just for now.

Here is baby’s bed. Right now it’s set up to store everything we don’t need RIGHT away (first 24 hours)– which will be in my bedroom.
I have this mini co-sleeper set up as a bassinet right now in the kids room to save space in mine. I LOVE all the storage that is built in. You can’t see but there are also 2 pockets on either end.
Here are some pictures. The first top view shows a teddy bear with a womb sound machine in his belly and a Snodel (I think that’s how you spell it). I’m super excited about this little lovey–I got it in the package at a consignment sale before I even knew we have a man baby. The idea is that you wear it in your shirt or keep it next to you in bed for a while so that the wool stuffing absorbs “mommy smell” and comforts baby in the car or whenever you’re not there. I love it! At least, the idea of it. And I think it’s super cute, too, though Levi thinks it looks like a voodoo doll. :/

A few other items pictured:
-boppy.
-lots of stretchy swaddling blankets.
-socks/hats.
-a little “nest” you can put in your bed for the baby to have their own space. I’m planning to use it for a portable bed downstairs or as a diaper changing pad.
-bug mobile. The kids LOVE it and I have to keep them from pulling on it all the time. Its my first baby mobile…I definitely have more gear this time. So fun.
-some newborn-specific cloth diapers.
-breast pump & pads.
-baby powder and oil.
-newborn disposable diapers and wipes.
-0-3 month baby boy clothes.
-moby wrap baby carrier.

As I’m sure many of you are aware of due to my making a BIG DEAL out of it– I was left all alone for a weekend when my husband took our toddlers to Grandma & Grandpas for a visit.

I thought it would make me feel extra productive if I listed everything I got done and enjoyed during my extended alone time.

Here’s what I can remember:

Farmers Market — flowers (herbal bouquet) in picture above, and a house plant (Black Swedish Ivy– only need indirect light and light watering. So far so good!)

Coffee with friend who just had her third baby.

Scrubbed bathroom walls/ceiling. Cleaned bathroom.

Organized mine and Levi’s clothes/put away winter/fall things.

Organized our closet (!!!) so we can find everything.

Made a donate-to-Goodwill bag.

Made a bag of maternity clothes for my sister…things I was wearing and were taking up space I don’t have!

Moved nearly all the living room furniture and sprinkled deodorizer on the carpet…vacuumed.

Cleaned the kitchen/fridge. (Threw out old leftovers!)

Organized the kids room just a little.

Changed out old lightbulbs for energy efficient ones. Cleaned out the light fixtures (bugs. ew.)

Napped at random times.

Went to bed super late one night…thinking “I can sleep in!” That was optimistic. I still woke up like I normally would.

…and more!

So it was amazing. And refreshing. And productive.

Another huge bonus: I very realized how much I love and adore being a mother to my babies. And I realized that it’s because of them I am a much more mature, motivated, fulfilled and joyful person. It’s so incredible to me how one little life can totally and transform you and make you willing– even deeply desiring– to change in ways you never even knew you wanted or needed to. Mama love is one of the best gifts ever.

A little taste of my sister, Melody’s, wedding day.

It was super emotional for me, and then I realized, this is my first sibling to get married! All my other siblings experienced all of this with me, but this is my first time… So it was incredibly good, and lovely, and just full of depth for me. To have known Melody her whole entire life, see her ups and downs, her questions, her victories– to know her heart. To watch her love towards Michael grow, to watch her grow into his love for her… And then stand up with them both as they make their forever vows. It’s a lot, you know?

You bet I cried. Shamelessly.

-me-

-Melody Grace-

-the “I will” before the “I do”-

-down the aisle-

-parents blessing-

-kissed!-

-mr. and mrs.-

After this we took some family pictures in another building while the sanctuary was converted into the reception hall. The lovely and talented Kelsey made all this happen! And then on to the dancing…

-Melody has the most peaceful ‘in love’ face, ever-

-isn’t this awesome?-

-cake face-

-we did a bridesmaids+bride dance-

-I think the only reason everyone wasn’t on the floor was because it was always full!-

-the toss-

-leaving-

-off to bliss!-

Mike and Melody–

You guys are amazing.
It has been so beautiful to watch you two fall in love.

And, as I’ve watched you both, and especially Melody, go crazy about each other, it’s got me thinking…
People often say that when you first fall in love with someone…you’re “infatuated”…that your vision is cloudy like “rose-colored glasses”…
But I think that there are somethings that you see right now more clearly than ever.

I think that God has let you two see eachother the way that He does.

Because He doesn’t focus of your mistakes, He doesn’t focus on your imperfections– He sees you with all of the dreams and destiny’s that He spoke over your life from the moment of conception.

And He has opened both of your eyes to see, and fall in love with, the amazing person that He created each of you to be. To see Melody’s tender heart, and the sweet grace that she has embraced and been made strong by. To see the honor that Mike makes himself known by, and his heart of love thathe has opened to you, Melody.

And so, today, my challenge would be to always remember the truth of who Michael is– and the truth of who God says Melody is–
And when times get hard, and people mess up and babies cry all night and you say something you shouldn’t have you can choose to love this person for all of who they are, and are meant to be, and even intercede for their destiny in these moments.

So, to Mike, and to Melody–
may you continue to discover even more of the beauty in each other,
and may your love for each other only grow stronger!

Thanks, Pandora, you just ushered back a wave of teenage-me memories. Thanks to that cheese-ball love song that I loved in highschool.

(PS: I’m not trying to degrade highschool/teenagers/cheesy music. Just kinda rolling my eyes at me+all those things.)

Anyway, I had the distinct pleasure just now of reliving some of those vaguely intense emotions of my teenagehood:

Oh gosh I love this song. I want this, I want someone to sing this song  to me…

But I don’t think I got much further than that at seventeen. And so tonight, sitting here listening again, I’m reminded what a different person I am. But why? Why did I love that song? Why do I still like it (blush)?

And here’s what I got: teenage-heather wanted to be special.

Also, I couldn’t believe that I really was that– effortlessly special, clearly unique, engagingly sweet, memorably genuine.  Still something tugged at a corner of my mind, begging, desiring for someone to tell me that I was. That I was who I wanted to be.

Oh, desires. Reminds me of a little something I was just reading:

“Our desires lie within our boundaries…

Part of the problem lies in the lack of structured boundaries within our personality. We can’t define who the real “me” is and what we truly desire.

Many desires masquerade as the real thing.

They are lusts that come out of now owning our real desires.”

(Boundaries, Dr.Cloud & Townsend)