mre later

I'm too tired from all the fun from this weekend. But I thought I would at least leave with a photo.
Will update when I am actually awake
Good night.
And Happy Labor Day!

lovelovelovelovelovelove

Have I mentioned that my big girl has been riding her bike without training wheels for a few months now? Or that she has lost THREE teeth!?
I told you.....we've had a lot of things going on around here. And there is life that I feel like I am missing & yet i am with them every day!! I'm thankful that most of their days are still with me. I'm thankful that I understand most of what they are talking about becuase, well, I was probably there. I love these kids more than I ever thought I could.
And this love I feel for them has had me meditating on this Love that the Father has for me.
My love for these children pales in comparison.
I know that.

I am overwhelmed by that.

But I am learning that there really is nothing they could do to make me stop loving them.
Nothing.
I am thankful for a Father who stands at the door and knocks.
Not waiting for me to get it right.
Not waiting until I clean up my act.

And I am grateful that I can convey that love to my children.
Not that I always do.
But it is my daily prayer.

That I would not get in the way.
That I would not misrepresent who He is.
Knowing that His love covered it all on the Cross.

a picture

I will be back to this thing....soon....i promise!
We had a great summer - one that ended with a whole lot of activity. Fun - super fun activity. And getting back into the groove of the real world has been harder than I thought. As if I have moved to a new country & learning my way around .... and it even feels as though there's a new time zone here in the real world.

I'm adjusting.
With the aid of strong coffee.
This isn't the best picture of the summer......obviously. But it is one of the ones that makes me smile.

being good stewards

As most people these days, the family budget has been under intense scrutiny.

Which isn't a bad thing.

And in the middle of all of this scrutinizing, we are gaining a greater understanding of the choices we make with the money we spend.
Learning, for instance, that the money I spend on the luxury of a cup of coffee for me could benefit a person who has no food to eat.

Choices are important & they effect people.

And when Lee & I do a great job at cutting back where we spend we high five and feel proud & that's good, right?

But there's this other side....I have watched business I love go under.
And those are people.
Those are families.

I don't want to make excuses for living extravagantly by any means. But I don't want to forget some people simply by remembering others.

A good friend a while back was frustrated because her dryer was broken & she didn't want to spend the money to have it fixed. That's never fun. When you're trying so hard to stay in the black. To maintain life as we know it sometimes.
But then we began to think of the person fixing the dryer. A person who has probably been really hurting in this economy. A person who may have a family praying for work.

I hope I don't forget that by not spending money I can hurt people too.
I hope I remember that it's so much about people. And putting dollar signs in place of those faces, those stories, can be hurtful.

I don't think this is even a complete thought written in this post. But it's been on my heart for some time now....and I wonder if anyone else has felt this way. I wonder if anyone has some wisdom to share for keeping the balance.

Because we want to be good stewards.
But we want to encourage others in their work, too.

happy

Some more pics of all the happy. It was a great trip....and that big girl said more times than I can even count, "I just love you, Mom & Dad. I just love you."

Filled up.

That's what we are.

And I've got more thoughts than I know what to do with rolling around in my head so stay tuned....

I may just let them all out on here. They've got to get out somehow.....

relaxing

We've been relaxing & enjoying each other for the past few days - somewhere where there is less laundry and more time to play. It was great. Many more pictures to come....

swim a thon

Our swim team had a great event. A swim-a-thon to raise money for the United Methodist Children's Home. The kids swam laps from the beginning of swim practice to the end.

An hour.

I had seen my girl at a swim meet and I was confident that she would do her best - but that her best would be about 5 laps....tops. I didn't know that they would let them use kick boards or flippers to help and that one lap would be considered 1 length of the pool.....but even so......10 laps.

Maybe 12.

Tops.

She's young. She LOVES to swim, but she's learning to swim.
Someone didn't tell her that because...
....that little firecracker swam FORTY laps.
FORTY!
I was so proud of her. She swam for the entire hour and thanks to some kind family members she was able to raise a substantial amount of money for this organization.

Check this place out - it's always encouraging for me to see the creative and compassionate things that are happening around us.

the 4th & birthdays

Just some pictures from the 4th weekend. We also celebrated a couple of birthdays that weekend. And those shirts.....I just love those shirts....and I love the gal who made them. She helped some orphans through Takes A Whole VIllage and also helped a family in the middle of an adoption by making these. And be on the lookout because you will see her again....she's so incredibly talented.....

This picture just makes me laugh....are they afraid of the cake? Discussing buttercream? Fascinated nonetheless.

Sixty Feet

You may remember a great big ol cupcake sale happening several months ago. It was a loaves & fishes kind of situation. Over $10,ooo was raised for Sixty Feet - the kids of Mukisa. The boys + a few buddies are headed back over to Mukisa in just a matter of days.

