DETOUR.

We are in Hawaii this week, and sometimes when you are headed to paradise, dues must be paid. Traveling with a little one(s) isn't for the faint of heart or for those lacking in SNACKS.

So snacks we had, plus tons of books, games, and diapers for the 12 hours of travel ahead. We were ready for smooth sailing.

Then came the detours.

We planned to be on the same flight with my whole family but were placed on three separate flights because our original flight was having mechanical issues. Andy and I geared up for a two man baby show instead of 10 man. Despite our worries, the first flight went really well thanks to lots of great suggestions from friends about how to keep a bebe entertained while traveling. A small Kleenex box filled with strips of fabric came in for the win. It's the simple things. Besides all our efforts, Marin was enthralled with the take off and landing. No fussing, just hands and nose pressed against the window…amazed.

We landed in Honolulu to learn we weren't ever placed on a connecting flight to the Big Island, where the rest of my family was headed. In fact, Hawaiian air was booked solid for Memorial Day weekend. So the three amigos geared up to spend the first couple days in Honolulu, no fam, no luggage. Cue mommy meltdown which seems a bit dramatic from the comfort of this ocean breeze I’m feeling now. Ha.

Anyway, It's funny because if all this had gone down pre-baby, Andy and I would have been so excited to get a couple days on a different island, oh the adventure of it all. But when there is a wee one, detours get you thinking about diapers and car seats in cabs and more SNACKS and you get to missing all the stuff you packed in your luggage like baby hats and $25.00 baby sunscreen, until all of a sudden your forehead is in a permanent state of wrinkle.

While in the taxi, headed to the unplanned leg of our vacation, Andy looked at Marin and then at me sitting in all the glory of my frustrations and forehead wrinkles. And he laughed and said, "Look at Marin. She doesn't even know the difference. She is so happy." So we channeled our inner Marin and stopped being big babies. (Okay, I still had a couple moments, BUT Andy stayed a smilin')

We walked in the ocean the next day in our jeans and played in the pool. We watched Marin kick, splash, and giggle through her first time in the ocean. And all that joy in her eyes over the big blue will always be one of my favorite memories.

So here's to detours, 60 hours in the same outfit (yum), and sweet moments with my two buddies.

More pics to come from our travels. Hope you are having a happy weekend, friends!

A little bit of lately + Pics from Mother's Day

We are settled in this new home and…sigh…it is so nice. In fact, Marin and I make sure to play in each room everyday, down to the walk in closet in the master bedroom. The gratefulness hasn't subsided yet. I'm sure we’ll all quit hearing about it someday, but for now, I am so very pleased and content.

Andy and I were driving to his little brother’s baseball game a couple weeks ago, chatting about this overflow of gratefulness for so many answers to the type of questions that start to get left on repeat. We joked about what on earth we should fill that old spot in our hearts with, the spot we used to fill with wanting.  And we laughed like "Man, we gotta hurry up and find something to be discontent about cause all this contentment is starting to feel looonely" So it goes, we've been trying to practice contentment, stillness AND, hey, it's okay to live in a season of BREATH. I'm pretty sure all this stillness will eventually lead to the cross, and then to the cross is all I need. We're on our way.

Speaking of being on our way, Summer has peeked around the corner of Georgia, which means family time, and trips are getting close. Next week (yikes, that's soon!), we head to Hawaii with my family then in July we'll be on our way to Hilton Head with Andy's fam. I couldn't be more excited for all the upcoming time with the people I love. And maybe hubs and I will sneak in a couple date nights since all our sweet babysitters will be in our midst. ;)

Our schedule has been busy busy lately, so it will be nice to stare at each other a bit. We've been doing some tag team parenting because of evenings filled with this and thats which requires lots of texting with questions such as "uh, what time did Marin wake up this morning because she isn't acting tired," and "She almost ate a stick," and "Haven't heard from you two in a bit, everyone still alive?" I'll leave the identity of the text senders to your imagination. J

Last night's events were especially sweet for me. I was able to have dinner with some of my former coworkers and dear friends from my teaching days. Oh the stories! We laughed and laughed then got a little sappy about all the different directions we're headed. Honestly, it made me want to cry because the people at that table were like a family for a time, a family that all worked together to love and guide eighth graders. They taught me so much. Oh memory lane, why can't I capture you the way I want to sometimes. It was wonderful, that's all. They are dear to me.

