Packing to move

In about one more week, the Heimbucks will be moving out of their home and into a new home near Denver. As I sort through boxes, trying to consolidate, I'm stumbling upon great memories and books that I don't need anymore (never thought that would happen). There is something about the sense of moving into a home as a family, a home that we chose together, that presents joy, anticipation about who will be our community and a need on my behalf, to have as many things cleared out, given away, or happily stored so that we can start our memories without clutter. Since de-cluttering our home in trying to sell it, I have physically felt better and mentally felt that there was some space to think about other things then,"I need to clean that up," or,"Did I finish . . .". It is a great feeling and I highly encourage all to do what you can. This has been a long process and it doesn't mean that we won't be making other trips to drop off stuff at the Goodwill, or shredding a box full of papers; but certain things from the past have been put to rest, put away, to make room for the present. I want to be a present mom, mindful, aware and creative. A new house will not suddenly bring that, it has to start with me, now. The discipline of showing our house has changed so many habits of our family, that I really feel like this new house is a new start. I can't wait to see what memories we make there, what items I will be reminiscing about in ten years and what I will need to hold close to me due to sentiment and what I will be able to let go. All I know is that I will be with my family and we will all be eating dinner together again and that's all I need.

Thankful Monday

The past two weeks have led my heart on a trail of many thanks:

Mother's Day 2009: Having an amazing little girl to love. I love that she picked a Grandmother's card for me and a Mother's card for the Grandmother's! It was an amazing day.

Laughter: The way Cousin Logan, and all family for that matter, makes Lily laugh. Her laugh always makes me laugh until my stomach hurts which is the most wonderful feeling. My husband massages my heart each day when he makes me laugh, which he inevitably does.

Visits with Grandma and Grandpa: Lily played her first perfect one octave C Major scale in front of Grandma (for which I jumped up and down and may have let out a bit of a scream), going for wagon rides, playing at a nearby park, eating olives on her fingers. I love family that loves one another.

A Date with My Husband: Greg and I were able to go to hear Joshua Bell play in Denver with the Colorado Symphony and stay overnight while Grandma and Grandpa kindly took care of our precious girl. (We had decided to delay celebrating our anniversary for this occasion). It was a fantastic overnight stay with dinner at Marlowe's, dessert at The Paramount and lunch and a stroll the next day on the 16th street mall. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!

The joy of being outside: I am learning so much from my daughter. Lily loves to be outside, no matter the weather. Lately she has enjoyed splashing and jumping in puddles, looking for bugs, playing on her new swing set, looking in the sky for airplanes (tanes or panes as she calls them) and just walking and discovering the outdoors. My most vivid memories of my childhood were spent outside riding my bike or playing in our backyard and discovering all that my imagination could afford me. I love that my daughter is bringing out this side of me that I had lost working at a desk job for some many years.

Thankful Monday

. . . both of my parents were able to spend some time with Lily during their visit.

. . . Lily said "Thank You" to Greg, unprompted.

. . . since Greg, Lily and I have started to say "good night", or "night night", to all her dolls and stuffed animals, Lily has been going to bed much happier.

. . . that I could go to the doctor and get the antibiotics I needed all within an hour. Amazing!

Thankful Monday

. . . friends at church that I can really talk to.

. . . moments that my mother can have with Lily and the fact that Lily keeps asking for "Poppa", my father, even though he had to go home (in CA :)).

. . . trying to fall to sleep at night while holding hands with my husband, the dog asleep on my leg, Lily asleep in her bed and thinking I am the most blessed woman to be surrounded by so much love.

. . . the honor of being able to be a part of friends joys and tragedies this week.

. . . the opportunity to teach my violin student and seeing how much talent he has.

. . . eating yogurt and waffles in the morning with Lily in my lap.

. . . Lily's sense of style and that she's starting to catch on to making choices.

. . . the fact that my husband got up extra early this morning, to make a meal for another family in need. I love and admire that his tender heart continues to grow vertically and horizontally.

. . . receiving my first kiss on the cheek from Lily. I don't know if she will ever know what that means to me, or the continual smile it causes me to have in my heart. The love of a child is such a gift.

I'm Dreaming of a White Easter. . . Oh Wait It Was!