Here's the latest video .......

Nathalie from Sixty Feet on Vimeo.

gardens

Some friends met us at the gardens today - so much fun. When it's a thousand degrees outside it's nice to run around in a fountain of water. At least that's what it looked like - I didn't have my bathing suit on. But I sort of regretting not having it.

My boy made his stop to see his frog friend....this time he wanted his buddy in the picture. It's fun to watch him grow up with those frogs....

Twins. I love those bathing suits. And I adore these girls. That Sarah is a leader and she's gentle and so friendly. It's been awesome to see God working in her life. And her momma is so dear to me. When I realized that Lee & I would be getting married & that we would be living in Atlanta, I began to feel a little lonely. I knew I didn't have history with anyone and I wondered if I could have a real friendship with someone without that. I'm so thankful for so many of the women that have been brought along side me in my time here. Amy is one of those friends - instant connection. Easy to talk about the big stuff with. She's someone who can call me on the carpet. Helps me to be better. I listen to a guy from Stonebridge Church in Marietta who talks about the 'lettuce in your teeth' theory. The idea that you are going to have lettuce in your teeth one day. In the same way, you are going to mess up at some point and it's a good idea to have people who love you walking beside you that can be honest with you. She is one of those people for me.

baby girl

My bug had her first trip to the wter garden at the Botanical Gardens today.
I really & truly didn't think I caught any good shots.....but these really crack me up. This is her. Spicy. Very funny. Confident. And in love with her big brother. I look at each of my chidren and am always amazed at the very different people that they are. I am never confused to believe that I understand them completely. They teach me something different about themselves every day. And I know that they would be different without one another. Each one makes the other a little more of who they are supposed to be. I love love love these kids. But here's a little entry just for that baby.
The baby that never got the memo that she was a baby.

what was lost now is found....

It has been so long since I have blogged. Summer has got me good. I'm in slow down mode. We're learning how to take it easy again now that swim team is over. The big recent happening around here involved the losing of our beloved friend, Lucy - she's a lamb, or a sheep, but not a teddy bear. She's my big girl's bestie. Lucy appears in many of our famiy photos and I will be sad the day something happens to her. Which is why the days that she was gone were hard on her.....and on me. We looked everywhere & called everywhere that we could think of. And in the spirit of the celebration the Father puts on when his lost son returns & the idea that the Father actually leaves the fold to find that one lost sheep....and the fact that we just read a book where a cake is made to celebrate the finding of a little bear's lost trousers, we decided that a cake would be baked upon her return.
We had a swim team banquet one night & when we came home, daddy let us know that he had something for her.
"Close your eyes"
She fell apart into this emotional laughter, falling into my arms, almost crying....and remembering immediately that we would be baking a cake!
"It will say 'WE FOUND LUCY TODAY!'" at which point I reminded her that tomorrow will not be the day that we found her, to which she replied "It will say 'WE FOUND LUCY YESTERDAY!'"
Awesome.

it was another tear jerker

I learned that this thing would have come out a lot quicker had I remebered that slippery fingers do not pull teeth well. You know. No friction.
She was so scared & would go from begging me to pull it to crying & slapping her hand over her mouth. But when I took the bottom of her shirt & grabbed the tooth....well, it just came out. And she screamed & closed her eyes & she had no idea that I was holding her tooth in my hand. And I was teary & actually thought, "Wait! I'm not ready! We don't have our tooth-fairy pillow! It's out forever! I want to put it back!" I really & truly had those thoughts. & then she squinted up at me between sobs & saw what I was holding. And she burst out into giggles. And then ran to tell her daddy & her uncle Bobby who happened to be on the phone & got to share the moment.
And if that little bugger isn't wiggling for the next tooth to come out!

Too fast. It is all happening too fast.

Swagger

OK, I will neither confirm nor deny if I am crying from laughing....

He's home!

People ask me how Lee's trip to Haiti went.....and I try to answer the best I can. But it is his story to tell. I hope he will tell it someday on here. It may take him weeks, or even months, to really get the words out.
I know this.....he's changed.
It was so fun to be at the airport - we barely made it - but determined because of exactly what I knew I would see. The people that walked with him. The relationships that were formed. The people that heard his heart & shared a transforming experience with my husband. I wanted to be there for the hugs & the "goodbyes" & I wanted to meet them. It's been so great to hear Lee's stories from the trip & to see his pictures.....but what has also been really cool is to see other people's pictures. Sometimes I see a picture that someone took of Lee when he was in the middle of working or talking with children or friends. I see a little bit of this trip from their perspective. I would have loved to have been on that trip with him, but we knew that this was his trip. Not mine. Not even ours.
Like I said, this is his story. But I'll post some pictures. Here are some for now.....and I'm off to bed...and will post more for later.

my baby

I have had 3 sweet mornings with my baby. That strong and very sweet little girl.
I have loved every minute of it.

he called!

