Isaiah Pieter

My little sister had a baby boy on Tuesday. A beautiful, wonderfully smelling new baby with perfectly formed hands and feet. It never ceases to amaze me the miracle of life when you hold a newborn. To their tiny facial expressions and little cries, the wonder that a week ago that babe was snug inside his mothers womb and this is what he look like. Its a beautiful thing to watch your siblings fall in love, marry and then have a new baby and not something to take for granted. Erika and Guido we wish you the Lord's blessings as you deal with all the "firsts" of having a baby!

On the home front, life has gotten rather hectic again. Last week found me with a pile of peaches to peel and can.


These turned into this.


and while at the moment the smell of peaches turn my stomach, come winter having these golden jars are wonderful. They work great as a "thank-you for having us over" gift, they are fantastic as a Sunday dessert over ice cream or yorgurt. Or just on their own.

Saturday night found us moving Jacob's crib into Kaylin's room, giving us three months to finish the baby room. I love the idea of having a space for this baby. A space for me to spend my nights nursing and rocking. Kaylin and Jacob are rather excited to share a room, thankfully. Once Kaylin's a bit older and no longer at risk of falling out of a bed we will get "bonk beds" as she insists they are called. I'm trying to set up the room so they still have their own space, their own storage for the "special" toys. A place that will still allow her to have the quiet time she needs. And slowly the house is becoming ours. One space at a time.

My first September in years that I am not teaching piano. I miss it yes, but I see the benefits in the kids already with my focus being on parenting and being a wife. I thought life would slow down, it hasn't. The Lords way of showing me that it was the right decision. No longer could I put 100% into my lesson prep, recitals and exams. I think of it as taking a break, not something I'll never do again. I was reminded by a women I respect that I have this one time of my children being at home, and our family is happier, more relaxed and more flexible. I'm hoping to use some of this time off to play music I love, not music that needs to be learned but for the enjoyment of it. Kaylin has taken to sitting on the couch when I play and listening and making requests. It seems that music is here to stay with or without lessons!