See ya 2013!

What a year of changes and extremes it has been! Our family has been blessed in so many ways, but we have also suffered greatly this year. As many of you know/remember, my family and I moved nearly 1,000 miles way from our family in the Southeast, I gave birth to a precious baby boy, Trenton. We lost another precious baby boy, our nephew, Landon. My mom's sister, Connie (my dear aunt), lost her battle with cancer this summer as well. I have also become a full-time stay at home mom (SAHM). A role that I never fully embraced until recently. Needless to say, we are all ready for 2014 and the hope for calmer waters this year.

As I mentioned, since this past spring I have been home full-time. It has been a difficult transition into this new identity. I have been told by several well-meaning, working mom friends that "I have so much respect for you - it's so hard.", "I don't know how you do it, by Monday it's time for me to go back to work.", "I bet you really miss your job.", etc. But never once have I heard that what I am doing at home is meaningful. And for some reason I struggled with this - as if the work I was doing at home wasn't quite as meaningful as what I'd be doing in my career field. (This was all in my head, mind you!!)

I am passionate about my calling as a speech-language pathologist. I knew each day I was making a difference in my children's lives and their families'. It made going to work and leaving sweet FC at daycare (albeit part-time) "worth it". This move to TX and the birth of TJ pushed me into the role as full-time SAHM. During this time I have found my true passion - my children! Being at home is more than just taking care of them. I seriously have the sole responsibility of shaping and molding them into the people that God wants them to be. I know my babies better than anyone and they choose me over anyone else and that, in my opinion, is how it should be. My job at home is so meaningful and important that I have tabled going back to work indefinitely. So yes, my job is hard, but so is juggling work/career and motherhood. We have been blessed with John's job and benefits. So, for John and I, our children are too precious to juggle (I honestly am bad at it!). I am proudly staying home for the next few years to do work that I can't possibly entrust to any other person.

So in 2014, I'm making a point to do better by my kiddos. To be present and parent purposefully. To show them love and grace. And to treat them like the gift from God that they are - everyday. It won't be easy, but it is quite possibly the most important thing I will ever do.

Now it's time to play catch-up! I've found it incredibly hard to blog these past few months. Hard because I have two beautiful, but demanding children under two years of age. Hard because I'm still trying to settle into a new home and life, and mostly because losing Landon is still very raw and fresh for my family and celebrating my children's lives while mourning the loss of his is simply too painful and complex right now.

That said, my children have grown SO much in the final months of this year. It's amazing to witness and definitely deserves recording. The easiest way to do this is through pictures. Next year I promise to do better!

Fall Days



Family fun in Huntsville. Can't believe my baby brother is a DAD.

Playing at the pumpkin patch - Everyone asked if Natalie and TJ were twins. ;)

Mammy came to visit!! Her and her great-grands!

Natalie and TJ were baptized the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Such a special event in our babies' lives.

 

 

Pinterest fail. HA!

Times like these are slowly becoming more frequent - makes me very excited for our future.

Cousin fun at Early Works in Huntsville, AL

Sweet Baby C!!

War Eagle, Baby!!

Nana love is THE BEST!

FC had her first trip to Build-A-Bear. She's hooked if you can't tell!

Pinky is ready for  the SEC Championship game!

Christmas

The child is constant motion. Here she is pulling on my 25+ foot long curtains. Nice.

Fun. But  either I'm doing wrong by banning candy from our house or it's normal for a child to obsess over the gingerbread house candy. Dunno. Next year we  probably will do this differently.

Before the Christmas Eve service at church. AND, the only hairbow picture. Beautiful!
TJ was asleep so we didn't get a pic of him unfortunately.

"Fah - hot!" and "Aights!" - "Aights on!" were heard everyday during Christmas. Fire Hot was actually a request to turn the fireplace on. ;)

Daddy and his babies.

FC loved "Ho, Ho". That stuffed Santa was definitely mourned when I packed him away this weekend.

TJ's first Christmas - he was up at 4:45 ready to play! We had to wait until 7:30 for Sis (she never sleeps in!).

Making a birthday cake for Baby Jesus!

Ball popper - huge hit for both my kids. FC saw it as a science experiment. What does x, y, z do when I throw it in there??

Brother LOVES his sister. He literally lights up when she comes around.

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus!!  And yes, that's Murphy...typical Dachshund.

We pray that each of you are blessed in 2014 ~ Family and friends, much love to you all!