So, I have this special ring on my phone that tells me if Lee is calling. That way if I'm in the middle of changing a diaper or bathing the kids I won't jump up a runnin' for a "toll free number." And he has been in Haiti - we knew we wouldn't be able to talk, because of the $34/minute situation - which is strange because I can't think of 2 consecutive days that I haven't talked with him since we met! Anyway, I was upstairs folding some clothes & honest to goodness at that very moment just smiling as I heard those children playing & laughing together in the baby's room...when I heard it. Well, I went tearing to get the phone & was sure I missed it. The delay really made me think I had missed it. But there he was.....
He's doing great. Working hard. Getting extremely hot. Meeting some incredible people. And overwhelmed that people live in this place every day. They went to church & he mentioned how crazy it was to listen to hymns he sang growing up in a little church he went to sung at this church. In Haiti. In a different language.
We didn't get to talk long, but it was great. Thank you for all of your prayers and your phone calls and emails. Keep those prayers coming. This is something he (& we) has prayed about for a long time. And I couldn't be more proud of him.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10

too big...too fast

What is it about wanting to lose your teeth? I don't understand. And I'll admit that I've been dreading this. I'm not ready for this milestone. I will celebrate with her. I promise. There will more than likely be cupcakes involved....or chick-fil-a ice dream, because I'm addicted & I can't stop talking about it....I mentioned that I liked ice dream to a friend the other day at the pool & she let me know that I had already told her. An embarrassing addiction. But there are worse things, right? Anyway, back to the melodrama of motherhood.... right now I just find myself in disbelief that she is old enough to shed those baby teeth. I remember sitting in one of my child development classes...I think it was the Hospitalized Child....and our teacher was talkikng about grief. About how grief can be partner to even the great things.
My baby is growing up.
They all are!
My oldest is about to lose a tooth & my boy is standing up at the potty & my BABY is asking to be potty trained! I was dumbfounded when that tiny little 20 lb 21 month old looked up at me & said, "Ina go tee tee mommy" And then she did. Right there on the potty. Now she hasn't succeeded since that moment....but still.
Growing up.
Too fast.
It's all just too much.

we really CAN do something

I have worked for a non-profit before & I have processed the $10 checks hand written by someone each month & it always made me smile. The effort & the consistency & the generosity of that person. Month after month after month.
And I have seen cupcakes turned into thousands of dollars that then turned into food & love & hope for the children of Mukisa.
And I saw people buy t shirts to support a young Atlanta native over in Tanzania helping to reshape the future of some children.
I am seeing Young Life leaders turning tshirts into changed hearts. And with a changed heart within a changed person.....watch out -
Because now I am watching our friend Billy use his birthday & a life changing experience to benefit others in a great way.
And through all of this I am seeing what may seem like a small amount of money change lives. When people come together - really BIG things can happen. Billy, for example, has over 4,000 people who are his facebook "friends"...... ONE DOLLAR from each of them will change people's lives forever. Not maybe. But for certain.
A dollar. You really cannot even buy a cup of coffee for that. I'm helping my husband pack for a trip to Haiti & he is able to go because many people chose to give. I am learning the value of every. single. dollar. It can really & truly change a life.
Change a community.
So often I have said "no" - not because of lack of interest or believing that a cause was unworthy. But usually because I think my little offering isn't enough.
And all alone, maybe it's not.
Sure, it may encourage someone. But it won't make a real difference to the problem at hand.
But when people come together & put all of their pennies in a bucket.......
that's when change happens.
Because here's the truth...and we know this deep inside, but something creeps in & tells us that we're wrong. But we're not. The truth is that we CAN do something. We can. It doesn't take much.
Do what you can.
Encourage others to simply do what they can.
And never out of guilt.
Always out of joy.
Do something.
I have never been more encouraged by the body of Christ in action. When we are mobilized....nothing is going to stop us.
Linking arms. And pressing forward. Working with what we've been given.

Haiti

My sweet husband is heading to Haiti pretty soon. And we will miss him so much!!! And we are so excited for him. Our oldest talks about a time & a place "where the earth shaked" & she knows that her daddy is going over to help those people. I LOVE the organization he is going with. They believe not in jumping in for a few moments & then jumping out....but rather in committing to a place, learning how to best help that community get itself on its feet. They jump in with them & they stick it out for the long haul....building relationships. Changed lives.....on both ends. They are only set up to serve in Kenya & Haiti right now. They are not spreading themselves too thin. They are truly investing in these communities. Here's a video from the 410 bridge & here's their blog & here's Lee's page. I will hopefully be tracking his trip as well. Thanks to all of you who so graciously have given towards his trip. You have absolutely no idea how encouraging it has been.