i heart silly

silliness. it can give even a grown man a sense of innocence. children teach us so many things but my favorite is silliness. it means a daddy can go to work and run a stressful company but can come home and dance in his daughters tutu for a heart-melting giggle. it means a mom can feel the weight of the world trying to keep an orderly house but break down in laughter when she glances at her toddler drenched head to toe in underwear. silliness. it makes your heart smile.

addison is silly. she spends hours getting in her chair...and getting out of her chair. opening up the cabinet door...and then closing the cabinet door. moving from one end of the wagon...to the other end of the wagon. just silly. she dances...well, more like bobs to music. she giggles and collapses when being chased because she can't handle the excitement. she reads books upside down. she tries to get in the refrigerator and close the door on herself. just plain silly. but i love it.

i love all these little moments. little moments of sillies that wipe away all the cares of the world. these little fits of giggles that give this tired mom a glimpse of heaven. those sweet, silly addi-isms that make her, well, her.

just in case you didn't know...

we miss you aunt brooksie!

whew

i just put addison down and can i get an amen! whew. sigh. sheesh. it was a night let me tell you. it has been awhile since she has had "a night" but tonight made up for all those we missed along the way. and worst of all i was alone (terry had football), it was raining (no wagon ride which cures every mood), and no next door neighbors to entertain us (don't they know to come home on nights like this?). the funny thing about it all is that i feel, physically feel, like i have been exercising all day. i picked her up, i put her down. i climbed up the stairs, and back down the stairs. i fixed dinner, she threw the dinner, i picked up the dinner. you get the picture. but finally, there was bedtime...finally, there was peace.

thank you operator, mommy got a break.

learning to climb...

...but refusing to walk.

that is the story of little miss at 13 months. she loves to climb the stairs...loves it. sometimes we just let her climb up, up and up to wear herself out. then we let her climb so she will tire of it and learn to walk. but she doesn't budge. she isn't ready.

we have been home owners for almost three years now. for three years we have climbed our own "stairs". and now we are sitting at the top looking at the past and have nothing to show for it. well, we do have something...we have dead grass and stained carpet. but we weren't ready. we weren't ready to walk through this life of home ownership. until now. now we are ready. terry and i are going to be the comeback kids. our yard (thanks to many words from my dad) is already greener. amazing what water and a little fertilizer will do. amazing. we (by this i mean myself) painted the kitchen - no more red (what was i thinking). next is the fence. then some landscaping in september. and maybe a little carpet clean here and some fun decorating touches there. but it will take time. and i am learning to wait, and walk...with patience.

addison is taking her time, too. she will walk. she just has to be ready. just because i am ready doesn't mean she is. a lesson in parenting i am sure i will repeat to myself many, many times. for now, i will just sit back and watch her climb.

mothers and their children

children. i will be honest – i never really liked them. they were sticky. they were chaotic. they were loud. basically, they were not my cup of tea.

until now. now i melt when i see a newborn. i smile and nod in understanding when i see a toddler not enjoying their ride in the shopping cart. i laugh when i see a one year old covered in icing from their big milestone celebration. i dream when i see 7 year olds play soccer, running around not really knowing what to do…just being happy running. now i am a mother and i get the secret joy that children bring.

along with the secret joy there is weeping. i weep when i see mothers longing, fighting, and hoping. there are three mothers, three stories, three amazing women whose daily walks in this life have tugged at my heart and keep me in constant prayer for them every day.

meet hope. wife to an old friend of terry’s and mother to four children until the Lord took their 4 year old daughter three weeks ago. an adorable little girl they call lew. my heart cries to the Lord for hope and billy as they long to just hold their little Lew one more time. as they strive to walk in the light of gospel every day. as they continue to make life seem normal for their family. I pray for peace for them. grace and peace to overwhelm their souls.

meet katherine. a samford graduate who is a mother to baby james. katherine suffered a brain aneurism a couple months ago. a mother, a young beautiful mother, fighting with everything she has to heal her body to fullness. a mother who signs her hand in a squeeze to say she wants her little boy to come and visit so she can love on his baby rolls. a mother using every ounce of energy in hopes of one day being able to run to her little boy, scoop him up, and kiss him from head to toe. i pray for this mother’s fight.

and finally, meet jessica. mom to mckaylee. mckaylee is 13 months old and suffering from an inoperable brain tumor. 13 months old. the age of my addison. this could be my story. even though it isn’t i sure have been carrying this burden like it is. i am standing in the gap for this precious soul, this tired little body, and this hoping mother. hoping for a miracle, praying for healing, and resting in the gospel every day.

three mothers. three strangers to me and each other. but all three taking this life day by day with the strength of a mighty Savior. if any of you read this, know that you have touched my soul with your strength, your hope, your prayers, and your openness.

i write this not to be sad or dreary but because i am so deeply touched – so deeply moved by these women, these mothers. i honestly have no idea who all reads this blog, but if you do, pray for these mothers. pray without ceasing. read their blogs to hear their hearts - they are so open and honest. they will tell you how to pray for them. they will tell you how to love on them.

starbucks

starbucks just released it's list of 600 plus stores that will be closing and for some reason i just thought birmingham would be exempt...i mean, us southerns just love a pricey cup of joe, right? well, i am sad, sad, sad to admit that they are closing four stores right here in birmingham...one of them is brand spanking new. oh, the sadness. i know a lot of people prefer the local coffee shop or just the idea of boycotting something so "commercial" - but i love a little sbux. i love the smell that drowns you the moment you walk in the door. i love that in room of coffee you can order something so unique and personal. i love that i can treat my taste buds to a grande nonfat peppermint mocha no whip in the middle of july and instantly i hear christmas music and salvation army bells and the excitement that comes every december. i love that when i come home for thanksgiving and christmas i meet some of my oldest friends on bass road for hours while we talk and laugh in our little corner (and of course ashely and i are 15 minutes late while mandy is already finishing her muffin).

oh well. there is always the hoover starbucks which is really closer to my house. there is still the forsyth sbux in macon we can change our holiday gatherings to. and i have to remember, the grande nonfat peppermint mocha no whip is not extinct...it just isn't available at every corner i pass along the way home.

whitney tingle photography

it's been awhile since i have posted...sorry about that. things have been kind of busy...sister moving, yard and house makeover, work, work and more work. you get the picture. so, here is something to show for my absence. i am stealing my sister's business. it is a complement i promise. i am starting out slow. just a little blog will be what gets me going for now. someday i will get fancy like brooke, but for now please tell all your friends about the blog and about me!! and check back to the blog often...there will be more and more pictures added soon!

click here to go to whitney tingle photography