Order out of Chaos

Isn't this how God works too? My heart has been feeling kind of like Leah's closet lately. There are places for things, but they aren't adequate-

 there's a shelf for joy, and a hook on which to hang forgiveness, mercy and grace offered to others, there are baskets somewhere in there for lessons in humility and submission, and even a place somewhere for using my gifts for his glory.

 The only problem is, I have been having trouble finding those things when I need or want them, they are buried under a lot of other stuff. Stuff that doesn't belong-pride, anger, selfishness, and even doubt and fear make their way into my closet (heart). So God has been building a nice neat row of shelves in my heart. He started with his Word---lots of it-saturation-immersion--- and it's starting to take form. This is the hard part, cutting, drilling holes, sawdust everywhere. It's messy. He has been showing me the message of his Word-the message from the beginning to now-it's the same message. This combined with more focused prayer-the shelves are being hung-

 And I'm just starting to be able to put some things on these shelves so that I can see them and access them right when they are needed. Forgiveness is sitting right next to mercy, joy actually takes up a whole shelf on it's own and is surrounded by gratefulness. I'm working on throwing out the things that don't belong. I really should just take them to the dump :)

 This order is a work in progress in my heart, but it is so encouraging to know that God promised to bring order out of chaos when he restores all things to himself, the way he designed it to be. First the natural body and then the spiritual. 1 Cor. 15:53-57 ...but thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Leah wrote a little story during church this morning. Just writing it down for posterity.

"Once upon a time they lived happily ever after. Ha ha ha. Just kidding. Ha ha ha. Ok, that was just funny and weird. I meant just weird. Ha ha ha."

I'm glad she's paying attention to worship!

From Leah's Perspective

Recently, Leah likes to get my camera and take shots of things around the house that interest her. Usually she has set something up with her animals and wants to take a picture of that and then she ends up taking about 50 more pictures around the house. It is always interesting to get the pictures off the camera and see what she has captured.

Funny how she's already figured out the self-portrait pose!

Looks like he's been caught at something!

Is this a subliminal glimpse into her personality?

Treasures

***I found this post in my drafts from quite a while ago, but I really liked it, so I'm sharing it now!****

Garden Fairy

A garden fairy visited our house this weekend....
She planted peas, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes and onions

and then she went on her way...I hope she comes back to help us weed!!!

Tea party for Leah

Leah is turning 5 tomorrow. She has been talking about and planning a tea party since she turned 4. It was wonderful. I was totally shocked at how quiet and relaxed and "tame" the party was. You see, I was prepared for what I have always experienced, boys' parties. We have had lots of them and by the end of the party, I am hot, tired and worn out. This totally took me by surprise. Not to say that the boys' parties aren't fun, because they are loads of fun! But this was soooo different :) If you have a girl, I am certain you know what I mean and have been keeping it secret from me all of this time. Probably better that way!

The girls dressed up with accessories...scarves, earring, necklaces, purses and then got their pictures taken. Then we had our tea...delicate china tea cups, fancy gloves, lots of delicious treats, and blueberry tea or pink lemonade. The lemonade was a big hit. Everyone ate with their gloves on, at least to start.

Leah is not a big fan of cake I have learned. Since we were having fancy tea...I decided to make petit fours. If you want to know about the whole experience of actually making them, you'll have to ask me about it sometime. Anyways, she got 5 individual petit fours, with her name spelled out and the number "5" on the last one...we put candles in them for her to blow out.

She was thrilled with the whole day. When she talked about her party while we were preparing, she made reference to "when my girls come....I'm going to..." or "I will show this to my girls" or "Let's get out these pretty dresses for my girls".

After tea and cakes, we played games and did crafts-

Pin the butterfly on the flower

Relay race to set the table for tea

Sticker hunt

Make and decorate a fan

Bracelets

I just can't believe how grown-up our little girl is getting!

I have posted MANY pictures of her party to snapfish. There is a link in my sidebar to the photos.

Much Progress

Leah's room is coming along very quickly. Almost all of the sewing is done. Above are the Roman shades...one up, one down. Let me just say that I LOVE sewing soft fold Roman shades. They are by far my favorite window covering to sew...so simple and so effective. I am actually considering sewing them for the 10 windows in my sunroom! I know, I'm probably crazy, but they seem to be the best solution and they are so easy! (did I already mention that?)
Here is a before shot of Leah's vanity stool. It opens up and has storage under the seat. I think originally it was a sewing seat.

