{this moment}

{this moment} à la SouleMama - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Nothing and Everything

These days, it seems, I have a lot and nothing at all to say, all at the same time. James has been home recuperating following his shoulder surgery (which went really well), and we have been spending lots of quality family time together. Around here, that means playing football - a lot of football, reading, creating, playing with water outside, enjoying our meals, and spending time at the playground each evening until the sun has set.

We've also had adoption on the brain more often than not, and have been spending quite a bit of time talking about all the different facets of it - of our own personal journey as a family, and of adoption in general. We're making lists and researching flights and vaccinations, and waiting. The social worker handling our home study update should have the update completed in the next few weeks, and then we'll send it off to USCIS for them to update our approval. Our referral could come at any time once the update is complete.

Have we mentioned how huge the referral is?

That email is the one that will make our hearts skip a beat and stop us right in our tracks. That'll be the email with our sweet boy's face in it, his name, his background information, his medical information. That will be the email that make things much more urgent and much more slow, so much easier and so much harder, all at the same time.

Whew. I so often imagine what that will be like and I know that I cannot even imagine it. We're full of contradictions around here.

While we wait, we're trying to put our energy into what's before us right now. We're trying to delight in the little things, which are, really, the big things. Trying to, as Ann Voskamp puts it, "Go slow. Be God-struck. Grant grace. Live Truth. Give Thanks. Love well."

{this moment}

{this moment} à la SouleMama - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Bathtime

Finally, early last week, baby girl was given a bath. She was so calm and content, just like her brother was in the water. I'm guessing her baths will be a bit fewer and farther between than her brother's were (I'm sorry, my second child), but if they continue to be such a sweet, mellow time, we may start bathing her more often just for the smiles she inspires.

Hands

Hers, folded together while she was nursing a few days ago:

His, holding hers:

Let There Be Light

Last Friday, James decided it was time to put up the Christmas tree. We must have donated our old Charlie Brown tree after last Christmas, because we realized on Thanksgiving Day that it was nowhere to be found. Oops! Fortunately, James was able to go out and get a tree he really liked that evening, and the next morning up it went.

Two days (and one trip to Home Depot) later, it was time for the outside to show some Christmas spirit. Someone was a fan:

James wants you to know that our neighbor has since added more lights to the carport we share, so things are looking even more festive out there. Now all we're missing is snow!

Sharing

He would take a bite of his apple, then she would look up at him and open her mouth. He'd put the apple to her mouth so she could take a bite, then wipe his mouth with a napkin. She'd finish chewing, then look up at him again so he could wipe her mouth. Again and again and again, until the apple was gone.

They can be so sweet, these two. They make this mama's heart smile.

{this moment}

{this moment} à la SouleMama - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

{this moment}

{this moment} à la SouleMama - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

"GECKO!"

This, I think, by far is AJ's favorite part of our backyard:

He always has an eye out for geckos out there, and when he spots one he is ecstatic and yells for us to come see. I love how excited he is, and how eager he is to share that excitement with others. We have a lot to learn from this sweet boy...

After checking out the big gecko, he noticed a baby one on the fence right next to it!

For some reason the goofball boy thought the gecko was sticking out its tongue.

It's the little things that make us smile!

Birdwatching

Sometimes, the simplest things are the best things. Like sitting with (or on) your daddy, watching the birds in the backyard take a shower in the water from the sprinkler.