Joyful Domesticity

Here are pictures from Gabriel’s big day. I hope you enjoy them! 🙂

L: Gabriel’s morning milk on his birthday, about an hour before he officially turned one. haha.
R: sitting on the table with presents!

L: I love his rosy cheeks. Oh, and the drool-soaked shirt too, since he was popping his fifth tooth on his birthday. 🙂
R: playing with a new toy from Grandpa and Grandma C – he loves it! He loves banging things with mallets, haha!

L: playing with one of those pop-up toys (I loved this when I was little, too) from Grandpapa and Grandmama. He can’t open them yet but he loves to close them.
R: playing with the beach ball from Daddy and Mommy.

L: posing with Grandpapa and the coolest handmade wooden contraption ever. You’ve gotta see this thing in person. 🙂
R: Gabriel got so sleepy with all the excitement! We made him stay awake for the party, presents, etc. but blankie was necessary. 🙂 Isn’t his balloon fun, too?

L: Colin and Noah, Mommy and Gabriel, Ashley and Hannah – hurray for cousins!
R: the twins, chilling out on a blanket.

L: Gabriel still won’t feed himself, which is fine with me. 🙂 Of course it makes for a much cleaner baby and easier clean-up! So I fed him his “bee” cupcake… he would’ve eaten the whole thing if I hadn’t shared it with him. 🙂
R: did I already post a close-up? Can’t remember. Well here it is again.

L: I think my boy likes chocolate!
R: poor Dilly, she’s been doing poorly since Thursday when apparently she got a slice on her tongue. She walks around with her tail down like this, unless my brother’s dogs are around or even my parents. She needs cheering up, poor girl. It’s hard to get food and water into her but we’re trying! Praying for her tongue to heal quickly too. Anyway… look at Gabriel walking with Grandpapa’s toy. It’s the perfect height and Gabriel will love to put things in his little push-cart to carry around. The three little balls (in front of Gabriel’s thighs, if you look closely) go up and down when you push the cart. Grandpapa even inscribed a Proverb (3:23? 10:9? I can’t remember, I will have to look!) on the bottom. So cool.

L: Gabriel walking around; trying to go uphill.
R: I decided Gabriel needed a ride in his push-cart. 😉

L: isn’t he precious?!!
R: me with my garden. I hope the squirrels stop digging around in it soon. But things are sprouting anyway, thank God! 🙂

below: while Gabriel napped and once the other guests had gone, we played croquet as a family. Mama and I took turns holding Hannah (gotta get some girl time!) while playing… needless to say I may have held her a little too much, and definitely came in waaaaaaay last in the game, lol.

To kick off Gabriel’s birthday celebrations, we went last night the music concert of Jame Soles. Oh boy, was it fun!! Gabriel loved watching Mr. Soles with his family on stage, and especially seemed keen about the acoustic guitar. A-dooooor-able.
Besides the fun of Gabriel’s first music concert, we bought 4 new Soles cds (I know, I know– we originally only planned on buying two; but it was one of those times when a “buy 3 get 1 free” deal was too good to pass up!).
These are the newest additions to our family’s music collection:

“GOOD ADVICE”
A children’s album filled with great, memorable Bible and list songs, which grew out of Bible story times in the Soles household. Nothing like a song to help you remember!
Built on the premise that children prefer food to fluff, Good Advice treats children like grown-ups; it does not talk down to them, or play to their natural foolishness, but rather builds on the expectation that the child will one day be an adult. These are songs to grow by.

“ASCENDING”
Three times a year all the men of Israel were required by God to go up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the feast day celebrations. This was the ascent, and Psalms 120-134 were written for those times. Ascending offers renditions of these Psalms.

“MEMORIALS”
There are many things in Scripture spoken of as memorials, things which bring to remembrance – the rainbow, the priestly garments, memorial portions of offerings, Passover, jealousy tests, and ultimately, the Lord’s Supper. Memorials is a musical celebration of God’s faithfulness reflected in these signs of remembrance.

“PURE WORDS”
Into the Psalter through the front door…. In this second album of Psalms from Jamie, Pure Words, 15 of the first 16 Psalms unfold….

Happy birthday to you….
          Happy birthday to you….
                    Happy birthday dear GABRIEL DAVID….
                              Happy birthday to you!!!!!!!!\

Gabriel David, open your mouth wide—our good and gracious Lord will fill it. (Psalm 81:10) May you—as your psalmist namesake—ever pursue integrity of heart and skillfulness of hand (Psalm 78:72).

