Our Little Angel

Violet is growing into such an amazing person. I know I am biased because I am her mother but she truly has a precious spirit. Gabe and I have recently been discussing children and their connection to the Almighty. I think they must in their innocence have a deeper connection with Him than we do as adults. When we are babies and young children our hearts are so pure and our minds are open to all things. As we become older we learn to be afraid and suspicious and closed minded. I think that God is always trying to speak to us but we rarely take the time to sit in the quiet and listen to Him. Oh to be a child again and not have a jaded mind. Recently, Violet has shown us how close God really is to us. He dwells within us always. As parents we are trying to be good examples for this precious soul that God has entrusted to our care but more often than not she is the example to us. For months now she has been praying with us and even praying on her own. She often says a family members name and then amen. On several occasions we have found out that at the very times she has been praying for that person they are experiencing something stressful or they are sick. She prays for Daddy while he is at work and says "Don't worry Daddy. Amen." Two weeks ago I started reading the Christmas Story from her Jesus Storybook Bible to her and telling her about Jesus and that he is in her heart always. Ever since then she walks around and says Jesus several times during the day. For some reason every time Gabe brings her to me in the bathtub the first the she says to is "Jesus" with a sweet smile on her face. Last night when Gabe came to get her she handed him an imaginary flower and said "Daddy, present". It was so sweet.
Last weekend Gabe had to teach a special class on Sunday for the students who are traveling to America. He did not want to go because it was Sunday. When he woke up without his alarm at 6:30 he went back to sleep and did not have an alarm set. At 7:00 Violet woke up and crawled over my chest and onto her daddy's chest. She patted his chest and said, "Daddy Tie Bye Bye". He sat up and looked at his watch and said "Thank you Violet! I was almost late for work!" She usually cries when he leaves but she didn't cry, she just repeated "Daddy Tie Bye Bye" She knows he wears a tie to work. It was amazing! She saved the day!
Then today we were playing in front of the full length mirror in the kitchen. She loves to look at herself and smile. Today I asked her, "Who is that in the mirror?" and she replied, "Jesus" with a smile. Then she said, "kiss kiss hug" and preceded to kiss her reflection. It brought tears to my eyes. I don't know what to make of all of these things but in my heart I want to believe it is God working through her precious heart.
During this Advent season may we all have the heart of a child, completely open to His Love and His Peace. I pray we can all receive the greatest Christmas present, His Presence.

The Raven: A Christmas Story

 We posted this three years ago... We just watched this episode again... it has become a tradition:


http://gscraft.blogspot.com/2007/12/legend-of-raven.html

Do-Re Mi!

First Times

 Since our 1st year calendar has run out, we have failed to record a-lot of "first-times". So, this will be hopefully the 1st of many diary entries of Violet's  little 1st times:

Violet did these for the first time today:
1. Brought Daddy a clean diaper and said "Pee-pee." And she was right!
2. Brushed her own hair...just a little. She's been brush/combing ours a little for 2 months now.
3. Said her version of "Bless you." after Daddy sneezed.
4. Sang a little. What a joy that was to hear!
5. Climbed up on to the sofa (with the help of a 1 liter plastic bottle filled with liquid). [EDIT] 20 minutes later as I typed this she figured out how to climb up without the help of the bottle.
6. Said "Broccoli!"  when she found new, plastic food toy at play group (we never taught this... guess she just remembered it from somewhere)
7. Repeated many new words/phrases. (Last couple weeks: "Heavy!(also saying the Japanese immediately afterward yesterday)" "Don't worry...happy!"

