Stand on up

Every new little thing around here is celebrated.  I am learning the great joy of celebrating even the littlest thing.  The truth of the matter is I believe this how we should live always, but I know I always haven't.  God graciously gave us the gift of Ashlyn to open our eyes to the joy of celebration.  The joy of celebrating what a great gift we are given every time she does something new.....learns a new sign, utters a new word or reaches a new physical milestone.  Embracing this new world of things coming a little slower, but thankfulness being fuller is opening my eyes to a lot.  It is continually showing me the extreme grace God showed to us in making Ashlyn our daughter......because God is lovingly leading us down a path of less worry and more praise.  I never would have thought on the day Ashlyn was born that this would be one of the greatest gifts of her little life or that this would be one of the miracles God would work in me.  To worry less and praise more.  And it still boggles my mind that this gift of God started so painfully.  Beauty from ashes.....that is God's signature way.  Whatever you are experiencing right now that seems so very downright painful, give it time and you may see one of God's greatest miracles in your life born out of that very pain. That is simply His way....nothing is wasted. (And, I will interject here that just as God has been opening my eyes lately to less worry and more praise, my sweet friend, Nicole, gave me an incredible book called, "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Vos Kamp that speaks so beautifully on this very thing.  It is amazing and God greatly used this book in my life to further open my heart to worrying less and praising more. I am sure I will write more about the book another time....for now, thank you, Nicole, for this great book). 

So, on the note of praise and celebration.....Ashlyn has some new moves these days.  She has been pulling up on furniture and standing by it for some time now.  A few weeks ago she stood up all by herself in the middle of the room.  So awesome.  The only problem is she won't always do it on command and when she does it is so fast that I can't get in on video quick enough.  So, here is the next best thing.....



We are so proud of her.....and she is so thrilled with herself every time she stands up and we clap for her. Celebrating, worrying less and praising more.