I thought I would post today and let you know the reason I have not posted here in awhile. Unfortunately, our camera battery charger is MIA. I'm not sure where it ended up over the course of the move but consequently, I cannot upload pictures from our camera. I can only take pictures with my phone and so I mostly post on Facebook.
As a quick update, there is nothing new to update. :) Winter is kinda lame. :)
February 22, 2012
February 7, 2012
February Begins
There is nothing dreary about winter in Moses Lake! Every morning, I wake up to a beautiful sunrise. Every evening, I am in awe of the sunset. The sun shines every day. The sky is grand. And inside our little home, life abounds! The girls keep me on my toes CONSTANTLY but I am so thankful for their sweet faces every morning. Ellie is a lot of fun these days because she is picking things up so quickly. She can ice skate solo after only two sessions. Her coloring and drawing are showing a sudden and impressive attention to detail. She has perfected her bridge and has almost mastered a handstand after only two weeks of gymnastics. She learned to tie a bow in a day and now she is reading on her own! She is busy with preschool and gymnastics and will start U7 soccer this spring and I am acutely aware that this is the last summer she is still "my baby." She is such a little lady now. Then there is Kate. Kate is a monster but the sweetest little love bug too. She loves to get into EVERYTHING...refrigerator, pantry, DVD cabinet, etc. She is constantly getting busted for something but is so darn cute when she shows remorse and says "Sawee Mamma" that all my frustration just melts away. She loves to dance and make people laugh but never shows that she knows she is funny. She keeps a straight face. She is tough, very smart, affectionate, and knows how to capture everybody's heart.
This was a "naughty" day for Kate
Tired and snuggly
Girl time. We love our books!
Going on a treasure hunt :)
First time bowling!
Good Ol' Jaxie
Kate enjoying a "Latte" (vanilla steamed milk) in the sunshine
January 18, 2012
January 3, 2012
Home Sweet Home
Right now I am sitting at my computer, typing this entry while all around me, a team of movers pack up my life into cardboard boxes. I am not allowed to pack anything (company policy) so I am sitting here trying to make use of my time.
On the radio this morning, I heard the song "The House That Built Me" (Miranda Lambert). I love that song and it got me thinking about "home" and what that really means. I'm not sure if "Home is where the heart is" or if it's the house one grows up in or any other quick definition. For me, I've lived in many houses in my short 31 years and I have at one point or another, referred to all of them as "Home." More importantly, I currently cannot call anywhere home, which feels very weird.
Whenever Dan and I move (first from Milton to Buckley, and now Buckley to Moses Lake) I get all sentimental and nostalgic. I mourn the loss of a home where a baby's growing journey took place and then later returned for the first time...first Ellie in Milton and then Kate here in Buckley. There is nothing like bringing a new baby "home" to make it feel just like that. And somehow it feels like the memories born in that space will forever stay there. Like even though you can remember them, when you move you also somehow leave them behind. To me, it's a kind of wonderful and beautiful sadness.
Our Milton house was tiny and a bit of a fixer-upper when we bought it. Dan and I were newlyweds and returned to our first home to unpack our wedding gifts and begin to make a life within those walls. We brought our first pet, Jaxie, home from the pound. I had my first teaching job teaching high school. A couple years later, we brought Ellie home from the hospital. Dan was awarded Trooper of the Year. Ellie took her first steps, said her first words, and became a little person. Our love and life grew in that space for five years and until we had more love and life than the walls could hold. We then moved to Buckley in 2009. Dan's job changed once again, Ellie started preschool, and I gave birth to our beautiful Kate. I have watched our girls learn to be sisters and friends here and Dan and I have learned to be parents to more than one little girl. Once again, I feel a wonderful and beautiful sadness as I think of leaving our "home" here in Buckley.
I guess that means that we are doing something right. If we were leaving and I did not feel a loss, then I would think the years spent in those spaces were not filled up with a life well lived. It would mean that the houses were only houses, and never homes filled with the love and laughter of two precious little girls learning to be people and the joy and pride of their parents as they watched them grow.
And I cannot help but wonder how Ellie and Kate will feel...where will they call home? Which house will have "built" them or will they, like me, feel like "home" was made up of more than one place? I guess only time will tell.
I do feel a bit sad, like we are leaving behind something more than bricks and stone and wood and drywall but excited too, that we have new spaces to fill with life and love and laughter. I wonder if (in this life) we will ever arrive at a place that we will call home for good. I think I would like that immensely. It would be nice to put roots into the ground and be there many years later to see them grow into something great. Either way, I look forward to filling space and time with my husband and our lovely little girls, and know that as long as they are with me, life will be sweet and I will feel home.
