2007... a very pregnant Easter

It's almost midnight here.  So please ignore the red eyes.  All we knew how to do was use our point and shoot camera back then.  And well, I'm too tired to fix those eyes of mine right now.  And really, that's hardly the point.



Check out that baby belly.  I was rockin it.. wouldn't you say?  That was a awesome Easter.  Baby Abigail came shortly after that day!

Things I Love About My Life... According to the iphone

Music 

I love chocolate cake in the oven on a weeknight.



I love afternoon tea.



I love our Church and Saint Francis



I love that we had an afternoon together.  This is Anna waiting for me to try on a dress.



I love seeing her light up in an aisle of yarn.



I love how our backyard looks with snow... the last snow!



I love bunnies and seasonal tea and Emma Bridgewater mugs.



I love putting homemade in their lunchboxes.



I love this girl and that she's still little.



I love finding just the right jewelry to wear to Cinderella. Scott bought this for me in Disney World when Anna was three. I still remember him coming into the room and handing me that necklace. Swoon!



I love this Cinderella scarf a friend gave me that Anna stole for the movie.



I loved seeing them together and so happy... movie about to begin.



I loved that dreamy look on her face after Cinderella... dreaming of prince I'm sure of it.



I love how the teapot Anna gave me for Christmas matched the print I ordered when I didn't plan it. Happiness.



I love her after bath. And I love the view I get every night while I iron. Oh and I love my wedding bouquet hanging on the wall.



I love this reader and this book a friend gave me.



I love children's clothes. And this top.



I love her playing 'bendy princesses' while Anna is in Suzuki orchestra.



I love chicken pot pie on a Monday night. It makes me feel oh so domestic.



And I love strawberry pie too.



I love when they play calico critters in the dollhouse my father built me when I was just six years old.



I love Saturday afternoon pearls with no where to go.

Memorizing

"My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. let them not depart from your sight, keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their soul" ~Proverbs 4:20-22



Each Monday I write a new Bible verse and put it in the girls lunch boxes. It stays there until Friday, and on Friday they have it memorized. I love that they are storing up God's Word in them so that He can call it to mind when they need it. I love the treasure they'll have before they leave one day. It is my hope that they'll have so much in their heart that they'll grow to fall in love with His Word and love having it in their hearts.

Solos

Easter with a Child

What a Wonderful World 

I'm sure it was the same for you with your first baby.  I can remember every first holiday with Anna like it was yesterday.  If I close my eyes I can actually still feel those feelings wash over me.  I'm grateful for that.  Those memories God gave me.

~ Home was Never Sweeter Than Now ~

I knew during her first Christmas, Easter, birthday... that I was in the middle of something very special.  I didn't want to hear one more person tell me, "watch, you'll blink and she'll be all grown up"  So I didn't blink.  Well, I blinked, but I kept my eyes, ears, heart open and locked away every detail.  I knew back then that I didn't want to feel like I missed anything.  I left teaching.  I had no hesitation writing my letter of resignation.  I couldn't bear to miss one single moment with her.

That first year my Dad offered to watch Anna so Scott and I could run to a store up the street.  Almost walking distance. We went to look for invitations for her Baptism.  But two minutes in the store and I couldn't breathe.  And we rushed home.  That was me.  And in a way, still is.

There was just something about her face I couldn't be without.

That first year I was so attached to her. Physically attached to her. If you watch any "baby movies"... just the raw footage I'm constantly holding her. Walking around with her on hip. Kissing her. Touching her. I lost a friend of touching her and being with her too much. She said something like why couldn't I be normal at a playdate and just just let Anna toddle around without having to sit on the floor with her, play with her, touch her? I say thank goodness I didn't stop. Thank goodness I was 'too attached' to her. I didn't know then anything about Post Traumatic stress disorder. God just placed that need in me to be physically with her because He knew that her heart needed to heal. She needed to be taught what love was. What a mother was.

I know I felt that way back then.  I know I'll always feel that way.  Just in case you're wondering one day Anna, I cherish being your mama.  Cherish it.  I can't imagine my heart more filled with love for you.  I didn't blink.  I soaked in every single day with you and I loved it.  Still do.

Easter 2005 ~ 22 months 



Oh those cheeks, those baby lips, and her China eyes. Swoon.

Happy First Day of Spring... oh... I mean snow...

I'm wearing flannel jammies with my big bathrobe over it right now. I've got my wool socks on and slippers over those. Abigail fell asleep with her footie flannel jammies with a cami under that.  She's tucked under a down comforter and blankets.  Usually this time of year we start to see looooong stretches of high 40's and sunshine. Not this year. Burr... baby it's cold outside. And we're in the middle of another storm. Snow! On the first day of spring.

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."  ~Aristotle

I was in a kindergarten classroom today and the wonderful teacher had her littles all gathered 'round her as she talked to the captivated audience. Went something like this (but I don't have that magic... she an old fashioned, wonder of a teacher)

"do you remember boys and girls when we had our first snow and all ran outside without our coats to catch snowflakes?"

"yes..." they sing in a chorus

"do we want to do that today?"

"nooooo" they sing together again.

"okay. I have an idea. Lets do a special wish for spring to really come. Who's turn is it for the magic wand?"

Ohhh. There was magic in her voice. She didn't even need the wand.

I was there to get one of my little readers but I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay and hear her lead the children in a magical wish for spring.

"It's spring again.. and Birds on the Wing again... start to Sing again... 
Love's sweet Melody..."

For teacher







And then...

around 2 pm a big snowstorm. One last winter fling... just about 4 inches though... enough to cover the brown mess outside with a clean white blanket.







Spring will come. Eventually. And in Connecticut it will feel soooo good!

Abigail heard this song on the way to school this morning. (Seris XM... Kids Place Live station)  Isn't it fun? Great for a car dance in the drop off line.

Date Night

He told me he was turning up the heat to like 80 in our family room (with the fireplace.. we have an extreme heating fireplace).  And he told me to wear something Hawaiian.  What?  It's freezing out.  You want me to change into a skirt?  But I did and it was worth it!



We had Hawaiian drinks



And he made Coconut chicken as an appetizer

Followed by Hawaiian sweet rolls and then this



It was so much fun... my favorite kind of date... at home with our girls upstairs sleeping.

~ Tonight I'm thinking about how very blessed I am.  Scott.  He'll do anything for me.  For this family.  Little things.  Errands.  Late at night for crazy things like a new shampoo I wanted to try to help with my skin.  Big things.  Like talking to Abigail's teacher for an hour about her in school.  He's been helping me so much at home lately.  Even thought I don't want the help.  I love my home and my family and the work that it provides.  It's good work, and it makes me happy to do it.  But I've taken on more hours teaching and he's been such an emotional support for me.  And some other things I'm going through lately.  He's there.  I want to remember.  He prays for me and with me each night; every single night for some of the struggles I've been walking through lately.  He is the go to homework daddy for our middle school girl.  He cuddles with Abigail and then prays over me.  I want to remember this time and all of the times in my life when he's been amazing.