Oct Weekend Phone Pics

according to Mike's phone :)
Picture Day for Soccer

Mike took the kids to one of the Home Depot Build Workshops... thank you, babe!

I love Lily's expression in this one.... she is so animated in learning, discovering, getting to do new things.  I love it.

getting a pin on her apron

I think it was also a fall festival b/c there was a firetruck too.

of course, love this one... look at those smiles!

 and love this one... they are a sweet little pair.

We went to visit Mike's grandparents/ Goo's parents/ or Big Peter and Great Grandma :)

(wish these were better quality)

 They are so kind and we are so thankful for them.

 a blast from the past for them... Peter's favorite nursery "toy"... a firetruck that's in the room I was in this week for duty.  They are clearly a little bigger now.  ;)

Happy Monday!!

Lillian Moments

Lily has been really sweet lately (as usual)... and just as usual, a sweet gift and joy in the midst of grief.  And they both just make it easier to carry on... 

A few things to remember:

After a meal recently, I was on my hands and knees wiping up the floor under their little table.  She was still sitting there eating her meal.  She took her sweet little hand and just put it on my head and then ran it down my back.  It felt like a little thank you :)

Today after their gym class, we went to the car wash.  I was vacuuming the van out.  Of course, Peter was unbuckled the second we stopped and wanted to help.  So he "used" the vacuum on one side and I used another.  He was a sweet helper.  Lily just sat contently buckled in her car seat.  I leaned over her at one point to vacuum between the seats.  She just put her hands on my hand and gently ran them over my back.  I think she had her fingers "walk" on my back at one point.  I felt like Big Lillian was in her body in that moment.  I remember laying on the bed beside my grandma and her scratching or rubbing my back.  It was never really strong enough to be a  rub or sharp enough to be a scratch but just a sweet little touch that felt good, exactly like Lily's hands felt this morning.

Moving onto processing... I feel like this is one of those times when I really have to be narrowly focused in what I think about... "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 

2 Cor 10:5b  The challenge in that comes when others jump in there {that's probably not any of you reading this :)}.  Its funny how others don't always know the strict thought plan that I'm on.  Haha.  I like my songs so I've been listening to this song, and the lyrics.  And playing these lines over and over in my head (and at times crying over the pain and sweetness and freedom of it)...

Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  1 Cor 13:12b

*And her little voice.  If I could only bottle it.  It is so so adorable.

Blog Namesake

I found these 2 sweet pictures of Mike and Granny Lil as I looked thru old pics...

esp love this one...

She gave Mike the nickname "Personality" b/c she couldn't say Perzanowski  :)

The longer version:  When I was first dating Mike, I'd taken him home to meet my parents.  Grandma lived with Mom and Dad.  I would sleep with her in her double bed to make room for others in my bed.  As we were laying there and talking before we went to sleep, she asked me my guy's name.  I said "Mike" (remember she was hard of hearing).  At first, she said back to me, "Mack".  No, its Mike.  OK, Mike.

Then she asked what his last name was.  I thought, oh great, she is never going to be able to understand me.  So I tried and said "Perzanowski" really slow.  What?  Per-zan-ow-ski.  What?  Per-zan-ow-ski.  What?  Repeat a few times.  Finally, she said "Personality?" and I said "YES!"  From that day on, she called Mike 'Personality'.  She did come to know that his last name was Perzanowski but she still had her sense of humor and thought Personality was much funnier... and it was.  And it helped that Mike loved it as much as she did.  Occasionally, she'd call him Mack, too.

Welcome Sweet Lily!

Lillian Ruth
07.06.09
7 lbs 6 oz (same as her big bro & her birth date)
19 3/4 inches

Our little girl has been SUCH a joy!  Here she is (1 week old)...

Isn't she beautiful?!

Lily is such an easy baby and we are SO thankful.

She eats and sleeps so well.  She has sweet little rolls now and a chubbiness that I just want to hug.  She is cooing a lot now and I really just adore her.  

She is named after my two grandmothers.  

My mom's mom was Lillian and my dad's mom was named Ruth.

We thought it OK to have both her names come from my side.  Peter is named after Mike's grandfather and his middle name, Thomas, is Mike's dad's middle name.

We love our Rock and our Flower ;) and how very special that they bear the names of our grandparents, who we cherish.