A Little Late/ A Little Early For Five Minute Friday

I'm so excited to put my feet down on California soil tomorrow, but I know the ache that will come with being away from three of the most precious faces. I have been thinking a lot about friendship lately, how it changes, how it grows, how you never need it any less. I am grateful to see friends that have made it through the years, 2nd grade, 5th grade, and 9th grade and eight babies! I will be missing one little love I met in 7th grade after tripping over a bag of PE uniforms at our pre jr high sports physicals ;) I am also grateful for the incredible friends I've made since. The ones that were started in San Luis Obispo through work and school and have carried on through many moves, marriages, and yes more babies. While the West Coast holds the bulk of my friends-California, Oregon, and Washington, I have been seriously hooked up with friends in Texas too! One being a couple of hours and away and soon to be much further-I'm sad to see them go but so stoked on what the opportunity means for her family. I have neighborhood girlfriends again which are priceless. A friend I will watch The Bachelor for because she is that amazing to be with, but I'll need some spiked hot chocolate-for The Bachelor part, a girlfriend that can and has been my personal stylist, a friend that makes the yummiest food and always shares her recipes, ladies that I can laugh with as easily as I can cry with, and new friendships that have been brought together through our children. Friendships with family members are especially dear and I'm lucky to have those as well. That sweet little girl scout song about friendship couldn't be more true. Friends near and far,sprinkled across the country and even in Sweden-forgive me for when it feels distant, laugh with me when I make a fool of myself, cry with me when I just can't help it, and know I am doing the same for you, even if I'm buried under clean unfolded laundry in peanut butter smeared pajamas with the every present ponytail in place because I love you and always wish there was more time for us to be together. I'll never need you all any less and I can't imagine having better friends. Cheers loves!

Five Minute Friday

Blake is starting to say so many words! She is so fun, I wish you could play with her. Elle and I had another round of colds or whatever and we are slowly moving into the better category. We had a lot of rain this week that was so refreshing although I wasn't sad for a dry day yesterday to get the kids outside to play and feel the sunshine. My sister came last weekend and the kids had lots of fun making silly faces on the computer and looking through all her pictures. Rylan is still enjoying his prek class and I'm amazed how much he is learning in those three hours everyday. Elle is in full force a tumultuous three year old phase. I can only imagine how many deep breaths I'll have to take seven to eight years from now if this is a glimpse, sheesh! Maybe it's because she's been sick for so long she's over it-and yes she has told me she's over it when she doesn't like my answer and she has also called all of us haters at least once the last month. My New Year's resolution is in this year to find my new peaceful place, my place of solitude, my new Avila in Texas. It's a giant state, there's gotta be a diamond in the rough waiting for me to discover! I need it, I miss home!

I Made It Happen On a Friday Finally

It seems like the last few weeks could be summed up with illness, illness, illness. I was sick on Thanksgiving so we had Jack in the Box-don't judge, Elle has had three ear infections, Rylan has/had strep, scarlet fever, and an ear infection, Blake has an ear infection and the flu, and I have bronchitis and a sinus infection. I managed to make Christmas dinner for Kenny in shifts but when I wasn't in the kitchen I was in bed. Catching up on other things-I surpassed my goal with my Cotton Candy sale, thank you to all that made purchases last month. I was grateful to take it all to the bank yesterday and put together a bigger than expected money order(tearful story to follow). We are excited some neighborhood friends from California that moved to Keller Texas about a year ago are coming to spend the day with us tomorrow. They have three stair step babes like us and it will be so good for both families to have a little taste of home for an afternoon. I had a great birthday a couple weeks ago. Shopping and lunch with girlfriends, a date with my man, an all too quick lunch with a bestie, and time to myself! Oh and we moved October 30th! Love the new place and most importantly the kids couldn't be happier, probably even get along better with more space, an awesome playroom, and a great backyard. Now the teary part...




