jaybird family pictures, 2018

Recently my amazing sister took new family pictures and I've just been bursting to share the sweetness!!!  I'm still blown away by the gifts these three people are in my life... and seeing us captured like this is so priceless.

autumn favorites (so far) ~ 2018

-  handmade hats on babies.  the warm, snugly is strong!

-  hot soups and baguettes.  i'll admit to buying two huge baguettes after trying a sample at costco.  i have no regrets.

-  perfectly falling leaves.  i snapped the above picture after this gorgeous leaf fell into haven's lap.  autumn loves me.

full to overflowing

Nearly three weeks ago, our precious Haven Rose made her whirlwind arrival into our lives.  After a short but intense labor (less than two hours), our second daughter was placed in my arms.  Our hearts are bursting with love for this sweet new child as we learn her and bond.  All is going relatively smoothly so far as we adjust to being a family of four.  Rennie completely adores her little sister.  I will definitely be sharing more of this chapter of life soon, but things are quite a bit busier these days so blogging hasn't been a priority.  My recovery is going pretty smoothly so far (only a few tiny hiccups along the way).  Thank you all so much for praying throughout my pregnancy.  We definitely covet continued prayers as we raise our precious daughters.  <3  So, till I can find some time for a better life update, here are pictures to tide you all over!  :-D  Many blessings!

maternity pictures and six years married!

Recently, my lovely sister, Natalie, traipsed around a local park with us capturing beautiful family moments as we celebrate adding another sweet baby to our tribe.  So, get ready for a picture OVERLOAD (not joking), since I had a really hard time whittling down which ones to share.  :-)

family pictures... and musings from a wife and mommy

"The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling."  ~ Fabienne Fredrickson


I have always wanted to be a wife and mommy.  I went through my stint of wanting to be a famous singer or author.  I mulled around different career ideas occasionally.  But nothing stuck.  Nothing matched the desire in my heart to love a godly man and raise a passel of children.

The first half of my dream came very easily.  I met Andrew when I was seventeen.  He was the first and only man with whom I had a romantic relationship.  We were married less than a month after my nineteenth birthday.  At twenty-four I am very well-adjusted to sharing my heart, home, and life with him.  We've definitely got that "old married couple" thing going.  Honestly, it hasn't always been easy getting married so young, but God has been faithful to grow us.

mamabird life {sixteen}

Well, hello August.  We haven't seen each other in a while.  I wasn't expecting you so soon.  You bring much-awaited fun, including a week-long family vacation and my daughter's second birthday.  Hopefully you won't be too overly warm.

Goodbye June/July (because you two completely ran together and I can't keep up!).  We had a good run this year.  You had some hot days but made beautifully breezy and cool apologies on others.  You held beautiful moments.  You were full of good mamabird life.

Including:


Much time spent outside.  On swings, at parks, down slides, with strollers.  It's been wonderful.

Many stained toddler clothes.  Rennie's growing might have slowed down quite a bit, but she's still going through clothes like crazy!

mamabird life {fifteen}

It is almost mid-way through the last full month that I am the mommy of a one-year-old.  This second year with my sweet girl has gone faster than the first... maybe because I'm getting a bit more sleep now (still not full nights, but we'll get there).  I'm trying to lock away those memories that aren't being captured on camera... there are so many and I just want to hold onto them.  This motherhood thing ain't easy.  I've been pushed to my limits (and even beyond them to new limits some days).  My daughter is a strong-willed little person who doesn't respond to instruction so well... Reminds me of her parents a bit.  But this journey is also one I would never surrender for an easier me-centered existence.  Sure it would be nice to take a looooooong hot shower every day, but who needs clean hair?

So, here's some snippets of my mamabird life along with some of my favorite recent pictures... I will spare you the ones featuring my unwashed hair.  ;-)

on my instagram

I recently joined the world of Instagram and it has been such a nice, simple way to share snippets of my crazy life without consuming minutes (and hours, ahem) of my time like Facebook sometimes does.  These are some of the pictures I've recently shared along with some little updates.

togetherness... just some family-picture sweetness

mamabird life {fourteen}

life has become this crazy-lull.  explanation: there are days when overall very little happens and then these spikes of insane-busy occur.  we are also getting very close to moving into our little house.  anticipating crazy times can be almost as nuts as living them!

early aprilness

“So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.  His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.”  Hosea 6:3


here i sit, cold coffee beside me and baby girl slumbering on the bed behind me, wondering how time keeps disappearing.  this poor blog of mine continues to be neglected as my life fills, but here is a brief glimpse into my life and thoughts.

mamabird life {twelve}

last week a chapter of our lives ended.

it was bittersweet.

last wednesday, rennie and i flew out to indiana.  with no return tickets.

it was a crazy three and a half months living with andrew's parents with quite a bit of adjusting for all.  it was so good though.  getting extra family time and watching rennie bond with her amazing grandparents was such a blessing!  i also got the chance to know my in-laws in a deeper way and will always cherish the time we spent together watching movies, playing games, and talking!!!  (and the wonderful-albeit-slightly-stressful driving lessons my dad-in-law gave me!)

mamabird life {eleven}

mamabird life for me right now is...

- trying to keep up with my sweet, energetic toddler.  she loves to climb, follow me around (even to the bathroom), give hugs and kisses, go outside, and try on my shoes! 

- not seeing much of andrew these days.  he's been working looooooong hours, BUT has been able to use up some of his remaining personal days to have a few three-day weekends.  that has helped so much.  i'm so proud of how hard he continues to work at his job.  he is determined to finish well.

our 2016 family pictures

recently our little family trekked up to a beautiful, mountainous area with andrew's parents to *finally* take some family pictures!  yay for having something besides selfies and tripod-with-timer photos.  :-)

mamabird life {ten}

dear...

new slippers,

you are perfect.  just the right size (11, thanks to my two pregnancies!).  just the right warmth.  just the right soft gray color.  you make me smile.

steps forward, journeys back

mamabird life {eight}

 seeing...  

 the faces of much-love-and-missed family!  even though they've all gone home now, the time we spent has given me such a jump-start as these next few crazy months begin!

mamabird life {seven}

bathtime