sweet sixteen

My oldest, my once little, but now almost grown, sweet Hannah turns sixteen today. I know it's cliche, but I really do wonder where the time has gone. I remember turning sixteen, and honestly, it feels as if it was just yesterday. And, yet, now today, my lovely picture taking photographer daughter is celebrating that milestone  sixteenth birthday.

photo taken by Madeline Hunt

It makes me ponder those sixteen years where I've been called mom. It's this tension of not wanting her {or her siblings} to grow up and yet and the same time being so thrilled to walk beside them as they do. Yes, thrilled. I remember when they were young telling them {over and over} that the world will tell them that these teenage years are years of conflict, and battle, and thinking your parents are dumb - and yet - our story, your story, doesn't have to follow that pattern. In fact, also from being young, I would tell my children {and still do tell them} how I'm excited to journey with them through those years and how they can be wonderful despite the ups and downs.

little Hannah

I love {most days} having teenagers in my house. They can be so full of life, with opportunity everywhere, and it can be an honor to walk the path with them. Culture is trying to rip them from our homes - it tells them that parents aren't intelligent {look at most cartoons/television shows/books, or that we must fight a great deal, and more. But, here's the deal, just as I must fight to be attentive in my littles lives I must equally fight {and pray} for my teenagers. They deserve respect in a world that tends to look down on them and calls them "trouble" or "up to no good" and so on. It's a fight for their hearts, and of sitting up late, and bending a knee in prayer, and talking, or listening, and admitting one's wrong, and being willing to cut some strings, but also willing to enforce rules, and of still saying I love you even in those stressful times.

chloe and hannah 2003

So with that, my dear Hannah Nicole, I want to wish you a Happy 16th Birthday. You know I can't even type those words without getting just a tad teary. It wasn't that long ago when I would rock you asleep in the chair, or we'd play dollhouse, or walk to the store to get a chocolate dipped cone {wait we still can do that -- hmm} or you'd ask me to read your just one more story at bedtime. I remember the excitement on your face as the plane took of when we flew to California, and the joy with which you wandered around the ocean when we lived in San Diego. You were a fighter {Still are} - I saw that grow in the time when Dad went through cancer treatment and then again when Samuel was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

You are a beautiful addition in my life. I don't know what I thought those sixteen years would be like when they placed you in my arms at 11 pm on June 3, 1996, but I can tell you I never thought that they would go this fast or that I would be so blessed and honored to have you call me mom.

newborn Hannah and me {with my very large hair} June 1996

So today, on your sweet sixteen, I celebrate you. I love you with all my heart and am forever blessed to have you share this walk on this earth with me. I like you as well - who you've become, and how you love the Lord, and the goals and aspirations that you've set. You're pretty amazing. I'm thankful for all you do for this family, and the laughter that you bring, and the creativity that you bless us with. I'm grateful for your willingness to help, and how you're an amazing big sister, and a wonderful daughter. Hannah, I love you and am thankful for you. So grateful - so remember that deeply - that you are forever loved.

Happy 16th Birthday Hannah!

I love you forever.
~mom

****

to wish Hannah a Happy 16th Birthday and to visit her blog simply click Hannah Nicole/Aspire

the days that are hard on a mother's heart

Today is one of those days. The days that you really dislike waking up to, the days that you know will be hard, the day where you know your momma's heart will hurt.

I've gone through days like this -- last winter was so hard while my sweet Samuel was in and out of the hospital finally getting diagnosed with Celiac Disease. And now, today, Hannah is having surgery on her ankle, and even though this is an elective, and yet very needed, event, today will still be hard.  I know how painful it is to wake up from orthopedic surgery (I'm giving myself the pep talk for mine next Monday). I keep telling her that it will feel awful, and that she will doubt why she did this, but that with hard work she will feel good again, and she will be able to dance ballet again.

It's still hard.

It's those days where the tears sit right there behind the momma's eyes. Where you work so hard to keep them from falling so that you can be strong for them. I know she'll do great. I know it.

So today, if you think about it, would you say a prayer for my Hannah? I have already been praying for the surgeon's hands and that he wakes from a good night of rest. I pray for the staff and the nurses and that she can feel Jesus's presence in that space.

