Let There Be Grass!!!!

The moment we have all been waiting for has finally arrived! We have our very own backyard! I can't believe it has been a year since we bought our house. Our first plan of action was to put up a patio cover and lay cement, which we were able to do last summer. Our budget quickly ran out, and therefore we had to wait on the grass. One year later we are finally able to have a huge, beautiful lawn and the three of us are loving it!

I Love My Life!

What a beautiful and blessed life I have! My parents' birthdays are both at the end of March and this year my siblings and I decided it was time to take matters into our own hands and throw them a party. I was in charge on the cupcakes and appetizers, my brothers were in charge of grilling, my wonderful husband entertained Sophia while all this took place, and my sister and her husband hosted the party. It was really rewarding to do something so thoughtful for my parents after all they have done for us! The party was a huge success. What a great blessing to have all of us together at one time. It sure doesn't happen very often. The pictures of James and I were taken in Flagstaff. We were fortunate enough to get a weekend away in mid March thanks to my amazing mom watching Sophia. It was our first time away from her overnight and it was wonderful to have such quality time with the man I love. I really do love my life!

Counting My Blessings

Being a mother is so rewarding and so terrifying at the same time. The love that a mother feels for her child can only be compared to the love that Christ feels for each of us. I would do ANYTHING for Sophia. We had our first real scare with her last weekend. We took her to her new pediatrician for a well visit on Ash Wednesday and she insisted on giving her 3 vaccinations although I was hesitant. For the next 3 nights Sophia was running a fever and was acting tired and sick. We tried to let the fever run its course until it spiked to 105 Saturday night while I was at work and James was out of town. Luckily my mom was watching Sophia and we were able to rush her to the ER. I have never been more terrified since having Sophia. I was holding her outside the hospital singing to her out loud and praying out loud that God would heal my little girl. People must have thought I was crazy, but I needed those prayers to be heard. I did not know the severity of the temperature. For all I knew, my daughter was on her way to becoming brain dead. I was hysterical, although I tried to stay strong for Sophia. We were able to bring her fever down with meds and the doctor told me that I had done the right thing by not giving her Tylenol when the fever was under 100. I know that I overreacted in this situation, but that's what motherhood has done to me. It breaks my heart to know that my child ever has to experience even the slightest amount of pain. I don't know if overloading Sophia with vaccinations is what caused the temperature, but I do not that in the future I will be assertive when it comes to defending what I believe is best for my children.

Pizza Pizzaz!

Lets Go For a Walk...

Sophia always amazes me by her interpretation of things that I say. Yesterday was no exception. After several cold and rainy days, the sun was finally out so I thought it would be a great day for a walk. I asked Sophia if she wanted to go for a walk with the stroller. Her interpretation of this was not quite what I had in mind, but we had fun taking her bear for a walk nonetheless!

A Mother's Love

I am filled with an overwhelming love of my daughter right now. I am filled with such joy and I feel so truly blessed to be the mother of such a sweet and beautiful girl. As I laid her in her crib tonight, I prayed over her like I always do, but I prayed especially hard tonight. I prayed that nothing of this world will ever take away her kind heart or her purity. I prayed that she will always know that she is loved and I prayed that her dad and I will always have the strength to raise her in truth and holiness. Being a mother has given me more joy and more purpose than I can comprehend. I am constantly exhausted because of it, and yet God also allows me to be constantly overflowing with happiness and grace. I have such a desire for more children. I know God is calling me to this and I am so eager to await how many beautiful children he will allow me to love.

When I Go to the Park

When did Sophia become big enough to play on the playground? Why does it feel like she is transitioning from being a baby to being a little girl faster than I can keep up with? This is such a bitter sweet concept for a mother. I definitely do not miss those late night feedings that come with having an infant, but there is a small part of me that just wants life to slow down. I want to take it all in and not feel like time is moving faster than I can catch up with. Sophia is slowly becoming independent. She has a personality and it is such a joy to watch her as she tries to do things on her own. My favorite thing about her right now is that everyone is her best friend. We go to the park and she waves and says hi to everyone whether it is a child or an old man walking his dog. James and I were just talking tonight about what a kind heart our little girl has. I was washing dishes tonight and she came over to me, kissed and hugged my leg, and walked away. It was her simple way of showing her love for me and it just about makes me cry. Watching your child grow up before your eyes has to be one of the most bittersweet things that exist. I know that life will not slow down, it will probably only get busier. All I can do is capture every moment in the best possible way.