Yesterday, my mom and dad left for a fantastic Alaskan cruise. Have so much fun, mom and dad! I'm jealous of your 50 degree weather while we all suffer in the 101 degree temps with 100% humidity here.
I have, in my home, 4 dogs ranging in size from 6 pounds to 65 pounds for the next 10-11 days.
My mom and I's business is left solely to me for the duration of their vacation (which is kind of exhilarating for me).
I am repurposing a China hutch.
I have a wedding to attend this weekend.
I'm hosting a bachelorette party next weekend.
School starts in 3 weeks.
I have 2 children to tend to.
And I have day-to-day things, like grocery shopping and laundry and dishes and vacuuming, to stay on top of.
I said all that to say, my mind is already in 100 different places and it's my only guess as to why the scariest event of my life took place yesterday.
I was delivering an order to my old high school. I had already driven 45+ miles round trip to pick up some supplies for our business and was trying to get things done in order to stay on top of the ever-growing to-do list. I pulled into an empty parking spot in front of the school and left the car running for the girls while I finished some assembly of signs at the back of my car. When I finished, I leaned the signs against my rear bumper and went to get the girls out of their carseats. Kylee was first. I unbuckled her, she climbed out, and I had her stand next to the signs as I unloaded her sister. With Ryan on my hip, I went to the front passenger seat to grab my purse, an envelope, and to turn off my car.
Only when I turned the car off, the car starting rolling backwards.
With Kylee standing behind it.
PANIC!
I screamed. I ran to her, screaming at her to run. I don't remember where she ran, but my car kept backing up. And quickly. The next thing I knew, I was in my driver seat, slamming on the breaks and throwing the car into park. The baby was screaming, Kylee was safe on the sidewalk, and I looked down to see my hands shaking as my head was pounding. Ryan has a scrape and bruise on her face. I still don't know how it got there. My head is bruised and my heart is in my stomach but most importantly, Kylee is fine!
Somehow I managed to not ever put the car in park. Since the car was on an incline and in drive, it basically managed to stay put until the engine was shut off. Once the engine shut off, there was nothing to hold it on the incline, and it rolled backwards.
I wasn't in a rush. I wasn't texting or talking on the phone. It was a freak accident. And it could have ended much differently.
THANK GOD for an empty parking lot so that she could run without another car hitting her.
THANK GOD for her quick thinking and being able to run out of harm's way.
THANK GOD she didn't trip or stumble or she surely would have been run over.
THANK GOD nobody was seriously injured.
My heart is still in my stomach. At nap time, I just held them, loved on them and cried. They don't understand the severity of the situation but I do. I know it could have ended much differently than it did. I've never done anything like that before. How did I manage to leave the car in drive? I find myself trying to wrap my head around what happened but it only drives me crazy, gets me worked up and then I'm totally back in that moment, freaking out. Mommy brain is real. It causes me to wonder where my sunglasses are when they're on the top of my head, be able to put shoes on before I leave the house but search for them for 15 minutes before finding them in the closet, and forget I washed a load of laundry and wet clothes have been in the wash for 2 days. I don't know how I did what I did but I'm just thankful to still have my babies.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
A Note to my Little Love on her First Birthday
Baby girl! 
You are ONE!
I just need to let that sink in for a second.
I've been reflecting on this last year over the past week. I actually cried the other night as I was sorting through your monthly pictures. I saw your little, newborn, puffy face transform month after month.
When did 365 days pass? How have that many hours, days, weeks and months gone by in a flash? You were once this tiny person growing in my tummy and you have turned into this still-so-tiny, beautiful bundle of your daddy. HA! You couldn't look more like him! I skimmed the monthly pictures and noticed that the one constant in them all is your joy. Someone once told me that happiness is an emotion that comes and goes but joy comes from the Lord. I love that. Girlfriend! You can be incredibly unhappy, earning yourself the name "Screaming Hawk" but joy radiates from your teeny tiny body every single day. I think of everything you mean to your daddy and me. You were new life in the face of death. You were joy in the midst of grief and sadness. What a blessing you have been to us! What was once a distant thought in our minds turned into this laughing, clapping, toddling Little Love and my life is better because of you.
You are sensitive, determined, loving, and a big time Daddy's girl. Your independent, feisty spirit leads me to believe that nothing will stand in your way. Ever. You have watched your sister do so much from day one. I see you internalize it all and then do it yourself. I mean, who crawls at 5 months old?! You do! You have to keep up with sissy after all! Speaking of your sister, one day, you're going to look back and read this so I want you to know that the love you have for each other is endearing. I watch the two of you giggle and play with so much joy in your little hearts that I feel like my own heart will burst. Kylee adores you. She loves to make you laugh and you love to let her. You enjoy playing in her bed before bedtime and while I get her dressed for school in the mornings. She loves to tickle you and read you stories. You love to hide together in the pillows on the couch and squeal when I finally find the two of you buried under a mountain of them. A favorite game y'all play is tag. She has quite an unfair advantage being able to run while you can barely toddle around, so I hold you out like you're flying and together we chase her down. I've never heard two girls squeal with laughter the way you two do. She's your built in best friend and has loved you long before you met her.