Violet is saying her versions of: "Please" & "Thank you" about 1,000 times per day... Next in line are probably "Mommy", "Booby", "Lunch", Dinner", "Bath (she loves bath time)", "Kitty"... Oh and she says family members names and then says "Amen". After she says this we pray for that family member. She loves her picture of her cousin James. She can say "James" but sometimes she says what sounds like"Beans"... its so cute...the intonation is very endearing.
She calls all alphabet letters and Japanese characters "H" but repeats the phonetic sound. She spelled her first word a long time ago "H-A-T", and that is why we had the Hat themed birthday. She can pick out the letters "H", "P", "B" and sometimes "E"
She loves cameras. She can take a photo with our help... These days she says "Cheese." every time she sees our cameras. She also likes to say: "I'm a mess!" (see video above)

MLK: An American Prophet

"Since his assassination in 1968, Martin Luther King has become known and celebrated throughout the world as a champion of freedom. But there's another side to this man that's in danger of being forgotten - King the raging prophet of God's judgment on the West, the Baptist pastor who said that his mission was 'to redeem the soul of America'. Forty years after his death, politician and campaigner Oona King goes on a journey through the Deep South in search of this aspect of his leadership."

H-A-T spells Hat!

Violet's 1st Year in Pictures

Happy Birthday to our Sweet Violet

I can hardly believe one year has passed already. I still feel like we were given our precious gift just yesterday. At the same time it seems she's always been here. Violet is such an amazing person and we have so enjoyed getting to know her. She is blossoming into such a sweet little girl. I cherish her little smiles and giggles and I am thrilled that she still loves to nurse and be held close. She is walking so well these days and hardly ever crawls anymore. It is amazing how quickly things change. She is repeating a lot of words that we say and she tries so hard to talk to us. She has a few Japanese words in her vocabulary. Her favorite Japanese words are "happa" and "hana" which mean leaf and flower. She loves to be outside. She says night night ever so sweetly too... "nigh nigh". It melts my heart. She can answer to her Japanese name and she can also hold up her finger when asked how old she is in English and Japanese. She is really starting to sign well too. She can sign for milk, more, all done, want, and she is starting to learn how to sign for eat. Since she learned to sign for milk she asks for it ALL the time now. She wants to nurse wherever we are. And since I know that is what she wants it is so hard to turn her down. The other night we were in the bathtub together and she usually likes to nurse in there. She started to go in for a drink as usual but stopped and looked up at me and did the sign first. It was so cute. She really wanted to communicate with me. Another precious moment we have had this past week was with Daddy. He was starting to pray with her in the morning and she saw his hands folded together. She folded hers just like Daddy's and sat quietly while he prayed. When he said "amen" she said "aten". She now will fold her hands when we say let's pray and she says "amen" after we do. It is so beautiful. She is has a precious, loving spirit. She smiles and waves at people all the time. Especially the people who look sad or even angry. She can usually get a smile out of them in the end. It makes my heart so happy. I can't even express the joy I have in my heart and the love I have for this precious little girl. I pray that she will continue to grow in God's grace and love each day. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have helped us in this first year. Thank you Father for this most precious blessing.
Here is a picture of our sweet flower at exactly 1 year old to the minute.
at 2:32

 How old are you?

 くらふと　すみれちゃん

Happy Birthday Gabriel!

Happy Birthday Gabriel! from Musclecars & Meditation™ on Vimeo.
I love you!

クラフト すみれちゃん

Violet learned how to answer to her name in Japanese the other day. It makes us smile every time she does it.

11 months and first steps (pics and video at the bottom)

Our little flower is 11 months old today. I missed the update on her 10 month...oops! So often I would think to sit down and write about her 10 month accomplishments but someone was keeping me busy. ;)
Violet has grown so much and she is bringing so much joy to us each and every day. Her smile and beautiful laugh bring so much peace and hope to each passing day. She offers a friendly wave to everyone she sees and smiles her toothy grin (she has 4 teeth now). She loves to wave at elderly men especially because they usually wave back. :) Violet started saying Daddy and Dad very clearly this past month. She has started saying Mama again these days too. Yeah! She also says "hat" and she knows what she is saying. She looks at a hat and says "hat"! She also says "duck" and "hot". She loves to wash mommy's face in the bath and she loves to brush mommy and daddy's hair. She loves to stack the rings on her stacking toy and put the ball in the hole. She pretends to talk on the phone. She giggles with abandon when daddy tickles her. She plays peek a boo all the time. She tries to do the hand gestures for "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" too. It is so precious to see those tiny fingers come together. She claps to rhythm and she claps when she has done something. It is so cute! I love to see her clapping. It is amazing to see her eyes light up when she learns something new. It brings me such joy to watch her try something new. And..... She has started WALKING!!!
Her precious little feet took those first steps on August 17th. And since then she has been taking more and more. She is up to 9 consecutive steps with out falling down. She now pretty much refuses to sit and eat. She stands and eats. :)
Violet still nurses quite often and eats 3 meals of food a day. I was a little worried about her weight because she doesn't eat as much food as I think she should. But yesterday we went to the doctor and he said not to worry. He said she was small but not that small. :) She weighs 16lbs. now and she is 25.11".
When I hold her and rock her at night it amazes me at how much she has grown these past 10 months. I remember when I would hold her in one arm and she would nuzzle in so close. Now I struggle to hold her with two arms. She loves to stretch out while she is nursing to sleep.

