Your Birthday Presence

I woke up around 6:00 am this morning to the sound of baby stretches.  Marin was wiggling her way out of slumber, so I picked her up, carried her to our bed where Andy was still sleeping, and sprawled her out on my chest.  She nuzzled her way back into deep breathing. I watched her tiny chest rise and fall.  And it may have been the squeaky bed frame from mommy and baby squirms or the morning sun streaking his face, but something woke Andy up.  He smiled at me, eyes only half open, and in a sing-song whisper recited “Happy birthday to you…happy birthday to you…” The moment made me giggle. The sweet sound of baby breaths and birthday song whispers made my heart swell.  To have these two here with me in the morning hours of my birthday has me cherishing these small moments and the simple presence of the ones I love.  And on the cusp of my thirtieth year, I don’t feel more days old; I just feel... more. 

Littlest-Biggest Fan

A girl not paying attention to the game? What?

When there is a baby involved, sometimes it’s just easier to stay home.  I have NEVER been a homebody, so preferring my couch to the open road is a strange new transformation.  Since the open road now entails acrobatic moves to keep pacifiers in, diaper changes on my lap, and nursing in the back seat whilst strangers approach my window asking if I will be leaving my parking spot; I soon just hang at home unless absolutely necessary.  Some days I give in to the bliss and ease of diaper changes on an actual changing pad and nursing peacefully on our comfy couch.  BUT sometimes, if not only for the principle of the matter, I do the diaper bag checklist, pack up half our lives (so it feels) and head out to keep l…i…v…i…n…g.  It’s not quite the same with my windows up most of the time and the music remaining at a reasonable level (no more breaking the sound barrier), but I think it’s good for our family to be present when possible. 

And last week, being present meant heading out to watch Daddy’s softball championship double-header.  We left at seven and didn’t get back until eleven that night.  We changed some diapers, nursed in the car, passed around the peanut to fans, and CHEERED FOR DADDY. We won the game in the final inning with a grand slam by GF.  It was an exciting game and a great night!  All made worth it by the hub’s big grin that mommy and his littlest-biggest fan were there to cheer him on.  It was a win-win in my book.

Little Lady of the Sea

Marin’s name came to me unassumingly. I heard it in a movie when I was in college, and thought it sounded lovely. It made a big enough impression that I ended up looking its meaning the same day I heard it.  I didn’t have a reason to be looking up name meanings, except for the fact that I’m simply a lover of names that tell a story.  There it was…”of the sea; sailor.” I’m not going to lie; it kind of made my heart flutter a bit.  The beach, ocean, waves have always been a “home” for me.  Countless times, the ebb and flow of the ocean has lulled me into remembering I’m a part of something greater, belonging to something. I packed the name away in that ‘someday’ place and only thought of it on occasion, once mentioned to my mom that I loved how much it sounded like a mix of her name, Mary, and mine.  I liked the idea that if a little one came to be, this name could be a tribute to her. But other than that, the name stayed tucked away until years down the road when Andy and I were considering having a baby.  

He immediately loved the sweet little name I had dreamed about.  He even reminded me how we were standing on the shore when we told each other that we had found the ONE we were meant for. Our shuttling between baby names kept bringing us back to further significance of little Marin 'of the sea'. We spoke about Peter and how Jesus called him on the water as an act of faith.  The name became synonymous to this story for us. 

The name’s relevance to our lives made us feel it was Someone else’s idea all along. We were flipping pages of a book already written so to speak.  And the last chapter of that book came when we learned we were having a baby girl.  In theory, I thought I would be the mom of boys, but in my spirit I knew our first would be baby Marin.  (Anyone who knows me well is laughing at this because it took four ultrasounds for me to be convinced it was actually a girl in there, and even then I was only 99% sure. I actually packed a back-up boy outfit in my hospital bag- just in case. Wow.) Guess the heart knows things the head needs proof of sometimes.

So this is how the name of our little lady “of the sea” came to be. I hope one day she will know that her name was picked with careful thought, long before she arrived, and that her name connects her to a family, a love story and a prayer to become one whom God calls “out upon the waters.” 

     

Reunion

 Just like those good ol’ days in college, my weekend with these girls was over in the blink of an eye.  I cannot tell you how great it was to laugh with them again and to chat about all the last year has brought.  There was a lot to cover- two new babies, the death of a father, moving, new jobs, graduate degrees… And like usual, each of these amazing friends offered unique insight on all things.

Anna arrived a day before the others which was perfect because I don’t get to chat with Anna as frequently since she lives in India.  We enjoyed lunch at a nearby Mexican restaurant, and caught up on our adventures.  She is doing great things in this world, seriously.  She has an amazing talent for understanding BIG vision and trying to find ways to carry it out.  I loved hearing about her year, mistakes and successes. Oh and she enlightened me, by way of personal account, about Dengue fever. Yikes!  This girl is a trooper. 

Cindy arrived mid-day on Friday.  Thanks for navigating Marta, CB!  (Whoever helps me avoid a screaming baby in a car seat at Hartsfield Jackson, I’m indebted to for life.) We made it back to the condo from the Marta station, and found a comfy spot on my bedroom carpet to chat and play with Marin. Boys would never sit on the floor and chat by the way, such a girl thing to do.  Erin and Erin arrived a few hours later, welcomed by a parade of my scarves.  I don’t know-it was the best we could do- guess you had to be there, so on and so forth.

When we weren’t laughing till our bellies ached, we were reflecting, sharing advice and asking the tough questions like “What would you like to accomplish in your thirties?” I just can’t stand how good it was to spend time with these amazing ladies.  And for one split second the house at the end of Rainbow Road wasn’t such a distant memory. Having Linds there would have made the weekend complete perfection, but there is always Reunion 2014 to look forward to. ;)

{Side note: I’m so in love with the pics I snagged of E & E running in and meeting Marin.  They are precious to me and watching my sweet baby girl put smiles on others’ faces pretty much makes life complete.  Oh, and watching all these girls love on her…amazing.}