Brad Dunagan for Tax Commissioner!

My Papa is running for tax commissioner in Hall County.  If you live there...he IS the person to vote for.

I wish it was as simple as that.

It's kind of weird when people you love run for things.  It's so obvious to me that my father is qualified.  And he's kind, honest, wise, and full of integrity.  Therefore, it should be obvious to everyone else.  And if all of that is obvious, then of course he will be the person elected.  Right?  Again, how simple would that be.

His campaign was never about how much money was spent on signs and billboards and advertising.  To me, it seems a little silly to run for tax commissioner and spend 20 or 30 or 40,000 dollars {or more} to get there.  My father just wanted to meet people.  To talk with them, get to know them, and let them get to know him.  It's the way I wish more campaigns were done.

It really isn't because he's my father that I want you to vote for him, but because he is my father I can say with 100% certainty he is the best candidate for the position.  I can tell you that he has more patience than anyone I know.  He responds to any circumstance with wisdom and logic.  He is fair and humble.  He values people.  That's the stuff you don't see on resumes.  And that's also the stuff that separates being simply, a qualified candidate, to being exactly who you would want serving your county.

But here's what I really love about my father.  He serves someone much bigger.  Someone that is always in control.  Someone who has written the tiny details and the greater picture.  Because of my father's faith in the Heavenly Father, there is peace in the uncertainty.  When you believe the Lord works everything towards the good, and you are open to serve the Lord however and wherever He sees fit, there is joy, not fear, in taking a risk.  And that's what my father believes.

So elected or not, Brad Dunagan will still rest in the Lord.  He will still look to Him for guidance.  His future is still in His hands.  And my father will still count each day a blessing.

But just so you know Hall, you'd be one lucky county to have Brad Dunagan serve you.

Learning

This morning I was in the bathroom washing my face and brushing my teeth.

I came out and saw this.

She looked up and smiled at me, and then continued "getting ready" herself. 

I thought about how many times in those early months she would be strapped to me, curled up with just her little head peeking out of her sling while I sat on that bench, looking into that mirror.  She would watch me in the mirror while I combed my hair after a shower and tried covering up my dark circles.

Then she grew to sit on the bed and watch me.

Then she was standing beside me wanting to touch everything I was using.

Now I suppose she can do it on her own.

People constantly refer to how much children observe and soak up.  And I'm well aware of that.  But it never ceases to amaze me.  

I read books with Lucy.  We count, say our colors, and make animal sounds.  She has picked up some.

But here's some things she does well.

• When she finds a piece of paper/wrapper on the ground, she marches into the kitchen and opens the cabinet under the sink, pulls the trash can out, throws away her trash, pushes the trash can back in, and closes the cabinet.  Now we just have to work on the definition of trash. :)
• In the mornings, she goes to the dog food bin, scoops out food and fills it in the bowl...for all 3 dogs.
• When she wants to go outside, she goes and gets her shoes and tries to stick her feet in them.
• When she wants to eat, she'll go to the fridge and wait for you.
• If she finds her nail clippers, she holds them to each of her nails and pretends to clip.
• She'll scratch her daddy's back.
• If she hears the dishwasher open, she comes running and stands at the side and hands me each dish to put away.
• When we get her down after meals, she goes and gets her little miniature broom and sweeps mashes everything in even more.
• She shares her water and snacks with her dolls, she reads to them, and she tucks them in.
• She'll come out of her closet with items of clothing draped around her, proud that she dressed herself. 

None of which I set out to teach her.

This might seem like a list of small, insignificant things.  But together, it's the image of a little girl, not a baby.


I will always try and teach.  But more then anything, I will include her in life.  Not just letting her see, but letting her in.  No matter how much it requires Steven and I to slow down.  We welcome it.  We welcome her efforts and her attempts at contributing to the day to day that is our family.


More than anything Lord, I pray that as she watches me, she'll be led to You.

Figs.

We have a fig tree.

I decided to try and make some almond flour fig newtons.

I thought it would be neat to share the process here.  But it was confirmed why I would make a horrid food blogger.

1.  I'm not the cook.  Steven has the refined palate.  He enjoys cooking.  He is fantastic at it.  Period.  I would survive on cereal, scrambled eggs, and beer.  (Thank you for feeding me honey.)

2.  While I do enjoy the occasional baking, it's never pretty.  Rest assured anything I bake will come out an unusual size with zero uniformity.  Not to mention, Lucy's favorite drawer is the one containing all of our measuring utensils, which then get strewn about in all corners of the house.  Always missing the one I need, things can get interesting.

3.  As I was sliding the tray into the oven, I saw my camera sitting on the counter.  Crap, I forgot to take pictures of 'the process.' Oh well.

But nonetheless, they turned out pretty deliciously and are being consumed for breakfast and completely Lucy approved.

So this:

Became this:

You might ask why there are pumpkins in our kitchen...in July.  We had a surprise pumpkin vine take root after last falls discarded decor.  So, pumpkins in July!


Up next:

Sauce and Salsa!

Sofa Time

I broke a classic 'mother rule' today.

The whole no jumping on the sofa rule.  I mean, I definitely do not want my children entering a home and feeling free to treat someone's living room as a jungle gym.  But sometimes it's appropriate, right?

I have vivid memories of my grandmother's couch in her basement.  A couch and it's cushions that spent plenty of time as a ship, a fort, boulders across molten hot lava, and/or a swinging bridge over a congregation of angry, aggressive alligators.

So I can't deny the joy found in throwing off cushions and running and jumping from end to end.

Lucy just kept looking at me, amongst the cackles and snorting and giggles, with an expression that screamed, "Mom, did you know how much fun this was?!" 

I couldn't help but just let her enjoy it.

