"Man will make time for whatever is important to him."

Me (Am I cool enough to have my own quotation?)


Time has become a fascinating subject to me. I spend hours of mental power daily trying to figure it out, how to have more of it, spent more efficiently. Although I can multitask feeding babies, playing "Mother May I" with the girls while putting together a grocery list, I haven't been totally satisfied. I literally run from one thing to the next up until 9pm or so, when everyone is asleep.


An incredible solution to my life came Thursday morning. After putting the twins down unsuccessfully, I sat on the edge of my bed, frazzled, pulled out my notebook, and wrote down the idea that kept coming.

"What if I were to stay up after the early morning feeding and have time for me?"

And so, from anywhere between 3:30am and 5am I've stayed up, nestled on the couch in the silent house to read scriptures, ponder, and actually write my thoughts, uninterrupted. I run in the still of the morning, have real conversation with Bobby about our hopes, and regain sight of my goals now and in the future.

The greatest part, Bobby's up with me. We start our mornings with the older girls fulfilled, renewed, and satisfied, well before making breakfast.


Peace again in my life. Peace in my morning. Early mornings, historically, have always been the happiest periods of my life.


"More time to live" is the mantra these days: time to whip together a best friend's birthday cape...


Time to turn Caroline's Wizard of Oz obsession into something tangible...


And time for new things: babies, stroller, toddler and preschooler, slides, bees, nursing, bottling, and yes, keeping them all happy at the park. I had to take a photo to remember this day.

A sentimental day.

At some point in my daily travels to the Harrisburg Hospital's NICU months ago, I had a brilliant idea. One of those ideas that you love embellishing on, dreaming about, but not quite sure it will ever happen.

My dream won over reality and I began a small quilt for the NICU as a thank you and remembrance of their little lives there. I wanted another little baby to find some comfort and warmth from something symbolic of their eventual home.


I finally completed it, late one night, to realize it was the girl's 3 month birthday. I never want to forget that month of Ainsleigh and Annabelle's lives.

And now that "home away from home" as it was at the time, never will either.

I'm back. Check out my food blog for ideas, meal planning, recipes, and the truth about food.

Seems that library totes are the "in" thing this summer. I've just been looking for another excuse to applique something with the girls. Now they can carry their own load from the library to the car when the day comes that I actually take all the kids. Heaven forbid.

And speaking of chubs...

Who would of thought they would of filled out this bouncy chair so well. Is it the breastmilk or the corn syrup juice doing it?

Do yourself a favor, don't read the ingredient statement on formula.

Slow mornings, breakfast together with babies in hand...

Some time to get these "bundles" smiling, if not, a simple cheeky kiss will do...

And a few moments to steal Caroline away to sketch some ideas downstairs. More details and slow days to come.

Can you believe it's been months since these little ones surprised us? And to think they're now rolling in and 8.5 and 9 lbs. Healthy and thriving, in white and surrounded by family and friends, they were officially welcomed into the world today.



Who can resist celebrating with turquoise and pink?




Ayumi's cake, including miniature Annabelle and Ainsleigh replicas, mohawk and all.

Delicious.

• Family outing feeding ducks. Feeding ducks: 30 minutes. Getting out the door to feed ducks: 60 minutes.

• My babies have become a bit more difficult and simultaneously, more lovable, this week.
  

• Because of the twins new schedule, my only daily free time seemed to be returning overdue books and finally finishing this, painstakingly slow in pace. I've always got to make a little time for myself.
  

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• Lastly, I came to finally own my own life. After some hard days asking the Lord "How is it done, caring for these four?", He answered, not with words, but with others' actions--

Young girls coming to help while I rest, a meal, a mother doing my laundry and feeding a baby, a mother-in-law building my confidence, a husband making dinner for the 115,000th time, a friend babysitting for us to dine out, friends coming to share the burden... the list continues.


It takes a whole village to raise a child.

I've learned lately that I can do more than I ever thought possible, if I'm creative in my trials. But that only can go so far and for so long until I fall. And where I stop, you, my friends, have stepped in.

Thank you, thank you.