I'm cleaning my house.
I try to clean my house everyday...but this is special cleaning.
Mercy is coming. She is not just coming for a short little visit, she is coming for a couple months.
Yay!....rather....YAAYYYYY!!! I am so excited.

She will be here soon - there is a list of things I need to do to be ready. My weekend list (That way I don't get overwhelmed!):
Today - I'm making space in a closet for her things.
Tomorrow - rearrange furniture to fit a bed.
Sunday - probably more of the same... these days jobs tend to take a bit longer then I think.

Welcome to the world sweet baby boy!

* We are so glad you are finally here! * 

Titus Newton Jackson - born the 10th of December. 

7lbs & 21in long.

just perfect.

 

Last week I turned 30.
I kinda thought I would never turn 30 - but here I am!  A friend commented, "We so often get caught up in dreading growing older that we miss the blessing we enjoy in being given an other year (or day) to live."

Mom and I went to the farmers market last weekend (my birthday weekend...), she bought me a little succulent plant to go on my kitchen window sill as a birthday gift. A lovely reminder for me in the year to come of the sweet blessing I enjoy in my mom's friendship.

Thanks Mom, it looks lovely in my window.

Florence feeding her baby doll

So, it's the end of Tuesday. It's been a good day - thanks.
Things started out a bit bumpy with an early morning and a grouchy baby but as the day unfolded God gave me a day full of sweet blessings. 
A few highlights: 

• Florence took a wonderful long nap while I got a visit in with Nathaniel's mom and sisters.
• When picking Nathaniel up from work he suggested we share a treat lunch at the cafe next to the school. We  enjoyed the chicken salad sandwich and a turkey club. And as usual, the elderly ladies enjoyed 'Flora the Explora' as she wandered round visiting neighboring tables. 
• At my eye appointment I found out the my eyesight has improved since my last eye exam 4 years ago. sweet.
• The weather was warm enough for Florence and I to take a walk together - she loves the bright red and yellow tulips that are in bloom right now. She says in her sweet little voice, 'oohhhh!'

Hope you had some sweet blessings sprinkled into your Tuesday too....

I have been knitting this little sweater for Florence.

It has taken me ages to finish, but has been a really easy pattern.  If you fancy giving it a go, it's a free pattern (yay!) you can find it here.

The sweater is definitely not perfect, but even with all its' quirks Florence looks pretty cute in it.

I almost went with a red button - in the end I decided to go more subtle. And who knows if it still fits her in the Autumn (which it might seeing how huge it is on her...), I might just go ahead and change out the button.

We have been sick with the stomach bug at our house this week...that is, Nathaniel and I have been, Florence has been teething.  There has been a lot of wearing sweat pants and lounging on the couch.
I was feeling much more myself yesterday, so Florence and I went on a walk to Thornden Park so Nathaniel could get some much needed rest, and to distract this little girl from the discomfort of teething.

 We managed to find and almost dry field of grass to explore.
 And look! Florence is finally walking. She is so, so pleased with herself.

Don't you just love the red pants?

When Naomi was packing up their home in Spain, she brought a suitcase to me in London full of clothes Selma wore. Naomi said they were her absolute favorite baby clothes and couldn't bear to give them to a charity shop, would I be interested in them? 
Yes - of course! 

Though I wasn't pregnant yet and Nathaniel and I had transatlantic move of our own coming up I could not resist. And we (I) have really, really been enjoying the clothes in that suitcase, these red pants and white top are just two of the awesome bits Naomi passed on.
fun - don't you think?

Last week Nathaniel had the week off from school...well almost the whole week, he did have to go into school one day to do just a little work. Florence and I joined him and we were put in charge of setting up projects the students did on the fruit of the Spirit around Nathaniel's classroom. As it turned out we were not the only ones in to do a little work that day, and I met another wife who came in to keep her husband company. 
Sarah was very, very pregnant, due to have the baby in the next 5 days. She said she hoped he -the baby- would not decide to come late and be born on Leap Day (is that what 29th Feb is called???). True, I agreed that it would be a little complicated. 
So, today I am wondering whether her baby arrived or not.