The relationship you have with your daddy absolutely melts my heart. You love him with reckless abandon and I have seen a whole different side to him because of you. You practically race to the door the moment the garage door swings open because that man you love so much is finally home from work, ready to sweep you up and kiss your little cheeks. God certainly knew what he was doing when he blessed us with not one but two girls. Daddy is outnumbered big time, but with you around, I know he doesn't mind the least bit. I love how you love your daddy so! But I love, even more, the way he loves you.
Tonight, I rocked you, holding you tight against my chest while you wrestled around. You have never liked to be rocked to sleep, but I did it anyways knowing that I would be waking up to a one year old. As I rocked and you tossed, I said a little prayer thanking God above for the person he wove together. This Little Joy Baby that has petite little features, big, beautiful eyes, and thick, curly blonde hair. This Little Love who makes me wonder what she's thinking when a certain grin with a hint of mischief crawls across her face. This same Little Love who cries at the sound of a pen click or when I raise my voice at our dog for who-knows-what. He perfectly made you. Just as you are. Just as you are supposed to be. His plan for your life is unfolding right in front of us and while we don't know what that is yet, I am thrilled that he picked me to be your mommy. I couldn't think of a sweeter role to play in your life.
I love you, Little Love! Life is so much sweeter with you in it!
Happy, happy birthday!
Thursday, April 2, 2015
PSA: From the young married couple with kids
I'm about to tackle something that I think a lot of women (particularly young moms) are afraid to say. Because for us to speak it, means we have to be vulnerable and that can be hard.
I've thought about writing this before. I even sat down at my computer once and started writing it, but my post was not coming from a great place. No matter how I worded it, I sounded a little bitter. And maybe I was because what I'm about to say, can really take a toll on you as a person. So I deleted it. I didn't even save the draft. I just got up and walked away. However, recently, a friend of mine that I've known for a long, long, long time posted a Facebook status about this exact issue. And from that post, other moms and wives were in so much agreement that I realized it wasn't just me. Thank God it's not just me! Because I was beginning to think it was. It's a very relevant topic that just needs to be addressed. So before you continue, please be open minded! Especially if you are a friend to someone that is young, married, and especially those with children.
When Travis and I got married, the floodgates opened with all sorts of advice. Wanted advice and unsolicited. Stuff like "never make divorce an option", "date frequently", "never let the sun set on your anger". But the one thing that nobody ever warned me about is how much my friendships and Travis's friendships would change when we got married. The simple, yet not-so-simple change from dating to engaged to married suddenly meant, to the outside world, that we were unavailable to do anything anymore.
The invites just STOPPED. Cold turkey style.
It definitely didn't get any better when we had kids. A lot of people consider us very young. In fact, that was some of the unsolicited advice we received. "You're too young! Wait until you're __!" We were married at 22 and 24 with a mortgage and a baby on the way only a year later. We had 2 kids by the ages of 27 and 29. And for the record, I wouldn't change a thing.
But people, for the love, we are the same friends. The very same ones that invited you to our wedding. The very same people who love a good New Year's Eve party, ugly sweater Christmas party, birthday party, or heck, just a it's-Friday-night-and-we-are-going-out party. Believe it or not, we would loooooove a night out, kid free, more than once a year. We would love a night in, at your house, where we bring dinner and you do dessert and our kids are welcome. Marriage and children change you. But in the best way possible! Our friendships may look slightly different than they did when we got married. And they should! But we still need those friendships. So ask us! Ask us to dinner. Ask us to a guys/girls only weekend. Ask us on your winter vacation you've planned with a group of friends. Guess what? Our answer may be no! But ask us! Because it very well could be yes.
I bet you thought that was the vulnerable part, right? Well, it kind of was. FULL DISCLOSURE: The last time I have had a girl's-only weekend was my bachelorette party in 2009. Travis has had it a bit easier. Most recently, since Ryan has been born, he has had 3 guys weekends in a matter of months. All bachelor parties or birthday parties and a wedding. I've had a few randomness here and there. Dinner with my future sister-in-law and her girlfriend and a bachelorette party for a really good friend of ours. But a weekend away to rejuvenate and step away from the daily grind of stay-at-home-mommy-life? 6 YEARS people!
Isn't that sad?
Y'all, that's really sad.