Lily in her Easter outfit with sparkly white shoes

The family before church. I don't have any pictures of the snow, but I was bundled up!

Cousin Logan and Lily focusing hard on some legos. We spent the afternoon at my sister's house

Lily, Cousin Logan and Mamo

Lily after Aunt Kristy had given her some real oreo cookies

Thankful Monday

Great Grandma and Grandpa Dieterle toasting to 65 years of marriage.

Lily helping Grandma Heimbuck play the piano

Lily with her new tricycle and Great Grandma and Grandpa Dieterle

. . . family celebrations this weekend in Denver-A wonderful long marriage, a Great Grandfather's birthday and the love of Grandparents, Aunt and cousin.

. . . the safe arrival of my parents today who are staying with my sister for the next week to visit.

. . . the way Lily says Amen, "Uh-Main!".

. . . friends that care for others in such tangible ways like with Christy's baby shower on Saturday and having a cup of coffee with Joanne Huddleson on Friday.

. . . how my husband prays in hushed tones at night, with such awe and thankfulness.

. . . how Lily's grandparents delight in her. I treasure every moment in my heart.

. . . that even though I was in a lot of physical pain this last week, I was still able to play and walk and enjoy everyday with Lily and Greg. My heart felt good even if the body was a bit broken.

Thankful Monday

Lily looking at the big kid's slide

As I was thinking about one of the exercises in Lily's swim class, I can't help but feel how it sums up some Mondays: Jump in and reach for the side. Today I have been hearing a lot of Daddy's name from Lily: Waking up this morning, when she fell off a toy at Focus on the Family and at various other points. I can't fault her for it, she is a Daddy's girl and if anyone can fix anything it's Daddy. I am grateful for the relationship Greg and Lily have, how inseparable they are on the weekends and evenings. I am grateful for being able to take Lily to Whit's End at Focus on the Family, where she just ran and longed to be old enough to go down the giant slide that frightens a lot of kids bigger than her (she loves speed). Even when she was throwing a tantrum because she was getting tired and frustrated that she couldn't play on some of the toys/rides like she wanted because they were just out of reach of her size, I just thought of how far she has come in walking and how much further she will grow. Monday's like these make me grateful that I have a God that I can reach for, who is already there, ready to teach me and grow me this week. Monday's like these make me grateful that I don't have to reach for what I already have.Lily with Cousin Logan getting ready to go to Focus on the Family

Two Months of Catching Up

OK, so I am way behind with our blog, hopefully this will catch you up a bit.

VALENTINE'S DAY
FEBRUARY 14, 2009

Daddy took Lily to pick out her own balloon, which she would not let go of until she went down for her nap. The crown you see was decorated in stickers by Lily after receiving it in the mail from Grandma and Grandpa.

Greg and I went out for a sushi dinner and then listened to jazz downtown at Poor Richard's Bookstore while sharing a dessert and a glass of wine. So lovely!

JANUARY

Lily finished her Physical Therapy. Here are some pictures from her last session with Miss Hilary. We were all a bit sad to see this time end because it was so much fun!

January was a bit bittersweet this year. It was wonderful to find out that Greg and I were expecting Baby Bob (that's what we nicknamed him), but so hard when we miscarried. Greg and Lily and I are so grateful to our church community for providing meals, childcare and even helping with the laundry while Greg and I mourned the loss of our little one and tried to get my body to heal and rest.

DECEMBER 2008
A PARTY AND CHRISTMAS WITH MAMO AND POPPA!

An early Christmas with Aunt Kristy, Cousin Logan and Uncle Erik!

CHRISTMAS IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA

While visiting we were also able to visit The Meux Home and take a holiday tour. I was also given the opportunity to play the song I had written for Lily's Dedication for services at my parent's church.

Visiting Greg's Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Time and Cousin Jodie in Simi Valley, CA. We had a great time catching up with family.

My Cousin Sara, Aunt Terry and Uncle Richard came down to visit. I had not seen them in more than ten years! It was a fun visit.



It was so much fun to catch up with old friends. Julie Calahan, which I have known since Elementary School, Noelle Cahill who I have known since Junior High and our good friend Carmen.