he has promised

March is the month that we celebrate our youngest. It took us awhile to decide on her full name, because with girls come a lot of monograms. And, let's be honest, we don't need the added drama of someone making fun of her name in middle school. Oh middle school. Jesus, be near. Here is a post I wrote not long after we officially decided our second born would be Brooke Elizabeth Keiffer. I never want to forget that God can speak to us even through the names we give our children.

Luke and I went through some of my "keepsake boxes" yesterday. And by boxes, I mean four or five MOVING boxes. It's funny what you deem Keepsake Worthy when you're in elementary, middle, and high school. And by funny, I mean sad and pathetic. Can someone just praise Him with me right now that I'm not the girl I used to be back then?! I won't give details, but what I will tell you is that somewhere along the way I thought it would be a good idea to keep my diary...

And then let Luke read it...

I'm not saying that someone slipped something in my drink at lunch to make me think that was a good idea....I'm just sayin' it's possible.

As I sat there going through hundreds of notes from friends, birthday cards, and pictures...OH THE PICTURES!...I realized that Keepsake Boxes are really only good for one thing besides complete and total embarassment.

Reflection.

From the moment we found out there was going to be a Keiffer #4 in our not so distant future, we have been trying to figure out what to name our baby. What we learned is that we like simple, traditional names that aren't too terribly common. Unfortunately, the majority of our aunts, uncles, and cousins feel the same way and have used some of our favorite names. We discussed millions of possibilities. Basically, I thought of names with potential and Luke vetoed most of them.

We finally settled on the middle name for each. Allyn for a boy {a combination of my dad and Luke's dad} and Elizabeth for a girl.

I debated for a long time on the middle name for a little girl. At first, I thought Faith. Then Joy. And like any other woman, I changed my mind again because if we were going to have a little girl, I wanted her to have my middle name. I felt bad because the other 2 choices seemed to have so much more significance to the season of life our family has been in lately. Not to mention that they are character traits we pray for both of our children. The good news was that I could still change my mind, but in the meantime, I decided to research what the meaning of the name "Elizabeth" was. I've always known what my first and last name meant but not my middle name. There's nothing like having a baby to get you all fired up about the meaning of a name.

If you're familiar with the Christmas story, then you've probably heard about Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist and cousin of Mary. The mother of Jesus. You may know Him. He's kind of a big deal. She was also the woman whose husband questioned an angel name Gabriel...so God hit the mute button. Elizabeth, on the other hand, gave immediate praise to God for the miracle He had done. {Luke 1} I guess I would have too if my prayers consisted of asking God for a baby along with a miracle cure for gray hair.

Once you've read the story, it probably won't surprise you that Elizabeth means "God's promise." Suddenly, that middle name seemed much more fitting.

My life {much like yours, I'm sure} has been filled with God's promises. Yesterday, while going through The Boxes, I realized that so many of those promises have already been fulfilled.

He promised that He would never leave me or forsake me...even if others did. I may not have the same friends I did back in elementary, middle, or high school but I still have Jesus walking right beside me every step of the way.

He promises only the best for me...even if it's different from my version of The Best. Well, gosh, all you have to do is read notes passed back and forth between high school girls just sure their lives were the only ones full of drama and disappointment.

He promised that if I would put Him first, He would grant the desires of my heart... Enter Luke. Best. Promise. Fulfilled. Ever!!

He promised that Austin would be a gift. Second. Best. Promise. Ever!!

I could go on, but I think you get my drift.

Two years ago, I began praying that God would give us a little girl next. I knew my chances were 50/50. Obviously. But Luke is from a family of all boys. My dad is from a family of all boys. My mom has a brother. Luke's dad has 4. Luke's mom has 2.

I think you understand why I chose to believe in the power of prayer.

Praying for a little girl became more of me pouring the desire of my heart out to the Lord, while at the same time believing with total confidence that His will is ALWAYS best...girl or boy! I wish I could explain the feelings that came next but I honestly wouldn't do them justice. Let's just say that whenever I would picture a Keiffer family of four, there was always a little girl in our midst.

Lord! I prayed, Please protect me from wishful thinking! I want to be thrilled no matter what!!

Even still, I continued to feel a connection with this little girl in my mind. I began to feel like I already knew her and loved her as much as Austin.

When we found out I was officially pregnant, God promised me that this baby {timing and everything} would be a blessing and a reward. Our joy that would come in the morning. I felt like God continued to tell me in little unexpected ways that He would grant the desire of my heart.

