Photography - McKenzie Sue Makes

Immediately after finishing the SaviorSundayStudie

Immediately after finishing the SaviorSundayStudies worksheet and guide designs, I laid on my bed and didn’t leave for an entire month. 🤪 And this is why! 🌻👶🏼✨ (Insert tender mercy that my first trimester symptoms didn’t hit me until after the designs were done 🙏🏼) We are very excited to have another sweet spirit join our family in April and I am full of gratitude and awe that I have the chance to co-create another little life. I know this is a thorn in many people’s lives. I have felt a prick of it before and do not take for granted the opportunity to carry and grow a child. The ability to create is I think one of God’s greatest powers and the fact that They—Heavenly Father Heavenly Mother, and Jesus Christ—share that power with me as a woman blows my mind every single day. (I want to go back and read what the topical guide finds in the scriptures about Jesus Christ as a creator since I missed out on that week). I have had to put a lot of things aside as I was in survival mode these past few weeks and although I am not quite out of the first trimester (which makes it a bit nerve-wracking to share, but just felt right), I have been so uplifted and pumped up from General Conference! I noticed speaker after speaker mentioning the blessings and importance of focusing your time and effort in learning more about Jesus Christ. I am so grateful @lizzy.jensen felt the Spirit nudge her to get this #saviorsundaystudies going and it really couldn’t be more perfect timing! Now that I’m feeling a bit better, I will slowly be joining you all on this study and I cannot wait to be immersed in scripture. I have missed it terribly! But I also know rest and seasons are also important and going at a pace that works for you will still bring forth that constant drip of blessings the Lord is so eager to give you. If you have no idea what I’m talking about with this study, please go to my website and read more and join us, even if you’re not from the same church but also love Jesus! ✨💛

Reading through the entire book of Psalms within a

Reading through the entire book of Psalms within a short period of time has opened my eyes to a map. A map others have created and written and sung. A map emerged that leads us closer to God. This map holds a path of key action words to follow along. Verbs that stuck out and are used frequently throughout the 150 psalms. In no particular order, here are key actions on our map guide: Calling
✨
Crying
✨
Trusting
✨
Seeking
✨
Remembering
✨
Rejoicing
✨
Praising
✨
Thanking
✨
Delighting I noticed this map wasn’t a straight line where we all take the same path or there’s one right way. Each of our action words come at different times. Your actions might go in a different order than mine. It was tough to know which came first as I read. Did the songwriter trust in the Lord and then he praised Him? Or because he was praising, his trust in Him grew? Did they cry unto the Lord and then remembered him? Or maybe the very act of calling out was them remembering the Lord. The map has what seems like polar opposites that will actually draw us closer to God - if you can delight in the Lord and cry unto Him at the same time, you are on the right path. .. There is a second map shown as well. The map of Godly actions He makes to the people who follow their own map. His map includes: Hearing
Helping
Strengthening
Delivering
Saving
Protecting
Offering refuge
Extending mercy His map is endless. And our paths will converge in the end, where He will bring us to the gates of His palace.
✨

If we get outside first thing, our days run much s

If we get outside first thing, our days run much smoother. We’ve dubbed this the “climbing tree” playground and Hazel has gotten pretty good at it with all the recent practice. Seeing her bravely leaning into fear in the safety of my arms, taking reasonable risks, and mapping out what her body can handle is one of my favorite parts of watching my kids grow.

#ruckersundayselfie still happening over here now

#ruckersundayselfie still happening over here now and again (with Hazel too busy carrying her 5 puppies to be a part of the photo). So grateful for the knowledge that this family is not just a part of me until death parts us, but for eternity. I can’t even fathom what eternity really means but I sure will be grateful to have these cuties beside me. (Note that this was the very first shot took. James is famous for his amazing photo smiles 😁) ✨

Scouting out all the local nature trails and this

Scouting out all the local nature trails and this one was a perfect find! Variety of landscapes, with fun bridges here and there, a good amount of shade, and lots of dogs to say hi to along the way! And I am also reaping the benefit of the hard work of getting them out and hiking for a full hour because they are currently both napping at the same time 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼. I am hoping to get outdoors as often as possible with these two and watch them explore in wonder. ☀️ #ouroutdoors

We pull up to a new playground and before I even s

We pull up to a new playground and before I even sit down in the shade the kid’s heads (and mine) are covered in sweat. They play for only a few minutes before they rush back to the shady seat and ask for the snacks and drinks (which I was luckily prepared for). The kids were not sharing, the slides were scathing hot, and you could call this outing an utter failure. As I tipped my head back to get the last sip of my drink, I was struck with an unexpected sight above me. The sky was a glorious blue with clouds whisping through the tree cracks. And the prettiest lilacs were blooming above me that I had not even noticed since I sat down. It stopped me for a split second; I smiled and returned back to refereeing the sharing. The kids learned to compromise and they began treating each other kindly. They zoomed on their scooters and found a bush full of berries to pick. Lesson learned: if I just tilt my head upwards once in a while, I can see things in a new perspective and find the beauty in what is usually completely missed. The mundane is a gift. ✨✨✨ The last two slides are from my favorite corner of my own little website: My 1,000 Gifts. Now I started this in 2017 and am only to #62, but it has given me a new lens to view life in, and I love documenting those God-moments where, for a split second, I am struck in the beauty of the moment I find myself in and I write it in poem form to express my gratitude. I highly recommend you give it a try! And read @annvoskamp’s beautiful book to be inspired by her words and idea. mckenziesuemakes.com/one-thousand-things/ #exhalecreativity

Last week I taught Hazel the letter O and since we

Last week I taught Hazel the letter O and since we didn’t have a chance to make orange juice then, we had to give it a go this week! And James woke up from his nap just in time to enjoy the fruits of our labor 🧡☀️🍊