Meme & Babu

some fun pictures from thanksgiving break with my parents and brother

photo shoot

here are some great pictures from our Sunday afternoon photo shoot... our attempt at a cute picture for our family Christmas card. im sure the whole scene was a great photo opportunity as chris was behind me trying to get the boys to look up... i didnt even care if they were smiling, i was just going for simultaneously "looking at the camera" by this point in the game.

follow you

Leeland: Follow Me

You lived among the least of these

The weary and the weak

And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.



All my needs you have supplied.

When I was dead you gave me life.

How could I not give it away so freely?



And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.

Follow you into the world.

Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.

Follow you into the World.



Use my hands, use my feet

To make your kingdom come

Through the corners of the earth

Until your work is done

'Cause Faith without works is dead

And on the cross your blood was she'd

So how could I not give it away so freely?

Legacy

cliche i know, to write a post on thanksgiving about being thankful, but really i am! it has nothing to do with the little "holiday" that we have celebrated, the many hours spent slaving in the kitchen, all of the food we stuffed our faces with until our pants popped, the family football gatherings, hours spent hunting with buddies, or the time spent searching for black friday deals. thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, possibly because i love fall, family, football, and food, but i think that we should be thankful everyday. its sad that we just make a big deal about it once a year!

this past week a dear friend of mine, Rachel, pointed me to a blog that totally transformed my heart! i HIGHLY recommend reading about Sara, Brady & Chloe, but let me warn you i bawled my eyes out. if you can possibly read their story without tears, then you have a heart like the grinch! i could go on and on... but seeing that the hours i have to sleep are getting less and less by the minute (as Chris is waking well before the crack of dawn to go duck hunting with buddies and the little boys are especially early risers) makes me realize i should just wrap this post up... but not before sharing a bit of my heart that has forever been changed by sweet Sara.

you see Sara has left a legacy... her smile contagious, her heart compassionate, her joy overflowing, and her peace from the ALL Knowing.

a little excerpt from her husband, Brady:

"As stated previously, the pastor at Sara's service encouraged people to not just remember Sara, but to be different because of knowing Sara. I will take it a step farther. Sara was the AMAZING WOMAN that she was because of who Christ was in her. So, don't be different because of knowing Sara, but be different by knowing the Christ that Sara knew."

as for me... i want to leave a legacy... but who would really care if i were in heaven or on earth? of course there are those few family members and dear friends... but other than that, have i left a legacy?

"LEGACY" by Nichole Nordeman

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy and accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such-n-such...it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need and 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

this song was played at Sara's funeral. she has left a legacy. she has already heard "well done my good and faithful one"

will that be me? will that be you? oh i have so much to do. changing my priorities that is... to be called "my good and faithful one"

apple of my eye & pumpkin pie

i have lost my heart, it has been stolen i do declare! Eli is the apple of my eye and Levi is my sweet pumpkin pie! they are so sweet that i could just eat them up (not sure I really understand that metaphor, as I am most certainly not a cannibal)!

1/2 of a year

my precious little Levi is now 1/2 of a year old. ahh where has the time gone? 6 months old! i miss him already! he is getting so big and more and more independent everyday!

*a little disclaimer*
the following is not to compare or brag or anything of the such!!! please note that i HATE when moms sit around and compare who's kid did what first. who is the brightest, fastest, cutest. who crawls, walks, cuts teeth, & talks. i only share because we have family who does not get to see our kids, so this is a bit of an update on what Levi is up to these days!

MR LEVI WOLF STEYNE enjoys inch-worm crawling, sitting up, rolling over, watching his big bro bro's every move, jumping in his johnny jumper, laughing, being a chatter box, and his new favorite is calling for his DA DA DA

sweet son of ours, we love you dearly and cannot imagine life without your joy!

Fabulously Fall

so whats better than a leaf fight with your 85 year old Great Grand Nana??? not too much if you ask Eli

Banana Nana

The boys and I were able to spend lots of time with Nana this weekend as BopBop was teaching at CIU Friday evening and all day Saturday. I am trying to remember to take pictures of these precious moments, as we never know how long they will last or how well the boys will remember their Great Grandparents. I wish I had more pictures and memories of my Grandpa and Great Grandparents. Eli loves eating Nana's breakfast so after he had already eaten two scrambled eggs, a biscuit, 3 pieces of turkey bacon, he ate a banana with Nana. Levi laid nearby playing with his new favorite toy... his toes!