My momma's heart? It will hurt for my baby (she's still my baby), but it will be strong. That's what we do as moms -- we give, and give, and give. And our strength, my strength, cannot be rooted in me, but rather must be rooted in the Father. So that is my prayer. For His strength, and wisdom, and peace.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

That's my prayer.

the very sweet things

In the midst of the weekend, and a birthday celebration, and ballet rehearsal I noticed some very sweet things. They're the moments of joy shown to me by the ones I love. Little things, perhaps, and yet the most beautiful.

1} In the summer one of our traditions is to have strawberry shortcake for dinner. Just that. Nothing else. Every year as the kick off to summer I'll make shortcake -- with heaps of strawberries {and sometimes raspberries and blackberries} piled high with hand whipped cream. Hannah published a beautiful photo journal of our kick-off to summer shortcake *here* including this most yummy looking photo. Of course, this was a very sweet thing.

2} This year I had to make gluten free shortcake. I used the gluten free Bisquick recipe {for convenience}, and it was good, but not amazing. I'm going to be searching for a more "almost tastes like it has gluten in it" recipe. Ideas?

3} Samuel loved the strawberries. He'd stand in the kitchen, look up at me with those puppy-eyes, and say, "mo-oh" -- he kind of sounds like he's from Boston when he says it.  How could I say no?

4} My Chloe is so creative. She found this app for her ipod touch that lets you make old silent movies -- and then adds the piano music. All weekend she's been choreographing various movies. And finding props. Including this old table top {it used to have tiles in it} to use as a mock tv screen.  I'm going to have to beg her to let me show you one  -- I just love them.  :)

5} And speaking of Chloe -- I was using her ipod touch {which I'm known to do -- love the Scrabble App and Words with Friends} and hit the google search and saw a gluten free search still up. That she did. For me. For something she was going to make as a surprise.  How sweet is that?

6} I was trying out Hannah's new lens on Friday and Elijah told me he wanted to be "part of da pitch-ure, momma."  Remember -- he's three. For his "photo shoot" he decided to run from the fence, hang from the swing, and to just sit and stare.  Too cute. And sweet.

7} And of course, I should end the post with a picture of my birthday girl on her birthday. I absolutely love this picture of Hannah and Samuel -- my oldest and youngest. The bond between my children is priceless.

Have your own miscellany?  link up with my dear friend Carissa and do share.



Hope your Monday is fabulous! And speaking of fabulous -- remember -- I'm looking for some gluten-free fabulous and sweet shortcake ideas. And remember to enter my give-away {thanks to blogher and gatorade} for the $100 giftcard to Dick's Sporting Goods. {The giveaway button is on my sidebar.} I want one of you to win it! :)

~rachel

a birthday {friday} favorites

time keeps on slippin'

slippin'

slippin'

<br /> <br /> <a href="http://rachelmariemartin.blogspot.com/search/label/friday%20favorite%20things"><img vspace="none" hspace="none" alt="friday favorite things | finding joy" src="http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt255/ElvishAuthoress/fridayfavoritethings.png" /></a>

into the future...
{where does it go? it's too fast}

to start my list today I must begin by stating

Happy Birthday to my Hannah

{who blogs over at Aspire}

many many years ago she was teeny

{like in this sweet real film photo} 

{baby hanni}

and then as time slipped on she grew

and grew

{9 years}

{so make sure to hug those little ones as they do grow}

until now, 15 years later, this is her

{with her grandpa}

love you Hannah 

 you're a fave.

Birthdays are a favorite

even though the joke is that she's now halfway to 30

{which, by the way, is not old}

silly web cam photos of us are another favorite

 like these on the night before her birthday 

 during our 10:49 game of Blokus

 while I wrote these favorites

 {it's my turn, I'm green}

writing and playing means getting blocked

 

oh well, it was worth the laughs. :)
{these are linked with momma in focus}

web cam + family game+birthday eve = favorite

more favorites?

besides my growing marigolds?

how about this?

Samuel's biopsy report came back clear

his small intestine has healed

and his protein levels are higher

and he's absorbing nutrients

and vitamins

and fats.

