Sweet Emily Austin

Sweet Emi....that's been your little nickname for sometime now & you are just that....such a sweet girl. This summer you will turn 11 years old~ I can't believe how grown up you are. I am so proud of how well you have done in school this year. I know last year was maybe harder for you than you realize, but you have done great. You are a hard worker & you love to learn.

You have been "playing school" since you were a little girl. Each year you are so in love with your school teacher. Every year we think, how will next year beat the last & it does! You love to come home & act out the events of your day--so sweet!

You began asking to play violin when you were about 7 or 8 years old. I love listening to you! You make such a beautiful violinist!

You love Dancing with the Stars & American Idol. You love spaghetti , macaroni and cheese, and our new Robin miller recipe-creamy fusili with chicken and mushrooms. I love when you help me in the kitchen.

You are my sweet spirited, non competitive, kind , tenderhearted, gentle child. You are compassionate. You are a deep thinker. You usually full of laughter and on the days you aren't, it just means you have a full load that day. But Emi, if I could choose my favorite word to describe you it would be loyal. You are an amazingly loyal friend. You are an amazingly loyal sister. When we saw the movie "Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" ( part of the Narnia chronicles) Dad & I were both so moved the character Lucy. She so quickly forgave Edmund. She asked no questions- just loved him. That's exactly how you are!

You were only 10 weeks old when your daddy Gregg passed away. But the amazing gift the Lord gave me was that you look just like him! You have the same happy spirit that both Grandma Miller & your great grandpa Sousley have! When you were a baby, our friends called you Gregga for that very reason.

One of my favorite memories...You asked me if you could join me on my daily walk/jog. You reached for my hand & held it the entire two miles....what a memory in my heart....the feel of your sweet hand in mine.

I am so proud of you. I love you dearly. Please know you have a special place in our family that no one else can fill. God created you to be YOU!

I love you my angel baby!

Jackie

I love this little book. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is someone whose life fascinates me. Her love of art, literature , especially poetry was the inspiration for this little collection. Caroline Kennedy shares a glimpse into her mother's heart through some of Jackie's favorite poems.
One of my favorites...

Sea Joy

by Jacqueline Bouvier

When I go down by the sandy shore

I can think of nothing I want more

Than to live by the booming blue sea

As the seagulls flutter round about me

I can run about- when the tide is out

With the wind and the sand and the sea all about

And the seagulls are swirling and diving for fish

Oh~ to live by the sea is my only wish.

~1939

Tiny tears

Sometimes there are those sweet little conversations that you just want to hold in your heart.
Yesterday we had one of those.
I had to work late the night before. When Caroline woke the next morning she told me to come into her room,
she had something to show me.
She takes out her pillow and begins to point to about 10 random places on that pillow.
She then says, "This is where all my tears were that I cried last night because you were gone"
sniff ....sniff....sniff....

by the way....i only work one evening a week & she was home with daddy....i didn't desert her ~but i did feel loved!

Grains of sand

Psalm 139. 17~19

How precious to me

are your thoughts , O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them
they would outnumber

the grains of sand.

For you Savannah Miller

I would never wish to put my girls in a typecast box. Nor do i want them to believe that who they are is simply made up in what they do & the things they accomplish. That being said....I was motivated by the fact that Savannah will graduate from middle school in a couple of weeks. Both at school & at church we will come together to honor these children and award them for accomplishments. I will spend my next few blog entries with journals about my girls & how I see them now~things they love, things I love about them, things that make them unique, things that make me so proud to be their mom. I will begin with Savannah.

Your due date was to be February 28th, but honestly I knew you'd come on Valentines Day. As I told friends & family no one believed me. Firstborns rarely come early. But, you did!

My sweetheart warmed my heart Valentines Day 1993. I had talked about my baby-girl-to-be "Savannah" before I was ever even married. Your daddy Gregg would be so proud of you cutie, so proud. My heart hurts for you that at such a young age you had to witness loosing him to cancer. You were so special to him. Don't ever forget that....hide that in your heart in a special place & always go back to it!

You were such a bright young little girl. I know you have heard us talk about how you memorized the "birthday girl" book on your 3rd birthday. You loved books. You loved your preschool. You were my best little buddy those few years without a daddy~always my helper, always my sweet little friend. When I look back I realize you were always so much more mature than your actual little age. I guess being forced to grow up quickly will do that to you.
However, I hope when you look back on those days you remember being days full of joy, games, books & fun.

I will never forget telling you I was to marry Dan. You so sweetly looked up at me & said

" I will always love my first daddy and miss him. But I'm really glad we are getting a new daddy". You are an amazing big sister. They all look up to you.

You have always had leadership qualities , an outgoing friendly personality, and such a cheerful happy disposition. Honestly I was quite concerned when I knew we would move you from the little private school you had grown up in to a huge public middle school.

But -wow- you never missed a beat. You have been so inspired by the academic and social opportunities only a large school can truly offer. I am so proud of you!! Except for two pesky B's, you have made all A's your entire K-8th grade, and all A's in middle school. Many of those grades were made in advanced placement classes. You were chosen a leader in FCA & a leader in your church youth group. My heart just leaped when Randy ( our beloved youth leader) introduced you as one of his favorite people....what a compliment! Your hearts desire since you were about 3 years old has been to be a cheerleader. What a proud moment for me a few weeks ago to witness you making the JV Football & competition squad at Parkview!