It's not because we can't go. It's because the invites just stopped. And why? Please, please don't stop asking us to dinner, to the movies, to your birthday party, to a night out just because! You may often hear the answer no. But please don't stop asking. It's hard to get both kids situated with grandparents. Because now, we are needing to interrupt other people's lives to make it possible for us to attend whatever it is we are being invited to. It's hard on me, especially being a nursing mother where her main source of food is me. It's hard! There are a lot of pieces to this puzzle that we have to put together before we can jump in and say yes.
But this is a season of our life that will be over and gone before you know it. And we don't want to lose the friendships that we have.
So I've said all that to say, please be intentional with your friends. You have no idea the impact it can have. And thank you to those that have stayed intentional with us, and loved us during this season of our lives where the answer isn't always yes but you continue to ask anyways. You have no idea how much that means to us.
Now, go do something intentional with your friend. A text, a phone call, or an invite to lunch. Right. Now.
One final note. It appears there are assumptions being made that I, as well as others in this same position, don't initiate nights out, weekends away, etc. While a valid thought, it's an inaccurate assumption. At least for me. But I won't quit asking, just like I hope those out there asking me won't stop.
I've thought about writing this before. I even sat down at my computer once and started writing it, but my post was not coming from a great place. No matter how I worded it, I sounded a little bitter. And maybe I was because what I'm about to say, can really take a toll on you as a person. So I deleted it. I didn't even save the draft. I just got up and walked away. However, recently, a friend of mine that I've known for a long, long, long time posted a Facebook status about this exact issue. And from that post, other moms and wives were in so much agreement that I realized it wasn't just me. Thank God it's not just me! Because I was beginning to think it was. It's a very relevant topic that just needs to be addressed. So before you continue, please be open minded! Especially if you are a friend to someone that is young, married, and especially those with children.
When Travis and I got married, the floodgates opened with all sorts of advice. Wanted advice and unsolicited. Stuff like "never make divorce an option", "date frequently", "never let the sun set on your anger". But the one thing that nobody ever warned me about is how much my friendships and Travis's friendships would change when we got married. The simple, yet not-so-simple change from dating to engaged to married suddenly meant, to the outside world, that we were unavailable to do anything anymore.
The invites just STOPPED. Cold turkey style.
It definitely didn't get any better when we had kids. A lot of people consider us very young. In fact, that was some of the unsolicited advice we received. "You're too young! Wait until you're __!" We were married at 22 and 24 with a mortgage and a baby on the way only a year later. We had 2 kids by the ages of 27 and 29. And for the record, I wouldn't change a thing.
But people, for the love, we are the same friends. The very same ones that invited you to our wedding. The very same people who love a good New Year's Eve party, ugly sweater Christmas party, birthday party, or heck, just a it's-Friday-night-and-we-are-going-out party. Believe it or not, we would loooooove a night out, kid free, more than once a year. We would love a night in, at your house, where we bring dinner and you do dessert and our kids are welcome. Marriage and children change you. But in the best way possible! Our friendships may look slightly different than they did when we got married. And they should! But we still need those friendships. So ask us! Ask us to dinner. Ask us to a guys/girls only weekend. Ask us on your winter vacation you've planned with a group of friends. Guess what? Our answer may be no! But ask us! Because it very well could be yes.
I bet you thought that was the vulnerable part, right? Well, it kind of was. FULL DISCLOSURE: The last time I have had a girl's-only weekend was my bachelorette party in 2009. Travis has had it a bit easier. Most recently, since Ryan has been born, he has had 3 guys weekends in a matter of months. All bachelor parties or birthday parties and a wedding. I've had a few randomness here and there. Dinner with my future sister-in-law and her girlfriend and a bachelorette party for a really good friend of ours. But a weekend away to rejuvenate and step away from the daily grind of stay-at-home-mommy-life? 6 YEARS people!
Isn't that sad?
Y'all, that's really sad.
It's not because we can't go. It's because the invites just stopped. And why? Please, please don't stop asking us to dinner, to the movies, to your birthday party, to a night out just because! You may often hear the answer no. But please don't stop asking. It's hard to get both kids situated with grandparents. Because now, we are needing to interrupt other people's lives to make it possible for us to attend whatever it is we are being invited to. It's hard on me, especially being a nursing mother where her main source of food is me. It's hard! There are a lot of pieces to this puzzle that we have to put together before we can jump in and say yes.
But this is a season of our life that will be over and gone before you know it. And we don't want to lose the friendships that we have.
So I've said all that to say, please be intentional with your friends. You have no idea the impact it can have. And thank you to those that have stayed intentional with us, and loved us during this season of our lives where the answer isn't always yes but you continue to ask anyways. You have no idea how much that means to us.
Now, go do something intentional with your friend. A text, a phone call, or an invite to lunch. Right. Now.