And snap a few pictures of course...

Father's Day

My Papa.

He loves me unconditionally.  Something so simple, but not something you see often. 

Love...with no conditions, no requirements. 

There is so much freedom in being raised with unconditional love.  To know in every fiber of my being that there is nothing I could say, do, choose, believe, or live that would change the way I'm seen and loved and treated by my father. 

I'm so thankful that my heavenly Papa gave me such a wonderful earthly Papa to demonstrate His love so clearly to me.

And my best friend...

Well, he's loving my little girl in the same way.

15 Months

Dear Lucy,

Have I mentioned how much fun you are?  I'm sure I have.  Lucy, you are rocking our world!  You funny, funny little girl.

It's still crazy to look at pictures of my rolly polly chunky monkey baby, and then watch my feisty little bean pole twirl around the living room and then take off running in circles through the house.  You are still hovering around what you weighed at 6 months (21ish pounds), you just keep on stretching.

You like to try and imitate the animal sounds I make, which might not be the best thing.  Some of those I'm pretty terrible at.  Like an Elephant?  You have an Elephant puppet that you love and you come running over to me trying to place it on my hand.  I'm sorry kid.  You might be going to school thinking that an Elephant makes a different sound every time it opens it's mouth.  Sounds that range from a trumpet, to a motor boat, to a sneeze.

Summer has been pretty kind to us so far.  Lots of outside time still.  We have had some good bike rides and strolls this last month and plenty of backyard explorations.  There's lots of open grassy space, but your favorite thing is to bushwhack through the bushes coming out on the other side grinning from ear to ear, covered with twigs and leaves.

You love coming in the garden with us.  There are times when I watch you and you're so careful and gentle with these plants, like you are truly in awe of the produce.  Then there are the times when you come stumbling through the hay piles and we have to keep you from trampling everything green.

We had a quick trip to see Aunt Amanda and Uncle Tyler on Wilmington Island.  I don't think they have had that much one on one time with you ever!  They love you so much, and you will learn so much from them.  While we were there, there was news of a tropical storm brewing.  None of our plans were messed up, and it actually brought in some cooler weather for us.  It also, however, brought 35 mph winds down on the beach.  But you were thrilled.  You clung to me as we walked through the blowing sand storm but once we got down to the packed sand by the water, you took it in for a second and then wanted to take off.  You ran up and down the beach, squealing as the wind took your breath and carried your squeal away before you could even hear it.  You would have preferred running straight into that angry ocean...but Mama and Daddy wouldn't let you.  I'm afraid you might find the beach pretty boring next visit :)  Your dad also bought you an airbrush t-shirt.  I figure you have to have one per lifetime, so mark that off your list.  So when you are a Senior in High School and I'm chaperoning your Spring Break beach trip, save your 30 bucks.

You've also had your first week of survival swimming lessons through Infant Aquatics.  It is unbelievable!  Only one week and you are already launching yourself from me and swimming UNDERWATER for 5 to 9 seconds to get to your dad.  You really are amazing.  You are so courageous and fearless.  Which is actually a big reason we sought this out for you :)  You love to explore and we find ourselves by lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans and pools a lot.  And this will give you the base to have a lifetime of fun and safety in the water.  I will definitely write more on this later.  It's a 6 week course, so I can only imagine what you'll be doing by the end.

I'll end with one of my favorite family outings from this past Saturday.  You love blueberries,  I mean LOVE them.  We planted some bushes of our own because it was getting hard to afford your habit.  And they are producing, but you eat them off the bushes before we can get them in the house.  Your father and I dream of blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins, maybe even some blueberry scones.  Our bushes only support your intake.  So we found a farm.  We drove up, walked over to a table, picked up our buckets and started wandering through rows and rows of giant blueberry bushes and picked away.  It was such a delightful afternoon.  We spent two hours, just wandering.  It was like the whole place was ours.  You were in your element.  You are so peaceful when you're outside.  Just like at home, you wanted to walk under the bushes and cross through the bushes instead of going around.  You were so scratched up, but it didn't phase you one bit.  And yes, you ate some berries.  Some green ones, some red ones, some lots off the ground, and some nice big juicy ones out of my bucket.  It was just perfect.  And I love that you already show signs of not being afraid to put in the effort for something you love.  You never got frustrated, you were just soaking in the experience.  It was all just perfect...

Well, there was one minor mishap.  I really don't know how to tell you this.  Here it goes...

You might have, sort of, maybe, probably, pretty much ate some deer poop.

You were sitting under a bush, looking so content.  I was lovingly gazing at you thinking about what a sweet, precious little girl I have.  And man does my girl love her blueberries.  Wait a minute...those are some dark blueberries, they kind of look black.  Like some oval shaped pellets.  HOLY CRAP THAT'S DEER CRAP!

I can't say for certain that you consumed any or if you did, how much.  But you certainly had some handfuls. Lucy, if you feel like holding this against me one day, just know that I tweaked an old knee injury when I did a leap, twist, dash to get to you.

Here's to a good immune system!

Your dad has already said that the first thing we'll do when we buy our land is go out and plant plenty of berry bushes. 

Happy year and a quarter baby.

Love,
Mama

 

 

 

Meet Ethel...

A little friend for Lucy.

I really hope I don't have to explain the Lucy and Ethel thing (which, with much disappointment, I had to for my husband). 

Ethel was a rainy day project I've been wanting to do for awhile.

The most exciting part was that I didn't have to buy one thing.  Every part of her was made from scraps and things I had in a bin.

See, I made a deal with myself that before I bought any new fabric for some projects I have in mind, I would try and use up what I have.

So I have lots of dolls to make now!

Ethel was made with lots of love and I hope that Lucy and her will become the best of friends and make lots of memories.