Tough Times.

Today was hard. 
Tuesdays are typically a long day for me because after school we have faculty meetings to attend.  This puts me getting home later than usual.  Throw in an evening event with the lovely BarreAmped Lululemon trunk show and that 

equals = 

1.5 hours with my little man today.

Can we say not enough?

I dreaded this day away from him like the plague but had no idea how much it effected me till I walked in the door 15 minutes past his bedtime.  Tears immediately filled my eyes and I couldn't believe how terribly I'd missed him.  I wondered how many smiles, giggles, and coos happened today without me there as a witness.  

Then God did this thing that he's really good at, He brought me back to the truth.  As I whisked Henry off to nurse him before putting him in bed I watched him rubbing his tired eyes and I felt peace.  I sat there in our glider enjoying the small moment I had.  As I placed him in his swaddle and hummed our little lullaby he began to talk, and jabber, and coo so loudly that I had to laugh.  

It continued for a good 5 minutes.  I laid the baby boy whom just moments earlier was falling asleep in my arms down in his crib.  He was having a full blown, one sided, loud conversation with me.  

As if to say, "Hey Mom, it's ok let me tell you all about my day."  Through his smiling coo filled lips, he told me about how he missed me, how he had fun but not quite as much as when I am with him.
  I propped my head on my hand in his crib and listened while staring at him in his joyful little eyes.

Those five minutes made my day.  

Then I gently laid my hand on his chest and shhhhed him to sleep.

I realize that on a day like today, especially, I must think on the good.  Because it's the good that feeds us.

I'm thankful for the 1.5 hours I got with my baby boy.  There are mothers all across our nation who would give ANYTHING for an hour and a half with their child once more.  But they can't have it, their child's life was robbed from them as their sweet little souls played in their daycare at the World Trade center 11 years ago.   

Tonight I count my blessings.   I pray that God can help my to count them all the time.  The ones that last 5 minutes and the ones that last a lifetime.  This is what I should dwell on.  

Shout with Joy to God, all the earth.  Psalm 66:1

Whirlwind Weekend

We had a whirlwind weekend of fun.

It included a Wedding.

 This was one of the sweetest weddings I've been to.  Completely personalized and something out of a whimsical fairytale book.  It had rained all day but left blue skies and crisp air that was perfect for the festivities. 

H was quiet as a mouse during the ceremony, clearly entertained by his toes.  :)

We were then swept off to celebrate a fabulous 30th birthday event. 

We topped it all off with a little more birthday fun as we celebrated my Nana's birthday on Sunday.  It was great to see family we aren't around very often and was even greater to see my Nana out and about in the sunshine.  :)

Weekends like this are tiring but I'm so thankful for the friends and family we have found ourselves surrounded with, now that is something worth a celebration!

Mixing Animal Prints

Today I'm happy to have a guest post over on BAD (Bedazzles After Dark).  

There you can find me mixing up some animal prints.

 

While Nikki is in New York for IFBconference and not to mention NY Fashion week!  

Check out her blog and follow her. 

 She has amazing style and is an absolute sweetheart.  

Foto Reel Friday-22

It's Foto Reel Friday, Our week in pics.

We headed to the lake to spend time on the houseboat with the Miller crew.  :)  Isaac was suppose to heave all it's nastiness on us but instead timed it right to deliver perfect sunset clouds and shade in between steamy sun in the afternoon.

Henry sure enjoyed his time with Nanny & Pop as well as the whole gang.

 Henry was Game Day ready as we kicked off the start to college football season.

 Another milestone was met as we hit the 5month of cuteness mark.

 We started a routine last week that has continued on into this one.  about 4-5 o'clock Henry gets tired but fights a nap.  ( I think it's because he has missed me all day and is dying to see me)  :)  So I take him to his room put some tunes on and sing.  Now normally he sleeps to Bach or Tchaichovsky but to get him into dream world I have discovered he prefers the likes of Adele, Coldplay, The Black Keyes, or Foster the People.  Yep, anything you can tap your toe to. 

 This is the result.  And Bonus for our neighbors, they get to hear a concert sung by me when walking by our house.

 We were blessed with a few moments to spend with this fabulous crew.  Last time we saw them was our trip to L.A. when Lulu was 8 months old now she's an older sister, and a gorgeous one at that. 

 His furry head became..........well, Fuzzier. 

 I cherished a napping sweet pea in my arms.

 He got in some good reading time with Daddy.

A complete doll face.  ForealzyCakes!

Pinky Promise

The downfall to having such a delightful little man in your life is that leaving him has become a ritual I can only assume equates to medieval torture.  There has yet to be a day when I don't drive to work with a tear in my eye.  

So we made a promise for these times when I'm away from him, and I can only hope he keeps it.

 

Pinky promise, not to smile, laugh, cackle, or coo.  

Pinky promise not do do anything new.

For if you do, this mommy will be blue.

You will never know how much I miss you.

Month 5 of Knowing Heaven on Earth

This month has gone by faster than the previous four.  I'm sure part of that has to do with the fact that I began working again.  It has been filled with more laughs than the previous months too and our baby is turning into a little boy right before our eyes.

He's definitely filling out in the most perfect way 

 He began straight up cackling his infectious laugh here.  Gah! I love it!

This month he began:

Growing chompers, his first tooth popped up on the bottom middle part of his mouth.

Grabbing and holding much more with his hands.

Grabbing both feet constantly and placing them in his mouth to suck on. :)

This month he decided that being in a car seat is a form of medieval torture that requires screaming, sometimes for 45 minutes straight.  

Reaching for books when he is read to.

Reaching for and touching glasses and cups when we are holding him and have a drink.

Yanking out hair like a highschool girl in a fight.

Arching his back in the rock'n play, car seat, and swing.  

He also became more loved than he was before.  I think this is a reoccurring trend.