On the radio this morning, I heard the song "The House That Built Me" (Miranda Lambert). I love that song and it got me thinking about "home" and what that really means. I'm not sure if "Home is where the heart is" or if it's the house one grows up in or any other quick definition. For me, I've lived in many houses in my short 31 years and I have at one point or another, referred to all of them as "Home." More importantly, I currently cannot call anywhere home, which feels very weird.
Whenever Dan and I move (first from Milton to Buckley, and now Buckley to Moses Lake) I get all sentimental and nostalgic. I mourn the loss of a home where a baby's growing journey took place and then later returned for the first time...first Ellie in Milton and then Kate here in Buckley. There is nothing like bringing a new baby "home" to make it feel just like that. And somehow it feels like the memories born in that space will forever stay there. Like even though you can remember them, when you move you also somehow leave them behind. To me, it's a kind of wonderful and beautiful sadness.
Our Milton house was tiny and a bit of a fixer-upper when we bought it. Dan and I were newlyweds and returned to our first home to unpack our wedding gifts and begin to make a life within those walls. We brought our first pet, Jaxie, home from the pound. I had my first teaching job teaching high school. A couple years later, we brought Ellie home from the hospital. Dan was awarded Trooper of the Year. Ellie took her first steps, said her first words, and became a little person. Our love and life grew in that space for five years and until we had more love and life than the walls could hold. We then moved to Buckley in 2009. Dan's job changed once again, Ellie started preschool, and I gave birth to our beautiful Kate. I have watched our girls learn to be sisters and friends here and Dan and I have learned to be parents to more than one little girl. Once again, I feel a wonderful and beautiful sadness as I think of leaving our "home" here in Buckley.
I guess that means that we are doing something right. If we were leaving and I did not feel a loss, then I would think the years spent in those spaces were not filled up with a life well lived. It would mean that the houses were only houses, and never homes filled with the love and laughter of two precious little girls learning to be people and the joy and pride of their parents as they watched them grow.
And I cannot help but wonder how Ellie and Kate will feel...where will they call home? Which house will have "built" them or will they, like me, feel like "home" was made up of more than one place? I guess only time will tell.
I do feel a bit sad, like we are leaving behind something more than bricks and stone and wood and drywall but excited too, that we have new spaces to fill with life and love and laughter. I wonder if (in this life) we will ever arrive at a place that we will call home for good. I think I would like that immensely. It would be nice to put roots into the ground and be there many years later to see them grow into something great. Either way, I look forward to filling space and time with my husband and our lovely little girls, and know that as long as they are with me, life will be sweet and I will feel home.
A few sweet memories from our first two homes...
Milton
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|
Buckley
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| Ellie and Daddy getting Kate's room ready in Buckley |
December 30, 2011
A Truly NEW Year
I hope you don't mind but I am going to write my "New Year" post today, December 30, 2011. I know it's a bit premature but I fear this may be my last opportunity to sit down and write for quite some time.
Today is Friday. This weekend we are running some errands, visiting a few friends, and tying up loose ends. Tuesday the movers arrive and the show begins. By Friday, we will be in our new (but temporary) home in Moses Lake.
Talk about out with the old and in with the new.
That is one thing I know for sure: this really is a TOTALLY NEW year. A new home, new school for Ellie, new job for Dan, new town (I've never actually lived in a small town...should be interesting!) and new friends, neighbors, etc.
But for right now, I am waiting. I feel very busy in this holding pattern we have maintained for the last two months and yet there is really nothing I can do for the next few days. I definitely feel like I am in the calm before the storm; a lot like how I felt before each of our daughters were born. I know I should be taking advantage of this time and doing something to be more "ready" and yet, I can only sit and wait.
This will be a difficult, wonderful, transitional, exciting, full of possibility kind of a new year. It will be lonely at first, but hopefully will soon fill in with new friends and life happenings. Otherwise, I don't know what to expect. Will we stay in Moses Lake? Move on to Spokane? Sell our Buckley home and buy another in Eastern Washington or continue to rent for awhile? Will God bless us with another baby or not? Will I go back to work? It's funny how everyone is asking me all these questions and I really have no answer, although I feel like I am expected to know something. If I have learned anything in these past few months (and really, it's a lesson I continue to learn over and over again) it is that God's plan always supersedes my own, and that I must have faith that everything will unfold exactly as it should (and always has).
As the new year approaches, I know we are all contemplating resolutions. I don't know that I have resolutions per say, but I have three quotes/prayers/words of wisdom that I feel will guide me through 2012. I am at the very least vowing to say them over and over again in my mind and heart. Here they are:
It is my hope that my words will become my thoughts and my thoughts will become my action and my life will be better for it. I know I have lots of room for improvement!
