October 30, 2009

• My Daughters and Me.

   

  Claudia is here. And what a lovely, lovely time we are having with her! I think she could stay a month and we’d only like her more! Zoe asks for her every waking moment and is quite the imitator – I see her doing little “Claudia moves” and sayings. Maybe I’ll have a little bit of Claudia left here even after she’s gone!

  I had been wanting to do an informal photo shoot with my girls. I can’t remember doing one since Olivia is born, where it’s my girls and me. Yesterday late afternoon the backlight was just beautiful through the bamboo in the backyard. So we ran out and took a few pictures. Okay, a LOT of pictures. I thought I was only going to put one or two on here, but I couldn’t decide!

  

  I had picked up the dress that Olivia is wearing when Zoe’ was a baby, and wore it often on Zoe’. Months later, I found a bigger size for Zoe’ that she would wear at 2 years. Knowing I had matching dresses and was expecting again, I was hoping for a little girl to dress her up in them! Meanwhile, the shirt I was wearing was given to me by a sister who didn’t want it. *cough* So we’re matchy-matchy without really even trying.

  

  

  This is one of my favorites, with the bamboo leaves blurred in the foreground and the backlight in the background.

  

  

  My precious little daughters. I love having two girls! I would love to have four girls, like there are in my family. That scares Ben just a little.

  

  Names were a big deal to Ben and me when we were naming our children. Meanings of names, I should say.

  “Zoe’ Grace” means “Life of Grace.” Not physical life, but vivacious, exuberant, and bubbling-over life of the soul – which can be given only by God. I loved that. She was named that at a time in my life when I felt so much in need of that life. And God has been that to me through her. So beautiful.

  

  “Olivia Caroline” means “Messenger of Peace and Joy.” And she has been that to us! She arrived at a time when my heart was in the midst of many wrestlings, and she has truly brought peace and so much joy to us! I think it’s so beautiful how God has laid names and meanings on our hearts that speak destiny to our child, but that also speak of the blessing they are to us *right now*!

  

  Olivia and Zoe are both blonde-haired and blue-eyed, but they look so so different from each other! Olivia is growing up, but she is still our petite little baby!

  

   

  Tomorrow – we’re off to a family vacation! Excited doesn’t even begin to describe us right now.

  -clarita

   

   

  • 1:43 pm
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