A prayer

Tonio's uncle sent a really sweet note along with this prayer written down (thanks Steve!).  It really impacted me, and I wanted to share it with you.  (I've typed it below for easier reading, including the last verse.)

O persistent God,

Deliver me from assuming your mercy is gentle.

Pressure me that I may
grow more human,
not through the lessening of my struggles,
but through the expansion of
them that will undamn me
and unbusy my gifts.

Deepen my hurt
until I learn to share it and myself openly,
and my needs honestly.

Sharpen my fears until I name them
and release the power I have locked in them
and they in me.

Accentuate my confusion
until I shed those
grandiose expectations
that divert me from the
small, glad gifts
of the now and the here and the me.

Expose my shame where it shivers,
crouched behind the curtains of propriety,
until I can laugh at last
through my common
frailties
and failures,
laugh my way toward becoming whole.

(Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder)


I want to pray to God this way ; real, raw, scary and exciting.
Love Linz

My sweet little niece!

I love my little niece Rowyn !

Thanks to modern technology, I get to see pictures and videos of my sister's kid almost everyday.  Here is a little collection of some of my favorites.  They are not chronological, but you can tell when she's smaller and when she's bigger =).

With her Daddy, my brother-in-law, Brett.

Sophie la giraffe!

Senior pictures.

Sleepy newborn.

Darling outfit.

Those were Daphné's tights =)

We love our little RoRo ballerina!

This generation knows what's up when it comes to phones...

...and face time.

Wittle mohawk.

More face time.

One of my favorite pictures of her!

Giddy up!

Aw man, I just want to nibble her cheeks.

She loves her Daddy!

And she loves her mommy! (This is my sister Chelsey).

Elvis.

What's up doc?

Big girl in the big pool.

Aren't they so beautiful?!

Little blue eyes.

Their family Easter photo.

Just love this.  Mom, can I get out of jail yet?

Getting ready for summer.

It's so amazing to have had a baby the same year as my sister!  I love that Daphné and Rowyn will be the same age.  My hope is that they become really good friends and pen pals =)!  Of course, we all remember my brother and sister-in-law's daughter Eisley who was born between Daphné and Rowyn.  I so wished she could have stayed with us.  We will never forget you Eisley Hope!

Love Linz

Sunday School

Daphné and her Sunday School buddies - Julian, Gabriel, Joshua.

She's the only girl right now!

Coucou!

Julian and Daphné.

Julian is the same age as my niece Rowyn, so it's fun to see the milestones.  He's bald like Rowyn, too!

Sitting at the big kid bench for snack time.

More snack!

Here's Gabriel and Julian.

And Joshua and Daphné.

Say what?!

Yum.

Daphné bargaining.  "I'll give you the orange one if you get me more snack."

Little people are so much fun to watch interact.

Love Linz

Playing inside

A compilation of some indoor pictures :

Nothing like playing in the bidet.

Oooooo.... deodorant.

In Papi's arms.

Standing tall.

Strawberry face.

She's loving strawberry season.

Bathtub curlhawk.

She helps me scrub her head.

Kitty sitting Gnoshi.

A new furry friend.

Duck face.

We have quite an expressive stinker pot.

Sunglasses.

She leaves them on max 15 seconds.

Sleeping in.

Sweaty head.

Stroller sleeping.

Cupie doll.

In the big bed.

Watching soccer with Daddy.

She read herself to sleep.

Cute bandana.

Friends over for soccer.

My buddy Elodie.

Café cruisin'.

Peek-a-boo.

Love Linz