2 x 2 x 2 [Birthday Edition]

We had TWO celebrations for TWO very special girls who turned TWO years old!

We began this past week with a small family birthday party! And ended the week with a NICU reunion celebration at the hospital for Esther, which coincidentally was held a day after her release date just 2 years ago!

Pink & Purple Party!

The Decorations

The Fun 

The Party Guests!

NICU Reunion Celebration!

Celebrating our little NICU graduate, Esther, with a petting zoo and games at the hospital. We had fun riding a horse, brushing the llama, petting the bunnies, and feeding the goats. We also got to sit and eat our favorite snacks with Mommy and Daddy after taking our measurements and making hand prints in keepsake clay to see how much we have grown.

 Back from where we started...

(Above) Esther's release date to go home, Oct. 4, 2011 / (Below) NICU Reunion Oct. 5, 2013

Animal Fair

Happy 2nd Birthday, Anna & Esther!
We love you and the delight you bring to our lives!

George Bailey For A Day

Have you ever had one of those George Bailey moments from the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," where you know you have forever impacted the lives of others? I was thinking tonight I don't know how to answer that question for myself. But on the other hand, without a George Bailey in my life, I could have easily become a combination of a "Violet" or "Mary" in George's scenario of never being born. I would have maybe always been searching for myself and what I wanted and longed for like Violet and ending up all alone like Mary.

I still remember the day. I went in to get my haircut. My hair was long and boring with what she called it, "the butt cut," where the hair is parted straight down the middle. Ha! I was her last client of the day. We had conversation as she transformed my hair but nothing like the, 'whoa, we click.' moment. To this day, I will never know what it was, but as we walked out to our cars together, she said, 'We should hang out sometime!' I was stunned by the words. This 'too cool for skool' chick was asking the most dull person in her salon that day to hang out with her. It was also something I hadn't heard in a very long time.

I was a wilted flower. I had just ended a very long unhealthy relationship and was emotionally burnt out. I lacked any kind of confidence in myself or inner beauty. I was already searching, but not knowing where or how to start my new journey with Christ I had just begun.

After hanging out a few times, she soon started to take me under her wing. No agenda. It wasn't long before she was discipling me simply by teaching life on life. She was an extended hand of the Father to help guide me where He was leading.

She set my feet firm at the start line and pushed me forward to follow the Lord. I went running! I learned how to truly desire the Lord. I gained confidence in my identity in Him. She instilled Biblical womanhood values in me and how to be a good wife before ever meeting my future husband. We became close friends.

Christ alone can only receive all the credit for my life, but He does want us to be an extension of Him. He wants us to be his hands and feet. Serving others in brotherly love.

My life changed simply by going to get my haircut with a hairdresser who knew His heart.

So what does this mean for me?
It means I need to be open. I need to be in connection and in fellowship with the Father.

When I'm out at the grocery store, the line in Starbucks, or at the park with my kids, I don't need to be so self focused that I forget to interact with the people around me. Encouraging those I come in contact with or being something they need just that moment. What does that look like?

Sure, I may not be gaining a Timothy (Paul discipled Timothy before sending him out to do the same) with each encounter, but I can leave behind seeds of love. I can be a George Bailey in someone's day. Or even maybe a lifetime and generations to follow.

God transformed my life and hair with just one cut! 

The Miley in Me

It's been a couple weeks now since Miley Cyrus' jaw dropping performance at the VMA's and she still remains to be one of the most talked about people. Tweeted, Facebooked, and blogged about, I, too, have found myself delving into the what seems to be a train wreck or one of the most brilliant publicity ploys ever. There has been a great deal of judgement, harsh opinions, and open letters over the singer's behavior, which is somewhat justifiably due to the numerous teen girls in the country that look to Miley as a role model. Strangely, I find myself identifying with the pop star.

This Hannah Montana "no more" is arriving at her early 20's. I don't know about you, but my early 20's didn't look much less appealing than any one of Miley's recent performances. Sure, I might not have been poised naked on a wrecking ball or twerking with Beetlejuice, but my life didn't look anything like what it does today.

I was a mess in my early adulthood era. It was plagued with all kinds of doubt to my identity, bad decision making, immaturity, irresponsibility, and an ugly and hurtful 6 year relationship I had no business being in. I was trying to find myself but instead lost myself. Friends and colleagues often wondered where my old self had vacated to, I was empty and searching for something to fill me. To this day, I still look back and wonder who in the world was that girl. She sure wasn't me. It's like looking at the Miley in me.

