Wordless Wednesday

Happy Halloween!

Today will be a great day! Minus the spiders (why, of all creatures, did spiders have to be a main feature of this otherwise fantastic candy filled holiday?) Halloween has always been a fantastic celebration and full of happy memories. A few favorite things:

1. Dad's Birthday. "He would be born on Halloween", is usually the response I get when I tell people. It's true, too. Who better to be born than my dad on a day that celebrates characters, tricks, treats, laughter, and candy? No one, that's who.

2. Candy. 

3. Did I mention candy?

4. Pumpkin Carving. My brother in law takes the cake on this one - he is a brilliant pumpkin carver. Like a true artist, he is never satisfied with his work, but we all stand around "oohing" and "ahhing" over each year's new creation. This year he made one pumpkin with his kids' hands/feet as the face. It was brilliant! The other, was a beautiful carving of "Singing in the Rain", complete with a street lamp and umbrella. Again, gorgeous.

5. Cute kids in costumes. Grayson is Tigger this year, and growls for candy. It doesn't get much better than that! Brooklyn is a beautiful winter Belle, and curtsies while saying "Merci!". And Madi, when in Jaime's carrier, becomes a little popcorn baggie. So awesome! Props to Jaime for her creativity and craftiness on that one as well.

All in all, Halloween is a fun, whimsical, candy-filled day with lots of laughter and love. Plus, it is the unofficial kick-off to the holiday season. From here we speed right into Thanksgiving, then it's just a few short weeks to Christmas and New Years!

Happy Halloween!

Love These Two

This is how Brett and Piper fell asleep the other afternoon. Sweet.

An Aunt's Life

To my sweet, eldest niece:

You make me laugh! Do I tell you that enough? You exude feeling - perhaps more than anyone I know, you feel things deeply and truly. You are full of life, drama, conversation, opinions, and all sorts of hilarity. I don't always know what a day with you will entail, but I know that at the end I will have many more stories than time to tell them. And so here are a few....

First, you are learning Spanish right now, and a few phrases that have continued to bring you (and us) joy are:

"Mama, may I go to the bano, please?"

"Hola, Tia!"

"Hola Papa, Como Esta?"

Next, While all of us adults were talking, rather passionately and loudly as we often do, you seemed to be in your own world of play. But when we couldn't decide on the time of a recent event ("It was 8:00 I think"..."No it must have been 9:00...") you burst into the conversation and with your loudest, most authoritative voice you stood up to say "It was 9!!" Then, with a look around the room a heavy sigh you said, "I just can't handle this anymore.." and left us in astonished laughter.

Third and finally, You have truly grown up a Georgia Peach. While singing the song "Little Bunny Foo Foo" (Lyrics Here) you changed the chorus to say "..Down came the good ol' fairy..." in perfect southern style!

Hanging with you has always been and continues to be one of my favorite things to do. I love you, Chica!

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

We are more or less settled here in Georgia, and have had so many reminders of God's faithfulness throughout the process. The mantra and phrase that keeps coming up in conversation for us is "our daily bread", and we are finding that God's faithfulness and goodness, though abundant, is making itself known in small, sweet packages. It comes in the form of a phone call invitation to interview for med school when we weren't sure we would hear back at all, or a text message about a beautiful little townhome in our price range that was available immediately one we pulled into the state. 

We're doing our best to be wise, prayerful, and have discernment in all things - and I think we keep both sense that we will be Ok, that we're covered, cared-for, and looked after. It doesn't change the need to make good decisions or be thoughtful, and we've certainly had our share of doubts, second guesses, and frustrations, but God's faithfulness continues to be stronger than our faults and failures.

That being said, there is much to be grateful for, and I look ahead with hope and gladness to this new season - whatever may come!

Home Sweet Home: Georgia Style

Here is it! 

Home, Sweet Home!

We are here in Smyrna, Georgia and couldn't feel more blessed with this little spot. We've enjoyed so much turning "house" into "home", decorating, dreaming, and enjoying the space. It's a great neighborhood, and we've already enjoyed conversations with neighbors. Piper is taken with the yard, and keeps us laughing with the way she tears around the entire house running freely. 

I can't wait to take a picture of the house during each season here. The tree in the front yard is already starting to change color, and I'm sure it will be gorgeous! There is even a bit of mistletoe we can pick off the lower branches to keep in the house during the Christmas season. Sweet!

We are so comfortable here, and look forward to more happy seasons to come! And for a bit more about where we live:

Smyrna: Jonquil City

Population: About 51,000+

Location: 10 miles NW of Atlanta

Fun Facts: A scene from the movie "Joyful Noise" was filmed here; though part of Cobb County, Smyrna has its own library system; Julia Roberts lived here, and Atlanta Bread Company headquarters are located here.

The Picture of Moving

It's been a bittersweet few days as we grow closer to our next big move. Thank goodness we have been presented with some amazing opportunities to be with friends doing superbly California-ish activities: Sailing, Beach Bonfires, Barbeques, and the like!

In general, the balance between planning ahead or accomplishing tasks and living in the present has been very good. We're getting a lot done, but also finding time to spend time with people who we will miss deeply! 

Today is a task day, and as I pack a few boxes here and there I'm struck by how quickly time has flown by. It seems like minutes ago I was finally done setting up the house and feeling at home here. One of my favorite spots is our living room - it is open, airy, bright, and shows the "Ostrander Style" well, I think. It's sad to see walls that I've become accustomed to enjoying looking so plain again.

But, the sweet backside to moving: I'm getting an even clearer look at things that I've missed over the past months. It's so fun to take just a moment to look through that photo album one more time and relieve a few memories, or to see a collection of photo frames from all over the apartment and get a full look at our beautiful life! 

Moving forward isn't so bad, as long as one remembers to take a look around and rest in the present, too!

Thankful Thursday 2011: #2

[We'll] Be Home for Christmas .... !

This year, maybe more than ever, I am so thankful to be going "Home" to Georgia for Christmas, and - for the first time ever - to have Christmas Day with Brett! Again, we both love where we live and enjoy this season in our lives, but there is something about being right up near the mountains, with the possibility of snow, a justified fire in the fireplace, and my mom's incredible Christmas decorations that make it feel like a winter wonderland more than anything else.

I'm so excited to play games and laugh so hard I cry along with everyone else. I can't wait to see Brooklyn and Grayson's antics. We are looking forward to great conversations with my family - ones that make us laugh hard, and ones that make us better people, and ones that shed some wisdom on our lives as well. I am so thankful that we are able to make the trek east and spend time at one of our "Homes away from Home".

And, I'm thankful that this year I get to spend the whole Holiday with my guy, share all our traditions with him from beginning to end, and have lazy conversations about what our own traditions will be as a family. Yes, I am so thankful for this coming Christmas :)