.The Castro Family.

Happy girl!

It's hard to believe my little Selah Grace just turned 5 months. What a joy she is to us and how grateful we are for her. She is a happy girl indeed!

This past week Dave was gone, as I mentioned before, and toward the end of the week I was having a hard time keeping up with all I thought I should be doing. On Friday, I was spent a brief time reading and praying before getting Mckenna up. During that time, I felt impressed that I should email a particular friend, who I don't see often anymore, but is still dear to my heart. I emailed her asking for suggestions on practical things in this busy season of having a toddler and newborn. What she emailed me was so timely and precious and too good not to share with the rest of you young moms out there. I hope it encourages you, as it did me. Thanks, Lisa...so grateful to God for you and the time you took to encourage my soul!

Here is what she wrote:
"Oh my dear friend! You are in a really intense time. Rylie is only 2, but I do look back at my life a year and a half ago and it is really similar to what you are saying below. Babies take a lot of time. Babies and toddlers take more than the time you have 8) Heather, you are right where God wants you – in a busy time crying out to God because you are sinful, weak and desperate for His power. This is such a good place to be, even though it doesn’t always feel good.

Two words of practical advice: don’t compare yourself to other moms and I would recommend to not evaluate your life or even yourself today while you are tired and Dave is gone. Run to the foot of the cross, there alone you will find rest for your soul. The Holy Spirit is really good at specifically convicting, He will do it in His good time. He loves you and is so faithful.

Heather, rest in Him today. He is with you even if you are not getting a lot of time alone with Him. His word says that He is not a far off God; He is close, He is near. Love your little girls and slow down with your to do’s. They will get done when God wants you to get them done. The most important thing you can do today is run to your heavenly Father again and again. Let your little ones see you running to Him, crying out to Him. Remember His character. He is good, He is faithful, He is strong, He is forgiving, He is full of mercy, His is in control and sovereign over every detail of your life.

I will write you more soon, but for now I only had a few minutes and I figured that this is probably what you most need to hear...this is how Eric leads me and has led me when I am struggling. I am praying for you and will keep praying for you. Take a nap if you can 8) even if your house is a mess! Here are some scriptures to lead you to Him.

Love,
Lisa

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Mathew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Psalm 84 “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appear before God in Zion.”

Heb. 4:13 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Playing in the leaves

This past week was so beautiful! We had a few days in the 70's. On one of those days I was watching the boys for Kelly and we decided to go out and play in the leaves. I love the fall!

Harvest Party

Sorry it took so long to post this. I was having trouble again uploading pictures. Anyway, this past Tuesday we were off to our church's harvest party. Mckenna was a butterfly and Selah was a sunflower. The boys were decked out in their Narnia best. BTW, thanks mom, for graciously caming early to help me get the girls ready and out the door. Dave has been gone all week, so she was a big help!

Mckenna had a great time and Selah Grace was a trooper, holding up so well. Mckenna was mainly interested in all the candy and could probably have cared less about the games. She did enjoy getting a butterfly painted on her hand. Dave's mom came along as well to join the fun!

At the end of the evening, I managed to get in a picture with my 2 girlies.

Update from Retreat

Dave and I had a wonderful time away at the Care Group Leader's Retreat. I didn't get in many sessions, but it was great to be with friends and have times of fellowship. My highlight was probably something that a friend shared to encourage young moms. She shared it in the first meeting, but I was not there to hear it. So, Dave stopped her while we were in line for breakfast the next morning and she shared it with me. It basically was just an encouragement that God is in charge of my sanctification...He is doing the work, not me. Even though my devotional life looks very different these days, my Savior is still at work in me.

Although we didn't take many pictures, I did manage to take this one. Selah Grace did great! She only managed to get in a few cat naps throughout the time and this picture was one of them. Selah was so off her schedule by the end, but still happy as ever!

Off to a retreat

Dave and I are leaving today (with Selah Grace too ;o) to attend a care group leader's retreat, hosted by our church. We are looking forward to a wonderful time to be with friends and to fellowship and be refreshed.

