It's BACK!

For those of you who mourned the closing of Sir Ed's quite suddenly and randomly sometime this summer, our mourning has turned into dancing as Sir Ed's has RE-OPENED this week. I know, it's crazy. And, yes, very exciting. This is hands down our favorite place. Adam and I went there last night for a yummy draft beer, some quaintness, and to see it for ourselves. I'm not sure of the drama that took place for it to close, and honestly I don't care. I'm just so glad they are opened again. I'm not sure when we'll go back to eat, but I'm already thinking about what I want to eat...maybe the nachos, or the potato cakes, or the fish n chips, or the tomato soup or one of everything!!!

thankfulness

I've been thinking a lot about thankfulness lately. Maybe it's because it's November or because I'm just feeling pretty thankful. I figured it's worth sharing my thoughts here. That seems to be part of the point of having this blog. As I've been thinking about it all I can't figure out how to really define thankfulness. Part of it feels like comfort, peace and joy even in the midst of hard things. It feels like making an effort to see the good, even when it's covered up with so much bad. Or even still being thankful in the midst of bad even if you can't see the good or there isn't any. It might feel a little like comfy pants, a hoodie and fuzzy slippers on a cold fall day. I'm not really sure, but I do know I've had glimpses of it lately.

I am thankful for a God who loves and pursues, remains and comforts, guides and protects, is constant and good at all times.

I am thankful for a husband who loves me and puts up with me, who is willing to listen and walk this crazy journey with me, who teaches me so much and is a safe place for me to cuddle up to when I'm feeling mostly sad and alone.

I am thankful for this sweet little lady, Charis Root, who brings such joy and delight to my heart, who has the biggest chocolate brown eyes and yummiest cheeks and most unique personality, who wakes up joyful every day and reminds me of a love that is real and deep.

I am thankful for the fire red and golden trees that linger in these late fall days, especially when the sun streams through.

I am thankful for the yummy meals being brought to us by friends, busy moms, and even strangers.

I am thankful for my friend, Jen, for loving us and throwing Charis the best 1st birthday ever. ever.

I am thankful for my friend, Hannah, who calls to wake me up every morning to "help" me get out of bed so I can go swimming.

I am thankful for my church and community who loves us and isn't afraid of sadness or awkwardness.

I am thankful for miracles.

I am thankful for itty bitty twin baby girls and for their mommy.

I am thankful for my ugg boots and not ashamed to have them even though I've made fun of them for so long.

I am thankful for getting to spend some time with my friend and cancer survivor sister, Sarah, who told me that surgery "wasn't as bad as she thought." (hope that is true for me too)

I am thankful for my mom who does all my laundry when she's in town.

I am thankful for high school girls who call and text me on my birthday, who text me at 10 at night to tell me she prays for me whenever she hears taylor swift (which I know is a lot), and who are willing to let me share life with them.

I am thankful for the many friends who watch Charis for us and love her too.

I am thankful for swimming.

I am thankful for the many friends who love and care for me. I have some pretty amazing friends...some I've know a really long time and some not so long, but who all are really pretty incredible

I am thankful that chemo worked and that when it comes down to it, I'm doing good.

I feel like if I sit here and continue to think about things to be thankful for, I could have a really long post. Even though I would say I'm a "glass half full" kind of person, I'm not a happy-go-lucky-life-is-good type of person. I think God has taught me a lot about really feeling and allowing myself to go through the hard as well as the easy. The point is that in the midst of one of the hardest years of my life I am still able to be thankful without ignoring the things that make me mad or sad or grieve. I can actually do both. Tis the season to be thankful and eat a lot of yummy food.

This is what ONE looks like

A part of me cannot believe Charis is one. But part of me can. We have definitely had a full year. And in a lot of places and moments Charis has made it more joyful and more delightful. God is using her to change us. She is the best surprise I've ever had and I'm so thankful for her. Here is a look back at how she has grown.


on her "birth" day

1 month...it was a cold december

2 months...already those big chocolate soup eyes

3 months...yummy & cuddly

4 months...coming to work with mommy in pink camo

5 months...chillin

6 months...gummy bear for sure!!

7 months...became more active

8 months...peace & love

9 months...seriously?!

10 months...the signs became pointless

11 months...already reading

12 months=1 year!! happy monkey

Her birthday party was a blast and amazingly wonderful thanks to my super sweet and incredible friend, Jen. I picked "Giving Tree" to be the theme and Jen ran with it. Every detail was thought out and special from the "giving tree" cake & party favor cookies to the kiddie snacks and fun parachute game. We had a blast celebrating our little lady this past weekend. (i will post pics/video soon)

I feel like her personality has been bursting out in the past few months. So it isn't like all of a sudden she's a different child. She does seem to change daily in the slightest ways. She is still sweet, curious, determined, serious, playful, and so much more. I notice some independence too which I'm trying to learn how to nurture without it defining her (part of my own story). It's been fun to watch her as she discovers her voice, like she playing around with sounds. She LOVES to dance, whether it's to her daddy's voice, a commercial jingle, or the radio. She will either shake her little booty or move her whole body to the "music." She's at about 22 pounds of pure cuddliness and we are still waiting for teeth. But we all know that has not kept her from eating just about anything...birthday cake, squash casserole, tomato soup, carrots, and even her poo. (another post all together)

Happy Birthday to our sweet little lady...we are forever thankful and changed by your life.

It is Kind of Weird when you think about it

I didn't celebrate Halloween growing up. Maybe my radical parents thought it was too evil of a holiday. (they weren't radical or crazy, FYI) All I know is I wanted candy. When we were allowed to dress up for school they wouldn't buy us a costume, so we were usually doctors because my mom was a nurse and could get us all the gear. The first year they let us go trick-or-treating I was in the 5th grade and I was a "bum." Oh, and I do remember getting dressed up as a young kid for Noah's Ark at church. Oh, to each his own.

This is why one should celebrate the holiday...

And the candy. I am nervous about the whole knocking on a stranger's door to get candy since I didn't grow up doing it. And really it is weird. But totally worth it. And dressing up overwhelms me because I'm not creative and I feel such pressure. Hence the "bum" costume in 5th grade. But now that we have Charis I get to invest in fun costumes for her and share her candy. Who wouldn't want to do that!?