These Little Moments...

Today, we celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. There was a time when this milestone seemed so very far away. I am feeling so lucky, so blessed, and so happy today. I would marry him again in a heartbeat. Looking back on 10 years of marriage makes me excited for the next 10, and the 10 after that, and the 10 after that...and on and on into forever. I'm in love with our love. Our love story is precious to me, but this doesn't mean it's been perfect. We have certainly experienced hard seasons, times of hurt, anger, and feelings of disconnect. But there has also been so much beauty in the growth we've experienced - side by side - as a couple. I've always felt that this is the key. You stay side by side. You grow together, dream together, laugh and cry together. Fight for each other, together. Pray for each other, together. I still feel very new at marriage, even after 10 years, and I certainly don't have it all figured out, but there has...

Ethan, The sound of you laughing in your sleep woke me up at 5:30 a.m. today. I turned over to find you snuggled between your mommy and daddy, in your usual spot, with a little grin still lingering on your face. What were you dreaming of on this morning of your 5th birthday? I'd love to discover what happy things occupy your dreams, sweet boy. At 5:39 p.m. you will "officially" turn 5 years old. I find myself hanging on to every minute that allows me to say that you are still four. Five sounds too big. It sounds like the beginning of a new chapter in childhood. It sounds like I can't claim you as a baby anymore, at all. Happy Birthday, my sweet Ethan. My favorite boy in the whole world. My baby forever and ever, no matter how old you get. You came into this world on June 16, 2011 and perfected our family with your presence. Now, you are a Lego-loving little boy with an incredible imagination and loads of energy. You can run, jump, and kick all day and somehow ...

I pulled together the kids' first and last day of school pictures from the 2015-16 school year. It's always fun to see how much the kids have grown and changed during those school months. It was a great year for both Gracie and Ethan! We are now enjoying our lazy days of summer! First and Last Day of 2nd Grade First and Last Day of 4's Preschool

Gracie, Today, I am celebrating the moment I held my first baby in my arms for the first time. Could there be any sweeter moment than this to celebrate? I have been looking back at pictures from the day you were born, and the weeks that followed, and I'm in awe of how much you have grown over the years. I came across a picture of us, one that made me think about myself in that moment nearly 8 years ago. You were so tiny and new, and I was a brand new mommy, living this new journey hour by hour, day by day. It's amazing how those days have turned to years and now you are 8-years-old. There are so many things I'd like to tell my younger, new-mommy self, things I would not understand until much later. I stared at this picture of us and wrote words that made me cry, because in motherhood, the sweetness and bitterness of life really do collide.  This new mommy... She didn't know then, holding her brand new baby, that what they said was true - the days would see...

Christmas Break is officially over. The kids are back at school and I now have a moment to reflect on our time off. We once again packed as much goodness as possible into this time, and I am left satisfied and thankful for the opportunities taken to catch up with family and friends. Of course, spending lots of quality time with my own little family was one of the very best parts of it all. Movie nights and lazy mornings, Christmas programs and family gatherings, play-dates with cousins and cookie decorating with friends... Many of our days were overflowing with people to see and things to do, but there were also plenty of days where we did absolutely nothing. The balance between the busyness and laziness was key for us in creating a relaxing, joy-filled break. We continued our traditions of wearing pajamas to see the Festival of Lights, attending the Kernersville Star Lighting celebration with friends, and visiting our favorite Santa (while also raising money for a ...

Thoughts on a Good Dog. I remember that first day. The day when he became ours. I’ll never forget the pained expressions on the faces of the two college students who stood inside the doorway of a rundown pet shop and asked if we could take their puppy to be sold. Their only other option was the animal shelter. I could tell that they loved him, however short their time with him may have been. He was an 8-week-old mix, Border collie and black lab. The couple was well-prepared with shot records and explained that the puppy had already been seen by a veterinarian for his first round of shots. As I listened to their plea and took in the sight of this adorable dog, I made a decision. I knew the pet shop owner would not agree to accept a random, mixed-breed puppy, so I did. As the couple handed the puppy over to me, they hesitated. “We named him Bentley, if you want to call him that.” Bentley – I liked the sound of it. And as quickly as they came, they were gone, and I was left holdi...