Quiet House

silence.

welcome, it's been a while.

in the hustle and bustle of my busy life, you have been neglected.  but as I sit here on a Friday night, I can't escape you.  you are here & I am thankful.  my sweet angel baby is peacefully sleeping and my love is working late at the office. 

I stand and look out the window at the couple across the street watering their garden.  and then over at another pair of neighbors preparing for an early morning yard sale.  it isn't long until my mind returns to the conversation I had with another neighbor earlier today.  my heart is heavy.  they are hurting.  for some reason the Lord crossed our paths today and I don't believe it was a coincidence.  as I whisper a prayer for this family, I'm reminded of the neighbors who prayed over us just the night before.  a prayer for our ministry and the week we are about to spend with their own granddaughter.

 I begin to look at each house and not only see the neighbor and the friendly waves we exchange when we pass, but I see the person, the soul.  the souls that fill these houses.  Lord, are you calling me to be more than another friendly neighbor with a surface wave & smile.  Is that all I have to offer?  why in these past 5 years have these neighbors not gathered for at least one meal in my home?  best of intentions.  the story of my life.  when will my intentions turn into actions?  do they know about my love for Christ, for them? surely my wave & smile is set apart, right? yeah. I know the answer. and I get it, life is busy.  but when will that stop being my excuse.  when intention finally turns into action.  when I let the love of Christ work in and through me and actually listen for what He is calling me to do and do it.

when I stop and listen.  when I quiet down my busy life.  when I welcome you like an old friend, because it is where He speaks and where I listen, sweet silence.

Dancing in the Minefields

Marriage is one of the greatest gifts that God blesses us with. When you get married, you learn how to live, communicate, and grow with that person. Then you begin to grow your little family and you can't thank God enough for the blessings He has so graciously given you.  But in the midst of all these wonderful life changes, you realize one thing, it's not always easy.  Marriage is work.  I recently heard this song by Andrew Peterson, who still has one of the greatest Christmas Albums ever in my book and it made me weep.  It's a beautiful song and it may be the most beautifully written song about marriage and the design of marriage I have ever heard. Below is the full video and song, but especially don't miss these lyrics...

"I do" are the two most famous last words
The beginning of the end
But to lose your life for another I've heard
Is a good place to begin
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/a/andrew_peterson/dancing_in_the_minefields.html ]
'Cause the only way to find your life
Is to lay your own life down
And I believe it's an easy price

For the life that we have found

That's all, just a blog about the beauty of marriage.  Mine is a work in progress and I pray yours is too. 

And it was called Yellow.

Have I ever told you how much I love the color Yellow? Well, I do. I actually love it a lot and I don't know about you, but I. AM. SO. READY. FOR. SPRING!!!! I mean, the snow has been great and all, but I am ready for flowers, green grass, sunshine, birds, planting, and all those other great things that make my hubby sneeze his head off too :) We have been having the most gorgeous weather lately and I am having Spring Fever like crazy!!!  Out with the cold and snow, in with the warmth and COLOR. That's right, I am bringing color back into my home.  Just like Justin brought sexy, I'm bringing color back.

Specifically, Yellow.

I'm working my way through "Total Money Makeover" or should I say, 

Dave Ramsey's kicking my butt the whole way through :)  Steven and I have set some crazy (in a good way) financial goals for ourselves and I have to be reminded daily, as Dave says it best,

"Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else"

Got the gorgeous fabric for the pillow in the front from a sweet friend.

Who else is SOOOO ready Spring?!?

One.

One: It sure has opened up a whole new world that includes Walking, Throwing, This is what I WANT, More personality and a little bit of an attitude :) It's amazing how our baby girl has changed in this first year and all of a sudden she's such a BIG girl!!! 

"But Mommy, I don't want to take any more pictures"
Thanks Holli for capturing this one :)

Some more of my sweet 1 year old....

My mom made this for my first birthday and I had my picture made in it. My mom was doing appliques before they were cool :)

Her Shirt Reads "I am Loved" 

And is that ever true. 

This sweet baby is blessed to be surrounded by A LOT of love!

Put a Bird on it.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I saw this video via another blog I follow.  I know that there are other bird lovers out there so hopefully you will get a little giggle out of this funny video too. I have no idea what this show is, but I do love a little Fred Armisen.

Never Grow Up. Happy Birthday, My Sweet Kate.

A Year.

It came and went in the blink of an eye.

And as I look back to the day that Sweet Baby Kate made her grand entrance into this world, I can't help but remember every emotion I experienced.  I remember it like it was seriously yesterday.  The labor process to bring that sweet child into this world was one that was long and complicated, but I would do it all over again.  If you're a mommy and as crazy as it sounds, you know exactly what I'm talking about!

Baby K was safe and sound in my little large belly so she had no intentions of leaving her little comfortable surroundings.  I'll spare you the details of the long process, so to make it short and sweet it looked a little something like this....

2 days past my due date + 0 cervical dilation + 26 hours of trying to induce labor + oh, she's actually breeched + an emergency c-section = my sweet K's birth story. 

So this is Love.

First Family Picture :)

Fast Forward.

It's been a year since then.  And this sweet baby girl has brought so much joy into our lives it's almost impossible to remember life before.  Even before we met our sweet angel, we referred to her as Sweet Kate and has she ever lived up to that name.  She's changed so much in the past year and as much as I look for myself in her physical features, she still looks. just. like. her. daddy. I mean, yes, some days she does look a little bit like me, but if you compare our baby pictures, she's literally a spitting image of her daddy.  My hair was completely white by my first birthday so I've given up on holding out for blonde hair.  And oh, those cheeks.  No one could deny those Johnston cheeks :)  Her little personality is starting to show more and more everyday and she is continually making us smile.

When I recently heard Miss T. Swift's song "Never Grow Up" I cried, like I do with any song that mentions anything about babies growing up or time moving way too fast or anything closely related.  So when my sister warned me about this sweet little song on T. Swift's new CD, I knew I better grab the tissues.  It's a sweet song about the relationship between a mother and daughter.  If you're a female, you know it's a special bond.  But it takes on a whole new meaning when you actually have your own daughter.  I won't sing the whole song for you, but if you get the chance, take a listen.  It will probably make you cry because A. You never want your little one to grow up or B. You are asking yourself, "when did I grow up?!"

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you

Won't let no one break your heart

And even though you want to
Please try to never grow up

Don't you ever grow up
Just never grow up

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY MY SWEET KATE.
I LOVE YOU,
MOMMY