I repeat: peach

Just realized that I referred to Theo as a peach around this time last year...then called Margot one, too. At least I'm consistent.

Hello my name is: stranger

Oh. My. Word. Now coming to you live from- my new phone! Still no computer here at 14852 (hopefully that will soon follow), but with my handy dandy space phone I can access my blog. Can I get a woot!

Since my last post- nearly a year ago!- a few things have changed in our family. As in-- I had a baby. Yay! Sweet little Margot Meg came in a fast and furious fashion on October 22, 2011.

The day's events, taken from my journal:

Saturday, October 22, 2011

8am- wake up, annoyed I'm still pregnant

9am- breakfast

10-11am- Andrew works on MTB trail with Oliver while I prep the house laundry for [dreaming of] having a baby. Bruce + Bonnie here.

12pm- lunch

1-2pm- Megan comes over to keep me company/commiserate with me (Mike broke up with her last week. What a JERK).

3pm- take a Tbs. of castor oil, walk the driveway, poop. [sorry about that last part]

4:30pm- [after working in the garden] first HARD contraction.

5:30pm- arrive @ hospital after leaving the kids with B + B.

6:30- resting comfortably with epidural.

7:45- feeling need to push intensify.

8:00pm- dr. has room prepped, I push.

8:02- we welcome MARGOT MEG TOFTNESS :)

She's a regular peach...uh, do most peaches cry a lot? This one does. But there's still that fuzzy sweetness. We're all crazy about her. This does not exclude Georgi, who loves to beep M's nose, poke her eyes, and burp her head. Yikes. I spend a lot of my hours each day just protecting the poor little lamb from her foxy sister. I won't lie and say it's all strawberries and sunshine, but we have our happy moments in the midst of chaos. :) I'm thankful for God's daily grace.

That's all for now...and probably for a while. This little hand gadget is a bit frustrating to navigate with its small smudged screen and touch-keys. I'm just thrilled to not have allowed an entire year to slip away without record. Eleven months sounds so much better.

And p. s. I can't figure out how to post a picture. Margot's really cute, so imagine a cute baby while you're waiting for my PC.

Teddy Jess

It is my delight to introduce my nephew, Theodore Jeshua Gaalswyk, adopted into the family of Luke and Anna 2.19.11.
Mom and I had the privilege of welcoming the new lil trio home to their sweet abode in Dayton, OH. My two wee-uns were there, as well. Oliver and George are smitten with this round little bundle of cousin joy. As well they should be. He's a peach...practically literally. Theo's little peachy, fuzzy head is a downy orange patch of gloriousness.
On the subject of adoption: I grew up thinking it was as natural a means of growing a family as birthing a baby. Now as an adult, I am more aware of that truth. Did you know that when a child is adopted, the birth certificate is re-written? In the eyes of the law it is as if they were always part of this family. It brings tears of joy to my eyes. Then I consider the parallel of entering into God's family...tissue, please. Ephesians 1:4-5 says 'He chose us in Him before the creation of the world...adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ...'

Wait...QUIETLY?!

"Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord's great love we are
not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for Him.

The Lord is good to those whose hope is
in Him, to the one who seeks Him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."
Lamentations 3:21-26

Oh goodness. I need these words today. I cling to the hope promised.
There has been a false accusation slammed on one of my dear siblings, and it's sucking the life out of our family. I want to stand on the roof and shout the truth... but I wonder if that's what God would call me to do? Yes, truth should be known. But am I in too compulsive a state to convey said truth clearly? Probably. Do I have a hard time waiting quietly? Absolutely.
Waiting= feeling like I'm sitting around doing nothing. I think there's something deeper to this message, though. The SALVATION OF THE LORD comes when I give everything to Him. I need to pour out my heart to Him, calling on Him for justice and mercy. It's so hard. I'm not a waiter. But even more...I'm not QUIET.
QUIETLY= holding my thoughts in 'til I could burst. But quietly in this context would probably mean simply not spewing every ill thought I have, infecting everyone else involved.
The salvation of the Lord is a powerful thing. Scratch that. THE most powerful thing. So, if you need me you'll find me quiet and waiting... struggling on both accounts, but expecting something huge.

Disguised

Pea in a pod and stinky skunk.

I remember going trick or treating one time when I was little. My family tried to stay away from the ghoulish side of Halloween, and by doing that, we skipped dressing-up altogether. So this year, since Oliver is old enough to notice other kids celebrating big, we had a decision to make.

The origin of Halloween is unclear. Some say it's an evil celebration dating back to the Druids and Celts in the fifth century, B. C. Other studies link it to a Christian/Catholic fete. The research that I did (not deep, by any means), usually began with, "Legend says..." Conclusion? There is no evidence to back anything up. We've concluded on our own that it isn't condoning the evil of that surrounds the holiday by dressing our kids up and taking them out and about. There's fun to be had in dress-up. Some of my fondest childhood memories were made wearing Mom's old bridesmaid dresses playing make-believe with my sister and cousins. Imagination is lost on most children in this age of videos and video games. God has designed us to learn and grow as we imagine who we could be or how we could accomplish the seemingly impossible. Does that correlation make sense?

That being said, happy Halloween from the Toftnesses!

WEDDING!

Georgi and cousin Lori, my 2 PA assistants.

Sisters.

Jess wearing a t-shirt of Scott at the dance. Hilarious.

Sisters.

Mr. ring bearer

Have you ever seen a more radiant bride?! The groom is looking rather dapper, as well.

Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Susie with Oliver after mass.

Anna's bridesmaid hair. I think it's my favorite ever.