Beloved Sister and a New Brother~

My precious youngest sister Mattie Grace found her beloved.
And married him today.

I wasn't able to be there since this baby's birth is now a couple weeks away
and the trip home to Chico is a good 18 hours one way.  Varicose veins and such, don'tcha know.

I'm not sure who caught whom, but it looks like they're in a for a future filled with fun!

We are so thrilled to add this new brother Jeremy to the Uncles :-) and OH how I wish
we could have been there today, to witness the beginning of such a precious union.

Here's my sister (almost 4) with me just before my own wedding nearly 17 years ago.
My Aloria is her clone, I think :-)

For Mattie and Jeremy:  Congratulations dear ones!
With all my heart I love you.

~Your Sis

...Under His wings you will find refuge...

Psalm 91:1-4

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of 

the Most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord

HE is my refuge and my fortress

in HIM will I trust.

Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler;

and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with His feathers

and under His wings shalt thou trust:

His truth shall be thy shield and buckler."

***********************

This painting entered my heart last year and at that time a sketch was formed.

Not until this winter did I tackle the water color and complete the thought.

Sometimes you create with someone in mind

but in this case, this is me.

My life, my story, my heart and knowledge (albeit minuscule) of God

in His tender care of me - even in the midst of raging storm 

- perhaps even storms that rage only within my flawed human flesh and incomprehension

of what's necessary for God's glory to be revealed.

I am so glad to say that in this season I find my spirit rejoicing in His feathers

as if I were the baby bird in a cozy springtime nest.

But my heart aches for those I know of even now who are pummeled by the noisome pestilence.

It is their heart I pray, experiences the refuge of His wings.

His love ever tender.  

Ever present.

Everlasting.

Beautiful Springtime...

...Is just bursting in full glory here.
I took a drive to the Canadian boarder yesterday and the valley was full
of lilacs - every shade of purple and many abundant white blooms too.

Love.


Boys and mud and tractors and backpacks and hikes...

Love.

Girls and cartwheels and wagons and frogs and purring cats...

Love

No... no official garden for me this year.  However, we put up some swallow
boxes just in time to have swallows move in and start families where we
could watch them up close.
Also we have a newly-logged, sunshiny, perfect place (soon to be enclosed by fence)
to plant some fruit trees finally!
Again, love.

Here on the mountain violets and trillium bloom, the huckleberries are
showing promise of summer picking.  Robins build nests, burn piles are lit
and fill the air with scents of  wood-smoke which combine with the blooming
fragrances and make a smell like "cookies baking" (according to Bryce).

Double triple quadruple love :-)

Baby cheeks

a smidge of green lawn just big enough

three utility wagons

a motley crew of old bikes

some imagination

Big brothers with kind and gentle hearts plus long legs and man-muscles taking form...


So much love.

~Favorite~

I've had four fabulous hospital births with one amazing midwife
in California, followed by four home-births in four different homes
in three different States with four different sets of midwives.
(No one has been born in the car yet and we consider that
a good record to keep!)

Since we just arrived back home to North Idaho, this baby had
his first introduction to our attending midwife.
Until this week, I had forgotten my favorite part about midwife visits.

When I lay on the bed and eagerly wait to hear that tiny heart I know
is beating, the woman providing care for we two places hands on belly
and feels the position of the baby - favorite part: hearing her speak to
my own precious person as a precious person.
"Well hello there baby!"  and when there's a reply from inside bearing
resemblance to a jump or kick "Good job Kiddo!"  as well as other
soft words spoken directly to my person.

My person.

Recognized as such by another human 
and cherished as a living being.

That's my favorite part about midwife visits.

(My favorite part about being pregnant, is when I get to the end of this 
race and get to MEET my person!)   

A Birthday Documentation

Someone turned 3.

It was pretty wonderful. I mean, what could be better than a pink "wolly-pop"?

Our Aloria.

She is so fun. And funny. Precocious. Very verbal. Frilly. Talks with her hands a lot.
Loves to dress herself - as often as she can get away with :-)
Lover of books - especially if they are way over her head (imagine machine equipment catalogues I-kid-you-not).
She is a happy and chirpy little bird!  Was there ever life before she came along?

Cupcakes with "sparkles" (sprinkles) please.

And then, a package arrived from Gramsie...

... which included a dress with a lot of pink frills,
that twirls beautifully.

That's my girlie!

She wears it every day - with or without my consent :-D  Thanks Grams.

Happy Birthday, little Birthday girl-mine!!