Well, friends, that about wraps it up. I'm off to peek on Peanut. Much love. And have a great weekend!

A THANK YOU NOTE TO MARIN FOR ALL THE GIFTS (BROUGHT TO YOU BY 5AM)

Hey Little Bear,

I am up at our hour again. Except this time I didn't fall back asleep in the 3 seconds it normally takes me. I'm just here. awake. and watching you in the baby monitor.

 I'm watching your tiny chest rise, fall, rise, fall. I've never before taken such interest in such small details as I do with you. Each breath is important to me. There are thousands of details I observe about you each day and they are all gifts, tiny gifts that make me happy or worried or thoughtful, and it is my happy job to observe all your details.  Sometimes they are everyday details that I go looking for like the way you say "mmmm" when you are hungry. Then there are the details that surprise me. Before I put you in your bed last night, you laid your head on my shoulder, then reached your chubby right hand down and wrapped it around my pointer finger. Yesterday you stood over a vent in a restaurant and your dress filled with air until it looked like you had a train of tulle packed under it. You looked down in amazement and blew right back at it. When you stood from sitting position the other day, your legs were crossed and you twisted up like a ballerina; it was a sight. Last night you walked ALL the way to the front door from the living room! Daddy told me that you belly laughed when he was smearing paint on your hands for my Mother's Day card.  These little moments and details about you make Mommy's heart so full. And it's not because you need me in them, even though that is an amazing gift too, but they are are precious because they involve you. And the smaller the detail, the more precious it is to me because I get to know someone like you, down to your very keen interest in your own belly button. All your tiny details are a gift to me. You are a gift. Your life is a gift.

The very thought of it is astounding.

This is the happiest of holidays. Thank you for all the gifts this Mother's Day and everyday.

Love, Mommy

Outside + Inside

The sights and sounds around the condo were lively, vibrant: cars, people on the street, horns honking.  It was fun and exciting for a season.  

Honestly, it's strange to think of the difference between our city home and our new home. Now we wake up to birds chirping and trees rustling.  It excites my heart.  When Andy comes home from work, he gets the lowdown on Marin and my activities for the day like usual, but now there is the installment of a detailed description of every piece of nature and creature, big and small, that we ran across.  He gets to hear about the hawk, the rabbits, the fire ants, the vultures, the dog next door who has burrowed a hole into our yard, all of it.  The poor guy was trying his darndest last night to tell me about Kevin Durant’s MVP speech, but he had to tell the story in phases because I set my sights on a wittle rabbit right there in our backyard.  Oh man, it’s too much.  It’s just beautiful and captivating.

And as we start to decorate the inside, I’m noticing pops of color from the outside inspiring my choices.  I usually like the cleanness of decorating with black and whites, but lately I’m loving blue, yellows, and greens. Most of the rooms in our home are still empty which makes me smile because it all feels like one big canvas to dream about, but slowly and surely we are getting this place furnished. Here is what we've gotten so far: a rug, a shower curtain, a basket, and a blanket. Slow and steady wins the race indeed. It’s coming along, friends.  Happy Thursday. 

Smooches, m  

Thank you, Maddie + New Blog Design

I'd like to introduce you to this beautiful lady and dear friend, Miss Maddie Richardson. I got in touch with her a few weeks ago with the itch to refresh my little space a bit. I still loved the former design, but so it goes, I'm a bit addicted to change (Once again, lucky Andy).  

Maddie has such an amazing eye for the lovely in this world, especially in unexpected places; I just knew she was the perfect person to ask. When I sent her a general idea of what I was looking for, along with a rough sketch of how I wanted the title to look, she sent this mood board back to me. I gasped when I saw what she came up with. Genius. She even thought to use my "rough handwritten title" as part of the design. I wouldn't have thought of it, but adore the idea and the way she put my personality here in this space. I couldn't love it more and am so pleased to introduce her and this lovely new blog design to you today.  

Thank you, Maddie for being wonderful and fun to work with and for creating this beautiful space! You are a doll, a peach, a babe. 

xxx,

m