Continuing through the house, we come to Geneva’s room, another of my favorite spaces in our home. I suppose I will have different thoughts on children’s rooms as we have more children and as our living situation changes. But for now I like her room pretty simple, an airy place to calm down and to sleep, a space for play - but certainly not the home’s main space for play - (I keep one or two of my childhood original Fisher Price toy sets on rotation, and the rocking horse my Uncle Charles made for me when I turned 1, and that’s about it. see pics), a great reading chair (this one was from my nursery when I was born), and a small selection of ever-rotating books. I really think, even though an obvious child’s room, it turned out to be a truly alive, gorgeous space.

Designing a room that an infant and a 7 year old would be thrilled with was most important to me. For example the mobile I chose for her was intended for a young adult girls room. I love it b/c I can use it over her crib but still keep it in her room as decor even after the crib has moved on to the next child. Next her room just needed to be happy. Third it needed to be beautiful/functional, (yes those things WILL be one in my house! haha). I used a traditional dining room side bar for her changing table and toy storage, and I love how it is a real, beautiful, and sentimental piece of furniture in the child’s room.

…and my favorite thing about this room right now? how the perfectly color-coordinated aspen leaves in the backyard dance like magic outside her window. Even the cat approves. ::grin::

Michael grew up with Steve Green and I grew up with Psalty, Colby, and my all time favorite, G.T. and the Halo Express (all their songs are straight Scripture). So we have a good starting base for our children. I recenly found my old cassette tapes rummaging through the basement, which is fortunate because Psalty and especially G.T. on cd are very difficult to find! We found three Psalty cds at a Calvary Chapel we were visiting one Sunday and snapped them up so quickly it was comical. But I just don’t know what else is on the market when it comes to children’s priase music right now. We ran across an excellent DVD of kids praising the Lord to common church worship from Integrity (like Praise Baby only for older kids), and Sovereign Grace Music just put out a new children’s worship album and it is GREAT. But I know there has to be a new generation of kids music out there now besides Veggie Tales, right? Does anyone know what it is and if it’s any good??

Mary grew up as a missionary kid in Japan, so we were exctied to have the opportunity to glean from her expertise while she was here! Eric, too, has really jumped right in learning about the Japanese culture. While Eric was visiting Japan, they were taught to make sushi from a real sushi master, and the stories about it were incredible! So while E & M were here they taught us how to navigate our local Asian market, purchase our first rice cooker, and make our own sushi (picture is obviously before cutting our rolls ha!). Delicious!! Now of course we are slightly addicted and it is on the menu a few times a month. Come on by for some!

Michael’s younger brother Eric and his wife Mary came to visit us this week! We were so refreshed by our time together, and Geneva looooved playing with Uncle Eric and Aunt Mary! We had a wonderful time being with each other, playing games, going to church, picnicking at Garden of the Gods, playing at the park, and of course going to the Zoo to feed the giraffes. Come back soon, dear ones!!

“I want Jesus to come to my house!” -geneva

Michael’s dad, Geneva’s Papa, has had work up our way for the last couple of weeks and we have LOVED having him around! He is amazing and hilarious with Geneva and she just adores his energy, warmth, laughter and generous spirit. Here are some highlights from this trip to the Zoo. (Check out the underwater bear fight!)

I, like many of you, have a passion for the home. I have a passion for hospitality and guest comfort, for beautiful and edifying spaces, for pride in history and heritage, for tangible peace and the presence of God. I was greatly influenced by my mother, and our dear friend Lois Wilson, who were additionally influenced by Edith Shaeffer and her book Hidden Art. Come stop by our family room and check out my mom’s original copy from 1972.

I recently asked my friend LeAnna to come and take some pictures of our new home. I want to share the wonderful snapshots with you, room by room.

First the guest room. I have an incredible passion for the guest room, and I know it is a true luxury to have one. I was thrilled when the extra room in this new house was considerably larger than our previous home. I am now able to fit a reading nook, as well as a desk/vanity for writing and primping. I want our guests to feel like the entire room is fully theirs, and take advantage of everything in it. I really put effort into being as thoughtful as possible as to what a guest might want, or need. Shirt/pants hangers, shelving in the closet, luggage rack, extra blankets, different pillows, pitcher of water and drinking glass, kleenex, trash can, mirror, lint roller, cozy throws, light reading materials, Scripture, task lighting, mints, clock, stationery and pens, and little surprises to delight the “snoopers.” I am currently lacking an iron and ironing board and an alarm clock, but those things are coming. I also take special delight in the finishing touches like color-coordinating the sheets, etc. It’s those special details that seem to take it from “guest room” to “wait, am I at a B&B?” I like that. ::grin::

After Eric’s graduation in GA we were able to spend a week of family vacation at one of my most cherished places, the Haga farm in TN. Being there with my Graddaddy, Uncle Charles, and Aunt Peggy is like coming home for me. It’s a magical place - time slows down, life seems more simple, and all you want to do is take off your shoes and run through the grass.

This was Geneva’s third trip there, and she loves it more and more each time. This trip we were able to help do some little things, like plant new geraniums for Granddaddy’s porch, get the pool ready for summer, and I was able to go to a couple doctor’s appointments with Granddaddy. He had a light stroke the week before we came, so it was important and special for me to further talk with his doctors. Overall it was great, needed down time for all of us, and as always, pure bliss to be with family.

