BALLS, Balls, balls...

 

Go USC!

 
 

smooches

 
 
 

The Rose Garden, five years later

 
 
 
 

Glenbrook Park: playing

 
 
 
 

Glenbrook park: Me and my boy

 

 

 

Happy 5th Anniversary!

 

On our actual anniversary, we decided to do a budget friendly outing. Josiah planned it. We took our kids to some places that we enjoyed when dating, places that were significant to us:

1 Glenbrook park: here we held hands for the first time, sang to each other, and later on Josiah took me here to tell me he loved me for the first time.

2 Wendy's: we always liked to go get fries and chocolate frosty's. and we discovered that we had something in common, we both liked dipping our fries in the frosty YUMM! most people think its weird, but try it! it will take you by surprise.

3 McKinely Park Rose Garden: we got married here, and every anniversary we go back and visit it. My parents also got married here, and I remember walking down the isle as the flower girl, with my crimped hair.

In this pic, 5 and something years ago, we both sat up on this boat when we sang to eachother for the first time.

When Josiah took me here to tell me he loved me, He walked me around the park and we talked a little, but mostly it was silent. About the fifth lap I asked " did you have something you wanted to do here, besides make laps around the park?".... poor guy, he was so nervous:)

some fun stuff

 
 
 
 

Stickers anyone? When I told Arwyn she could play with the stickers but they could only go on clothes, skin or paper..this is where they ended up! All 5 of them... she counted:)


Looking at the world through Nana's glassesa bit fuzzy...

Our pigtailed, flower pickin, girly girl!

If she was her own Fasion Director... 3 must haves in any womans wardrobe 1 a pink jacket 2 big girl panties 3 frog rain boots, I dont know about you but I am still waiting for the perfect big girl panties to just grab me in the store.

A Shout out to Jake Armerding

Fortunatley he is on Itunes, and I have to say he is refreshingly origional and talented. Who is he? One of Josiah's old roomies from College. I liken his tunes to those of John Mayer and the the like. Smooth, gentle, origional, relaxing, and endearing. Here are the words to one of the songs J and I like to play for eachother:


Falling In

In a deep, dark pub in the back of London
I fell in love and I lost my cool
With a beer in hand and the jukebox humming
A little Liverpool

We all went out on a Thursday evening
And I just tried to be myself
But the drinks got poured and the talk got flowing
And I was someone else

Hey, could you make up your heart
I'd like to begin
Love is spreading her arms
I'm falling in

Her cheeks were red and her hair was crimson
Her eyes would laugh and her mouth would smile
And I washed in her like a river Jordan
For a little while

My heart was young with an old demeanor
My heart was grey and my heart was bored
But you never know it until you've seen her
What you're looking for

She's the patch of grass underneath my snowfall
In my iron sky she's a streak of blue
She's the toes of the trees underneath my sidewalk
And she's breaking through
You're breaking through

curious? click on this posts title to listen in at Itunes... what do you think?

the other picture

 
for some reason i couldn't get this pic in the other post. Situations like this really mess with my anal desire to have it all in order

FLICKA

I have been meaning to inform all yall that The reason that you mostly find older photos of Arwyn on our flickr sight is because I am anal and want to start from the beginning (of the kids anyway). But discovered that I can only post 100 per month, so they will come in batches. Hang tight. Hey does anyone know if the month mark hits, 30 days from your first post? or just the first of every month?

potty training

Tonight we began the arduos task of potty training. What an adventure! I dont know how i am going to survive it. I have never felt so ill equipped and unmotivated in teaching things to my kids before. Maybe I should start by goin to bed sooner, But Josiah has been gone and my detox and break is to sit on the computer for hours and hours.

It started out exciting, what a treat to wear " big girl underwear!", going on the toilet every ten minutes, and celebrate dry undies with a high five and a couple of cookies, what else in the life of a 2 year old could top this? Umm.... peeing in the corner, under the stairs, in your rainboots... apparently. One poopie in the toilet, and three puddles on the floor later, I am clinging on to the hope that we are making some sort of progress here. At least she is telling me she's peeing when she is doing it. The above pic is the beginning of our first day, and the bottom is th end. If I would have took a pic of me at those times, it would have been similiar, minus the sippee cup and the comfort of elmo and cookie monster.

What exactly does " pee like a race horse mean?", is it I have to pee so bad, i need to run as fast as a race horse to the bathroom? or better, I have to pee so bad I will pee with the force of a racing horse?

my personal interpretation? for this stage in our lives: I would like you to learn to pee in a toilet, as fast as a race horse runs. First place only!

Malachi-ism

Dinner was fed to the two little people in our household. Both ate a decent amount and said all done, but not eating everything on thier plate.

Mommy starts eating her dinner on the couch.

Malachi crawls over and reaches into the bowl.

Mommy: no malachi, your all done with dinner.

