HOME!

Monday we enjoyed a day off and spent time together snuggling and playing as a family.  We also stopped in to get Maggie’s hair cut at Pigtails and Crewcuts!  Its fantastic.  Maggie made us laugh as she peppered us with questions (as if this was her first hair cut).  “Will it hurt?”,  “Will have still have curls?” , “Will I be able to do this?” (as she pulled on a curl to watch it shirk back up).   Her hair looks great!  We always know she is in need of a cut when no amount of product helps!  

How most days off begin! 

I flew out Monday afternoon to the Carolinas (Charlotte and Durham) Monday.  It was a long week of work scheduled back to back ending Friday in Chattanooga for dinner!    I am so blessed by our partnership in life!   While our career decisions are always  second tier to our marriage and our girls, we both work to support each others careers and this week was no exception.  The girls are always in great hands with a Daddy who is involved and eager! 

One night at the hotel a rubber duck was on the towels.  It reminded me of home and bath time.  What a chore that bath time feels most nights, but how I miss it when I am gone and would love the moments to be there this week.  

Made me laugh!

Sleeping beauty!   O how I love these moments when I tuck the girls in before I lay my head down each night.  

Sweet sleeping doll.   (note:  fingers most the night, just to fall asleep)

There is nothing better than being home.  I love the immediate hugs and kisses.  The girls and Jimmy immediately rush to my side and each want my attention.   I know I am loved, missed and appreciated.     I love at dinner how the girls must cram into one side of the booth with me to be close.  I love how I get to look across the table at Jimmy and talk about the events of the week in person.  I love how by the end of dinner I can sneak next to Jimmy and share a dessert next to each other.  Home is where we are all called to be!   Together!  

My girls!  

A bright spot to the weekend was seeing my mom.  She is in town to help my brother and SIL with Ellie.    So we spent most Saturday with them.  The girls enjoyed KK snuggles and Ellie snuggles too!   

Love this!  Ellie was sleeping and moved her hands!   Gracie's face is classic!  

Maggie was really focused on Ellie! 

KK and girls!    What a fun day together! 

Valentine's Day!

Waking Maggie up has become quite funny to us.   She always has something fun to say.  This week my favorite was “I am dreaming” as she said in irritation over being woken up.   When asked what she was dreaming about she said “keeping my eyes shut and going to sleep”

American Girl babies and doll!  They are well loved in our house.

We have been anticipating this moment for awhile and this week it finally occurred....Gracie said she wished she had curly hair like Maggie!    “everyone alway talks about Maggie’s curly hair and touches it and no one does that about mine”.   Good thing I knew this was coming.  We used it as an opportunity to talk about how Gad made everyone different and gives us all different qualities.   In the moment, do I think that those few points solved her issue?  No, but I do hope that overtime she will gain an understanding and appreciation for how she was created.   I giggled and told her no one tells Maggie when her sunglasses are on her head that she looks just like her mama!  Somehow that helped along with some bedtime snuggles and reading her American Girl Kit book.   

This week Gracie lost the privilege to choose her own clothes each morning.  She was so indecisive and had a bad attitude about everything that was suggested she wear, therefore she lost the opportunity until Valentine's Day to choose her clothes.   This did not make her happy, although she quickly realized if she continued to behave poorly over clothing decisions she may never get to pick her own clothes out again (thanks Jack Bowen for the example you set many years ago with Abigail).    

Our newest cousin, Ellie, sent us a Valentine package.   Daddy says she knows her way to her Uncle's heart since she picked out Reeses hearts for us!  Daddy LOVES those!  We shared with him. 

We had our first emotional breakdown with Gracie this week.  She was not throwing a temper tantrum, but flat out big tears just because she had a rough day (defined by one of her friends from Kindergarten not wanting to play with her and Kenzie after lunch which then set her off when we picked her up and she did not get to finish her Piglet picture she was coloring for Maggie which then was further upsetting when she crumbled it into a ball and threw it at Maggie and Maggie did not understand it was a gift and did not want crumpled paper).   Sigh........Lord, help us make it through parenting and be effective!    So we regrouped and talked about love not being conditional upon getting or receiving something (she said “Maggie does not love me because she does not want my picture”) and talked about giving our best gift when we give gifts (not crumpled paper).   While these are great opportunities to teach out daughters valuable lessons, they are also great opportunities to realize they need a little extra love and snuggles to know regardless of what happens in the word they are cherished!  

VALENTINES!   Red and pink day at school filled with parities and fun with friends.   Valentines is not  a big day for us although we try to make it special by being together.     The girls (including mama) got a big balloon and potted tulips.     Then we ate breakfast on heart shaped plates (I had bought those when we were first married for a special breakfast I did for Jimmy).  This year breakfast was yummy Daylight Donuts!  The girls love the special way to start the day.   We have had to remind Gracie several times when she talks about a boy at school being her valentine that “only Daddy can be your valentine!”.    Maggie loved the breakfast so much the next day when we woke her up she said “we going to have another breakfast party?”.  

Tulips for all the ladies, balloons and yummy donuts!   We have done this for several years for the girls and it has stuck.   It is not a big thing, but a little thing to start their day off! 

Chocolate.....of course that was one Gracie choose! 

Just like her Mama...choosing something with some fruit.   

Addison and Maggie at school.  They are Best Friends and we pray they continue to stay close to each other.   Chattanooga Christian here they come in 2015 for Kindergarten!  We just happen to love her parents too!  