He was "officially" diagnosed with 

Celiac Disease

even though it's hard

it's an answer to prayers to know

as he'd been sick for months and months and months

and now look at him

thank you Jesus
thank you.

If you'd like to link your own {friday} favorite grab the button at the top of your post, write away {or choose one of your favorite posts or pictures of the week} and then enter your link. Be sure to try to comment on those around you. Comments are always a fave!

Blessings on your Friday!

that girl can jump --- and awesome giveaway

I'm linking up with Hannah's lovely photo wednesday with {ironically} a photo of my Hannah.  

Jumping.

In a way that I simply cannot jump. And certainly I could not jump like that and maintain any form of a smile. Or remember to put my arms up. Or point my toes. For that,  I'm so thankful for their dedicated instructors at North Ballet Academy who help train my daughters -- as athletic and graceful ballet dancers.

{that girl can jump}

******

And don't miss out!! --  I had the amazing opportunity to participate in a webinar with Gatorade and Stephanie Hamm {Mia Hamm, the Olympic Gold Medal Soccer player's mother} in mid May thanks to my publishing network,  Blogher.   See that picture above? That's in my post -- you're going to want to read it to see what I learned. And to see Hannah balancing on just her toes.

Visit my {new} giveaway and review blog for a chance to win a
 $100 giftcard to Dick's Sporting Goods.
 Yes, $100 for whatever you want. For free. Love that! 

click here to enter

Thanks so much for supporting me in this venture. If you could enter {it's super super easy} and/or tweet and/or blog and/or facebook about it I would so appreciate it. :)

~rachel

monday tweets

I've decided to do today's miscellany with twitter like hashtags instead of numbers. :)

#coldweatherphotos Hannah has been getting beautiful photos -- I think it's because it's been cold and windy and rainy and snowy {at least it doesn't stick} and not spring like. I love this one of my Gracie.

#willspringevercome The first of May in Minnesota was celebrated by 20mph winds accompanied with several bursts of snow showers. Oh yeah, and a high in the low 40's.  My new tweets are being accompanied with the above hashtag .  I am starting to think that my spring garden planting will be bumped back to being an early summer garden planting. Does that look like spring? That's my early morning view....

#kidandspaghetti Samuel still loves spaghetti. Now I make sure to purchase gluten free brown rice noodles {from my favorite store -- Trader Joes} and we boil up an extra pot of noodles. Samuel doesn't know the difference between noodles. {Sometimes I still miss the regular noodles.} Samuel is up half a pound, by the way. :)

#glutenfreeresults However, eating gluten-free has helped my spring allergies.  This year they're almost non-existent compared to years where they are so bad that I couldn't sit up. I went back and checked my blog archive from last year and there were multiple prayer requests for allergy relief. Ah, it makes those rice noodles taste even better.

#CeliacDiseaseAwareness May is Celiac Awareness month. This is so important to me ever since discovering that my Samuel {see his cute face below} has Celiac Disease. Those regular noodles, the non-rice ones? They are terrible for his body. The Trader Joe ones -- no harm. Please support bringing awareness for Celiac Disease. It is so serious, and needs to be spoken about. Check out celiaccentral 

#iheartmynewphone My contract finally came up with our cell phone company and I was able to upgrade my phone. My old phone was truly terrible. Really. When my new android operating smart phone arrived it was awesome. So I became the person in Costco staring at her phone in the middle of the aisle in front of the boneless skinless chicken breasts. And yes, I was checking to make sure they were gluten free. And yes, meat can sometimes contain gluten. And yes, we need stricter and more clear labeling laws. For this guy.

#support1in133 As far as labeling -- please check out this site which helps to promote clearer labeling for food labeled gluten-free. Samuel cannot have even a trace of gluten without it damaging his intestines. I do not ever want to see him as sick as he was in January and February. Therefore we NEED to have food labeled properly. I need to know that food labeled gluten free was not processed on a line that processed wheat. That's not gluten free, my friends. That's contaminated.





