Quotes. . . oh how I love them

I love quotes. . . .I love the famous ones, the odd ones, the ones that are jokes between friends, movie quotes-I think you get the picture. 

At an old job, I used to have a quote of the week underneath my signature. . . . yeah, I know. . . .call me a dork.

It was my mission each week to find the best quotes to remind myself and others of the fun, good, amazing things in life.  Of course now, I have no time to search for quotes, but when a good one falls in my lap. . . ah, it's like Christmas.

I had a good friend in college who kept a quote book. . .still does to this day and she would write down the things we (her friends) would say.  I mean, the funny, the dumb, the insightful and profound. . .(ok so they were more along the funny/dumb line, but occaisionally we would be intelligent).  It was so fun to look back on what we said and remember the times we had together.

I have also come across some quotes recently that have really made me pause and think about life (I won't get too deep).  I wanted to share two of those.

"Happiness in unpredictable, the key is to be content." 
I think my sister in law Lorrie said this, but I will have to verify.  At first when I read it I thought, hmm, well why can't I want happiness all the time?  But then I got to thinking and it hit me that I am not happy all the time in my life right now. . . I get frustrated at work and the fact that I have to work somedays, I wish for our kids to be older so we could do more things and yet I am sad at how fast they are growing and how much I feel I am missing.  But honestly, I am content. . . really I am.  I know that life is always changing and I am thankful for that fact (which has been a hard lesson for me to learn, but that is another story) and I have realized that there is a time and place for everything and I am able to rest in that and be content.  That quote is a great reminder on the days I feel myself sliding.

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love."
--Washington Irving
A long lost high school friend has this posted on her wall-her younger brother was killed in May in a motorcycle accident.  I have not found a quote in a long time that moves me quite like this one.  I think every single person in life can relate to this.  We have all known pain and tragedy (some far more than others) and we have all experienced love. . . .and at least for me, I have always felt a little ashamed/embarassed by my tears.  I am a crier. . . I have cried at a Cheerios commercial before and I sobbed through my best friend's wedding.  I cry when I am tired or scared and I cry when others cry (it's like a sneeze-very catching).  This quote made me realize there is purpose in my tears.  That purpose is just for me, but it is so healing and cleansing for me to cry (yes even at Cheerios commercials) and now I see powerful too.  So, break out the Kleenex, I am not going to even atttempt to hold back anymore.

What are some of your favorite quotes?

P.S.  Please pray tonight for the moms and dads who have suffered an infant loss and/or infertility.  This is so heavy on my heart lately.  I cannot imagine the pain.  It seems to be a pain that is not acknowledged in the way that it should or could be.  If you know someone personally dealing with this, send them a card or call them to let them know that you care.

So many thoughts

Life and Death

I have been reading so many blogs lately on people who are struggling with such huge tragedies in their lives. . .infant loss, cancer, premie babies, infertility, sick children. . . . and yet in almost everyone that I have read, God has been given the glory. . . . people are not saying hey I am fine with this circumstance, but they are saying, I hate this, but I love and trust God through it. . .. I think that is overwhelming and powerful and makes my life of little sleep seem downright pathetic.  I pray that I have the grace and faith these ladies have as I walk through the good and bad in life.

The humor, honesty and faith behind each person as they tell their story in their own words is so incredible.  Are they hard to read?  Yes.  Does they make you cry?  Yes.  Do you have a greater appreciation for your kids, your life, your spouse, your health, your God? YES YES YES!  These people have an enormous ministry as they share their journeys of grief, hope, life and death.

I think of my own life. . . . I have truly been blessed beyond measure.  I have a wonderful husband, 2 healthy, beautiful children, a crazy dog, a house, a good job, great family and a God who is gracious and merciful and loves me in spite of me.

One blogger wrote as she watched her 2 week old son struggle to live, (paraphrased) "I would give anything to have sleepless nights, just to be able to hold my son and have him not hurt". . . . wow-that hit me hard since me chief complaint in life lately is that I get so little sleep.  I realized how selfish I can be in my attitude about life and how I think everything revolves around me.  Not a fun thing to admit. . . very humiliating actually.  There are so many people who would give anything to just have a healthy baby at home-who cares about sleep!

So, my resolution is to really cherish the life that I have. . .the good and the bad.  I want to have the faith that I see in those around me who are going through such awful circumstances. . . I want to involve God in my life on a more daily basis. 

