Seven Months

I just realized that Ariella is 7 months old today so I snapped some photos.

 She is crawling everywhere now, climbing into and under things, and pulling up!

What a cute girl! Ariella crawls to wherever I am and climbs on me. (When she does the same to her sister, she gets yelled at "No! Ariella no! Don't get me!" That doesn't seem to stop her...)

A few days ago Ariella got her first tooth. Today her second one broke through. She nurses a lot and eats bananas, rice cereal, cheerios that Zoe dropped on the floor, and grass and small wood chips.

I am so grateful to be mommy to this sweet, fun, little girl! What a blessing she is to me! Right now she is growling at the sliding glass doors, hoping to go outside. Time for me to play with her. :)

He Restores my Soul

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

During the last couple of months I have been praying Psalm 23 when I wake up in the morning, before I fall asleep at night, and other times when I think of it. The line "He restores (or refreshes) my soul" has really stuck out to me. As I was exhausted and not sure why life felt so difficult I cried out to God "please restore my soul!"

I have been back in the US for just over 2 weeks now. I am so grateful to be here. I feel like I am slowly unwinding.There are things that I am excited about doing...dreams...possibilities. My heart is more peaceful. I am better able to see God around me. And my husband is so much happier than he has been in a long time.

God is answering my prayer. He is refreshing and restoring me.

Thank you for praying for me (us) too! I am really excited because next month I will get to see my family (and introduce cute Ariella to everyone).

We just finished dinner and the sun is shining on me, Ariella is giggling and growling, Zoe is happily chatting with Daniel who is setting up the bike trailer to take her for a spin around the neighborhood. Breathe. Enjoy this time. Be refreshed, my soul.

How about you? What is the prayer of your heart during this season in your life?