a gift

In addition to my sweet sis, there are several other brave souls I'm privileged to know, who, as of late, are facing down hard things. And, in observing their struggles and courage, I've been the recipient of a gift: the gift of perspective. Trials beget appreciation for the simple joys of life, of which I have so, so many.

* dusting the snow (SNOW!) off the pumpkins and settling in for an afternoon of canceled school and pumpkin carving
* baby boy, dressed in a jogging suit, learning to crawl and cruise
* kids in footed pajamas
* a family-sized hamster nap in front of the fire
* reading together
* 4-year-old choreography
* 6-year-old creativity
* 10-month-old giggles

Really, life is pretty good.

Practice

Tonight I'm looking for words. Words that won't seem to come. Nothing in my brain can explain the feeling in my heart.

My baby sister has cancer.

She's 25. Teaching her first year of preschool. On the brink of starting a family. Taking a detour through chemo-land.

And, my heart hurts.


It seems that only practice will make perfect, and in this case, we all get to practice having faith. Maybe through her struggles, we who love her can climb one step closer to perfection on the ladder of FAITH. I'm sorry that she's the one to have to set that stage.

She, however, seems to have this whole faith thing down.

I'm trying to let mine grow.
love to you, Jace.

Thanks---from Dallin

Dear Grammy and Papa,

Thank you for coming to Colorado to see me play soccer. That was really special that you would come just for me. It was a really good surprise. I love you!

love,
Dallin

haunting memories

As I was putting together the kids' 2009 costumes, I was reminiscing about all the fun ways we've dressed up in the past. I thought it would be fun to have those memories 'front and center' for the holiday. So, I dug up some of my favorite Halloween Haunts from years past, found Haloweeny-colored frames, and put them up.

Something simple that makes me smile every time I walk by this table.

done.

We’re officially done, Davis and I. After 9 1/2 months of cuddly closeness at feeding time, our nursing days have passed.

For the last month and a half my milk supply has been deteriorating and Davis’s appetite increasing. I rarely had enough to satisfy his hunger, so we’d been doing a lot of bottle supplementing. But, I was still able to squeak in a few feedings a day. Then, over the last week or so it’s been only a morning and middle-of-the night feeding. Last night, however, he wouldn’t nurse. Or, I should say, he wanted to nurse, but I had nothing to give. My heart tried to will my body to do what it’s instinctively done for nearly a year. But, for naught. After several minutes of trying and crying, I scooped up my boy, kissed him on his head, and plodded down to the kitchen for a bottle. I tried once again this morning. Nothing. At breakfast I realized it had been over 24 hours since I last nursed him. I had an inkling yesterday, as he snuggled in and sucked, content and happy and mine, that it was probably one of the last times we would do this. My body made one last ‘big meal’ for my boy, one last moment to enjoy. And, now, we’re done.

Another piece of babyhood, gone.

gift from my talented sister...

Thanks, Kami, for the DARLING pictures! We love them and we love you!

budding photographer

The latest 4-year-old obsession is the camera. She's taken hundreds of lovely shots. Here are a few favorites: