socks

This is an oldie from a place I used to "blog", but it is still so true, so I thought I would share it again here...

I detest socks. Not only do I detest wearing the darn things, but I don't like to wash them or mate then once they are clean and dry. I leave them for last when I am folding laundry. Most of the time, I just leave them in the basket and let them accumulate. I can justify this because everyone has plenty of socks and it seems they will never run out. But run out, they do. And when there are no socks, there is usually a lot of complaining around our house. It's not always about the socks, necessarily. But there is complaining, nonetheless. I wonder if there is some cosmic reason my family complains more when there are no socks. The end.

crazy days

This past week has been full of sewing for me. I chose to make my girls' Easter outfits this year. I have no regrets, but I am drained. It was hard work, and I had to neglect the housework, my schoolwork, and sleep. Here are the finished products...

Miss Carleigh Grace

Bayleigh Joy

Brianne Hope

Bella Faith

And then there are my handsomes...

Cameron Scott

Caleb Austin

I have these little girls...amazing creatures they are. Not that my boys aren't amazing, but they are boys...old enough to not need to capture my attention with their boy-ness. But my girls...there's just something about them that melts me. Whatever the charm is can make me forget about any trouble or trial I might be facing. It's like therapy. It might only be a smile as big as the world from Bella; an "I love you" for no reason at all from my mini me Carleigh; or the beautiful eyes of Bri that let me know just how much she adores me. To them, I am something really great...and the sweet moments I get to witness daily from them make me feel as if I am everything they believe I am. God has gently nudged me for months now to slow down and drink in the little moments like these. At first, I was defiant...not deliberately so, but disobedient all the same. He showed me little by little what I have been missing by being so caught up in the J-O-B of motherhood that I was missing the blessing that motherhood truly is. As a result of my new journey, I embrace the quirks that once upset my routine...and it has given me great determination to capture some of the sweet memories I am making by camera. So...here are my girls.

This is Bri. I took a series of pictures of her as she was drifting off to sleep in the swing. This was the final one. Her little lips were moving in a sucking motion...made me want to pick her up and just squeeze her!

Bella...what do you say about a Bella? She's the coolest almost-two-year-old I know. This was her...just waking up for the day and being so sweet. She likes to play with me before she gets out of her bed everyday. I used to not take the time...I would just leave her in her bed until she was ready to get out. But now, I play. We had just played peek-a-boo with her blanket that she has to have (along with her thumb in her mouth) before she can go to sleep. She even thanks me when I give it to her! Peek-a-boo is her favorite game to play in the morning...and we have lovingly nicknamed her "Boo" as a result. I'm not sure we even call her Bella at home anymore. Even the other kids have started calling her Boo.

This is my first "Sweet Pea" Carleigh, for whom I named my photography business. Of course, there I am...can you see the resemblance? HA! Carleigh is spunky for sure. My word to describe her is sparkly. But only if it said the way she says it..."Spark-a-lee"! She likes all things sparkly...but sparkly to her can be a beautiful new haircut, which is what she thought of my new cut a few weeks back. Her response..."I want that, too!" So, I gave it to her. She doesn't know this, but if this was how she asked me, I would give her anything in the world. Carleigh challenges me in ways I never thought I would be. But at the core of all that mischief is a girl who asks me every night to sing Baby Mine to her. There was a period I didn't have time. Now, I dare not refuse her. The day just isn't complete without that song. I imagine one day she will sing that to her own sweet baby girl.

How rich am I?