Deja Vu Daughters

Anneli gets a bit rolly in the eyes when I do it yet AGAIN.

I call Darrah Kate by her name.

Most moms have this issue. I think.

Even know of moms who call the dog by the youngest kid's name. Yes, really! (Are you one?)

But, I think I may have it a wee tiny bit more.

Today, I discovered why.

For HOURS I had to work on a life timeline for my 5th grader.

This sounds like such a NICE little project for a 5th grader. Doesn't it?

Scope out your life year by year, cite major events. Find pictures to represent these fine moments.

You'd think especially since her parents did some professional photography for a time.

But no.

You may be like me, all those wonderful digital photos sit on a disk or hard drive somewhere.

(At one point, this same now 5th grader asked me if she was ever a baby...we didn't have a single picture available to prove it. She just had to take my word for it!)

So, for 7 hours I dug. Disks whirred, rainbow circles spun, the hourglass rotated.

I came up with some pretty cool pictures of my 10 year old's life.

And then, I realized...

WHY 

I 

CALL

DARRAH KATE

ANNELI

AND 

ANNELI

DARRAH KATE.

Just look at this:

Okay, I rest my case.

You see it, right?

It's like having a second swing at raising that daughter!

They both love princess and dress up. They both fell in love with a stuffed animal at birth. (Anneli a pig, Darrah Kate an elephant.) They both pitch a pretty darn good fit have a strong personality. They both snuggle and love whole heartedly. Incidentally, Anneli was actually "Anna Kate" in utero till Brian vetoed it at 35 weeks!

Serious deja vu!

But of course they have their own personalities and special things just for them.

I'm just giggling that I'm not crazy I'm not as crazy afterall for the thousands of times I've mixed them up!!

KWIM?

Just Because...

...because Darrah Kate is adorable.

...because evening light is beautiful.

...because we have a teddy bear for Toby that has a tag in his ear that actually says, "Toby."

...because we think about Toby so far away it hurts.

...because we ache to go get him and bring him home.

...and because I just want to share these moments with you.

In the Shelter of the Father

Being a mother of two stagger-stepped toddlers has been a challenge in no uncertain terms. Yet I cannot remember a time in my life where I have ever experienced God in such real ways.

Apparently when you are emptied of yourself: all your ability, all your own power, all your own strength you become desperate for Him, well, He shows up!

What a great gift!!!

As you may know, many of us in the north are experiencing unusually warm temperatures and sunny days (HOORAY!) and there are a slew of storms that accompany this pre-spring treat.

Often they come at night.

When we sleep.

Well, most of us are sleeping.

Except one tiny Shaw. She's the youngest. She's the littlest. She's the one who sleeps the lightest. And she likes to let us know about it!

Across the 1,022 nights of her life we have been up with her many, many, many times. Responding to her cries, delivering water, finding Fluffernutter the Elephant who has once again tumbled to the floor.

I cannot say that my weary bones have delighted in these nightly treks across the squeaky wooden planks of the floor...trying not to trip on toys as I navigate my way to her toddler bed. No, no, far from it. I'm sad to say I've grumbled in my heart quite a bit. :(

Earlier this week we had a very loud, flashy storm that came complete with howling wind and pelting rain that crashed against the glass like bullets. I woke up too!

Suddenly our door was thrown open with a vehemence that only our Darrah Kate uses and I heard the toddling steps pass by Brian's side of the bed.

"Mommy? I scaaaaared!" she meekly pleaded.

It must have been God taking over because my immediate response was to swoop her up in my arms to hold and cradle her. Instantly I discovered she was violently trembling. She was so very, very frightened of the wildness just outside the glass window.

My heart broke for her. This was HUGE. She had very little past memory of wild storms to recall that she might be okay. She shook with the terror that she might be swept away!

I covered her quaking body with my own and pulled her into bed. Gone were the thoughts of ME...how was I going to get up for my workouts in a few short hours...I will filled with the love of our Father Himself.

Verses began to stream into my consciousness as I continued to shush, stroke her sweet hair and kiss her brow.

"The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9


"For You are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach," Psalm 61:3


"He will cover you with His feathers.
He will shelter you with His wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day." Psalm 91:4-5


I was overcome with emotion. Parenting is such a window into the loving heart of our own Father. I was flooded by His love for me in that precious moment. As I was wrapped around my own daughter's small sleeping body I knew for sure that His arms were wrapped around us both. 


She finally stilled. The trembling had stopped. 