You see, Miley and I are one in the same. Her sins aren't any greater or worse than mine. She may be exemplifying all the wrong choices while trying to find her way, but like Miley, some of us can be a little more extreme that others when it comes to finding ourselves in our rebellion. But really, it makes no difference to Christ. It's all the same sin in His eyes and it doesn't make her have any less chance of being His daughter in the Kingdom. It's what He gave his life for.

Beauty for Ashes! It all becomes part of God's beautiful story to glorify Himself in the end. We are a beautiful story! And sometimes, a beautiful mess.          

The difference is surrendering and giving Christ the opportunity to take over our lives and heart and make a right relationship with Him. God took hold of me along with every one of my bad decisions and covered me with His love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and overwhelming kindness. He guided and restored me back to a place of righteousness. Without Him, I would still be wandering.

Every single one of us is broken. Miley is no different. No different than me. I'm only separated from the Miley in me by my encounter with the Father and His continual love and forgiveness to wipe me clean.

Instead of judging a person full of sin, look at them as empty of Christ. How are we to love them towards the Father? 

One Month And Already a Lifetime

Our little Tyler had a One Month Birthday this week!

And was inaugurated into our Family Bible we received on our one year anniversary.

We chose Psalm 84:10 for Tyler's official marking since his name means "Doorkeeper" or "Tile Maker."
"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in
the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Time has started to pick up it's pace again in the Adams' household. It seemed to slow down just a tad in the toddler zone, but it's full speed ahead again all too quickly. A month of days has approached itself in a what feels like a week, but in a sense feels like Baby Boy has been with us forever. 

Newborn sizes have already been replaced with the next size up, intentional smiles have shown their first glances when playing with Mommy, and two big sisters have decided that it's okay to show their displays of affection for the little guy instead of baby phobia.

The girls didn't acknowledge his existence too much for the first couple of weeks. Now, the girls can't come downstairs in the mornings without looking for Brother. Esther has proven to be my 'little mommy.' If Tyler starts crying and I don't immediately tend to him, Esther will care for him and rub his head to calm him until Mommy arrives. She is a big helper. Sometimes too much....she now tries to pick him up.

Tyler is an entirely different recipe than the girls. The most noticeable being the crazy dinosaur noises coming from his corner of the room at night; Terra Dactyl to be exact. Haha! He doesn't mind getting a bath, loves his head rubbed, and eats like a horse. Thankfully, Anna and Esther paved the way in breastfeeding. He is eating their amount combined; 4-5oz every 2-3 hours or some nights every hour and a half. Shew!!

We have yet another good baby, but have found that he is a little particular how he likes his love and care. Dirty pants must be changed immediately, room temperature breastmilk must be warmed to his liking, arms must be out for swaddling, there must be extra cushioning in bed, and positioning is not always the same. 

Yet on the other hand, he can be very laid back. He is very patient until you take advantage of it and can easily sleep through Big Sisters' screaming and loud play (well, for the exception of pots and pans). Those two qualities are obviously from his Daddy. 

And his best quality... he loves his Mommy the most. ;)

Our Baby Boy Is Here!

                                   Life & Parenthood just got a little more sweeter!
                                                                     Introducing our newest little addition...

Tyler Alexander Adams

Monday, June 17, 2013, 6:28pm

6 lbs 8 oz

20 1/4 inches

Every bit of PERFECT!

Little Tyler Feet! Eeeek!!!

Comfy at Home

Book of Possibilities Brunch

Last Saturday, I had the privilege of celebrating my friend, Beth's 32nd Birthday, with 7 other fabulous ladies for a breakfast brunch. This was not just any ordinary birthday brunch....it was a Book of Possibilities Creation Brunch. It's been a week later and I'm still thinking about it, being inspired, and being stirred to pray for other ladies' God given dreams! Not to mention, I think this would be a fabulous idea for my 30th birthday!

Beth's idea was inspired by the Queen Latifah movie, "Last Holiday" and the book "Dreaming with God" by Bill Johnson. The idea is combined with Georgia's (Last Holiday) book of possibilities that she chooses to start living out after being diagnosed with a terminal illness and putting a twist on it by being inspired/listening to God's heart and dreams for our lives.

After a yummy breakfast together, we sat down to a table full of magazines, scrapbooking goodness, craft supplies (not limited to neon glitter), and the Holy Spirit.

