Jackson update

height: 24.5 inches (97th percentile!)
weight: 14 lbs (63rd percentile)
head circumference: 16 3/4 inches (72nd percentile)
likes: his mommy, sitting in his activity bouncer, laying on his back and playing with his monkey toy, sucking on his hands, being tickled, singing songs, taking a bath
dislikes: the dark, getting dressed, being strapped in his car seat
milestones: he has rolled from his tummy to his back several times, laughing a lot, able to handle and grasp toys

Jackson is just a happy happy boy. He is happy almost always unless he is hungry, or tired. He had to get several shots at the doctor last week and it wasn't moments after and he was smiling again. He sleeps like a champ (yahoo!) He is (usually) asleep by 9:00 wakes once in the night to eat and doesn't wake again until 6:30-7:00!

We love love love our sweet little boy. Though it has just been a short while it is hard to imagine what it was like before he was in our lives and a part of our family. He is so very loved and we are so very blessed.

until next time,
Brit

best friends

I wasn't there to witness (and the hubs didn't record the scene...eh hem) but the story goes like this:

For a couple of weeks we had been telling Rylee that her Grandma (Mimi) was coming to visit, she was excited (understatement). Jeremy and Rylee drove to the airport and waited for her to arrive.  Her plane had come in and everyone was making there way down the escalator and over to the baggage claim. As soon as Jeremy spotted his mom, he pointed her out to Rylee. Without a blink Rylee took off in full toddler sprint across the airport baggage claim squealing with excitement and arms spread open wide to greet her beloved Mimi. A moment straight out of some sappy Folgers commercial. Rylee loves her Mimi.

From that moment, and like all other visits, they have been inseparable. They play all day long, anything and everything.

We love Mimi.

until next time,
Brit

run.

I hope this moves you, as it did me.

until next time,
Brit

Call me Martha

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but only one thing is needed.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

We like to have people into our home, we do so on a very regular basis - we feed the youth group every Wednesday evening, we have friends over for lunch after church on Sundays, host singing nights, game nights, and any other excuse we can find to invite people in we like to do so. Going along with inviting people into our home goes preparing our home: cooking, cleaning (and keeping it clean).

I will be completely honest, in the midst of preparations a lot of times I question myself, doubt myself, and totally lose my cool while wondering "why in the world am I doing this? Why am I working to feed 15 hungry teenagers while trying to nurse a baby, kiss an invisible owie and shove all of our dirty laundry into a closet nobody will look in?" ... I always find the answer after everyone has left, when I am still in one piece begging God to forgive my childish attitude and thanking Him for an opportunity to be surrounded by brothers and sisters who share a common likeness in Christ. I do it because the benefits far outweigh my irritating desire and frustrations when I fail to live up to Martha Stewart’s expectations.

When I read the passage from Luke 10:38 I am overwhelmingly convicted because when I place myself there, I am Martha. While everyone around me was sitting at the Lord's feet listening to what he said Brittani was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made...

How many times have I been so distracted by meaningless things that I forget to take part in the One thing that is needed?

I want to be the woman sitting at the Lord’s feet listening and soaking up all He has for me, even if dinner is burnt, the house is a mess, and I haven’t washed my hair in days, I will choose the one thing that is needed, the one thing that cannot be taken away from me.

Thankful for God’s gentle reminders.

Until next time,
Brit

did ya miss us?!

making play dough, learning to count, laughing, cooking dinners, playing with our friends, watching football games, smiling, playing in our playhouse, hiking, building sand castles, hopscotch, eating watermelon, cross country meets, painting, camping, swinging, running through sprinklers, mother's day out, singing, coloring, jumping, going down the slide...

Just a few of the many things we've been busy with that I wish I could elaborate on.

Hope you can forgive my predictable negligence! Aren't these kids cute?!

until next time (and who knows when that might be...)
Brit