In less than a week a bunch of movers are going to come into my house and pack up my entire life and relocate it to Texas. We will be left behind for a week to tie up some loose ends but then we will board a plane and a short 3 hours later we will officially be Texans. How did having almost 4 months to plan and get ready become 12 days so quickly? Rather than checking things off my list, I feel as though my list of things to do are growing exponentially. It's crazy what all is involved in moving a family of 4 plus 2 dogs to another state. I must say as much as I know I will miss California, I will be in no hurry to do all of this again and move back.
Despite having a little stress and a little more chaos than usual there is a lot of good coming in the next 12 days. Spending as much time with family and friends including our going away party this weekend is definitely on the top of our list of things to do. Leaving somewhere you have been all your life really makes you appreciate the wonderful people that surround you even more than you usually do and as much as you normally should. We are truly, truly blessed with the best parents two people could ask for and I think more than anyone, we (especially Gigi) will miss both sets of parents so much. But no doubt they will be out to visit, we will back to visit and thank goodness for modern technology such as FaceTime which will for sure make this transition easier. The same goes for our families and friends and all of their kiddos....life won't be the same but we know visiting will be that much more fun because we will get to see all of them too! And so I guess from these last few sentences you can see where my heart has been focused lately. Despite the excitement of our new life ahead of us, the trust in the Lord's plan for us and the million and one things still left to do before we board that plane, my heart is continously focused not just on how much we will miss everyone that we are leaving behind but how truly blessed we are to have them in our life. The love and support that we have recieved as we embark on this journey has made our decision to take the plunge that much more easier. To know that despite the miles between us we still have an awesome support team here that will be sending us there love and prayers to Texas is so great.
My head is in a million places at once while we are on this home stretch but I can tell you my heart has been focused on trusting in the path that has been laid out for us and this scripture has been my constant mantra: "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 Of course the adventurer in me is thrilled at the opportunity ahead of us and for the new people we will meet and new experiences we will get to be apart of. I know that home will always be here but opportunities may not be so we are excited to partake in this new journey together as a family and make a new home in Texas but knowing full well our hearts will always be at home in California.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
I Wish For More
As a child in school when December 7th would roll around, my teachers would sometimes but not always mention Pearl Harbor. Truthfully, it sounded like a sad, scary, action packed story but of course I had no real emotional connection to it. If it wasn't for my history classes in college the date would probably never stick in my head unless I would hear a blip of it on the evening news on the day of.
Of course the actual story of Pearl Harbor is one we all know now as adults and most anyone can quote that part of FDR's speech, "...a day that will live in infamy..." Oh and of course there was the Hollywood movie starring Mr. Ben Affleck that helps us to get a better understanding of that day. But have you ever seen an interview or talked to someone that was there, or someone that could just tell you where they were when it happened? Have you ever noticed the unmistakeable glint of pain in their eyes when they speak of that day? It's always there.
If it weren't for September 11, 2001, I may have never understood that look but I am sad to say that I do. I know it well. It's the same look our generation gets in their eyes every September 11th when the day inevitably rolls around and the news starts in with the clips and everyone starts in with their "I was (here) when I first heard (or saw)" stories. It's the one day when we can therapeutically talk about the pain that still lies hidden in us these 11 years later. A pain that's still quietly visible in our ongoing war and our still unsure citizens even though we have come so far. It's a pain that has and inevitably still is shaping our country and generation and a similar pain that shaped the Pearl Harbor generation even though it's not obvious in our daily lives.
But truthfully, who wants to live in a world shaped continuously by pain, fear and anger? I know what's done is done and tragically we cannot undo the past and we cannot fully reshape our views of the world as the real damage has already been done but as the years pass by I pray with all that I am that our generation can find healing for our minds and our hearts and that above all that my children's generation will watch documentaries and news clips of December 7th and September 11th and never fully understand our reminiscent looks of pain as we remember and never forget. They will never fully understand because they will live in a world void of terrorist, the threat of airplanes flying into buildings or wars threatening nuclear weapons and ultimate destruction of entire countries.
I know this is an absolute peaches and cream vision and that ultimately pain and suffering will always be known to us in some degree. So, I guess what I really hope is that whatever it is that my children's generation has to endure its not bad enough to redefine and completely reshape them as September 11th has done to us. I simply wish for more for them.
So tomorrow is the day that cannot help but flood all of us with emotions that often time take us by surprise and memories that we wish we could just wash away. But it brings optimism too! The glint of hope that I have seen grow year by year is a resolve to remember that day but to never have to experience that day or a day like it again. So many of us can say that we are stronger for it and I pray we are. Because I want nothing more than for my children to grow up in a world that wishes for more for its children and knows a greater peace than we were able to know.
