easter reflections

Hope you had a lovely Easter weekend, friends! We had a great time at two weddings (hubby and daughter went to one, I went to the other) on Saturday and then took off for a night and a day at the beach house! Some sweet family friends offered it, so we took them up on the generous gift. Though it was very very windy at the coast, it was still beautiful.

So beautiful that I got up to take it all in! If you know me, I'm a woman who loves her sleep ... but even so I found myself wanting to sit by the waves even in the early morning hours. So while everyone else was asleep, I snuck out to the beach and sat on a driftwood log to enjoy the waves and gulls in the foggy gray. It was a perfect way to think on and reflect on the true meaning behind Easter. Not all the eggs and bunnies, but of Christ's love for us. As a new mom, I feel like I have a better understanding of the sacrificial and pure love that God has for us, at least in a small way. Each night before I put Norah to bed, I look down at her in my arms and I am overcome by love. It's nothing like I've ever known. All my life I've chosen to love others -- my husband, my friends, even my family. It is a conscious decision to love them. But when I look at her, something just stirs within me when I see the child that I've carried inside and given birth to. She is someone that I immediately loved and had no choice about loving. The love I have for her just IS. It is full and deep and hits me right at the core of my heart. When they placed her on my chest after she took her first breath, I was moved straight to tears. I could not hold them back, and from that moment on, she was the most precious thing to me.

So I can't even wrap my mind around how much God loves us! Or that He would give His Son! It is overwhelming. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you.

pray for japan

I have a confession. I've been remiss in watching the news lately, though I've heard of and know the severity of the quake and tsunami, I couldn't bring myself to see the devastation for fear of becoming paranoid about a pending disaster here. But yesterday I really wanted to sit down and watch the videos and see the faces of the people I am praying for, so I pulled up the videos and just took it all in.

Sadness overwhelmed me, and I thought of all those who are looking for their loved ones in anticipation. I would never want that for anyone ... and I pray that in this time of sorrow and loss, that the Japanese people would find hope. Hope in God's great love and grace! May He hold them in His arms and give them strength to keep pressing on.

Praying for Japan like crazy.

image above from elderweiss

missing in paradise

I've been missing here on the blog for the past few weeks since I was preparing to leave work for a while - mostly in part to a fabulously relaxing vacation in Hawaii that we had! It ended with a surprising Tsunami warning, so we were rudely awakened on Saturday at the crack of dawn by an ear-piercing siren that continued for a good minute and a half. Safety first, even in paradise!

Luckily, no one was hurt and the vacation itself was absolutely lovely. Lots of sunning, swimming, and eating delicious tropical delights. A girl really couldn't ask for much more. Shave ice, homemade mochi, banana mac nut pancakes, and some Fighting Eel shopping. Aloha!

image taken at lani kai beach, on the island of oahu

four births

In honor of my friends having their little girl today, here's a cute trailer for a documentary that follows the first year of life of four babies in different parts of the world. Watch 'til the end, it's super sweet.