Absolutely Still???

What has my active three year old standing absolutely still?



mesmerized...



completely enthralled?



His uncle Adam introduced him to... the Wii.

Precious Moments in Our Family

On Sunday, we celebrated a wonderful family day at the baptism of my sweet niece, Avery.



My brother and his wife attend a Lutheran church close to their home and asked both sides of the family to join them on their important day. From the moment we entered the doors of the church, the people opened their arms to greet our family. From the music to the liturgy to the baptism service itself, the entire day was a precious time for our family to spend together.



Avery Grace is our "miracle girl," and we are honored to stand by her parents as they raise her. We desire to be a help, a constant source of support, anything you need at a moment's notice. In short, we desire to be what God created us to be ... family.



Perhaps at no other time has my family understood what it means to support, to love, to stand by each other's side. What a precious time to welcome Avery to our family.


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In other news, my dad has a blog! Can you believe it??? Well, actually, Jenny and I convinced him that he needed a blog during this time of his life. He is recording his journey to cancer at

"A Cheerful Heart is Good Medicine"

Please click on the link above and leave my dad a comment. I know that your words are so encouraging to him during this time. He is so deeply loved by all of his family!

The Wardrobes

I ran by CVS this morning to have some pictures developed. About an hour later my sister went to pick them up. "Oh, I have been waiting for you!" the photo assistant cheerfully said when she saw my sister. "Your last name is Q___, right?" My sister just stared at her. She was so pleased with herself for having remembered my face. "you have a great memory," my sister said. "But that was actually my sister you met earlier today.

Such is the life of being 18 months apart from your big sister.

Yesterday, we had a precious day celebrating the baptism of my niece, Avery. I had my outfit not only picked out - but on my body. A cute little dress I bought several months ago. As I walked out the door, I yelled to my parents, "give me one minute, my dress feels a little short. I am going to throw on pants." As I saw my sister walk into the church an hour later I shook my head in disbelief. It was a good thing I changed, for in walked my sister in the exact same dress I had on only an hour earlier. We would have looked like 32 year old twins. Awesome.

Such is the life of being 18 months younger than your big sister.

Jenny and I also share a photo account right now. It just makes sense for us because our children are normally together and the pictures reflect them all. Imagine my delight when I opened my photo account online this morning and found...



and this



and this...



Please, dear Lord, if I have another child, let it be a girl. After all, someone needs to inherit this precious girl's wardrobe.

I think it is only fitting for me to be the recipient. There are some benefits to being only 18 months younger than your big sister.

My Boy

No words needed... I love this little one!

Have I mentioned Austin's new favorite past time yet?



If not, it is only because I am circling the block trying to keep up with my son...



After one day on the bike he looked at me and said, "Okay, mom... I am ready to take off these training wheels. Let's get moving!" I was able to convince him that we needed the training wheels just a little bit longer until he is a little more stable.

So, come rain or shine, my boy will be riding. Thank goodness Grandma has hardwood floors and doesn't mind us riding through the kitchen!



*** Disclaimer... we do use a bike helmet when biking outside of the kitchen.

**** Disclaimer #2: These pictures are fuzzy because I cannot get him to sit still long enough on a bike to get a good picture!

Happy Birthday to My Dad!

There are a few things that we love around this home...



A reason to celebrate! So the first question out of Austin's mouth after opening Christmas presents on Christmas day was... "So, Momma, what's the next holiday?"

He wasn't overly impressed with New Year's. He had been in bed for hours before the proper celebrating took place...

So, he was thrilled to learn that Grandpa's birthday would take place in early January!

Birthday hats? he asked.



Oh yes, I replied.

Cupcakes?



How could I resist?

So, from the youngest in our family...



to the oldest... (that's you, dad!)



We just took some time to celebrate!

The Lord is Gracious

Going through pictures and I just have to ask...

Is this the cutest little girl that you have ever laid your eyes on?



