8/52

The image I selected this week for the 52 Project post was taken by my lovely sister Ariel Axsom. We decided to make an impromptu trip to Orlando to visit Tia and Tio Axsom. I'd been wanting to make the trip ever since Micah was born, but at first it proved rather difficult to get away with a little newborn. Then once Micah hit two months, he bizarrely began HATING the car. And when I say hating I mean he would wail and work himself up into such a state that he'd be drenched in sweat from head to toe. Nothing would pacify him. Micah is an abnormally good baby, always cheerful and contented, so when this wave of hating the car began it was a very strange and alarming thing. As most first mothers know, people love to offer advice and informal diagnoses and remedies for these type of situations, but nothing worked. I had his ears checked, and tried all sorts of distractions, music, and much more to try to soothe him in the car, all to no avail. I began praying that it was a phase that would pass as quickly as it sprung upon us. He had loved the car for the first two months of his life... Thankfully, on Wednesday of last week, a glimmer of hope appeared as he didn't cry as we drove to volunteer at our church's youth service that night. As odd as it may sound, there hasn't been one car-ride that he was not completely dissatisfied in, in the last month. So even though it was just a short 15 minute drive in each direction, it was amazing that he seemed to enjoy or at least not be bothered in the car. The next day I decided to test it a bit more and make an hour drive down to visit some family in Wakulla county, and again he did not cry the whole way there or back. After these two consecutive days of him being content in the car, I decided it was now the time to test our fate on the road and attempt Micah's first road trip. Chris, my husband, was out of town so it was just Micah and I and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to up and go. I shared my idea with my mother, and we decided to make the impromptu road trip together with her and my dad! It was rad. Micah was amazing and enjoyable the whole trip there and back. It was a sweet reunion with Auntie Ariel and Uncle Andrew! The adventure was very needed act of spontaneity in my life. I'm on who appreciates doing things unplanned on a whim. It's refreshing. Exciting. Needed. 

So all that to say that these pictures below are a few of the wonderful moments captured from our short "weekend" in Orlando. It was such a wonderful time with my dear sister who I miss very much, and I'm so glad she got some baby snuggles in with my little man.

"A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2014."

This last picture was taken after convincing my dad to pull over the car along I-75 to let my mom and I (with little M) run and take a picture by some wild orange trees that remain in an abandoned, overgrown orange tree orchard. They were beautiful, and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to take a picture with Baby Micah, my wild sweet Florida orange! And I also have to mention how much I love my mom who has always taught me to be an adventurer, and has instilled in me a great appreciation for the beauty in the world around me! She always taught us to stop and soak in and appreciate the beauty of creation and helped develop in me an awe for our awesome Creator. I am so thankful for this sweet, spontaneous, and beautiful weekend.

7/52

"A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2014."

This week Micah has become quite a talker. Prior to now he would say one sound which sounded similar to saying "oww". We teased that he was telling on his Nana and myself for abusing him with too many kisses, and that expressing that "love hurts". But now he has progressed onto saying "goo" and making interesting gargling noises. I think this new communicating was enhanced or became easier with his extra mucus from his cold, which we're hoping is on its way out. I'm loving Micah's expressiveness, and sweet temperament. 

Here was another John Piper quote that I was encouraged by and resonated with my heart and recent thoughts about parenting.

"Everything we do from the time a child is born should be aimed at leading him to faith. Our warmth, our hugs, our laughter, our setting boundaries, our stern looks, our severe discipline, our mercy- all should be communicating who God is and that he is trustworthy. We should hope that our children never be disbelieving but will rather grow up trusting in the Christ of our family."

6/52

6/52

This week has been a challenging one in our home. The nasty cold and sore throat has passed along to our poor little babe, who despite feeling icky has been such a sweet boy. I know he feels really poorly, and it breaks my heart that there is so little I can do for him. He has also reverted back to waking up every hour and a half, which I'm hoping is due to this yucky cold and will pass as quickly as it came. Either way, although the sleep deprivation is tough, it gives me more time with this precious little gift, and I really do my best to love every moment. 

It was a little tough to document the week due to the little bug being shared around, but despite the yuckiness, this week has had its share wonderful moments and memories. This week Micah was dedicated to our Savior, and thankfully I was able to snap a few pictures of that special day. Our prayer for Micah is that he will grow up knowing and loving Jesus, as his Lord and Savior. That God will draw Micah to himself and that we can parent him in a manner that demonstrates the gospel to his heart in tangible, evident ways everyday. We pray that Micah will know how deeply loved and cherished he is by us, his parents, and by his Heavenly Father, who will never fail him, leave him, or forsake him. Below are a few pictures of his dedication day. 

"A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2014."

I came upon this quote yesterday on the Deeply Rooted instagram feed, and was very encouraged. If you haven't heard of Deeply Rooted I highly encourage you to check it out. It is aesthetically similar to Kinfolk, and works to inspire and encourage women in their faith. But here is the quote that I was struck, challenged, and encouraged by yesterday...

"If you are a Christian woman who loves the Lord, the gospel is important to you. It is easy to become discouraged, thinking that the work you are doing does not matter much. If you were really doing something for Christ you would be out there, somewhere else, doing it. Even if you have a great perspective on your role in the kingdom, it is easy to lose sight of it in the mismatched socks, in the morning sickness, in the dirty dishes. It is easy to confuse intrigue with value, and begin viewing yourself as the least valuable part of the Church... At the very heart of the gospel is sacrifice, and there perhaps no occupation in the world so intrinsically sacrificial as motherhood. Motherhood is a wonderful opportunity to live the gospel. Jim Elliot famously said, 'He is no fool who give up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.' Motherhood provides you with an opportunity to lay down the things you cannot keep on behalf of the people that you cannot lose. They are eternal souls, they are your children, they are your mission field... Giving up what you cannot keep does not [necessarily] mean giving up your home, or job so you can go serve somewhere else. It is giving up yourself. Lay yourself down. Sacrifice yourself here, now. Cheerfully wipe the nose for the fiftieth time today. Make dinner again for the people who don't like the green beans. Laugh when your plan are thwarted by a vomiting child. Lay yourself down for the people here with you, the people who [may at times] annoy you, the people who get in your way, the people who take up so much of your time that you can't ready anymore. Rejoice in them. Sacrifice for them. Gain that which you cannot lose in them... A true love of the gospel overflows and overpowers. It will be in everything you do, however drab, however simple, however repetitive." (John Piper)

5/52

I like these cold, gray winter days. Days like these let you savor what is sweet in life. Let you reflect and think. Let you remember and dream. Let you appreciate the moment you’re in. And these were especially dear but cold moments. We even had a “snow day”. Yes, a “snow day” here in Florida. It provided a sweet day to snuggle up by the fire and enjoy time with my little son. I know these are precious days. I know his littleness is fleeting. He’s already growing and changing so much. I love the days when I get to keep him in my arms.

These photographs were taken on our “snow day”, which was actually a bit more of an “ice” day. A great gray day.

5/52 

"A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2014."