the ocean

*the sand*







*the sea*





This night alone made our little trip worth it; to wade in foamy tides, to build tunnels and stick bridges, to collect perfect tiny shells for Ella's castles, to watch them run in the golden light, to let the hours slip by gently without a thought.



"I am in love with Ocean
lifting her thousands of white hats
in the chop of the storm,
or lying smooth and blue, the
loveliest bed in the world.
In the personal life, there is

always grief more than enough,
a heart load for each of us
on the dusty road. I suppose
there is a reason for this, so I will be
patient, acquiescent. But I will live
nowhere except here, by Ocean, trusting
equally in all blast and welcome
of her sorrowless, salt self."
~Mary Oliver~

Savannah in the spring

...is pretty breathtaking.It is such a good feeling be on the road, to somewhere new, new landscapes, new faces. From the window you start to see Palm trees and finally we arrive to a city covered in Spanish moss and azalea's in full bloom. It's a beautiful southern city and the closest place to get to the ocean from where we live. The cobblestones streets are lined with shops, pubs and eateries and it sounds like New Orleans as I sit and watch my children chase pigeons by the bay. I take it all in, the smell of the salt air, the songs of the street musicians. I watch the man across from me. He is browned by the sun, ragged, long haired and bearded. He looks like he's been traveling for a long time but has nowhere to go. I watch him smile as Naya laughs and squeals at the flock of startled birds she scatters, and for a second I feel connected to his momentary joy in this simple scene. My attention turns to the man with a bucket of change belting out 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' in a way that would make the big black ladies at church start waving their hands. I watch people and imagine their lives. I have always been like this, an observer, writing stories, taking pictures in my head. My Bella girl gets this from me. She is an observer, she waits and watches and notices with all of her senses.
We weren't there five minutes before we had these reeds twisted into roses bestowed upon us. They are everywhere in Savannah.

It was Josh's Spring break and I was determined to go away. I missed the ocean and just wanted a break from routine with my family. Unfortunately we no longer have the awesome free set up we enjoyed for three years. The city and the parks, watching the kids in the sand and the ocean was so much fun. The five of us sleeping in one tiny hotel room outside the city with children who had no interest in sleeping... not so much.
We came back exhausted but happy. Slipping into the cool sheets of my own bed was heavenly. The other thing I love about going away is the sweetness of coming home.

we're back

risen

"He is risen; he is not here."

This week I wept for the suffering my Lord endured on my behalf,
and felt the small arms of my son as he wiped away my tears.
This week I felt the warm breeze and was reminded of the Holy Spirit.
This week I said many prayers with very few words, mostly "thank you" and "I love you."
I sunk my hands in the dirt and marveled at the new life springing forth, the un-imaginable artistry of God.
I carried a sleepy Ella from her car seat and we paused to gaze at a magical sky of quickly shifting purple clouds over a glowing moon-lit sky and I watched her smile when I told her maybe God made it so glorious because He knew she'd be looking up.
This week I kissed her soft little face.

I smiled in the car when Juden excitedly announced, "Mama, I can see heaven!" when the sunbeams burst through the clouds at sunset.
I filled my table with perfect fragrant magnolia blooms that I knew would only last for a moment.
This week I am overwhelmed by the beauty and compassion of Jesus.
This week I remember that the tomb was empty and look forward to the joy of the morning.

*ballet*

I love having girls and I treasure these days that they prance around in a mess of clothes and tights and leotards saying,"Pud on the ba-wa-lay music Mama." This happens at least once daily. Nana sent a Baby Ballet DVD so we have "class" everyday although Ella has officially completed her first real class.It was so special for Ella to have something all her own.



Well, not completely on her own. She got to have class with Dove-bird whom she could barely stop holding hands with long enough to dance. I watched my girl dance across the floor with a bouncy style that was anything but graceful. Ballet can be so very structured and formal feeling but Ella had her explosive smile on the entire time.One of the first things people noticed about Ella when she was a baby was her amazing smile and how her whole face lit up.

You could tell she was loving it and I must say it was the most uninhibited and clumsily beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Every little ounce of her being was immersed in the joy of the movement and music, before any hint of insecurity or self-consciousness. So free and innocent, so very in the moment; oh that she will always stay there. I mean really, is there anything cuter than a row of itty bitty bums in leotards? Precious.

today

One of the other things I love about homeschooling is the freedom to have days like today; a surprise date with my little man to see the musical Peter Pan.
to hear him belly laugh at the antics of Mr.Smee,
to watch the magic of Neverland and pixie dust and pirate fights,
to hear him say, "Tiger Lily is the most beautiful girl ever!"
to hear him clap and yell "I believe in fairies," to bring Tink back to life.
to watch him stare over the balcony at the symphony beneath the stage.
to have his hand in mine.

whatever is lovely

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.”
~C.S. Lewis~

I love homeschooling. Juden drew lions while I read the story of David Livingstone fighting off the lion from Hero Tales. He has an insatiable appetite for books and usually illustrates what ever I am reading about. We have to stagger out the written work a little more. I have loved getting to watch his curiosity and excitement as he patiently works at reading and writing with such determination. I know these days are a gift, as we're snuggled up in a sunny corner with our reading that I enjoy just as much as him.
A few other things I'm loving right now~
* A handful of wishes from Ella.
* The gentleness of March and the nearness of Spring.
* The other night when Naya looked at the sunset and said, "Look Ella, Jesus made you an pinkalicious sky!"
* Moving Naya from the crib to Ella's bed, the sweetness of them asleep together.
the earthy smell of Juden's little head when he comes inside like spring time and sun. It's pure heaven.
* The smell of shoe polish, and suddenly I'm six years old on a Sunday morning chatting away to my dad as he sings and shines his shoes.
* A snow day last week and daffodils this week.
* Naya's wispy curls.
* crocuses and tiny buds.
* bare feet and flip flops, they don't waste any time.
* buying seeds.
* My precious husband who out of the blue announced he was giving me and entire day to myself, a very rare thing.
* The whispers from God in the earth, in my kids laughter, in the love of friends.
* The loveliness of being alive.