Chattanooga!

Chattanooga will forever hold a wonderful place in my heart. Even though I went to college 40 minutes away, I spent most all my free time in Chattanooga, studying in favorite cafes, lying in grassy parks, just wandering the fabulous re-vamped art-y downtown and, most importantly, going to church. My heart will always be knit to a certain very special body of believers in Chattanooga.

We drove the 24 hour trek to GA in one through-the-night shot, and as a reward got to stop in Chatty for a few hours to take a break, boutique shop, eat at one of my old favorite places, play in the fountains, and ride the carosel. ::very happy sigh::

Geneva’s recent favorite word is “fantastic.” She says it with a huge emphasis on the “tas” syllable and then erupts into giggles. She’s recently taken to saying “the Francisco’s are fanTAStic,” which makes us giggle as well. Last month one of said fantastic Franciscos graduated from Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, GA and the whole gang was there to celebrate the event! Congratulations Eric! We are so proud of you!

sorry for the delays.

It’s been a little tradition of mine to receive a new bag on Mother’s Day. (Let me say here I am really, really grateful for a husband who indulges such traditions!) My first Mother’s Day I requested this amazing diaper bag from Mia Bossi. It is a dream diaper bag, albeit large in size. It is ever so chic and after your diapering days are over you can simply zip out the diaper bag lining and zip in the computer case lining! Love it! It wholeheartedly qualifies for what I like to call “investment pieces.” ::grin::

For my second Mother’s Day I wished for something smaller and WOW! Hello gorgeous! This Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper clutch has been amazing for quick outings, church, etc. and it comes with the changing pad compactly built right in! The fabric selection is simply gorgeous, and PPB even glazes it so it’s virtually waterproof! But my favorite thing has to be the beautiful embroidery on the outside of each bag. (You can’t see it in this picture, but my bag has little bluebirds on a branch embroidered on it. so sweet! You can get a better feel for the embroidery here.) What more could you ask for in a diaper clutch?!

This year I didn’t need a new diaper bag, as we are entering into the potty training age. If I was in the market for a new one however, this would be the one I’d chose! From Skip Hop, it is both chic and affordable! Any new moms, take note!

But my wonderful husband did keep up the tradition and now I am the ecstatic owner of this fabulously beautiful purse from my favorite store of all time. Thank you, Love!!

Call me old fashioned, but I have a romantic affinity for silhouettes. If at all possible I want to have one of each of my children’s faces. I think I’ll wait until Geneva is about 4 before commissioning one of her face, but thinking about the idea I found this artist on etsy and I hope she is still around when it’s time for us! I just wanted to share…

Late last year I was referred to an internal medicine doctor in Boulder by my former pastor in Denver. My initial meeting with Dr. Luce was amazing - he took over an hour just getting to know me. He of course wanted to know my health concerns and my priorities, but just as important to him was how I was doing emotionally, soulfully, how Michael was dealing with everything. He even took time to just read what was behind my eyes. He has so much medical expertise, but never once lost sight that I was a person. He told me he knew that if I was going to commit to getting better with him, he had to establish trust with me. He did.

Through the course of our meeting, he explained that Western medicine is amazing if you have a disease, because they have cures. But if you don’t have a disease per se, they don’t really know what to do with you except to help you manage your symptoms/pain. The obvious problem with this is that you might never discover the root cause(s) to your symptoms. Dr. Luce’s passion is tirelessly “playing detective” using medical, scientific testing to dig deeper into what is going on inside of every system of your body, and find the breakdowns and dysfunction. In turn, Dr. Luce turns to supplements and vitamins to help the body rebuild itself.

After just one test with Dr. Luce we discovered three things. First, I have a severe protein disorder. Evidently I have enough stores of protein in my body, but the system that breaks down and reuses my protein is completely shut down and cannot access the stores I have. Instead it has been turning to my ligaments, muscles, etc. and breaking them down for “food.” Not good. Secondly, we found that my intestinal lining is severely inflamed. This is bad for a few reasons. Inflamation decreases the area in the intestine that can absorb nutrients. Also, the bacteria that usually reside within the intestine are able to pass across the gut wall and into the bloodstream, from where they can cause infection anywhere in the body, causing havoc for the immune system. Thirdly, we discovered a large anomaly in my hormore levels. We are currently pursuing more testing to better understand what’s going on there.

And that’s just one test! So far, we’ve completed three more and are awaiting those results. It’s slow going because none of these tests (or the supplements) are covered by our insurance, so it is a lengthy and expensive process. We’re doing what we can when we can. The process has been encouraging, becuase we feel like we are finally making some kind of progress and getting some kind of answers, but it has been emotional as well. The supplement regimen leaves me constantly naseuas (miserably so), and has brought a steady weight gain of a pound or two a week (which Dr. Luce warned me about but is nonetheless extremely emotional).

While we are discovering great new information, my day to day pain levels have not changed. My migraines have recently been worse than they have been in over 4 years. But my spirit and faith are stronger than they have been in a long time, so regardless, I am grateful to the LORD for being my always good, ever faithful Emmanuel. Please do keep remembering me before Him, saints. Thank you!