When I think of you I remember ~ pink & green, chocolate chips & peanut butter waffles, Harry Potter, IM, winning an iPod, tumbling class, poms, a new chi, your bff Annie, wonderful days at Seaside, silver hoops, all A's, confidence, loyalty, wisdom, laughter, secrets, a girl with more friends than she can count, and an amazingly beautiful young lady who loves the Lord.

I know the Lord has so many wonderful things ahead for you. I can't wait to witness!

You can do anything!
I will always be here for you!
I am so proud to be Savannah's mom!
I love you sweetheart!

Recent layouts

Sharing some of my recent layouts...i finished these last week. Some of the color in the last one is way off....oh well. Found some great new product at my lss- scrap chic boutique. Such a wonderful little shop with beautiful displays & I love their grand chandelier!

Was totally blessed today with a visit from my dear friend Katie. She has been such a wonderful mentor to me the last several years. She will be 60 in a few weeks but is truly the most young at heart woman i have ever known. She truly loves the Lord, her hubby, her daughter ,her new grandbaby, and her "heart friends"--and what a treasure that is! I hope to be more like her when I grow up! Women mentoring women.....such a blessing God gives us. I love to learn from ladies who have "already been down the road" and have much wisdom to give. Not that everything in their life is perfect~ as that's what makes them even more real.

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

by Margery Williams, from The Velveteen Rabbit

Carillon Beach

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-----hard to believe it's April 15th!!! But honestly i must admit i'm enjoying the late spring cool weather. We usually get two weeks of wonderful springtime bliss before the pollen hits & then on goes the air conditioner until almost October....so, i am no complaining.
I love these pictures from Carillon Beach two summers ago. Some of my most treasured memories are precious times along those glorious shores....the white sand....the crystal blue water.....picket fences....oh my!!

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

& sings the tune--

without the words

& never stops at all

Inspired by this post today...

Thank you sweet friend for this super fun creation!

Tulip Day

tulip girl1
Originally uploaded by paigek.

One of my all time favorite moments....
little smocked dress that carolines grammy smocked for her. Gwyn taught she & I and we both made our smocking debut that spring!
My precious friend Fran painted a huge oil painting of this and gave to me as a suprise for my birthday the next year. Talk about a priceless treasure!!
It has been a sweet little tradition each year to take photos around Atlanta in front of the spring tulips!
Thank you Lord for simple sweet moments where we can truly be in awe of your creation!!

tulip day from 2004

red mary janes & straw hat-1
Originally uploaded by paigek.

wow....one of my favorite little moments....
caroline in her red mary janes ( mary james as emily so famously dubbed them) , little straw hat, strasburg dress out in front of another glorious atlanta home filled with tulips!

My Sweetheart

Meant to journal about this day last week but just didn't get there....
April 3, 1999 I was blessed to marry this wonderful man.
He is truly the most selfless, kind hearted ,
gentle & loyal person I have ever known.
He has given to me and the girls
unconditional love
& for that
I am eternally grateful.
I love you sweet man!

"What are you doing for the rest of your life?
North & south & east & west of your life?
I have only one request
That you spend it all with me."
Bergman

Ballerina, You must have seen her

Ballerina, You must have seen her
dancing in the sand
now she's in me always with me
tiny dancer in my hand....

Sweet Madison Grace
my beautiful ballerina, what joy you have brought us as we've watched you mature into a beautiful young lady.
I know right now your big decision is where to continue your dance education. I would love to be able to afford Atlanta School of Ballet.....but we will pray for wisdom as we decide where to next. Keep dancing sweet child.......

The Tulip House

More fun pics from the tulip house....out of 4 rolls of film, Caroline had only one crazy face...too fun!!!
What a wonderful day with my girls!

Yes its almost freezing this morning, two days before Easter....but a few days ago, thanks to Kristin & Susan we found THE tulip house. It was a spectacular home downtown with an exquisite garden overflowing with french tulips.
Happy Spring!!!!

 

Happy birthday to me

paigey-girl
Originally uploaded by paigek.

I love this little old picture~~~me & my mom when i think i was maybe 3 years old. So today I turn 41 & I am thrilled. Thrilled to be healthy , happy, blessed & alive.
Today was a rainy day here in Atlanta....how I love rainy days, always have!

I will never forget when Savannah was 4 years old~~
she told me she wanted to be a cheerleader at UGA.
No, she's not old enough yet to run with the big dawgs ,
but last week she made the Parkview Highschool JV Football & competition squad!!!!!!!
What a treasure to witness as her dreams unfold.
She has worked hard for many years to get to this place
& I'm so proud of her.
I pray she will give the Lord all the glory
& just shine as a witness for Him.
I love you Savannah Miller!!

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

 

Okay, so I think I will try to give this a shot....life in blogland that is!
This week I have tried to spend more time helping Emily with her confidence in reading & her violin. We have had some sweet quality time together. My prayer for her today is that she truly knows & feels loved and accepted by us. That she has her security in the Lord that she was indeed fearfully & wonderfully made. That God created her just so.
What a precious child she is!!