Monday, May 7, 2012

Ponytails

This week there's been:

Lots of frustrations.
Lots of joy.
Lots of tears. 
Lots of struggle.
Lots of hard stuff. 
Lots of grace.

That's true every week, I suppose.

This week, in particular, these have been met with a stark contrast with one another, and I find myself needing to be extra intentional, getting out my magnifying glass to find all the joy intermingled with the hard stuff.

We can do hard things around here. Just takes lots and lots of grace.

Counting my graces today (1247-1271):
  • Reading The Little Blue Truck together with the girls. 
  • Their enthusiastic "Beeeeeeeps" at all the right moments. 
  • Hadley's love for our new Babar book.
  • The girls calling all elephants, "Babar". 
  • The girls being so, so proud of their ponytails. 
  • Mama and the girls posing with our matching ponytails. 

  • This: 

  • Seeing the girls dancing in the fallen flowers under the catalpa tree. 
  • Brynne and Hadley bringing me flowers from that tree. 
  • Going back through the house we're considering buying. 
  • Melissa speaking truth to me. 
  • The journey of figuring out this napping thing.
  • Anna speaking grace into my life.
  • A night of Mexican with the Community Group girls.
  • My Fight Club Girls.
  • A playdate with Shelly and Mr. Max. 
  • Max and the girls running back and forth across our floors giggling. 
  • Playdate with Alice and her boys. 
  • Alice reading stories to the girls. 
  • An opportunity to serve the homeless in our community. 
  • Sewing with friends. 
  • Enjoying SarahFae's homemade bread. 
  • Winning MandyE's Usborne Children's Book giveaway!
  • Air Conditioning.
  • A husband who loves me, is patient with me, and works hard every day. 

8 comments:

Helene said...

I love, love, love all the pictures!!!!!

The girls are so precious!! And it does take a magnifying glass sometimes to see the beauty through all the chaos!!!

Kerry said...

Cute pics!! And you are so photogenic :)
You guys have been up to lots of fun things together! Enjoy your week with the girls :)

championm2000 said...

I always love these posts but especially so today.

Thank you for the reminder to stop and count my blessings--big and small.

Ordinary Girl said...

Toddlerhood certainly has it's ups and downs huh? I never know what to expect. Sounds like you're getting through though and the girls look adorable. Love the ponytails!

Joan Hall said...

Love the photos, Julia (and your list of blessings).

Have a joyful week!

MandyE (Twin Trials and Triumphs) said...

I'm sorry to hear your week included tears and frustrations, but I love the many the tiny (and not-so-tiny) things you count as blessings.

I hope this week has found you with a couple fewer "hard things" going on. :)

Laura Wells said...

Hi. Noticed you started following my blog. Thank you. We have so much in common...Jesus, gardening, blogging and a daughter, named Hadley. Hadley is my oldest (ssshh...she is called Bird on the blog). Hoping to stop by sometime for your Mama Loves link up. Laura

Corinne Ritz said...

Wow! Great pictures! The one of you in the middle with the ponytails made me SO happy!!! Sorry your week was rough. You amaze me and I am so grateful to have your example in my life for almost 20 years now.