Love

     I've been trying to write about what I learned through spilled coffee the other morning and it keeps ending up to be this long, drawn-out thing, but what I want to say is essentially this: ''Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,'' Col.3:23 has always meant to me that we should do our best in everything and not seek an earthly reward. And this is true. But what I hadn't seen was the fact that when we work as though unto the Lord, it takes out the element of expecting a payback. Holding others ransom for what we believe we deserve, which is usually recognition, praise, appreciation. It explains why I am maddest when doing something especially unpleasant for Lily and she not only doesn't offer appreciation, but she prevents me from doing it. Logically it is ridiculous to expect thanks from a two year old, but that does not stop my blood from boiling when she runs away from me when trying to change her poopy diaper or stepping right in the way of my vacuuming up her crumbs. How else can I explain blowing my top? And with Tomáš I don't get angry, I get hurt when I ask how he likes my pumpkin soup (which I found absolutely delicious) and his answer is less than laudatory. Somehow that morning for the first time, I saw this verse as more of a friendly, helpful hint than a weighty charge. Instead of do this because I want you to be selfless, I saw it as if you do this you will be much happier. I never would have told you I thought of God as a taskmaster, but when I look at my actions and thoughts I realize that's exactly what I thought. Everything He asks of us is because He loves us desperately and knows what is best for us. Even and especially when we don't see it. You might say He's chasing us trying to change our poopy diaper for a clean one. And I bet you'll never hear that analogy again.
     Speaking of love...
    

We can all use a little support sometimes

Funny how this always makes the newsreel around here.

We saw the sun!



 Even dirty laundry looks kind of pretty bathed in morning light.

 P.S. those are her own, never-worn undies.




She always wants me to imitate this face




Happy Valentine's Day!



Gettin' ready to go outside

My cousin said she bought Rosy this sweater in Belgrade. I thought she meant Serbia since she had just come from a vacation in Estonia, I had a good chuckle when I realized she meant Montana. Might be the last time she gets to wear this so I had to take a picture.


For Jamey.



Upside down baby. Rosy at three months.

Tryin' out new outfits

And this little lady turned 28 months today.


Gettin' too big for her britches...and Rosy's hoodies.

Happy Valentine's Day to the lovers and the fighters out there. And if you're feeling a little blue on this pink day, here are a few things Tomáš said that might make you smile:

Me: ''You've been kind of a poop to me tonight.''
T: ''What's the problem, you can't handle a little poop?'' ...''you're a mother of two.''

T: (Calling me from Tesco) ''They're sold out of the exercise machine, do you want me to bring you a Dunkin' Donut?''

And my personal favorite:
T: ''I am so good at air saxophone, maybe I should enter a contest.''

: )