This is my brother's sweet baby girl



and she is absolute miracle in every sense of the word!



Your aunt is completely smitten, sweet Avery.

Sometimes Words are Needed

The past six months of our lives have been topsy-turvy and upside down. This blog has become a scrapbook of sorts of pictures for Austin while I have written other thoughts in journals and private places. Writing in itself has always been so healing for me, but there are so many things that I am just not ready for the whole world wide web to know about me!

Six months ago, we moved back to Florida to live with my parents. The reasons for that move would become secondary as I would discover our primary purpose here in town - to be with family. Just a few short weeks ago, my dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow). In less than a month, he will enter the hospital for a bone marrow/ stem cell transplant. The doctors plan for him to be in the hospital for at least three to four weeks at that time. There is no other place in the world that I would want to be during this time in my family's life.

Our friends and family have been a constant support system during a very difficult time, and when James was offered a job in Florida, we knew that it was time to put our beloved Texas home on the market. Less than a month after listing our home, we were thrilled to agree to a closing date and started making preparations for the big move.

Last week we flew to Texas to pack up a home filled with so many amazing memories. Our friends stood by our sides as we packed and loaded a huge budget truck. Friends... a precious seminary friend who I hadn't seen in five years to my next door neighbors. They came. They helped me pack my house and within hours I stood looking at boxes ready to be loaded onto the truck. This is one of the rare times in my life when I am at a loss for how to tell someone how much I appreciate them. How individuals truly become the gospel of Christ for me at times when I am hurting the most.

Hurt... there has been too much of it over the past six months. Many of my friends used the new year as a time to reminisce and do a yearly wrap up from their blog. I wasn't ready. I still am not ready to reminisce some of the pain from 2009. But, I know that I am ready for fresh beginnings, for second chances, and for all of the ashes to be turned into beauty in the years to come.

I have restrained hope for this year. Am I allowed to even put that adjective before the word hope? Restrained for I know that the process ahead will be painful and difficult. My dad will enter chemo. They will harvest his stem cells, and I will watch him become ill. Very ill. I am not the same woman I was six months ago. I will be changed even more in the six months to come. But one thing I know. He is faithful. As I look back over the past six months, I am grateful for a God who guided our steps. A Savior who allowed me to enter rest at my parents' home. For the provision God granted by selling a home in Texas and starting life again in Florida - to be here with my family.

A precious friend wrote me today about provision - it is God's provision for only he can see the future (proVISION). He will continue to provide in ways that I don't understand at the moment, but will cherish in retrospect.

In college, I claimed a verse: Hebrews 10:23. I have often searched for another verse to become my theme verse for that stage of time. Nothing, however, has ever seemed appropriate... because nothing has ever described Him better to me.

And so today... I will continue "to hold unswervingly to the Hope I profess, for He who Promised IS FAITHFUL." Hebrews 10:23.

My Girls!

Two Weeks!!!

It has honestly been two weeks since I last blogged????

We have been busy - traveling to Texas, closing the sale of our house, packing up every belonging, uhauling everything back across the country, finding a new place to live.

But, the best part of the last two weeks has been this:



Yes, I am in love all over again... with the two most beautiful girls in the world.




and



I love being an aunt!

Grandma's Wild Ride

We are enjoying watching life go by...



and trying our best to enjoy every moment



(This is how I found Austin and his cousin, Andrew, a few days ago. They were having fun putting grandpa's old cowboys and indians on grandma's new carousel! They were mesmerized watching the men go around and around. I want to be like this cowboy in 2010, enjoying every moment of this crazy ride!)

Picture of the Day.

I thought that this was my favorite picture from January 1, 2010.



Until I walked out into the living room and saw this:



"Are we going bike riding?" I asked.

"Mom, these aren't bike helmets," my three-year-old replied in his most matter-of-fact voice. "These are football helmets. We are playing some FOOTBALL!"

And so, I hope that your start to the new year has been like ours- filled with family, food, and plenty of football!