10 Months {again}

Good news. The 2nd time I took Erin's 10 month pictures, they turned out so much better. Sadly, she wasn't in her beautiful Christmas dress, but she looks like such a big kid I can hardly stand it. I think one reason they turned out so well is that I enlisted the help of her Memaw and Pawpa {Adam's parents and our current hosts} to make her smile and smile she did! 
Here's some pictures, with a little note to our Peanut...

Dear Erin,
What a BIG month you've had. You don't really know it yet, but this month you moved, for the first time in your life! I didn't move until I went to college, so you're already ahead of me. But apart from messing up your sleep some {a LOT} at night, you haven't skipped a beat. You are learning new things every. single. day. I LOVE watching the Lord teach you...because I know it isn't me. 


A big change in your world this month has been how proficient you've become at pulling up and walking along things you can reach. You pull up to everything, and you are growing increasingly frustrated with how limited your physical capabilities are. I decided to try to show off some of your awesome skills in your {2nd set of} 10 month pictures.

 I love the look on your face in this picture! You think it is such a big deal when you accomplish something you've been working on, and it is precious. You remind me that there are a lot of things to get excited about.

Speaking of getting excited...

 ...you have also started clapping this month, which is hilarious. You clap when anyone else starts clapping or laughing...and you've even been known to clap after you let out a big burp or a big toot. I don't know how you learned this, but I love it. You seem to really enjoy people, Erin, and I pray that God uses that natural enjoyment of people you have to further His kindgom.


I think that my favorite new trick you've learned this month is putting your hands on top of your head. Sometimes you'll do it when I ask, "Where's your head?" More often, you'll do it when someone else does it, and then you kind of bend forward like you're doing a situp. I know you didn't learn this from watching me do situps because I don't think you've ever seen that. But it is SO FUNNY. Your little arms are so short they don't even reach the top of your head.

You keep getting teeth...here you are showing them off. 

You still make the funniest faces, which you've been doing since you were born. {See here for proof.} I got some good ones...these pictures make me laugh! You are so much fun, Erin!

 I keep thinking that each month is the best one that has ever been. You are so much fun to be with, and you love to laugh and smile and explore new things. You have been a great buddy for me as we explore our new home. I love that the Lord chose me to be your momma.

We love you, Peanut, and are grateful to the Lord for entrusting you to our care for this time. I pray that I will depend on Him to raise you.
Love,
Momma and Daddy

A few more of my favorites...

 

10 Months, Take 1

This past Sunday, Erin turned 10 months old. 10 months!! So hard to believe. She's doing all kinds of new things...pulling up, taking (cautious) steps while holding on, standing up in her crib, eating real food (even though it has to be soft and in tiny bites), and working on learning new signs.

I was absolutely in love with her sweet Christmas dress that she wore the night before to Adam's company's Christmas party (see Santa pic here), so I thought a Christmas-themed pic for 10 months would be precious. 

Maybe it's because she's 10 months old now, or maybe she just wasn't in the mood, but our first session did not go as well as I hoped.  The light wasn't very good, Erin would hardly look at the camera, and it was hard to get the 10-month sign in there without her grabbing it.

See evidence below...

Note the moving box in the background...oops

Cute, but no sign...moving box still there.

Moved the box... sweet little face but I was hoping to get a smile!

LOVE this little grin!! But the light was still no good...and her feet are blurry

Whatever is happening back there is way more interesting than the camera

Who knew a 5x7 index card would be sooo distracting??

So, the first crop of 10 month pics was a bit of a bust. But, good news...we did another photo session today when the sun finally came out and they turned out great! I'll post them soon...but for now I just wanted to record the first try...and secretly I wanted you to see how incredibly cute our little Peanut is in her Christmas dress. :)

Here comes Santa Claus...

Erin met Santa for the first time last night...the picture says it all.

 

Merry Christmas!!

 

Day 1

One of my favorite things about the Lord is that He is a God of new beginnings. 2 Cor 5:17 tells me that if someone (i.e. ME) is in Christ, then he [I] am a new creation - the old has gone, and the new has come.

Another of my favorite things about the Lord is that He is the Creator. He made me. He fashioned our little Peanut in my belly, and knit her together purposefully. He made all that I see, and I love how I am drawn towards Him when I see His work in nature. Mountains, the ocean, trees...all worshipping their Creator in ways that I can't. And one of my very favorite scenes in nature is when it is covered in snow. Maybe it's because I grew up in Texas, where snow doesn't happen that often. I love how it absorbs noise so that things are quieter...it makes me stop and listen to hear what the Lord is telling me. I love how it makes things white...a reminder that God has removed ALL my sin through Christ, and now the Lord sees me as that pure and white. I love how it levels...no matter what something looked like before it snowed, when it is covered with fresh powder, it's beautiful. What a great reminder that we are all equal before the Lord.

So, when I woke up on my first morning in Enid, my new home, wouldn't you think I'd be thrilled to see this?

So pretty, right? Sadly, my first response was one of grumbling..."why is it so cold here? How am I going to learn to drive in snow? I bet it's not snowing in Dallas..." I'm not proud of that, but that's honestly where my heart was. It wasn't until later that the Lord reminded me of how much I love snow...and I saw it as a sweet reminder from Him that this is a new beginning for us. Just like fresh snow everywhere covers what was and makes room for what's to come in the spring, moving to Enid is a great, fresh start for our family. I also realized how kind it was of the Lord to hold off the snow so we didn't have to drive in during a blizzard. That might have done me in. Here's Erin with Honey...it was Erin's first time to see snow!

Here are some fun pictures from our trip up.
Saying goodbye to Texas, both cars packed to the brim...

My awesome momma came with us, and did a great job of keeping Erin happy in the car. My sweet husband cheerfully pulled over as we crossed the Red River so we could take a picture in front of the Oklahoma sign. I wanted to get the Casino lights in the background, too, but, alas, they would not fit in the frame. 

By the time we got to the sign for Enid, the temperature had dropped A LOT. If you look closely you can see our teeth chattering, and I think it's a little blurry because my mom's hands wouldn't stop shaking.

We are so thankful to be here, and we were blessed to arrive to the warm home of Adam's parents. Adam's brother and his wife showed up immediately to help us unload, and of course, there was a hot meal on the table prepared by my mother-in-law. We are grateful for the generosity of both of our families, and that the Lord has clearly led us here.

Adam started his new job the next day, and we went by for a visit. I'm so proud of my husband! I had to post this picture...despite living up in OSU country, it looks like our daughter is still supporting my TX Aggies!

Thank you for checking in on the Sandwicks, and please keep praying for us as we adjust to a new place. And pray for me, that I will allow the Lord to make me more like Him through all of this.