30 Years!

Today, my parents are celebrating 30 years of marriage!


photo courtesy of Tiffany Newman Photography

What an awesome achievement!  Go parents, go parents! 

In all honesty, what a blessing it has been to have been raised by these two.  I've been given a wonderful example of marriage that I strive to emulate with my own.  The lessons and morals that they've taught me and my siblings helped mold me into who I am today and were so impactful that I am instilling them in my own children.  I am honored that they are my parents and am so excited that I get to share in this experience with them.

Here's to 30 years Mom and Dad!  Congratulations!  I am so so proud of you and am so proud to be your daughter.  May the next 30 plus years be filled with happiness, health and harmony!

I love you!

Thoughts on Life

I know I've only been on this Earth for almost 29 years and there is still a lot that I have yet to learn.  However, in those almost 29 years, my eyes have been opened to a lot...both good and bad.

I've learned that life can bring you the most oh-so precious of moments that make your heart leap with joy:
-times with friends, both old and new, that connect you forever
-laughing until your stomach hurts and you have tears running down your face with said friends
-meeting "the one" who brings out the absolute the best in you
-marrying said "one"
-the bond of family, possibly stronger than anything in the world
-bringing new life into the world, thus changing yours forever
-watching that life grow and develop into an individual

In all of these moments, and many more, the presence of God is there, big and booming, enhancing the feelings of love and joy that overflow in your heart.

I've also learned that life can bring you moments that are so shocking and sad that it literally takes your breath away.  Times where life is taken from you or those that you know in an instant.  So fast that it's hard to even comprehend what truly happened.  It's so hard to understand why yet you can't help but wonder and question.  Those times are tough.  Really tough.

But still, the presence of God is there, bringing comfort, strength, peace and hope to all of those affected.  It's like an overwhelming blanket, giving an almost indescribable security to those that are suffering.  It pulls you through those tough times and gives a light at the end of a dark tunnel. 

God's love for us is amazing.  It never fails us and it's never-ending.  We just have to seek it.  And while it's so easy to seek it during times of despair, I often forget to seek it during the best of times.  Those little moments where all with the world just seems right.  Those are brought to us by God and it is my daily prayer to give Him the glory for them.

My heart and prayers go out to those that are dealing with sudden loss, illness, sadness or any other feelings cloud over life.  May God cover you with his blanket of security and break apart the clouds, allowing His light to shine through!

Just Couldn't Resist...

Caught a few moments on camera that I had to share...

Yes, those are a pair of Thomas's pajamas that Smart-E Bear is wearing.  Thomas decided tonight that Smart-E Bear not only needed to be rocked (both by hand and by swing), burped, and spend some time under the baby's play gym, but he also needed a diaper change, a bath, and needed a pair of "jammies" to wear in preparation for bed time.

These were the pair that Thomas chose.

Friendship is a precious, precious thing!

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

When the road looks rough ahead

And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed

Just remember what you're old pal said

Boy, you've got a friend in me

Naptime 'Nanigans

I smell trouble when these two start sharing a room!

"Him's my friend"

Thomas has made a new friend...

His name is Smart-E Bear and he's a super-soft, Teddy Ruxbin-ish talking bear that he got for his birthday last year.

This bear goes with us everywhere these days.

When we're playing with trains,

Playing on Daddy's phone,

In the car,

And he must be present when going to sleep!

Thomas will hold conversations with him, include him in conversations with us, show him things, tend to him when he's "hurt," and basically meet any need he feels like Smart-E Bear has at that present moment.

It's really very sweet to watch Thomas be so nurturing to people/things around him.  I love the innocence and purity of a child's instinct to be helpful and compassionate to others.  They don't look for anything in return.  They just do it because they care.  What an awesome character trait! 

I also love watching Thomas grow in his understanding of what a friendship is.  Some friends and I were just talking about this the other day.  It's really neat to watch our kids form real friendships with each other.  Sure, we always hoped that they would like each other because they would be spending a considerable amount time together whether they liked it or not!  Now they ask to spend time with each other, could run around together for hours, have conversations with each other and call each other by name, and make each other laugh hysterically! 

My prayer for my boys as they grow and mature is that their friendships, old and new continue to be a blessing to both sides of the relationship as my friendships have blessed my life.  And I'll watch eagerly from the sidelines. 

Oh, what fun it is to watch!

Park Play on President's Day

We woke up to a pretty, warm day on Monday so we celebrated our forefathers legacy by playing at the park!

The Andrews' boys (and their mom, Jill) joined us for our morning o' fun.

chill Will just a-hangin'

view from the front

searching for the dog that they heard barking from behind the fence

future engineers constructing a choo-choo train

"all aboard the choo choo train, all aboard the choo choo train, all aboard the choo choo train, all aboard, all aboard...choo choo!"

What a great way to spend President's Day!

Evan "Beefcake" Blancher

We went to the doctor last week for Evan's two month check-up.  At this check up, we learned a few things about our little muffin:

*  He's healthy as a horse.
*  He's developing appropriately.
*  He's not a fan of shots.  (But who is really?)
*  He's in the 50th percentile for length.
*  His head size is in the 97th percentile.
*  He's off the charts for weight.

Our "little" muffin weighs a whopping 15 lbs 9 oz!!

Who's feeding this kid?? =)