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Before I get started, I just want to give a shout out to my AMAZING friend and work out partner, Katrina. She made me the biggest candy bouquet EVER!! She is awesome and I love her. And this (see pic below) came via FedEx today. 16x20 isn't quite big enough. I love him so much...next time I'll do the whole wall.
I called Kevin on his birthday Tuesday. We were talking and I told him that he will always remember this birthday because it is his first after becoming a Daddy. Just like 41 for me will be special, for the same reason. I started to reflect on some of my past birthdays. In the interest of keeping a record, I'll jot them down quick. (Feel free to skip any or all of them)
18-Kevin was born
20-Married the best man I know
22-Jo was born
23-Moved to Blackfoot and bought a house
29-Moved to Rigby
34-Mom was diagnosed
35-Moved to Minnesota (no regrets. At. All)
36-Mom died, Kevin graduated from high school
37-Kevin left to serve a 2 year mission
38-We moved to Nebraska
39-Kevin came home
40-Kevin got married, Jo graduated from high school
41-Michael was born
There has been a lot of stuff lately it seems. Lots of big mile stones. A whole lifetime of memories. I am so abundantly blessed.
Here is MY baby boy. I have been lucky enough to be his Mama for the last 23 years. His birth was normal. Nothing exceptional about it at all. Except that his birth changed my whole life. It was the most important thing that happened to me. He changed me. He made me a Mama. I was so young. Up until that point I had focused solely on myself. This baby gave me something outside myself to focus on. He gave me a purpose. He loved me. And I loved him. Completely. We grew up together, this boy and I. Me into the Mama of two beautiful children and Kevin grew into an amazing father with a son of his own.
On this birthday, Kevin is a daddy. A papa bear to his own tiny person. I am so excited for him to be a daddy. He has ALWAYS been good with kids. I am SO proud of the man he has become. A daddy. That is special. I told Kevin this morning that he will always remember this birthday. It is his first birthday as daddy. It is special. He is special. I love him. Completely.
Happy Birthday my sweet boy. Have a wonderful day!
I am just going to tell you right now....there are a lot of pictures in this post. Our family has grown recently. Michael James was born on May 20th. He is so perfect. I can't talk about him enough. Folks at the gym, the cashier at the store, the guy on the opposite side of the gas pump all get to hear about my new little grandson.
He is beautiful and calm. He hardly ever fusses. Any he never squawks just because. He is snugly and sweet. Who on earth wouldn't want to hold this little guy??
He has so much personality already. He is definitely a morning baby, unlike his daddy. He has the cutest little expressions. I am totally in love.
This is Kevin at the same age (about a month old). They look a lot a like.
I did get to see The Sisters while I was in Utah. They are such good sports. They left their families and drove down to Ogden to see us. We camped out in Kevin's apartment all together. Good times. I love them so much. Their support means so much to me. My dad took us all out to lunch before I had to fly home. It was fun to just listen to them all talk....while I loved on this sweet boy.
Kevin's childhood friend, Ashlee Parkinson, took some newborn pictures of Michael. They turned out so dang cute! He is so tiny. Of course he is growing so fast.
When we have our family pictures taken next month he will be so much bigger already. You really do forget how fast they grow and change.
He was a little different every day that I was there. So precious. I can't even describe how different the feelings are being the grandma as opposed to being the mom. The tender, watchfulness is there...but it is more. It is so much more.
When I say he has my heart, it is not just an expression. I haven't felt this way about any other being on this planet. I am so proud and honored to get to be his Grandma Honey. I can't wait to watch him as he grows.
In one week this boy has changed so much. He is smiling at his parents....not just that vacant newborn stare. He interacts with them. He is happy (almost) all the time. He was tongue tied for the first three days of his life. After they took care of that he was able to eat better and he just became absolutely content. He is beautiful and sweet and probably the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I cannot wait to hold this little angel!!! See you soon, Michael!!!
Monday, May 20, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. the most perfect little boy was born. Weighing in at 6 lbs. 13 oz and measuring 20 inches long he is smaller than we thought he'd be.
Michael is a name both Abby and Kevin have always loved. When Kevin would play house with Jo his name was always Michael. It is funny that he found someone who loves the name as much as he does. James is a family name. Kevin and Abby's dads are both James and so is Abby's brother. This boy is destined for great things. (He already loves his blanket!!)
