Sewing and Bacon

Psalm 117 is the shortest of the psalms, with only 2 verses, but what power is packed into them!  

Praising God for His many blessings transforms our hearts from the culture's narrow view of discouraging worldly valleys and sets our eyes on the mountains of goodness God has placed in our lives.  He is faithful.

God has been reminding me to focus on Him, when our nation only seems to distract with dreadful news, fear of the future and lacking leadership.  He is all we need.  

This morning, Moriah proclaimed her praises by counting her blessings.  "My 2 favorite things in this world are sewing and bacon!"  Praise God for the blessings!

Laudate Dominum - Praise God!  Hallelujah!

Moriah Moments

Whether she's at Daddy's office talking turkey...

Or at the hospital sweet and silly...

God has definitely given this child the gift of encouragement. 

Interview with Moriah Martin

What is your name?
Moriah

Is that your whole name?
Moriah Natalie Martin

Where do you live?
Bedford.  Bedford, Texas

How old are you?
5
What is your favorite color?
pink, orange and red

Why? Because I like all the pretty colors in the rainbow

What is your favorite animal?
Baby monkeys

Who is your best friend? Lily Kate, Ella & Ivy

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Doctor

What is your favorite movie?
Cars 2

What is your favorite song?
Well I like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber and One Direction.  

What is your favorite TV show?
Nick Jr.  

What makes you happy?
Jokes

What makes you sad? When somebody takes away my toys

What is your favorite food to eat?
Hot Dogs

What is your favorite game? 

Wreck-it-ralph on my phone (iTouch aka hand-me-down iphone that has no service)

What is your favorite ice cream?
Cookie Dough

What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy and Daddy?
Have dinner when friends come over and eat dinner with us

What is your favorite thing to do with Grace?
I like playing on the swingset with her.

What is your favorite thing to do with Luke?
I like when he chases me around.

What is your favorite toy?
My baby dolls 

Where is you favorite place to go?

The mall with my family

Moriah Loves Mama

Yes. She calls me Mama.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe because her favorite books have always been the Llama Llama books, in which of course there is a Llama Mama.  This girl is some kind of wonderful.  She could be the first woman president. She could be a star on broadway. She will most likely use her creativity/personality in some way. The pictures are great examples of just how she presents her obvious fabulousosity. (My blog. My word.) 

Happy Mother's Day and what shall be called the beginning of Mamapalooza...

Thankful Project Day 12

I am thankful...
Moriah spent all day with us. She even took a nap.
My friend Rita could come and visit.
Our BHS friend got to go home today. His mom brought me a gift basket that blessed me to tears.
For the sisterhood of moms and the bond and hope we have in Jesus.
For the playroom on D8
For our church family and all of their prayers and provision for our needs.
For donations being sent to find a cure
For military men and women fighting for our freedom
For the rain that's like background music to my thoughts
For the rhythm of life and how perfectly orchestrated each unique part can be, while always clinging to the hope of the end, the cadence that resolves it all
For my husband's kisses
For health and healing God promises in His Word

Thankful Project Day 8

D8 Children's MC Dallas Day 9 of Round 4 or Day 30 of 2013

Thankful for this day that tells me even in the darkest times of life, the light is coming....just hang on!
Thankful for my sweet friend Vickie.
Thankful for Grace's smiles.
Thankful for a beautiful prayer during a visit from Grace's 5th grade teacher & her daughter who has had Crohns since 7th grade. She's now a jr in college and still dealing with it but a precious heart for our Lord and such an encourager to Gracie.
Thankful for hope.
Thankful for more movies to choose from and crafts to do!
Thankful for our nurse, Callie.
Thankful that she got Grace an egg crate cushion for her bed since she has been waking up with a backache.
Thankful for our new friend, who is a sophomore at Luke's school and kicker on the Varsity football team. He came to cheer up Grace today and bring her balloons. What a great guy!
Thankful for lean cuisines and Oreos!
Thankful for walks with Moriah.
Thankful Grace gained weight today!
Thankful that for maybe the first holiday ever in 15yrs my husband bought all of our kid's Easter gifts! Way to go honey!
Thankful that a few weeks ago on a whim I decided to go ahead and buy Moriah's Easter outfit. #Godknew
Thankful that today was a better day!
Thankful for tomorrow's hallelujah!
And Moriah would tell you she's thankful for the new big girl Bible Daddy bought her today!

Dr. Moriah

Sissy took a walk to the gift shop today and bought her little sister a present...SCRUBS! Perfect and precious.

Pure Contentment

The 2 big kids went to their Plano friends' house for the weekend so we have had an AllAboutMoriah weekend! We of course had to go play games at Uck E. Cheese, then ate at Chickfila then today went to Cousin Boogie's Birthday party. We shopped for necessities at walmart and I sent daddy with Moriah to find lightbulbs. Daddy came back with a sheepish look & Moriah came back with a Dora nightlight. Hmm. Daddy says..."She told me she liked looking at my face.". Aww well I'm going to have to remember that one! Ha! Sucker.

So now Mom & Dad are tired and it's time to prepare for church tomorrow but in the car on the way home from our busy fun weekend, Moriah says....Out of the blue....
"I love my world.". :)

I am so glad she loves her world. I love having her in my world. This must be how God feels when I'm grateful and content. I promise to work on that, Lord. And not just after a big outpouring of blessings, but even on the ordinary days that aren't all about me. :) Amen.

Church tomorrow!

Saturday night 7:41pm Moriah breathes in big and exclaims with excitement only an animated preschooler can convey:
YAY MOM!!!! It's getting DARK!! We've got to go to bed so we can go to church tomorrow!!!!!!!

