Biggest Loser: Babies

We decided that if Ruthie was on Biggest Loser Babies, she would win. If only there was a $50,000 prize! Here's some before and after pics after just 4 months! (How I wish these last 4 months were going quite as well for me!)

Christmas Eve!

We've decided to start a tradition and open PJ's on Christmas Eve.  Here are the girlies in their first matching set.  What sweeties!  They were both amped up and didn't go to bed until 9:30 tonight!  So even though they really don't know what's going on, I feel like they both know that tomorrow is a special day.  We can't wait to celebrate you Jesus!

Video Fun

Lost and Found Pictures...

Wonderful shot of my mom with cranky Ruthie.  Can't believe how much mom looks like Grandma Adams here...

Chickie's first (much needed) haircut.  BEFORE

AFTER

Pope Ruthie

Took the girls to see the light show when my mom was here.  Noa is fascinated with lights, but for some reason didn't care about the light show at all.  Totally bored.  As soon as we drove away, she couldn't stop talking about the street lights.  I don't get it.

We went to La Carreta for dinner and Chicks wouldn't stop licking the salsa.  Sometimes she would eat the chips - sometimes not.  We've noticed that she's really into dipping things lately.  She was even dipping something in balsamic vinagrette the other night and loving it!  Pretty advanced palat for a one year old, I must say!

And finally, sweet Ruthie in a sweet blanket that her friend Ruth made for her.  What a treat!

Let's Not Forget Chicks

Chickie's favorite new spot to play is on the back porch. I love it because she's totally occupied but also locked inside the porch, so I can keep my eye on her while I do other things. I suppose the only negative is the fact that she drags Blankie around with her. Still worth it. These are old pictures -- I've cut her bangs since then -- but they're sooo cute! And totally Noa. Especially this first picture. :)

Ruthie is 4 months old!

We can hardly believe it!  Here's some things we've learned about Ruthie thus far.

• Ruthie is passionate.  If she's happy, she's extremely happy.  If she's mad, she's extremely mad.  Rarely do we see any in between unless she's sleeping.
• Ruthie loves to co-sleep and snuggle. (Russ' prayers have been answered!)
• Ruthie really likes watching TV.  This is so funny to us because Noa never really cared about it and still doesn't, but Ruthie is glued to it every time it's on.
• Ruthie also loves to get her diaper changed.  Hmmm... neat freak?
• Ruthie is the longest baby I've ever seen.  I think she's going to be tall and thin like her Daddy.

Here's some things she can do.

• Smile like crazy!  She even laughs at Russ every once in a while.
• Prop herself up with her forearms while laying on her stomach.  This is the cutest thing ever!  I love when I hear her and go to get her up and she has propped herself up and is looking around.
• She's trying to stand like crazy!  I think the exersaucer isn't far away and I'm going to love that day.
• She likes to scratch on everything with her long nails.  I always hear her just scratching away on the sheet in her pack 'n play or on the side of the bouncy seat.

O.k.  That isn't a very long list, but she's definitely growing and changing all the time.

Here's some pictures of our cute little leopard.  :)

Hey!  How did that little monkey get in there? (Obviously you can see I raided the clearance costumes at Wal-Mart and love 'em!)

Hope

I've been thinking a lot about heaven lately.  I can say that more and more I am longing for His kingdom to come to earth.  Not in the shallow, immediate way most of us think of it. (i.e. “The American Dream” big house, bigger car, football scholarships and beauty queens…) but truly longing to be a part something different.  Something whole. A longing to know the bigger picture, the beautiful story He has told and is telling.

My friend Nancy died last week.  What a beautiful person.  She was a safe place.  Even as I think of her I’m not sure what to do with myself.  Weeping is the only appropriate response right now.  Russ and I tried to think of other words to express what we feel, but the best way we could describe it was simply sadness and joy.  Both.  Together.  Deeply.

I haven’t had even a moment to grieve yet.  All of the events that surround death kind of block that out sometimes (unfortunately), especially when you’re caring for two little babies (one that has the flu) in the midst.  So now it comes.  The house is quiet except for some music in the background.  I was cutting Russ’ hair overcome with a deep sense of loss.  I miss Nancy.  Actually, I started missing her a while ago when she wasn’t able to sing with us anymore.  Then again when she wasn’t able to come to church and we were only able to visit her every once in a while.  Still again when she was only able to sit – her movement so hindered…  Yes, we lost a great deal when she went to be with Jesus. 

Somehow though, even more than loss, I feel such deep hope – like a huge, enormous, glaring light at the end of the tunnel.  The Father.  King Jesus. Precious Spirit. A longing for all that He is more than I’ve ever known up until this point.  Not necessarily because I will get to see my friend again, although I welcome the day…  No, it started before she passed away.  Questions started rolling around in my mind about “heaven” and I wondered if we were just getting it all wrong.  It’s so much better than we could imagine.  So much more than tons of fleshly desires fulfilled (and actually not even this at all!). My heart started to turn towards an intense awareness that we’re living for something more; and we will see it one day.  We’re stuck in our pews right now (or should I more appropriately say we are stuck with our light shows, rock band worship teams (of which I am a part of!) and iconic logos, branding ourselves rather than Jesus without realizing it). Don’t get me wrong.  I have no problem with the church.  I love the church and know fully that He uses His church.  But the sense that lives are at stake is coming into view.  The sense that life is only Jesus is becoming apparent. 

The song playing in the background (which I just tuned into – tears streaming down my face) says, “And we will see him coming on the clouds of heaven.  Exalted.  We will see him high and lifted up.  He reigns in majesty.”  This is what it is all about.  Actually, this is the only thing that it is about.

Another song that marks this current time says, “No weeping.  No hurt or pain.  No suffering.  You hold me now.  No darkness.  No sick or lame.  No hiding.  You hold me now.”  I’m so glad Nancy is with you Father…no longer sick.  Still, my favorite phrase in that song is, “no hiding.”  Seems like all of the other lyrics would be more powerful – almost like the author got that phrase wrong and it doesn’t fit.  But hiding started with Adam and Eve.  Hiding is laced throughout so many stories in the Bible.  Hiding continues. And not only in dark alleys and forbidden places, but in the hearts of everyone.  How we needed a Savior.  How I needed a Savior and still need his salvation every day.  I was lost.  I’m sure in many ways I was even hiding.  And now I am found.  This is the kind of hope I’m talking about.  Thanks Nance, for reminding me of this.