This moment :: underwater swimming

{ This Moment } 

A Friday ritual. 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

More moments over here: SouleMama

Hoping your weekend is filled with people and things you cherish

~*~            ~*~            ~*~            ~*~            ~*~            ~*~

Hannah swimming underwater at the YMCA

Veterans Day

:: Thankful for ::

Our American Veterans 

who have chosen 

and some that still are choosing 

to put their very own lives on the line for us.

Thank you!!

xoxoxox

Autumn Walk

 

 Daisy is pulling Hannah on her shoes with wheels (Heely's)

I love walking with my girls...they are so funny to be around. My son is too, but he's not so excited about afternoon walks. haha 

Out enjoying the crisp autumn days with them and our pooches is one of my favorite things to do...no agenda, just walking, talking and enjoying each other and the scenery...
love, love, love scenery in the Pacific Northwest

The L word

this is what LOVE looks like between an 8 year old girl and her kitty

If you know my family personally, you would remember that Sophie had a kitty go missing this past summer that she loved DEARLY. Her Joseph.

 the subject of these photos (and around 100 more) is my kitty Owen. as her mama my heart broke for her when I had to tell her of her missing Joseph. I told her that she can be Owen's mama. For awhile she didn't want to be...she still wants a wiener dog too.

Now she says she is Owen's half mama. :o)

Healing is starting.

He is such a patient boy...sitting, bathing and sleeping through many photos being taken and a few videos too.

 She probably had a few hundred more in her too. :o)

Have a GREAT day!

Today

Today :: that one word symbolizes so many different things to so many different people.

This weekend I had some emotions of exhaustion catch up with me.  Life doesn't have to be tragic for us to get exhausted does it? We can get exhausted doing  good things. (buying a new home in the country by myself, homeschooling 4 kids, running a home business, earning a BA degree...for example) hehe

But...nevertheless exhaustion is exhaustion.

So when we recognize...what do we do? We give ourselves and others more grace. At least that is what it leads me to do.


So TODAY in the midst of obligations that need to be met I will breath a little slower and be mindful that the world doesn't spin because I am doing what I am doing...
God is in control and that gives me such PEACE.

The piano is HERE

 When we moved to this home almost a year ago we didn't have enough man power or the vehicle to move this beauty...we tried several times to coordinate and it didn't work out.

Time kept spinning and finally it is HERE!

we have really missed it!

The second it was in Sophie was there playing it. 

She has practiced for a month on a construction paper keyboard that we made together. The first day it was in she played for at least 4 hours. she composed around 7 songs (they sounds pretty good too I might add) and her Grandma and Grandpa in Alaska got to hear and watch her play on Skype. :o)

Now for Owen to learn to play she says!

Life

:: Enjoying :: 

November sun streaming in the windows

Woodstove crackling in the other room

Beautiful colors on all of the trees

Sitting beside Hannah & Sophie and chatting while they do their schoolwork

:: Dreading ::

Calling and scheduling contractors to come through this week to bid on electric, plumbing, heating, etc

 that's about all I am dreading...

happy for that!

:: Thankful for ::

Supportive family and friends

A warm home

Daughters and a son that don't make me want to pull out my hair (for the most part-ha!)

A God that loves me and never forsakes me