Lots of dark hair and a soft cry are the first things Kev and Abby noticed about their son. When Kevin called after Michael had been born I could tell he was a changed man. There was a reverence to his voice, he had witnessed a miracle and he knew it.
My Dad and Zeffie were first on the scene. They are such cute GREAT-GRANDPARENTS (so funny to think about). It is funny to think of myself as a grandma now. My grandma had such an impact on my life...and my Mom was the most amazing grandma ever. In the history of ever. She would play for hours on the floor with her grandkids. She didn't spend a ton of money on them. She invested her time. I want to be THAT grandma. The muffin baking, truck rolling, sprinkler running grandma. Grandma Honey. That will be me.
My sweet friend and work out buddy brought me the most thoughtful gift. Balloons, flowers and a couple outfits for Michael all wrapped in big blue bows. I get so emotional just thinking about it. Kevin had called me before I headed to the gym to let me know that they were headed to the hospital. Katrina had to listen to me go on and on about my excitement.
Months ago I had been getting a nudge from my loving Heavenly Father letting me know that if I wanted the results from the gym that I had been praying for, I'd better be prepared to get there early. Katrina called me and asked if I needed a work out partner at the very early hour of 5 a.m. At first I said no....then remembering my prayers, I called her back. She is such a great work-out buddy. I like going at 5 now and I know she is a big reason why.
She has 4 sons at home and loves them dearly. She knew it was hard for me to not be there with Kevin but admired me for my restraint. I wanted to give them a couple weeks to themselves to get used to their new addition and adjust to being a family. I will visit soon...but this time is sacred and I want them to be able to enjoy every minute without having to entertain guests.
So there it is, the biggest new of my entire year. I'll have more pictures soon. Kevin and Abby have been so sweet and generous with the pictures they have sent. We have even oovooed and facetimed a bit. I love technology. It makes the distance feel smaller for a bit. This new little man has my heart. This has got to be the coolest thing ever.
I love flowers. I love their bright colors and fresh scent (some of them don't smell so good I have discovered). Cut flowers in a vase make me a little sad though. They die. Then I feel guilty for throwing them out. And they aren't cheap.
Like a lot of the country, our spring was slow getting started. It worked out well though. My tree flowered for Mother's Day. Not my favorite of days...even before my Mom passed. I had a really good Mother's Day last year. We had Jo's high school graduation to attend and it was an amazing day. This year, neither of my kids were home. Big bummer day.
Normally I am a glass is half full kind of gal. So I focused on all the positives in my life and just opened myself to all the feelings that came that day. Lots of good feelings; gratitude, love, appreciation. Some not fun emotions crept in as well. I let them stay as long as they needed to be there, and then tried to focus on the happy again.
My life is full of happy. My sweet husband who loves me for who I am. My amazing kids. I am honored to be their Mama. This new grandson of mine. (Michael was born yesterday, pictures to come). A plethora of friends. I am so truly blessed.
So, it came and it went...that Hallmark holiday known as Mother's Day. We should be thankful for and appreciate all that our Mother's do and have done for us every day. But since we can only buy cards once a year....but I digress. Happy is what we need to focus on. Terrible things are happening in our world right now. We all need to take a minute every day and focus on the happy.
If not now, when?
Here it is. The before and after...with the new curtains!! I am so excited to have this project finished...as finished as any project really is in my house.
Notice that cute boy sitting on the couch? He is thinking to himself, "Hhmmmm, I think this room needs a new color." And he was so right.
Enter a paint crew of two. Took them the better part of one day to do the walls. Awesome!
See that cute boy on the couch? He is thinking to himself, "Wow. Why didn't I think to hire someone to this before?" I wondered the same thing cute boy!!
It also took the better part of one day to do the ceiling and the accent wall. Three coats of paint later, they were done. (Notice the light over the kitchen table....)
I changed a few things around. Added a few...left some off...but my favorite additions are the new curtains. I found them on Etsy after searching every curtain site Google threw at me. They are lovely. As I was putting stuff back on the walls, I noticed that most of my stuff was red and gray and black. I panicked a bit. I didn't want to get locked in. I love color. It makes me happy. So when I saw this fabric...it was love at first sight. It has no red in it...but it works. Very coordinated and fun without being all matchy matchy....LOVE!!
So now there is new paint which led to new curtains which will ultimately lead to a new light over the kitchen table. I am on the hunt. It is so exciting.
Mother's Day is coming. Are you ready?
