Theodore is TWO

I read somewhere once that Motherhood, or the decision to have a child, is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. For two years this has depicted motherhood perfectly. My heart is completely sold out for a little adventurous, wild yet moderately tamed two year old. His name is Theodore and he is all mine. Lucky me! Adam said the other day, "I hope I never lose the wonder and excitement over watching him learn new things." I agree whole heartedly. I know, though, that the age of two will come with all sorts of trials. So as I sit here and look ahead, I am praying for wisdom, grace and strength to not only walk through it but ENJOY it. Knowing he will only be two once and that the age of two is truly special and momentous. And I think it helps that my kid rocks! Like he's wicked cool! He's by far the coolest human I know. I so have a boy crush on him. To know Theodore is to love him.

This past weekend I got the rich pleasure of throwing my little dude a "Where the Wild Things Are" birthday party. The theme was perfect for the occasion for he is perfectly wild. I asked my friend Julie of Julie Christine Photography to capture some moments from the party so that Adam and I could just sit back and take it all in. Her work is exceptional. She has also done a mother & son shoot for us and this past year's Christmas session. She's divine! You must check out her work. She captured both the party's look and essence perfectly so. More important than all the decorations were our friends who were there to celebrate with us. As Adam and I relaxed on the couch that night ... exhausted! ... we said, "We're blessed. We have the best of friends. They truly made the party every bit as awesome as it was." So if you were there, a big Thank You. Thank you for loving our Theodore and celebrating his birthday with us. Here's to many more! And now, here's a little peak into Theodore's Wild Rumpus Party. 

My prayer over you, my sweet Theodore, is that you would grow to know the perfect and all sufficient love of the One who created you and gave Himself for you. That His love for you would mold you into the toddler, boy, teenager, young adult and man that would seek to serve Him all the days of your life with all you are and all you have. You are our greatest adventure. Our greatest treasure here on earth. Our greatest risk of wild.

Love, Mummy.

Cupcakes
Cake & Party Favors
T-Shirt

Living In Grace

I had a particularly awful morning a few months back. I've had a few recently as well actually. But that one, that one, was epic. It deserves to be highlighted. Not because of its awfulness. But because of what I learnt rom it ... what I am learning from it.

In the heat of it I texted a good and wise friend of mine. I wrote, please pray for me. I just lost it on Adam and Theodore. They deserve more from me. Please pray for patience. I need more patience.

send.

To which she responded, "I'll pray for grace not patience."

grace...

Grace? I thought. Yah same difference. Patience ... grace same thing. But it's not. The more I thought about it, I knew there was a difference. I didn't need patience to get me through the day. I needed to soak in His grace because that's what I needed to offer. And oddly enough, I needed to offer it to myself in that moment.

In my awfulness, right there in the middle of its ugliness I know my Savior was standing before me saying, "Come here, my child. I have an unlimited reservoir of grace for you. I know you didn't act as you ought but it's alright. Allow my grace to calm you. Allow my grace to change you. Allow my grace sustain you. Allow my grace to grow you." I'm certain that if I really knew and understood His grace I would be able to offer it more freely to those I love most deeply. And then I thought about it more, if grace was more present in every part of my day I would undoubtably and more naturally be graceful at home, cause let's me honest. That's always where we need it most. Our families get the best, and absolute worst of us mums.

When I feel like a failure, I can offer myself grace and say, "You're doing good today. And that's enough for today. It's not perfect but today let good be perfect."

When I forgot that a friend's birthday because I'm impossibly selfish and I've just taken on too much I can offer myself grace and say, "It's ok. You're busy. You're doing a lot. She'll understand. You can make it up to her."

When I just can't make it to a dear friend's baby shower because of a previous commitment, I can offer myself grace and say, "She too is women of grace and she'll understand. You're not super mom. And no one expects that of you."

When I'm just feeling just too stressed about planning Theodore's second birthday in order that it encapsulates all things Pinterest worthy (insert awesome, pretty, fun, unique, creative, and yummy) I can offer myself grace and say, "In the end what does it all matter? In the end, what matters most is that he feels and knows that his Mummy was present and full of grace both the weeks leading up to his party and the afternoon of his party. Allow grace to say that's enough. And find peace and contentment in the enough-ness of it."

So yes. I'm now praying for grace to cover my days. I'm praying that when he grows up he remembers his Mummy as a women of grace who relied on His grace. I'm praying that when my husband speaks of his wife to others, he can't help but say she's a women of grace who relied on His grace. So yes, grace not patience is what I need more of.