"i feel ecstatic all day."

george and i watched a documentary on netflix last night called jiro dreams of sushi.  

it was a captivating yet simple story and had a beautiful soundtrack.

the cinematography was so excellent that it made the rows and rows of huge tuna fish at the japanese fish market look interesting.

what was so awesome was jiro's attitude towards his craft of making sushi.  he is 85 years old.  owns and runs the best sushi restaurant in the world and said,

"i feel ecstatic all day.

i love making sushi.

thats the spirit of the shokunin (sushi chef.)"

 what if that was my mantra?
what is that is how i thought about my job?
"i feel ecstatic all day, i love staying home and raising these children.  that is the spirit of the mother."
fill in the blank... with whatever your job or task or craft is.

i am learning that my heart and my feelings (and then my words and actions) will follow what i think about.  so if i complain and think about the sorry side of things, then that is what will come out of my mouth.  complaints.  arguments.  self-pity.  selfishness.  crap really.

but if i remind myself of all that is true and right and pure and lovely, then my attitude changes to JOY!  and the look on my face is a SMILE!  and the words out of my mouth are COMFORTING!  and my spirit is LOVING!  what a discipline...to train my mind and control my attitude.  it is hard.  but it is good.

who knew...all of that from a movie about sushi?!

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." philipians 4:8

bowling

before george and i left for san diego, we took our little party of 5 on a family date.  

 i love these photos of river.  so excited.

 still jumping

san diego

missy and justin got married in beautiful san diego on december 29th.  thank you for inviting us missy!  it was such a wonderful weekend.  you are such a beautiful bride.

now...we hadnt been on a trip just the two of us in THREE YEARS...

back when we had just ONE CHILD... seriously, shame on us.  

and it was such a celebration!  a precious and sacred union of two lovebirds, 

held at the beautiful church at university of san diego 

followed by a super fun cocktail hour

 oh the happy bride!  captivating!  lovely!  beautiful missy, inside and out...look at her glowing!

and then a decadent meal.  and then the best dj and the best night of dancing i have ever had.  amazing! so much to celebrate!  (ok...somehow i didnt end up with any photos of justin)

congratulations to missy and justin!

it was really such a wonderful weekend.  with wonderful friends.

and our favorite place:  the beach

oh ocean, we love you so.

holding a hula-hoop because i actually cannot hula-hoop

7 months pregnant whitney hula-hooping.  work it girl

for christmas, i got george and me surf lessons.  it was so fun.  

george declared it the best present ever.  

san diego surf school.  at pacific beach.  our instructor, stephen, was so great.  

he did all the hard work for me and i just held on and laughed hysterically and then tried to stand up amidst the fury of the ocean.  

san diego.  we love you.

way back when: christmas 2012

remember christmas?  it was less than a month ago.  wow.  one last post over at our former blog spot, with all kinds of photos telling the story of christmas 2012.  george did a back flip, shirtless in the snow.  8 little cousins ate 3 meals a day together and dirtied alot of dishes.  we were in wichita falls for just 5 days and i got pampered:  a mani/pedi with my sister-in-laws, a 2hr massage, and a haircut!  it was glorious.

"give me grace mommie"

oh this girl.  she memorized the pledge of allegiance from saying it once a week at bible study.  knows all the words to the first two verses of "Before the Throne of God Above."  got a battery-powered thomas the train stuck in the back of her hair this morning...i had to cut a curl!  asks me to scoot walker's high chair over so that she can share her meal with her sister, but then tells me that she doesnt want walker to touch her.  if i cant find her, it is certain that she is busy shushing a babydoll and singing to her and putting her down for a nap.  disobeys and then asks me to "give me grace mommie."  oh my goodness, it really is true that parenting is for shaping and molding MY heart.  geez.  give me grace jesus. give ME grace.