I adore this photo!  Looks like Vivi and Brigie are sharing sister secrets that no one else is allowed to know.  My sweet and super talented friend Jen Wright came over recently to take some photos of us.  She is just the sweetest with the kids (Vivi loved her so much that she told me a couple of days later that she "missed Jen and wanted her to come play again"), and once again, I am amazed at what an excellent photographer can capture.  She miraculously managed an amazing family photo where we are all looking at the camera and smiling (huge victory!) and got a few of Brigie, who is very noncompliant when it comes to pictures.  Not Vivi, however.  She is totally willing to perform and my goodness, she is a natural  (especially when she is told that Elsa is looking at her through the camera lens).  My darling girl!

Jen sent over the photos this past Sunday morning, and it couldn't have come at a better time.  We were on our way to church, after a particularly crazy morning.  The girls wanted to just wear their pajamas to church, so getting them dressed was a serious uphill battle, and I kind of just halfway washed my hair in the sink because there wasn't time for anything more, and we all felt a bit disheveled, rushed, and grumpy.  I opened the pictures, though, and just immediately teared up.  Such a sweet and timely reminder of just how blessed we really are.  When my patience is wearing thin, a good dose of perspective always helps.

I just love this one.  Chip is such a good daddy to the girls.  He patiently answers all of Vivi's questions and is always willing to talk about anything and everything that is on her mind.  I love getting to watch him love them and they are so blessed to have him.

And this, oh this.  I think it might be my favorite.  My sweet little cuddly Brigie.  She has me wrapped around her little finger quite a few times, and while Vivi made me a mother, Brigette made me a mama.  That might be a weird thing to say, but after Brigie, I just surrendered a little more, let my guard down a little more, and just gave up a bit of the control I tried so hard to maintain (not that I don't still struggle with that!).  I mean, sometimes mothering makes me feel a little crazy, but overall I feel like I roll with it much better than I did before.  And the fact that she can never seem to get enough snuggles just melts me all over.  So thankful for Jen and these treasures from this time!  It's so good to be reminded that it's ok to take things slowly, and things might get crazy, but what a privilege to be pouring into these little hearts that have been entrusted to us.  (See more of the photos here!)