Today

Today he is just past two months old.

I'm so glad! And also I sorrow that I cannot pause time. This - this picture taking - it's
as close as I can get to holding a moment longer than it actually lasts.

Words are not my outlet in these last few years. I have thoughts, but they don't seem
to allow for mining.  At least not in this venue.

That's okay. I have pictures to tell some of the story.  Maybe one of these months I can sit
down with a cup of coffee instead of heavy eyelids, and caffeine will have something
interesting to tell you :-)

I will say that Winter has been gentle. Lance Victory sleeps in my arms peacefully,
which I didn't get to experience with my last tiny person. It is a balm, and I've been
gifted the success of slowing down enough to soak it up.

This guy... he is amazing.

Who would have thought of what God had planned? I still can't wrap my mind
around ten children. Ten. Wha...?
And still, here is this little fella - he is numbered ten in the birth order, but do you
know he was planned by God's heart right along with the first one?
This was his  appointed time, and I really can't wait to watch who he is.
What he's going to do. To be a part of his life feels like a privilege, and yes.
I'm certain it is!

Since my heart is full, but my words run dry, I'd like to post a bunch of pictures
with my Grandma in mind, and AJ's Grandma and Grandpa too. Wow. What an honor to
participate in such a legacy by passing on Grandpa's name to our five sons.

And I feel this way about each one of my children, privileged to have them.
Privileged to know them. They are some pretty neat people :-)

Perhaps a brief explanation of a couple of
these pictures.

Bryce has been disassembling some of his toys
and collecting bits of trash in order to create these awesome little robots!

Grampa has brought his guitar over a few times, and there have been eager
dancers and singers (who knew?).  Also, Grama somehow finds dresses that would make
Cinderella jealous of my girlies, and paired with a hoop skirt... pure dreaminess.

Life is good. Full of books, kisses, and sleeping babies.

Doesn't get much better than this :-)

The Best-ness All Around Me

There's an awful lot of best-ness to my days, and that's what I love to see.

To look for.

Some days I have to search a little harder/dig a little deeper
(because tiredness and hormones like to obscure the lovely in life),
but there's always some wonder to notice or routine non-event to be grateful for.

{Thanks Lord for a washing machine that cleans clothes, and a water heater
that works. For cuts that don't need stitches, a baby without colic, or a husband
who comes home from work.}

The more I settle deep into the privilege of such a life, I am reluctant to use
certain words so casually.

Words such as "need" for instance.  I can't think of one single area in which
I can apply that in good conscience.
Kind of puts things into perspective and stretches my vocabulary as well,
trying to express a difficult feeling or experience while acknowledging the
very-great abundance in my life!

My Lance-boy is an official one month old already, and while four weeks
have brought an unhappy onslaught of baby acne for him and the re-entrance
of sleep-deprivation for me, the days are mostly filled up with best-ness :-)

This is me at 2pm, still in my pajamas. But the boy is sleeping, so
besides the desire for a shower, I'd say everything's right in the world :-)

And here's the two remaining pieces of evidence that I got a really special
pre-baby-birth pedicure 6 weeks ago from my friend Jana, who knew I couldn't
reach my feet and took pity. That's a kindred heart!

Maybe time for a new color?

Bryce often asks me if he can hold Lance.
Sometimes I ask him to "babysit" for a few minutes.

Our Olivia, nine years old.
So artistic; so creative!
Play dough never looked so awesome!

Also, Olivia is my flitting, floating, flying butterfly who dances throughout the house all day long!
These special Christmas gifts have been getting a lot of mileage.

Here's the face of a boy who loves "Hol' Tocters".
What is a Hol'Tocter, you ask?
Why this of course!

And another face I love!

The kids weren't inspired to go out into the snow until it had been
around for weeks.  And then one day, I guess it was time.

On a Saturday morning several of them rummaged through the snow
clothes and found enough to keep tolerable warm.  Then they began
serious enterprises in the department of fort-building.

I must say they've upped their game since the last time they
built snow forts!  Carolina built one on her own, Clayton and Susanna
collaborated on the one you see above, and Olivia crafted a veritable
castle replete with a flagged turret and chamber just for storing snowballs!
I didn't get a picture of it when it was finished, but it is the one which
all the kids are still talking about :-)

We un-decorated the Christmas tree together, and it was a sad affair.
Miles kept asking "Why? Why are you taking the tree apart?"

And on a quiet evening after the children were tucked into bed, I untangled
strands of lights from dried-up boughs.

So I guess it is good-bye to one season and hello to the next
chapter of best-ness :-)

Cozy December Days

These days have seemed too good to be true.
We've had a lot of white outdoors this Holiday season, and yummy-smelling
candles every day. All the twinkly lights plugged in for all hours, and big
kids who can bake and make candy without any help! (Oie to loosing baby weight!)

Then there's our big little Lance Victory.

"Lance Factory" Aloria calls him as she searches her memory for his middle name :-)

Cousin Judah said that Lance should be a Knight when he grows up "because he has a
good name for a Knight" and I definitely agree.  I hope he will be - a champion for
righteousness and defender of the weak. Chivalrous and stout of heart, in service
of the King of Kings.

For now he is a sleepy little ball of fuzz :-)

Would you like a little peek inside the walls of our home these days?

The big guys are building a loft into an existing shed, which will be used for storing seasonal tires, yard tools, scrap wood for woodshop use etc,

There is a special spot in my heart for each of these hooligans.
Every one of them is unique and uniquely fitted into our family - and Oh!
How this family benefits from the personality, gifts,
humor, energy, and graces
each one brings into it.

We're resting again, in a gentle season of Winter and celebrations.
All I can say is Thanks Lord.

We have too many blessings to count!

Hugs to all~

Merry Christmas!