Walking Home From School

Can we keep this weather a bit longer? We haven't yet had enough of the beautiful colors, scooters, crunchy leaves and chatting with Lizzy on the way home about the new friend she made during recess. We need a few more months of this. Okay?!?

Reflections on This Past Month

I'm grateful that being pregnant and then delivering a baby hurts and is HARD work....
it reminds me that nothing worthwhile comes easily.

I'm grateful that Sam needs me to feed him every few hours....
it forces me to sit down, relax and hold my baby throughout the day.

I'm grateful that while I was upstairs helping one child, another child broke a favorite piece of furniture......
it reminds me that people matter and THINGS do NOT.

I'm grateful that as I get more kids and they get older, my life keeps getting busier....
it helps me to enjoy a lazy Saturday morning that much more.

I'm grateful that many people brought meals, watched my kids and cleaned my home even when I insisted that "I was fine"....
it reminds me that I can't do this alone.

I'm grateful that no matter how many parenting books I read, sometimes I still can't figure out how to help my children.....
it helps me to get on my knees more often.

I'm grateful that my kids have messy faces, misbehave and pick their noses in public....
it keeps me from being arrogant or from judging other people's kids.

I'm grateful that I simply don't have time to do everything I would like....
it helps me to determine what is REALLY important.

Mostly I'm grateful for this gift I've been given and hope I can learn everything I'm supposed to.

Sam at 1 month

Nothing makes me happy like that first grin from my kids. Gotta love it.....

Vistors from Hawaii!!!

Sam was born on a Friday and by Monday I was so overwhelmed... I didn't think I'd survive. That's when our visitors arrived. Normally I'd want to avoid seeing people at such an emotionally volatile time... but these guys are different. Kaelene walked in the door and asked me how I was and I started to cry. I couldn't have asked for a better person to sit there and tell me everything I needed to hear. Like how it's hard for everyone and it gets better and it's okay if your house is messy and you forgo making dinner for a year. Thank you so much. The kids were so happy to play together for a few hours. So.... could you guys strongly consider Texas for your residency. I'm serious. Please?!?

Kiara, Lizzy, Maka, Andrew.

Firsts

Around here we've celebrated a few "firsts" lately. It's been a whirlwind and only now as I sit down to type am I starting to feel emotional about my kids growing up too fast. It just reminds me more and more that I need to take the time to enjoy them when they are little.... like this little guy. Because it seems to be gone oh so fast.First day of preschool. I thought he'd be more nervous since he is kind of a "momma's boy". But he didn't hesitate. He ran right in and knew exactly what he wanted to play with. I think he'd been eyeing some of those toys each time we came to drop off Lizzy last year. Now it was HIS chance. He was so adorable and told me that he "loves preschool SOOOOOOO much."

First day of Kindergarten.

Lizzy wasn't really nervous either. We got up early and walked to school the first day. I did notice her steps getting slower and slower as we got closer, but upon seeing her friends she was gone and didn't look back. She loves it. Last week was cowboy week and she confided to me that at recess, she and her friend played cowgirl instead of princesses, which is a big concession for Lizzy. She even wore jeans to school on cowboy day. It seems that Kindergarten is working wonders in our lives.

I also need to say what a sweetheart Lizzy has been these last two weeks. She's been willing to run any errand, grab a diaper, wipe up spit-up... whatever. She has just been so great and absolutely adores Sam. She is such a good big sister and I'm so proud of her. She seems to have grown up a lot in the last few weeks. I'm proud and sad at the same time.
First bath. Of course... Lizzy was there ready and willing to help.

And here is a first for me. It was back in August... but since I took August off... I'm blogging about it now. My first piano recital. And the first piano recital of my 6 students. They were awesome and I was so proud of all of them for working so hard. Lizzy performed as well. She did a rousing rendition of "Row, Row Row you Boat" and then "When the Saints Go Marching In." I don't know when I'm going to be able to pick up teaching again after Sam... but I sure have enjoyed the last year and watching kids gain confidence as they learn something new. That's a good feeling.

Jaime, Jessica, Lizzy, Grayson, Madeline and Jane.

Funny How I Forget

It's funny how after already doing it twice I still forgot how demanding a newborn is.

I somehow forgot about that way my back is in one big knot for the first 2 months of the child's life, because they cry for reasons that I don't understand (and yes... he cries a lot!)

I somehow forgot how painful it is to feed my baby.

I forgot about that sinking feeling I get when I finally crawl into bed after getting the baby down only to hear a shriek 5 minutes later.

I forgot that my emotions are so out of control that I cry all the time. (I cry everytime I think about how Aaron is returning to his 80+ hour work week tomorrow!)


But then.....

I also didn't quite remember that rush of love that I feel the first time I hold my baby.

I forgot about how everything else becomes unimportant as I set the world aside and focus on nothing but my family.

I forgot the way the atmosphere in our home is changed by the addition of a new little spirit.

I forgot about that phenomenon of staring into my babies eyes and feeling that he understands things about God that I have forgotten.

I forgot that there is nothing sweeter than having a new baby join our family.

Welcome Sam

Samuel Gene Brown

Born September 4, 2009

7 lbs. 11 oz and 20 inches

Welcome to our family!!