cheesey love

I had to include some fun footage of my sons having fun together. It's so easy to think of the times where they are not getting along. But it's really important to celebrate how much they are becoming great friends.

It reminds me of growing up with my sister and never feeling like I was alone...I had a built in friend. And even when we didn't get along during the day, I have fond memories of us laying in our beds, in our shared room, and talking until one of us fell asleep.

I really encourage our sons to see each other as friends, because I know the Lord has given them to each other for a purpose.

It gives me so much joy to see them playing together.

first words and sentences

Levi is starting to say words, and I am absolutely giddy over it! I don't know what's come over me, but every time I hear him trying to say a word, I can't get the grin off my face.

Matt and I think his first real word was...wait for it..."brush!" Hilarious! He loves holding my brushes and carrying them around the house. Some of his other ones were, "hot" with the sign, "Hi" while waving, and "MINE!" (Not really saying it, but belting it at Caleb.) He started using this last word, because he hears his brother saying it ALL THE TIME!


Caleb is using full sentences now. And it is also cracking me up. The other day he came over to where I was sitting, he leaned over the arm of the couch, eyebrows furrowed, the corners of his mouth downturned, and said, "So...I'm not feeling so good." There was just a quick second of us looking at each other, then I reached over and started tickling him..."You are so funny, Caleb!" And of course he started laughing too. He is a comedian at 2-and-a-half years old.


I'm loving this season in our lives! It is so good to laugh, even in the midst of some hard circumstances right now. Laughter is truly the best medicine!

the cupcake

Levi fell asleep at his party, before he could enjoy his birthday cupcake. After all the guests were gone, Levi woke up and loved the cake!

I love how Caleb sings with us in this video. He loves singing...all the time! Our camera ran out of memory right after Levi took his first bite. I'm glad we caught it...it's a classic Levi move.

(The mess in our living room, is the remnants of the kids and the gifts at the party. Our house doesn't always look this messy!)

Levi's party

We are having a bunch of people over tomorrow afternoon for Levi's birthday party! (If you haven't heard, you're invited too!) When I say a bunch, I mean around 60 PEOPLE!!! I just checked the list last night, and was shocked that all the numbers added up to that!

We love people! We love celebrating! We love to have an excuse to get people around us to celebrate...something, anything! It's going to be great to get people together again, to celebrate the first year of Levi's life. We are also planning on dedicating him to the Lord tomorrow, with our parents there to give a blessing, speaking words of life and hope over him. It was an amazing time when Caleb turned one, and it will be a tradition we'll carry on with all of our kids!

The scripture the Lord gave us for Levi Joshua Ens:

True instruction was
in Levi’s mouth and
nothing false was found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace
and uprightness,
and turned many from sin.

~Malachi 2:6~

One year ago...

Levi will turn One-Year-Young tomorrow!!! Of course, I've been thinking about the events that led up to his birth last year, and as I do, I remember my mom reminding me of the day of my birth. "It was a Monday morning, we were only at the hospital for a few hours and pop, out you came around 11am." It always sounded to me so gentle and fast. Ha! I have come to understand a fast delivery does not mean painless!!!

Levi just did not seem to want to come out when his due date came and went. Granted, it was only 5 days after his due date that we decided to induce labor. Some women wait at least 2 weeks! I am so grateful to the Lord that I felt peace to go the hospital when we did. With that big of a baby, I don't know what it would have looked like if we had waited for him to come out on his own.

On April 3rd, his due date, I had scheduled to be induced at 7:30am. When that time came, I had no peace, was sobbing the night before, not sure what to do. I really wanted a natural delivery, and I wanted the Lord's timing for it all. So when 7 am came, I had to call and let them know I would not be coming in. Levi was going to stay inside for a few more days.

So I felt the Lord's peace to schedule to go in on April 8th. My doctor set that day, and I was sure I was going to have him before then. But nope, Levi just wasn't ready.

It amazes me how you can tell children's temperaments even when they're inside! Matt and I could tell even by 20 weeks pregnant, watching him on the little ultrasound screen that he had a pensive, more mellow personality. And yes, he has definitely shown that to be true in his first year of life!

So unlike some stories I've heard of women barely making it to the hospital before their baby pops out, Matt and I walked in, very calm, focused, trying to make each other laugh at the craziness of it all. In a few hours we would be holding our second little boy...wonder what he will look like...wonder what this labor will be like...

