Another milestone

Today was one of those long awaited/long dreaded days. Caleb is starting to walk! We were playing outside this afternoon and he held onto my finger and started walking. We cruised all around the yard, and I was so excited that we rode the 4-wheeler over to the farm to make sure Daddy saw it too. Before he went to bed tonight he was walking across the kitchen all by himself!

I've been waiting and wondering when this day would come. It seemed like every other child I saw that was Caleb's age or younger was already walking. Of course, you worry when your child isn't doing what others are doing, but I knew in the back of my head that he would start walking someday soon! It's so cute to see him try and find his balance; walking with his arms out straight and taking funny, little steps. I think he's quite proud of himself too. He has a proud smile on his face while he's taking those steps. Of course, I do expect him to continue crawling for awhile- I mean, how else can he push his trucks and tractors around at lightening speed?

I took some pictures of him out in the yard today, and after looking at them on my computer, I realized my baby isn't really a baby anymore. And walking is one of those big milestones that signifies toddlerhood. It's bittersweet, but fun to see him changing so much. I'm so glad I'm able to stay home with Caleb and see these exciting moments in his life!

"Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs...since the payment is pure love."

4 years later

Today is our 4th wedding anniversary! It's hard to believe it's already been 4 years, but oh, how the time has flown. When I woke up this morning I found a fresh doughnut and a card on the table. That's already a great start :) Jeff has been wanting a new bow to hunt with for a long time, so I made the last minute decision to buy one for him, and suprise him for our anniversary. This morning I went to Gander Mountain and talked to a knowledgeable person (because I don't know the first thing about bows!), and bought what I thought he would like. Yes, it did hurt my pocketbook, but it was well worth it to see the suprise on his face when he came home for lunch this afternoon. I love seeing him happy!

I hope and pray in the coming years that we'll continue to suprise eachother, support eachother, and keep on trucking down this road of life that we have created for ourselves. We've both matured alot since our wedding day, and I can honestly say that the years keep getting better. There is no one I'd rather spend the rest of my life with.

From our wedding day:

"I, Katie, take you, Jeff, as my husband, my friend, my love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it. I will be yours in want or in plenty, in sickness or in health, in sorrow or in joy. I will cherish you and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you and stay with you, as long as we both shall live."

Family differences

It's been another week and I'm taking a little time to reflect. Jeff and I will be celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary later this week, and we ended up going out for an anniversary dinner last night. Jeff took me to Leo's downtown, and it was so delicious! I just love doing new things with Jeff. While we enjoyed a great dinner, we talked a little about the years since we got married, the years that we dated, and the current stage our life is in. The more years we are married, the more we learn about eachother, but also the more we learn about family dynamics.

Jeff and I were raised in very different ways. Although there are some similarities, we've found that even in these few short 4 years of being married, there are also some big differences. There have been a few disagreements throughout the years regarding different things that involve our familes or the way we were brought up. I suppose each new married couple realizes these differences as more and more years go by. I come from a pretty small, independent family, whereas Jeff comes from a large, extended close-knit family. It's easier to sort things out when it's just the two of you, but after adding Caleb to our family we have found we need to come together and make our own family priorities.

I think having family close by is a huge blessing, and we're both glad we have family support. After all, family is really all you have. But, I also think there is a fine line where family can become a point of stress and disagreement. I'm hopeful that Jeff and I will learn and grow together as we create our own, individual family in the years to come.

"A son is a son until he takes him a wife. A daughter is a daugther all of her life."

Motherly Friends

Tonight I went over to our friend's new house for a girl's night. Every few months a group of mostly young moms, get together to eat and chat. Well, tonight was special because we all got a tour of a lovely new house! What a fabulous house to raise a family in, and have your friends with kids come over to- there was so much space. Besides the beautiful house, it was really great to hang out with other young moms. Everyone brought their kids, and it's just fun to watch them all interact, and be able to talk about babies/kids in a comfortable setting. Not that my friends who aren't moms yet are no fun (you all are a different kind of fun!), but it's refreshing to see and hear how other moms deal with their kids.

It was interesting to watch Caleb's interaction (or lack thereof) with the other kids. He was very quiet, and just played with toys by himself. While we were sitting downstairs, Caleb was upstairs playing quietly with a truck by himself. It's not that he doesn't like being around other kids; he was interested in what they were doing. But, he just seems content by himself. I know I should never trust him alone, but tonight he listened to me when I said no, and enjoyed his playtime. I hope this lasts! :)

It's refreshing, especially for me being a stay-at-home mom, to be in the presence of other moms and give Caleb a social experience. I hope our friendships and playdates continue through the years.

"It is not until you become a mother that your judgement slowly turns to compassion and understanding."

Cozy Coupe

Ok, let me just start by saying that Caleb loves books, and he really loves a book about the Cozy Coupe Car by Little Tikes. So, I was on my way to Target this morning and got completely side-tracked when I drove by a garage sale that had one for sale! I pulled over immediately and bought it. Although it's in used shape, I knew he would love having the real thing. Then I noticed that the neighborhood down the road from our house was having alot of garage sales today. I've never been much of a garage-saler, but there were so many great finds. Therefore, I preceded to buy clothes and more toys for Caleb. When I got home, I hauled out all of my purchases, and let Caleb have at them. He loved the Cozy Coupe, and it melts my heart to see him smile and have fun. Gosh, I'm such a mom! I feel like I never even look for things for myself anymore. It's all about Caleb. Not to mention, our house and yard will probably start looking like a daycare center pretty soon. It's amazing how fast toys and things to entertain Caleb start piling up!

Anyways, the point of this post is that I love to see my little guy happy. I know every parent wants to see their children happy, but today it was as simple as finding a used Cozy Coupe Car. Somehow, I think this might get more complicated and expensive as the days go by....

"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."

What a beautiful weekend!

Wow, it's been awhile since I've checked in and updated the blog. It just seems that I've been really busy lately, but I think things have calmed down now since all of the wedding festivities are over.

I had the wonderful opportunity to be a bridesmaid in one of my dearest friend's weddings this weekend. Rachel and I have been friends for around 13 years, and she had a beautiful, grand ceremony and reception yesterday. Although she and San have been married a few months already, they decided to throw a fancy wedding for family and friends to attend. It was fun to dress up and attend such a beautiful event, but it was also a special thing to watch San and Rachel commit themselves to eachother before God, and family and friends.

The wedding was at Mayflower Congregational in East Grand Rapids. It is one of the most gorgeous churches I've ever seen. It was the perfect fit for an elegant bride and groom. We rode a trolley from the church to the Amway Grand Hotel, where a jazz band played music, we dined in the Patlind ballroom, and danced the night away. I got the chance to catch up with some old high school friends, and enjoy lots of great conversation. Everyone's lives have taken such different directions, but it seemed simple to catch up on where were are. I don't think Jeff and I have ever been to such an elegant, beautiful event!

I wish Rachel and her new husband all the love, friendship, and hope that they deserve. I took my camera and snapped photos of the girls getting ready, and Rachel in her all her bridal splendor. The years really do fly past, and it's these big life moments that seem to go the fastest.

"A happy marriage is a new beginning of life, a starting point for happiness and usefulness."