One final note. It appears there are assumptions being made that I, as well as others in this same position, don't initiate nights out, weekends away, etc. While a valid thought, it's an inaccurate assumption. At least for me. But I won't quit asking, just like I hope those out there asking me won't stop.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
She's FOUR!
I'm a little late to the party on this one. But I can't have a blog about my life with 2 girls and not write a post about the fact that my older daughter turned FOUR on Monday.
I just have to say that this little beauty is making me proud every single day. She is so many things! Smart, beautiful, independent, sweet, SASSY TO THE MAX, considerate, emotional, the funniest person I know, the pickiest eater, the best sister, lover of animals, energetic, TALKATIVE! This little face made me a mommy, which was the only thing I ever truly wanted in my life. And these characteristics of hers just make me so proud of her and who she is. Some days are long with this one. The non stop talking and the sass and emotions can be extreme at the very least. But someone once told me that the very things that often make me want to pull my hair out will serve her well someday. She is so right. So I hope and pray that she's always this way.
On Saturday we took her on a mommy/daddy/Kylee date. No Ryans allowed. She was, at first, upset by this notion. But she quickly realized that, no we were not leaving Ryan in her crib with some crackers and water for 3 hours, yes we were dropping her with Mimi and Papaw, and yes, you get to see Cinderella and eat WHATEVER YOU WANT for the duration of this date. She quickly got dressed in her Cinderella tshirt and "glass slippers" (which really were the $3 plastic dress up shoes) and off to the movies we went. It was rainy that day and we can't have a princess getting her glass slippers all wet and gross so her prince carried her in.
On Sunday, we took her for "Princess Donuts" before church. Which, if you live in the Houston area, you NEEEEEED to go to River Oaks Donuts. DELICIOUS! And they have been named one of the 7 best donuts in the Houston area. Shameless plug! I told her that she could have as many birthdays as she wanted, but that she had to stay three forever. She seemed to accept that as her new reality. "I'll be three forever, mommy! NO TURNING FOUR!"
Monday she woke up to balloons dangling from streamers on the door frame and about 20 balloons in the hallway floor. I kind of wish I had a video camera set up to see her cute little face when she saw that. She did, however, tell me that she "opened the door and said, 'all this for ME?!" Then I picture that she twirled through them like a scene from The Sound of Music.
FOUR!
On Saturday we took her on a mommy/daddy/Kylee date. No Ryans allowed. She was, at first, upset by this notion. But she quickly realized that, no we were not leaving Ryan in her crib with some crackers and water for 3 hours, yes we were dropping her with Mimi and Papaw, and yes, you get to see Cinderella and eat WHATEVER YOU WANT for the duration of this date. She quickly got dressed in her Cinderella tshirt and "glass slippers" (which really were the $3 plastic dress up shoes) and off to the movies we went. It was rainy that day and we can't have a princess getting her glass slippers all wet and gross so her prince carried her in.
HAPPIEST. GIRL. EVER.
We got inside, purchased our tickets and Kylee chose to forego the ice cream and eat the teddy grahams and M&Ms that we brought. I'm quite shocked by that but she was very, very happy with it. It's your birthday, sister-girl! Do what makes you happy! The movie was beautiful and the theater was filled with little bitty girls dressed in their Cinderella-best, eating all sorts of candies with their parents. We really enjoyed the movie! Definitely recommend it to anyone with littles!
After our movie date, she spent the rest of the day with her Mimi and Papaw. They took her to a restaurant and played the entire afternoon with her.
Monday she woke up to balloons dangling from streamers on the door frame and about 20 balloons in the hallway floor. I kind of wish I had a video camera set up to see her cute little face when she saw that. She did, however, tell me that she "opened the door and said, 'all this for ME?!" Then I picture that she twirled through them like a scene from The Sound of Music.
She opened the present we got her. Remember the beloved dress from my last post? Oh. My. Goodness. To see her so excited and hug that precious dress and quietly whisper, "oh it's my beautiful dress!" was enough for me. She wore it for her birthday. It most definitely has the twirl factor which automatically gets the stamp of approval from Kylee. We went to Five Below for party favors, Party City to pick out balloons, and then out to dinner with family and friends at Jimmy Changas. This girl is loved. Truly, deeply loved and I am so thankful to my friends and family that, at the last minute (I'm talking 3 hours before), made it to a dinner to help celebrate her. It was the perfect day for that four year old of mine. Between the presents and the phone calls and the facetime calls and the text messages and all the posts that people posted to my facebook (and yes, I read her EVERY one), she smiled all the livelong day. And at the end of the night, she chose to thank each and every person in her prayer.
And as I sit here and type this, I realize I did not get a single picture of us at dinner! GASP!
Which also reminds me to make sure my camera is charged for her birthday party this weekend.