So if you are "of the old" and we are soon moving away from you, then please know that you have been very special in our lives and we greatly appreciate how you have supported and shaped our family and life. If you are "of the new" and we are soon moving toward you, then to you I say "Hello!" and we are excited to begin a new phase of life with you in it. And to all our family and friends, old and new, we may be in a small rental home but the sun shines in Moses Lake and our door is open! :) We hope to see all of you in 2012!
Happy New Year!
Today is Friday. This weekend we are running some errands, visiting a few friends, and tying up loose ends. Tuesday the movers arrive and the show begins. By Friday, we will be in our new (but temporary) home in Moses Lake.
Talk about out with the old and in with the new.
That is one thing I know for sure: this really is a TOTALLY NEW year. A new home, new school for Ellie, new job for Dan, new town (I've never actually lived in a small town...should be interesting!) and new friends, neighbors, etc.
But for right now, I am waiting. I feel very busy in this holding pattern we have maintained for the last two months and yet there is really nothing I can do for the next few days. I definitely feel like I am in the calm before the storm; a lot like how I felt before each of our daughters were born. I know I should be taking advantage of this time and doing something to be more "ready" and yet, I can only sit and wait.
This will be a difficult, wonderful, transitional, exciting, full of possibility kind of a new year. It will be lonely at first, but hopefully will soon fill in with new friends and life happenings. Otherwise, I don't know what to expect. Will we stay in Moses Lake? Move on to Spokane? Sell our Buckley home and buy another in Eastern Washington or continue to rent for awhile? Will God bless us with another baby or not? Will I go back to work? It's funny how everyone is asking me all these questions and I really have no answer, although I feel like I am expected to know something. If I have learned anything in these past few months (and really, it's a lesson I continue to learn over and over again) it is that God's plan always supersedes my own, and that I must have faith that everything will unfold exactly as it should (and always has).
As the new year approaches, I know we are all contemplating resolutions. I don't know that I have resolutions per say, but I have three quotes/prayers/words of wisdom that I feel will guide me through 2012. I am at the very least vowing to say them over and over again in my mind and heart. Here they are:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen
Bloom where you are planted.
Be positive.
It is my hope that my words will become my thoughts and my thoughts will become my action and my life will be better for it. I know I have lots of room for improvement!
So if you are "of the old" and we are soon moving away from you, then please know that you have been very special in our lives and we greatly appreciate how you have supported and shaped our family and life. If you are "of the new" and we are soon moving toward you, then to you I say "Hello!" and we are excited to begin a new phase of life with you in it. And to all our family and friends, old and new, we may be in a small rental home but the sun shines in Moses Lake and our door is open! :) We hope to see all of you in 2012!
Happy New Year!
December 17, 2011
Here Comes Santa Claus...
Let the festivities begin! Today we kicked off our family Christmas with our annual celebration at Nana and Papa's house. We started with a delicious brunch and then let the kiddos dig in to their stockings. This year was Cole's first Christmas so it was so sweet to watch him experience everything for the first time. I think overall, his new play cell phones and ball drop toy were his favorites. Kate picked up on the whole "unwrapping" concept and really loved opening presents. She has just recently started the "oh wow!" inhale and made sure to expertly demonstrate this new skill at every possible opportunity. Ellie's excitement was enormous and just filled the room with joy. Of course, the highlight for Ellie was her new American Girl stuff. For Kate, I think she was most excited about Cole. :) Those three kids sure do love each other! Kate has a pretty impressive rendition of Jingle Bells that she will sing when she feels up to it and is also counting to ten with decent consistency. Looks like we might have another smarty pants on our hands! When all the gifts were unwrapped, I think we all sort of took a moment at the same time to just stand in awe of how blessed we are at this moment in time...with family, health, home and yes, even presents. I felt the love in the room and I know that we really knew the spirit of the holiday today. I think the love of Jesus on that first Christmas was magnified and it really was special.
OK, so here are a few pictures from our day. Some of these are also on Facebook but I really wanted them here too. We have yet to celebrate with the Ciabattari's and our own little McDonald Christmas morning is yet to be discovered. Stay tuned for more! Enjoy and Merry Christmas! (and if you are reading this, leave a little message for me...I'd like to know who is still out there!)
OK, so here are a few pictures from our day. Some of these are also on Facebook but I really wanted them here too. We have yet to celebrate with the Ciabattari's and our own little McDonald Christmas morning is yet to be discovered. Stay tuned for more! Enjoy and Merry Christmas! (and if you are reading this, leave a little message for me...I'd like to know who is still out there!)
The McDonalds...tee hee
American Girl NEVER disappoints!
Great picture of the three kids...check out the seriously cute pig tails on Kate!
Handmade with love from Ellie to Cole
FANTASTIC game for the family with kids...actually, we adults played this all afternoon! SO FUN!
December 7, 2011
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