Peace came.


Rest.


Sleep.

Taken during an afternoon storm that interrupted her nap time.

Not for me, but for her. And I reveled in the fact that my own Father never slumbers nor sleeps. He holds me as I sleep toss-and-turn  and He is the One who gives me the strength to live the next day. I held my little child in my arms now safe and satisfied that the violence outside would not consume her...and I felt drawn deeper into this love with the God of the Universe.


Only God can give a gift like that at 2 am.


So although I am a bit tons weary the next day... and am looking anxiously to the toddlers' nap time for my own rest, I am drawn closer to the heart of God through this job to which He has called me.


And I am so grateful.

DQ is TWO!!!

Our little DQ is now TWO YEARS OLD!! What?!?!?!?! How can that be? Just a wee tiny bit ago she looked like this: (this is back when we suspected she was "he!")

Then out came a GIRL!!!! What????? Totally shocking to us all...she acted like a busy boy in there...but she was indeed not--just preparing for a vibrant life of a daredevil!

What? You don't think this looks like a daredevil? hahahaha!!

What a precious bundle of baby she was!! Oh! My heart aches for baby days!

Definitely tons of potential here... hee hee!

Now you recognize her!  At 4 months of happiness!

6 months old!

17+ pounds of LOVE!!

In Grandma Thomas' baby dress! 9 months old

All American Baby!

Happy 1st birthday, DQ!!!

And now, for a more REAL LOOK at life with DQ...
one of many LIPSTICK episodes:

"So sad that I did that!!"

Repentence is so genuine. She'll NEVER do it again!
(If you don't know, she ate ALL of my mail-order lipsticks that are now discontinued.
 Got to Grandma Shaw's last weekend too!)

On to HAPPIER times...
Nothing is greater than when it's your BIRTHDAY!

Now the daredevil in her can be seen! :)

Cherishing the card!

Opening the biggest present! What could it be?

This is the child whose first trip to the beach had her barrel running down to the ocean. Had she ever been to it? No. Did she know what it was? No. But adventure called. She tripped, got a face full of sand and her first ever wave crashed over her head. Did this stop her? No. She got up and began to run AGAIN into the ocean. Wow!! Don't you just want to live life JUST LIKE THAT!?!?!? 

I do.

Thanks, DQ, for teaching me how to have a zest for life, a love for adventure and the non stop curiousity that brings the flavor to life! Happy 2nd birthday!! We treasure you and cannot imagine life without you!!!

And if you are still here...why don't you take in a sweet moment before bedtime with DQ?

Love Strand 28/28 The Final Entry...

It was quiet.

TOO QUIET.

And this is where I found her...

This child--how dearly I love her--tests my patience hourly. She is the busiest little person I have ever known. Her antics often make me stress out (call the pediatrician!) or just pull out my hair (get down from there!). Sometimes I'm just grossed out, like the time she found a discarded straw and proceeded to use it in the toilet water (pleeeeeease tell me the last person flushed!!) Oh me oh my!

This time I burst out laughing!

Her older sister had not finished drinking her chocolate Shakeology. DQ climbed up onto the table and dumped it. She made a lovely rainbow shape with the palm of her hand and proceeded to delight in ingesting the wholesome goodness. She wasn't sure if she was in hot water or if Mommy was okay with this, but after my camera got clicking she realized it must be okay. 

Not just okay...it's GOOD for you!!

If you aren't familiar with Shakeology, it's an amazing meal replacement shake made with whole foods that contain no synthetic ingredients or chemicals. Brian and I drink it daily and love it. Our kids beg us for it, so when we give it them it's a real treat! DQ is a smart cookie and made good on the little leftover in Anneli's cup! So cute, isn't she? :)

Here's the Shakeology button if you want to learn more:

Love Strand 25/28

True story:  DQ was running up to the fish and kissing the side of the tank. SO CUTE! Could I catch this with the camera?

Of course not.

But I did get some of these instead! Enjoy!

Love Strand 16/28

Tonight was the Awana Grand Prix. A fun night for all of us as we root for our favorite cars and friends...and enjoy the company of one another. Love is many things--a great winning attitude whether you win or lose, kindness to a sister, cheering for everyone. But there was one adoring look from father to daughter that stole my heart tonight.

Darrah Kate Sings!

Here you can see and hear my favorite little one year old singing her favorite song! (I hope she continues to sing in season...this won't be as cute in July!)

Darrah Kate stole my heart!

18 months of happiness,  November 2010