A Picture Update

I will admit that the weeks seem long, but I know that summer will go by too fast.

Callie had VBS every morning this week, so I got some good one-on-one time with the little one. I realized I haven't done real updates on the girls and what they are doing these days, but their 5-and-a-half "birthday" and 23-month "birthday" are both next week, so I plan for them to each get their own posts soon.

Had some more good runs this week.
 

On Monday Maya and I went to get me some new running shoes.

We got to hang out with Mary and Larry a lot on Monday and Tuesday.

We visited the Guthrie, and there was lots of crafts with Mary and Larry, including pipe cleaner tiaras.

The girls started swimming lessons.  They were a little dubious at first, but both of them had a BLAST!

 

 

We had a playdate with Mabel and Jenna on Wednesday morning, and then did some playing at home.

Throughout the week I got some good one-on-one time with this little crazy girl.

Callie got to have a very fun sleepover with Boom on Thursday night!  Movies, popcorn, one-on-one time...what could be better?

Maya and I crashed the party for a little bit.

Callie finished up VBS today.  And Auntie Cat came over to hang out.

Tonight we met the Johnsons for a lovely dinner outside.  The kids had a great time dancing to the live music, and of course I got video evidence!

Callie and Donald were breaking it down!

 

IMG 7792 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.


IMG 7799 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

Enjoy your weekend!

Dark and Light

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

-John 1:5

I have heard these words at church, over and over, my whole life. 

I'm not much of a theologian, but I know that's the promise. That the light of the world will always over power the dark, even in the hardest times.

And what I have heard a lot this past week from different situations or people or readings is about exactly that- light coming from darkness. Hope coming from despair. Joy coming from sorrow.

"God never says, you should have come yesterday;

he never says, you must come again tomorrow,

but today if you hear his voice,

today he will hear you...

He brought light out of darkness,

not out of lesser light;

he can bring thy summer out of winter,

though thou have no spring.

All occasions invite his mercies,

and all times are his seasons."

-John Donne (from a daily meditations book called "Healing After Loss").

Frankly, it is still hard for us to believe that there is light that can come out of this darkness. 

But that must be why we keep getting these reminders.

"One the light of God's own presence on the ransomed people shed,

Chasing far the gloom and terror, bright'ning all the path we tread.

One the object of our journey, one the faith that never tires,

One the earnest looking forward, one the hope our God inspires."

-Hymn: "Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow"

We have been lucky enough to have spent a lot of time with wonderful friends and family these past 7 weeks. We know we are not alone. They have been our light. Yet, there is a raw darkness, a sorrow, that permeates through the togetherness because it is hard to imagine all the future gatherings like this- without him.

"Grief is not something to be fixed. It’s something to be borne, together. And when the time is right, there is always something that is born from it. After real grief, we are reborn as people with wider and deeper vision and greater compassion for the pain of others...Hope is a door each one must open for herself."

-Glennon Melton,  from her book "Carry On Warrior"

Since my dad died I have been a little obsessed (obviously!) with taking pictures of the sun.  It is a daily reminder that light DOES come from darkness.  Every day. 

 

And so what we need to do is remember the promise and look for the light. Every day. As hard as it may be.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Chris was gone for the weekend playing golf with a few buddies. Thankfully, G-ma, Pa and Auntie Cat wanted to spend some quality time with the girls, so after a quiet morning at home I dropped them off for lunch and they had them the rest of the day.

They did some measuring and found a little library that looked like a British phone booth.

 I spent the afternoon with my mom and Laura.  We then went over to Laura and Craig's for dinner with Uncle Jim, Aunt Coco, Bob and Barb.  We had margaritas and toasted to "Tropical Lee" (that was my dad's tropical vacation alter-ego...the one who ordered tequila shots for everyone).  It was a really nice evening and it felt good to be around adults without having to chase around two little ones.  Though I did spend a fair amount of time with a little kitten...

This morning we went to church for the first time since the funeral.  I'll maybe write more on that at a different time.  After church I took the girls to Perkins.  I was regretting that choice about 5 minutes in when Maya refused the high chair and instead was in the booth with me.  She kept turning around and talking to the people behind us.  I'm not sure who this child is, but it is looking like she has more of her father's extroverted personality...

This afternoon we headed back to Laura and Craig's for a little kitty time and pool time.

Chris got home tonight and we headed straight to a jazz club for a concert with Bob, Mary, Cat, Dan, Hanna and Hanna's dad Cary. It was really fun!