Changeful experience often leads the anxious believer to enquire “Why is it thus with me?” I looked for light, but lo, darkness came; for peace, but behold trouble. I said in my heart, my mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved. Lord, thou dost hide thy face, and I am troubled. It was but yesterday that I could read my title clear; today my evidences are bedimmed, and my hopes are clouded. Yesterday I could climb to Pisgah’s top, and view the landscape o’er, and rejoice with confidence in my future inheritance; today, my spirit has no hopes, but many fears; no joys, but much distress. Is this part of God’s plan with me? Can this be the way in which God would bring me to heaven? Yes, it is even so. The eclipse of your faith, the darkness of your mind, the fainting of your hope, all these things are but parts of God’s method of making you ripe for the great inheritance upon which you shall soon enter. These trials are for the testing and strengthening of your faith — they are waves that wash you further upon the rock — they are winds which waft your ship the more swiftly towards the desired haven. According to David’s words, so it might be said of you, “so he bringeth them to their desired haven.” By honour and dishonour, by evil report and by good report, by plenty and by poverty, by joy and by distress, by persecution and by peace, by all these things is the life of your souls maintained, and by each of these are you helped on your way. Oh, think not, believer, that your sorrows are out of God’s plan; they are necessary parts of it. “We must, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom.” Learn, then, even to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”

“O let my trembling soul be still,
And wait thy wise, thy holy will!
I cannot, Lord, thy purpose see,
Yet all is well since ruled by thee.”

L: Gabriel loves the tummy-flip feeling he gets on the bucket swing. He just giggles away, and I love it.
R: this is how he wants to go everywhere these days. We have a lot of back aches these days. 😉

L: but hopefully soon THIS is how he will get around! He can stand up on his own now, and is proud of himself.
R: balancing with Grandpapa.

L: Gabriel isn’t too sure about slides yet… even though it’s always fun to play with Daddy.
R: they prefer swinging together. My handsome boys!

Here’s a photo update for the last week or so. It’s been busy around here. Besides my normal routine of homemaking, trying to be a good wife & mommy, training & caring for my Gabriel, teaching piano… I am also planting my first garden. I’ve been able to plant the cool weather things already and am hedging my bets about planting the rest. I don’t know whether to go for it  now, or wait another week or two until all threat of frost is gone. Hm. We’ll see. 🙂 Also, last weekend I sang in a wedding and this weekend I am playing piano in a wedding! So that’s added to the busyness. Along with having a sick kiddo, which always makes things more interesting since all Gabriel wants is cuddled & held by Mommy. Yesterday was doctor day, as I had to take Gabriel in to see Dr. Grandpapa and then take the dog to the vet too. Whew! And the biggest news? My husband starts his new job on Monday!! We are very excited. God is so good.
I also wanted to say THANKS for all the comments you all have left recently. Jaclynn, Samantha, Meggan, Stefanie, Holly, even Mrs. Lutz! 🙂 Happy little surprises, each & every one. I am grateful for the Christian body, both near & far. God’s grace abounds through His people.
Have a lovely weekend. (and enjoy my pics!)

L: Gabriel examining his first taste of scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese.
R: I love this outfit, he looks like he should be camping. 🙂

L: blueberry eyes!
R: on Mother’s Day, Steven and Mama at the grill.

L: the awesome chicken (marinated in rosemary, sesame oil, olive oil, lemon juice…) and veggie kabobs.
R: me with my husby!

L: my very own mother.
R: our table spread for Mother’s Day.

L: oh and this was my dessert. Cheesecake swimming in caramel. 🙂 Mmmm! and the little “shot” of wild violets ; isn’t it cute?
R: my family on Mother’s Day.

L: “descendants” pose.
R: Hannah!! She’s eight weeks old now and so alert.

L: Noah!! He’s eight weeks too, haha. And he looks more like Colin every time I see him. 🙂
R: all ready to go out with their mommy and auntie! We went to MOPS together, which was great. Gabriel stayed home with Grandmama though, he’s a pretty sick little cookie this week. Poor darling. xx

Here are some of the lovely blooms that are beautifying our home right now!

A tulip from our backyard, dressing up my desk.

A dozen pastel roses that I got for three dollars the day after Mother’s Day.

Glory’s two little African violets, in my kitchen.

The sink windowsill: on the left, a single African violet; on the right, a dozen wild violets from my parents’ country home.

My porch! Three large planters of flowers, along with two small pots.

I just received a book for Mother’s Day called “The Loveliness of Christ” which is a compilation of Rutherford quotes. Oh my goodness, they are like little jewels. I hope the above quotes blessed you as they did me. They made me cry. 🙂 And there are tons more in there… I have barely scratched the surface of the book so far.