Tomorrow Sarah Joy turns 7 months old. Once again, for the seventh time, I have fallen in gentle mother-love with a sweet-sweet babykins. How thankful I am for our house full of children. What a blessing they are. I never dreamed being a mother would feel this way.
Older daughter Grace and I spent some quiet time together this afternoon, looking at magazines and drinking coffee. She also wrote a letter to her friend, Brooklyn, and I nursed Sarah. Later on, Sarah was sitting on the floor playing and just as cute as could be…..so I scooped her up and had Grace take a couple pictures just outside the door with the snow as a background.
Rich has had this week off from work and he just got back from taking the four older boys to get their hair cut. The two of us are going to sit and drink coffee together now. (A Mom can’t drink too much…coffee…can she?
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Tomorrow we plan on driving to NY to visit our parents. Please pray for us as we travel. Thank you!
Sending lots of love in the direction of all my friends. I hope all of you are well. Let me know what you’ve been up to, won’t you?
*Shanda*
PS. This dry winter air. Most of the pictures Grace took made me look quite wrinkled around the eyes. It was quite a jolt to see them and realize….I’m getting….old……er………………..
Good to be Home 
You are beautiful Shanda, with each and every line (which are not noticeable, by the way). I think if I were to choose one word to describe you it would be “blessed”. You are truly blessed.
@onehappymomma – I didn’t post the pictures that showed so many….thank you for your sweet words. I’ve been thinking about you, and hope you are feeling brighter today. I have a verse to share with you later. I read it this morning and thought it would encourage you. How are your dog and cat today? Love you~
What lines? I didn’t even notice them! Have a good trip to NY. The temps will warm up for you.
Have a safe and happy trip!
One of the things that makes me feel so at home when I come to your blog is that I come from a long line of women who truly loved their babies. My Sweet Mama always dreaded the labor and delivery, but loved her babies with all her heart — as did her mother and grandmother before her. Babies were something to be treasured and enjoyed and doted upon. The latest edition was always the family favorite — and the youngest one something special for all time. (That last part wasn’t always appreciated by the older ones — but we all knew that, in our own time slot, we were just as loved and thought to be wonderful and enjoyed.) And being a Mama is a thing of wonder. It is the hardest thing I ever did, and as my babies have become adults, sometimes I think it is even harder — but something that I wouldn’t trade for anything. These young adults who are so interesting, so capable, so adept at managing their lives– and still so kind to their Daddy and me, boggle my mind. It is so rewarding even while it is sometimes so scary and even heartbreaking. Love those babies, Shanda, and treasure the days. They are so quickly gone. So . Quickly . Gone . . .
@Buckeyegirlie – Such beautiful wisdom and so well written. You always understand. Thank you for writing today. ((warm hugs))
I love the quote in the first picture…so so true! Little Sarah is growing so fast!
@celebratinglifeandmotherhood – Yes, Mama of 9 I am sure you DO understand how true that first quote is! LOL Our babies grow way too fast, don’t they?!
Don’t you just love it when Dad has the week off??!! That is one of my favorite parts of the holiday! (yeah, that AND no school ) Your sweet little baby is growing up so fast!
I love them! Being a mom is just the best. I am so looking forward to having more children. The one I have is definitely my heart.
@Byers7 – Yes, I love having him home! Hope you’re having a great week~ Thanks for stopping by!@myall4christ81 – You will be amazed at how much love your heart can hold as you continue to have more children! God is so good. Blessings to you!
“Baby” Sarah looks great and you do, too! I know it’s getting dry around here when my hair stands on end from static electricity in the house! I have such incredibly dry skin I’ve had to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize all my life. I guess it’s paid off, my skin is still in good condition as I head into being age 58 next April! GAG!!! Okay, I didn’t just admit that!!!I *WILL* pray for you as travel over those snowy roads. I hope you have a wonderful visit and . . . TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!!!!!!! xo xo
Love.love.love the pictures with the snow as the background!! Makes the colors pop! I’m having a stressful time right now with mothering…nothing really…PMS…kids home from school this week on vacation…just too much craziness for this momma. It was refreshing to read those quotes in your post. Trying to look up and cherish these moments that I DO have with my children.
@cherylyn_p – I need to slather on more moisturizer for sure. You look great, I can’t believe you’re 57 years young! Thanks for praying, friend!@srheam – That was me yesterday and the day before (*that time* of the month again)….ugh…you’ll feel better tomorrow I bet. It’s hard to deal with the extra craziness when you aren’t feeling well. I’ll be praying for you! xoxo
Looking but not seeing any lines or wrinkles–if there are any, I would call them “smile crinkles.” Your baby girl is so adorable, and just a year ago she wasn’t even here! Life moves so quickly along–cherish each minute, whether it’s a perfect one or a difficult one. And have a safe trip!