Another week of summer is ahead. I hope we can settle into a routine. It will help that Callie has VBS in the mornings this week!

A Picture Update

Today was my parents' 39th wedding anniversary.  It was another hard day, but we were thankful to be able to spend the day with my mom (pictures later). I looked at their wedding album this afternoon, and found this beautiful picture.  I'm thankful to have seen their amazing example of marriage for 33 years.

The first full week of summer was a roller coaster.  Some days were good, and others were really hard.  Callie's in a new phase of arguing that I'm struggling with, and Maya is everywhere.  Between constantly trying to reason with a 5-year-old and making sure the almost-2-year-old doesn't hurt herself, I got pretty exhausted by about 2:00 every day.  Uffda.

But they are also helping me stay present. I have to show up for them. And their smiles and hugs and giggles make a very tough situation a little bit easier.

Here are some pictures...

On Monday morning we met Adrea for some beach time and a walk around the lake.

We had a family dinner out on Monday night.  Maya was proud of herself for throwing everything we put in front of her
on the floor.

On Tuesday morning we had the whole indoor play place to ourselves for an hour.

Boom came over to hang out on Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday morning we met Jenna and Mabel at the wading pool, and then we went to the park and met up
with Casey, Ciri and Gianni.

On Thursday morning my friend Amanda and her daughter Elise, and my friend Allie, and her daughters Makayla and baby Olivia came over for a play date.

On Friday we went for a walk downtown.  Then my Uncle Jim (Dad's brother)
and Aunt Coco came into town.

It was an ice cream night!
We had success at a garage sale this morning, so the girls had fun playing with their new toys tonight.

Lastly, there were lots of goofy faces this week.

That's about it.  Happy Friday.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Mornings

My half marathon training schedule has three days in a row of runs: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I have done the runs early in the morning this week, and actually loved it. Here is my morning routine:

5:27am: Wake up, roll over, see the clock, groan (it doesn't matter how late I stay up...I can't seem to sleep past 5:30).

5:27-5:55am: Dink around on my phone.

5:55-6:15am: Get ready for my run.

6:15-6:30am: Call my mom.

6:30-7:05am: Run.

7:05-7:20am: Stretch, do strength training, lay on the grass and look at the sky. Think about my dad (though really that is all the time).

The great thing about early morning runs is the sunrise.

And the sun rays.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Well, the weekend is over.  At this point I just have to say THANK GOODNESS.  Both girls got colds and my back went out.  Oh, and my mom and I finished emptying out my dad's closet, so there's that. 

Even though there was a lot of general crankiness and exhaustion (physical and emotional) this weekend, we did have a few highlights. 

Highlight #1: Meeting Elliott- our newest family member.  The girls finally have a (kitty) cousin!

Yes, you read that right, there is now a CAT in the Henderson family.  In case you didn't know and couldn't figure it out from my previous sentence of disbelief, we are NOT cat people.  But Craig is, and now that he is in our family, he is working on changing that...one cute little kitty at a time.

We went over to meet Elliott on Saturday morning.  I begrudgingly admit she is pretty darn cute.

The girls LOVE her.


IMG 7373 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

Welcome to the family, Elliott!  We'll try and make sure Maya the Monster doesn't smother you some day.

Highlight #2: The Held's came over for a play date on Saturday night.  We haven't all been together for awhile, and it was CRAZY fun.  There was playtime outside, playtime in the basement, and some undies-only playtime upstairs.  Obviously, the only picture I got was the appropriate kind of picture.

Baby Held #3 is due this month!  Can't wait to add a 5th crazy to the mix!

Highlight #3: Callie figured out how to climb our tree all by herself.  Her QOTD: "Remember when you used to have to put me up in the tree?  Now I can do it all by myself!  Now I think I can climb MOUNTAINS!"

Highlight #4: Half marathon training has commenced. With a rest day.

Highlight #5: Remote control boats at Centennial with G-ma, Pa, Nana and Papa.

Highlight #6: These two...OMG. 

The first full week of summer vacation starts tomorrow...at this point I think I need you all to wish me luck! ;)

A Picture Update

Here are the pics from the week...that's all I got tonight.

The girls got lots of love on Monday

Wonderful dinner at the Suurmeyer's to celebrate Dad's 60th birthday

The girls throughout the week.

1st Day of Summer: Haircuts...

...and a walk around Centennial...

...and playing outside.

And a couple videos:



IMG 7297 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.


IMG 7354 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

And since I am missing Throwback Thursdays, but can't really do that on Thursdays anymore, here is a Flashback Friday. 

Front yard pool time