And still, I had a hard time believing it.

On October 26th we found out that the next little Keiffer would be a girl.

And on December 5th we decided to name her Brooke Elizabeth Keiffer.

Because He promised.

To our Brooke: You have been on loan to us for the last almost four years. May your name be a constant reminder that our Heavenly Father keeps His promises.  You are our joy, our laughter, and an extravagant blessing. We love you.   

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

His miracles are unforgettable...

Psalm 111:4

goals, goals, and more goals

Remember when I told you that Luke and I set some goals? In February? Better late than never, I say. Last night we finally sat down to put those goals on paper. Or phone rather since he sent them to me via text after our conversation. Technology is a wonderful thing. Until it's slow, freezes, or dies. Nothing makes you feel more isolated than realizing you can't access your contacts list, therefore; you cannot communicate with the outside world because WHO MEMORIZES PHONE NUMBERS ANYMORE?! 

Anyway, we committed to a few goals. And by a few, I mean the text message looked like Austin and Brooke's Christmas list for Santa: long. I felt the same way last night as I did when I received their lists: overwhelmed. 

True story: when my sister was little, she thought it would be a good idea to cut her own bangs. So she did. And then hid the evidence under her dresser, because it's not like my mom would notice that her bangs were 2 inches shorter and cut at an angle. It took weeks for her bangs to grow back to an acceptable length, and even longer before either of us was allowed to do any sort of craft involving scissors. Since then we've both had bangs and then waited for them to grow out. Now we both have bangs again. Go figure.

And you better believe we know better than to try to cut those bad boys ourselves. So if my mom can wait a sweet forever for Britt's bangs to grow back, then I suppose I can commit to a few goals and stick with them. Even if it gets ugly. Oh, who am I kidding?! When it gets ugly. 

Here are a few of the goals we agreed on: 

1} Pray together everyday. If there's one thing the our family needs, it's a lot of Jesus up in this house. Hallelujah. Amen.

2} Read the Bible everyday. Again, we need A LOT of Jesus up in here. Strong-willed child, career changes, and life in general. You get the idea.

3} One date night per week, and we alternate who plans it. I can't say for certain, but I have a strong feeling that several of my dates will involve comfortable clothes. 

4} At least 4 dinners at the table together per week. I mean, who doesn't want to look at these faces while they eat and try to talk to us at the same time. See-Food: it's what's for dinner. 

Side note: Brooke looks so little. However, she still tries to talk and chew at the same time so not everything is changing.  What a relief. 

4} One family activity per week. We took the kids to see Paddington last weekend. It was our second attempt to go see a movie with Brooke. The last time was full of hope and promise...

...and then she ran up and down the aisles for half of the movie. Moral of the story: sometimes hope and promise isn't enough. Thank goodness we were the only ones in the theater. God's gift to us that day for sure. Luckily, she did much better this past weekend, which means we can now add "Movies" to our list of approved family activities. 

5} Get healthy. This is where I suspect things could get ugly.

6} Save money. I wish I could say that I was the one obsessed with saving money in our marriage. I'm not. In fact, I've contemplated jumping on the Coupon Train but the whole process totally stresses me out. I will never need 20 tubes of toothpaste at one time. Ever.  No matter how big the savings are. I mean where do you even store that much stuff if you don't have some kind of Armageddon closet?! So basically, I'm just really going to miss Target...

Nothing worth doing is ever easy right? At least that's what I tell myself every time I take my strong-willed child to time out. For the tenth time that day. Luke and I feel like for the last couple of years we've been in Survival Mode, and that's not the way we want to live our lives. Don't get me wrong. Some days Survival Mode is the only thing you're capable of doing, and that's okay. We just decided that we want that way of thinking to be the exception instead of the rule. I'm not gonna lie, I get overwhelmed pretty easily. {see above comment about couponing} I think it's because I tend to focus too far ahead when I should just be taking things one step at a time. So this is my new motto:

{via}

Sure, I want to get to swimsuit season and not feel like a beached whale every time I take the kids swimming. However, I'm not one that can look that far ahead and feel more motivated about achieving my goals. I'm the type that will think to myself, "You know, I've been wanting to try a cleanse. Maybe I'll do that the last week in May." Bad idea. On so many levels. 

