In Retrospect: He's Always Been Faithful

(photo via Lumberg the Loquacious Llama)

I've been feeling pretty retrospective lately. It started when I began preparing for a talk I gave at DNow a few weeks ago. The theme of DNow? Love. So, of course, I started thinking back over all the relationships in my life and the boys that I loved in the past. And then, while visiting my parents last weekend, I stumbled across a box in the top of my closet that held mementos of most of my old relationships. There were crumpled notes in that box from the fourth grade! That's a long time ago, y'all!

Anyway, I stayed up entirely too late reading all those notes, and my mom and I got quite a few giggles over some of them, because, let's admit it, seventh grade love is just plain awkward. But then there were other letters and notes and poems that weren't funny at all. They were serious, and by the time I finished reading all of them, I was more than a little sad.

I was sad because I had forgotten how much they loved me and I loved them. My last memories of my relationships with those boys are generally not pretty. That's how breakups go. When it comes down to it, it's a lot easier to remember the pain of parting than it is to remember the goodness of what once was. I think it has to be that way. If we spent all our time remembering how good things used to be then we would never be able to move on.

Reading through all that old stuff made me even more thankful for the man I'm married to today. I love him more deeply and more fully than anyone in my past, and I am so grateful that none of those other relationships worked out. We are a well-matched pair, and God has truly blessed us with one another.

I don't wonder what might've been, and I don't wish that things had turned out differently. God used every single bit of my past to shape me into the person I am today. There's a line from He's Always Been Faithful by Sara Groves that's been running through my head as all of this has been on my mind: "I can't remember a trial or a pain he did not recycle to bring me gain." And that's the truth. God has taken both the good and the bad in my past and transformed it into peace in my present. Even when I have made mistakes and messed up, God has always been faithful.

And I am most grateful for that.

When I returned home Sunday afternoon, I pulled down another box from the top of the closet I share with Dennis, and I reread all the bits and pieces of our love story. There were post-it notes that he had hidden all over my house in Waco and a stack of handwritten letters that I received the old-fashioned way. There were birthday cards, e-mails, Valentines, and notes. And the best thing about that box? I'm still adding to it.

Until next time, grace and peace.

How To Tuesday: Paper Pinwheel Mobile

Welcome to How To Tuesday, where I'll introduce you to some of my favorite DIY craft projects from all over the web. I have a folder bookmarked on my computer that's chock-full of fun DIY projects. I saved some of the ideas for inspiration and others because I just thought they were pretty or fun, and now I'm sharing them with you.

This week, I bring you paper pinwheels from The Sweetest Occasion. When Cyd posted this tutorial last week, I knew that I'd have to share it with you, because I actually made these for a mobile in Micah's room before she was born.

In true Leslie Ann fashion, I waited until the day before she was born to tackle the project, but thanks to some late night help from my mom, we got it done. Micah loves her mobile, and it's really cute when she stands underneath it in her bed and blows as hard as she can to make them turn.

See? Isn't it cute?

If you're looking for a cute and easy way to add a handmade touch to your baby's room, you must click through to read the instructions on how to make one of these mobiles. I used buttons and fishing twine to hold the pinwheels together, but I suggest using brads as the tutorial indicates. I'm sure they're much easier to manage. Since I waited so long to make the mobile, I just used the materials we had on hand to suspend the pinwheels, which happened to be a few dowels. It just goes to show that if you don't have all the materials listed, you can probably make it work with what you've got.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Sweetest Occasion and get started on some pinwheels!

Until next time, grace and peace.

Life Lately: Micah's Hijinks

I realize that 3 o'clock on Friday afternoon isn't the best time to update a blog, but it's a testimony to the busy-ness of life lately that I'm just now getting around to it. Don't let all my talk fool you; it hasn't been all work and no play. Micah makes sure that we get some play time in, preferably outside, every day, and I thought I'd share a little bit of what we've been doing by letting the pictures tell the story. So, without further ado: Micah's latest hijinks.

Back when it was really cold and I was running outside, I used this Mississippi State toboggan to keep my ears warm. Micah found it one morning and insisted on wearing it for the remainder of the day. Go Bulldogs!

We love reading books around here, and honestly, nothing thrills my heart more than seeing Micah "reading" a pile of her favorites. Love it!

We also have lots of tea parties. If you're really good, Micah will share with you. But only if you're good.

It's probably sad that my child knows what to do with a nose sucker and voluntarily uses it on herself. I'm not sure what that says about us, but there you have it.

Micah has recently developed a love for coloring, and so far, she's managed to keep it on the paper. We'll see how long that lasts.

There's no doubt that my little lady is a girl on the go. She LOVES the little car she got for Christmas, and she's constantly clamoring to go outside. Which, by the way, is what she was doing in the next picture.

She knows where all of her outdoor gear is, and every morning, without fail, she brings me pieces of it. She insists on wearing her hat, shoes, and jacket, then she'll toddle over to the door and say "bye-bye." As if we're going outside. Sometimes we do go out, but others, she settles for getting ready to go and taking a ride inside.

Seriously. Could there be anything cuter than this little girl? I don't think so.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Until next time, grace and peace.