a birthday gift

for a little boy at church who turned two.

it is made of wool and bamboo and has a little brim (just to make it a little cuter). the little boy has strawberry blonde curls and chubby cheeks ............... and now he has a hat to go with them.

I have been remiss

Do you remember the Scripture Memory Challenge?
Well ................ I haven't done too well at it recently.

The last time I posted a memory verse was way back in June. There have been some verses memorized since then, I just haven't signed in or posted them. So I have some catching up to do. Especially considering the fact that it was my one resolution this year!

So here are a few that I memorized this summer (i studied Philippians with a group of women, so some of these were assigned - having a deadline for memorization can be so helpful!):

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
phil 1:21

For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
phil 1:29

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.
phil 3:7-8

and the one I am currently working on:
Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
Titus 2:4-5

so excited

There is a book that I saw while I was with Anna in San Antonio last summer that I absolutely loved, and put on hold at our library as soon as I got back.

(I was just looking in my blog archive for a post from that trip to Texas and didn't find one. Going to have do that ..... it was a wonderful weekend).

Well, a year later, the book is finally ready for me to pick up.

It is ready to be picked up at our "new" local library, just 3 blocks from the new apartment (I transferred all our holds over to that branch on Tuesday). I plan to walk over there with Emma on Monday.

I'll put her into the front pack, put a hat on her little head and some mineral sunblock on her arms, and walk through the new neighborhood to the new library to pick up the book we have been waiting for. So excited!

almost 6 months old

almost 6 months old, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

summer storms

86 degrees F
74% humidity
heat index of 96 degrees F

Scattered showers...and isolated thunderstorms...will continue to develop and move to the northeast across the listening area through 4 PM. Along with lightning strikes...expect occasional wind gusts to around 45 miles per hour...and brief rainfall of up to one quarter of an inch...with isolated occurrences of three quarters of an inch. (copied from wunderground.com)

oh, the joys of Summer.

8-10 pounds away from pre=pregnancy weight!

which is an awesome thing, considering that I gained 60+ pounds. I'm not sure how it happened, but one day before I was pregnant I was slender with toned muscles, and then I woke up a few weeks later pregnant with those toned muscles turning into something very un-toned and not so slender.

look what I can do!

I can finally sit up on my own (at least, I almost can) just like Daddy and Mommy. I'm so proud of myself! It's really fun to be able to touch and grab the toys on the toy bar. :)

aren't they just the cutest things?

I am rather fond of them myself.

dreams

We had dreams. Some of those dreams came to pass, others didn't. But we keep dreaming.

When I was little there was a time where I wanted to be a ballerina, and John had wanted to be a pilot.
I wanted to be a surgeon, then a nurse (among other things). I even started taking classes to achieve that. But I wanted to be a wife even more. And a mother. I wanted a home and garden, a husband and babies of my own, a place where I could create beauty and take care of the ones I love.

Some of those dreams will never become real. Some of them have. Some of them are in progress, becoming reality. There are some, though, that are still so far from becoming real that it takes all the hope that is in me to keep them alive. Because, "hope does not disappoint us..." (Ro 5:5) and "God is faithful ..." (I Cor 1:9).

(the little tag in the frame says "dream")

But as for me, I will always have hope;

I will praise You more and more.

My mouth will tell of Your righteousness,

of Your salvation all day long,

though I know not its measure.

-ps. 71:14-15

a little frivolity (can be a very good thing!)

John sent me out the door and watched Emma for a couple of hours while I ran errands. There were a few returns to be made, and once those were done I called for a status report, checking to see if I needed to come back. John told me to enjoy myself ...... so I went to Macy's.

I have been wanting to browse the housewares section for a while now, but have been putting it off since the glassware and fine china displays aren't very stroller friendly. But yesterday I went. It was so nice. It was quite, sparkling, crisp, the sales ladies were friendly (but not pushy) and it smelled so good.
On my way out I stopped by the perfume counter and tried on Chanel No 5, elixir sensuel.
Oh. My.
I dotted a bit behind my ear and on my wrist as I was walking out, and didn't stop to check the price, because most of the perfumes I try give me a headache and need to be washed off as soon as I get home.
Not this time.

Oh, it smells so good!!!!!!!!

I was just looking at the Macy's website, and I couldn't find it there, but I did find it on Sephora. The elixir is about half the price of the parfum, but still more than I'm willing to spend on myself at the the moment. It does smell wonderful, though..............

I can still catch a breath of it occasionally, and it makes me happy.

Thank you Darling for sending me out the door!

great grandpa Throckmorton and Emma

oh yes, they had fun together (after she warmed up to him)

home again

Our morning glory plant bloomed for the first time just before we left for Indianapolis, and I snapped a picture as John was loading up the car. It was so lovely and happy looking.

John, Emma and I are now home and getting back into the swing of everyday life. It won't slow down very much (if at all), but will continue to hurtle along at a swift pace. I'll try to keep you posted as things happen.
This week we are packing up boxes and deciding which bits of "clutter" to get rid of. And in two more weeks we will be moving into a new apartment and have a new address (if you want it, please let me know and I'll add your name to the list of emails that we will be sending out).

p.s. I'll try to put up some pictures from the wedding week soon.

family portrait

family portrait, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.