So our anniversary is next week and I know that Andrea will post something about it, so I thought I would beat her to the punch and do something a little early. I can not write even close to as good as she does, but I will do my best.
My Life Is.....
Long Brown hair,
Eyes of perfect green,
A smile that lights up the room,
Love that is unconditional,
Kindness never ending,
Friendship for all time,
A companion for Eternity,
Late night talks,
Tickle fights,
Looooong Kisses,
The greatest Wife,
My Life is.....Andrea
Andrea I love with all my heart and I am truly blessed to have you as my eternal companion and friend. Thank you for the most amazing 7 years of marriage. I can't wait to be able to start this poems with long grey hair. I am so excited for the rest of forever with you.
My little Braxton never ceases to make my day. He is so kind and whoever steals his heart one day better be amazing! Today I am getting him and Adelle a snack, blueberries, cucumbers and pretzels. I am putting the snacks in two bowls and he is serving his sister and then himself. He looks up at me, and simply says, "you're a really good mom." I am so touched and I say, "Thank you, Braxton." He continues, "you get us snacks all the time and play with us all the time."
He is so appreciative and it blows my mind that someone so young is already so grateful.
We got our family pictures taken last night by our really talented friend Courtney http://courtneybowlden.com/blog/ I did bribe my kids with ice cream. It worked fantastic! I got the onion rings for myself and they ate those too! I'm ok with that, they deserved them they did so great.
My friend Shelby came to town a couple weeks ago for a visit. It was so great to get together with the girls. This is us (Shelby, Me, Mindi) at Birch Bay. Braxton was the photographer. I wish I could find the picture of us the night before I got married. I can see it in my mind and I remember it so vividly. They spent the night with me in my old room one last time. Us three gals have very different lives all of a sudden. We once had so much in common. We now have little in common, really. Our days are extremely different. Our nights are extremely different. Our hobbies are extremely different. We hang out with different people. Spend money on different things. and yet, some things will never change. We talked about girl stuff....that will never change. We love each other.......that will never change. We laugh a lot.......that will never change. We understand each other......that will never change. We are there for each other.....that will never change. We love to shop together.....that will never change. For that I am so thankful and so blessed to have such dear friends in my life!
Jeff often refers to me as his, "little hippie," to which I have recognized as a term of endearment. I really love it when he acknowledges my hippie traits. I am quite proud of them, actually. We don't have a VW Wagon to paint, so we painted the garden box in the backyard. This was not out of trying to make a statement. Rather, this came to be because here in Washington this year the summer has been hit or miss. Monday, was a miss day and the kids and I were bored and sick of the clouds. My creative juices are exhausted and this was what I came up with. It was the perfect activity for the day. It entertained Braxton and Adelle for a good 2 hours. We didn't mind the clouds. Emmett got to sleep through the whole thing. We now have the alphabet in our backyard to practice when we are outside playing, as well as shapes, names, flowers, colors... and it was fun to show off to "dad" when he got home!
*I know, I know. We could have spent the time weeding the garden! That would have been really productive as well but I actually tried that first and the kids weren't impressed. I will just add that to my "to do without the kids" list!
This little "M" is growing so fast. I can't believe that he is 6 months old....as of yesterday! We celebrated with his first attempt at food. Yummy Yams! He was so happy to be at the table with us and getting all the attention! The yams were a hit! One huge yam my gramy brought over I boiled and mashed and got a ton of baby yam yummies. This is the life! Everyone got new jammies this weekend thanks to Braxton outgrowing most of his! love these kids! love holding one of them while trying to blog and answering questions of another one and having one on the ground spinning the very seat I am sitting in.
We were so excited to meet up with friends today at the Bellingham Public Library for their summer concert series. Outdoors, sunshine, picnic, friends..... check out the link and join us on Fridays. We will be back!
I have been invited to girls camp tomorrow to talk to the girls about motherhood. I am so honored and so humbled and so excited to talk about my sweet children and the life changing experience it has been to be their mother.
In preparing I came across this picture and this letter.
My heart is full.
March 29, 2007
Dear First Born,
Because of you I now know what it is like to be a mother. In your first 17 months you have taught me to be selfless. I now dedicate my life to making your life safe and to teaching you that you are a child of God. You have loved me unconditionally on good days and bad days and clean days and days that I don’t even have time to take a shower. You still love me, always the same. I am your momma, your teacher, your protection, your friend.
