the olivers

my story...

My name is Kate Oliver. I have been married to Matt a little over five years.  We have a two year old son named Grafton and a nine month old daughter named Laken.  We have just recently moved to an island in Washington state where my husband is working in ministry.

I am living my dream...

I have known that I wanted to marry my husband since I sat behind him in geometry class in ninth grade.  We didn't date until college and we were only acquaintances in high school, but I knew.   

I have always wanted to be a mom.  Since high school I have know that, if possible, I wanted to be a stay at home mom.  I know and love many women that are working mothers and I think they are Amazing at what they do.  Right now though, this is what is best for me, and in turn, my kiddos.  I feel so blessed to have two children, and on top of that, a boy and a girl!  They are so different and beautiful is so many ways.  Although I hope to have more someday, I find life very challenging and fullfilling with the two I have been given today.

God has blessed me in so many ways and I want to acknowledge that every day.  In the good moments I want to learn to rejoice in His grace.  In the hard and sometimes painful moments I want to learn to trust in Him more and be reminded that He is always good.  It is important to me to try and find beauty in the things that surround me every day.  God is in everything and His beauty is evident if I am willing to see it.

So I have started this blog to help remind me of the beauty that surrounds me.  It is in my husband, my children, in the hurting and the healthy.  There is beauty in the mundane.  In my everyday chores and in my children's meltdowns.  I want to document the little things that make this life so wonderful.  

That is how I came up with the name for this blog.  We have three apple trees in our backyard.  My son Loves them. All summer he wanted to play under them.  He loves to collect the fruit.  He loves to lay under them and stare at the clouds through the branches.  My children know how to delight in the little things much better than I do.  I want to document the amazing moments and the small joys in my family's life.  I hope that this can be a place that will inspire you to do the same.