#2Timothy4:7 Last week was challenging. I'd love to blame it on the lack of spring weather. But it really was due to my lack of surrender and stubborn attitude. When I went to Costco -- where I searched for that gluten free food -- I found in the car my orange notecard holder of Bible verses. I began to read through them, and realized how much I need the Word and it's truth. My verse for this week? 2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight

I have finished the race

I have kept the faith.

Blessings on your Monday. And as usual, I'm linking up with my sweet friend, Carissa.

Guess what today is....

This is Hannah. I'm hijacking my mom's blog on account of a very special occasion...

It's her birthday today! Make sure you all wish her an absolutely aaaahmazing day! I know that my mother is so grateful for all of you, and that our whole family has been blessed by you all. Give her lots of love, sweet blogging friends!

I'm so excited to celebrate her birthday, not ONLY because she's pretty much the most incredible, amazing, and down-right AWESOME person that I know. But because I love her. A lot. I am so blessed by my mom. She is...

Smart

Silly
and not afraid
to be

Loving
always

an encourager
and a picker-up-er
in the tough times
and in the good ones

a friend
and a mentor
and a mom

a beautiful woman
inside
and definitely out
(MOM, don't you dare protest!) ;)

COMPLETELY in love with
Jesus
and filled with faith
for Him

A mother of seven
crazy kids
and she deals with the
chaos
very well

a newly gluten-free chef
who makes some amazing
lemon bars

someone who loves to
play the piano
and is very good at it

an incredible cook
who keeps the house clean
the laundry going
and all of us kiddos
clothed, educated, fed,
and loved

someone who does
what she has to do
and doesn't complain

a fighter
for her family

a lover of
scrabble and
catan

an incredible writer
who pens (er, types)
breathtaking
words

my dear, amazing,
completely wonderful,
sweet mother
who I am so grateful for.

Happy Birthday, Momma.

I love you. ♥

please pray

Samuel this morning

this is Hannah.

Sam has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

Right now, he's very sick and my mom is heading back to Childrens.

I know that she's worn out and Sam even more so.

If you could all pray for him, that would be a huge blessing. He's in so much pain right now.

thank you so much -- all of you are such blessings to my mom and our family.
thank you for praying.

smile -- it's a tad bit messy!

1) My house is a wreck.  A complete toys-every-where, kitchen counters cluttered, books out, new clothes under the tree, post-Christmas wreck.  And, honestly? I love it.

2) This is the only time of year where I actually can tolerate a mess.  This is a flaw of mine. I need to learn to let-go and not hold to an ideal of perfection and Better Homes and Gardens for my home.  I have seven children. They trump the ideal living room arrangement.

3) As I type this, Samuel found the remaining red roll of Christmas wrapping paper and proceeded to pull out the rest of the paper all over my already messy living room floor.

4) At first I was going to try to save the paper, but when he jumped into it and started laughing I realized that losing $1.83 worth of wrapping paper was worth the priceless expression and joy on Samuel's face as he destroyed it.

cute cute Samuel

5) I should have put the paper away.  That's why I let Samuel pull it.  Who could resist paper?  After all, if I had my druthers I'd rip all the paper out and do the same thing.  Ha ha ha.

6) Now my boys have a new sword. Along with many, many legos. In fact, Brennan has spent at least 4 hours constructing lego sets so far.  (I'm so glad I posted about patience with Legos last week)

Brennan in Lego heaven

7) Love that picture of Samuel?  My sweet Hannah was able to purchase her new dslr camera.  Now, let me tell you -- this was a gift.  As you know her point and shoot broke and she just surrendered her camera and her agenda to the Lord.  It was challenging for her, but I constantly heard her pray and let it go.  She received some amazing gifts and coupled with Christmas gifts and the money she saved she was able to purchase her camera the day before Christmas.

Hannah, with her camera, in the car on Christmas Day

8) She'd been praying for her camera for Christmas.  It's interesting how she ended up getting just hours before the day switched....

9) Just had to add this -- Samuel now talks with kind of a gibberish which has the cadence of regular speech.  Every once in a while he'll say something that sounds exactly what he's pointing to -- it's a bit freaky to her him say "buzz" or "pizza"-- in fact Hannah and I just heard him say "what's this?" -- yet, I love this phase.  Love it!

just one more cute pic of Samuel -- thanks to Hannah.

