Mr. Luke is 8 Months

My precious little newborn Luke.

And today he's 8 months already! The way he looks at me just melts my heart. His sweet, little, innocent smile makes me so happy. He's all about pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, scooting around for what he wants, laughing at his sissy, and most of all LOVING his baths. He just splashes all around and will grab for anything in sight. His favorites are the foam letters, oh and of course he laughs and just looks up when sissy washes his hair, even if she does wash it six times during one bath. He is such a good napper, and is loving bread right now. He eats anything that comes his way, and has two little teeth on the bottom. We love him so much. Happy 8 months baby boy!

Ho ho ho

Well I think at least one of us will be in our Christmas pictures for the next couple years. The pictures without us were hilarious! They kept taking turns screaming.
Savi is having so much fun learning all about CHRISTmas. She is all about her Bethlehem Town book and her nativity scene that her best bud Emily gave her. She wants to know all about everything. Of course she also is having so much fun making Christmas crafts too. We have many more to do, she just loves craft time!

Just a little self-reflection

I am continually reading and striving to be a better person, which naturally causes me to do some self-reflecting. I have two precious babies whom God has entrusted me with, and I want to teach them well. I have loved ones, friends, family, neighbor, students and so on who are going to be affected by me and my words and actions. So for what it's worth, it was on my heart to share some of my findings.

Are we too concerned about others? Really, are we paying too close attention to others and what they're doing, criticizing, tearing them apart-I can't believe they did this and that and so on? We should be using that time and energy to pay attention to our own walk. People will make mistakes, we're only human. It's not our place to judge or pick apart. When we do this, who is it that we're comparing to, are we putting ourselves on a pedestal and putting our ways as the comparing bar? The bible says, 'Brothers, do not slander one another.' James 4:11. A slanderer is one who speaks against another. Slander begins in the mind.

Our words should be wholesome, for what comes out of our mouths is a direct reflection of where our heart is.
Think before you speak.
Tame your tongue.
Words hurt.
Be someone who builds people up, not tears people down.

Oh I could go on and on...for what it's worth!

'Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips' Psalm 141:3.

Our Little Luke

Almost 8 months.
Loving his grandma.

My sweet boy. His little personality is really starting to come out.
He's all about clapping his little hands!
I just look at him, start to sing or smile at him and there he goes, I just love it!

Our precious boy...

Chilly nights, fun family times

It was sooo chilly when we picked out our Christmas tree.
Our tradition is to make hot cocoa and bring it with us. Savi is all about her own
little cup now too. 

All bundled up to see the tree lighting in Orange.

Luke had fun too! All bundled up and warm, he was content and cozy.

We dared to go out to eat before getting our tree with these three little monkeys.
We were cracking up at the caution sign (because of the cup of water
that 'fell' onto the ground).

Yes, Savannah loves putting bubbles on brother's head.
He absolutely loves bath time, so bubbles make it that much more fun :)

Fun with our fire family. Savi just looked so big here playing with Cambria.

This was the kids' Christmas party at Mike's work. An amazing family and story
from a call that Mike went on about a year ago. God is good, well amazing actually, that's all I can say! 

Tunnel Vision

I'm really working on not living with tunnel vision. I picture literally driving in dark, straight tunnel full speed, not looking side to side, and not slowing down. I know this seems a little weird, but really, it's what life can get like if we are so fast paced and focused on us and our needs and wants and desires and priorities. If it was our last day, how would that feel? Maybe I should make a bucket list :) But I want the list to be God's, Mike's and my babies, they are my absolute world. I want to cross off their bucket list and know that I'm fulfilling the desires of their hearts.

I don't want to not do the little things that make a difference to others, strangers, family. I want to water souls with cheerful words, help others, give a hand, put myself aside, be the cheerleader for Mike to be the amazing man that he is (ok not literally, but I guess I do still have it in me) make my babies giggle and get giddy with legs that move all around because they're so excited.

Last night at church Savi wanted so badly to go to 'big church' after I picked her up from childcare. I said no because it was late, but I gave in and to see her face light up when I said we could absolutely melted my heart. It made me take a step back and think...what is 20 minutes? If this was either of our last days, I would know that her sweet little soul was so incredibly excited by such a simple thing. We went in and ran all around, I chased her up and down stairs and she giggled and glowed. I was in a tunnel when I went into the night, I even told her earlier in the day that we wouldn't be going into big church. I'm so glad I got out of the tunnel and was able to brighten her little life and moment.

There are so many other things I could write about, but it's just a good reminder that when we step aside or back to think about others' feelings and desires, we can brighten someone's world and mend their heart. I hope I'm modeling this for my babies when we do things for others. I hope to teach my babies to not have a selfish heart, but a serving and loving heart that thinks about others first. I know this was all over the place, but it's what was on my heart today.

I'm blessed and so very grateful!