I can gratefully say, I have a great partner for such an intense feat! Matt was amazing. We were able to pray and use scripture through the delivery, and I really felt the Holy Spirit's presence through it all. It was healing for me after a delivery like Caleb's, (another story for another time).

After 4 1/2 hours Levi's shoulder was stuck, and we needed more nurses to help get him out! I heard a lot of them exclaim, "he's so big...let me guess how much he weighs...he's got to be 11 pounds!" And when they had put him on the scale, I had to do a double and triple take at the numbers it was displaying. This could not be true!!! Sure enough our little Levi was 2 oz shy of 11 pounds! It was by the grace of God that he came out all natural!

I'm so grateful for the blessing of our second son! Matt says he's beginning to think Levi is closer to my temperament, and Caleb to Matt's. That does make sense to me. I'm sure we will be seeing their personalities and temperaments develop over the next several years, but it is certainly fun to see glimpses while they are still so little.

Our little family is complete...at least for the next year or so...we'll see!

spots and walks

Little Levi has red splotches all over his face and stomach. It is the hardest thing to see him not feeling well; cold, ear infection, fever, and now a reaction to the antibiotics...thus now on Benadryl. AHHHHH!

I took Caleb and Levi into the store to buy the Benadryl today and when checking out, I looked over to my usually smiley baby, who always melts the hearts of everyone we encounter, and he was half smiling but with red spots all over his face. I then realized how truly blessed I am to have usually perfectly healthy babies!

I had just put Levi down for another nap and Caleb and I went for a walk to get the mail. On the way back, he picked up some rocks to bring back to throw in our mud puddles. We had almost reached the house when he said to me, rather loudly..."Anne! Where you go-een? Anne! You hold dis rock too? It's heavy!"

Oh my goodness!

I looked at him and started laughing out loud. He smiled and started laughing too. I said, "I'm mommy, mister." He said, "Yeah...Mommy. And I'm Caleb!"

we have another walker, folks!

Levi is now walking...almost consistently! He is going to be 10 months in a week. And it is absolutely precious to watch! It feels new all over again. I see the excitement in his eyes as he is trying out his new discovery. And yes, we applaud him after he collapses on the floor. Levi is ever increasingly a tremendous joy in our lives! And he is now sleeping through the night! It took a few nights of letting him scream (heart renching), and our neighbor and roommate asking if everything is ok at 2am, but we broke through and he is now going back to sleep on his own. All I can say is "Hallelujah!" What a difference a full night's sleep makes.

Caleb is now talking non-stop...I'm not joking! He repeats the same question over and over until someone either answers him or says something in response. And when he's watching one of his cartoons, he says the lines simultaneously with the characters. It's pretty hilarious! I thought we were a long way off from this stage, but here we are. I am even more aware of what we say now. Because we have a parrot in the house.

Here's one of the only video's I've taken that capture more than just Levi taking one step:

simple update

I can't believe how quickly Levi is growing up! He is now crawling on all fours, pulling himself up on furniture. He loves singing the "Ba" sound, with much gusto! I think he's gonna be a singer just like Mommy, belting it out with all he has. We went to a specialist about his bump above his eye, and the short of it is that we need to get it removed. Either here when he's a year old, or down south at UCLA any time before he's a year (due to anesthesiologists regulations). Again, we are praying it goes away, but if it doesn't, the doctor said it will probably grow as he grows. He doesn't think it's a cyst, but he wants to know what it is. So there's the update on Levi's bump.

Caleb is becoming the big brother/teacher that we knew would come one day. A couple days ago, I heard Caleb in his car seat say, "You see cow, baby? Yes?" He looked at Levi, then pointed out the window. They both sleep in the same room now, and Caleb loves it! He loves taking care of Levi, most of the time. Sometimes we are still trying to get him to stop sitting on Levi. But as brothers, we know this will probably continue.

I went to my 10 year reunion on Saturday night. Wow! It was so amazing to see all the people that I hadn't seen in a decade! I talked to some of my old close friends, and I talked to some who I probably never talked to before in school. It's funny how time has a way of leveling the fields. It was really fun, and really challenging at the same time. Matt met a lot of people and he did great! We had to leave right when it was just getting started due to the babysitter, but it was really worth it I thought.

Levi's friend

Levi and Elliot Swanson enjoy their first swing time together. She's 2 weeks older and 3 pounds lighter. But I guess that's to be expected since Levi was such a big boy when he was born!

the age of mobility has begun

It has begun! Levi is on the move. He's sitting up, rolling over, and doing the army crawl! AHHHH. I have heard from so many moms of two or more kids, that with number 2, you are less likely to encourage them to start moving. This...is true!


