Bubble love

I am a firm believer that a nice, warm bath can make almost anything better. My littles believe this too...I think it's just a part of their genetic make up. On a sick day we take bath after bath....on a stressful day we  can be found taking a soak...and on any given day we just love climbing into a tub of warm water and bubbles. Truly, it's just the best. But the best part about a nice, warm bath is the company you keep and the conversations you have. I love a bath by myself...it give me time to think...and relax..... but my favorite baths these days are the ones with my baby. Most every night...she hears my bath water running....and here she comes to join me. We talk and giggle...about everything and nothing....we play barbies and practice spelling words....we tell stories and have the best time amongst the bubbles....so thankful for my baby and bubble love.

lucky & loved

I was having a rough day....I just was....a little teary....a little overwhelmed...and Lila just gets that...she seems to know even though I don't say it.....So she wrote me a song/poem about how sweet and kind I am and that I am the best moma in the world....and she wrote it down for me so I could remember every word. ;). Lucky and loved....that's me for sure.

lucky 13 and "it"

Jeremy and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary on May 20th. Our wedding day was a very happy day...truly it was. We celebrated surrounded by friends and family. He was my "the one" and I was his.

It was a flawless day....perfectly packaged in love and laughter...daisies and tulle!

We were off on an adventure...a new beginning together....we had "It".......and if you had asked me right then and there as I stepped into this limo how we would be spending our anniversaries in the future...I know I would have answered....dressed up, together, somewhere fancy, happy.

Fast forward 13 years.....

We are together....so much more so than we were on our wedding day...we have bonded through positive pregnancy tests, health scares, first steps, family dinners, sleeping on the mattress because you are too spent to put the clean sheets on, loss, debt, cuddles on the couch, worrying about every tiny detail of four very different children, weeds in the landscaping and catching lighting bugs.  But all of this we have done together. Dressed up is for special occasions now.....on this anniversary he has on scrubs from work and I don short and a t shirt...something comfy to clean, cook and play in. Somewhere fancy is right here in our home for this anniversary. We may need a babysitting favor sometime but don't to waste it on an anniversary dinner we probably can't afford any way and would feel guilty even ordering. Fancy is in my heart and can be found for us...in a few moments alone....with any kind of meal. Every year is different and this year fancy has a new look for sure.

Happy.......well you can see that for your self. I spent the night of my 13th wedding anniversary being a wife and mother. Giving baths and wrapping sweet littles in warm towels and smelling of baby lotion. Reading bed time stories and kissing warm, sweet cheeks good night...and listening to brothers remind each other so say their prayers as I turned their light off.  I sat on the couch with my husband at the end of the day and we watched a video of 13 years of memories and we cried together. Yhea.....I would say we still have "it". And I am tired....and definitely a mess...but happy for sure.

"Most of my life," she says, "I've been in search of IT. And I thought IT came inside a big box with a bow on top carefully marked and labeled and numbered. I brushed away all the 'incidental' discoveries like cobwebs. But now everything counts. Now I search for traces of miracles.....and I find them everywhere." 

#172 from my favorite book....the Persistence of Yellow

Recital!

After a great dress rehearsal........

The girls were ready for their recital! We spent the morning perfecting perfect ringlet pony tails and playing in my make up....all that girl stuff is so fun with these two little ladies...I just love every second of it!

And then we headed downtown and watched the girls perform! 

Sk stole my heart! She may not be a natural but sister was good! She knew her routine and shook it smiled and truly did an amazing job! We were so proud of her!

And Lila Ray rocked her "Rockin Robin" routine too! She loves to dance and it shows!

After, the girls were met with love and flowers galore.......

 Everyone was so proud of them! What a fun afternoon...full of encouraging words and  the feelings of pride and accomplishment for them!

We sit on the sidelines of so much for the boys...cheering and supporting...it's just the way sports are...so today if felt so good for us to all be there for the girls! They are loved and supported in a big, big way!

 By family.....

and friends.......

and without a doubt.....by their Moma! 

Kiss....kiss, my loves! I love you so!

four

When I took these pictures...I thought I would be blogging about SK and her desire to start running like the boys. She decided on this day to take a lap and run a bit.....

But as I sat down to do a quick blog about that....it hit me that this day was about so much more.

Because 3.......

plus one.......

is four.

And 4 is my number.

 1.....Sarah Kate decided to do one thing. 2......Lila decided she wanted to go with her for support...3.......and so Rollins decided to go with Sarah Kate to support and time her...and......4...... Riggs offered to go to Support and Time Lila.

It sits on my heart so well that they have this support system all right here....and on their own they love and support each other....
I'll run with you......

You run with me.....

I will support you......encourage you.....and push you....

I will be at the end....waiting for you.....to celebrate if you are happy or to catch you if you fall....

and I will be there every step in between.......

just in case you need me.....

and no matter what these 4 have each other to love each other....for a quick run around the block....and for all the days ahead of them......and that....well....that just makes me happy...times 4.

his love

Love is...Running into his arms, Colliding with his heart, And exploding into his soul.

It always has been......from the moment my eyes first locked with his.

I felt love wash over me....warm, sweet, unending love.

After coming so close to loosing him....there was a reason he was here. 

He was special.

His heart was special.

He was love.

We felt the pull.....the love pull he has...

Even as a resting infant...the tug of his heart...you could feel it....

Our treasures were things we wanted to share with him....

because we knew deep down if he loved them...they would be better....

his love is a gift and we were lucky enough to understand that right away.

I am so blessed to be a part of his life......

every time I see this quote...I think of Rolls.....

Calm

Happy

Full of pure joy........

He came into our life.......

and looked at us with eyes of blue......

and love you could feel inside and out......

always giving more....loving more....

you would give him 3 kisses......

he would give you 6

special and tender is his heart......

one look and you smile....
you just do.....

and I watch him in fascination as he lives a life where he puts other first.....he always has....

let me slip my arm around her to be sure she doesn't fall.....

we are both going to race but I want you to know I am here for you and I will be cheering with all my heart.....

I am having a party and I want each guest to write down what they want to do....I want everyone to be happy and have a turn....I want to make time for everyone....

let me see to your needs before mine....and I do this on my own...

You need help and I am here for you.

He. Is. Love.

loving is like breathing for him

He loves big.....

by being a committed best friend and seizure buddy....

He, on his own, will wear two shirts to an unfamiliar place with Braden in the winter...just in case he would need to put one under his head during a seizure...and his coat was hung somewhere not near by.

That is love.

 he loves little.....

by all the little random acts of kindness he does everyday.....

pick me up notes.....

taking snacks and music to the kindergarten soccer team that practices at the park.....

just because......

and the way he responds to everything with love....always looking for the best in people....and this is a lost art which he practices everyday.

It's writing a note at school about a narwal fish...but the teacher thinking you wrote about "balls" and getting is trouble.......big trouble.....eyes swollen shut from crying trouble.....over the misunderstanding.....

and responding to that by writing her an apology letter for writing any note at school and bringing her a present the next day......

That is love.

Seeing the best in people. Forgiving. Loving.

He loves his friends fiercely.......

all of them.....

and the love he brings to our family.........

well...it's......hard to describe.....

it's warm.....and real......and unending.......

He is a daily reminder of this.....

and all that is good.......

 and I know I am a better person because of his love.....