40 Days- Day 9.

Today was a very good day- we welcomed our brand new nephew into the world!  

Colin Jacob- isn't he gorgeous??? Thankful beyond measure for a safe delivery and healthy baby #5 for my brother and sister-in-law!  

We also received our disc of pictures from our family session with the amazing Lacey from Lacey Howard Photography- she does such a great job capturing the spirit of my babies and I'm so, so, thankful that we'll have these pictures to enjoy and look back on.  

these are the pictures she took in 2010- they are still some of my very favorite, favorite pictures of my babies.  

this is our family picture from this year.  I love it.   I love the colors and the setting and smiles and the lines and every single thing about it.  

have you ever, ever in your life seen eyes so blue?  this sweet love amazes me every single day.  his courage and determination and utter Grace show me how close he is to  God.  My Heart. 

this precious boy, with his to die for lashes and perfect smile, and just a little bit of baby left in the cheeks- every single day he teaches me manners and enthusiasm and unbridled passion and curiosity for the world around us. My Soul.  

baby love- with her galaxy eyes and perfect lips.  determined and strong willed and amazingly fierce in her love of cowboys and family.  Caught mid 'oooo'.  My Sunshine.  

My heart, my soul, my sunshine.    I hope and pray that I can be the momma they need, the momma they deserve. at night I whisper to them, when they are in the space between sleep and awake- I tell them how much i love them, how proud I am of them, how thankful I am for their very being and the amazingness they carry in their hearts.  I tell them that i know they'll grow into strong, courageous men and women, full of the light of God.  

and because we can't be sappy 24/7 - here's my gorgeous, fit husband's bowl of ice-cream, complete with delicious peppermint on top of his vanilla with added chocolate chips.  for real.  

happy almost 1/4 th of the 40 day challenge :-)  here's my plan for the next 3/4ths- 

and, to make it even more fun- I'm on a shopping hiatus.  nothing for myself.  gifts for my family for birthdays, Christmas... done with the deluge of shopping as a sedative.  moving on.  

xo