Wee-fall is here!

Um...yeah. So I don't blog "well" so here are a 1.5 months of updates. Life has been beautiful and crazy.  And I might have learned one of the most essential of all life lessons as well.  Will write about it soon. Let's just say it has to do with joy and choosing.

The Normans...

1) Went to the coast, twice. Once for a church retreat and once to celebrate my amazing mother's 60th birthday. (photos to come) It was 75 degrees...

2) Celebrated Handsome's 36th birthday with our first night away from our punkie bean as well as little soiree with awesome friends (complete with American Dream Pizza)

3) Went to Washington DC to visit Matt's amazing sister for 6 days*

4) One of my bestest of besties got engaged and they surprised me in DC (she lives in NYC) and I started crying.  And her ring...wowsers, Pat.  I mean it's soooo gorgeous.  I told her it was like one of those rings you would see on the classiest 80 year old lady at airport and then hope you got to be the heir :) (Well I didn't tell her I would hope to be the heir but...)

5) Had a dinner party to get-to-know another of my besties' new boyfriends. Did I mention I cried when I found out he officially asked to date her?  Well I did. Another tear shed for love.

6) Dinners with amazing friends (Cecils: we love you and are in awe of your family and your hearts). Morgan-you delight my soul

About the crying thing: I LOVE my friends.  They are salt of the earth sort of people and to be honest, I barely think anyone is worthy of them.  Hallelujah many of them have met insanely awesome men and thus, I cry when I find out their good news.

*And in case you are wondering how 7 hours on a plane with a baby was...here is my advice: 1) don't do it if you don't have to. 2) Try not to fly with a constipated baby (sooooo sad-we are ditching "real" food for now and sticking to what she loves, milk). 3) If you can, fly first class (for real. We had miles so we used those. Let's just say it left us desiring to always fly first with a baby. I don't think the fancy pants business people liked it as much). 4) Again, try not to. Of course Ruth doesn't like her car seat so road trips are out of the question for us for now but it is a great option.

Here you go!!!

Gracie's Brunch.  Ridic. If you live in Portland, you MUST go and get the bread pudding french toast. Yep. I couldn't stop smiling.

Us returning home :)

She was rubbing her top teeth against her bottom and her faces because of it were epic.

 

Matt's birthday at home with my hottie girlfriends.

And the handsome boys (and a dancing Alomae) 

Dinner with the incredible Cecils (Emma is Ruth's bestie)

DC first lunch with Aunt Kate! 

Natural History Museum.  I barely stopped smiling here to..you'll see why below.

It's a fox, like daddy's tattoo! 

Here's why! YOu could hold bugs! I LOVE bugs! And you could hang out with hundreds of butterflies!

And this my dear friends, is a madagascar hissing cockroach.  Yeah! 

Pure joy.  Hopefully you saw our instagram pic of Ruthie flying 

I asked how much it would cost to get married in here on my 8th grade trip: it was $25000 then (without anything but the space)

The engaged beauty!!! 

Highly recommend the Bike the Sites tours!  Ruthie might not...

Future Uncle Pat! 

xoxo, Anna N

Obsession and truth

truth:

Things are so much better now.  I mean so much so to the point that I actually cannot seem to remember how awful they were (sleep deprivation is a form of torture as my wise mother pointed out) and now I am already excited to one day, Lord willing, have another wee one.

Mainly because I won't be gripped with fear, anxiety, a feeling of failure, etc.  All these emotions that I truly never experienced before until the first few weeks Ruthie was here.  

Praise Jesus they are all gone. I mean I still don't feel like the world's greatest mom and I will admit to being jealous of her smiling relentlessly at her little frog, aka: Prince Charming (pic below), but things are getting so much better and I actually believe God now when I hear Him say, "You were made for this."

obession:

And I am OBSESSED with her.  I mean those cheeks, those eyes, those expressions, those perfect hands that are getting little rolls at the wrists...I LOVE all of it.  The way she just looks at me when she's is eating-nothing in the world will ever feel like THIS.

I still can't believe God thought up marriage (Awesome) and then topped it off (kind of like adding brownies and snickers and berries to your yogurt..and granola for Erin:)) with babies.

Halle-lujah.

And the grandparents thing-I mean seriously, so THANKFUL for my amazing parents and them babysitting Ruthie twice in the last week (and my mother for staying the night well into Ruthie being six weeks...yep, that's right, six weeks).