Random thoughts

It has been a while since I have written.  No reason other than our crazy life took over for a while!  We went to the lake with my parents, brother and his boys over the 4th of July weekend and we had a blast!  It still takes me a while to get my brain used to the idea that now with children vacation does not equal relaxation, it means a HECK of a lot more work.  But, that being said, we still had lots of fun (my attitude was a big part of this, I think).

Honestly I would love to post some pics and tell you more about it, but I am so bone tired it is scary.  Parents, do you ever get frustrated by how tired you get just in the course of your everyday life with kids, work, house, etc.?  I hate it!!  I mean, I love spending time with my kids and we make it a priority to spend as much time as we can with them once we get home from work. . . but, whew!  I am tired by the time the kiddos are sleeping I have little to no energy to do much of anything.  I started running last week because looking 4 months pregnant all the time is not a good look. . . . and I am not exaggerating about that.  A guy stopped in my office a few months ago and I had not seen him in a while and he came in and said, "Oh, your expecting another baby?"  I said (as nicely as I could without crying), "Nope, I had her already, she is 5 months old. . . . ."  Of course he felt bad, but um, yeah . . . .I felt worse.  But it still took me another 4 months to really do anything about it other than feel sorry for myself!  I say all that to say, what energy I do have in the evenings I have been trying to devote to running.

I love reading other blogs and it was so fun to day to read what everyone did over the 4th and all the cute ways they decorated their house, food, car, bike, etc.  I read blogs like that and think, "Man, I wish I could be like that. . . all creative and the type to plan ahead and not at the last minute think CRAP I need to bring potato salad so let's run by Hornbacher's and get some on the way to the lake!"  But I am also learning (some days better than others) that I cannot compare myself to others in anyway.  I am a unique person and being myself is hard enough some days without the added pressure to be like everyone else too.  Do other moms ever feel that way?  Do we intentionally try to make ourselves look like supermom when inside we are really just one step away from being 'that lady' that everyone whispers about?  I have yet to hear a mom honestly say that she has 12 loads of laundry to do, dishes overflowing in her sink and toys everywhere in the house.  Oh and dinner. . .it's mac and cheese again. . .for the 3rd time that week.  I am guilty too. . . . I so often try to act like I am a much more put together mom than I actually am.  I am still learning this art of being a parent and some days feel like the learning curve is too high.

One final thought. . . . my 2 year old wipes his mouth off every time I give him a kiss.  I thought that wasn't supposed to happen until grade school?!?!?!?

Wonderful, amazing

So this is the part where I get to brag about my kids.  I completely understand if you want to stop reading right now. 

The last couple weeks, Isaac has just been amazing us with how big and 'grown up' he is getting.  his list of accomplishments are as follows (and again, I understand if you need to stop reading now-parental bragging is usually nauseating to everyone but parents and grandparents):

1)  Starting to speak more regularly in sentences-and not just repeating what we say.  The other day he held up a toy that he has not played with in a long time, but he used to play with it ALL THE TIME and Isaac picked it up and said, "Remember this Mommy, Remember this toy?". . . . um. . . okay, I do remember it, but how do you. . . and where did you learn to talk???

2)  Can hang from just about anything.  This is thanks to Mary (daycare) because she has this wonderful swing set and it has a bar swing (not sure if that is the right term, but I think you get the picture) and he stand on this little chair, grabs the bar and 'jumps' off the chair and hangs/swings. . . .so now at the park the bars are a close second behind swinging!!  Maybe this isn't that amazing to everyone else, but in my minds eye, Isaac is 6 months and still my baby!!

3)  Isaac is starting to sing songs on his own, totally out of the blue.  On any given day at any given moment, he will be singing Jesus Loves Me, Do Your Ears Hang Low, Twinkle Twinkle, and Have Patience - and sometimes they are all mixed together!!  It is the most adorable thing and I am amazed at his ability to remember songs. . . . well, Jesus Loves Me he should know forward and backwards since we have sang (sung?) it to him thousands of times since he was born!!!  But the others. . . wow!!!

Okay, I could continue, but I will stop for now. . . . . oh one more thing, lest you think I have forgotten my sweet daughter.

Her talent is being the cutest little girl ever!!  Look at those lips!!  Her go to expression now is to tuck her lips in. . . . LOVE IT!!