You have needed me but more so I have needed you. When I am down, you smile at me and laugh. When I cry, you cry because it makes you sad to see me sad and likewise, sometimes when you cry, I cry because I want to make everything better for you. You sometimes cry when I leave and it makes me sad but you sometimes wave bye-bye and blow kisses and that makes me sad too! I don’t know what is better, to have you sad that I am leaving or to know that you are happy because you know I always come back quickly to get you.
Your cuddles are the more rewarding gift I could ever receive. You hold me so tight and all my worries are washed away.You will always be my little “cuddles.”
Most of my favorite memories with you come from nursing. You nursed 17 months! You were such a milk monster that your dad and I swore you would nurse until you were 10 years old. But you loved nursing.You would run your fingers through my hair when you nursed and I would rub your feet. You sometimes would smile but you never let off.First you learned the milk sign and then you would even point to the chair where I nursed you when you wanted milk or set the pillows on the bed in the position I used for nursing. You have always been a smart boy.
You love the bath. You love to splash and play with bath toys. You love to go outside. You stand by the back door and pound on it with your hat on until I let you go play outside. Even in the winter I bundled you up and you went out and were happy. You love it when we sing and read. You crawl up on my lap and flip the pages. Your first song to follow the motions too was “If you’re happy and you know it.” Now you love “Ring around the Rosie,” and “Head, shoulders, knees, and toes.”
You are sweet in all your dealings. We nap together and you love it. I ask you if you are ready for nap time with mom and you nod your head and lay it on my shoulder. You love to play with other kids but especially your dad. He plays the most fun with you and then your uncles. Your bottom lip whimpers and you can basically get anyone in the world to feel for you with that lip.
You love bonz. You are always nice to share your snacks with him and your toys. You two look out for each other.
Braxton, you taught me more then anything else about our Heavenly Father’s love. I love you as my child and I can, for the first time, relate to Heavenly Father in wanting the very best for his children. I want the very best for you, I would do absolutely anything for you. Your dad and I work hard to teach you. We love you. We are thankful for you. We pray for you multiple times a day. We believe in you and we will always be here for you. You are our first miracle. The new meaning of our lives and our marriage.
oh and something I just figured out... you can peel the ginger, cut a small piece, and use your garlic press to mince it. It works beautifully and then you don't have to stand around trying to use a cheap knife to get the ginger nice and minced! genius!
Adelle wanted to hold Emmett the other day. She was so cute and so excited about holding him all by herself. When I looked at the picture I felt instant dejavu!
How funny! The picture of Adelle and Emmett totally reminded me of this one of Brax and Adelle. I love watching my kids love on each other!
The Doctrine and Covenants section 122:7 "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."
The scriptures are my daily bread and now more than ever I am feasting. To say that I feel strong in my current circumstances would be very true. To say that I feel weak in my current circumstances would be very true. This is why I have temporarily labeled myself "a case!" It's interesting, this life, and the curve balls that we are thrown. It's interesting how just when things seem to be at their best, they are somehow also at their worst. How can that be? For me the best is present through my faith. I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father and that through Him I can do all things. This brings me so much joy that I can then pass on to my family. I know that He knows me personally and is watching over me at this time with much love and charity. I know where to turn for peace. I am turning there often. I am at peace. I am more reliant on the Lord now than I have ever been in my life and it is empowering me with so much strength and endurance. I feel His mercy and His love and it is truly saving my family. So, with that said, we are good. So good! This huge, almost scary, risk taking, miracle of a career change is trying us, to say the least, but I know it is for our experience and will be for our good. So bring it on life! I'm ready for you!
braxton has a bud her name is adelle adelle has a bud his name is braxton these buds truly love each other they encourage each other they help each other they laugh together a lot they yell at each other not as much they are right now sound asleep in their new bunk beds the older bud on top the little bud on bottom same room by choice first night zonked from playing hard together all day everyday i peeked in and took a mental picture to hold on to, forever sleep tight my sweets i love you you are growing up
Adelle is such a little toughy! Where did she come from, anyway? This morning I pulled 3 slivers out of her foot. The whole time she was giggling, "it tickles mommy." No fear, no tears! It reminded me of when my dad used to pull out my slivers. He was always so gentle and accurate. I remember saying a hundred times.. "is that it? did you get it yet?" while bracing myself and trying as hard as I could to not cry. Sorry dad, you had it tough. I'll take out Adelle's slivers over my own any day!