I was torn between wrapping the fabric around the bottom of the seat, like it was before, but thanks to the urging of a friend, and the girlyness of all things ruffly, I went with the ruffle around the bottom. I just attached the seat back over the ruffles. I put a very generous piece of foam on the seat, but it was such a low seat to begin with, that when you sit on it at the vanity, it actually brings your face just to the right height. Well, I like it, but more importantly, Leah loves it. Really I think she is a bit overwhelmed by all of the stuff going on, but she is having a great time with each new thing that happens in her room!

Lastly, Dennis and I have finished the window seat. I really can't imagine this part of the room being any other way. It fits so naturally in this nook. The storage underneath is for her many stuffed animal friends. I made the two pillows already, but am waiting to get a piece of foam long enough to cover a cushion for the bench.
I can forsee many hours of her childhood sitting on this bench, reading and playing make-believe with her animals.

My little baby girl is so growing up...

Something's Growing...
Leah's room is painted a pretty blue. She is using an inherited mahogany bedroom set from my grandmother. I have fond memories of this dressing table in my Nana's room...sitting and going through her earrings and jewelry, trying them on... The stool is a yard sale find...plans are in the making to re-cover the seat. In the meantime a seed was planted in the corner and it started to grow....

and grow.....

and it stretched its branches all the way onto the ceiling!

It grew leaves and I found a little girl in the coolness of its shade

Some birds have made their homes in the branches...

I think it is here to stay!

Happy 4th Birthday Leah!


Leah turned 4 on Saturday, and she had a wonderful birthday. She has been looking forward to the day, and counting down for quite some time now-as to be expected!

She had a couple of requests for her special day...the first was cereal for breakfast. Corn pops and chocolate krispies. You must understand that we are not big cereal eaters at our house, not that my family doesn't like cereal, but I have found that we stay healthier if we eat less cereal which means drinking less milk. Also, it sure does help out the weekly grocery bill not buying all that cereal. So you can understand why she thought cereal was a very special breakfast!!!

Her other request was a Care Bear birthday cake-specifically "bedtime bear". Although she really wanted this, as soon as it was decided, she is already scheming her theme for next year's birthday.

She got two presents from us this year...her big girl car seat...in pink of course. Also, the only other thing she asked for was a "baby my little pony". I think it's name is starwishes??? What is so funny about this is that she got this for Christmas 2 years ago, and never played with it, so we put it up. Evidently she forgot, so we re-gifted and she was thrilled!!!

Here is the party girl in her new party dress (compliments of Granni) sitting next to her presents!

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I have added some more pictures below of the big day...transferred from another camera today!

Swimming at Night

A friend of ours recently gave us a pool light. We turned it on last night and the kids and I got in tonight to swim in response to the incredibly hot and muggy day we've had. They have not swam at night in our pool all summer, so this was quite a treat! However, we had already put all of the pool toys away, so we couldn't find Leah's arm swimmy things. Didn't seem to phase her a bit, she just said, "then I'll just swim to you without them on, Mommy!" This might not sound like anything special unless you knew that all summer (until a month ago) Leah spent all of her time in the pool with flotation devices on and clinging to the ladder. She would not let go for anything...months...if I made her let go and just held her in the pool, she would scream and scream till I put her back on her safe ladder. It drove me crazy (being the swim teacher I am!), but sometime in August she decided that she would swim to me with her arm floaties on, and since then she's been all over the pool, face in, reaching & pulling, floating on her back, etc. Huge change, but still with a flotation device. I did NOT expect anything more this summer from her, so swimming completely unassisted was not something i was pushing.

We got in the pool and before I knew it, she had jumped off the ladder to me and swam with her face in to me! I gave her a push back and she was doing this for the entire 45 minutes or so we were in the pool. She was doing freestyle, streamlining and freestyle kick, breastroke arms, just floating...most of the time she was making it about halfway across the pool before she'd grab onto me for a breath! She was so excited and proud, and of course we all made a big deal of her, which she loved :) No pictures due to the darkness and the fact that I was in the pool...but i'm sure we'll have some soon. Swim team is in this girl's future for sure!!!