In his new red wagon from Grandpa Gary & Grandma Susan
Brad, Aunt Kara, Liz Kurtz
Grandma Nancy, Liz, Brad, & Eric Miller
Grandpa Gary, Calvin Miller, Calvin's Grandma Sally with Isaac Miller, & Leah Miller. Notice his new sandbox to the right -- it's from Granma Nancy & Grandpa Tom. He loves playing in it with his shovels and buckets and gizmos from Aunt Kara & Uncle Brian.
Grandpa Tom, Liz, Grandpa Gary, & Grandma Nancy
Laughing really really hard!!
Wednesday (May 9th) Atticus turned one year old. In the morning we went with Leah and the Miller Boys to the Children's Museum over in St. Paul -- unfortunately none of my pictures turned out )-: But Atticus had the most fun in the toddler room -- mazes and ramps and cubby holes and mirrors and lots of little kids. In the afternoon he napped and then we went for our walk. We didn't do anything particularly special but all his grandparents and most his aunts and uncles called to sing him happy birthday. I tried to not do any projects or be on the computer all day long -- to spend most of my time playing with him, which is his favorite way to have it (-:
I just finished his photo books for the first year and have been reminded of what an intense year it has been. Two of my friends, Kim and Clint Archer had their first baby, a boy, only a few days before Atticus' birthday. I've enjoyed hearing the birth story and their joyful overflow as they absorb the other-ness of this new soul, of being parents. Almost every day I pray for Atticus this one and greatest thing: That he will delight in, adore, and fervently serve this beautiful, holy, most high God. That he will do so with all his heart and soul and mind and body. That he will be a man after God's heart. I pray for him to find that thing God has for him to do here. That he will become the man God has designed him to be. That he will be a boy and a man who delights in Truth, in Beauty, in Goodness. All this -- is what I want, crave for my son. some days the weight of my task hangs heavy on me -- but I've always known I couldn't do this without Christ. Please make me a mother spilling over with joy, gladness -- a mother who lavishes creativity and kindness on my son -- a mother who is steadfast, faithful, consistent, and a model of discipline and real thorough selflessness. Make me kind to all those around me. Make me a woman full of inner peace. Make me strong. Make me bold in the right way. Make me humble in the right way. Make me wise, wise, wise.
Thank you, Creator-God, for this soul, Atticus, my son.
In his new red wagon from Grandpa Gary & Grandma Susan
Brad, Aunt Kara, Liz Kurtz
Grandma Nancy, Liz, Brad, & Eric Miller
Grandpa Gary, Calvin Miller, Calvin's Grandma Sally with Isaac Miller, & Leah Miller. Notice his new sandbox to the right -- it's from Granma Nancy & Grandpa Tom. He loves playing in it with his shovels and buckets and gizmos from Aunt Kara & Uncle Brian.
Grandpa Tom, Liz, Grandpa Gary, & Grandma Nancy
Laughing really really hard!!
The pictures that follow are really for my Aunt Donna who badly wanted to come for Atticus' birthday party and to see this wildflower sanctuary. These flowers are a kind of bluebell.
Lovely old-fashioned ferns...
Jacob's Ladder
Trillium
Can't remember -- bloodroot?
Beautiful fallen tree...
Lady's Slipper
Maidenhair Fern
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Wednesday (May 9th) Atticus turned one year old. In the morning we went with Leah and the Miller Boys to the Children's Museum over in St. Paul -- unfortunately none of my pictures turned out )-: But Atticus had the most fun in the toddler room -- mazes and ramps and cubby holes and mirrors and lots of little kids. In the afternoon he napped and then we went for our walk. We didn't do anything particularly special but all his grandparents and most his aunts and uncles called to sing him happy birthday. I tried to not do any projects or be on the computer all day long -- to spend most of my time playing with him, which is his favorite way to have it (-:
Last Saturday we drove down to Albert Lea about an hour and a half south of the city to meet up with Nancy and Tom (Brad's parents). We hiked around Myre Big Island State Park until supper time -- Atticus had so much fun with sticks and Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Tom. 
