Live Fully in 2012

I reminisced through our older pictures. 

Hunter was a toddler, Lillian was just a baby. I didn't even know I'd be blessed with 2 more amazing people to care for.

As I clicked through them, I started to feel the most awful ache in my heart. As if it were in a vise, causing actual pressure, ready to burst through my throat and gush tears from my eyes. I LONG for those memories to be tangible again. To have them back in those precious moments. It all seems like such a blur now. Ahhhh. Time is an enemy of youth. 

I love them dearly. 

Why must they grow up?

Somehow, unless we pay real close attention, time escapes us. 

That's why I am joining the 1000 Gifts Challenge for 2012.

The book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are is a life changer. Seriously. Though provoking, inspired words. If ever I could suggest a book to someone, it would be this one.

That's why I am joining the challenge to slow down time; to share time with myself and give myself 1000 gifts to preserve that which I love so dearly. 

I will be writing down 3 blessings a day - things I am thankful for, things that strike a chord with me. They will be my doorway back in time when the tangibility of them has passed.

Join me in this GIFT TO YOURSELF. Value the small things. Treasure the things you THINK will last forever with you because they will fade.

Above all, give GLORY! Praise God for the Gifts He so graciously gives.

 

Vote For Me..... If you want :)

 I am entered into a contest with this photo I took of Lily. 

If y'all could vote me into the winning spot, that would be wonderful!

***READ*** 

Likes and comments on these images to not count as a vote. If you are a voter please find what image is your favorite. Find the name of the photographer in the description of their image. Go to the blog and leave a comment saying that you "like" Catching Memories Photography and __________ is your favorite! For a second vote, follow the blog and leave a comment saying that you're a follower and _________ is your favorite!

Thank you for supporting your favorite!
To read about the contest, the rules, the prize etc etc... please read the blog post by going to this link.

http://catchingmemoriesphoto.blogspot.com/2011/08/photo-contest-for-you-winner-receives.html

Thanks! And pretty please spread the word! Have your awesome friends vote. They'll be happy to be in contact with an awesome photographer, too! 

Catching Memories Photography

My Safety Threatened

I never thought it would happen to me.

We all have said or thought that about some issue in life, I'm sure.

Well, for me and my family that fear came true.

This last week, Thursday, I was pulling out the flour bin, the salt, milk, honey and yeast. It was a normal afternoon. The kids were playing outside and the baby was sleeping peacefully.

Then I got a phone call that was anything but peaceful.

"Honey! Have you looked outside? Do you see the smoke?" I heard FEAR.

It was my husband. He was on his way home from work when he came up over a hill and saw huge clouds of billowing smoke in the direction of our house.

I went outside. I about collapsed. There, from our driveway, I could see that same smoke across the road atop a hill, just above our house. FEAR.

My first thought was FEAR.

Things up until that moment were normal, peaceful. CALM.

Without knowing how rapidly the fire was spreading, I gathered essentials (kids, clothes and kitty) and a few valuables (laptop, camera, important documents) and loaded up in the van. 

All the while, my husband was stopped on the freeway just a mile from our home, helplessly staring at the flames and dense smoke that covered the hill, praying that his family and our home would be spared. 

I was able to get out of the town and to the safety of a family members home. 

My husband was left (in a no cell reception area, by the way) for an hour and a half before finally joining us.

Throughout the evening, we watched news reports, praying that the firefighters would be able to keep the flames at bay. They were using 3 helicopters supplied with water buckets, dunking them in the river and relentlessly dousing the fire. 

Let me just say, GOD IS GOOD. God is merciful. 

We learned that the fire had spread over 560 acres! No houses were burned. NOT ONE!

What an amazing response the fire fighters had! And, the master Firefighter was also there, I am sure of it.

As the smoke thinned and we were eventually able to return to our spared home, I couldn't help but notice what I had ensured to safety as we fled the fire. 

My kids, myself and the kitty.

LIFE.

Everything else was of little importance. It made me realize how incredibly blessed we are to have what we want and "need" in abundance. It reminded me not to take things for granted and to value the blessings I have.

It also taught me to TRUST.

It was human to respond with fear in that moment when our future and our safety was unclear.

I need to give myself and my family over more fully to the will of the Lord. 

He could have taken my "security" and burned it to the ground.

But He had GRACE. 

In a teaching at our church a number of weeks back, the pastor said, "If God stopped thinking of us for 

ONE SECOND we would die."

WOW!

We are absolutely saved by grace. 

I am so thankful to have been reminded of my Amazing Savior through this ordeal.

The prayers offered on our behalf are so cherished, Thank you all for keeping us close to your hearts this last weekend. I am grateful for you in my life.

By Joe Garcia

By Diane Dekany

By Joe Garcia

Update

So the visit to the LC went great. 

Abigail actually nursed... without the screaming and arching of her back.

I was very happy. She gave me a few tips to get Abigail back on track. I'll definitely keep them in the fore-front of my mind. 

The LC also said this is the prime time for babies to go on a nursing strike.