I'm not encouraging it at all, I'm just sitting back and watching it happen. I can no longer put a blanket down on the floor and expect Levi to stay there. He's all over the living room.


He is such a little love. When I pick him up, he seems like he's giving me a bear hug; both arms around my neck, nose into my shoulder, and squeezing...tight.


I stand back simply amazed that this little one is ours. He came from us, and carries within himself part of us. Caleb and Levi are tremendous blessing in our lives. I can't imagine what we would be like without them!

thumb sucker

This is totally new to me...we have a thumb sucker in the house!!! It's not just a one day occurrence either. Levi has found his hands and has been caught several times sucking his thumb, so cute, and so new! Caleb never really enjoyed this as a baby. But now at almost 2 years, Caleb sticks all of his fingers in his mouth, all the time it seems like. I love the little differences between the boys that are coming up. It's in the little things that makes each boy so unique and so special.

I think sometimes as an adult, that I just wish someone noticed the things that I do. The way I smile at someone new; that sometimes awkward but open "hello" that shines through my eyes. Or the way I play with my hands when I'm thoughtful. Or the way my heart thumps in my chest when I'm about to play the piano, waiting to see what my fingers are going to discover, and the melody that surfaces from them. So many little things that make me, me. I love the passage in the Bible that talks about our Father knowing us as He created us in our mother's womb. (ps 139) He is the one who keeps on noticing the little things about us, even when our parents stop. And I can't forget that He has placed my husband in my life, who constantly lets me know that Yes! he knows me.

I guess what it comes down to is we are seen! If you haven't seen the VeggieTales story of the Snoodles, you have to see it! I don't know how a cartoon can make me cry, but it did! It talks about how God sees us not as we are now but as he has created us to be, without all the baggage from life. I'm not doing it justice, so take my word for it and watch it! And know that Yes! you are seen. (And all that just from my thumb sucker.)

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (psalm 139)

bath time cutie

At 2 months, I'm 16 pounds and off the charts! But I know I'm still a cutie; just a BIG cutie!

six-week smiles

I love waiting until the moment you see the real smile, not just because of the fun sensation of gas in their bellies, but because they actually recognize your face and voice. Ah, there's really nothing else like it in the world!

a special gift

I'm now a mama of 2 boys! Levi Joshua was born April 8th, weighing in at 10 lbs 14 oz and 22 1/2 in long!!! Yes, he is a big boy, now only 6 weeks old but the size of a 3 month old. He is such a tremendous joy for our family, and Caleb loves him! Sometimes Caleb is a little too rough, but he loves giving Levi kisses and holding him.

Last night I went to a girls-night-in dinner with some groups from church and we were sharing around the circle for a while about some of our life long goals. At one point I got to encourage one of the girls (all college students) that I didn't want to be a mom either before I was married. She asked what changed. And it was amazing to respond that God had definitely changed my heart as I became healed just to be happy being a woman. And I said that He knew I was meant to give life to my two wonderful boys! What an amazing thought. As it came out of my mouth I got choked up at the thought of not having them in my life if I had not been healed by the Lord! And through these years of being healed as a woman I am now honestly able to say, I feel so privilege to be a mother!

What treasures they are in my life!

another wonderful boy!

We just found out today that we are expecting another boy! We are so excited that Caleb will have a brother so close in age to him. As we were looking at our new little one on the ultrasound screen, we were amazed that we could sense that his personality is different than Caleb's. Matt and I walked outside afterwards and he commented on this one having a more thoughtful, pensive personality, whereas Caleb is very social and outgoing. I felt the same thing.

It really is amazing to be expecting another boy! I had to overcome my surprise initially. This one threw me a bit, because the Lord was speaking to Matt and I both about having a girl. But looking back now, I know that was a promise that He will give us a girl someday!

My friend's response to our news today, was "Of course, isn't that what you were saying when you were delivering Caleb? God had this little boy in his heart as you were giving birth to your first boy!" I was so grateful for the reminder! I did have a dream during labor of our 2 boys working together, building, for the Kingdom of God! At the time I thought it was funny timing, but even then the Lord was preparing my heart!

Another friend's response was to read Psalm 127: 3-5 and the Lord really spoke to me:

"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.

How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;

they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate."

This is such a wonderful promise from the Lord! Thank you Lord for the gift of children and the miracle each one is in your hand!