Sister-daughters

It's a story I've told three girls so far and some day I'll tell it to Violet. I was raised in a loving family where I kept the company of a mother, a father, and three younger brothers. I was every good thing an older sister is suppose to be, most especially, bossy - I was quite the proficient. Although I prefer to think of myself as one possessing leadership skills instead of "boss hog", which in the eyes of a boy child is probably most accurate.

All I ever wanted was a sister. But apparently you can't control those kinds of things.

It may have taken us some time to realize it, but now, as grown adults, my siblings and I really do like each other. There was always love there, no matter how deeply it may have been buried. But now we laugh, like a lot, and wonder why we didn't get it when we were younger. But there remained a hole right raw in my heart. I longed for a sister even more than before. I saw the way women are bonded in sisterhood and longed for the same. The comfort between them, the things they talk about, and all the unspoken they share. 

And then I began having children. 18 years, 2 sons and 4 daughters later, I have been blessed beyond measure. 

It began with Noelle. I told it to her. Of the girl who pined for a sister. And that God choose, instead, to bless me with her. A sister-daughter for me to love. Then Emma, then Nya and now little Violet. And as they grow and I tell them the story again and again, I realize that it is not now only a secret wish of a fairy tale life, but that I do actually have sisters - 4 of them, really truly. Not always will they be my babies, not long will they stay small. More years will be spent together as adults, then we ever had with wee ones in pig-tales. And all that is shared will be shared between women. 

A loving Heavenly Father sent me sisters indeed. I just had to wait a little longer than some.

children of God

The older girls teaching Nya to sing!

when I'm 3 I'll be queen of the world

 Dear Nya, You turned 3 this Sunday. 3 years old! 

Noelle and Emma prepared gifts for you well before your birthday, and the morning of your birthday you asked me if you could open them. I told you that you needed to go and ask your sisters. You ran to the top of the stairs and yelled down to them as they were eating their breakfast, "SISTER'S... SISTER'S, SISTER'S...... SISTER'S! until they came up.

Nya, When you are grown and have a little one of your own, and you wonder what you where like when you were 3 I would want you to remember:

1. You love all things pink.
2. You love to sing and dance.
3. When you are upset at someone I will hear you say, "YOU ARE A RUDIE!" (your way of telling them that they are acting rude).
4. You love having your toe nails painted.
5. You love playing with your siblings (when they are not being rudies).
6. You LOVE your dad, and he in turn could not love you more!
7. You have a special blanket called Bmm, and it is your favorite thing.
8. You love Strawberry Shortcake, just like I did when I was small.
9. You love to go swimming, but you mostly want to sit in the hot tub (birds of a feather we are) 
10. You love meat! 
11. You say the same thing every morning to Daddy, "butter jam". This simply means, "breakfast, please!" 
12. You can screech like nobodies business, and mostly you do it just because you can.
13. You kiss the picture of Jesus every night before you go to bed and say, "Jesus loves Nya!" 
14. You love books.
15. You love your baby cousin Lyla.
16. You love the bath.
17. You prefer to wear dresses.
18. When someone asks you how old you are you will stick up 4 fingers and then with your other hand you will bend down your pinky and put it under your thumb and say, "not that one".
19. You love to give hugs and kisses.
20. You are feisty, but oh so sweet.
21. You love chap stick.
22. You love hand lotion.
23. You look most like Bergen, except girlie of course.
24. You want up a lot, and I need to remind myself that you will not want up forever and someday all too soon you will be too big for me to carry. 
25. You have a great belly laugh.
26. You love animals, of all sorts.
27. My friends are your friends, and you think of them as such.
28. You love the beach.
29. You will say to me, "rowning (rowing), mommy?" every time I get ready to leave, and I love how you say it.
30. You love to do stamps right now and will sneak into the school room any time you can. Something I don't quite love you doing as much as you do.
31. You do the funniest things with your fingers. You will walk 2 fingers along your arm and up to your hair and when I follow your lead you will say, "Come in!" and we play a game using our fingers as people.
32. Daddy and I play a game with you that you love. When either of us is holding you the other will say, "My baby" and then steal you away. It will continue back and forth between the 2 of us until at the end we all hug and mom and dad will say, "Our baby!" 
33. You have been the very best way to complete our family. We all love you SO much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NYA!!!
love, mom

 

the full McCullough family photo shoot

My sister-in-law, Shannon, came up a couple of weekends ago to take some photos of the whole McCullough clan for her parents. She is such an amazing photographer. As I watched her work I felt 2 things: first of all - I was in awe of her talent and ability to know what to do, where to stand, and every other thing that needs to be taken into consideration when shooting outside - wind, sun, shadows, bees! Secondly - I do not want her job! The seemingly simple task of taking a picture is not so simple. Trying to co-ordinate 12 children, to have then all smiling and looking at the camera at the same time, as Shannon sets the timer and runs back to join us for the picture, in the hopes that everyone will be looking ahead, hopefully smiling, but in the very least not crying, is about as chaotic as it sounds. She did it, as she always does, with patience and kindness and incredible crazy camera skills. Shannon, thank you! I feel like the luckiest mom, sister, daughter, auntie, and wife to have every single 1 of these people in my family! I love you all.

homesteading

It could be due to the fact that we have been reading a lot of "Little House on the Prairie" books, or it could have been "My Side of the Mountain". It could very well be Soule Mama (more on her later), or it could simply be the part of me that dreams of being that mom who can do anything and make everything. But whatever it is I have had an overwhelming desire to learn to can, quilt, knit, garden, and farm.
So Julianne and I got together and did some canning. We canned honey, pear and vanilla bean jam and syrup, plum jam (thanks Katie for the plums!), apricot jam, peaches, and blueberry syrup. It has been so fun to see the shelves fill up with the food I have made for my family.
I am so excited for those cold winter mornings when we all stay in our jammies and eat peaches and waffles with blueberry syrup! (although I am not rushing summer nor heralding snow)

Julianne

Owen

&

Lyla

My cute canning cohorts!

running log - day 3

Please feel free to skip this post (and all future chronicles) if you find it boring. This is for my remembrance.

I took Wednesday off, but I ran again today (by running I mean run/jog/walk, whatever I can manage really!). This time my mom and my sister-in-law, Julianne came with me. 5.6 km - that is 3.5 miles for my southern friends. But I'll stick with km, it just sounds like more!
(and for the record I am not 1 of those people who enjoy this. It is pure torture - but the satisfaction of pushing myself and the feeling of accomplishment afterwards is worth it all.)

Project 365 - Day 7