He is Risen!

This is so very delayed, but I can't force myself to write sometimes...

Praise God, on Good Friday, on Easter Sunday, every day of this crazy/beautiful life because He is Risen!  This Easter was once again a much needed reminder of the Truth that I accepted long ago, but so often fail to live. If He is truly the Resurrected King, I need to live like a princess of heaven!  My girls, of course, love the idea that they are really princesses, but our King is not a haughty ruler, but a servant king!  To live as His children, hoping towards our own resurrection, we must humbly serve Him and love others with His love.  I want to love, but usually for my own gain, instead of for His glory.  I need to live for Him and show my children through my life and love that this is not just a good way, not just the best way, but it is the only way to true happiness, joy, and heaven.

Up from the grave He arose!

With a mighty triumph o'er His foes;

He arose a victor from the dark domain,

and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.

He arose, He arose, Hallelujah! Christ arose!

What Truth did were you reminded of this Easter season?  If this all seems weird to you, please ask me about the hope I have! ;)

The Dream

The Dream.

We all have one.

In mine, there is a tall, blue castle with many turrets, a large black-eared mouse, and three beautiful little girls with  mouths agape with wonder.

Is my dream an idol?  This is what a wrestle with, daily.  My sister got back from her senior class trip to Disney world last night, and just looking at the pictures almost brought tears to my eyes.  Grace was overjoyed looking at each fabulous shot of one of her favorite characters...and then came the statement,

"I want to go to Disney World."

In this moment, in the present life of our family, my dream will remain just that.  We are still quite homeless (despite the mortgage payments) and my husband's equally beautiful dream of returning to our little home will be realized soon...but his, like mine, is an expensive dream, and of course much more necessary!  We have no idea what our financial situation will be at the end of this trial, but regardless, we cannot make big plans for lavish vacations at this time. 

But back to my question: is it idolatry?  We all make idols of things- comfort, happiness, excitement...true joy, I know, can only come from the Lord.  It is in Him that I find my comfort, His Word derives excitement, my hope in Him makes me truly happy.  So when does a dream become an idol?  I suppose it happens when the dream lives in your heart, in the place where Christ belongs.  The best things in life turn to idolatry when they become the most important thing...when attaining the dream, rather than glorifying the Lord, becomes our focus.

By this definition, I would say that sometimes my dream is my idol.  But in my purer moments, the dream is good, and I don't think it is impossible.  It will take time, focus on other things, saving, planning, maturity of heart and mind, and other such small miracles to get us there.  For now, I can continue to dream, but more importantly I will live, here and now, for my God.  I will do His will by caring for those dearest blessings and dreams which He has given me; three beautiful little girls, who leave my mouth agape with wonder every day.

What is your dream?

Funny Face of the Day

"Gimme a kiss!"

My Amazing Imagineer

I remember the first time she asked me to pretend to be Cinderella's wicked stepmother.

"Not in public, only at home," I replied.

I just didn't like the idea of the sweet girl who I had carried in my womb and nursed on my breast referring to me as "Stepmovver" at the grocery store.

It seems as if we've been living in a world of make believe ever since Grace could talk...or maybe since she discovered princesses.  (Which I never thought would happen, but that belongs in a separate post!)  In her short five and a half years, Grace has been a caterpillar, an astronaut, a robot, a puppy dog, and a queen of an imaginary land.  And that's just Monday!

Right now she is Ponyo, a Japanese goldfish who falls in love with a little boy and turns into a little girl.  We watched the movie Ponyo yesterday, and the moment it was over she was running around in circles and asking for ham (Ponyo's favorite food).  When she woke up this morning she rushed through breakfast (quite a rarity) so that she could get into her red Ponyo dress.

Ponyo

There are times that I tire of having to stay in character as the evil queen, the rabbit mother, or the big bad wolf.  We even have a rule that Mommy can't be asked to play make believe when we are trying to get out of the house in a hurry (read: Sunday mornings).  I will never tire, though, of my beautiful dreamer's imagination.  I am even jealous, I think, of the world in which she lives.  I want to be Lucy, walking through the wardrobe into that magical land, or Eloise, who has her run of the entire Plaza hotel, or Mulan, a soldier who saves her nation.  I can't be those girls; my imagination started to wane long ago.  I am proud and blessed, though, to be their mother.

Bunny

Gypsy Girl

Fairy

Dr. Gracie

Cinderella

Queen Amidala

Tinker Bell (with Peter Pan and Captain Hook, her favorite partners in imagining!) 

Flamingo at the zoo!

Eloise

Cindy Lou Who(s)

Funny Face of the Day

Is he feeling super sultry?  Or is this just disdain at my incessant need to take pictures like this?

My Best Friend

"My beloved, you are the lover of my impossible soul." ~Sufjan Stevens

I am just so in love with this man.  He is an amazing husband, father, and friend for me.  10 years ago I was pining away for that cute boy Jesse Kafka, not even able to imagine how wonderful a life with him could be...I just wanted to hold his hand and go to the movies!  Today I know that my life would be a mess without him.  

He takes care of me, he leads me, he ministers to my impossible soul.

He has never thought twice about being a father of girls.  (Not that he had a choice!)  People ask me if he is going to make me "keep trying" for a boy.  While we both want more children, and would love to have a son, Jesse just isn't one of those "I need to have a boy" kind of guys.  He plays rough and tumble with his little girls, 

encourages them to be active and tough, but is also always willing to be their Prince Charming.

He is a SERIOUS sports fan, but I love that he has perspective!  He watches games, listens to sports radio, reads articles, and follows every major sport (and even some minor ones), but sports are not his life. 

 He is overjoyed when his team wins, but a big loss never ruins his day!

He is a serious, smart, mature man, but he knows how to have fun!  We are always arguing about which of us is funnier (it's me, by the way) but we usually just end up laughing about the dumb things we both say!

He is a great sport and even agreed to wear pink for Evie's 1st birthday party.  

(After I assured him that he looked extremely masculine in it!)

Here's something superficial I love about my husband-he is really cute...and has a big face.  I have been plagued with a large head all my life, and I'm so glad to have a husband whose head does not make mine look gi-hugic in pictures.  

Weird, but true.

He is so interested in his children.  Always willing to talk and listen to them!

He is really good at his job, and he does it cheerfully.  It is such a blessing that Jesse has a job that he loves, and even more so that he works hard to provide for his family!  I miss him so much when he is away on business, but we are all so grateful for his job!

He has never been scared of the babies, even when they were very little.  Diaper changing, supporting me through childbirth and nursing, groggily replacing the baby's pacifier in the middle of the night...he has always been a natural!

I love that all of my girls have his face!  I fell in love with that face, and I love seeing it over and over again in different shades and sizes!

He is not too grown-up to play!

He has never forgotten the promises he made on our wedding day.  I am not the woman I want to be, not the wife that I strive to be, but he loves me with the love of Christ, he cherishes, sacrifices, and daily lays down his life.  God has blessed me beyond measure with my wonderful husband, and I am forever in awe of His love and grace to us, two sinners in love.

Love never fails.

Funny Face of the Day

Newborns don't really make funny faces, it's more like they just have funny faces!  

This is one of my favorite faces Adelaide made as a new little one!