Celebrating 5 years of Marriage

This......

Plus this....

Equals this.

This....

Plus this....

Equals this.

And this.

Happy Anniverary, Jeff.

I love you more than the day we got married. Amazing how 5 years of marriage has changed our lives.

Life with 2 kids

My posts seem to be few and far between now, but I do have good reason for that. Mostly it's because I have no time, but also because I could be doing better things (like taking a nap) than writing on the computer. Life with a two year old and a newborn is busy, to say the least. Trying to manage my time well is a challenge, while still trying to have fun with Caleb and keep up with Luke's feeding/changing schedule. I guess I knew this was coming, but like all other things in motherhood, you don't really understand until it happens to you.

Caleb has been a handful lately, and is definetly in to the terrible two stage. There isn't a day that goes by where he doesn't have some sort of crying/screaming fit. I'm trying my best to ignore and move on, but sometimes it's really trying on the patience. Luke is still a good baby, but has realized he wants to be held as much as possible. So, imagine this:

I have Luke in one arm, a burp rag and bottle being held onto with two fingers, Caleb handing me cars to play with while simultaneously asking for juice. No wait...milk. No wait..NO! YES! NO JUICE! NO MILK! TRACTOR PULLS! Commense the crying newborn in the crook of my left arm. Bottle dropping on the floor, Remmy running over to lick said bottle, Caleb falling on the ground in a fit of sadness over juice and milk choices, and let's just top it off with some poopy pants from Luke.

Yes. This is my life right now. I will listen to all of your advice that it will be over before I know it. But right now, I know it.

Somehow, I still feel lucky most days. Who wouldn't wish for this life?

Small Blessings

"Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day
With little time to stop and pray
For life's been anything but calm
Since You called on me to be a mom
Running errands, matching socks
Building dreams with building blocks
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes
And other stuff that children lose
Gitting lids on bottled bugs
Wiping tears and giving hugs
A stack of last week's mail to read
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet when I steal a minute, Lord
Just at the sink or ironing board
To ask the blessings of Your grace
I see then, in my small one's face
That you have blessed me
All the while
And I stop to kiss
That precious smile."

A moment in time

I have a few extra mintues this morning, and this is probably the best time of day for me to write since I'm dead tired by about 3:00 in the afternoon these days. Anyways, I just wanted to share a couple pictures, and talk about what a challenging and special time in our life this is. Luke is a wonderful baby, and Caleb is adjusting pretty well I think. But, it's still a lot of work, and alot of responsibility. Two little lives are dependent on Jeff and I. It's a bit of a daunting thought...but maybe it's not. It popped in to my head yesterday as I sat outside with Caleb, that there are only a few more years left where my boys will be home with me all day, everyday. I can't wish away these moments, because they are so fleeting. Luke will only be this tiny package for a few more months, and Caleb is already growing in to such a big boy. Becoming a parent really puts your life and the life of others in to perspective.

Below are a couple shots of Caleb and Luke. I love my boys!

"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and million ways to be a good one."