I respond, dumbfounded. Wow. She WANTS to go to bed. She's preparing her sweet little heart. This sends me into contemplation. Do I spend Saturday night excited about worship tomorrow? Do I anticipate what God will speak to me? Is my heart ready and EXCITED about singing and praising Jesus with my family of believers and learning more about my Father in heaven who loves me?

Moriah is 4

Time flies when you're having fun!  And she is nothin' but fun!  Oh and a tad cute, too.

Today while cleaning up toys....."Daddy, I can't pick up anymore.  Picking up makes me hot."

She is SO mine.  :)

More M.o.r.i.a.h.

Momma, can I have some chocolate milk with not any milk in it?

So basically you just want the bottle of Hershey's syrup?

YESSSSSSSS!!!!

:)
And just because I'll want to remember how she said this when she's 18....

Janamas = Pajamas

M.o.r.i.a.h.

= Moments Of Random Intermittent Awesomeness--Ha!

You know what day it is?
--Well, it's Wednesday.
Yes, it's Wednesdaaaaaaaay and also it's MUFFIN DAY!  We can have a Muffin Parade and wear Muffin clothes, with a Muffin shirt and Muffin skirt and Muffin leggings!!!!!

---Pretty sure I don't need any more Muffins added to my body, but does anyone know where I can get some Muffin Leggings???

Oh, and then after a second in thought....

And it's also Blue day!

O.K.

Interview with MORIAH, age 3

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
I love you.
2. What makes Mommy happy?
Squeezes.
3. What makes Mommy sad?
*sad face* (She doesn't want to think about that.)
4. How does Mommy make you laugh?
Funny things. Silly faces.
5. What was Mommy like as a child?
Like me!  A princess.
6. How old is Mommy?
ummmm...I don't know.  13?  (This is about as high as she counts.  Well I could have been "eleventeen".  That's my favorite number.)
7. How tall is Mommy?
*holds hand up as high as possible*
8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?
play and go shopping
9. What does Mommy do when you're not around?
Go to church?
10. If Mommy becomes famous,  what will it be for?

flowers?  (Don't think she understands the word famous, but flowers are always a good go-to answer regarding Mommy.)
11. What is Mommy really good at?
playing.  (Hidden agenda alert:  She's trying to get me to do something when we're done here.  Smarty girl.)
12. What is Mommy not very good at?
mowing the grass.  Me: "Have you ever seen me mow the grass?"  Moriah:  "You can't mow the grass, Mommy.  You don't know how."  (*sly smirk*)
13. What does Mommy do for her job?
Take care of me....and teach.
14. What is Mommy's favorite food?
salad (No, but I wish it was my favorite.  With a side of cookie dough and cinnamon rolls, please.)
15. What does Mommy want for Christmas?

boots  (ok?....I'll take that.)

16. What makes you proud of Mommy?

When you scream at Luke at his Cowboys games.  (All games are Cowboy's games.)
17. What do you and Mommy do together?
Play Little People and go in the car.

18. How do you know Mommy loves you?
Hugging. *runs over for a hug*

Time to play.  :)  Love this girl.

Psalm 16:8

I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

Reviewing Easter

Overheard at my house recently:

Grace & Moriah are doing ART at the kitchen table.

Moriah:  Remember when we got baskets with candy in them?

Grace:  Yes, that was Easter!

Moriah:  That was really fun!  Easter is when we find eggs and get candy!

Grace:  Yes but that's not what Easter is really about.  Remember, it's about Jesus!  Jesus died and then came back to life!

(pause for thinking)

Moriah:  Did he get candy when he came back to life?

Grace:  Hmmm, well maybe he did!

Dumb Dog...

This song isn't in the musical, but it's one of my favorites from the movie, so here's a tribute to that song.

Princess Moriah is 3...

Apparently it's been so long that I have forgotten that age 3 is a snarky, little, imaginative age where little princesses seem to start getting more and more ornery every day and find ways to get themselves into interesting little.....um....."situations".  Here is a list of things that have happened at our house just this past week:

• M. locks herself in the bathroom every day.  Yes, every. day.  The toilet is her stage.  She stands on it singing "Tomorrow" at the top of her lungs.  She is actually a smart musician, knowing that the acoustics are better in there.  I give her that.
• By the way, when I asked her to open the door, her response was:  "I can't.  It's too locked." So I guess there are variations on just how locked a door can be!  I never knew that.
• M. "painted" the bathroom sink and toilet with an entire tube of toothpaste.   
• M. called her daddy "Daddy Warbucks" and insisted that he call her "Annie"!  
• M. "cleaned" the kitchen floor and dining table chairs with Mommy's favorite Bath & Body Works fruity hand soap.
• M. "fed" the dog an entire container of Cheerios.  (Fun fact:  Cheerios make dogs gaseous.)
• M. says "That's enough talking now." when clearly what you're saying is uninteresting, insignificant or even limiting to her independence.  Yikes. 
• M. also says "I need some lovins." which means she wants to stand on the coffee table and JUMP into my lap for a hug.  A simple hug would just not do.  This mom is happy to oblige.

Happy birthday to my sweet happy princess!

Christmas Traditions #11

Craftiness comes around at this time of year, making it another Christmas Tradition postable....plus I get to show off my adorable little Christmas princess....and really...isn't that what this blog is about anyway?

Serious ballerina princess pose....next year..."The Nutcracker"!

Puppy Fun

Just a glimpse of the joy that Sammy brings...

First haircut ever.

Finally at age 2 years, 7 months and 4 days....we decided it was time. (idk.) The child grew the most beautiful locks in this amount of time I've ever seen, neatly in layers even as if it was styled that way. Nope, never cut it, ever. Until this past Saturday.

She sat very still and somber the whole time. Never said a word, until we got to the car....

"I don't want my hair cut!"

too late, sista.