Beth shared some inspiring thoughts. One of them I remember from my dream blog, "If your dreams don't scare you, then they aren't big enough." She shared that it is never too late to start dreaming and that we could all could stand to dream more! Totally true! My friend, Star, then started us off with a question, "What is something that you have never done before?"

Immediately, I started thinking of a hot air balloon. As I was envisioning this idea, I started to question myself, 'Is this what the Holy Spirit really has in mind?' Then, the friend sitting next to me opened up with a dream she had that involved a hot air balloon. Boom! Confirmation! Thinking I would never find a picture of a hot air balloon in a magazine to cut out for my page, it all the sudden appeared while cutting something out for a marriage ministry dream.

God has all kinds of dreams for us! Ones that involve our every day world, ministry, creativity, imagination, life dreams, and yes, even hot air balloon rides! We just have to tap into His heart and collaborate with His dreams and plans for our lives. They are dreams and possibilities bigger than we can imagine for ourselves. It's exhilarating and beautiful, but can be a bit scary, daring, and out of our comfort zones at the same time.

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)

If I look at the big picture of what God is inspiring me to do and has planned out for me...it's a bit scary to think that God has given me that kind of potential inside myself. The books we started creating are works in progress. We will be adding more to our books as the Holy Spirit downloads ideas to our hearts and life. And not only will we be adding, but we will be doing. The books are inspiration to actions lead out by His perfect timing and will in our lives. Beautiful!

Picture of my dream pages here soon!

My husband took them out of town with him. Haha!

Color, Birds, Romance

My favorite blogs to write are the inspiring ones where God talks to me through my everyday experiences. God is always teaching and whispering on my heart. This week I feel like God has just been whispering...'Enjoy Me!, Enjoy these moments!, Soak Me up and worship.'

The idea couldn't be more perfect as it is winding down the last few weeks of being just us girlies during the day before our Baby Boy arrives. But there seemed to be an underlying theme of color and birds intertwined with God's romance.

At the start of the week, I was thinking. I wonder if God's favorite colors are Blue and Green. If you look around at His creations: the grass, trees, plants are all green. And blue makes up most of the earth with the waters and the sky! Even little Robin eggs are blue. Then, thinking deeper...every color we see and excites us was created with God's amazing imagination put into existence. Whoa...totally time to get awed away by the Father!

A couple days later, Anna put on my crazy colored footed socks, which looked like tube socks on her little legs. She was a true Rainbow Brite in the making. I couldn't help but enjoy her crazy personality coming out. She has such a creative side, which we all know comes from me! :) But where did I get my creativity...totally from the Father's heart, just as she did. Enjoying my silly little girl as she took joy in socks made me realize how much the Father enjoys me too. I'm totally on His heart. I'm not overlooked by the two cute little stinkers that are pieces of my heart running around on the outside. Since becoming a Mother, I tend to get overshadowed by their sweet bundle of cuteness and even overlook myself as well. It just naturally happens that way, but God hasn't overlooked any piece of me. 

We have played outside a lot this week. It's been gorgeous out in the mornings with a slight breeze. As I sat on our porch swing, with my feet up, watching the girls play with the breeze touching my skin and hair, it somehow felt wrapped up with a breeze of  His presence. It took me back to His romance in my childhood. He was reminiscing with me and lovin' on me all at once. As I breathed in the moments, I wondered how God would romance my girls through their childhood. Would they notice? Would they soak Him in as I did? Would it be similar? Sharing the romance of His presence totally made those moments as we played ball, blocks, or just sitting next to the slide while they took turns handing out high fives after sliding down just that much more sweeter.

If you have ever read the book, "Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldridge, in Chapter 7, "Romanced," Stasi talked about how she longed to be romanced by the Father as He did her husband with the whales on one of their trips to the beach. Instead, a couple days later, she got hundreds and hundreds of colorful starfish. A sight and experience designed just for her alone by the Father. He wanted to reveal His heart and love for her. God has romanced me in the past with birds. It wasn't until I was married that my husband unveiled God's full meaning for romancing me with this gesture.

Just as my girls started to discover the birds landing in our yard and trying to run after them this past week, we had a Blue Jay family take nest in our tree. As I spot the blue bird couple out our window almost every where I turn, I couldn't help but think we are having a boy and adding blue to our household just as these gorgeous blue birds have taken nest at our home. God mentions the birds of the air in His Word*.

Every encounter, I learn more of the Father's heart. He made this week much more precious and memorable just by sharing in our every day.

*Matthew 6:26, Matthew 10:29, Job 38:41, Psalm 50:11, Psalm 104:24, Psalm 147:9