garden of the gods

i was very happy with how these pictures tim took at garden of the gods turned out.
i just finished this hat for sammy and am pleased with how it turned out.

even though this picture is blurry - i can't get over how old she looks.

little explorer

she loves to push her stroller

i love this picture of tim and sammy!

more words

for my memory

tickle-tickle
ba-bath
up
dish (fish)
baba (baby - her favorite toy)
all done (this is hard to hear without a sophisticated ear)
night-night

grandpa and grandma and ellis too

sammy loves her grandparents!!

off to colorado

tim and i decided southwest is now our favorite airline. free bags. and people chose their seats. a family of three where one member is a toddler - not exactly people's first choice.

fine by us. here is sammy enjoying her own seat.
how do you feel right now about being on a plane for two hours?...

but how do you feel about seeing your cousin ellis? happy.

words

sammy is beginning to speak english. here are all of the words i can think of that she can say:

dada

da-dog

ba-ball

mama

papa

hat

cat

nana (banana and her grandma)

ba-bye

hello

cheeese

amen!

that's all i can think of.

here is a picture of sammy and ellis - just to make this post more interesting :)

ta-ta for now.

blessing

more from Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction:

Berakah (one of the two words for blessing in Hebrew) describes what God does to us and among us: he enters into covenant with us, he pours out his own life for us, he shares the goodness of his Spirit, the vitality of his creation, the joys of his redemption. He empties himself among us, and we get what he is. That is blessing!

God gets down on his knees among us, gets on our level and shares himself with us. He does not reside afar off and send us diplomatic messages; he kneels among us. That posture is characteritic of God. The discovery and realization of this is what defines what we know of God as good news - God shares himself generously and graciously... God enters into our need, he anticpates our goals, he "gets into our skin" and understands us better than we do ourselves.

God stands - he is foundational and dependable; God stoops - he kneels to our level and meets us where we are; God stays - he sticks with us through hards times and good, sharing his life with us in grace and peace.

And because God blesses us, we bless God. We respond with that which we have received. We participate in the process that God has initiated and continues. We who are blessed, bless.

(enter my thoughts). These are good words this morning. I am thankful for the truth that this is who God is and because this is who he is - this is who he is shaping me into. I desire to be someone who stands, who stoops, who stays. I desire to reflect God to those around me - to introduce him to those who don't know him in subtle (and not so subtle) ways. I think particularly about Sammyt this morning as she and I will spend the day together - may she see the Lord in me and find him attractive.

great pictures from my mom's camera!

enjoy the photo extravaganza!

cute mom and dad!!

d and j

the knipps

sammy and the ocean

sisters

i love these photos of tim and sammy!

baby likes to drink water from a big cup

good times at the zoo

sammy, papa and a monkey

good times watching mickey mouse clubhouse

we had such a great trip! thanks mom and dad for making it happen. we love you!!