Which also reminds me that I have a bajillion things to do before said party on Saturday and I need to be done with this.
Thank y'all so much for loving my girl. You made her feel extra special and brought so many smiles to her face! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Monday, March 9, 2015
I Lied
Kind of.
Okay I lied for sure. But it was for a really good reason!
Kylee is the easiest child to please. She never asks for anything outside cheese crackers (AKA: Cheez It crackers) for breakfast and frankly never wants for anything either. So with her birthday coming up we have NO CLUE what she wants. When we ask, she comes up with made up toys or reeeeeeeeeally expensive items.
"How about a light up Belle doll that's also soft so I can sleep with it at night?"
"How about my very own computer?"
"What about a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful light that changes colors like in a rainbow that we can put in my room?"
"Well...I don't have a TV in my playroom!"
No. To all of the above.
Frankly, she's hit a growth spurt and will need all new clothes. So I've mentioned a shopping spree which peaks her interest for a hot minute and then she goes right back to made up toys again.
The other night she was sitting by my side as I was scrolling through Instagram and she sees these dresses. 3 different, but incredibly cute coordinating dresses.
K: Ohhhh! CUUUUUTE! I wish my sister and I could have all those dresses!
Me: Well baby, I'm not sure about all of them but if you could have just one, which one would you want?
K: **Points to one that is most definitely her* THAT ONE!
Me: Maybe for your birthday!
Finally! An idea on what to get her. Dressing her is interesting. She loves twirly dresses. But she is spunky and cute and loud and is the type that could totally wear converse with a dress and rock it. It's just very her. Her style and I love it!
Fast forward to today. The beloved birthday dress was going on sale today. It's a boutique dress that goes on sale and when they're gone, they're gone. They aren't remade. It's first come, first served and from what I hear, they are next to impossible to purchase because of how many people are trying to purchase the same thing at the same time as you. I made sure to log in ten minutes before and at the designated time, I clicked refresh until that dress was there. bingBANGboom! Got her size in my cart in a matter of 6 seconds and I hit checkout.
"Due to inventory issues, this dress is no longer available."
How is that humanly possible?! I was probably one of the first, if not THE first, people to click on it. HOW?! I Instantly went "OH NO!" Kylee comes running in, to see the picture of her dress on my computer screen and said, "Did you get my pretty dress?" I had to give her the bad news. She ran off crying to her room. She all but slammed her door. I could hear her saying, "I just wanted that pretty dress for my birthday." Because when you cry over things like ice in your cup and not being able to get your pajama shirt off your head in the mornings, you most certainly cry over not getting a pretty new birthday dress.
**insert sarcasm here**
But it totally broke my heart. So for whatever reason, I just kept trying. The website was allowing me to still put her size dress in my "cart" so I just kept clicking. Only to get the same message over and and over and over again. "Due to inventory issues, this dress is no longer available."
And then, the magic happened. After what felt like 20 minutes and 100 clicks, I was taken to the checkout page to enter in my information and have one shipped to me. Don't ask me how, but it happened! I purchased that birthday dress. Kylee has zero clue.
I did the happy dance in my chair and a few minutes later, Kylee emerged from her room. She began apologizing to me. "It's okay mommy. I know you tried hard. I just wanted that pretty dress for my birthday." So I lied, OKAY?! I let her believe that the birthday dress was a goner.
Oh gosh. Her face when she opens up that dress...I am totally recording it. She may scream.
14 more days. I. CAN'T. WAIT.
So tell me, what have you lied to your kids about?
And just for kicks, which dress do you think Kylee had her heart set on?
Okay I lied for sure. But it was for a really good reason!
Kylee is the easiest child to please. She never asks for anything outside cheese crackers (AKA: Cheez It crackers) for breakfast and frankly never wants for anything either. So with her birthday coming up we have NO CLUE what she wants. When we ask, she comes up with made up toys or reeeeeeeeeally expensive items.
"How about a light up Belle doll that's also soft so I can sleep with it at night?"
"How about my very own computer?"
"What about a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful light that changes colors like in a rainbow that we can put in my room?"
"Well...I don't have a TV in my playroom!"
No. To all of the above.
Frankly, she's hit a growth spurt and will need all new clothes. So I've mentioned a shopping spree which peaks her interest for a hot minute and then she goes right back to made up toys again.
The other night she was sitting by my side as I was scrolling through Instagram and she sees these dresses. 3 different, but incredibly cute coordinating dresses.
K: Ohhhh! CUUUUUTE! I wish my sister and I could have all those dresses!
Can I just digress for one minute and say HOW SWEET IS SHE TO THINK OF HER SISTER?! If she gets something, she is always concerned about Ryan getting it too. She is so thoughtful!
