Halee turns 18...

This gorgeous girl turned 18 today. She's only two years younger than I was when I had her. How's that even possible? It means two things...Halee is growing up...and I am getting old.

Halee has been such a rock for me the last two years. She's helped pick up the pieces while I endeavored to go back to school. She learned in that process to be an amazing cook and house keeper. 

I go to her as a sound board. She always has great advice and is willing to listen to me ramble. 

Being her mom had been pure joy. I miss playing dollhouse with her. I miss spoon feeding her Malto meal. I miss giving her a bath and putting her in clean Jammie's. I miss reading to her. I will always miss those things, but seeing the woman she has turned into makes my heart swell with happiness that she is mine. I will always be her mommy and she'll always be my Halee bug and nothing will ever change that.

Mud...

Before Tammy and I had the scary accident we actually had a wonderful two day getaway, shopping, laughing, and running in the mud. So grateful for my husband and children who support the fact that I need a recharge now and then.

Tomorrow's...

Our beloved prophet has said "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrow's." I had no idea I would be faced with the possibilities of running out of tomorrow's until my best friend and I were in a life changing car crash Sunday evening. We ended up losing control of the vehicle in a situation where the steering was over corrected to avoid hitting another vehicle and our car was stuck in cruise control at 70 mph. We fish tailed back and forth until our car turned completely around facing oncoming traffic, slid backwards/sideways and turned on its side and ran into a tree. At 70 mph. We were both looking behind us as we neared the tree and my heart breaks at the horror my friend must have felt as she was on the side of impact. But we hit. And we lived. We had people pull over and in less than 30 seconds we were being rescued from a trapped car. Tammy had a window breaker and our guardian angels/good Samaritans helped us out and tipped our car back over while we waited for emergency personnel and our husbands.

We walked away between the two of us with minor cuts...neck and back pain. The accident changed us both. That change may fade as life gets back to normal and taking things for granted becomes human nature again, but for now, we are grateful to be mothers to our children. Wives to our husbands. Daughters to our parents, and sisters to our siblings.

I'm thankful to my best friend for letting go of the wheel when she did because had she not, we most likely would have hit the tree head on, and I wouldn't be typing this today. She is a hero.

Life is beautiful.

Dating...

Scarlett got to go on her very own date with her dad this evening. They rode bikes and ate blizzards at Dairy Queen. She was smiling from ear to ear when she came home and I asked her how her date went. It doesn't happen as often as it should but I believe fully that alone time with our children is essential. It's also a little beautiful too...make that a lot, beautiful.

Color run...

The girls and I had a girls day today running a color run. I've always wanted to see what the hype was all about and who better to do it with than my girls? It was so much fun...and nice to just take a race at a relaxing and fun pace. We ate lunch together afterward and didn't even care that people stared at us like we looked ridiculous. I love making memories with these wonderful girls.

Mother's Day 2016

I'm sitting on my bed after church, listening to the hustle and bustle of what's going on in my kitchen. It's Mother's Day. We go to church early so breakfast in bed isn't the most practical option. I however LOVE breakfast food, so I have requested breakfast for lunch.

My bedroom is right near the kitchen so I hear Chris handing out assignments. "Halee, can you make the pancakes?" "Connor, can you pour the milk?" "Austin, can you fry the bacon?" And so on...

It's a lovely sound, actually. It's not the sound of cooking. It's the sound of selflessness. The sound of love.

I love being a Mother. No other gift or accomplishment will ever compare to the beauty of all of this. If only I can hold onto it...I want it to last forever.

P.S Happy Mother's Day to my own beautiful, kind, loving Mother. I am who I am because of you.

Live it...

The girls begged me to make these shirts for them. We purchased solid color shirts, stencil paper and fabric markers. It makes me smile to see them eager to share their faith.

May Day...

This little goose was born 9 years ago on a beautiful spring day. May Day. And so fitting fur the sunshine she brings to our lives on a daily basis. She is truly an angel from above. We love you through and through, Miss Grace. Thank you for being the strong, smart, kind and wonderful girl that you are.