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| Lake Louise, Banff |
In a way I feel like I've lost my blogging voice, I've started multiple posts that I've tripped over getting the words out and then abandoned in the drafts folder. I've been wanting to start blogging again, yes about the little/unimportant stuff like meal planning and fashion and making a home but also because we have big stuff to talk about. We've discussed when is the right time to announce our big stuff and actually the time that we had decided on isn't here but I feel with Mothers Day approaching that there couldn't be a better time.
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| Dani's wedding. |
Can I just say first that moms in general are awesome and I have been blessed to be surrounded by some of the best. I could compose endless blog posts about my own mom (and I believe I have composed a few already) but she is strong and kind and really just kind of kicks butt at this mom thing having raised eight kids. Then there's my mother-in-law, I know there is a stupid idea that moms and daughters-in-law relationships are supposed to be filled with awkwardness and negative feelings but that's ridiculous and I don't feel it. That woman raised the man that I love and she did an awesome job because he's a good one and she loves my kids so well and I am so thankful for her. My four sisters have been such an awesome example of motherhood to me. Sure I mean watching them raise their kids but also because of our age difference they've all mom'd me at times and while I may have hated it at 6 I love it at 36.
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| Kendall and one big ol' belly |
Momming is what I do, it's my thing. Growing up it's what I wanted to be more than anything (other than that period of time that I wanted to be a turtle but we're not going to talk about how weird that was). It's not always easy and honestly I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always great at it but it is who I am and there is no other thing that I would want to do.
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| First trip to the mountains this ski season. |
It's always been a goal of mine to love the stage they're in. I don't want to be the mom that weeps on her baby's first day of school (I get it though, I'm not judging those that do) I want to be the mom that is cheering for them, excited that they get to conquer that next thing. We may not have a crib in the house but man my kids have hit this awesome point where they can crack a pretty good joke and they can keep up with us (ok, I'll be honest, they can pass me) on the ski hill. I love each of the stages they're in but I admit I miss chunky thighs and cheeks and dimpled tiny hands grasping my finger. This is my life's work and although we decided after Jack that I would not be carrying any more babies in this body we knew that our hearts have so much room for more to love.
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| An email I received from Kate |
Last spring Brian and I were in Boston for his business school reunion where we attended a lecture about living an extraordinary life. We've had so many conversations since then discussing what we think an extraordinary life looks like, when we're old looking back on our life what will have REALLY mattered and filled us? Those that know us know that Brian and I are a bit different in our personalities: talker vs thinker, creative vs logic driven…but I think it's important to note how we are the same in the ways that matter. Our faith - we love God, who has adopted us despite our flaws and our stubbornness and our selfishness. We also share a love of all things family, our time spent as a family makes our life extraordinary.
Parenting is hard. Yes, hard in the middle of the night wake ups and in that moment before your kid tosses his cookies and you're looking frantically around for something to catch it, all while KNOWING that your hands are all you have. Yes, hard in those ways but honestly those ways are NOTHING compared to the heart lessons that you strive to teach your kids, the constant worry over your own failure and the unceasing prayers that no matter what they grow up knowing Him and knowing your love is there all of the time no matter what. Although it's hard it's what we love and what we want to spend our time doing. So it was the extraordinary life lecture that led us to start more seriously discussing a topic that we have had since the beginning of our marriage.
It is with such great excitement that our family is announcing that we are growing by two sweet little feet. We can not wait to bring our newest sweet little lady home from China! We are adopting and we couldn't be happier.
We started the process before Christmas, we have completed our home study and are currently awaiting our immigration approval. Not a day goes by that we don't talk about her (50+ times) and we are praying for her, for this process and that God prepares us for her. We can hardly stand the wait.