Thanks to Jeremy and Rachel Ellis and Ashley Taylor, who are taking time out of their busy schedules to care for Mckenna. We are so grateful for you all!

I'll try to take some pictures while we are gone and post an update on our trip when I return.

I Love being a mom!

People often ask me if I am enjoying being a mom. I tell every one of them, it is the most wonderful thing I have ever done as well as the hardest. And it's so true! Nothing is more exhausting, draining and physically demanding with no sign of a break. It's a 24/7 job. But at the same time, nothing is more rewarding! Few joys can compare to the smiles I receive from my little girls or having my toddler run up to me and grab my neck in a huge embrace. Then there are the cute little things that Mckenna says that make me want to squeeze her...her little random sayings like, "I love you," or "whatcha doin' mom?" Yes, the midnight feedings are hard, but never does little Selah Grace cuddle into my neck like she does in the middle of the night. I love the smell of her baby skin as she drifts back to sleep on my shoulder. Sometime very soon she will be sleeping through the night, but then I will probably miss those quiet moments in the night to cuddle her. On those mornings when I am so tired and Mckenna is ball of energy, firing question after question after question, I sometimes am tempted to give up. BUT never will her voice be so high and sweet. And one day she won't need to ask all those questions and I will miss them.

There are moments when I am longing for 6 straight hours of sleep, or a few hours to casually run some errands, or even an hour to curl up and read a good book. But I would not trade the joy of being able to stay home with my children and having the privilege to transfer the gospel to them for any of those things. Yes, I love being a mom!

"Hold you, Mom?"

Today while waiting for my tuna melt in the oven to....well, melt, I picked up a little person who was asking, as she frequently does, "hold you, mom?" I asked Mckenna if she would always let me hold her and snuggle her, even when she was big. She responded with a big YES! So, I thought I should probably record this one!

Anyway, during our little snuggle time (still waiting for my tuna melt), I snapped a few shots to remember the moment.

Busy Clouds

Mckenna is always saying such cute and fun things! So, I decided I should probably start recording some of her little sayings.

Today is an especially windy day here in Maryland. And according to Mckenna we have some busy clouds! We were driving home today from a friend's house and Mckenna started shouting,

"Look Mom! Where are they going?" It took me a second, but I realized she was looking at the sky, so I asked,

"The clouds?" She said,

"Yea, where are they going so fast? I think they are going to work, mom. Yea, they are going to work!"

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall day!

Another laundry story

It is amazing what laundry can reveal in me! I think the Lord is after something. Yesterday our only 1-year-old washer decided it didn't want to work anymore. It was in the middle of a cycle. I was getting a code on the front of it. So, I took out my handy troubleshooting guide to interpret the code. It meant something was wrong with the drain hose. It said to check and see if it's clogged, kinked or not mounted correctly...that's all it said...no more instructions or hints. So, I was able to find the hose, but it is completely attached to the washer. There were no instructions on how to TELL if it's clogged, and what in the world does "kinked" mean? And how do I know if it's mounted correctly? Little help was that. So, I then went to check when we purchased it last year, hoping that maybe our warranty was still in affect. Turns out, it just expired 2 weeks ago! So, with soaking wet laundry (white essentials!) and a puddle of water still in the washer, I called Dave who said to wait until he got home to do anything.

Up until this point I was doing ok with it, but after coming home and looking at it, Dave too could not fix it. Then I started to feel the anger rising inside and was not even appreciative of Dave wanting to help me wring out the wet laundry.

So, this morning this Scripture came to mind: "The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance." Ps. 16:5-6. Even if my "lot" for this week is laundry mishaps, well, it is a pleasant place because the Lord is at work in my heart in the midst of it all. So, I can rejoice at this!

I am so grateful that my sister is so close...tonight you could have found me at my sister's finishing up my white load in her washer and dryer. How often she comes to the rescue! I have much to be grateful for!!

The Pumpkin Patch

Today we headed off to the pumpkin patch with our friends, the Sheffers. They spontaneously joined us as we searched the field for just the right pumpkins.

Mckenna had a great time being with her friend, Karis.
The two of them are only about 2 weeks apart in age.

