy sweats and big shirt, bundled on the couch, reading when her hands are empty. Babies (still in their jammies) crawl up on her lap and snuggle, then get down and play. Kids doing school work, then coming to mama for some nice read-alouds. Bringing mama water, then going and doing more work or reading their own books. Taking breaks and playing with the babies and/or each other.
Lunch will be something easy...peanut butter and jelly and bananas, maybe.
More play and reading. Maybe a late afternoon family movie.
Dinner...I have frozen sloppy joe mix that I made a few weeks ago, just waiting for a night like tonight when mama couldn't cook. We will probably thaw that and have it for dinner, nice and easy.
It's not fun being sick, but everyone helps out and we make the best of it! As long as mama can read out aloud and snuggle, everyone's happy!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Simple woman's daybook
To join in, link yourself at the Simple Woman.
For Today…November 17, 2008
Outside my Window…already dark
I am thinking…how nice it was to see our dear friends from Sacramento yesterday. We had such a lovely time visiting.
From the learning rooms…Books waiting for tomorrow
I am thankful for…a nice, warm house and warm drink when it's chilly out.
From the kitchen…Josiah making "fake cake" and "fake cookies"
I am wearing…skirt and shirt
I am reading…the Bible, The Brendan Voyage, The Birth of Britain
I am hoping...my husband gets home from work soon, we are supposed to go out tonight, but it's getting late.
I am creating…blankets, stories
I am hearing…Josiah making his fake goodies, music, and Hannah at my feet trying to be quiet as she gets into something she's not supposed to.
Around the house…Reading, playing
One of my favorite things…visits with friends!
I am praying for... Calli (always!) with great news from her mama: two of her three tumors are gone!!! Thank you Lord! , my beautiful sister
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…school, baking, cleaning, eating "fake cake."
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
Terrible lighting, I know, but I love the picture!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Almost everything you ever wanted to know
Twins are so very exciting and fun. Here is a list of the things they do...
Ruth is the provoker. She likes to chase Hannah around, grab her and tackle her to the ground. Hannah does not like this very much. She puts up with it for awhile, but then she decides to put a stop to it with a bite. Ruth gets many bites from her 27 minute younger sister.
Ruth likes to pull hair. Not to be mean. For some reason it comforts her. Whenever she is being held, she reaches up and grabs the hair of whoever is holding her. It hurts.
Hannah loves building blocks. She will sit for the longest time and just stack them one on top of another. When they fall, she starts over again. The biggest tower she built was seven blocks high...pretty impressive at 13 mos.
Ruth's favorite thing to play with is a puzzle. She loves to try and put the pieces back. She never gets frustrated when they don't fit, she just keeps trying.
They love cheese...
Hannah thinks it is very funny to spit water. She takes her cup, drinks a bit, then starts spitting everywhere. We take the cup then. She does not like that.
They love to be outdoors. Even when it's cold. Ruth sits in the grass and holds acorns, while Hannah picks them up and runs away from everyone. She is afraid we will take them from her, so whenever someone comes near, she runs.
They love books. They have a pile of books that are theirs. They pick them up and bring them to whoever is around to read them. Their favorite is a winnie-the-pooh book.
Josiah taught Hannah how to say "baboon." She mixed it with "daddy" and now she calls daddy "dadoon."
Ruth likes to put blankets over her head. She rolls around in them, then peeks out to see if anyone is watching. After awhile, she stands up and starts walking with the blanket over her head. Somehow, she never runs into things. Hannah thought this looked like great fun once. She tried it too...she ran into the wall.
They eat grilled cheese and quesadillas...did I mention they love cheese?
They still wake up on average twice a piece during the night...this is rather obnoxious for me, but they do go right back to sleep.
They started wearing cloth diapers a few months ago.
They adore their daddy more than anything, ever.
They love music...they always dance when they hear it. One begins, and the other joins in, the same dance.
They think that the other is hilarious. They crack up at each other.
They think it is a great game to take their sister's pacifier.
They are super snuggly. They love to lay their heads on people and be held.
They do not like the car. After only a few minutes, one will start fussing.
They only like eggs for breakfast...oh, did I mention they love cheese?
Ruth will completely ignore something until Hannah wants it, then she will race her for it.
I'm sure there are many more things, but that's all I can think of right now. They certainly are delightful!
Ruth is the provoker. She likes to chase Hannah around, grab her and tackle her to the ground. Hannah does not like this very much. She puts up with it for awhile, but then she decides to put a stop to it with a bite. Ruth gets many bites from her 27 minute younger sister.
Ruth likes to pull hair. Not to be mean. For some reason it comforts her. Whenever she is being held, she reaches up and grabs the hair of whoever is holding her. It hurts.
Hannah loves building blocks. She will sit for the longest time and just stack them one on top of another. When they fall, she starts over again. The biggest tower she built was seven blocks high...pretty impressive at 13 mos.
Ruth's favorite thing to play with is a puzzle. She loves to try and put the pieces back. She never gets frustrated when they don't fit, she just keeps trying.
They love cheese...
