7 Months Old - sweet as ever!

Lucy turned 7 months old last week. She continues to be such a joy - she is by far our most content and sweet child. She gets fussy when she is tired or hungry (or if the boys get too intense) but other than that she sits up and plays with toys, watches and smiles at her brothers, enjoys eating oatmeal, yogurt, fruits and veggies, just rolled over for the first time today and has just about mastered sleeping through the night. We love her dearly and can't wait to watch her grow and get to know her more and more as the weeks and months go by!

Music Time

A little Monday morning music time "jamming" to Andrew Peterson's "Slugs, Bugs and Lullabies" CD - one of our all time favorites!! This is a Purdy family favorite activity!

Later today, swim lessons...yay!

Cheerios

Here is Lucy enjoying a few Cheerios...

Almost 7 months at this point...

So, Lucy is 6 1/2 months, closing in on 7 months at this point. I have YET to do a "photo shoot" for 6 months, so I have decided that these pictures will count for it. No sign saying "6 months old", but that is ok! That is just life right now :) Our dear friends from seminary have a daughter named Lucy that is almost 5. They sent up a few sweet outfits that are monogramed so that our Lucy could wear them. This red and white dress is just precious.

Our Lucy continues to be such a joy to us all! She is still very sweet and content and flexible. She is still not rolling over, but she sits up like a champ! She is almost sleeping through the night, we're getting there! I was folding sheets today, and as I folded Lucy's precious pink and green etc flowery sheet, I just felt so thankful to have her in our family!

Here she is...

Burp Burp Chicken Little...

I have read quotes about motherhood all day long - the Lord must be graciously reminding me of the calling He has given me! He knew I needed a little refreshment. Matt and my sister in law Becky both sent me an article from Desiring God - John Piper's ministry - about motherhood being our mission field , I have seen several on facebook and a few others in email. God is good to lift us up when we are weary!

As I was driving through town today, radio blaring this great CD by Andrew Peterson, singing "You've got to burp burp chicken wiggle, don't spit up, don't spit up, come on burp burp chicken wiggle don't spit up..." I suddenly realized how crazy and different and mundane and hard and wonderful and special and overlooked this whole thing called motherhood is. I'm not sure I would have thought about this if I hadn't just been encouraged/challenged to view this calling as my mission field. I'm not sure how to put all that I am thinking into words, but I am simply grateful for the reminder from the Lord that this IS important and it IS worthwhile and that He IS with me in it and that HE has given it great value and importance because it's about His kingdom advancing in my heart, in Matt's heart, in our kids hearts and in the world. This doesn't take away the hard and crazy and mundane parts about it, but it pumps them full of His presence and His purposes.

"A true love of the gospel overflows and overpowers. It will be in everything you do, however drab, however simple, however repetitive." Even singing a silly song about a baby needing to burp!

Lucy's Half Birthday...post soon

Lucy had her half birthday last week! Can you believe she is already 6 months old?! YIKES! I still need to take some pictures for her 6 month post, I think I'll wait until we take her to the doctor next week so I can include how BIG she is getting! For now, here are a few sweet ones of our growing little lady.





What a life she has surrounded by love and craziness!!

Happy Birthday Great Grandpa!

My grandpa turned 90 this past week and we were able to make a trip to NJ to celebrate with he and my grandma. It was a long trip, but so worth it! We went to CT for a night before the party to spend some time with my brother Brett and his family. It was such a treat to see them and spend time at their home. They live in the town that I grew up in, so it was fun to see my old house and walk around Main street with Matt and our kiddos. The cousins hit it off right off the bat which is so precious to see! The party was Sunday in New Jersey - my whole family was there along with my extended family. It was a treat to see everyone and especially introduce Lucy to my grandparents. Here are some pictures that I am sure we will cherish for years to come! We love you Great Grandpa - you are one special 90 year old!! We love you Great Grandma too :)!

First day of school - Last day of school

Owen graduated preschool a few weeks ago - it was a bitter sweet day! We love our BIG boy! We are thankful for his time in preschool and all he has learned and how he has grown. These pics from his first day of school as a 2 year old compared to his last day as a 5 year old put it in perspective! We look forward to this next chapter for O and all God will do in and through him!

Look how big the bag is!!

STRAWBERRIES!!

We enjoyed some strawberry picking yesterday. We hit the Berry Patch when the season was all but over :( which meant we didn't get many strawberries, but we had a blast searching for them and felt rewarded each time we found one. Yummo!

Along for the ride!



B loved finding and eating the berries!





O was the basket holder...he struggled to find the berries bc of his slight colorblindness! Red and green can be hard for him. He enjoyed it when I'd find one and let him pick it. Sweet boy - just like his Grampa :)

Lucy Grace - 5 1/2 Months old!!

In some ways it seems that she has been here for years and in other ways I can't believe we're coming up on 6 months...that is half of a year! Yikes!! She continues to be such a sweet joy. She has the most content and laid back personality. She is just precious. She is eating great (LOVES solid foods), sleeping well (napping great in the day...not sleeping through the night yet...come on Lu!), playing with toys and engaging with us, babbling, and more. We are so thankful for her and can't wait to keep getting to know her more and more as the days and weeks go by. I thought about taking a picture of her in every dress that she owns/wears. That may be a post this summer. I LOVE dresses for her. We have so many hand me downs, that she has an over abundance of precious dresses. That has certainly been fun for me! Here are some pictures. If by some, I mean a lot :)

Fun in the exersaucer!



Sweetness!



Daddy made Lucy into a mighty fortress...she loved it! Might be the best way to keep her safe!



Watching some TV with the boys



Enjoying her ball.

Not to be forgotten...

I am about to post A LOT of pictures of Lucy for her 5 1/2 month post. I realized the other day that I generally take only pictures of Lucy these days. If you are not Lucy and you are in a picture, it is because you are in a picture WITH Lucy. The other day I snapped a few of the boys. The main reason that I don't have many pictures of the boys right now or Matt and I for that matter is that it's been a very rough season for the boys...and for us in response to the boys. LOTS of rebelling and craziness and anger and yuck has been residing with us the last few months (or more!). The bad news is, it's still here. The good new is that God is at work! He is taking away their yuck and ours, and He is making His Gospel very real and near and needed for ALL OF US!! We know more today than we did yesterday that we are sinners who need a savior and who have just that in Jesus. The good news is all that more "good" when you see how bad things are in your heart and your kids hearts.

Looking ahead

This week in our Wellspring Bible Study, we are looking at Psalm 145 and we are reflecting on how we have seen God at work this last year - how He has been faithful to us. The things that came to mind were bedrest (was that really this year?!) and day to day parenting. I couldn't help but look ahead as well as I was reflecting. I am at a point with thinking about homeschooling Owen for Kindergarten where I feel a bit overwhelmed with the responsibility of it all. God has been so good to bring me much joy and excitement and peace about it and lots of great ideas and plans are already in the making, but it's a big responsibility! This Psalm was a great reminder of my central task next year - to exalt the name of the Lord before my kindergartener and to trust God to be trustworthy and faithful and near. So as I plan out our math and phonics and reading and writing, and as we consider what sports or other activities he'll be involved in, and what school things I'll prepare for Baxter as well, and what ways to best love our sweet little Lucy, it is SO helpful to remember that I am to be in the word and to be remembering who God is and that I have the privilege of commending those things to our kids as we learn together at home. That is so life-giving to me, and I know it's what they need more than anything else!

I think that I will need to revisit this Psalm very often - maybe even post it on the wall of our school room. God is good to speak to us through His word!

Psalm 145:2-7

"Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness."

Just some sweetness...