Normalcy

I love the things three year olds do. You know, the ones that are perfectly normal and so obvious...at least to them. Here are a few moments I smiled at this past week.

Of course underwear can double as a hat.

Clearly in a car! Notice the paper seatbelt?

Not exactly sure what happened here, Flosha was found like this.
Apparently in need of some Ariel panties.

Lets get a close up of that...

Can't even say at least they're on the right feet.
But I can say at least she put them on herself!

Letter Writting

When I recently received a product from Bambini Boutique to review for Simple I was surprised to find something extra in the package. It's a book called "Held in the Arms of Love" scattered throughout the pages are questions to ponder before you write a letter to your child in the blank pages at the end. One of the owners of Bambini Boutique whom I've emailed with back a forth a number of times actually wrote me a short note telling me that I was one of the inspirations for her to carry this book on her website, and wanted share it with me to give to Providence. Apparently a few years back the author sent 500 books to military personnel in combat.

I struggled with the idea of writing a letter to Providence, I would cry just thinking about it. I kept thinking I want to live out what I want her to know. I want Providence to see in our interaction and the way I interact with everybody I meet how I wish her to live. I want to be an example to her, pointing her to Christ with each breath I take, not just with my words. Perhaps I was feeling that if I wrote a letter filled with what I want her to know I won't need to be here to show her. Silly thoughts I know, but when death touches you closely it stays close.

Thinking about what I would write made me wonder what her father would have written to her if he had known they would never meet. Which made me wonder why didn't I get the death letter I know had to have been written to me (before combat they all wrote one), what happened to it? What was written in it? For though I know what Joe's heart would say I wanted to read the words he wanted to leave me with, the words he wrote to comfort me when he was unable to.

All these wonderings would completely overwhelm my mind, tears would blur my vision, and my heart would feel like it was choking, suffocating each time I turned my thoughts to writing this letter.

Then today I checked out the authors website, Baby Love Letters. I spent a good while reading her "Friday letters" (more then my allotted computer time) and it made me desire to start some kind of written tradition. She had a lot of ideas on there, birthday letters and airplane letters but I think I will start with XOXO notes. Something small I can tackle first, something that makes my heart smile.

Loved, I am

My heart is brimming over with love, it does that from time to time.

My thoughtful sisters, Ivanna and Osanna, surprised me with a mothers day package. I was so thrilled to find a present for me inside the package since it was addressed to both me and Providence. It seems that once you have a child all thought and care goes to them, which I thought I didn't mind...and still think I don't mind, but then why can a present can make me feel this way...anyhow they sent me a pair of gorgeous earrings. I opened my present early and wore them yesterday. The beads are handmade from my hometown.


The next surprise I received was from my brother Aaron he arrived at my house with another mothers day present, a perfect beautiful twisted willow tree. Though encouraged by Kelsey to get me something, he decided what to get and planned it out all himself, completely surprising both me and Kelsey. Isn't my tree just beautiful?

As a single mother of a three year old I wasn't expecting much more then a hug (still the BEST present). Perhaps a few phone calls. And to be honest I'm not doing anything more then that for the mothers in my life myself (horrible daughter/daughter-in-law that I am, but I really do love you both I just got so sidetracked this week...) Regardless of my unthoughtfulness, I feel so loved, and have the most wonderful siblings.

Motherhood is a joy and I feel so blessed to be honored with it, and hope you feel the same. So all mothers out there, know that I am thinking of you, loving you, and admiring you. How could I not? My heart if so full this day it just pours out.

Happy Mothers Day!

and...DONE!

The big reveal...Providence's playroom is finally finished, and turned out exactly as it was in my minds eye.

Heres a picture of just the tree (before the toys were crammed back in).

A big thank you to Rose for helping out.

I'm Up To Something

I am right smack-dab in the middle of a project...a SECRET project. OK so a not very secret project. A break is needed for parental duties and food, I will post pictures of the finished product...well when it's finished. Until then here's a hint.

Sneezes

I have been attacked by the sneezes. Constant, wild, hard, sneezes. They have rattled my brain around making it very unhappy and are giving my abs a workout as well. Don't touch the inside of my elbow, that's what I use to try to contain the out spray.

Now That's Timing It

I now time how long I am on the computer, and because of it I have HOURS more in my day, seriously. Things I thought I would never have time to accomplish and wondered how others could, are now daily happenings. Yes, things like school, walking, regular meal times, reading, playing games, outside play, showers...ok so those still aren't daily occurrences (and lets face it probably never will be). How could this blessed thing consume so much of my time? I am like a tiger set lose from a cage, no longer bound.
The Farmers Market here is pretty much amazing, I mean it's alot more then one would think coming from the West Coast to the Mid-West. When it warms up more there will be a fountain for the kidlets to play in and it's fun to get outside, walk and browse, and find some tasty bits to nibble on. Although today I was extremely disappointed when I discovered my carefully chosen and guarded business card collection I had gathered disappeared. I am not only disappointed to lose that treasure, but also in myself, for they could not have turned into nothingness, which would mean that I dropped them, which would mean that I littered ::shame::