THE "CITY"

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I think about this "city" the boys built all the time... it has been a wonderful confirmation of the choices we have made for our family...

let me explain...

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First I'll tell you a little about this city they built. Downtown is out of the pic~ the city filled the entire room but downtown was a few big blocks clustered by the door... the rest of it sprawled out and overflowed onto the bottom bunk~ it has an ocean with sea shells, an airport, lots of fossils, houses, a park and now that I remember a couple of oceans with boats, sharks & tons of seashells. There are animals everywhere. At the top of the highest building there is a cross... in the center of it all. Am I trying to brag or tell you how "good" we are? Of course not! I need these kind of things to keep me sane~

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I really mean that... I miss artsy people... I miss intellectual nerdy crowds who talk about ways to do away with cars. I miss sitting around listening to friends pick at their guitars while we discussed to death the grapes that the wine was made of and how they grew them and how someone has been to the vineyard. Sometimes living in this little town with the s l o w pace and being home ALL THE TIME has made me so anxious that I now understand why you hear those stories of the stay at home moms who break out one day and start hanging out at bars... a lot of them are probably really good people who just couldn't take the everyday... the screaming "it's mine!"... the separating fights... the crying... the maid work~ personally I think this much laundry could send anyone down the street screaming!

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It is clear to me that I don't want to work in the fashion industry anymore and work from 12 noon to 2 in the morning out and about at the latest hot spot entertaining some drunk agent... I do however want to be doing some wine tastings or hanging out at an art gallery talking to some fascinating photographer... or do I? They are only little for so long. The fact of the matter is that I am learning to be still... putting aside the flesh to learn what my calling is here. I think there will be a season for more of that out and about kind of thing... later.

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So, as I struggle I will do so joyfully... to choose not to complain... and not that I'm there... my wonderful hubby leaves the room now when I start complaining... need to work on that;)... I am trying to voice things to be grateful for when all I see is void... for I do have much~ just not the "things" I am used to... the things I needed to put away that were distracting me.

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Five Good Things

1. loud giggles filling the room when I'm trying to read
2. hearing the "I'm sorry I hurt you brudder"s
3. new teeth coming in that hurt oh, so bad
4. oragel
5. peace

ciao~alicia

AUTHENTIC

These tulips are more than a sweet gift from the love of my life... the first flowers Chris gave me were tulips and in one of my most precious dreams Jesus walked me into a banquet with the most indescribable white flowers I had ever seen... I still can't draw them or come up with words that are beautiful enough. Ever since then~ that was about 10 years ago~ white flowers seem to calm my soul~ they bring me a hope that is not of this world. Lately I have felt that this blog is kinda fluffy... not that fluffy is bad ~ we all need to laugh and to be inspired by silly things and the every day. But I have felt a spring welling up in me; a spring that needs a well.

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My writings about motherhood may seem hopelessly romantic and like a love story; at least they do to me... sometimes I read them and am like "for real~" for my life has not always been so "bubblegum". The truth is this has been a love story... 10 years ago several doctors told me that it was a miracle that I was alive and that I was not guaranteed tomorrow. The details are not important right now but that was none the less a pivotal time. They proceeded to tell me that I would probably never have children and that I could drop dead of a heart attack at any moment. That was the worlds' report~ I have been healed. Like I said, the details of this are not important now~ some of you know them... most of you don't. So, motherhood, although a struggle sometimes is a love affair for me. I look down into those precious eyes and I cannot believe that I am privileged to care for their bodies, to nurture their souls and to kiss the boo boos.

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More about this journey another day~ may the peace that passes all understanding be with you and I today as we take one more step towards home~ what a glorious time we have here but what glory is coming in the eternal... may I be content in today and work for my place in His kingdom... Amen

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Five Good Things

1. transparency
2. vulnerability
3. second chances
4. life
5. authenticity

ciao~alicia

TODDLER

He's not a baby anymore...

I had to move his crib because he was turning on his light during nap time and waking us all up at 4:00 in the morning crying... He's slept through the night for a long time now but I guess he wakes up during the night and has been playing with this little light.

His words are too many to keep up with ...

He is the little fish of the family; Christopher & Nate were never really interested in putting their faces in the water until they were older. This little guy is diving in head first in the bathtub and blowing bubbles all over the place~ oh, how he loves bath time with his brothers.

He loves everything about being a big boy... he chases his brothers and joins in their games. They welcome him in, give him a job and it is oh, so cute.

