Light and Loveliness

Reflections of Emily Sue Allen

Date archives February 2015

Family / Motherhood

Baby Lips and Miracles

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One sibling photo a week throughout the year. 7/52

Met this sweet little guy this weekend. I want to let his mama tell the story when she’s ready, but I will say, being present for his birth was a true gift for me. I have never been more amazed by the the miracle of life, the goodness of God, and the beauty of a mother giving her absolute all to bring her child into the world. Moms are heroes, y’all. Pain, prayer, struggle, and tears…and that’s just the beginning. I’ve had a number of babies myself, but its been a while since I’ve seen someone else give birth and I’m in awe. Wow-times-one-hundred.

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Check out those irresistible, perfect baby lips!

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Update on goals for week 7:

1) Run/walk at least 10 miles per week. Week 7 ~ 6 Run/Walk miles traveled, 71 cumulative in 2015
2) Write 10,000 words weekly. Week 7 ~ estimated 3,000 words completed, 26,000 cumulative in 2015

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“In my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry to Him reached His ears.” Psalm 18:6 NLT

616. new life, 617. a mother’s courage, 618. help with the kids, 619. a clean kitchen (not by my doing), 620. dance parties, 621. fancy french cookies, 622. naps, 623. monday morning workout to get back on track, 624. a surprise call from an old friend (love those), 625. clear skies

Family

Pouty Face

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One sibling photo a week throughout the year. 6/52

The highs are high and the lows are low. Fortunately in this house, in the event of pouting, there is always someone (or several someones in this case) available to poke fun at you or get all silly-like until you smile again.

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Update on goals for week 6:

1) Run/walk at least 10 miles per week. Week 6 ~ 10 Run/Walk miles traveled, 65 cumulative in 2015
2) Write 10,000 words weekly. Week 6 ~ estimated 4,500 words completed, 23,000 cumulative in 2015

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“What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45 NLT

601. incredible weather, 602. smooth homeschool days, 603. park slides, 604. the adventure purples, 605. one thousand twenty hundred, 606. new (free) storage cabinet, 607. hope found in dark times, 608. the stone system, 609. self portraits of a 2 year old, 610. old journals, 611. listening friends, 612. reading time together, 613. peaceful bedtimes, 614. discomfort that leads to growth, 615. stars

Family / Motherhood

Teeth

For some reason, teeth are the topic of many conversations in our house these days. The boy in red lost another, making his  smile just that much sillier for the time being. I wish I could say I miss the tooth, but having it gone means I don’t have to do a double-take every time I see him with his tooth hanging out through closed lips. Ewww. I’m great with teeth when they’re securely rooted, but loose and lost teeth? Go see your dad, please. I’m not the mom that will help you pull ’em.

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One sibling photo a week throughout the year. 5/52

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The littlest miss has seen the eruption of four new teeth in the past few weeks, making her the champion drooler of the family. You probably can’t see them readily in the photo below, but we have two uppers and two lowers, and clearly, we’re happy about it.

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Lastly, we have this creative chick and her famed snaggle-tooth that isn’t ready to let go. The great thing is, snaggle-teeth go really well with crazy-hairs and giant personalities.

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“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, for the Lord your God is the One who goes with you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

591. majesty of the known universe, 592. the compassion of a 6 year old, 593. bedtime stories made up by the kids, 594. connections made, 595. unexpected provision, 596. being ahead of the game on a few things, 597. the pleasant days between bouts of wet, 598. how little we know about everything, 599. light, 600. eyes full of wide wonder

Life & Faith / Motherhood

Rain and Rocking

It is night. I sit, reclined with baby in arms, awake with my eyes closed. There is a slight give in the chair, and I bounce rhythmically to the sound of easygoing rain. Only glass between us, the sky-water patters near to the ears and the soul in the otherwise quiet house.

In and out of sleep, I consider how the wet and cold is not celebrated or desired, but is in every way, necessary.  There is no lush ground anywhere that has not been sustained and drawn up by rain come down, no green that does not find its origin in merciful provision from heaven.

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The problem with rain is the mud and the muck and the cold and the overall discomfort that it brings. Who likes stinging drops against the face in the rain and wind?

I recognize am not called to live a comfortable life, but one that is fruitful and marked by faithfulness, which sounds a lot less glamorous than the comfortable alternative. I struggle to lay down my pride and take up a humility that is beyond me, and order my life in such a way that my garden is well-tended. Consistent, constant, faithful, committed, thorough, invested, loving, patient, grateful. Jesus Himself, said that He did not come to be served, to but serve and give His life as a ransom for many. I hold those words to my heart and hope they sink in where I can learn to be the same kind of person, no matter the weather.

Here we are, rocking in the night rain, and I smile. The sacrifices are great, but the reward of faithfulness is greater still. There is goodness wrapped in the simplicity of obedience to the Lord, wherever He directs our paths, even when that journey requires more of us than we feel prepare to give, which has been me at many turns in the road.

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Update on goals for week 5:

1) Run/walk at least 10 miles per week. Week 5 ~ 10.5 Run/Walk miles traveled, 55 cumulative in 2015
2) Write 10,000 words weekly. Week 5 ~ estimated 1,500 words completed, 18,500 cumulative in 2015

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“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:2

 581. baby experiments: brushing one’s hair with a marker, 582. refreshing walk around the lake with my big girl, 583. big girl’s tenacity and schooling successes, 584. felt solar system project, 585. quiet hours, 586. fred-meyer finds, 587. the many ways God comforts, 588. wisdom found in tricky situations, 589. little boy’s prayers answered, 590. rhythms

Family

Cookies and Milk

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One sibling photo a week throughout the year. 4/52

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Update on goals for week 4:

1) Run/walk at least 10 miles per week. Week 4 ~ 14 Run/Walk miles traveled, 42.5 cumulative in 2015
2) Write 10,000 words weekly. Week 4 ~ estimated 2,000 words completed, 17,000 cumulative in 2015

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“He has filled the hungry with good things.” Luke 1:53a

571. gorilla hugs, 572. the renewing of the heart and mind, 573. lunch invitation and horses, 574. help preparing a big homeschool project, 575. new curriculum, 576. sassypants magee, 577. my honey doing the honey-do list (thanks babe) 578. more baby teeth through, 579. girls night in and the mamas who came, 580. diffuse light