Chi puts his head down on the couch, very forlorn.

Pops it back up again. Malachi: Tease ( please)

Mommy: No your all done.

Malachi: woof!

After barking like a dog ( sometimes we do tricks in our house for food, JK) a few times he finally gives up.

dont worry I wasnt starving him, his belly was packed tight with dinner he didnt even finish. He is at the stage where he zeros in on any food and wants it all, all the time.

Malachi Milestone

Dinner time in Watters household...

Malachi whines for another bite.
Mommy: say thank you CHi ( as i sign it as well)
Malachi: TanToo ( or Taint- too)
Mommy: Good Job!

the first time with words and signs! by the way he turns 1 this thursday!

Arwyn-isms

So I am just lovin all the little sentences that pop out of her mouth:

Mommy: arwyn are you done with your dinner?
ARwyn: No mommy, Arwyn finish cottage cheese
M: ok
A:Thank you mommy
m: no prob

you may not find this cute or extraordinarily funny, but as her mom, its the cutest thing ever!

A picture worth posting

Nana Watters took this picture at the Park today! Soooo Cute!

the fall is coming

I was running some errads the other day and enjoying the new season. I had the windows rolled down and could feel the crisp clean air. The leaves are turniing all kinds of colors, brown, red, burnt orange, yellow. And falling to the ground. That is my favorite part.

Its the time of the year that I like to break out my favorite coffee mugs, usually the Starbucks ones, and curl up in my comfy fleece pants and long sleeve t-shirts. Read a book on the couch, or watch a movie. This season I love to make homemade bread and crock pot soup. It's a bit disappointing that Josiah isnt much of a soup fan cause I would have that all season. What an easy dinner! Shall I go on a crock pot rave?.... maybe not. You probably dont care:) I will lose my guy readers forever.

I even love the setting in our home right now. Outside its beautiful weather, our windows are open as the sun begins to set. Josiah is watching USC play Washington, the kids are scattering toys all over the downstairs, and i sit on the couch with J's laptop and type away. It's something about the sound of football on the tv that makes me nostalgic, and excited for the Holidays to come. Is everyone like that? cause I never grew up with football on the holidays, if anything it was boxing.

Anyway, as our year approaches its last leg, I hope that you live life to its fullest, with purpose, and excitement, enjoying this season that God has ushered us into and appreciating the family and friends around you. Happy Fall!

the war raging within me

We all have those times when our confidence is attacked, or maybe its our self- worth, pride, ability to love, be selfless, couragous, obediant. When these attacks happen we can choose to engage in battle, reminding yourself of the perspective you hold when you are truly believing that God created you and loves you.

Well, i had a battle the other day. It wasn't the first time. Thats why I say a battle and not a war. The War is going on all the time, the spiritual war for my soul. And Even though i believe the outcome is already determined. I still get closer and closer to the victory with each won battle.

The attack came out of nowhere. I was actually in my closet deciding what to wear that day and I was reminded that I wasn't viewed as highly by some people than others are. I asked myself, well does that really matter? why should it? its just one person. I know God cares for me deeply and thinks enough of me to deem me worthy of dying for. Can you get much better than that?

But my thoughts didn't go down that path. I will be totally honest here. Here is the path i chose:

I thought of all the "things" i could have if we had endless money. How "hip" would I be if I could buy all the clothes and accessories my heart sometimes wishes for? But I dont. I am screwed. I will always be just average. unliked and thought unhighly of by certain be. Then I began to question why the friends I did have even liked me. I mean I think they are soo cool, hip, wonderful people inside and out. What did they see in me?

These type of thoughts plagued me, even about other issues in my life, it just spiraled for a few days. I was stuck in the trench with soldiers all around me screaming at me to surrender.

Then i was sitting at the kitchen table mulling all these thoughts and feelings over, when a song came on my ipod:

When I stand before the Lord, I’ll be standing alone
This journey is my own
Still I want man’s advice, and I need man’s approval
This journey is my own

Why would I want to live for man, and pay the highest price
What does it mean to gain a whole world, only to lose my life

So much of what I do is to make a good impression
This journey is my own
And so much of what I say is to make myself look better
But this journey is my own

And why would I want to live for man, and pay the highest price
And what does it mean to gain a whole world, only to lose my life

And I have never felt relief like I feel it right now
This journey is my own
Cuz trying to please the world, it was breaking me down
It was breaking me down

And now I live and I breathe for an audience of one
Now I live and I breathe for an audience of one
Now I live and I breathe for an audience of one
Cuz I know this journey is my own

And why would I want to live for man, and pay the highest price
And what does it mean to gain a whole world, only to lose my life
And you can live for someone else, and it will only bring you pain
I can’t even judge myself, only the Lord can say, ‘Well done.’

Oh, this journey is my own

and the battle was won, but the war rages on...

Arwyn- isms

Mommy sits on the couch reading a mag.