His favorite conversation is "what you doin?" this jumbled phrase means where are you going?, what are you doing? and you can answer him and he usually gives you a big long "ohhh". Precious.

He loves oatmeal and apples and chocolate.

Daddy hung the moon and the stars.

He also loves to tickle everyone and will lift up his shirt and make the more sign for a big raspberry on his tummy~ you know when you blow on it loud?... one of his favorite things ever. His laugh is contagious.

I have to say I cannot wait until the diapers are gone! Five years solid of changing diapers and these hands look 40!

We are entering a new season... time for me to pick up some more things just for me... Lord willing I will be starting my Masters Degree in the fall at DBU! I will also be homeschooling Christopher and Nate... yes, I said it. Over the next few months we will be changing this house... our little museum is up in the hallway, pics to come. And the big boys room is going to be our classroom/playroom! All the boys will be bunking in the little room and I can't wait to hear what goes on in there when the lights are turned out!

What a journey... what a season.

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Five Good Things

1. Snow!~ we had record breaking snowfall!
2. My crock pot~ yummy stuff coming out of this kitchen lately!
3. Little guitar players... Lee Boy Band?
4. Messes... they can always be cleaned
5. Magnetic Poetry on the fridge~ I missed writing!

ciao~alicia

GOLD

my accidental pic... cleaning the bathroom turned into a trip down memory lane looking at pics of the boys... this is the look of time flies... this was one of those days that he just woke up bigger...

fresh fruit masterpiece by Nate

warm winter day pictures and pages at the Kimbell

Just a few golden moments...

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Five Good Things

1. art
2. Poetry on the fridge
3. Smores made in the fireplace
4. Dancing with the boys
5. Warm socks on cold tile

ciao~ alicia

HAITI

#nowplaying All That I Can Say by David Crowder Band on playlist.com! Click here to listen Posted using ShareThis

THE KIMBELL

I'm not making any resolutions this year...

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I want 2010 to be the year of transparency...

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I found these pics... there are about 10~ it is the day I was talking about in the last post at the Kimbell...

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I love being a wife, a mom & a searcher... may this year bring into it more than I ever dreamed it would... and for you as well.

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Five Good Things

1. books with old pages that crinkle
2. people like Dan Phillips who inspire me
3. new ideas and dreams to be anti-paper plate again
4. work... cleaning... may I not complain so much!
5. compliments~ they just feel good and I've never let myself eat them up like I do now... I love to give them even more

ciao~alicia

FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT... FINALLY!

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I never posted these... I couldn't decide which ones to... I LOVE these pics... they were taken at the Kimbell... this was the first place I took Christopher & Nate together~ Nate was a couple of weeks old and Christopher ran around in an open field for the first time~ I'll never forget that day or this one either~ we had all of us there!~

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Five Good Things

1. good photographers~ thanks April!
2. green umbrellas~ I had to keep these!
3. sea shells from Chris~
4. hats for boys
5. naps!

ciao~alicia

WHITE WINTER DAY

Cold pink noses... little hand prints... & big flakes... it snowed on Christmas and now... MORE!

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Five Good Things

1. White Christmas Snow
2. Back rubs
3. Hot coco to warm little tummies
4. abc mittens from Aunt Vicki
5. each snowflake is different~ hmmmm

ciao~alicia

CHRISTMAS... PEACE

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This year was a different Christmas... we stayed home a little more... enjoyed simple things more like baking cookies and just being together doing puzzles... we shopped for family and I watched kid generosity~ (not that they have mastered it ... but when Christopher walked in the kitchen with Nate's gift behind his back and said "look what I got for you Nate... you don't know what it is" my heart melted...)

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Chris and I stuck to tradition and spent Christmas Eve wrapping presents, hiding new bikes, and watching White Christmas (twice)... these Santas went to bed at 5!

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So, sip some coco and snuggle in for the rest of the winter~ this is going to be an amazing new year with new challenges and new growth... love to all...

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Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!

Luke 2:14

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Five Good Things

1. A King was born... oh Mary!
2. it was a white Christmas for real!
3. Chanel parfum from my Santa
4. babies opening gifts... Coop lifting out presents and saying "wow!"
5. Tradition~puzzles... we are becoming enthralled with puzzles; memories and the best family chat... ever

ciao~alicia

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS HOUSE

Merry Christmas!

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Five Good Things

1. pajama parties for baby Jesus
2. Santa Chris~ bless him~ he found all his bikes!
3. baking with little boys
4. Coop's new words~ hungry, here you go, MAMA!!!
5. my iphone camera

Ciao~alicia