I just am so thankful for each day with her. She truly is a miracle and perfect gift that I do not and never will deserve. Her little smile melts my heart. We love you Violet!

10 months

11 months

Here are some more summer pics on facebook to check out if you like. **warning...there are a lot of pics** :)

Here is a video of Violet walking to Daddy

7 Steps from Musclecars & Meditation™ on Vimeo.

11 Years

11 Years ago today my dear sweet mother left this world. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday. She was an angel and she was my best friend. I miss her every day. I always thought I would be able to ask her advice on being a mother but that dream did not come true. I am so thankful that she taught me how to be the mother I am today by being the mother she was to me and my brothers. She loved life and she loved her family and she loved the Lord. She is my inspiration in life and I pray I can be as wonderful as she was.
I wish that she could have held her grandbabies...I know she dreamed of that day but I rest in the thought that she holds them every night as they are sleeping. Once, when my niece was very young she told me that Grandma Pam came to her in her dreams. It was so beautiful. So I hold that in my heart that she is with them and with us always. I often dream of her and though they are sometimes painful dreams of loss sometimes they are perfect dreams of us sitting together and just being present to one another. And I am thankful for those dreams.
 The following is a poem that a friend of my father's wrote for us after she passed away. I don't think I ever got to thank him. He will never know how deeply this poem touched me and comforts me to this day. He used her final words as inspiration for the poem. "Sometimes we have to have a few setbacks to fully enjoy the glory of victory." Thank you Mr. Brockhouse for your beautiful words of comfort.

Lift me up Lord.
Lift me up.
Put angels at my side.
Take me to that place
Oh Lord,
That place where You reside.

I'm ready
for the journey, Lord.
My time on earth is through.
I long to see
the gates of Heaven,
and spend Eternity
with you.

For those I leave behind
this day,
Lord, give them peace from sorrow.
That they may see
through grief and pain
new life for me...
Tomorrow.

Lord, Bless my Family,
Give it strength.
Pull gently on its Heart
so it will feel
My presence, Lord,
and know
We're not apart.

My mortal body
cries no more.
My setbacks fade away.
I fully enjoy
The Glory, Lord,
of Victory with you
this day.

So, Lift me up Lord,
Lift me up.
Lay on my Soul
Your Hand.
Thy Will be done, Lord,
Grant me peace,
In Your Blessed Promised Land.