Me: Well baby, I'm not sure about all of them but if you could have just one, which one would you want?
K: **Points to one that is most definitely her* THAT ONE!
Me: Maybe for your birthday!
Finally! An idea on what to get her. Dressing her is interesting. She loves twirly dresses. But she is spunky and cute and loud and is the type that could totally wear converse with a dress and rock it. It's just very her. Her style and I love it!
Fast forward to today. The beloved birthday dress was going on sale today. It's a boutique dress that goes on sale and when they're gone, they're gone. They aren't remade. It's first come, first served and from what I hear, they are next to impossible to purchase because of how many people are trying to purchase the same thing at the same time as you. I made sure to log in ten minutes before and at the designated time, I clicked refresh until that dress was there. bingBANGboom! Got her size in my cart in a matter of 6 seconds and I hit checkout.
"Due to inventory issues, this dress is no longer available."
How is that humanly possible?! I was probably one of the first, if not THE first, people to click on it. HOW?! I Instantly went "OH NO!" Kylee comes running in, to see the picture of her dress on my computer screen and said, "Did you get my pretty dress?" I had to give her the bad news. She ran off crying to her room. She all but slammed her door. I could hear her saying, "I just wanted that pretty dress for my birthday." Because when you cry over things like ice in your cup and not being able to get your pajama shirt off your head in the mornings, you most certainly cry over not getting a pretty new birthday dress.
**insert sarcasm here**
But it totally broke my heart. So for whatever reason, I just kept trying. The website was allowing me to still put her size dress in my "cart" so I just kept clicking. Only to get the same message over and and over and over again. "Due to inventory issues, this dress is no longer available."
And then, the magic happened. After what felt like 20 minutes and 100 clicks, I was taken to the checkout page to enter in my information and have one shipped to me. Don't ask me how, but it happened! I purchased that birthday dress. Kylee has zero clue.
I did the happy dance in my chair and a few minutes later, Kylee emerged from her room. She began apologizing to me. "It's okay mommy. I know you tried hard. I just wanted that pretty dress for my birthday." So I lied, OKAY?! I let her believe that the birthday dress was a goner.
Oh gosh. Her face when she opens up that dress...I am totally recording it. She may scream.
14 more days. I. CAN'T. WAIT.
So tell me, what have you lied to your kids about?
And just for kicks, which dress do you think Kylee had her heart set on?
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
A Life Well-Lived
"I ask myself, has my life amounted to anything?"
I sat next to my Papa's bed, holding his hand, and just loving him. They were precious, final moments. "Has my life amounted to anything?" If you knew my Papa in any capacity, it almost sounds like a ridiculous question he presented to me and my husband. It was a rhetorical question and one that you could tell he had really pondered over the last several months. And now he was presenting it to us. The question actually pained my heart. I desperately wanted to wrap my arms around him tightly. And if it weren't for the pain he was in, I would have. I settled for squeezing his hand ever-so-lightly and simply said, "Papa, it has! More than you know!" We talked for a few minutes about how he knew his life amounted to something of significance. It started with my grandmother, then my mom and my aunt, down into his grandchildren, and great grandchildren. "My girls", he called all of us. I remember he used to call me on the phone and say, "how's my girl?" I would always have to ask, "well, Papa, which one are you talking about?"
Last year, doctors told my mom to be prepared that in the next few days or weeks, she could lose her daddy. I was about 7 months pregnant with my younger daughter and I remember praying so very hard, "God, PLEASE, let him meet my baby girl." It was a plea of desperation. The thought that my Papa would never meet her on this earth was gut wrenching. Little Ryan Taylor was born and my grandfather got to hold her.
It was the only time he would get to before the effects of cancer would no longer make that possible. Thank you, Lord, for that small "yes".
My older daughter adored her Papa. At Christmas, she crawled up in his lap as we prayed over our food, leaned her head into his chest and looked up at him. I took a mental picture of that moment. It was precious. It was gentle. It was sweet. She may be only 4, but I know, because of how he loved her, she will remember him always. I asked her after leaving his house the other day if it would be okay for Papa to go to heaven. She reluctantly nodded and then said, "he won't hurt anymore. He gets to be with Jesus!" My sweet, Kylee.
My Papa left behind a legacy of love and gentleness. Aside from Jesus, he was the most servant-hearted man that ever lived. He served in big ways and small. But when you're doing kingdom work, no service is ever too small. He built water wells in Africa and Nicaragua. He was the liaison between Nicaragua and Living Water, just to name a few. If you've ever been at a family gathering of ours, he was usually elbow deep in carving a turkey, or filling ice in glasses and then being last to grab a plate. He was always serving others so sometimes it was hard to find ways to serve him. I got news a few weeks back that he had been rushed to the hospital. Mom told me I could come but that he was asleep and likely wouldn't know I was there. I came anyways, because he always did for me. I walked in the room and his eyes opened up. "You didn't have to come," he said. I held his hand and helped him sip water from a straw. It was the very least I could do for everything he has ever done for me.