Here's the thing we should remember when we set goals. This is our chance to dream bigger, live better, and reach our full potential. It's not easy. Everyday we have a series of choices to make, but, I believe that with God anything is possible! Let's face it, defeat is not in our DNA since we were created in His image. In fact, the Bible is full of stories in which God did the impossible just because He is that good. So let's not be afraid to set big goals and ask God to do not just what is possible but what is impossible! He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine...so ask BIG! 

life lately

So far 2015 has been busy and full of fun. We celebrated the new year in Colorado...

We spent some time in Denver with Jared, Lindsay, and Matt followed by time in the mountains with my family.

We were ready to get home and back in our own beds. Also, I was ready to feel my fingers and toes on a regular basis, which is why I was super thrilled to be greeted by a broken heater. Oh and did I mention that we were getting ready to host a house full of people? Ready, set, PANIC!! Meanwhile, Luke was calmly working in the attic to figure out what the heck went wrong while we were gone. And that's why we're a good match. I take care of the drama and he solves the problem. I'm supportive like that. 

Then we spent the next two weeks with Luke's side of the family celebrating a very late Keiffer Christmas. We got to enjoy a little Lady A and the National Championship thanks to a couple of family members blessing us with their connections. And I got to pretend I was cooler than I really am. 

Ummm yeah, that last picture proves that Lindsay and I aren't the only crazy ones in our marriages. We had the best time! And then real life smacked me in the face the next day in the form of the flu. Everyone belly up to the Tamiflu bar!! This little guy was out of school for a WEEK AND A HALF! 

Thanks for nothin' flu mist. 

Life has gotten back to normal now with school, sports, and lots of long work days for Luke. We're gearing up for another big change, but that's a post for another time. I don't have time to hyperventilate today. 

Luke and I ride the emotional roller coaster that is our daughter Brooke on a daily basis. I promise I have no idea where she gets her crazy. Austin is getting too big, but moments like these remind me that I have a little bit longer before I have to admit he's a big boy. 

The day he says goodbye to Lambie will be the day you find me curled up in the fetal position crying my eyes out. 

I can't believe how fast time flies, especially since the afternoons can feel like a sweet forever! I'm so thankful I get to call these people mine. 

this lady turns 91 today and i'm honored to call her my granny

Today is my Granny's 91st birthday. I love the above picture of her. She is truly beautiful inside and out. Words could not possibly express how much she means to me, but you know I love words so I'll do my best. 

As far back as I can remember, my Granny has been an integral part of our lives. She loves the color pink and dancing to Frank Sinatra. She thinks Michael Buble is sexy {I feel weird when anyone over the age of 50 uses that word} and sometimes yells "whiskey!" to make us smile while we're taking pictures. Speaking of picture taking, it is nearly impossible to capture one of her with her eyes open, which is why I love this picture so much. 

Well, her eyes are mostly open, but her smile is really my favorite thing about this moment frozen in time. I love so many things about my Granny like the way she closes her eyes when she takes a sip of her tea or the fact that she hollers "woo hoo!" as she walks into the room. Of course, we always stop what we're doing to hug her neck and tell her how nice she looks. And she always looks nice, because if there's one thing my Granny has an appreciation for, it's beautiful things. When it comes to keeping those beautiful things in top condition, she's the best there is. I have yet to see a speck of dust in her home, and she wrote the book on organization. Basically, she's the Queen of Clean and I aspire to run my home the way she has for so many years. Notice I said "aspire" because it's a work in progress. More work than progress. Because trying to clean your house with kids around is like trying to nail jello to a tree. 

I will never forget the time she came over to help me unpack when we moved to San Antonio. Every surface was covered with some kind of knick-knack to the point that it looked like the moving truck had vomited our stuff right out the back and into our new house. And don't even get me started on the other boxes still sitting unpacked in our hallways. They were having babies overnight. I promise. She walked right in and set her purse down ready to get to work. She never even knew that as I walked around the corner to get some cleaning supplies I heard her say, 

"Well, bless her heart! This place is a mess!" 

Bless her for thinking she was stating that fact when I was out of earshot. These days she lives by the idea that honesty is the best policy. I think when you get older you just don't care that your filter is broken. And why should you? You've put in more time on this earth than most of your family so it's best not to leave certain things unspoken. 

She's the mom of three boys, a Granny to six grandchildren, a Great-Granny to five great-grandchildren, and the matriarch of the Bauerlein family. 