If you have been reading our blog I hope you have been following Noa's story and praying for the Rose family. As I said before I was doing a fundraiser sale at Cotton Candy to donate to the Roses. Many gave above and beyond their purchase totals and I know some donated directly via their blog. I hoped for a set amount and easily doubled it. My heart was full that strangers and friends were supporting our friends financially and prayerfully. I have "rough drafted" part of this post at least a dozen times with the words just out of reach. Noa's story did not end the way my heart longed for, but God's plan is not our own and my heart just hasn't come to terms with that yet. I struggle to share because I know words on a screen often don't come across the way we intend. I am by no means making this about myself, it is just such a delicate time and I don't want to taint it with my limited ability to put the right words together. Even this very moment I pause and pray that the words read here reveal the tender truth and nothing more. Getting back to yesterday. It took me longer than I expected to go to the bank, sick mom, sick kids, holiday obligations(silly), whatever else, but mostly I think I just was reluctant to go because I wished so desperately that I didn't have to. That all of this didn't need to be in the first place. That Noa's beautiful life was being shared with her family this side of heaven. I had three transactions to do at the bank and the money order was the last because I knew I would spill if they at all asked who it was going to or what it was for. When I gave the teller the amount she looked quizzical and when she said she waved the normal fee I expressed my gratitude and began to share just a tiny bit of Noa's story. I noticed the woman working at the drive up window was listening and starting to tear up. As the transaction was almost completed she walked to the woman helping me and said hold on a second and went to the back. She came out and stood next to me and handed the teller some cash and said, "I'm a customer at this bank and I want to add to this money order" I hardly had a voice and hugged her and said thank you. Now both of us were crying and I shared with her how amazed I was with her generosity and about the Cotton Candy fundraiser. She said she wished she could do more. She took a minute to compose herself before going back to her desk at the window. I expressed my appreciation again and how much it meant that a complete stranger was touched and acted upon it. I have never been in this branch before so she has never seen me. I was floored that with just a few words, honestly maybe thirty seconds of sharing she opened her heart and her wallet-literally. Maybe because I'm a girl and a crier, the whole thing was more tender, but it felt like a movie scene. It was fluid and beautiful as if someone had scripted it. And you know what, I believe that. I believe that the God that cares about the very hairs on my head, cares even more about my heart. Our family and friends have had some tragic and painful loss the last few months, losing a husband/father and a child are nothing I know first hand but my heart has been burdened for the people I love hurting so deeply. I started the season not feeling very into it because we did not have family coming nor were we going anywhere to be with family and after some rushed and crabby holiday shoppers, and the tragedy in Connecticut, the weeks before Christmas weren't especially cheery. The woman at Chase bank renewed my spirit in people and that there was actually good in the world. I believe I had a divine appointment that day with Stephanie at Chase bank on 620 and Wyoming Springs, I just didn't have it on my calendar, but thankfully He did. I love how He loves children. While the money was given to bless the Roses, it blessed me the same. I saw on facebook this idea of starting with an empty jar at the beginning of the year and putting notes of good things that happen through the year and reading them at the end of that year. I will absolutely be starting this in a few days and yesterday will probably go in, a few days early but oh well. It will be in the jar but I don't think I will ever forget it-I can see it like it's a movie I've watched over and over. I don't know her motivation for doing this but I am grateful.I am grateful for her generosity and I'm grateful for the restoration in my heart and to the one who orchestrated it all. Just as Mary pondered these things and treasured them in her heart, I am doing the same tonight. Happy New Year dear ones!

5 Minute Fridays

...will be back this week :)

To Help the Roses

Shop Cotton Candy's 50% off sale with all proceeds going to the Rose family, buy a shirt or sweatshirt or donate directly! Go here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cotton-Candy/142733862431785 or here http://prayingfornoa.bigcartel.com/about or here www.noascdh.blogspot.com

Noa Grace

Nothing I have to say about our lives lately is as important as this!  For more information see the blog on my list on the right side that says Diagnosed with CDH

http://prayingfornoa.bigcartel.com/about

Five Minute Friday, orrrrr a little less

Super busy in these parts. Packing and preparing to move on the 30th. Love my babes and my man. Hopefully catch up next week.

5 Minute Friday

I was debating whether or not to keep this up because I have a pretty good idea that no one is reading this, but I decided that if nothing else it is a record for us of snapshots of life five minutes at a time. I read a sweet blog posting on the Huffington Post this week that encouraged me to be in front of the camera a little more. If my girls hear and see me being so negative about myself how can I expect them to grow into confident women that are not hyper critical of their looks. In a time when we have constant access to "sharing" our thoughts, pictures, opinions, life, I want all of my children to grow up with a healthy understanding of who they are, not worried constantly about who will see what and keep them from doing something because they are afraid who will post something about it. I realize as I am actively participating in a forum that opens our lives to the public that I am potentially setting myself up for criticism, but the power I have is to delete hurtful comments, share only what I want, and be stoked I have a place to share and keep record of these days. Kenny and I debate social media all the time and we have come to the conclusion that we participate for ourselves and when it becomes too much about others we'll push the "x", backspace, esc, delete,remove, unsubscribe, hide, unfollow, block, whatever. So I guess all this to say, I will continue blogging for our own record keeping, and if you like what you see or read, let me know.  For my mama heart sisters here's a link to the post.... www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-tate/mom-pictures-with-kids_b_1926073.html

5 Minute Friday x2

Last Friday I was headed to Washington to attend one of my oldest and dearest friends wedding in a teeny tiny little town in Washington. Not only was the time with our other childhood friend and her family awesome, the cool weather and fog was heavenly. I missed my family very much and had a couple hiccups travelling west but it was definitely worth it. I may have gotten a little teary when the southern California coast line was in view :( This Friday I got up when the moon was still high to get my birthday boy Round Rock donuts, per his request. He is still peacefully sleeping in his new big kid bed and I can't wait for him to wake up. Of course I am the sentimental sappy mom today and I don't care about much else today besides seeing him smile. We had some sad news to tell him this week and once again he showed us his incredibly loving heart. I am so grateful to be his mama. I had no idea what to expect holding a baby boy in my arms five years ago and I still don't, but I do know that I have a treasure in that little boy that could never be replaced, that I don't deserve, that surprises me all the time, and that I would go to the ends of the earth for in a heartbeat. We love Rylan James as a big as Texas. Moochies and a shaka dude!

5 Minute Friday

Hallelujah for some rain and much cooler temperatures. It has been under 70 at times in the last day and a half. I am excited to  start volunteering in Rylan's class room every other Monday. Fortunately it is at a time when Kenny can just take a slightly longer lunch and hang out with the girls and work from home while they nap. I didn't get pictures loaded yet because we've had an extra busy week with doctors appointments and other things that came up. Poor Blake shots are so so so hard on her, by far the worst of the three. Well, that wraps up my five minutes.