My little loves.

I have lots of reasons to celebrate.  Life, love, Mother's Day, birthdays, marriage, salvation, laughter.  I could go on and on. I was looking for the perfect picture on Mother's Day.  I wanted a picture where everyone was looking, everyone was smiling, the camera caught our best sides, etc.  You know what I'm talking about.  My husband lovingly reminded me that I do have the perfect picture because of the little loves sitting with me on our porch.  

Mother's Day, 2012.  

Just after church at Hardy Street.  What you can't see is that Story has big crocodile tears running down her cheeks; she barely made it to bed even without eating lunch and slept hard for 3 1/2 hours.  Tilly's eyes are drying, I think because Carter or Summer probably got out of the car before her, ha!  That's real life at our house.  And I'm learning not to apologize for it either.  I'm learning to embrace it and even to enjoy it ;) Because after the tears dry there are hugs and kisses and laughter and a whole lot of love.  

Last Friday, I had muffins with Mommy at Summer and Tilly's school.  This is the beautiful corsage Summer made for me.  How cute is it?  

This is the gift Carter made for me at school  I love that handsome face smiling back at me.  

In addition to the corsage, Summer also made this hand print flower.  

This is a precious card with my sweet Tilly's feet.  Don't you just want to kiss those toes?  

And this is the masterpiece that my husband designed (along with the help of my dear friend, Sherry) for Mother's Day.  Last Wednesday when we got into the car after church, Story told me that she painted.  I figured she didn't know what she was talking about and that she was just trying to keep up with her siblings.  Boy was I wrong!  That sweet thing did in fact know what she was talking about, and she definitely painted!  What a precious gift, even more precious are the little hands who helped to paint it, my little loves.