He helped me move from my apartment at Sam Houston State University to my apartment at Texas A&M University. He graduated from Texas A&M, class of 1960 and he was in the corps of cadets. I don't know much about his time there (although I'm now determined to find out more) but I will never forget that car ride with him. My truck was loaded down and a new, exciting journey was beginning for me. As we entered into College Station, I remember driving down University with him as he pointed out where he and his buddies used to hang out. My Papa is never ever one to talk about himself so I loved listening to story after story. My Papa is always so supportive in everything each one of us does. But my enrollment to his alma mater bonded us in a totally new way. And you better believe that on my Aggie Ring Day, he was right behind me, doing yells with the entire student body. He was so proud. He showed off what a "true Aggie ring looks like", which, for those of you that don't know, is his--a ring that is so smoothed over, only an Aggie would know what it was.
My Papa set a firm foundation for our family. We have two purposes in life. To love God, and love others. It's one thing to be taught something by word of mouth but it's another thing to learn by demonstration. My Papa loved and loved well. He lived out Jesus to every one he knew. He asked if his life had amounted to anything and it pains my heart because there's no possible way I could have counted the many ways it has! My husband knows how to love me and my girls because of him. I know what true gentleness and patience is because of him. I know Jesus because of him. Did your life amount to anything? Sweet, Papa, YES!
Just wait 'til you see your crown of jewels.
I sat next to my Papa's bed, holding his hand, and just loving him. They were precious, final moments. "Has my life amounted to anything?" If you knew my Papa in any capacity, it almost sounds like a ridiculous question he presented to me and my husband. It was a rhetorical question and one that you could tell he had really pondered over the last several months. And now he was presenting it to us. The question actually pained my heart. I desperately wanted to wrap my arms around him tightly. And if it weren't for the pain he was in, I would have. I settled for squeezing his hand ever-so-lightly and simply said, "Papa, it has! More than you know!" We talked for a few minutes about how he knew his life amounted to something of significance. It started with my grandmother, then my mom and my aunt, down into his grandchildren, and great grandchildren. "My girls", he called all of us. I remember he used to call me on the phone and say, "how's my girl?" I would always have to ask, "well, Papa, which one are you talking about?"
Last year, doctors told my mom to be prepared that in the next few days or weeks, she could lose her daddy. I was about 7 months pregnant with my younger daughter and I remember praying so very hard, "God, PLEASE, let him meet my baby girl." It was a plea of desperation. The thought that my Papa would never meet her on this earth was gut wrenching. Little Ryan Taylor was born and my grandfather got to hold her.
It was the only time he would get to before the effects of cancer would no longer make that possible. Thank you, Lord, for that small "yes".
My older daughter adored her Papa. At Christmas, she crawled up in his lap as we prayed over our food, leaned her head into his chest and looked up at him. I took a mental picture of that moment. It was precious. It was gentle. It was sweet. She may be only 4, but I know, because of how he loved her, she will remember him always. I asked her after leaving his house the other day if it would be okay for Papa to go to heaven. She reluctantly nodded and then said, "he won't hurt anymore. He gets to be with Jesus!" My sweet, Kylee.
My Papa left behind a legacy of love and gentleness. Aside from Jesus, he was the most servant-hearted man that ever lived. He served in big ways and small. But when you're doing kingdom work, no service is ever too small. He built water wells in Africa and Nicaragua. He was the liaison between Nicaragua and Living Water, just to name a few. If you've ever been at a family gathering of ours, he was usually elbow deep in carving a turkey, or filling ice in glasses and then being last to grab a plate. He was always serving others so sometimes it was hard to find ways to serve him. I got news a few weeks back that he had been rushed to the hospital. Mom told me I could come but that he was asleep and likely wouldn't know I was there. I came anyways, because he always did for me. I walked in the room and his eyes opened up. "You didn't have to come," he said. I held his hand and helped him sip water from a straw. It was the very least I could do for everything he has ever done for me.
He helped me move from my apartment at Sam Houston State University to my apartment at Texas A&M University. He graduated from Texas A&M, class of 1960 and he was in the corps of cadets. I don't know much about his time there (although I'm now determined to find out more) but I will never forget that car ride with him. My truck was loaded down and a new, exciting journey was beginning for me. As we entered into College Station, I remember driving down University with him as he pointed out where he and his buddies used to hang out. My Papa is never ever one to talk about himself so I loved listening to story after story. My Papa is always so supportive in everything each one of us does. But my enrollment to his alma mater bonded us in a totally new way. And you better believe that on my Aggie Ring Day, he was right behind me, doing yells with the entire student body. He was so proud. He showed off what a "true Aggie ring looks like", which, for those of you that don't know, is his--a ring that is so smoothed over, only an Aggie would know what it was.
