Thursday, May 30, 2013

Happy First Birthday Sweet Ryder!

Little Ryder is one today! He is full of life, silly, stubborn and a sweet boy. He is standing up and ready to take the world by storm walking. We love you Ry Ry!

Happy one!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Marathon training is upon us

Wow.
I kin'dve love this saying. It hits home as the surge of school is almost done and the realities of moving and being 500 miles away from our home state become more real.

Oddly, I know God shut our heart to living in Ohio. I felt Him say as we walked into church one summer that our time was done there. So when the opportunity came to move in October we talked about it.

It was like, wow -- God's timing that we were both on the same page with moving to another state.

God has blessed us by providing awesome babysitters, some new friends and even a small group and church. I am in a bible study at our church and Brandon has enjoyed his new workplace. Sophie loves her preschool and Ava really enjoys school and gymnastics.

This month they are taking swim lessons too.

And drumroll...Ryder is turning one! Holding back the tears ladies because he is my little sweet boy who is terribly ornery. He gets this little lip thing going when he's thinking about being ornery.

For the next couple of months I am building base mileage and then training in July for the November race. Today I ran five and yesterday I ran a quick warmup/cool down and a fast mile (7:49) to see where my speed was (no where :) and a pilates class.

Can't wait for post-workout pickles and chocolate milk popsicles. And I have to admit I love a good beer too after running. It hits the spot.

Question: Have you ever run a marathon? Are you ever going to? What is your favorite post workout food?

Praying

The recent tornado in Oklahoma is so sad. So sad because as a parent you wonder what might have happened if it was your child. Or you went to pick up at the school and she didn't come running into your arms brown hair waving in her little ponytail.

During college in Springfield, Missouri I vividly remember two tornado sirens that went off during the night. In one I bounded out of bed, yelled at my roommate and suitemates and got to the bottom floor. I was scared.

The second tornado has my best friend Ann running around the room doing the same thing to us. It was just this visceral panic.

We joke about my sister Jessie and her time spent camped out in the tub in Missouri during a tornado watch that my brother-in-law Nick filmed. But, it did hit 30 minutes away and it hit hard.

I just pray for them and even question why God couldn't move the path of that tornado so it did not hit the elementary school.

He is still sovereign. And He has promised that through all of the recent tragedies we will not be consumed. His compassion does not have a limit.

Lam 3

21"The reason I can [still] find hope is that I keep this one thing in mind:

22the LORD's mercy. We were not completely wiped out. His compassion is never limited.

23It is new every morning. His faithfulness is great.

24My soul can say, 'The LORD is my lot [in life]. That is why I find hope in him.'

Friday, May 17, 2013

My little loves

Art frames to decorate the downstairs bathroom.

Found them at Target.

New frames by the door and our new bench for getting ready for school.

Ava's Barnyard Moosical. Her class were cows.

Ava made me a Mother's Day card and picture of herself.

Silly girl.

The "Sophie Eyes."

Ryder is getting so big - here he is 10.5 months.

Love this necklace I got from Target. It reminds me of this site.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Rooms

Heaviness.

It hits our hearts in certain seasons.

Jobs. Moving. School. Graduation.

And yet, this season of life has def been one of the hardest we have encountered. Every comfortable thing we have known has been stripped. At times that wound was raw and felt so real and fresh. And yet, it's healing. Our past hurts are healing. Our present looks sweeter and our lives are returning to somewhat of a cycle.

Is the Christian life supposed to be comfortable? Aren't we always supposed to be a little uncomfortable in a world that is just the cover? A beginning of something that "no eye has seen or beheld?"

I was nursing Ryder one day and though of the verse that loosely says, "In my Father's home there are many mansions, if it were not so, I would not say it." And the Holy Spirit gently said "rooms."

In the old testament mansions meant "room" or "abode." These places were built as changes were made in families in birth or marriages. It was an extension of the home to accommodate the life change and to have everyone living closely together.

We are not meant to live alone. Even in Heaven the Father is having us live together in an abode. And to dwell together.

This free wallpaper is a great reminder that He is always faithful even in times of change.

“All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

C.S. Lewis - "The Last Battle"

10 year anniversary and Kuhns family visit celebration

Celebrating our 10 years together at Pasture in Richmond, VA. It was so yum! The fried okra, chorizo meatballs and clam ceviche was the best. And we loved the jars water was served to us in.

Brandon and I at our anniversary celebration.

These chairs reminded me of the Young House Love chairs and they were numbered. So cool. The spot had vintage maps and chalkboards. My kind of place.

Besides celebrating our anniversary, we had a great time this weekend with our family who was in town visiting. Ethan, Charlie, Luke and Kelly came and shared "four days" as Charlotte pointed out at the beginning of her stay. She did a countdown each day.

The kids really loved seeing each other and acted like long lost friends. Ava and Ethan usually buddy up and Charlotte and Soph hang out and try to keep their toys from being sequestered from the older kids. We joke that Charlotte and Soph are frenemies, meaning, sometimes they have a good time together while other times they fight. Seriously though they had a blast this weekend.

On Thursday and Friday we wasted no time and hit the pool since it was 80s outside. It was glorious. The weather helped us feel like we were on vacation. Sophia swims like a fish and I can't wait to see how good she does in swim lessons. Girl has no fear.

We visited Maymont, a beautiful garden and estate on Saturday and it was gorg. We enjoyed a picnic on the lawn before going through the park. The weather and walk had animals, gardens and giant stepping stones. The icing on the cake was the snow cones!