I love our view.

1 tutu and leotard courtesy of Grandma + bare feet + an East Texas sunset = 1 happy little girl

I am pretty sure Madelyn was on the move the entire time we were outside. Running here and there and back again. The front yard resembles more of a desert these days after 45 consecutive days of temperatures over 100 degrees and virtually no rain. Even still, the view from our front porch at sunset is one of my very favorites. Two little bare feet running wild only enhances it. I love our view.

the little artists

messy meal time

MK said goodbye to her booster seat many months ago because she thought she was just too big for it. Since then, meal times at our house have been a fairly even mix of calm and wild.

Sometimes she sits still, eats with her utensils and finishes her meals.

Others (and this has been a recent regression) she shoves her food in her mouth with her hands, splashes her milk and wiggles.

Of course there is always a little smearing of the food on the table, chairs and clothes.

And what meal would be complete with out the up and down on the chair.

Sometimes she even tries to get away with standing.

I just wanted to remember how fun (just a hint of sarcasm) meal times are for us!

just because.

You're beautiful baby girl!

More than your big brown eyes, dark hair and wide smile, you have this contagious joy that exceeds even your outward beauty. It's unmistakable.

I love you.

Love,
Mom

Number 5!!

Tonight our sweet friends and their three little guys came over for dinner. We love getting to spend time with them! They found out today that they are now #5 on the waiting list to receive a referral from their adoption agency so I stopped by the grocery store, grabbed a cake and a number five candle to celebrate.

No one was more excited about cake than the four kiddos!

We simply cannot wait to meet Kenzi and have loved being able to follow along and pray for them along their journey! Check out Jenna's blog to follow along.

Bitter Berry Craft Night

Madelyn and I had a fun morning baking cupcakes and cleaning up around the house. She LOVES to help and I enjoy having her by my side so it works out perfectly.

The best part about my little baking buddy is, hands down, that she loves to do the dishes!

While MK was napping, I got busy setting up for my Bitter Berry Boutique craft night. Per the request of a few, I scheduled three craft nights for this month. Two to teach boutique bow making and fabric headbands and the other to make photo canvasses with mod podge!

I can't believe I took lots of set up pictures but none during the craft night! Not one. We had a full house so I was pretty busy. I learned a few things to do better the next time and that nerves can wait to creep up the very second you get started, but I had lots of fun! Most importantly, I hope everyone else did too!

Madelyn stayed up waaaaaayyyyy too late. She and Luke went out to eat then to Grandma and Grandpa's before coming home. I wanted to spend a little time with her before she went to bed. BAD call. She woke up so stinking grumpy this morning!

Watching her run around the house delirious at 10pm might just have been worth it though!

hope now

So I have 12 blog posts that need finishing up from the last 12 days. That won't happen tonight, but soon. I've been busy with lots of photo shoots, oohing and aahing over a friend's sweet baby boy, orders from Bitter Berry Boutique, tagging 3,456 items for the local children's clothing consignment sale (of course that's an exaggeration but it feels pretty close!), and just every day life.

This I wanted to jot down though. And since it's complete, I can click the publish post button that's been neglected as of late when I finish.

Sometimes our local Christian Radio station can be a little (OK, a lot) repetitive and play some pretty cheesy stuff. Still, I find myself listening to it more times then not when I want to listen to something other than Silly Songs with Dr. Jean or Chicka Chicka Boom Boom read by Ray Charles (which are both pretty entertaining!) that Madelyn adores.

Today, though I was in need of a break from them. I turned on the radio and I heard this song for probably the 42nd time, but really listened to the lyrics for the first time.

If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours

I am not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

 Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

And when my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be OK
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

I am not my own
I've been carried by you all my life

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

You've become my hearts desires
I will sing Your praises higher
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free

-Hope Now by Addison Road

Just what I needed to hear today. How quickly I forget that He's carried me all my life.

Your dad is so fun...

and I just wanted you to know.