This is going to be one of those slice-of-life posts.
-I just heard the classic words eventually uttered by every older sibling.
Jackson: (Sitting in a chair in the living room.) Stop bothering me, Annabeth!
Annabeth: (Sitting next to me on the couch, making no noise.) Blink, blink.
Mommy: What is Annabeth doing to bother you?
Jackson: She’s looking at me!
-Yesterday we started Annabeth on cereal.
Here are some pictures of her playing with her spoon this morning while Jackson and I ate our breakfast.
Baby Girl loves her thumb.
Maybe she will grow to love the spoon.
Or figure out how to love both at the same time.
-The kids and I had a crazy week last week. We had fun, but Annabeth’s nap habits went all awry and I could hardly get her to sleep all weekend. She only wanted to sleep when I was trying to feed her. Ugh! This week we’re having Nap Bootcamp. I’ve resolved to go nowhere during the day and focus on getting Annabeth back into a routine. I read somewhere that routines should be like rubber bands – they can be flexible and stretch out a bit, but then they should snap back into place. We had stretched so much that there was no snapping back into place. Hopefully by next week we’ll have a pattern down and be able to enjoy some flexibility.
-Today my mom is in Illinois speaking to a group of people about the new book she’s been writing. This weekend she’ll be at the Deeper Still event in Greensboro, NC, and then she has another out of town speaking engagement early next week. She’s also getting very close to wrapping up this new book. I know she would really appreciate your prayers.
-You have no idea how many tears I cried while I read through the comments on He’s Into the Details. These were a couple of my favorites.
When I read the topic that you posed for discussion I couldnāt help pausing to add my own āGod is in the detailsā story. I was in the midst of my freshman year of college at a university in California, and struggling a bit to say the least. My family had just been transferred to Houston so I was feeling homesick. The ache in my heart kept pushing me to find comfort in a past high school relationship that was both unhealthy and forbidden by my parents. Not wanting to disobey my parents, I rationalized that talking to this person on the phone wasnāt āseeingā them again. One night after a long telephone conversation with this forbidden person I went to bed feeling sick inside. I felt trapped in a hole. I was lonely. I was directly disobeying my parents. I was hiding these secret conversations from my roommate, since knowing my past experiences with this individual she most certainly wouldnāt approve. I desperately wanted to be rescued and freed from the ache I felt inside and the constant pulls of temptation that I felt too weak to rise above. The very next day I struggled through the day and finally called my mom. She said that she had been waiting for me to call her. I began to cry and say that I was struggling and she told me thisā¦
The night before (remember I was in CA and my mom was in TX), she was awakened by a noise in the kitchen. She went out and realized that she heard my voice coming from the answering machine. She went over and listened. She could hear that I was talking to a male, but she couldnāt make out what he was saying. One thingās for sure, my voice was loud and clear. Confused, she picked up the phone. The answering machine clicked off and there was only a dial tone. While she felt worried, more than anything, she felt the need to pray for me. She spent a long while on her knees praying over me that night. She sensed God telling her that what He had just done was for me, not for her.
When I called the next day, she already knew that I was struggling. As she relayed the story to me I was speechless. My God loved me so much that He would cross telephone wires from CA to TX so that someone would know I was struggling! I still get chill bumps when I recall that miracle. When I returned home later that year for Spring Break I had the chance to listen to the recording. There I was on my parents machine in TX having a conversation on the phone in CA. Needless to say, I could go on and on about all of the changes that resulted from that evening long ago. One thing is for sure, I know without a shadow of a doubt that our God is willing to go to great lengths and weave miraculous details together to remind us of His love.
Courtney
____
I was battling a prescription drug addiction that I was able to keep secret from my husband and children. I was falling apart inside and begging God to speak to me, punish me even, and just speak!
I dropped my kids off at Wednesday night church just like every other week and looked down at my feet to walk as quickly as possible out to my car. I walked in hidden shame. Suddenly as loud as a firecracker in my ear I heard this womanās voice say “I’m talking to you! Do you hear me, are you listening? You, right there, I’m talking to you!” In shock I turned around and peeked into a small room where the voice came from and there was a video on with a cute little blond pointing her finger at me. She said it again “I’m talking to you.” I sat down scared to death. I hear you Lord, what do you want me to hear from this feisty lady?
Turns out a woman named Beth Moore was teaching about breaking free from addiction on a T.V. with no one in the room watching. Wow. I learned a lot that night.
I’m free from that addiction. Thank you for following the call on your life. God used you to heal me. Now, can you do something about my over eating?
Ladies, thank you all so much for sharing your stories. They were incredibly encouraging and faith-building.
“Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.
How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.”
Psalm 36:5-10 (NIV)
I just have to say that Annabeth looks just like Curtis….unbelieveable the similarity…..you've noticed this too, right??
Thanks for sharing the pictures and for sharing the other "God detail" posts.
Angie, Hickory NC
All I Can say is WOW:
the stories you posted were sooo…good to hear.
and your baby is seriously cute.
What a blessed woman you are to have two beautiful and healthy children! Always love to see their pics.
Can't believe how fast that baby girl is growing…her eyes are so big & beautiful, just like her big brother's š
Get ready to hear "She's LOOKING at me!" about 1,000 more times… this is just the beginning š
Your kids are precious.
Third pic down – Favorite!
Hello Amanda, those of us with sons are prayerful that our young men will find women of character like you to share their lives with…. Yes, lots of prayers for your mother- I am just finishing previewing the Inheritance and my goodness I am "blown away"- I did want to attend but finances prevented me from traveling to Houston so I most grateful that LP decided to film the study- the Holy Spirit is speaking through your mother at an all time HIGH- how blessed we are to be a part of her ministry and you and Melissa add so much to the blessing- Lots of love, appreciation and blessings to you and yours
I almost responded once before with this comment but I will for sure now after the God is into Details posting. There should be a black box warning for "Tissues Needed to Proceed"
It is so precious to be able to share our daily lives (and yours) and see the wondrous hand of God in the finest stitches in the fabric of our lives. Sometimes the knots are just texture in the tapestry and sometimes they are the depth of the picture. But most definitely He is into the details.
testing
LOVE the pictures! She is so cute.
Those were some pretty awesome stories.
God Bless!!
Bumpkin bibs are the best! I love the rubber band analogy… I so feel that with two little ones. You are a wise mother!!
Glad I am not the only mom staying home this week trying to get my baby girl back on HER schedule…..
Darling baby girl!!!
The dialouge between Jackson and the blinking eyes…PRECIOUS!!! š
Amanda,
I love the pictures! I especially love hearing about your children, because I have boys that are close in age with your children. I have a 3 yr old that will turn 4 in Sept (does anyone have a tissue?) and a baby that is a week away from 7 months…it goes by so fast! Hope you had a better week with naps. Schedules aren't really our thing…but I know people who say they work! Thank you for putting those two testimonies in too. I don't normally have time to read most comments, and they both made me cry!
Thanks for sharing your life here. It blesses me so much.
May your highchair tray always stay that clean.
I did not realize it until today….that cup and saucer in the first picture looks suspiciously like a tea room cup and saucer. Did Annabeth plead with Bibby for a memento from the tea room?
Did our Siesta Mama see that they now have Snuggies for dogs?????? Star and Geli are going to be beside themselves over this, I'm sure.
Wow! What great stories! He is amazing! I can definitely relate to the story about that feisty blonde. I have definitely been touched by that same lady. I never would have even tried to find freedom if it wasn't for her obedience to let me know it was possible.