Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Tender Heart of a 2-Year-Old

I awoke this morning to the sound of Jeff helping Melina in the bathroom. She was quite chatty as she can usually be this early in the morning. Jeff asked about an owie she had on some part of her body. She told him about it and then said "yes, Daddy, just like Rodney--he had too many owies so he is now with Jesus."

Oh, how that touched my heart. Nearly 4 months later, our 2-year-old still brings up the precious memory of our beloved dog. May you keep that with you always, sweet baby girl!

Thank you, dear Lord, for this wonderful moment today!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Embracing

More on enjoying my children:

I have been reading this blog for a couple of years. Elizabeth is a Catholic homeschooling mom of 9 children, a writer, and she is one of my inspirations to be a better mother. Recently she has been sharing some columns she wrote that date back 10+ years, back to when she was a young wife and mother. Today she posted a column she wrote in 1996, when she had just 3 children, had just moved into a new home, and had so many things to cross off her to-do list. She asked her sister-in-law for advice regarding her clingy toddler and this is what she told Elizabeth:

"Embrace him. He is empty and unsure of your permanence, for whatever reason, and the more you resist, the more unsure he gets. The more unsure he gets, the more he will cling. Embrace him every time he wants you to, for as long as he wants you to. Don't let go until he does. Eventually he will."

Oh my how this advice spoke to me today. I've been contemplating my weekend these past couple of days, what we did, etc., which is mainly what we didn't do. I will complain to Jeff that "all I did today was hold and nurse a baby, clean up messes, make meals, tame fighting siblings, and so on." I always think I feel so much better about myself if I accomplished something really big--cleaning the house or planting flowers or taking a day trip or simply crossing things off my list--some big obstacle I could tackle--not nursing and nursing a baby and toddler or doing the other countless mundane tasks. Michaela is almost 8 months old--a happy and fun baby stage, but also so demanding and tiring. Separation anxiety, so developmentally normal, seems to be peaking for her, and it makes me so very frustrated at times when I crave solitude.

But...

I AM accomplishing something really big--I am caring for my children, my three precious gifts from God, our beautiful healthy girls. I am loving and holding and hugging and nursing that precious soon-to-crawl baby girl who thinks I am the best thing in her world. She whimpers when I am out of her sight for even a second now, but in time that's not how it will be. This is her time. I need to embrace my little girl and give her what she needs--I will have so much time in the upcoming years to cross things off my to-do list, and I'm sure at that point I'll long to cuddle a baby in my arms and walk the house performing my daily duties with her on my hip or in the sling. And as such, she beckons with her cry from our bed. And so I go to her to give her the love and comfort she needs--and probably some mama milk too :)

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Something to Remember--The Little Things

Because I've been struggling lately with caring for three children, I've been reminded to enjoy this time and to find the little things to find joy about. This is one of my constant prayers, and so hard to do sometimes, and I feel it would be good to try and document these moments; here's what happened this evening:

Jeff left early yesterday AM on travel. He is such a tremendous help to me in the evening, holding Michaela, entertaining Melina, talking to Isabelle--basically whatever I need him to do--that I knew the evenings would be rough and I would need things to change the monotony of our day while he was gone. The Truesdales (God Bless you Kathy!) met us at the park for a picnic dinner and to play. While winding things up, I was holding Michaela and pushing Melina in the swing. Michaela was laughing at the fun Melina was having. I quickly put the thought of germs and who knows what else aside and put Michaela in the swing next to her. Melina wanted out of her swing and started to push Michaela. They both laughed and laughed. Melina would gently push Michaela, Michaela would giggle and laugh, followed by Melina, just this simple, heartfelt, true, living-in-the-moment laughter. Over and over. No camera, but in my mind I said, thank you God for this moment--let me remember it always. And in the background, I can hear Isabelle laughing with her friend Riley as they ran through the grass playing. What a moment dear Jesus, and I thank you so much for that!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Random Pictures Since Michaela Was Born (Post #2)

Michaela's first trip to Grass Valley to visit Grandma and Grandpa Morgan

CousinsFun With Fall Leaves

sweet sleeping babeDaddy and his girls

youngest Morgan girls awake at dawn and hanging out on the couch together


Sisters!Halloween Pumpkin!

another "sisters" shotMelina helping Daddy

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Random Pictures Since Michaela Was Born (Post #1)

Okay, I've been fooling around with HTML for a few days now; I'm posting this now before I mess it up!

Bulbs Before (Oct 2009)Bulbs After--Now Pretty Flowers! (March 2010)

short hike 5 days after Michaela's birthall 3 girls in the 4-Runner for the 1st time!

New quilt from Grandma MorganWearing "sisters" shirts!


Aunt Mary T. with MichaelaAunt Connie with Michaela

Sweet sisters!1 day old

Halloween Baby!Fun with Halloween!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Rodney

On February 24, 2010, we put our beloved friend and companion, our 10-year-old golden retriever, Rodney, to sleep. He had battled arthritis and presumed hip dysplasia for many years, and was on heavy pain meds. He endured major surgery 3 years ago to remove a benign lipoma from his side, and had many, many more lipomas on his body, including one very large one on his neck that was beginning to interfere with his sleeping and eating.

As difficult a decision as it was, we finally agreed that it was time, and our wonderful vet, Dr. Talbot, came to our house and put him to sleep. We gave Isabelle the choice of staying here or leaving. She chose to not stay, so Jeff and our dear friend Wallace held him while Dr. Talbot administered the injection. Jeff and Wallace buried him in the desert lot across from our house, where he chased many, many a tennis ball, his absolute favorite activity! In fact, we buried his tennis balls with him!

May you rest in peace, dear boy, and we will all see you again someday! We love you always! You were such a good boy!



Rodney and his "sisters" on his last day. I took him out on a hike that morning also; he was tired but he had been very happy to do something he hadn't done in so long because of his arthritis.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Michaela Mary Jane Morgan

Our third baby girl was born over 6 months ago on October 5, 2009. It's been a pretty busy 6 months! Here's how she's changed:

1 day old

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old


4 months old

5 months old

6 months old
The best words to describe Michaela are happy and patient! She is always full of smiles for anyone and patiently waits for her mama when she is taking care of her sisters. People always comment on what a happy, joyful baby she is, and the next comment is usually how much hair she has (although it is only on top of her head, and after a second glance, it usually is lovingly referred to as a "toupee" or comb-over!"

Michaela is adored by her sisters and doted on immensely. Her Daddy can never go by without swooping her up and placing many, many kisses on her head. She has many nicknames, Kayla Janey, Janey girl, baby Janey, Miss MaKay, MJ, MaKaystinator (Daddy's), carnividon (Daddy's) and so on.

At age 6 months, she can sit up and play. No interest in solid foods yet, but loves mama's milk! She can blow raspberries and make all sorts of noises. She has also noticed Taylor the cat in the last couple of weeks and seems very entranced. We greatly look forward to the next half of our baby girl's first year, and hope that it doesn't go by as fast as the first 6 months!

We love you, baby girl!!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Loving This Homeschool Blog!

Haven't posted in quite awhile (to be exact almost 3 months), but we had our third baby girl the day after my last post on October 5!! Needless to say, with 3 young girls, life is busy! But I had to make a quick post to up my chances of this great giveaway on this blog. Check it out:

http://www.hsclassroom.net