Steve and Jenny Valentine

Dear Steve, Welcome to the last year of your 20's...how does it feel?!  Is it crazy to think in one short year from now, you will be passing into a new decade?  The last time you did that, you were young and enjoying your college days at Texas Tech.  It's amazing what happens in ten years...well even one year for that matter! I'm very thankful for you. I could stop there, but I shall elaborate!  Afterall, you know I'm not one to speak just a few words ;)  I like simple, but I also like complex (probably  more of the latter though!)  I know you don't like to have the spotlight and for attention to be drawn to yourself, but allow me to brag about you for a minute.  Not for your own glory and that people will think you're so amazing, but so that the Lord may get ALL the glory due His name with having created you, for Himself. I have found myself in the past few weeks pondering just how thankful I am for you.  It seems as we passed into t...

Let's just start this post off by saying, I'm not a morning person.  At all.  I try to be.  But it's useless.  I have a child that wakes up early, this has been a challenge for me for the past two years, but I'm learning to manage and be civil to everyone in my household at these early morning hours!  However, since it takes me a little bit to "wake up", I find myself often getting easily frustrated and losing my patience with my daughter (not to mention others in my household).  Thus pointing out many sinful areas in my own life.  So it's a good thing, but it's not always easy.  {Flashback to a few days ago} Karis is independent. She has reached the age where she insists on doing everything on her own.  This one particular morning, it was driving me more crazy than it normally does.  And as I mentioned before, being early in the morning as it so happened, I didn't have much patience in my tank to begin ...

Steve made me laugh the other day when we were talking about how Isaac was just about to be six months old and he said, "we've survived six months with two children!"  Well that's the truth!  Reflecting on the past six months a few thoughts have occured to me: 1. I cannot imagine life without Isaac...he has brought so much laughter to our home and I thank the Lord constantly for him (and Karis too!) 2. The first few months were very difficult (especially because of many milestones Karis was going through such as getting several molar teeth at one time the first month after Isaac was born and Karis deciding to be potty trained a couple months later)...but we've passed that really tough phase and I'm getting better at loving and managing two kiddos. 3. The Lord has provided in ways we never could have imagined and sustained us through what could have been very difficult times. 4. I have been refined in ways I never imagined through having two kiddos! Isa...

I have found since becoming a stay at home mom I struggle more with comparisons than I ever remember before having kids.  There's something about being home and raising my children that has brought out this need to compare myself to others {more} than ever before.  I find looking on facebook, other people's blogs and even chatting with my fellow mommy friends, that I don't measure up as a mom.  I don't have all the creative ideas for teaching my child how to learn her ABC's/counting/etc, I'm not sure what sensory play is really is good for, I can't say I even know how to potty train a child since mine doesn't seem to go consistently in the toilet, I lack a sense of what my child(ren) should be learning at each new phase they enter and I certainly don't have time to read the books that are recommended and piling up on my night stand about parenting and discipline.  It's a good day when I have 20 minutes in the Word of God, which I view as much hig...

Isaac turned five months old while we were on our summer vacation.  He is getting to be a pretty hefty little fella!  The week we got back we actually went to the doctor (because he took a fall off the changing table-he's fine!) and while we were there they weighed him.  He is 14 pounds, 7 ounces. Over the past month, he began eating solids.  Started first with banana, avacado and oatmeal.  We were excited to see that he started off eating better than Karis (it took us several months to get her to like eating food!)  He gets excited when you put the bib on him while he's in his highchair because he knows he's about to eat some food! He is rolling over (still hasn't mastered the back to belly roll) He likes laying on his tummy for extended periods of time He giggles and smiles A LOT! He went on his first long road trip (our family vacation to TN) He discovered his toes He is getting better at sleeping through the night and we're close to being comple...

Isaac is four months old! I wanted to wait and post his four month blog so I had his stats from his doctor checkup.  He is healthy and as the doctor said, very active!  What's up with us having "busy babes"?!   Isaac is a whopping 13 lbs, 8oz (25th percentile)!  He is 24 1/4 in long (also 25th percentile) and his head is measuring 40 1/2 cm (10th percentile). His latest happenings include: sucking fingers (specifically the pointer and middle finger) cooing more and making shreaking noises (like his sister did...LOUDLY!) sleeping longer stretches (more on a schedule)-eating once in the middle of the night still holding head up well during tummy time and in the bumbo chair for a short time. Also likes sitting at the table in his highchair during mealtimes. responds to you saying his name by turning and looking at you giggles a lot, especially when it's mommy or daddy talking to him!  He also likes giggling at his cousins. Kar...