January

A couple videos

I just realized I hadn't imported photos from my camera in quite a while. I have some updating to do, but in the meantime, here are a couple videos:



Nate riding Hank



Charlie making snow balls

Encouraging Words

If I can be honest here, and I sure hope that I can since it's my blog, the last couple weeks have been probably the most challenging of my mothering "career." While the boys are still the most sweet and precious things in the world to me, they have been testing me so much. Charlie seems to think defiance is always an option, and he does it with a manipulative smile. And Nate is a precious Momma's boy, which is sweet, but makes it a little difficult to cook dinner (or to do anything else for that matter) when he is crying at my legs for me to hold him. Add on top of that Dave working and traveling a lot, and I am fried. There are so many times where I feel like if I would only do something different, everything would be better... I'm not doing a good enough job, and that's why the boys are acting out... But so often I don't have it in me to teach them and set boundaries, instead I react out of frustration and turn on the TV for them to watch. I find myself questioning my strength to do this.

Today I actually managed to get a little quiet time, and came across these precious words:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Cor. 12:9)

So here I am, boasting of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. It is my prayer that where I feel weak in my mothering skills, Jesus' power will be made perfect.

Mimi

Dave and his Gramma in Cooperstown for Tony Gwynn's Baseball Hall of Fame induction

Holding Charlie for the first time

Holding Nate for the first time

Yesterday we lost Dave's sweet Gramma, and Charlie and Nate's Mimi. She moved here from San Diego over a year ago, and we're thankful that we got to spend the last year with her here in Texas. The boys got to spend every Friday with her, and she cherished giving Nate his bottles. We know she loved God and we rejoice that she is in a better place. And we say that not just in comparison to the condition she was in before death. We know it is a better place than she, or any of us, have been at the peak of health.

New York Baseball Writers Dinner

I got to go to the New York Baseball Writers dinner in NYC on Saturday while I was in town for work. My friend and former roommate Brad is a senior director with the Baseball Hall of Fame and had an extra ticket. All of this past season's award winners were there to accept their awards. Those in attendance included Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Don Zimmer, Tim Lincecum, Zack Greinke, Ron Darling, Mike Scioscia, Joe Nathan and Joe Mauer. Here are two photos taken from where I sat at the dinner (I was at table 6 which was right in front of the dais where the award winners sat for the dinner). One photo is of AL MVP and Minnesota Twin Joe Mauer and the other is of his teammate and AL Reliever of the Year Joe Nathan. It was a very special experience!

Nate Update

Nate has been practicing walking for a few weeks, but last weekend he really turned a corner and now is walking everywhere. Here's a little preview:



In other Nate news, we took him to a pediatric opthamologist this week for his clogged tear ducts. They've been clogged since birth, and we've tried massaging and eye drops, but with no results. I'll spare you the details of the procedure they did to clear the block, and just say that it was very quick. We're seeing some improvement, so we're hoping it will do the trick. He had a little blood in his tears the day after the procedure, which is typical, so we've had fun call him everything from a true Horned Frog (they spit blood out of their eyes at their predators) to the Bond villan Le Chiffre in Casino Royale.

Circus!

Another awesome cake creation by Aunt Nancy

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Everyone say "chocolate cake!"

You mean this isn't all for me?

Mmm...suddenly my thumb tastes better than ever

We enjoyed a day celebrating Nate with just the four of us, and now we look forward to celebrating with family and friends on Sunday.

Children's Museum

For Nate's first birthday today, we made a trip over to the Fort Worth Science and History Museum. Charlie loved the dinosaurs, and both boys enjoyed the children's museum section. Then we headed to Railhead for a yummy BBQ lunch to complete our morning in Fort Worth.

Nate saying "ROAR" at all the dinosaurs

Paging Dr. Keeney

This is Charlie playing his first game of Candy Land tonight. I can't wait to play lots and lots of games with the boys as they get older.

2009

2009 has been quite a life-changing year, which I think makes it worthy of a little review:

This is the year that our family grew from 3 to 4 with the addition of Nate in January. It's a good thing that the joy doubles when you have two kids, because the challenges double, too. :) It's been a year of figuring out exactly what life looks like now with two kids. How do we keep our marriage strong when we're pulled in so many directions? How do I keep my identity beyond just "mom?" How do I keep keep up with two little souls running around my house? How do I make all these decisions about what's best for them? And the answer to all of these, I learned, is "by God's grace."

It has been a year of tremendous spiritual growth for me. Becoming a mom has taught me so much about my need for God. In June I made that proclamation public when I was baptized at our church. At the time I felt like it was capping of my spiritual journey, but I now know that it was actually just the beginning, and I'm so thankful for how he reveals Himself to me more and more everyday.

I've learned a lot about God's sovereignty this year. It's easy to trust that God is in control when everything is going well, but one's faith is really evident when things take a turn for the worse. We've seen many of our friends and family deal with major illness this year, and while I don't often (OK, almost never) understand it, I know this:

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance;in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:15-16

Life may surprise me, but it never surprises God. So with all the ups and downs, I choose joy.

Here's a look back at some of my favorite posts from this year:

• Charlie sharing his cars
• family photos
• Charlie the toddler
• fun photos
• happy Nathan
• Mavs playoffs
• May misc
• meeting LT
• Charlie turns 2!
• one of my fave photos of the boys
• Charlie starts school
• Pumpkin Party
• happy boys
• first haircut

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

More Snow!

Christmas