Snack Time

Typically when Rhonald works it is a 12 hour shift...it is long but we are used to that.  The other day, however, he only worked an 8 hour shift and came home just as Cole was waking up from his nap.  Oh the joy (from both kiddos)!!!  Cole could not wait to hug on his Daddy and share an afternoon snack.  I am not a mom who normally buys things like Jello to snack on but Cole saw Jello at Walmart and had to try it.  Well, when he saw Rhonald that afternoon he was thrilled to be able to share his new snack with his best buddy!  I am so thankful for the Daddy that Rhonald is....he truly is a blessing to our family.

Pretty Little Lady

I fall more and more in love with this sweet face every single day!  Lily Kate, you light up every day with your sweet and beautiful smile!

On Remembering

I remember growing up and being so taken aback by the fact that my mom and dad both remembered the exact thing they were doing when JFK was shot.  I remember listening to them talk about it...they did not know one another, did not live anywhere near one another yet they were bonded by that moment.  That moment in time when the country grieved together and grew together.  The thought crossed my mind a few times, "I wonder if there will ever be anything like that in my lifetime?"  Little did I know....

I remember 10 years ago today I was rushing.  Rushing to get to a meeting that I felt, at the time, was so important.  I was showering, getting dressed and literally running out the door of my small, yet comfy, apartment.  It wasn't until I was on the interstate that I turned on my radio.  The first tower had just been hit and I thought "I wonder what happened to that pilot?"  And then the second tower was hit and cars started parking on the side of the interstate during morning rush hour...I pulled over too - a young 23 year old girl not knowing what was happening but knowing in my heart that life was never going to be the same.  It was silent....the busiest area of our capital city was silent.  We all sat there, listening, for who knows how long and then, slowly, we all made our way back on to the road and almost everyone turned around.  I headed back to my apartment...suddenly knowing the world was different...meetings and things did not seem so important.  Rhonald came over soon after that...school was cancelled for the day.  "Go home and be with your families.  Be safe."  they had said.  And so we sat, all day, watching the news and eating chocolate chip cookies.  It was all I knew to make - it was familiar and comforting.  I remember I called home and talked to my mom but, of course, no one had answers.

And still, no one has answers.  I am still brought to tears when I think about the horrible acts of hated on the day.  I look at Cole and Lily and wonder, what will I tell them...will they ever truly understand how that day changed us?  I pray about their future and the country that they will raise their children in and I beg God to save it...may it be so much better than this.  And I am proud - proud of the way we all became one that day.  How there were no strangers...how the flags were flown high for all to see - that we were going to be ok.  Even today, people were friendlier...people were bonded by that one horrible day 10 years ago and today, you could feel it.  I am thankful to be an American.  I am thankful for all of those people who are fighting for my freedom today and who have for years before this.  It was life changing and I know that I, like so many others in this country, will always be able to say that I remember. 

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful that I get to be a mommy!

Lily Kate at 11 Months

We have made it 11 months with 2 kids!!!!  Ha!  As I have said over and over, Lily Kate is such a true joy.  She has the sweetest personality and is so much fun to be with!  She has been keeping us very busy this past month...oh my word!  That girl is in to everything!  Her favorite thing to do right now is to go around our house and close all of the doors.  She does that a hundred times a day.  She is waving bye bye, giving kisses, clapping and now she is even standing up for several seconds by herself.  She can get all around the house by cruising around furniture and scaling the walls.  Lily Kate loves to be outside and is figuring out new ways to play out there each and every day.  She loves playing with balls - she bounces them and rolls them and totally loves them!  She is still taking 2 naps and sleeping very well at night.  Her favorite foods are still all fruits, banana bread and mac and cheese.  Rhonald gave her her first hot dog the other day and she was a pretty big fan of that as well!  Lily has 8 teeth.  She wears a size 4 wide shoe.  Lily loves to sing and play patty cake and peek-a-boo.  She loves taking a bath and could really be in the tub all evening if we let her.  She especially loves it when her big brother takes one with her!  She is becoming rough and tough and loves to wrestle with us.  She charges us if we lay on the ground for any length of time!  My all time favorite thing that Lily Kate is doing right now is that she crawls into my lap any chance she gets.  She has even started pushing Cole to the side if he happened to get there first.  Lily has never been one to cuddle...she is on the go all of the time so when she sits in my lap I feel like I finally get to snuggle her.  Lily loves her books and will spend time each day looking through them and wanting to be read to.  She loves her daddy - she gets so excited to see him every morning and basically throws herself at him to be held.  Then she follows him all over the house - precious!  We adore her!!!  It is as simple as that and we thank God for her every day.  What a wonderful addition Lily Kate is to this world!

First Day of School 2011

Oh my word people - look at how grown up my first born has become!  I could not believe my eyes when I went back and looked at this picture...he is all boy and no baby.  He even picked out his own outfit for school today (being sure to wear the undies that say Wednesday on them).  I cannot believe how much I love this little guy.  Anyway-today was Cole's first day of school this year and we are all very excited!  We went last night to his open house and met his new teacher, Mrs. B, who is super sweet.  His classroom is so much more grown up this year than the past 2 years (of course, I forgot my camera).  There are different stations for art, reading, toys, learning, etc.  This year each child has a different job each week - this week Cole is the prayer leader and, from what he says, he did a wonderful job leading a prayer at both snack time and lunch time.  He did admit that he is very excited about the week that he gets to be the line leader (so funny!).  I have been both praying and struggling with school this year because he is now going 3 mornings a week instead of two.  Is that too many - we shall see.  Luckily, we can drop a day if need be.  I am thrilled and comforted by the fact that he had an absolute blast today and is still talking about how much fun it was and everything he got to do.  One of the sweetest things today was to see how excited Lily was to pick Cole up.  She was elated when we walked in to his class and he came running over to us.  I did not realize she would miss him so much but she has been all over him since they woke up from their naps.  I pray this is a blessed year for all of us and I am so excited to see what God has in store for Cole this year! 

Such A Total Goof!

The amount of joy and laughter and love Lily Kate has brought to our family is unreal!  She is such a total goof ball and we love every second of it!  She finds the greatest joy in the smallest and simplest things...like the pillows from our bed.  Lily is constantly moving, getting in to everything and always smiling.  That girl wears us out but we would not have it any other way.  She never meets a stranger and she loves everyone.  One this particular day she woke up early from her nap.  Cole was still snoozing so we went to play in my room to be more quiet...or so I thought.  She was laughing the deepest belly laugh I've ever heard and then I got to laughing and needless to say Cole was not asleep for very much longer.  It was so much fun to simply laugh with her....to watch her and take her in.  Rhonald and I are really making a point to focus on our family - to be together, really be together and it is times like this that remind me of how important that really is.  I hope I never forget the fun and the laughter from that simple 30 minutes with my sweet daughter.  This time is going by so quickly and while I am excited for what our future brings I am trying to remember every single second of this time together.  I know she will grow up in the blink of an eye and no longer be "my baby"...kind of like another little goof ball that I know...