She loves this mobile (it was daddy's)

She literally sits in her carseat and just talks and smiles at this little frog (Prince Charming). The cutest thing ever.

Mommy and daddy date night (we redid our first date). I wore the gorgeous Kate Spade necklace hubby got me for my birthday...and a new little frock from H&M.

My view sometimes. Oh. My. Goodness. Cuteness.

Our hottie friends celebrating Dan's birthday (he is the one looking too cool for school...yep, that one).

Off to get my hair "did" and then tonight one of our friends is having a Sader (Passover) meal. So awesome!  We get to hear the story of Jesus so many times this week!

Amen and again, halle-lujah.

xoxo, Anna

PPS: I am on instagram as sotrulylovely (I LOVE it)

Weekend (day) away.

Hello!  

Husband and I went away to Cannon Beach Lodge Friday to just relax and take in some sunshine, complete with an ocean, which is a rarity in Oregon.  I would go anywhere with this man, anytime, anyday.

PS: I LOVE my Hunter boots.  Pics below.  I truly love things that are functional and sassy (somehow I do not think my Uggs fall into this).

PPS: My husband got me the Kate Spade Fiorella necklace I was ooodling over :)  I might have sent him one or two emails when I found it on sale...maybe.  You know me and bargains.  She is a beauty and since I pretty much never wear jewelry, this will be a special one.

I hope you had a ridiculously blessed weekend.

xoxo, Anna N

I know the Reason for the season and He does this sort of stuff :)  

I was sooo happy to be standing in this mini river!

31.

Oh the beauty of growing up. I enjoy it more than I thought possible. Something so liberating about it and something so sanctifying and humbling about knowing you know just a little less than you thought you should at "such and such age."

Yesterday I became 31.  We are also 31 weeks along.

My parents hosted a small group of friends last night, most of whom I have lived with.  I can't tell you the blessings that have come from these women (and many, many more).  They are those people that see me as God sees me and love me such.  I even got the most beautiful flowers from lovely, Britney (if you need a wedding planner, she is your gal).

Husband told me the men were literally talking about super-heros and watching youtube videos of men flying...I love men being men.

Oh, and my girlfriends got me the high-gloss black Hunter boots!!!!  If any of you know me, you know that I only buy MAX one pair of shoes a year (not my thing).  So this is a huge blessing!!!! And the little cable socks to go in them and a pedicure!  In case you are wondering...it is now very hard to reach my toes-and for that matter, even see them.

And the friends and parents blessed me with amazing clothes (to fit the ever expanding "not-so-wee" one), a new purse, balloons, jewelry (some handcrafted) and...the most amazing popcorn maker!  Sorry, husband...it is just sooooo cute!  

Comfy. Super-comfy.

Cable knit-socks-over boots= Lovely.

See what I mean?

Off to the beach for an evening away with the handsome man I call my fantastic husband.

I hope you all are doing swell this time of year!

xoxo, Anna N

Big things and birthdays.

I was listening to the radio this morning (while going to Home Depot. Naturally.) and the gal on KLOVE was asking why we don't ask for bigger things from God.  It sounds like such a selfish, "God is a cosmic genie" mentality but then I got to thinking...I asked God for an amazing man: I mean seriously AMAZING...and rarely wasted time dating because God had put a dream so big in my heart that I just knew was there for a reason.

Low and behold, sheesh, look at my husband?!?!  In case you can't tell, I adore him. In all ways possible. Mainly because he is so much like Jesus to me: compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, etc.  I am still twitterpated by him-every second of every day. All because I dreamed something Huge and God saw the desires of my heart and made something mystical become a reality.

All that to be said, please ask God for beautiful, big things.  There is a verse that says "You have not because you ask not" and how true that is! I am not saying we ask for a million dollars or a porsche (most of us are girls and that likely would not be) but I am saying that He LOVES the desires of our hearts that He has placed there and there is nothing more beautiful to our Father then seeing beauty and dreams manifested and made real in His daughters.

This is going to change the way I pray and more importantly, the way I pray for others.

And...it is my sister's birthday!!!!  She truly is the most joyful, funny, loving, kind, tender lady I know (hence the reason children flock to her).  I always said I had to marry someone who made me laugh as much as you did (Matt does pretty well...just ask him about his European joke).

I love you, sister. Thank you for being such a beautiful example of a godly woman.  Can't wait to celebrate you!!!