It seems silly, though, for a baby who gets no other source of sustenance to just wake up one day and say, 

"Huh. I think I'll stop nursing so my mom will feed me ice cream instead."

Anyway, she's back to nursing! 

I also had her checked for an ear infection. NO INFECTION! I am so thankful.

I really feel like God did listen to my prayers on this... and yours too, if you sent some up :)

Nursing my babies is one of the most precious and cherished things I have ever been blessed to do and I know God knows my heart on that.

Taken for Granted

My littlest little won't nurse :(

She arches back, screams and cries when I try to feed her. 

Nursing was going so well. She did perfectly from the first hour of birth. Boy did I take that for granted!

It also brings back terrible memories of when my second baby, Lillian, wouldn't nurse. I felt like I was failing her. I was producing enough milk, I tried changing my diet, using a shield... nothing helped. 

I don't want to repeat that with Abigail.

Abigail is doing the EXACT same things at the EXACT same age as Lily did. I am praying that we can figure it out and get back on track. As it turned out with Lily, she was prone to ear infections and ended up needing her adenoids removed at age 2 and tubes put in her ears. She hasn't had an ear infection since. 

If that seems to be the case with Abigail, I'll be somewhat relieved to know what I'm in for. 

Your prayers in this matter are cherished. 

In a world plagued by the horrors of cancer, this issue seems to crumble in comparison.

I am encouraged that nothing is too small for God. 

I have to trust that He'll see fit to work His plan even in this small thing.

I see a lactation consultant tomorrow and Sweet Little has an appointment to check for an ear infection.

 Look for an update :)

Matthew 10:29 

29 "...yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. 

30 As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 

31 So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows"

.

Child vs. Wild

One of our favorite shows is Man vs. Wild. 

We all love it. We love to cringe and awe at the awful and dangerous stuff Bear Grylls does. 

Hunter is absolutely hooked!

Today, Hunter, Lily and Emma were playing outside and I told them that they needed to stay on our (still unfinished) garage pad at the front of the house.

Hunter stated, very matter-of-fact, 

"Mommy, I cannot. We are being Bear Grylls and he explores."

It was very cute. I decided to stop doing dishes and play outside with them. 

We had a grand ol' time! I snapped a few pictures for documentation of our survival efforts. :)

Throwing the spear we made

A close-up of the spear bound with oak bark

Gathering bedding material

Pretending with flint over their campfire

Testing out the bed :)

My precious little Emma

The "bones" of the shelter

Creative to the core, Hunter made a grass band-aid for a hard work inflicted cut

Softening the shelter floor

Spider snacks :)

Spider snacks, "beetles", "leaves" and the little finger is pointing at "droppings" :)

He was totally channeling Bear

Handsome little guy

Lily practically refuses to wear shoes. She was keepin' it real.

Eating the "leaves" :)

Siesta time :) Love him

And the whole survival clan in their new home. They DID NOT want to come inside after this :)

Playing the Day Away

Today we went on a family day trip to one of our favorite places to be a part of God's amazing creation. 

Whiskey Springs

Just outside of Butte Falls, it is a campground and day use area.

The water is freezing, fresh from the mountains, trickling steadily along.

We started out with a picnic lunch and BB gun practice. 

Then it was on to our hike through the trails.

  My wonderful family :)

 


My heart is not my own. 

It belongs to these precious littles.

 

 

 

 

The water was rushing so gently and the bugs were chirping their monotonous comfort. We were the only ones there and it certainly felt like it was all just for us. The kids didn't want to go home.

Hunter expressed how grateful he was to live in such a beautiful place. I second that.
God knows His stuff :)

A Sticker is a Sticky Thing

When we leave the pediatrician's office, the nurse gives the kids each a sticker. 

That's great!

They waited patiently while one, two or three of them got poked and examined. 

They sat quietly on the chairs and looked at books.

They were border-line perfect.

But when we get to the van, the debate starts....

"Mommeeeeeeee! But I want to put my sticker on the window!"

My answer varies, which it probably shouldn't. 

Sometimes, I say, 

"Okay, but only until next time we come to the doctor, then you switch stickers"

or

"No, I don't want the adhesive to ruin the windows,"

either way......

The adhesive gets on there.

SO, today's morning was spent washing the van's windows. 

It occurred with protest from little voices and tears that, to them, were incredible valid.

BUT,

The stickers were removed.

The answer to my "sticky situation" may be easier than I had originally thought.

A STICKER BOOK!!!

 

 So, now when we go to the pediatrician's office, I won't inwardly grimace when the nurse asks that looming question, 

"Can they have a sticker?"

I will smile and be glad that they were angels in the office. 

And when we get to the van, there will be an accomplished grin on my face, for I will have solved the sticker dilemma. Those cute and sometimes pesky rewards will finally have a home, one not under my fingernails.

A New Direction

I have finally given in! 

Yes, I am now a member of this thing called "blogging".

I am excited to see how I do. 

I can't imagine that what I have to say will be very 'hot topics', but I want to try this new era of journaling for myself.

I love to follow blogs, so having one of my own should be fun. 

First things first..... How do i make this thing look awesome? :)