Happy Valentine's Day

I had a great Valentine's Day.  I got a badly needed haircut and Tanner cooked a lovely dinner.  We were in bed by 930 pm, which was awesome.  Until I was awakened at 10:30.  Quick question answered...right back to sleep.  All was good.  Until I was awakened again at 11:30, after apparently sleeping through two phone calls. (Not sure how Tanner and I both managed to do that).  And now, I am waiting, so I figure I have no excuse not to post a few pictures I took of Hannah this morning.

Anxiety

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

-Matthew 6:25-34

I have read this passage over and over through the weekend and today. 

I have invested so much in my job over the last year.  I have had stages where I have worked like this before, but those times were different...I was living for myself, responsible for no one.  This year has been wholly different.  While I have done my best to maintain balance and to be home to put Hannah to bed as frequently as I can, I have made really meaningful sacrifices and poured myself into the work project that has been consuming me.  Today I receive an evaluation of all of that work. 

I keep trying to tell myself that this should not matter.  Rather than craving validation and approval from men, I should store up treasures in heaven.  I put way too much value in earthly accomplishments.  I have spent the weekend praying that God will teach me to focus on him and to truly value his kingdom above all else.

Still I am nervous and anxious, afraid that I will not achieve the recognition that I think I deserve, too hesitant to embrace the humility that my faith requires.  I resist wholeheartedly asking God to take away my desire for earthly validation, irrationally afraid of what the consequences might be.

San Diego

We spent the week between Christmas and New Years with my parents and sister in San Diego.  It was such a fun trip.  We rented this great condo right on the beach and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  Hannah loved the "osin" and the "dofins."  The water was freezing, but the cold was no deterrent.

18 Months Old

Hannah turned 18 months old on Monday.  We had her well check Tuesday and she was 33 1/4 inches tall (90th percentile) and 23 lbs and 9 ounces (30th percentile).  Other than the flu shot, she is now done with vaccines until she turns 4.  She remains happy and a ton of fun.  Her language is exploding.  She loves to sing; her favorite songs are Elmo's World, Happy Birthday, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the Alphabet Song.  She only gets some of the words, but the songs are completely recognizable.  This morning we went for a walk after she woke up and she sang for a solid thirty minutes. I find the constant singing adorable, I need to get it on video. 

Tuesday was a big day for Miss Hannah.  She had her first school interview, for pre-school starting in September.  Tanner and I both took the day off to accompany her (and because in reality, we were the ones being interviewed).  It went well.  Hannah really enjoyed playing in the classroom and cried when she had to leave. Since Tanner and I were both off, we decided to spend the day doing things Hannah would enjoy, in part to celebrate her half birthday.  I am not ordinarily big on celebrating half birthdays, but Hannah's holds special meaning to me as it is also the anniversary of her baptism.  Tanner and I decided it might be a fun tradition to start taking this day off and spending it doing something we know Hannah will enjoy going forward.

We went to lunch at Rainforest Cafe where she loved all the animals, leaves, skies, flowers and trees. Then we let her play at the Galleria play area for over an hour. She had a blast.  We went straight from the Galleria to her 18 month appointment and by the time we got home she was so exhausted that she napped until after 6 pm.

Here are some recent photos:

Silly face

...and another silly face.

Going for a ride

I am 18 months old today

An apple for the schoolgirl (post interview)

Ready for a fun day

A little wary of the thunderstorm at Rainforest Cafe

Climbing away

Playing outside

"Airplane"

Playing in the rain

I love this face

...and this one.