My Papa set a firm foundation for our family. We have two purposes in life. To love God, and love others. It's one thing to be taught something by word of mouth but it's another thing to learn by demonstration. My Papa loved and loved well. He lived out Jesus to every one he knew. He asked if his life had amounted to anything and it pains my heart because there's no possible way I could have counted the many ways it has! My husband knows how to love me and my girls because of him. I know what true gentleness and patience is because of him. I know Jesus because of him. Did your life amount to anything? Sweet, Papa, YES!
Just wait 'til you see your crown of jewels.
Friday, January 16, 2015
It only took her 8 months...
Ryan. She is shy, quiet, and ohhhhh-so-sensitive. Anything out of the ordinary makes her little heart jump and quickly she is in tears. The most unusual thing to make her cry? The click of a pen. Yes, really. I was updating my planner the other day and clicked it to write another appointment down. She jumped, startled, and burst into tears, crawling up my body like the thing was going to then chase after her.
People know Kylee. She has been this outgoing, hilarious, sassy-but-sweet baby from day one. I have a video of her around 4 months old screaming so loudly with laughter that was such a foreshadowing of what the next 4 years would hold. Ryan is such the opposite. And people tell me, "well, duh, they're two different people." Okay, yes, they are, but it's amazing to me how early on you can see how different they are. I feel like we could tell within the first couple of weeks how different they were in their personalities. People that don't know Ryan ask how she's different I try so hard to describe her but it's hard. While she is all of those things I mentioned above, she, for the most part, will let anyone hold her, she smiles at every person that speaks or makes eye contact, and she is very playful. She is so content and laid back.
She is such a happy, joyful little baby.
But the one thing she's never done? Laugh. Not once. We have tickled her, played peek-a-boo, and thought of everything under the sun to make that little joy-baby laugh. But she just wouldn't give it up! The best I could get out of her was a one syllable giggle.
That is, until today.
The girls were eating lunch and I had run into my room to put some things away. I came out to hear non stop laughter from the both of them. The moment Ryan saw me, she quit doing it. So I "disappeared" behind her, and she started up again. Luckily, I caught it on video so Travis would believe me. Ha! You better believe I got it on video! After all, if I don't have proof, it didn't happen! I should have known that the comedian of the family could pull it out of her. I just didn't think it would take something so simple to do it.
Disclaimer #1: For all you video recording Nazis out there, I realize my camera is vertical. My iPad case is not conducive to recording horizontally unless I take the time to take my iPad out of it's case and I ain't got time for all that when my baby is LAUGHING! I'm 93% sure you will still live after seeing it.
Disclaimer #2: Disclaimer #1 is mostly for Travis WalkingStick. :)
Enjoy. It's pretty freakin' adorable.
People know Kylee. She has been this outgoing, hilarious, sassy-but-sweet baby from day one. I have a video of her around 4 months old screaming so loudly with laughter that was such a foreshadowing of what the next 4 years would hold. Ryan is such the opposite. And people tell me, "well, duh, they're two different people." Okay, yes, they are, but it's amazing to me how early on you can see how different they are. I feel like we could tell within the first couple of weeks how different they were in their personalities. People that don't know Ryan ask how she's different I try so hard to describe her but it's hard. While she is all of those things I mentioned above, she, for the most part, will let anyone hold her, she smiles at every person that speaks or makes eye contact, and she is very playful. She is so content and laid back.
She is such a happy, joyful little baby.
But the one thing she's never done? Laugh. Not once. We have tickled her, played peek-a-boo, and thought of everything under the sun to make that little joy-baby laugh. But she just wouldn't give it up! The best I could get out of her was a one syllable giggle.
That is, until today.
The girls were eating lunch and I had run into my room to put some things away. I came out to hear non stop laughter from the both of them. The moment Ryan saw me, she quit doing it. So I "disappeared" behind her, and she started up again. Luckily, I caught it on video so Travis would believe me. Ha! You better believe I got it on video! After all, if I don't have proof, it didn't happen! I should have known that the comedian of the family could pull it out of her. I just didn't think it would take something so simple to do it.
Disclaimer #1: For all you video recording Nazis out there, I realize my camera is vertical. My iPad case is not conducive to recording horizontally unless I take the time to take my iPad out of it's case and I ain't got time for all that when my baby is LAUGHING! I'm 93% sure you will still live after seeing it.
Disclaimer #2: Disclaimer #1 is mostly for Travis WalkingStick. :)
Enjoy. It's pretty freakin' adorable.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)