Shining through the Sorrow

I got one of the greatest compliments this evening.    Kyle and I walked hand-in-hand as we entered Joel’s Pre-School orientation.   We were greeted by both of his teachers and one of them says to me, “We were just asking each other, ‘Do you think she always has a giant smile on her face?’”   I literally laughed out loud. “Ugh, no.   No, I don’t.” “She’s honest, folks,” adds my loving husband. I think the timing is what made the comment so amazing and so ridiculous to me.   Just last Friday, I overheard the teachers asking the kids about their families – how many siblings they had, etc.   Suddenly I’m remembering the paperwork I had to fill out when I enrolled Joel into Pre-School.   It was the first time I had to actually list everyone in my family in a factual way.   I didn’t know what to write!   The number of people in our household is not the same as the number in our family.   But I soon realized that I had to write...

Saw this on Pinterest and just HAD to share.  I love her...  And if you don't know how she is, take 30 seconds to google her, read her blog, then read her books.  She's super funny, and amazing, and...  I think I want her to be my best friend...

I totally expected fall to be crazy, and it is.   Great-but-not-so-shocking-news:   Joel LOVES PreSchool!   He was so excited on his first day, just jumped right in with the other kids with a big smile on his face.   Some of the kids were melting, and a few of the parents were crying, too.   He was so darn happy, I couldn’t cry!   I felt like that would have been a very selfish emotion, what with all the fun and adventure he was having!   So, I came home and thought about Zoe going to school and decided to cry over that, haha.   Speaking of Zoe… my little girl is teething.   Oh my word.   Whoever said girls were more difficult (or dramatic, or ridiculous)…   Man, were they right!   This past Monday her entire head was just leaking.   Snot and drool were literally (not exaggerating) pouring out of her face.   Aren’t you happy I just gave you that lovely visual??   She’s been fussy, but she’s also been m...

I don't know about the rest of you mommas, but Labor Day always makes me think about the days I met my babies. Way before I became a mother, I spent hours reading pregnancy books and searching birth stories online.   I ingested as much information as I could to best prepare myself for the unknown.    If you're like me, you enjoy reading about labor and delivery - the incredible miracle of birth! So, I thought I'd share all three of my birth stories with you, my lovely readers. We’ll start with my firstborn, Joel Benjamin. Let's just say I wasn't blogging in those days, so there's not a beautifully written birth story for him... However, I did take great notes throughout his labor so that I would always remember them, and that's what I'm able to share with you... Let me start by explaining the amazing timing of his arrival!   We had just found our first home, after renting for three years.   We settled on a Friday, moved on that Saturday, had my bab...