by David Brockhouse 1999

Sleeping Beauty

Who ever knew I could get used to 4-5 hrs of sleep a night. I never thought I would. When I was younger my family often teased me about the amount of time I could sleep. Everyone knew it. I could sleep for 10 even 12 hours at a time. Sometimes my mom would let me sleep till I woke up on Saturdays. Sometimes I would wake up in time for dinner and go back to bed. Ah those were the days. I was the Sleeping Beauty in my family. Now I am lucky to get 3 consecutive hours and at most 5 hours for the whole night. Our precious daughter has not yet developed the love for sleeping that her mommy has.
When Violet was first born I thought, "How will I ever get used to this? Waking every hour for feedings? Are you serious?" But I did. Then it became every 2 then every 3. It seems we are stuck at 3 now.  She still needs to be nursed to sleep. She often wakes not to be fed but just to be close to me. She sleeps in the crib now right beside our bed and I swear she can smell me when I come in to bed at night and then she wakes up and wants to nurse. Then she joins us in our family bed for the night. Violet is very slender so I never want to deny her milk. So I pick her up and feed her. If she is not hungry she will just drift back to sleep. Then I lay down in bed and wait for her to wake again. I usually can't fall asleep because I am wondering when she will wake again. It seems just as I begin to drift off she starts to stir. Or I can't sleep because I am watching her sleep. She is such a cute sleeper. :)
So, I bought The No Cry Sleep Solutions book but have yet to get past page 60. ;)  I don't think I could ever let her just cry so I always pick her up. As Dr. Sears says, this stage won't last forever. I don't mind being there for her whenever she needs me. I don't mind getting 4-5 hours of sleep because I know all too soon she will be turning 18 and then I won't be able to sleep because I will wonder when she is coming home and hoping she is not getting into too much mischief. So I am cherishing these days of sleepless nights. I am enjoying every moment I can. And I am thanking God for the sleep that I do get. :)
Here are some pics of our little sleeper

Violet stands!

Violet standing from Musclecars & Meditation™ on Vimeo.

Splish Splash

This summer seems hotter than last year. We are trying our best to stay cool. Violet has been enjoying playing in her new baby pool wearing her UV protection swimsuit (thanks for the suit Mimi and Papa) :)
Here's a little video of Violet enjoying her pool for the first time.

Splish Splash from Musclecars & Meditation™ on Vimeo.
And here are a few recent pics. Violet has 2 teeth now. One on top and one on the bottom. She is still figuring out what to do with them. We are trying to learn not to bite mommy.....
Violet has a new favorite meal too. Quinoa and zucchini pilaf with comino and cheese melted on top.

Our flower is 9 months old!

For 9 months I carried you inside of me. You kicked me and tickled me and made me laugh and cry with joy. You taught me patience as I waited for those 9 months to see who you would be. I loved you before I ever saw your face.
For 9 months now you have lived outside of me. You have made me smile and laugh everyday. You have taught me patience and love like I have never known before. 9 months go by so quickly. Thank you for letting me carry you for 9 more months in my arms and in my heart. Thank you Father for bringing such a precious gift to us! I love you Violet!

click here for more photos from June

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!!

Violet is growing by leaps and bounds. It amazes me everyday how many new things she is learning. On Saturday she learned how to give a kiss when asked to do so. It is one of the most precious things I have ever seen. Her face gets very serious and thoughtful and then she gently presses her mouth up against our cheek or face or mouth. She also kisses her doll and bear, Mahatma. I was so surprised yesterday when I asked her to kiss her baby doll, she picked her up and actually turned the doll over so that she could kiss her on her face. It was precious. One of the wonderful things about her learning to kiss is that yesterday was Father's Day. So we woke Daddy up with kisses. It was beautiful and I could see how happy it made Gabe. She was so focused on showing affection to Gabe yesterday, it was amazing. She kissed him at random times and also when we asked her to do so. She snuggled up to him during our morning family nap too. It was beautiful. She is so perceptive. Gabe said maybe she sensed that I was focusing on him yesterday and so she did the same. It reminded me how much she feeds off of our emotions. I pray that God will grant me the ability to teach Violet how to be loving to others at all times. Not just on special occasions but everyday. I pray she will love people for who they are each and every day. That means that Gabe and I have to provide that example for her to learn from. Thank you Gabe, for being a kind and loving father and husband. You teach me daily about tolerance toward others and patience and peace. You are an amazing Daddy to our Violet. I love you!

Heavenly Father, thank you for teaching us how to love and for loving us just as we are. As children we learn how to relate to our Father in heaven through the love of our father's on earth. I am so thankful that God blessed me with such a loving Daddy.

To my father on earth, Daddy, Thank you for loving me just as I am and for teaching me how to love. You are a wonderful man and father and I am so thankful for all that you sacrificed for me and our family. I love you!

To my Dad Craft, Thank you for accepting me into your family and for loving me as your own daughter. Your love means so much to me. Thank you for all that you do for all of us everyday. I love you!

more pics on facebook album