I love those quotes.You are such a good Mom! I just love coming over to your site. =)Enjoy your trip to NY and the time with your family.Oh, and as for the wrinkles….I can’t see them! You and your baby look lovely!But I do know how you feel. I am noticing things on myself ~ evidence that I too am getting old…er! =)
i had to look really hard to see any ‘getting old’ lines…i thought they were more joy lines…from smiling so much! wow Sarah is 7 months already. time flies eh. so many beautiful children that each bring such differences to your family and yet make it the unit that it is, the joy of your dear daughter who is older and the one that is growing, seeing your boys turn into men, and having a husband who is your best friend…what a beautiful blessing of a year and a life my dear Shanda. May the Lord continue to lead and bless you…may your journey be blessed and may you not encounter any of this crazy weather that’s been all around the east coast.
No moms can never have too much coffee! You look great! I confess the past 3 days have been quite a struggle,we had half our house without water(pipes burst and flooded both our bathrooms) Somehow we managed. I am so thankful for family! Up and running tonight WHEW.
What wonderful quotes and of course pictures ~smile~ I will be praying you have safe travels tomorrow. We have been homebound for 4 days. The main bridge out of town is blocked by snow and the side streets are a mess! I am definitely looking forward to a day out. Any lines you may see are do to all the love and smiles your children receive daily. That’s how I explain mine anyway….
Sarah is so sweet! Have a great time in New York with your families! Safe travels!
Wonderful pictures of you and little Sarah! Grace did a wonderful job. I love the quotes. I love babies too, OK, I love them when they are older a bushel and a peck, just somethin so dear about chubby little ones. We had a baby shower for our Alicia today! Mary has pictures on her site of our crew the last 3 days, so I have shamelessly recommended them I am soooo excited to be a Grandma.Girl…YOU ARE YOUNG! Enjoy it. My wrinkles are really starting up. Have a wonderful trip. I will pray!
What wrinkles??
Every wrinkle has a story behind it, every line is a badge of honor. Wear them with pride! And yeah – moisturizer is great I have been feeling the stress of being mamma to littles lately, but I’m trying to teach myself to just enjoy these days. Reminders like this are so helpful – as is the reminder that they will not always be this little!
Shanda~Although I don’t comment often, I visit each time a notice arrives that you have posted. My heart is touched, blessed and warmed any time I read your blog and enjoy the pictures that you share. You are always so real yet your quiet spirit is such a gift. Thank you for being a “friend” across the miles. Oh, and those wrinkles you speak of, any time I look into the mirror or notice those “signs of aging” the Lord reminds me how blessed I am to have this time and season with Kyle and our girls. I look at these “signs” as “wisdom markers” that I have been afforded.Hugs~Mendiwww.simpleandsurrendered.blogspot.com
hi shanda……….love that first photo. i have a similar one on the wall in my dining room of me and my baby (who is now 7!!) that i look at every day. i miss those sweet baby days.
so what am i up to? well, i’m trying to finish the last few things off my “to do” list before vacation is over and homeschooling starts up again – at least i can start the new year with a clear head! my goal is to work on keeping up with life so i am more present and able to enjoy each day. oh, i know there will be days i fail, so believe me, 2011 will be filled with lots of praying!
beautiful pictures! funny, I just recently started noticing “eye wrinkles” on myself too…yes, I guess we are getting old…er….;)
Happy, happy, happy heart!!! đ Love this!
Adorable pictures as always. I love the green of your sweater against the snow. What a precious look little Sarah Joy has in the second picture….just want to eat her up! So sweet! Will be praying for safe travels. God bless.
How long will you be in NY?!!!!!How can she be seven months already?Juls and I were JUST talking about you, she still wants to go on a road trip and drop me off at your house! It is all just dreaming right nhow, I have no idea what the next few months will be like.The light is perfect there in the snow with your yummy baby! You look beautiful and full of energy, it must be because Rich is home!
What dreamy pictures and quotes. I love them! Love you too! Happy New Year!
Dear Shanda .. I first must echo, “what wrinkles” … and did you say, “old-er?” Ah, just wait until you reach that golden age of 50, or, is that the silver age! Lol! No matter … really, though, with God, those ‘jolts’ do get easier! It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been by, and since I’ve even been on Xanga … we’ve had some sadness and deep sorrow in our family which has kept me from being consistent on-line … I hope to share more about it here soon. I’ve missed it here, and your posts have brought back memories of simpler times. Your Sara Joy has grown so much since I last visited … I can understand the way you feel when her face lights up! Thank you for sharing your heart for the Lord, and for your family with us! It truly is a love like no other when we have those blessings in our lives! I’ll be back again, soon … in the meantime, have a blessed, and joyful New Year, enjoy the time with your parents, and I’ll be praying for your travels home again! Blessings ~ Deborah <><
As for me, this has been a year of watching “my heart” walk away. It nearly broke. But the Lord wrapped me in HIS LOVE and is teaching me to let go. We pour our life and love into these little ones, and in the blink of an eye, they are young adults and must fly.It is the hardest thing I’ve had to face as a mom
What great pictures and you look beautiful!