Then we had a party

When babies turn 1 you have a party .... it's an unspoken rule that I tried to ignore. A couple weeks before Grace's birthday I had nothing planned, except a little family bbq, and was happy with that decision. All was good, until we went to our neighbors 1st b-day bash, and I realized I wasn't planning a party because it was a difficult task....but because I was being lazy. Our friends are easy, laid back and don't require a big production, so I put on my big girl panties and we threw our girl a party. Guess what? It was so much fun! 

Isn't that just how life goes sometimes? We drag our feet or "don't feel" like doing things {heaven forbid we actually have to interact with others} but once we are there, in the moment, we are so glad we got off our butts and made ourselves available. I'm the worst! I digress, it sometimes just feels like such work to get out of my yoga pants :)

Back to the FUN party - 

We had a pool party {without water}and the kids didn't mind one bit. There were lots of little ones and a few wild toddlers. We mixed in neighbors, play group friends, lots of community group folks and everyone mingled and kid wrangled together.....it was a beautiful thing. I grossly underestimated the number of deviled eggs my friends would consume {noted for next year} but I made up for it in the beer & cupcake department. 

And now.....overkill in the "pictures of sister eating a cupcake" department

hmm....I have an idea

genius!

My hope is in His name

Today I'm finishing up another bible study with the She Reads Truth community. We've been unpacking the beautiful story of Ruth......Have you read it? studied it? soaked it all in? It's a good one. There are so many nuggets of truth that God reveals in this love story.....blessing in the midst of pain, obedience in the midst of uncertainty, relationships with eternal consequence and an amazing picture of our great redeemer....Jesus! Today's assignment goes back to the beginning, where we find Naomi overcome with the sorrow of loss and feeling as if the Lord has dealt her an overwhelming hand {I can empathize}. Her identity in the Lord is buried by her burden and she renames herself......bitter.  

I hate to utter some of the words that I've let identify me throughout my life.....ugly, stupid, broken, unlovable, empty. I cringe as I type each letter {yuck}. Just like Naomi, I've let my circumstances decide who I am instead of remembering where my identify comes from. In addition to the ease at which I can abuse myself, there is Satan.....and he knows where we are most vulnerable. As we are released from the shackles of one set of false identity, he slithers in to replace it with something else. These names bind us, sit on the thrown of our hearts and take control of all aspects of our life. It's exhausting and sucks the life out of ya {and Satan cheers}.......because these words are lies, lies, LIES!!! {there are not enough exclamation points}. In Isaiah 49, the Lord tells us that "....I have engraved you on the palms of my hands"......the same hands that he allowed to be pierced to give us our true identity. In Him we are forgiven, beloved, redeemed.......known. There are still times that I struggle with owning those names, but if I fix my eyes upon Jesus {Hebrews 12:2}.....if my days are more about Him and less about me.......
my hope is no longer in my name but His.

He brought me to a safer place
Equipped my hands and feet with strength
So I advance with confidence in Christ
His precious truth delivers me
From lies that wage war in me
Your victory is mine for all my days
I will not be afraid
For my hope is in HIS name

{excerpt from Defender - Kings Kaleidoscope}

Dear Birthday Girl

 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.

Proverbs 31:25

It's amazing how the heart works. How it can feel so full when you get married.....and then you have a baby and it doubles in size. I trusted God would make room, again, in my heart for baby #2, but I just had no idea......no idea how this little lady would change me. I love her so differently.....like I have a million secrets to share with her and a million pains I want to shield her from. As a woman, I know what she's up against....this equally thrills me and terrifies me. Though the world will tell her that it's only the outside beauty that matters, I want her to know that her true worth & identity will be found in the outpouring of what's on the inside. That God created her soul to yearn for relationship.....and the only relationship that will fill that need is intimacy with her creator. I want her to know she is smart...that her thoughts & ideas have value. Above all, I want her to know that she will always be loved, wanted and cared for. 

Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Baby Girl .... you have my heart 

We celebrated her big day at the zoo and then enjoyed pink cupcakes.....she approved

Watch Me Grow - Grace Edition

Wowzers! way behind in the monthly Grace updates. 

Enjoy this little photo update.....she's a peach!

Family Photos

A couple months back, my sweet {& very talented} friend, Jessica, was out visiting and brought her camera along for the ride. She is so very good behind the lens and, even though our big plans for an outside shoot didn't happen, she was still able to get some beautiful pictures of our family.......in our natural setting. She was my greatest resource when I bought my camera and is still my go-to gal when I have photography questions. If you are in the Denver/Fort Collins, and need a photographer, she's amazing!! Shutterfire Photography