Arwyn: play outside mommy

Mommy clarifies: you want to play outside?

Arwyn: Yes!

Mommy: OK

Mommy sits a few seconds longer while contemplating the energy to come.

Arwyn: Listen to me mommy!

Mommy's mouth drops then smiles, it sounds all too familiar.

I HATE SIN!

sorry... this entry doesn't have any specific theme or topic, at least i don't feel that way. I just " need" to write and so i will. Maybe someone will enjoy it, maybe not.

and so whats on my mind tonight is " I HATE SIN!". I hung with a good Friend of mine today. And as I have made a habit of doing for quite some time I turn the radio off and pray for our time together. That it would be encouraging, uplifting, that God would use me, and also refine me through it. I felt led to pray that my "agenda" and " expectations" would melt away, though at the time i was praying i wasn't sure what those agenda or expectations were. In hindsight...i see.

we had a great conversation, she had some great advice, and we got into a conversation that i wasn't planning on. Not that anything was wrong with it I just had no intention of touching on that particular topic. But once we did, i pushed too far. I like to challenge people and help them process, but i am finding that in that blessing I can also cross the line. I like resolution, closure, a plan for change. And this is all great for circumstance in "my" life, but i cant impose that on others.

...so the topic got interrupted, and later i revisited it, because i wanted my closure. Before doing so, i felt the holy spirit nudging me to "shut up. leave it alone, you have challenged enough, let go of your expectations." hmmm... didn't I pray for that earlier?

Of course i dismissed that feeling and forged on with my agenda and ended up turning what could have just been a fun and encouraging but challenging time into a little tense, OK were done, time. I started thinking in the car, then worrying and feeling lame and insecure. I got home and apologized and discovered that my hunch was right and now i just feel sick to my stomach, i want to slap myself. Heidi, if you would just listen to your Counselor, you both could have left with a good taste in your mouth.

And so, I HATE SIN! your sin, their sin, but mostly MY sin. Its times like this that I am so happy to die and be in heaven regardless of what i would miss here on earth. Just so i could be in my final state of perfection, not hurting anyone and not experiencing the consequences of sin. and I'm only 27, I might have a ways to go...

for those of you mommy's with babies or ones on the way

There is a contest for a free sling!Look on my links to the right and click on free sling and possibly win, Good Luck! enter by 9.17.

malachi-isms

i got ready for a fancy date with Josiah last night, came downstairs to where the kids were, turned the corner to find Malachi in the kitchen.

he looked up at his dressed up mommy and said "WHOA..."

thats when i knew i was ready to go on my hot date:)

I'm learning

Two books I have been going through lately have really merged together to make a big impact on my spiritual journey. I have been doing a daily devotional on the life of David, in the bible, with some of my closest girl freinds.

In the past I have always thought of David as one of the "spiritual giants" that had a life and journey with God that I could never paralell. I know the story of David and Bathsheba, but somehow the whole reality of his life never sunk into me. Each day we studied different aspects of his character and life. As we approched the time in his life that he committed adultry then murder to cover it up, i began to see through other stories that his sexual struggle was already a probelm and out of control. I began to ask questions. How could God call David a man after his own heart when this wasn't just one wrong choice but an area in his life that he obviosly didnt surrender to God? How could God still cause him to prosper in so many areas, while at the exact same time he was "racking" up wives and concubines? How can a heart like this be called "after God?" It began to give me hope that even though my heart struggles to follow after rightousness, I too, can be used as signifcantly as David. God doesn't wait for me to be rid completly of sin to use me and bless me.

Another aspect of this struggle that David had was impactful as well. When David had repented of his sin of adultry and murder, Nathan the prophet still told him that one consequence to this sin was that the baby Bathsheba was pregnant with would die. David fasted and cried out to God for 7 days. But God had already made up his mind. The bible says that as soon as David got word that his son had died, he washed and went and ate. Then he went to comfort his wife and she became pregant again. It was amazing to me that barely after they had a chance to grieve, God was already choosing to bless them. I tend to greive, or feel guilty, over my sin for quite some time. I dont even feel worthy of any type of blessing for quite some time. But God moves on and desires to bless me much sooner than I feel i deserve.Wow!

I am going on a trip to Colombia in January. For the trip we are reading a book by francine rivers, Redeeming Love. It is a great fiction based on the story of Hosea. He was a man that was told to marry a prostitute. She leaves him a few times to go back to her previous lifestyle. He continually woos her back. What amazing forgiveness, love, strength Hosea had. It paralells CHrist with us. I know that i commit to him and then go back to my other "loves". But he forgives, pursues, fights, and returns me to where i belong, in his arms. This blows my mind. I dont know if I could respond like this to Josiah if he were to do the same. I think it would take me a very long time to forgive and move on. It makes me want to dig deeper into my relationship with God more and get to know this wonderful love that even I can't comprehend.