My two girls with our pumpkins!

A hard lesson learned

Well, Dave was right, as he usually is...but I guess I was just in a hurry as I tried to muli-task about 10 different things at the same time. I am sure all you moms can relate to this story and I have to say that I am already laughing about it...Ok, let me back up. Our day around here has been busy and a little crazy as usual. I got the girls up a little later this morning as they were both so quiet and I took the opportunity to have a little longer quiet time. Well, we then had to hurry a bit to get out the door to go grocery shopping. As today was also going to be laundry day, I dragged all the hampers to the basement, in between bites of yogurt. Then as the baby is screaming, I throw a load in and then feed her as I munch on a banana all while instructing Mckenna to get her shoes on so we can go. Last minute, Kel graciously offered to take Mckenna while I went (thanks kel!!!).

Once I got home with both girls, we unloaded the packages and Mckenna wanted something to eat. So, grabbed her some grapes and tried to just get the perishables in the fridge...baby starts crying again, oops, must be feeding time. We accomplish that and I again return to try to get the perishables in the fridge. Taking some items to the downstairs fridge, I see all the piles of laundry still there. "I can throw another load in before I go back upstairs," I think as Mckenna is in tow behind me. However, it's also almost time for her nap...but I think that it will only take a second to get a load in. Then I notice there are two white shirts sitting out from last week that probably need a touch of bleach to take out the spot on them.

Backing up again in time...over the past week I have been trying to pick up some clothes for the winter as I'm still in transition with sizes after having the baby. Haven't had much success as my shopping trips are a little hurried (only have a few hours before coming back to feed the baby). However, I did get one shirt this past weekend. I really love it. And it's what I am wearing today. So, back to my story. With my brand new JCrew shirt on, I think, "just a dab of bleach, no problem." However, at the same time I also remember how Dave is always telling me that I should change my clothes when working with bleach! But with my perishables not yet put away yet, Mckenna needing a nap, etc. etc....I drag out the bleach. Well, with little hands and fingers in the way and a clumsy mom, you probably already have guessed what happened. Yep, my brand new sea green shirt is now adorned with white spots. When it first happened I almost cried. But I know there are many lessons to be learned from this!!! Most importantly, my husband is a wise man and I should always change my clothes when working with bleach!

Waking up from nap

Often when Mckenna wakes up from her nap she likes to cuddle with her little sister. So, I'll lay Selah Grace down next to her. It's so cute!

Remembering when...

Here is a clip of when Mckenna met Selah for the first time. It has only taken me 4 months to figure out how to get this on my blog. With much help from Dave, here it is for you to enjoy!

"I'm a farmer, Mommy!"

This was announced to me as Mckenna came downstairs decked out in her leopard pants, flower sun hat and purse in hand. She was quite the sight!

A must-read for moms

This little article came to me at a perfect time. I have not posted for some time because we have had a our fair share of sleepless nights lately. Little Selah has not been sleeping so well, so our days have been a little tough. But just when I was having thoughts of, "I'm not sure I can do this anymore" or "I knew it would be hard, but had no idea how tired my body can be"...this landed in my inbox. If you are a mom or even just know precious little ones, please read and be encouraged (here is the link):

http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/2006/09/dont_blink.html

Happy Baby, Sleepy Baby

Mckenna gave Selah her favorite lamb while she was in her swing. It was so cute! I love watching Mckenna interact with her little sister...these are priceless moments for me as a mom! Then, next thing I know, I turn around and little Selah Grace is sound asleep.

She's well loved!

This picture was taken at Lasen's 3rd Birthday party (more on that to come). Anyway, here is Selah Grace recieving a smooch from her Nani.

Tickle time with Papa

Another trip to Dads

We left on Kel's birthday, Sept. 1 (Happy Birthday, Kel...she's 32, but I can't talk as I'll be 30 this year ;o...the years are going by fast!) and headed down to Dad's for the weekend. Our cousin, Mike, and his girlfriend, Jessica, were up for a visit. We had a great time and it was wonderful having our hubbies with us. The kids, as always, had a blast!