Rich in Family

I've been so overwhelmed with thankfulness for my family. I know that nothing is more important than this family my husband and I are growing. No gift is greater than my husband and daughters. When I see my family, I see God and his goodness. God and his faithfulness to fulfill the desires of our hearts. "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

It hasn't been easy. The hard times have been the hardest of my life. Pregnancy. Long painful labors. Giving when I feel I have nothing left to give. There are many nights after tucking the girls into bed, my body aches and I am exhausted.

You always hear people say "it is worth it" and they are right. Every good thing takes work and is worth fighting for. The joys of having a family far outweigh the struggles. Having little souls and lives that completely depend on you. For love, for nourishment, for wisdom, for everything. To have people to come home to that love you. Deeply love you and are so happy you are home. It is the best thing in the world. And we all get to share in this amazing experience called "life" together.

Eliora is 4 now. She is smarter than ever. She doesn't have that chunky baby body anymore. Her limbs are long and her face has matured. She is quite the artist. She is constantly creating. Sometimes first thing in the morning she gets out her crayons and begins to draw. I have piles and piles of her beautiful artwork. She also loves words. She often makes up her own and tells me what they mean. She goes to gymnastics four times a week and it helps her focus her energy in a positive way. I am so proud of beautiful Eliora.

Lila is about 9 months old. She is radiant in every way. Everywhere I go people are blessed by her presence. She is strong now and is crawling confidently all over the house. She climbs the stairs, with my help of course. She is a nature lover. She gets so peaceful and her eyes fill with wonder whenever we go outside. If she is ever upset, we take her outside. When we go for walks she smiles at the trees and waves to the flowers. She is also very fond of her big sister and gazes at her in amazement. They have a sweet relationship and I know it will last a lifetime.

Eliora and our beloved dog Charlie.

Window light.

Self.

The beautiful hydrangea plant that Jonathan bought me for my birthday.

Milo baby.

We just learned that watermelon is a great way to keep your body alkaline.

I love this smile!!

A sweet daddy daughter moment.

Gluten free vegan enchiladas. Topped with hummus and cilantro.

I am addicted to hot chocolate. I've been having one everyday. Made with almond milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and cinnamon.

Sisters playing together.

Lila's first strawberry.

It is still hot enough here for orange juice popsicles.

Eli looks sad in this picture, but the lighting is beautiful.

My loves.

My bright and shining star.

Lovely.

Gluten free waffles and real maple syrup. Yum.

I love decorating with things from outside. Whether is is rocks or acorns. Anything to keep me close to nature.

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Our Need For Nature

Hello! Welcome to my blog. Thanks for being here.

I want to talk about nature. Lately, I crave it as much as any vital necessity. I long to step out my back door, onto a porch, that overlooks a large yard. And past that is a thick forest, streams, and mountains. I see deer in the morning. The mist settles on the trees. And in the winter, I sit and gaze from a big window, at the snow falling quietly. And when I have the day off, I want to explore the depths. I want to listen to the birds and learn their ways. I want to gaze at a brilliant starry sky on a summer night. These are the things I long for. 

When I am in the great untouched vast of the earth, I feel alive. I feel God. I love communing with God in nature. It is one of my greatest pleasures. I am amazed at all he created and the genius design of all living things. 

I try to portray this love I have for nature in most of photography. Hope you enjoy.

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.”
― John Lubbock

“We know that God is everywhere; but certainly we feel His presence most when His works are on the grandest scale spread before us; and it is in the unclouded night-sky, where His worlds wheel their silent course, that we read clearest His infinitude, His omnipotence, His omnipresence.” 

- Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As longs as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”  

-Anne Frank

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more”  

-George Byron

 “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”
― Henry David Thoreau