can i make it up to you?

by leaving some actual video for being such a slacker???? i thought so. Our wonderful friend, "aunt gussy" came to visit this past week. Of course, Isabelle loved her being here, as did we. Belle is growing like crazy and it was like on Thursday, a switch turned on and she started smiling as a reaction to us and cooing....ahhhhhhhh. are you kidding me??? being a parent is such a blessing! we are sooo taken by her, it is hard work, but what reward there is! KEN AND BABY BELLE GREAT GRANDMA LOVE ME SOME FEET AUNT GUSSY AUNT GUSSY AND OUR STRONG BELLE DECORATIONS AWAITING ME FROM MY HUBBY ON MY BDAY WHAT A BIRTHDAY PRESENT...MY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY PLAY TIME

Our Toga Princess

HHAHHAHHA...think we need to take this back and so...this no work!

Prayer from Tozer

Esteban and I are reading "The Pursuit of God" by A W Tozer. We have only gotten through the 2nd chapter but I HIGHLY recommend this book to every believer. It is very short but it seems to be life changing, for sure! I wanted to share a prayer that was at the end of chapter 1.
OH GOD, I HAVE TASTED THY GOODNESS, AND IT HAS BOTH SATISFIED ME AND MADE ME THIRSTY FOR MORE. I AM PAINFULLY CONSCIOUS OF MY NEED OF FURTHER GRACE. I AM ASHAMED OF MY LACK OF DESIRE, O GOD, THE TRIUNE GOD, I WANT TO WANT THEE; I LONG TO BE FILLED WITH LONGING; I THIRST TO BE MADE MORE THIRSTY STILL. SHOW ME THY GLORY, I PRAY THEE, THAT SO I MAY KNOW THEE INDEED. BEGIN IN MERCY A NEW WORK OF LOVE WITHIN ME. SAY TO MY SOUL, "RISE UP, MY LOVE, MY FAIR ONE, AND COME AWAY." THEN GIVE ME GRACE TO RISE AND FOLLOW THEE UP FROM THIS MISTY LOWLAND WHERE I HAVE WANDERED SO LONG. IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN
Oh how that is the prayer of my heart...make me thirsty for so much more!

In other news, I'm in love! This has been the most blessed week with my darling, Belle. We have had such a wonderful time getting to know each other and literally falling more in love with each look! We made a huge accomplishment this week by dropping one night feeding. So her late night feeding is at 10 and she sleeps till 4it has been glorious!
Este also turned 29 on Thursday..his last year to enjoy his 20's :) i love my older man;)
Anyone ready for pictures?
She loves the gym my parents got her



My attempts of trying to wake her after nursing...had to get a picture!

Like father like daughter, chillin on the couch

My friend made Isabelle this outfit...it's now too tight on her but i thought i would have her wear it one more time on her daddy's birthday (more outfits being made:)



her big toe always popping out!

happy birthday Esteban and Michael

oooh, i got creative!

lovins with aunt juG

Grandma and Opa Weller

i had been wanting to test out our carrier, today was the day...she liked it, for sure



Theo wanted out too

is it just me, or does she look a bit irritated with all the pics?

My first Mother's Day

I can't believe I celebrated my first mothers day yesterday. A friend asked me yesterday at church if I would have guessed last year that I would be celebrating this year...i said, "oh no!" Sometimes it's still hard for me to believe that I have a daughter. One of those times was last night when Este came downstairs from getting Belle up from her nap and he was crying b/c he felt so much love for his little girl. At that moment I looked at both of them and just had a "wow" moment. She is a doll!
My parents left the day before Mother's Day and Esteban's mom, grandma and aunt were in Europe so my father in law, Steve, came up with a great plan to make my favorite thing (crab legs) for me on Mother's Day...woohoo. Of course, I loved the idea. It was a special day and it was topped off with a wonderful massage from my husband. He is so sweet to me.
Being a new mom, there are tons of insecurities that I feel...and yesterday, I realized a few of them. Isabelle is on a good schedule, but when the schedule gets screwy b/c of activities, she gets fussy and mom gets stressed, real quick. We went to church yesterday and her nap was broken up a bit and then we went to Esteban's parent's house and she ate sooner than normal and then she didnt wanna wake up out of her nap, then her next nap was cut an hour short....needless to say, she was a fussy lil one...by the time it came to put her in her car seat to go home...i had HAD it and i stepped away and had esteban come to my rescue and finish getting her set.
When we got home I was in tears. I felt very inadequate in my "mothering..." And then Esteban handed me my Mother's Day card and he quoted scripture from Proverbs 31...i felt like I was everything opposite of this woman. As I began to talk to him, I realized that especially when we are around people, I feel like Isabelle's crying is a direct parallel to me being a bad mom. He looked at me and said, "Babies cry!"
It's crazy b/c with the legal situation that we are in, we have totally been in the Word and have somewhat learned how to take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ...HOWEVER...i'm not so victorious when it comes to beating myself up about "i should have done this! what am I doing wrong? I'm an awful mother" ETC. I pray that Isabelle will grow up to be a virtuous woman after God's own heart...and that her mother has helped lead her there. Lord, be my strength!
As I sit here typing this, I see my lil girl in the monitor, taking her nap, swaddled...yet with her right arm completely out. How does that happen every time? no matter how tight we swaddle her, even putting her arms completely down, that right one always seems to make its way up and out! But it makes for an adorable scene, and it makes me smile :) I'll leave you with some pictures...

Isabelle Faith

my love bug