Here's the thing about trying to get a group picture when little people are involved...set your expectations low. And when you think they're low enough, go lower. Please note that neither of my children are smiling. As for the other short people, well, they look about as impressed with this adventure as the rest of the world was with Kanye's Grammy outburst. Real life. Happening 24/7.

She's faced plenty of hardships over the decades of her life. Her first husband, who we called Paw Paw, fought in WWII while she worked and waited for him to come back home. He wrote her some of the sweetest notes, but keep in mind, there wasn't FaceTime. Or email. Or Skype. Many years later, she sent her oldest son to Vietnam. My Paw Paw was attacked one night by someone who stabbed him. God protected him during that incident, but he was unable to fight an infection years later as a result of the measures taken to save his life. Within a week, she was saying goodbye to her best friend and the love of her life. I have such respect for the strength she has modeled for all of us through the good times and bad!

More than anything, I want her to know how thankful I am for loving us so well over the years. She has spent countless weeks helping to take care of us when we were babies or my parents went out of town. She came to San Antonio when I had my tonsils out and kept my room dusted. Obviously, my mom had never loved her more. We spent a week with her every summer and thanksgivings around her table. She cooked Chicken and Dumplings, her specialty, more times than I can count. We've laughed at the things she says and the stories she can tell. 

Her memory has begun to fade, and we know that God will call her home long before any of us is ready. When that day comes, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that her legacy will be remembered and passed down through the generations of our family. She has lived out 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and I can't think of a better person to celebrate this close to Valentines Day. 

Happy Birthday, Granny! 

I wish I could be there to sing Happy Birthday and tell you in person how thankful I am that God chose you to be my Granny. You hold a special place in my heart that no one else will ever fill. I love you!! 

fancy friday

Happy Friday, friends! I used to think that once I was working from home I wouldn't get as excited about the weekend, but I was wrong. So very wrong! Now Fridays mean just one more day until we're all home together for TWO WHOLE DAYS! And I have backup. Just keepin' it real. 

Once upon a time long ago, Fridays meant date night for Luke and me. We used to dress up and go out to eat...maybe see a movie. One thing is for sure, though, we would definitely stay up way past what our bedtime is these days. Don't get me wrong, we still have date nights on Fridays to celebrate the fact that we made it through another week. However, we usually order take-out, put on comfy clothes, and clean out the DVR. Because we're raising little people. And we're tired. Plus, I'm sure the time will come all too soon when we'll have our Friday nights back and go out to eat. You know, around 4pm with all the other blue hairs.

Occasionally, the grandparents will bless us with a date night out. We dress up, kiss the littles, and high-tail it outta there before Brooke has a meltdown resulting in the grandparents suggesting dessert instead of dinner. It's nice to relive the days when kids were just a dream, and our metabolism could handle carb loading at a fancy Italian restaurant. So in honor of days gone by and days yet to come, here are some pretty little numbers I would love to wear while out with my man.


I love this entire outfit. 

It's also really cool that she's been blessed with the kind of skin tone that looks golden all year round. I do not enjoy such a luxury. Self-tanner is my friend. 

If we were going on a really fancy date, I would definitely wear this.

With these shoes.

And these earrings.

Because nothing says fun like glitter. So much glitter! Unfortunately, the dress alone costs $900, and Luke did not pick the winning Power Ball numbers so I'm out of luck. 

Since I'm solo parenting until tomorrow night, our weekly date will have to take place on Sunday. Today, Brooke and I will be cleaning while Austin is at school. Because we love to live the glamorous life. And then I'm going to pick out something cute to wear when Luke gets home tomorrow. Apparently he folded laundry for me the other day and noticed there were a lot of yoga pants in the mix. What can I say? Some weeks I live by this motto.

To be fair, though, most days I really do put forth an effort to wear something other than sweats. I feel much better about myself if I do. Don't you? And I have to brag on my husband for a minute and tell you that he never gives me a hard time about what I'm wearing. Probably because he wants to live to see the next day, but also, he loves me no matter what. Some days it's the inside that counts. Am I right?!

I may not get to enjoy a date with Luke tonight but these two will keep me company and entertained instead. 

Our night together will probably involve me saying "no" to Chuck E Cheese and compromising on another location that serves pizza before we head to Austin's basketball practice. It won't be fancy, but it will be fun. I wouldn't trade my messy, crazy life for anything in the world!