babies – Page 10 – Journey With Me!

Thursday Thoughts…

December 12, 2024 Wiwohka20 Comments

Today is this child’s Birthday, and for the first time in all my 56 years I awoke with a plan to celebrate it…. really spend the whole of the day in thankfulness for every single year of this journey!

I am loved!

I am whole!

I am forgiven!

God has given me such purpose!

I truly believe that I have a hope and a future, so I’m gonna celebrate it… all day!

I remember when my kids were young and I would escape for a breather… the whole time I was gone, all I could think about was if they were ok without me being there. I hoped they missed me but worried they would be sad. In the end, I felt better if I just went back home… silly, I know!

In a funny twisty way of thinking, I feel the same way about you! I felt like God was telling me to take today and do whatever I wished for my birthday, so I’d planned to take a break from WP and maybe read a book, or something.

From there, I thought that I would just pop in to check for messages… maybe post a few pics and call it good, right?!

Ever hear of that children’s book, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”, about one thing leading to another? Yah…. so here we are people, two hours into “Just” checking my mail!

When it get’s down to the heart of things… I like being here on WordPress, with you folks. I like your stories, your poetry, and your hearts… you draw me back to the lobby every morning and I end up hanging out in there all day. Why? Because, you visit at all different times of my day, being that many hail from countries around this beautiful globe!

Over this last year the lobby has become like a cozy coffee room, with visitors dropping by throughout the day. Many of you come from such a distance to share your views, your culture and your talents.

In an imaginative way, WordPress is like a village. There are streets lined with little cafe’s that overflow with romantic poets and gifted musicians. Other avenues are filled with book shops that offer some amazing literary artists. Down a few alleyways you might find those in need of encouragement, prayer and understanding. We even have our own business class! There’s newspapers that offer reviews of everything from movies and music, to authors and artists. Then there are the retailers, and magazine stands that offer comic books, craft ideas and food recipes.

Folks might share political views, opinions on the market, or their personal views about things ranging from birth to death… basically, a bit of everything!

That’s where Journey With Me fits in!

You’ll find the lobby nestled between several bookstore/coffee shops near the local park. Every community needs a bit of everything to keep the balance, right?! My hope is that the lobby can be of benefit to this community, no matter who you are or how you fit in to this village, as I’ve labeled it.

The front of the lobby holds an open doorway… there are no doors to open or close. Leave your attitude, your opinion, and any unhealthy motives at the doorway! The lobby does not produce judgement or push an agenda… it’s my heart, and my way of reflecting God’s love in the only way I can, at this time.

You just wait… my prayer is that perhaps one day I can do more, because deep in my heart, I believe that I was born for these days, for a bigger purpose. God is calling me for something more!

Warning!!! I am filled with the Holy Spirit and am highly contagious, so being in close proximity to the love of God might make you start doing strange things! In my defense, I am such a sucker for the whole grace, forgiveness and eternal love thing… I just cant help it!

Sorry, not sorry…

Here, you better take a cookie, just in case…

The World is My Stage…

December 12, 2024 Wiwohka1 Comment

While I could regale you for hours with all the times I’ve performed over the years, would it be worth the mention if my only audiences were fictional ones?

Well, they weren’t all fictional, to be totally fair about things. My performance career began very early on, where I learned to hone my speech and drama skills on any and all of my baby dolls.

From there, I branched out over the years to include any living animal that was either willing to stay and listen or coralled long enough to endure my theatrical onslaught!

Eventually, my poor audience members would run when they saw me preparing for one of my performances, leaving me to talk to myself… which I readily did!

If you were to ask any one of my adult children, I’m sure they would attest to my ability to give such lengthy speeches that they wished they could escape, just as all my childhood audience victims had done!

So, there you have it, my friends!

As the title of this post reflects, as far as performing and/or speech giving… The world really is my oyster.

Here, have a cookie…

Monday’s Merriment…

December 9, 2024 Wiwohka3 Comments

Today called for a snow day, what with all the babes missing young Squagon so much. I know you’re waiting to hear about my visit to Pinion Valley, but not today. I’ll update you on those events later this week.

For the moment, we’re all focusing on making a bunch of snowballs, and then throwing them at Brutus as he flies overhead…

I think the big guy likes all the attention!

Dinky is having so much fun that she actually turned white, just like a snowball!

I had to show you a picture, or you might not have believed me…

Doesn’t she just remind you of fresh snow that blankets a hillside, early on a clear winter’s morning?

Oh, and I gotta show you the ear muffs that I made for Miss Lilly…

Aren’t they adorable for her? I just took the tips off of a cotton Q-Tip and painted the front with a pink highlighter pen. What do you think… pretty cool, right?!

As for it being a Monday and all… make every tiny moment count for something good this week!

Live Wire…

December 8, 2024 Wiwohka3 Comments

With things being what they are currently, there’s been a great amount of obstacles, roadblocks, and dead ends to navigate! In all of it, I’ve felt a deeper sense of peace and assurance than ever before, oddly. There’s still no definite answers or directions, and things look rather impossible to overcome… but are they, really?

If God is who he says he is, if His word and promises are true, and if I am living and walking beneath His shadow… there should be no doubt, no fear, nor anxious thoughts, right? Ok, so yes, there will be moments when we feel some self-doubt, causing us to pause and assess things. A close friend wrote about this very subject the other day, so it’s been on my mind ever since. I agreed with him that some healthy self-doubt now and again is good for us. Sort of like safety checks!

It’s funny because, not more than a day or so later while I was reading in the book of Isaiah, I ran across a passage that caught hold of my heart.

^“People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30: 19-21

When we pause from self-doubt, where do we see God in that moment? We are most often looking forward for signs, markers, and a big open doorway, right? God should be straight ahead of us and pulling us up with both arms, I thought! Why can’t we see Him waving a huge sign for us, leading us onward, and wooing us toward His path?