Hannah thinks it is very funny to spit water. She takes her cup, drinks a bit, then starts spitting everywhere. We take the cup then. She does not like that.
They love to be outdoors. Even when it's cold. Ruth sits in the grass and holds acorns, while Hannah picks them up and runs away from everyone. She is afraid we will take them from her, so whenever someone comes near, she runs.
They love books. They have a pile of books that are theirs. They pick them up and bring them to whoever is around to read them. Their favorite is a winnie-the-pooh book.
Josiah taught Hannah how to say "baboon." She mixed it with "daddy" and now she calls daddy "dadoon."
Ruth likes to put blankets over her head. She rolls around in them, then peeks out to see if anyone is watching. After awhile, she stands up and starts walking with the blanket over her head. Somehow, she never runs into things. Hannah thought this looked like great fun once. She tried it too...she ran into the wall.
They eat grilled cheese and quesadillas...did I mention they love cheese?
They still wake up on average twice a piece during the night...this is rather obnoxious for me, but they do go right back to sleep.
They started wearing cloth diapers a few months ago.
They adore their daddy more than anything, ever.
They love music...they always dance when they hear it. One begins, and the other joins in, the same dance.
They think that the other is hilarious. They crack up at each other.
They think it is a great game to take their sister's pacifier.
They are super snuggly. They love to lay their heads on people and be held.
They do not like the car. After only a few minutes, one will start fussing.
They only like eggs for breakfast...oh, did I mention they love cheese?
Ruth will completely ignore something until Hannah wants it, then she will race her for it.
I'm sure there are many more things, but that's all I can think of right now. They certainly are delightful!
Monday, November 10, 2008
simple woman's daybook
To join in, link yourself at the Simple Woman.
For Today…November 10, 2008
Outside my Window…crisp, fall day
I am thinking…how amazing my children are
From the learning rooms…Quiet
I am thankful for…family, fresh baked bread, books and coffee
From the kitchen…pumpkin cake (my husband's new favorite, I make one every two weeks. Will we ever get sick of it? I don't think so.)
I am wearing…skirt and shirt
I am reading…the Bible, The Brendan Voyage...Very interesting book about Irish sailor monks who crossed the Atlantic in a leather boat.
I am hoping…the rain will hold out so we can have some outdoor playtime today
I am creating…an atmosphere of warmth and love...after a day of learning, playing and creating, tonight we will sit down with hot chocolate and marshmallows, snuggle under a nice blanket and read the next chapter of The House at Pooh Corner...a great read-aloud that everyone enjoys.
I am hearing…Josiah playing with Ruth
Around the house…Reading, playing
One of my favorite things…Cool nights with warm treats
I am praying for... Calli (always!) with great news from her mama: two of her three tumors are gone!!! Thank you Lord! , my beautiful sister
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…work on crocheting blankets, visit our friends from Sacramento!
I accomplished since last week...Many more things have been organized.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
The favorite pumpkin cake that I make... delicious, with a little scoop of ice cream on top.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Seven years (a.k.a. I married my stalker)
Today is our seven year anniversary. I have had the privilege of being married to my best friend, the most caring, loving man for seven years. I thank the Lord for him, he is the perfect man for me. For anyone who cares, I thought I would tell our wedding story, that all too funny yet beautiful story which our dear friend Amie Wahl likes to call...I married my stalker.
I was 18, just moved out of my mom's house, working at a coffee shop. I wasn't doing much. I had been a Christian for just over a year, was trying to figure out how to live a Christian life and how to be grown up. I was attending church at the Burn Vineyard, going to lots of Bible studies, and I was feeling very content and happy in life.
One summer day, I went to visit my friend at her work. She worked at a deli, owned by a friend, her brother. As I walked in, I saw a guy standing in line and God spoke to me clearer than day... He told me that guy would be a HUGE part of my life. Well, since I was happy and content in life, I decided to ignore Him. (Does that ever work? :) ) I went on with what I was doing, visiting with my friend on her lunch break. I even went so far as to make fun of the guy. Then he came up to us. I was thinking, "Oh no, oh no." He told us he was new in town and he asked where we went to church. (He had seen my friend with a Bible) After a little conversation, he left. I thought, there that's done.
Oh no. Over the next few weeks, I proceeded to see him EVERYWHERE I went. He would smile, and I would try to smile back, but I was not happy. Finally, he showed up at an event at my church. I was with my "cool" friends and did not want him to interfere. Of course, he walked right up to me and I was forced to introduce him. Looking back, he says, I was new in town, I wanted to get to know people. I had met one person (yes, me) and I thought she would act like a Christian and be kind and welcoming. Instead she was rude and standoffish. (Yes, I was.)
