Thankful.

I am thankful for my parents who still bend over backwards to help me even though I'm 28 years old & have a family of my own.
For my siblings, who are always, always there when I need them. I know that if I need anything, I can run to them.

I am thankful for my children, their health, their love, their smiles. I am thankful for the privilege, the honor, the joy of being their mommy. I am thankful for the privilege to be home with them, watch them grow, help them with homework, tuck them into bed.

I am so very thankful for this "little" girl. From the day she was born, she has taught me so many things. She's taught me how to grow up, fend for myself, how to be a mommy. She has taught me how to be patient & that "good things come to those who wait". She has proven everyday that the name I gave her before she was even born, fits her to a tee. Abigail-"my Father's joy". She's beautiful, brilliant, loving, & a drama queen. She is my first born, my boo bear, Abigail Grace.

This little man has proven to be stronger than I am since the day he was born. He's a fighter & has won every battle so far.
Born 8 weeks premature at 31 weeks & 6 days, he came into the world fighting. No matter what the doctor did or said, he was going to greet the world when he wanted to. He spent just 24 hours under an oxygen hood & only 3 weeks in the NICU. He made it home just in time for his first Christmas.
My son and I have a bond that no one else can have, that no one else can break. I gave him a pretty special name too, Elijah-"God is Lord". He sure is.

Our beautiful middle daughter. Our princess. I cannot even describe her to you. She's the first to run to you, wrap her little arms around you & say "I love you". She adores her daddy. I don't think she's met anyone she doesn't love. She's sweet when she wants to be but, when she gets mad, watch out! She won't forget why she's mad either. She'll bring it up days or sometimes weeks later. Kaitlyn Elizabeth. "Elizabeth"-God's promise. She proves that every.single.day.

Our last baby. Our third daughter. Mommy's ladybug. She brings out the best in me. She makes me laugh when I want to scream. She makes me smile with tears in my eyes. She learns things very quickly, still eats, sleeps & poops her day away. She fits into our family perfectly. She was the last piece to our puzzle. She makes us complete.
Logan Alia-Leigh. "Leigh"-noble.


I am thankful for my husband, for the hours that he works to support us, for the love that he gives me & our children every.single. day.


This man. He is my husband, my soul mate, my best friend, the father of my children, the love of my life. He is my answered prayer, the man I dreamed about as a teenager. He is the love I never thought I'd find. He is my butterflies in my stomach, face flushed, makes me dizzy kind of love. He is Joe. ♥

Happy 8 months, Ladybug! <3

It feels like I just brought her home (after one of those "Surprise! You have to have an emergancy c-section" type labors). I can't believe she's already 8 months old. My children really have grown up way too fast. Why didn't my mom warn me of this.




She reminds me of her sisters more & more each day. She looks so much like her daddy but, acts just like her "Ma" (me). She's sweet & caring. She's so full of life but, loves to sleep. She's beautiful. She's Logan. <3

Friday Foto Fiesta (November 21.2008)

I have more than one favorite foto, of course but, the two that I wanna share are ones that I forgot that I had & just rediscovered today. =)

This picture was taken in June of 2004. There is baby Abbie who was 2.5 years old & baby Elijah who was just 7 months old. The "old man" in the picture is known as PawPaw at my house. He'd be my step-dad.

This is one of my favorite pictures because it reminds me that those two children (who are now almost 7 & 5 years old) were small at one time. I tend to forget that when I'm fussing at them to get their coats on in the morning. It also reminds me that my daddy is one of their favorite people in the world. <3



This is another one of my faves. In this picture is me & my brothers & sisters (minus one brother). I love these kids. If you would have told me 10 years ago that they would grow to be my best friends, I would've told you that you were crazy. Growing up we had the normal sibling fighting but, now, since we are 27, 24, 21, 19, 18, & 16, not so much. We get together at our parents' house every Sunday & eat dinner together. We sit at the table with our S/Os & my children. We have good food, good adult convos, & loads of laugh. I have no idea what I would do without them. <3

Wanna play along? See Candid Carrie at the link below. =)

Multi-tasking.

I am a major, major multi-tasker. I do everything at the same time.
I feed the baby while checking my email, fold clothes & wash dishes while I fix dinner. I check myspace & my mommy forum while I do homework.

I really, really need to stop doing this. I realized tonight how frazzled I get. I get upset because I can't do all these things at one time.

I'm not sure why it bothers me...but, it does. :)

Writer's Workshop: The last time I laughed really hard...

...was this Tuesday, in BiLo. I have Logan up front in the buggy & Katie is walking in front of the cart. The entire time she is walking she's singing "You get the best of the both worlds"! & the she'd stop singing & say really, really, really loud "You mix it all together"! LMAO.

That kid! =)

Wanna participate in the Writer's Workshop? Go see Kat.

You're gonna think I'm crazy.

I want another baby.

Yes, I know that my tubes are tied. Yes, I know that we don't have the $5,000+ to have reversal done. Even if we did, Joe would never go with it.

I was meant to be a mommy. I was born to have children. This is the only thing I have ever, ever wanted to do with my life.

I watch Logan grow & learn new things every day & it breaks my heart that she is my last child. Elijah will never have a baby brother. Elijah will always be Joe's only son.

I have that same yearning that I had before/while we were TTC Logan. It's in my heart, my gut, my soul. I often cried about the stupid choice I made; the tubal. I should've thought about it more.

Joe & I have talked about adopting or even just fostering. But, we I don't want to do that until the kids are a little older. I've talked about being a surrogate mother. I'd love, love to do that for someone but, now that I think about it that would be something hard for me to do. Maybe it'll be easier when Logan gets older.

Right now, I just can't shake this.

Wordful Wednesday.

It's been seven years ago this year since I became a mommy. Nothing could have prepared me for what that title would hold.


This little girl came into my life seven years ago this December. After 3 days of labor, I was able to hold my first born child. Abigail changed my life with the first breath she took. I knew that I had to do whatever it took to provide for her. I did & still do.


23 months, 16 days & 4 minutes after I greeted my first child, Abigail's brother was born. I never thought I could love someone as much as I loved Abbie but, Elijah proved me wrong. My heart grew even more.




22 months & 13 days after Elijah was born, Katie came into our lives kicking & screaming. I knew from the fact that I was induced, that Katie would be a very independent child. & she is. She brought just as much love into our house as her brother & sister. When Katie was a baby, my favorite past time was to just sit & look at her. =)



29 months & 9 days after Katie came our last child, Logan. I never thought I'd hold another child in my arms but, God proved me wrong on the day that Logan was born. I hope that Logan will always, always know how much she is wanted & how hard we "worked" to get her here, how many times I would cry & prayer for her.

My children have taught me so many things; how to laugh, smile, be silly even when someone is looking. They've taught me how to sing at the top of my lungs in the middle of grocery stores, how to see things through their eyes.

Most of all, my children have taught me to love with all my heart & to live for the moment.