7 ounces in.....100 ounces out!... (it would appear).

So what do you do when it is quarter to five in the morning and your sweet little 3 month old son decides to epically launch his recently chugged breast milk all over you?  When I say all over you I mean ALL over your jammies soaked through to the underoos creating a puke pool on your bed sheets (thank you water proof liner) and saturating his own pajamas.  Well on the plus side it could be 3 in the morning and the sudden surge of adrenalin from witnessing  an exorcist like vomit wakes you up quite well, and heck it had been a few days since bathing last so a shower is definitely due.  As you strip down your sweet little guy he is smiling and cooing and so completely unaware of the massive amount of laundry he has just created....(will my entire Boppy fit into the wash machine?)

This kind of incident is never mentioned in any of the "what to expect" literature you read prior to having children.  On the plus side I did take and extra long shower and just considered that my "me time".   It is amazing how much more accurate shaving your legs can be without your 2 year old daughter in the shower with you...its like playing bathtime twister trying to maneuver around her.

What was "sleeping in" like...it seems so long ago, my little guy is now sitting in my lap fresh and clean and of course wide awake... time to start the day...coffee here I come!

In the Beginning

     Back in the day (never pictured myself saying that), my younger self never would  have thought "Katie, you are going to be a mother and absolutely LOVE that role."  I was never a "kid person", I never wanted to hold the baby, never babysat,  and I was that person rolling their eyes at the crying child in the store or restaurant.   After the birth of my daughter, I was completely given new eyes to children and even more, the amazing role a mother has in the life of her children.
   
       I feel that I am more than blessed with my two beautiful kiddos and privileged to be their mother, I take my job VERY seriously and despite the stress and craziness that also come with motherhood...it is truly amazing the perfectness that God has given us as mothers to so deeply love our children...it has totally changed me.

       It has inspired me to start this blog and share the joys, trials, and hopefully some support to moms , dads, and anyone who would like to take a glimpse into parenthood!

Reflecting on Wise Words

    Two weekends ago I was privileged to stand up in my dear sister-in-laws wedding.  My husband was also a groomsman, so I was lucky to walk down the isle again with my best friend.  When the doors opened and I saw the overjoyed expression on both the bride and the groom, I couldn't help but reflect on the eight years of marriage that makes my husband and I the couple we are today (but I can elaborate on that some other time).  What I was really able to appreciate were the words of the pastor during the ceremony about "love".
    Nearly every wedding I have been to "love" is the main topic of the sermon....and it should be, it is absolutely necessary for a lasting marriage.  We can read about the different kinds of love in the Bible, but that afternoon the pastor elaborated on the fact that love is a choice that both spouses need to choose for the rest of their lives together.  I truly believe this concept is not fully understood until a couple is actually married, because after the newly-wedded bliss wears off (and it will) and the difficult trials in life happen (and they will...a lot!), will this concept of "choosing to love" need to be implemented.
    The pastor also talked about happiness in a marriage and how it is really only accomplished when both people are, in fact, happy...sounds so obvious and simple, right?  I have learned that the things in life that make me happy and enriched can be COMPLETELY different than the things that make my husband happy.  Since there can be such a difference in what makes individuals happy, the other person is required to often times put the other spouses needs above their own in order to create happiness for that person.  This idea is so simple but not very easy (in fact, it can be incredibly hard), especially during the stressful and difficult times in life.  Creating happiness for the other person is daily "work", which may be easy for some couples and very challenging for others, but is absolutely necessary for a lasting marriage.
    I believe in marriage, hands down, what BOTH spouses put in, is what they will get in return... a marriage that is enriched by the difficult times because each person made an active decision to continue to love one another and in return a life of happiness.
I would like to encourage all you married people out there (including myself) to listen to your spouse and find out their "love language" and really try to show them the kind of love the way they need it.