Blessed

even in the midst of craziness and not-on-routine days, I still have an overwhelming sense of blessedness.  I have joy in my heart, so it always content, but pure blessed is how I feel.  It is crazy and non-routine because photography is busy.  It is crazy and non-routine because the farm is busy (we got some rain!!).  It is crazy and non-routine because we have so many avenues of growing with the Lord that we can not stand to miss them.  And I wouldn't go back and change a thing.

Amongst this busyness, dad came to the rescue when CR went out of town for almost a week.  Good ol' daddy, always putting others before himself.  Always.  If anyone ever says anything different, I would like to show you his track record.  CR and Ray loaded up the truck and headed on the annual pig trip to the Midwest ... they went as far as Indiana.  I bet you wish you could have been a fly on the wall in that truck.  The next day, dad was here to help me with Kirby.  He did more than that, though.  Every single night he was here, he cooked dinner.  And cleaned the kitchen.  I ate better and my kitchen was cleaner than ever before.

Not only did we enjoy his food, his company was the best part.  Kirby sure does love her Paw Paw.  As soon as he got here, she had to take him to "his room" to do "1-2-3" on the bed and look at the monkey (her) in the mirror.  We walked just about every morning and visited with the cows.  We drove around and looked at mom and dad's pending purchase of some farm land.  We went to church and fellow shipped.  It was just a great, relaxing time to have dad around.  Gave me rest (I do not sleep when CR is gone) so I was more than thankful for that.
Here are just a few moments from that week ... I didn't capture many on camera, but they will always be in my heart:

Since moving Kirby back into her crib, we have had very successful sleeping nights.  Even some naps are coming back.  I lay her down just fine, awake, and she goes right to sleep.  Sometimes we even hear her in there singing herself to sleep.  Such a peace in my heart.  She may be in there till she is 4!  We will save up and buy another crib if it means peace in both of our hearts.

She is becoming (even more) quite the character.  I love having conversations with her.  She uses 3 and 4 word sentences all the time.  The one that I cherish the most from the other morning: I was putting my makeup on and she was brushing her teeth on her stool.  She looked over at me as I wiped on my moisturizer and said, "you're beautiful, mommy".  That is when we had a conversation about being beautiful in our hearts and that makeup doesn't make us beautiful.  Ha, do you think she got much out of it?  I don't know, but she smiled and gave me a kiss.

Some of her favorite songs to sing:
"Joy in my heart"
"Old MacDonald" (except we have to say, "Daddy Ray and Papa have a farm ....")
"Wheels on the Bus"
"Jesus Loves Me"
"ABC"
anything from the Lion King

We are slowly working on Bible verses.  She likes to say the prayer when we eat ... she repeats after me right now, but it is the sweetest thing to hear her say, "Oh Lord (that is her Dear Lord)"

Some favorite phrases she has started to say:
Oh my
No way (sometimes followed by Jose)
Adios
See you later
Come on ... this way
I'll get it
Wait here
Mine (over said but what can you do?)

She is growing like a weed, both physically and mentally.  She keeps me super busy and on my toes.  At this point I am 25 weeks pregnant, and although we were very said about our chemical miscarriage in January, God knew (like always!!) what He was doing.  Not sure how right now I would be juggling a newborn with all that is going on.  Photography would have definitely been put on the back burner, but again, God knew we needed these clients.  He knew, He knows, He knows how I can face tomorrow.  Love His promises and my soul rests on every one of them.

"He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.” "  Psalm 46:10