Laughing Machine

The Magster strikes again;

chicago springtime

Taken on our Saturday Starbucks walk:

weekend plans

It's spring in Chicago! I will have to post some pictures of all the beautiful tulips that are in bloom aplenty. Today is sunny and gorgeous and I've already been out to get some grocerries at Target with Ms. M (and it's just now 9:30am). I enjoy going when stores are not packed so I can take my time to browse. I sipped my Starbucks Americano and made the rounds, snapping up some new socks, a pair of shorts, and a summer shirt for Mags. In a few hours, I'm headed to the airport to meet up with my friend Karissa (from college). She is living in the Azores (the islands off the coast of Portugal) with her family and is headed to see her parents in CA for a month (it's a surprise!). She has a long layover here, which works out perfect because we will get to meet eachother kiddos for the first time! We hope to take some pictures. I think the rest of the weekend will be low-key, just cleaning up the house, settling back in from our travels and reconnecting as a family. We may do our Starbucks run later today (just think, two in one day!).

A good take on Adoption

Do you know someone who has adopted children? Do you ever think of adopting as an option for your family? If so, I want to encourage you to read my friend Laura's recent blog post about her twin adopted boys (who are oh-so cute!). In a humorous (I was totally laughing aloud) and honest look at the issue (she is a great writer), Laura made me more aware of how I can be sensitive to families that have adopted (i.e. not always introducing the family as "these are the s0-and-so's with their adopted Russian daughter"). She wanted me to make sure that I note she is pro-adoption, but doesn't always want it to be a part of their name. I think you all could really benefit from this quick read and I'd love to know what you think: click here to peruse.

Wordless Wednesday

The anatomy of attempting to take a "first tooth" pic (if you click on the 2nd to last shot, you can see it--I think the one next to it is also coming in):

Word-filled Friday?

I have been in Oklahoma since Tuesday for a big family shin-dig, showing off the Magster (Aron had to work). I wanted to post a word-filled Wednesday this week, but Blogger wouldn't let me in...until today. Strange. We have been having a great time with all the family. And Mags has officially met her great-grandparents. We took some good pics, so will post when I get home (early next week). For now, here is a brief Maggie update, in words:

*She is grasping objects longer and even switching objects from hand to hand quite deftly
*She is sucking her thumbs and hands for longer periods of time
*She can actually put her pacifier back in her mouth (though it is slow going)
*She is laughing more frequently and doesn't need us to prompt her as much to do so
*She is almost sitting by herself (but still can't pull herself back up once she is bent over past the point of no return :)
*And the biggest news: she is cutting her first tooth (visible on the bottom middle)!! WOW.

Saturday morning outing

We have started a Saturday morning ritual of walking to our nearest Starbucks, about 3/4 of a mile from here. It's a lovely walk, even on colder days like today. Aron and I enjoy catching up on our weeks and talking about life (or reading a book or the paper). Here are a few shots of our time out and about as a family.

Milestone!

Yesterday, Maggie rolled over on the bed for the first time! Way to go, M.

Milk-neck

Milk-neck is an accrual of milk in the folds of the neck region. Maggie has this, there is no denying it. We clean it up, but it only returns time and time again. We have our hopes that it will one day cease, but recently learned of an adult-friend (we'll call him "Brad") who also has this same problem. Seek help, man! If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, well, you fill in the blank.

a) Do you drink milk more than 3 times a day?
b) Do you forget to clean your neck when showering?
c) Do others complain of a cheese-like smell when around you?

Wordless Wednesday

PS: Today, Maggie is 4 months old! At our doctor's appointment last week, she weighed in at 16 lbs., 4 oz. and was 24 inches long.

PSS: Notice what is behind Maggie on the steps here...yes, that's snow!! Where is spring!?

Thought-provoking

My friend Sarah sent me an email yesterday that stayed with me. She passed along some insight from a book she has been reading and it truly convicted me. I have struggled to spend time with Christ daily, for well, my entire life. Like most believers I go through spells where I am hungry for His Word and read it faithfully, other times where I am lackadaiscal in my spritual pursuits, and other times where I downright refuse. Mostly, though, I think it's always that limbo of finding time and keeping the committment to do it (the ultimate duel between duty and desire). For the last three years more specifically I have probably read some of the least in my life and rather sought the freedom that comes in "worship as a lifestyle." There is great truth in this statement and I believe Bibically there is great support: our spiritual life is not a list of do's and don'ts. We should be able to enjoy so many avenues of life that God has given us and worship *Him* in those moments: time with friends and family, being outdoors in His marvelous creation, and spending time doing things we love, be it cooking, playing music, writing, reading, painting, etc. Yet, we also need to be spending time reading His Word and praying. Perhaps you can relate?

So, back to my friend Sarah. She sent this excerpt to me:
"We are blessed if we delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it daily. Is your delight in God's Word? Do you read the Bible daily? That means every day without fail. Each of us should say to ourselves, "No Bible, no breakfast. No read, no feed." Be like Job, who "treasured the words of his mouth more than [his] necessary food" (Job 23:12, emphasis added). The key is to put your Bible before your belly - to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." (p. 37)."

May it begin anew for me today.

"Welcome to the world of Sanjaya"

These words, phrased by the man himself, undoubtedly have placed Sanjaya in a league of his own. If you watched the show last night, then you know even Simon continues to be stupefied as to why "he-who-cannot-sing" remains a key player on AI. When it came time for Simon to reflect on Sanjaya's performance, he quipped, "Let me try another tactic--you're incredible!" And America must still think so too, because he remains on for another week. But, this AI fan is sorely disspointed that Gina got the boot tonight--to be sure, she had a unique style and sound and should have been in the top 6 at least.

Who are the Malakar's paying?

Wordless Wednesday

Rootless

After a lazy weekend (must admit that A and I spent several hours in front of the TV, catching up on our shows), the house is still in unpacking disarray and this leaves me feeling unsettled. I like when things are picked up and the house is in order. I did leave it that way, knowing that when we returned from CA, I would not have wanted to walk into a messy place. However, I am having a hard time bringing myself to pick up now and I'm not sure why. I haven't made the groccery list for the week (and thus, have not groccery shopped) so last night, I took an evening stroll with Mags, met Aron at the train, and we stopped at The Hot Spot restaurant on the way home and ordered two way-overpriced and small-portioned meals to-go for dinner. Today I am determined to cook dinner (something chicken related?) and go to the market. But, it's raining out, which makes me want to stay indoors. Yesterday, I woke up feeling a bit down, and didn't know why. I think several factors are involved: we are back from our trip and I had several extra hands to love-on Mags every day for 2 weeks and now it's back to just me; I actually feel a bit "out of the loop" being back here, as my mom's group was cancelled yesterday and I also felt a bit disconnected from people at church on Sunday (granted, it's a new church). I think also what it comes down to is just feeling rootless. Aron and I desire to put them down and make a long-term home, but still feel a bit uncertain about just where that will be. And I don't think we feel any clearer after our trip. We do like it here in Chicago, so for now, we'll just have to wait and see.