a card from my aunt annie

My mom brought over my baby book this week and this card from my Aunt Annie was in there. It reads:

Dear Becca,
It was fun to see you and the rest of your family at the Birthday Party. You looked so nice (and much older) in your new hair cut and stone washed jeans. It's fun watching you grow up.

I also noticed another way you are growing. When you were playing with Libby and Mikey you were very kind and caring. You thought about how they might be feeling and tried to make them feel included. At the same time you were gentle and patient- you let them get to know you slowly. The way you acted showed you are growing up on the inside- you are letting your little gospel light shine. I could see you love Jesus. Seeing this made me happy. You are a very special loving girl Becca.

You are lucky to have Annika as a big sister role model. I've seen these same qualities in her as she's growing up. 

Growing up on the inside and loving Jesus more and more is the most important thing. I'm so glad you are growing on the inside. 

I love you Becca
Aunt Annie

***

I don't know what year it was when she sent this...the stone washed jeans make me think early 90's probably. But when I read it this week I was so grateful to have had her point this out so clearly for me. And I needed the reminder and the words of affirmation this week as much as the day I was wearing those stone washed jeans.

So here's an idea for this first weekend of summer. Lots of kids just wrapped up the school year. How about we write some Aunt Annie letters, pointing out how we see the little gospel light shining in their young lives. They may need to hear those words right now. Or maybe they'll need to hear those words again when they're 32.

links for you

It's been a long week here. The sun keeps going away for long stretches at a time and I feel as dreary as the day. But I am thinking a lot about big things lately. I don't feel like I have much to say yet, so until then, here are four links that have been huge blessings to me this week.

This helped me so much, changing my perspective on finding our calling.
I love this thought on goodness and mercy.
A great piece on making small changes.
This made me laugh.

the racecart

This weekend Elsie joined her brother in the racecart at Menards and she was so, so proud.

In other news, if you look below this post, you'll see my awesome husband has added the buttons so you can share a picture or a post on your facebook, twitter or pinterest. And, you can hover over an image and pin that image directly to your pinterest page. How fun is that?!!

the soul sisterhood

My friend Amanda works as the middle school youth director at her church. A few years ago she created the Soul Sisterhood Retreats, weekend or week-long camps for girls. They focus on cooking, sewing, crafting, journaling, building deep friendships with one another and to be empowered in their unique identity in Jesus.

The retreats are intentionally small in size...limited to only 15-20 girls per camp. There is a camp grandma who is there simply to love the girls. There is a camp cook who helps the girls make and bake all the goodies they will eat all week. The counselors are just a bit older than the girls and there to serve as mentors and role models. The camps meet at a farmhouse just outside of the cities. Elsie and I get to help lead a Mother-Daughter retreat in August. We are very excited.

This summer I am going to be guest posting on The Soul Sisterhood's blog. I will be walking through a journaling process as we look at our own lives as if they were the pages in a really good book. What is the climax we are working towards? Who are the supporting characters in our lives who are actually supportive? Are there plot lines we need to walk away from, is there something else we are being called towards?

I would love for you to join us this summer in walking through this writing process. The blog is geared towards tweens and teens but readers of all ages are welcome. So come on over!  Click here to join in the Soul Sisterhood summer series: Living your Life as a Great Story. Your first assignment awaits you!

ivar quotes

I walked into Ivar's dark room this morning and he told me from his crib, "Mama, turn on my curtains."

Later Rory was asking Elsie, "Can you say dada? Dadadadada" And Ivar looked at Rory, "No. She can't."

And finally, as I got ready to change a diaper for Ivar he told me, "It's a real big stink bomber."
And it was.