Valentines was not complete until we had a special dinner with Papa!  He was in to spend time with Gracie since she started winter break friday,    Valentine’s Day for the Martin family is special as it is Jimmy’s dad’s sobriety birthday!   Wow!  I could not be more proud and am so blessed that he made that decision 28 years ago!   It is rare we get to spend the day with him so we made the most of it!   Major, we love you and know you have passed down to your family wonderful memories and values!   

Happy 28th Special Birthday Papa!  We were so excited to get to spend such a special evening with you. 

Some Maggie snuggles before bed!  

Several weeks ago we were stuck in traffic on a busy morning and heard on the radio the accident was due to a drunk driver.   We then passed an 18 wheeler with a car slid under it!  I had both girls with me that morning and talked about how our decisions impact others.   (I felt like my mom as she was great at using “teachable moments”!).    We talked about how Papa made a decision to not drink years ago and how that is one of the best days we celebrate each year!    

Baby Baby Baby!

We are so blessed by the friendships we have.   What at this point has turned into an annual event at our house, we hosted our small group Super Bowl party.   While sometimes I debate if we should (its hard to give up my Sunday nights and make it an extra late one at that), I always enjoy the time.  There is nothing better than visiting, watching the game, and having our little ones (who are really not so little anymore) run around together.   

Sweet Girls

Mommy's Girls!  

Self portrait!

Picture by Gracie!  I love this one of us looking at each other 

Look alike in so many ways

The week was again filled with waiting as we prayed each morning that Ellie would arrive soon!  We have two anxious cousins to hold her (as well as her Aunt and Uncle)!  We did not have to wait long. She was born Monday, February 4th!   We are beyond excited.   We gave them some rest and enjoyed Tuesday morning having my parents at the house when the girls woke up.   Tuesday we picked the girls up from school when Gracie finished (she was excited, no aftercare!) and headed to Cleveland.  We were at their house when the brought Ellie home and immediately the girls were by her side!   Jimmy and I even snagged a few moments to hold this sweet girl.   It was fun to see the girls at this age with a new baby and their personalities.   Gracie was content to hold her the entire evening and was not too excited when she had to share.   Maggie wanted to look at her and hold her for moments but then wanted her to play and go to her swing.    Ellie, we adore you and can’t wait to see you again soon!   

Welcome Ellie!  

Meeting Ellie!

Gracie could not get enough of her

Uncle Gabe adores us, but Ellie even more!  

I helped to supervise the tree going up!

I often email with Mrs. Barrow, Gracie’s teacher, coordinating the events for the room.  Mrs. Barrow’s comment to me about Gracie made my day!  “P.S.  I may not tell you often enough but Gracie is a JOY to have in the classroom!  She listens and works hard!  A teacher's dream! :)”   Gracie is a sweet girl and working very hard in 1st grade.  Her memory verses she learns through the week well and her spelling words she usually masters those early in the week (with a few like “need” that is is tricky to remember it has to e’s).  

I try to go have lunch with Gracie and her class from time to time.  Gracie always asks for us to bring her lunch and her request is Panera cheddar broccoli soup with grilled chicken on the side with a bread.   I love the time with her and her friends.  

Kenzie and Gracie --BFF (most days)

Today was a low key day with gymnastics and errands.   When Gracie and I got home from spending time together Jimmy told me he had a surprise.   he was right...he had planned for our sitter to come over, dinner reservations and friends are meeting us!    It was a wonderful surprise.   While we always try to make date night at least monthly this month is busy and I had assumed it likely would not work and I am usually the one at least making the sitter arrangements.    We are off to a great night out.....

Still waiting.....

This week was filled with anticipation as we waited for the news our niece was being born and ready to meet the rest of her family.    My brother and sister in law will be great parents there is no doubt, but it does seem weird to me that my “little brother” (by 8 years) is grown up and going to be a Daddy!    And we are still waiting!   We have enjoyed the extra time we got with Gabe and Katelyn as we tried to distract them and keep them company.   

Sweet girls before church.  It is a miracle we got one with them both smiling and looking at the camera. 

Wednesday at small group we started a neat video series and this week focused on when the rains come, when we have storms in our life, how to we respond and what is the purpose.    The first question was what is one moment in your life that is burned into your memory as perfect.    It was a fun reflection.  For me there are several, however my top two are 1) our wedding day as I walked into the sanctuary for pictures with the bridesmaids and Betsy was singing “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris.   At that moment to me everything was perfect and I had such a peace about our marriage!  2) was after Maggie was born and Gracie was meeting her for the first time.   I had such a peace that our family was complete and our commitment to raise our daughters was solid.  There is something about the peace God gives us when we make through life and decisions!   

One moment I wish I could capture, but don’t have the privilege to as it is a quite moment between Jimmy and Maggie that I only hear about!   Maggie loves for Daddy to tuck her in last so she gets extra snuggles and to rub on his “whiskers”.   Gotta love that girl!   She is defiantly opposite of Gracie and me who would much rather NO whiskers! 

Another Daddy's Girl for sure!   (yes, she split her lip early in the week.  It was pretty bad at first but don't worry, she enjoyed sweets for dinner that night) 

This week Gracie celebrated 100th day of First Grade on Wednesday.   WOW.    The year is more than half way over.   Tonight we did our re enrollment for CCS.    It was so easy.  There was never any second guessing our decision to put her back at CCS and now we eagerly wait to know who her Second Grade teacher will be!   

The 100th day of school is a big celebration complete with a crown and glasses!