Thank you Lord for friends!!

Here's our girl... playing with those stackable donuts that are a must for all babies! Notice the new outfit complete with hat... I'm not sure who gave it to us, but I love it! I was going through all her clothes today and she almost missed her opportunity to wear this one... and it's so cute that would have been a tragedy of the most severe kind!! She's so cool... chillin' in her hat playin' with her toys...

Today I wanted to blog about how blessed I've been to have so many wonderful friends who are sharing this same season with me! Shana Baloche just came over today and we had fun eating lunch, feeding babies, changing babies, and then taking a walk with our strollers! I loved the company and sharing how we're doing as wives and mothers together. Her daughter Elise is about 3 months younger than Mackenzie and I can't wait for them to be able to interact with each other!

Another friend I've been truly blessed by today is Julia Melone. She emailed me this morning and encouraged me - again - with truth about being a stay-at-home mom. I asked her if I could share part of her email on my blog, and she said I could. Here it is:

when i was making dinner and baking (the friendship bread from kristin!) - i realized that there are a lot of people in the world who can do graphic design (or work at a daycare) - but there is only ONE person in the world - ME - who can sufficiently care for Grace. (and mackenzie) and right now it is very apparent with breastfeeding! :) anyone can go to school and learn how to make things look cool, but only one person knows the sound of grace's cry, and what she needs when she needs it. (mostly!) :)

and, if God ordained my days and made me pregnant, gave me a baby, provided for us financially so that i'm able to stay home with her full-time -- it means He will give me the grace to do the work. even if it's hard.

I so appreciate her friendship and her godly perspective on what we're doing. She's right... if God gave us this privilege of being moms and the ability to stay home full-time, He is going to give us all the grace we need to do it well... even when it's hard!

Lord, thank you so much for the godly friends you have placed in my life. I am so thankful for the way they come along side me and point me back to you! Thank you for the moms that are further ahead of me that have so much wisdom and encouragement to offer. Thank you for the friends that are right here in the thick of it with me, struggling for joy and contentment and so in love with being a mom at the same time. Thank you that "no sin has seized [me] except what is common to man." And thank you that you are "faithful and will not let [me] be tempted beyond [my] ability, but with the temptation [You] will also provide a way of escape that [I] may be able to endure it." Thank you for the encouragement that Julia and Shana were to me today!!