God, Gabe is great.

Ephesians 5:33 However, let each one of you [without exception] love his wife as his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband.

This verse has inspired me to make this post about my husband, Gabe.

Humor me while I explain why. This familiar verse explains how men and women experience and desire love differently.

The first portion of the verse instructs husbands to love their wives as they love themselves. This is so sweet, because to me, this means husbands are to lay their lives on the line for their wives. God knows that women want a love where they know their husband would sacrifice all for them... a deep and devoted love. Awwwwww.

In the second half of the verse we are told how to show love to our husbands in the way that their hearts truly desire. What is the ultimate expression of love for a man? According to the Bible and specifically this verse, Respect.

A husband wants his wife to respect him. Sure they want to be and feel loved, but, from what I understand, it is phony to them if there is no respect. I know for my husband this is true.

Look at how the Amplified Bible defines this action of respect; in case you wondered what it means to respect your husband you are to: notice him, regard him, honor him, prefer him, venerate him, esteem him, defer to him, praise him, and love and admire him exceedingly. WHOA! That's a big job! Ummm.... I could be doing a little better in this department.... okay a lot.

With this in mind, I want to give a little shout out to my hubby! I love him, I respect him and these are just a few of the many reasons why.

He is intelligent, kind and sensitive. He is thoughtful and patient. He thinks everything through before he spouts off (unlike me, ha!). His words have a lot of weight and I find him fascinating.

He is very hardworking. And not in a slave to his job sort of way....in a "everything you do, do it unto the Lord" sort of way. Whatever he does, he does it to the very best of his ability. Occasionally, when he isn't busy with all of his own work around the house, he will help me with mine, and let me say, he puts my dish washing and housecleaning to shame (blush).

He is handy, resourceful and diligent. He is a tool junkie and loves to make things work. I think this is awesome! Not only is it money saving, but just a great feeling as a wife to know that I can count on my husband to take care of things around the house. He has the tools, the know how and the desire to handle anything that needs fixing.

He is a wonderful father. He is loving but firm, devoted and dedicated. He is playful, silly, and fun. He is a proud dad, determined to teach and guide his children in truth. Elijah and Adah adore him and he is over the moon about them.

He is exceedingly handsome. I won't embarrass him or you by going on and on but, he just has the greatest smile and the most beautiful blue eyes. Okay, enough said.

He is honest and loyal to a fault. I trust him wholeheartedly.

He is a true friend and I feel blessed to know that I get spend the rest of my life with MY BEST FRIEND!

Ode to Adah

I thought because my first post was devoted to Elijah.. that my second post should obviously be an Ode to Adah.

First off, she is really beautiful, isn't she???

Sweet Adah! Only 3 months old, I barely know her. Her personality is just starting to emerge. Its like polishing a stone to uncover the jewel beneath. We are getting glimpses of her sparkle but her true inner beauty is yet to be revealed. So exciting!

For now, I just know that I love how her hands are both chubby and dainty.

I love her deep, deep blue eyes and her abundant cheeks.

Oh, and she is so quick with a smile. My favorite smile of the day is the first one, her pre-dawn full body wiggle and smile. She sees me in half light and a smile instantly crosses her face. She seems genuinely thrilled to see me there next to her as she wakes. I feel so loved.

I love how she nuzzles her face in the crook of my neck and squeezes her small arms around my neck. (sweet little baby hugs:)

I love her coos and giggles and especially the sound she makes when she is really excited, it's kind of a loud gasp or a inhaled squeal.

I love how she bears with Elijah's sometimes not- so- gentle attention. She never gets worked up or upset when he leans on her a little too heavily or squishes her cheeks with a bit too much gusto. It's like she already loves him, too.

I love her easy going, laid back demeanor. She already seems to have a "life is good, why worry?" attitude. What more can you ask for?

Precious Adah, she brings SUCH JOY to our lives!

More Sna-merch, pweeze!

Each stage of childhood is precious and unique in its own way. I know this, nonetheless, each time we enter a new phase of Elijah's or Adah's development, I declare that 'this is simply the most adorable and fun stage of all'.

Then I wish and pray that they would never grow out of it. Alas, they do, and lo and behold, another adorable phase begins.

Elijah has always been quite verbal (at home, anyways). He has a great vocabulary and pretty clear speech for a guy his age. Now at 26 months, we can carry on a conversation and I find myself doing it again: "THIS is the cutest phase of childhood, I just know it! He'll never be as cute as he is now!"

His observations and comments on life and his world are consistently bemusing to Gabe and I.
I've often wished that I was recording these little moments, knowing that I will forget them when this phase passes... all too soon.

So, for posterity's sake, here are a few of my favorite expressions that Elijah uses right now. Let's call this part 1. ( I'm sure I'll think of more:)

" Sna-merch" his word for sandwich it makes me giggle with motherly glee everytime he's says it.

"Great", "amazing" and "delicious". So sweet when he softly sighs, "great ookit" ( great music) after hearing a song that stirs his little soul."Amazing" and "delicious" just seem like such colorful words for a 2 year old. I just have to laugh when he points out that the really loud motorcycle that just sped past us is "AMAZING!". Or that his "chockit" milk is "dee-yish-iss!"

"Sure do" As in, "Do you want some apple?" "Sure do!" Sometimes he uses it slightly incorrectly, making it even cuter: " Are you strong?" Him, excitedly, "Sure do!" Or "Are you ready to go home?" Him, wearily, "Sure do." Hearing this one A LOT lately. ( not tired of it yet!)

"Maybe it flew away." He uses this sort of philosophically for things that have unexpectedly disappeared.... the moon behind the clouds, his socks or mommy's car keys. He knows that they haven't really flown away, it's just his way of saying I don't know where they went.

"Favorite", " I love it", "I don't like it" Favorite and I love it for anything he really wants or is excited about. "Do you want to go to the park?" " My favorite, I love it" (as he dances around wildly). Obviously,"don't like it" for the opposite feeling: "Are you ready for a nap? " Grimacing and whiny, he says each word really sharply, "I. don't. like. it."

"Ryeback" (right back): Always with his little pointer finger up letting me know he'll only be a minute. Usually used when he's going to get into something that we usually say no to, like, "I go get a cookie. Ryeback." As he says it, he gives us a knowing look that says : "No need to say no, I got it covered, don't worry. I'll be right back with that cookie."

"Home run or safe" Possibly the funniest of all. Ever the sports nut, he uses these sometimes when he trips and falls. As he skids across the floor on his belly after tripping on some bit of chaos left in the wake of his play, he'll look up and declare "sssaafffeee" with all the passion of a major league ump. As if to say, "I didn't just trip, I was sliding into homeplate, thank you very much."

"I don't feenk so" (I don't think so): Used in similar scenarios as I don't like it-- bedtime, potty time, time to come inside. But also for a variety of other situations where displeasure is warranted such as when Adah is crying or Mommy picks out the wrong book.

"Hear that sound?" This child DOES NOT fail to comment on every. single. sound. that he cannot recognize (and most that he can,too) all throughout the day. In the car, at the mall, in the house, at the park... all day long,"What's that sound, mommy? Hear that? Hear that sound??" Its an acorn hitting the top of the car, it's an airplane overhead, a baby crying, the refrigerator humming, a crow in the distance, leaves rustling, shoes squeaking on the floor, the neighbor chopping wood .... on and on. After the 10th or 11th quiz each day, I have to take a moment to remind myself to be grateful for his curiosity and observant spirit.

More of my favorite Elijah-isms soon!