One year to celebrate

We had a great birthday time with Ruby - a trip to Johnson's farm for pumpkins (complete with my brothers and husband bringing along the reciprocating saw for cutting through pumpkin stems and rotted pumpkins and such), a delicious Ruby-sized cupcake from Dolce bakery (at least I think it was delicious, as Ruby definitely ate the majority of it), and sweet birthday thoughts and wishes from friends and family....

This year has gone fast - I distinctly remember people bringing us dinner when she was about three weeks old and saying that it would go fast, and in my sleep-deprived state, I remember thinking that they were crazy, and that nobody should ever say those words to parents before a baby reaches three months old because they are like cruel taunts to those whose heads only touch the pillow briefly for weeks on end. It is still very interesting to me that God designed things so those first few months hold so little sleep for parents. I would love to hear any suggested theories on why this is so. Our friends were very very right that this year did go fast. And very good to us to bring us meals.

The three years I have been married to Matt have also gone fast. There is a couple that I see at work - I don't know how long they have been married. But he comes and visits her everyday. And sits next to her and pats her arm. And when I mentioned that my daughter had her first ear infection the other week, they both looked knowingly, like they had been in my shoes a time or two. I am sure they could have told me that this year would go fast. I wonder if the many many years they have been married have gone fast too. Sometimes I have to leave the room so I don't start crying when I see them together.

It reminds me of a quote from the start of Sweet Land, one of my favorite movies, and I believe, still streamable on Netflix. (I would like to make a snide comment about Quikster right now, but I have been reading Proverbs and am trying to learn to hold my tongue) Sweet Land helps me visually say what I believe to be the best in marriage. I told you a long time ago that I had some things I was learning from my car accident (and I don't think I am done learning yet) - one of them being that my husband meant his vows. That in sickness and in health, he is committed to me. Which is part of why I cry when I see the couple at work loving each other well after so many years - because I pray for the grace to be able to do that with Matt.

(As a side note, at some point in the near future, I would love to tell you about other movies I enjoy, but they are almost all documentaries because I am a wimp and can't handle much action/adventure when it comes to movies - so depending on your movie tastes, you may or may not want to read that post. Although I hope to compel you to open your mind to documentaries if they are not a favorite.)

Ruby sleeps on right now after her 1 year shots. And I pray to be able to write true things, and things that really are on my heart, and things I am going to want to remember. Things that will honor Matt and Ruby. Things that will help you know what a screw-up I can be lest I deceive you. Things said not to win your approval or more followers, but for the pleasure of God. Another favorite movie quote from Chariots of Fire, where the main character, an Olympian runner explains to his family that "when I run, I feel His [God's] pleasure." Well, when I write, I want to feel His pleasure of what I have to say.

A hope for this coming year is more posting. More pictures and more posting. But we'll see - I am still so slowly getting the hang of this parenting thing.