10) I think I'll be doing just a tad bit of cleaning today.  I know I wrote how much I love the mess, but sigh, I do need to see my living room floor again.  But, I'll do it with a cheerful heart.  And we'll play some of those new games.  Speaking of games -- my kids got a large portion of games with Toy Story 3 this year -- hmm...some brand marketer just hit the jackpot -- that's judging from the large number of Woody, Buzz, Jesse, and Lotso Bears that I see strewn everywhere.

Have a blessed and restful Monday.  Link up with your own miscellany and I'll pop over and check it out!

the rat king will be no more

After 3months of driving to ballet almost 6times a week the day has arrived.

Finally.

The Nutcracker performance is today.

I've joked how I'm exhausted -- but it's my daughters -- Hannah, Chloe, and Grace, that are the real exhausted ones.  Well, exhausted and running on adrenaline.  Sheer adrenaline.

Pictures will be coming.  Until then -- think of us -- and especially my ballet beauties. Would you pray that they are healthy and have stamina?  And that they enjoy the fruits of their labor? They worked hard. Very, very hard.  I am extremely proud of them.

Here's a teaser pic -- from last year. :)  Now I'm off to put buns in, pull out rag-rollers, and apply some make up.  Here we go!

Hannah

Curious where my girls dance? We love our classical ballet studio -- North Ballet.  Here's a little teaser video. If you look really closely you might find my daughters. :) In fact there's a scene with just pointe shoes, and a back being adjusted, and a dancer turning -- that's my Hannah. Enjoy!

such a sweet and smiley day

1) You know it's Christmas time when breakfast consists of the words, "just grab a couple cookies from the garage."  Why, garage?  Well-- we've got a deep freezer out there that works great as a storage table for keeping Christmas cookies cold.  Remember.  I live in Minnesota.  Land of lots of lakes. And snow. And, now, freezing temps.

a small sampling of my cookie tins. And Payday.

2) Speaking of snow -- we had our 3rd snowstorm within 4weeks.  Let me tell you -- this one was crazy.  Remember in the Little House Books -- The Long Winter -- where they had a rope between the barn and the house?  Now I know why.  There were certain points where I couldn't see my neighbor's house behind me because the wind was whipping the snow around like crazy.

3) So I stayed indoors and baked.

4) Always wear an apron when baking cookies.  I learned that lesson years ago.

yes, I'm using a tea bag holder to cut those cookies.  It's the perfect size.

5) The more variety of Christmas cookies the better.  Several years ago I started writing all the cookies we make on the chalkboard in our kitchen.  The tradition stuck.  And, by the way, this list is incomplete.  We've added some more. Brownie, Bark, Jam filled and more...

our chalkboard sans math problems

6) These are the Cherry Chocolate Kisses. Or #4 on the list.  My sweet and beautiful chef Chloe made me these.  By the way, those cookies were my breakfast this morning.  hee hee hee

cherry chocolate kisses

7) We have to frost several varieties yet.  I also have some to make.  However, today, I am incredibly burnt out from making cookies.  Get it?  Burnt out.  Okay -- I thought it was funny.

8) Hannah documented our entire cookie making day.  We'd have to redo things, move to better lighting, smile incredibly, look like we were having fun -- that was easy, add food coloring at specific times, and more.  I am so grateful to have a daughter who loves photography and who's documenting our lives beautifully.

any guesses to the type of cookie?  

and ignore my messy counter -- we were making cookies.

9) This weekend Hannah's camera broke.

10) I am so upset about this -- she's been saving for a DSLR for quite a while.  She's given some of her money for different things for the family, thus making her ability to get her camera longer.  And yet, she holds her head high and waits.  And now her camera broke?  My momma's heart broke along with it.

my beauty -- Hannah

11) Read her post here.  You'll be blessed. And offer her an encouraging word.  Please.

Okay.  Now, I must know if you make cookies.  And, if you do, what is your absolute fave?   Cause, you know, I'll be baking within a couple days....

Link up with my sweet friend, Carissa, with your own miscellany.  (I had to use the word sweet -- after all this was about making cookies....)