Next, he began going to my Bible study and hanging out with my friends. I was aghast the night he walked into my work with a bunch of my friends. They thought he was neat, and I decided to put a stop to it. I pulled my best friend aside and said, "Please stop hanging out with him. When I first saw him God told me he was going to be a big part of my life. Now I know why, he's going to stalk me and kill me." Yes, I said this. I had decided that since I was happy and didn't want new people in my life, this must be it. This must be why he was everywhere I was. ( No, of course it couldn't be that we lived in a small town and he only knew a few places, and these just happened to be the places that I hung out)
My friend, of course, didn't believe me...I didn't really believe myself. Then one night while I was working, in he walked with his brother. He came straight up to me and asked, "Why are you so standoffish?" I said, "I am not! I am the nicest person in the world, everyone says so." He responded, "You may be nice to everyone else, but you certainly aren't nice to a Christian who is new to town and is trying to get to know people." I knew he was right, but I couldn't admit to it. Instead, I decided I had to prove him wrong. "I am nice. Want to hang out when I get off work?"
That night after work I went to Denny's with him and his brother, still trying to deny what I knew, but God was definitely softening my heart to him. For the next week, we spent time together constantly. After that week, I was working again, when someone I worked with said to me, "There's someone here." I looked out from the back to see who it was and it was him. Right then I knew, and there was no point in denying it anymore. I said to my co-worker, "That's the guy I'm going to marry." As soon as I said it I felt total relief, and realized how in love with him I was.
After work that night, we were talking, and he asked me what God was saying to me. I said, "Um, we're going to get married." He replied, "Yeah, we are."
That was that. We both knew, we were both elated. It would be difficult, I knew. He had a 6 year old son, so I wasn't just going to be a wife, but a mother, and remember, I was only 18. It was wonderful though. We decided not to postpone, we wanted to begin our lives immediately. So, 5 months after we had met, we officially became James and Amy Hughes.
Ian was with us from the beginning
Then came Layla
Soon after, Josiah
Next, the twins
Ruth
and Hannah
I think God knew what He was doing. :)
I was 18, just moved out of my mom's house, working at a coffee shop. I wasn't doing much. I had been a Christian for just over a year, was trying to figure out how to live a Christian life and how to be grown up. I was attending church at the Burn Vineyard, going to lots of Bible studies, and I was feeling very content and happy in life.
One summer day, I went to visit my friend at her work. She worked at a deli, owned by a friend, her brother. As I walked in, I saw a guy standing in line and God spoke to me clearer than day... He told me that guy would be a HUGE part of my life. Well, since I was happy and content in life, I decided to ignore Him. (Does that ever work? :) ) I went on with what I was doing, visiting with my friend on her lunch break. I even went so far as to make fun of the guy. Then he came up to us. I was thinking, "Oh no, oh no." He told us he was new in town and he asked where we went to church. (He had seen my friend with a Bible) After a little conversation, he left. I thought, there that's done.
Oh no. Over the next few weeks, I proceeded to see him EVERYWHERE I went. He would smile, and I would try to smile back, but I was not happy. Finally, he showed up at an event at my church. I was with my "cool" friends and did not want him to interfere. Of course, he walked right up to me and I was forced to introduce him. Looking back, he says, I was new in town, I wanted to get to know people. I had met one person (yes, me) and I thought she would act like a Christian and be kind and welcoming. Instead she was rude and standoffish. (Yes, I was.)
Next, he began going to my Bible study and hanging out with my friends. I was aghast the night he walked into my work with a bunch of my friends. They thought he was neat, and I decided to put a stop to it. I pulled my best friend aside and said, "Please stop hanging out with him. When I first saw him God told me he was going to be a big part of my life. Now I know why, he's going to stalk me and kill me." Yes, I said this. I had decided that since I was happy and didn't want new people in my life, this must be it. This must be why he was everywhere I was. ( No, of course it couldn't be that we lived in a small town and he only knew a few places, and these just happened to be the places that I hung out)
My friend, of course, didn't believe me...I didn't really believe myself. Then one night while I was working, in he walked with his brother. He came straight up to me and asked, "Why are you so standoffish?" I said, "I am not! I am the nicest person in the world, everyone says so." He responded, "You may be nice to everyone else, but you certainly aren't nice to a Christian who is new to town and is trying to get to know people." I knew he was right, but I couldn't admit to it. Instead, I decided I had to prove him wrong. "I am nice. Want to hang out when I get off work?"
That night after work I went to Denny's with him and his brother, still trying to deny what I knew, but God was definitely softening my heart to him. For the next week, we spent time together constantly. After that week, I was working again, when someone I worked with said to me, "There's someone here." I looked out from the back to see who it was and it was him. Right then I knew, and there was no point in denying it anymore. I said to my co-worker, "That's the guy I'm going to marry." As soon as I said it I felt total relief, and realized how in love with him I was.
After work that night, we were talking, and he asked me what God was saying to me. I said, "Um, we're going to get married." He replied, "Yeah, we are."
That was that. We both knew, we were both elated. It would be difficult, I knew. He had a 6 year old son, so I wasn't just going to be a wife, but a mother, and remember, I was only 18. It was wonderful though. We decided not to postpone, we wanted to begin our lives immediately. So, 5 months after we had met, we officially became James and Amy Hughes.
Ian was with us from the beginning
Then came Layla
Soon after, Josiah
Next, the twins
Ruth
and Hannah
I think God knew what He was doing. :)
And Happy Birthday Liam Wahl! Two years ago we spent our anniversary in the hospital awaiting your arrival. We love you and your beautiful mama!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)