Here’s where the passage in Isaiah hit home for me… God isn’t in front of us, but behind us! He is the encourager, the Counselor; guiding and teaching us as we walk each day of our journey… that’s where He cultivates our faith! Sure, we will fail at times, but we are strengthened through the getting up and going onward parts.

Do not be fearful of falling, for He is there to catch us!

When your baby first walks, don’t you hover in front of and above them, until they get their balance? But, then you move out of the way, right? Where do you move? Most parent’s move to the side or behind, allowing their child to safely gain confidence and skill. So begins their journey of growth and development that will carry them along towards adulthood!

I think that’s how God teaches us, his children, how to spiritually walk as adult human beings.

It’s only a thought…

God Bless!

Tuesday’s To-Do List…

December 3, 2024 Wiwohka3 Comments

With all the snowfall in the barnyard recently, Miss Tilly has me shoveling out the future parking pad for Santa’s sleigh…

Already!!!

Honestly, she’s a bit pushy if you ask me.

Right now, as we speak, she’s got all the babes locked in the barn with her…

She’s refusing to let them out to play until after all their Santa letters have been completed and are ready for mailing!

Oh well! At least it’ll all get done, right?!

I’m just glad she’s keeping everyone occupied while I freeze my toes off, making these frozen parking cubes…

Finally! A Holiday Prompt…

December 3, 2024 Wiwohka2 Comments

What is one thing you would change about yourself?

While I don’t actually have an elf, I do happen to know a few.

The big thing up at the pole this year is fashion for the young Elflet’s!

It so happens that I read about this very thing while reading Tilly’s invitation from Santa last week.

The theme floating around the workshop has been labeled “Functional Fashion,” according to Santa.

Tilly, herself, will be traveling to the pole two full days ahead of Christmas Eve, just for all the finishing work needed on her own new dress, coat, and sleigh harness.

We,re all so excited!

Don’t worry, I’ll be taking lots of pictures that I will then share with you.

For now, a cookie will have to do…

Smile…

November 23, 2024 Wiwohka1 Comment

It’s Saturday!

Life is beautiful… so let’s live it!

Barnyard Business…

November 22, 2024 Wiwohka1 Comment

Messages…

When I opened the barn door this morning, there were babes running around everywhere, squealing in excitement about something, of which I had yet to understand. That is, for all of about 15 seconds!

I heard some very important words rise up from all the chaos…

Above the ruckus, came the familiar names of both Tilly and Squagon, put to song, as they danced about the room. Then the entire barn would switch from that song, over into songs about Christmas, oddly enough!

Looking about, I spied miss Tilly over in the corner of the room, turning in circles with a dreamy look upon her face. As for everyone else, well, they were all taking turns at climbing on a hay bale, for a chance to be flown around the barn… and by none other than, guess who?

Boomer, that’s who!

He must have learned to fly, at some point…

Most probably, while being launched over the pond last week, Boomer has now figured out how to do exactly that… fly!

All I could do for several moments, was stand there in the middle of the barn watching, with my mouth hanging open in surprise. Thankfully, the babes were only being flown around inside the barn, and safely above the hay that’s covering the floor. Boomer isn’t strong enough to carry his friends for long, before loosing his grip and dropping them.

*Note to self* set up some barn rules about flying, especially with each other!

As I got my bearings, what with all the goings on in the room, I noticed both Brutus and our Lilly, sitting quietly in the midst of everything… simply waiting for things to settle down.

Brutus sat holding two pieces of mail, with miss Lilly balanced upon his shoulder wearing my favorite reading glasses. No, ants don’t usually need glasses, but you know miss Lilly, always doing things her own way. She looked adorable, I must say!

Anyway, after untangling Dinky from one of my legs and baby Maurgarite from the other, I made my way across the room to collect the letters that had caused all the morning’s excitement. Taking the messages from Brutus, I saw that the first had come from Pinion Valley, and the second was actually from the North Pole… No wonder the barn was up in arms!

I, myself, was taken aback at the letter from Santa. Not only am I nowhere near ready for Christmas, as of yet, but the letter wasn’t even addressed to me… it was addressed to Tilly!

I hadn’t even considered that Santa would call on my tiny friend again, after delivering her to the barn just this last spring! It hasn’t even been a year since she arrived, and the thought of her leaving already, well, I just can’t imagine it!

Thankfully, after reading the entire letter from Santa, he’s just borrowing Tilly for the delivering of gifts to those chimneys that are too small for him, which does make a great deal of sense, I suppose. Santa made it clear that Tilly would only be gone from the barn for several days, just before Christmas. The elves need to make the final adjustments on her outfit, along with the tiny safety belt being installed in Santa’s sleigh… you know how important details are to the elves. They’re even giving her a quick elf-in-training class, which they offer each year in the workshop.

At the end of the letter, Santa assured me that Tilly would be home by Christmas morning, with plenty of time for opening gifts. Everyone knows that Santa keeps his promises, so I see nothing to worry about, really. Tilly will be in good hands.

Placing the letter back into it’s envelope, I handed it to miss Tilly, since it did belong to her, after all.

The second letter came from Pinion Valley, from the Royal House, itself! Shakily, I opened the letter…

It was an official letter, inviting me to attend Squagon’s first ceremony of Royal Robes (classes on how to behave as a Prince). Brutus and I will be flying to Pinion Valley on Saturday night, so that we might enjoy the festivities of their Royal Nut Festival… it’s the banquet being given in Squagon’s honor!

Sunday, after the ceremony has finished, Brutus and I will have the whole of the afternoon to spend with Squagon, freely. I can’t wait! I miss Squagon so much that I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep a wink til then…