Of course the actual story of Pearl Harbor is one we all know now as adults and most anyone can quote that part of FDR's speech, "...a day that will live in infamy..." Oh and of course there was the Hollywood movie starring Mr. Ben Affleck that helps us to get a better understanding of that day. But have you ever seen an interview or talked to someone that was there, or someone that could just tell you where they were when it happened? Have you ever noticed the unmistakeable glint of pain in their eyes when they speak of that day? It's always there.
If it weren't for September 11, 2001, I may have never understood that look but I am sad to say that I do. I know it well. It's the same look our generation gets in their eyes every September 11th when the day inevitably rolls around and the news starts in with the clips and everyone starts in with their "I was (here) when I first heard (or saw)" stories. It's the one day when we can therapeutically talk about the pain that still lies hidden in us these 11 years later. A pain that's still quietly visible in our ongoing war and our still unsure citizens even though we have come so far. It's a pain that has and inevitably still is shaping our country and generation and a similar pain that shaped the Pearl Harbor generation even though it's not obvious in our daily lives.
But truthfully, who wants to live in a world shaped continuously by pain, fear and anger? I know what's done is done and tragically we cannot undo the past and we cannot fully reshape our views of the world as the real damage has already been done but as the years pass by I pray with all that I am that our generation can find healing for our minds and our hearts and that above all that my children's generation will watch documentaries and news clips of December 7th and September 11th and never fully understand our reminiscent looks of pain as we remember and never forget. They will never fully understand because they will live in a world void of terrorist, the threat of airplanes flying into buildings or wars threatening nuclear weapons and ultimate destruction of entire countries.
I know this is an absolute peaches and cream vision and that ultimately pain and suffering will always be known to us in some degree. So, I guess what I really hope is that whatever it is that my children's generation has to endure its not bad enough to redefine and completely reshape them as September 11th has done to us. I simply wish for more for them.
So tomorrow is the day that cannot help but flood all of us with emotions that often time take us by surprise and memories that we wish we could just wash away. But it brings optimism too! The glint of hope that I have seen grow year by year is a resolve to remember that day but to never have to experience that day or a day like it again. So many of us can say that we are stronger for it and I pray we are. Because I want nothing more than for my children to grow up in a world that wishes for more for its children and knows a greater peace than we were able to know.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Gianna Leigh Just Turned 3!
It's hard to believe that Gianna has already celebrated her 3rd birthday. It was such an awesome birthday for her because this is the first year that she really understood that her birthday was coming and what it entailed and she fully enjoyed the whole experience. Seriously, the weeks leading up to it we got to hear ALL about what she wanted for her birthday..."A Unicorn Dream Lite and a princess dress." She sang the theme song to Dream Lite constantly and pretty much had a heart attack everytime the commercial came on. This year we decided to throw her party at the inflatable party house Pump It Up which she was SO excited about as was I...little to no planning, set up or clean up....what's NOT to love!? What I loved most about her birthday though was continuing traditions and creating new ones. I LOVE birthdays and nothing makes me more happy than being able to remind Gigi how special the day she was born is and how special it is to us too.
Gigi got a cute princess piggy bank when she was born and it has become the depository for all lose change in our house. On her first birthday we emptied it out and put the change in her bank account but last year and this year we let her take the change out and by something at the toy store. This year she was REALLY excited to do this as she had $57 whole dollars to spend. It was fun to see how seriously she considered each toy and asked how much it was and if she had enough money. After picking a few toys (notice from the below picture that she is into ALL things girly!) she had money left over and absolutely melted my heart when she said that Handsome could pick out something with her money. (By the way she pretty much only calls Jensen Handsome...this is the cutest thing to me. xoxo)
On the night before her birthday Daniel and I decorated her room with streamers and balloons in hopes to suprise her on her birthday. However, she woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and came into my room to let me know that someone had left a bunch of balloons in her room while she was sleeping and then went back to sleep. :) So, the suprise wasn't as big as I had hoped but she still loved it. In the morning we gave her Dream Lite and as you can see from the picture she was in shock. lol I must say it is actually a really cool toy! We also gave her a bunch of new dresses because as I mentioned earlier that is all she wears so I have given in and only buy her dresses. She was in heaven!
Then we dressed her up in her favorite new dress from Grammy that said, "Gigi Leigh Cute & 3" and we took a few pics of her with her birthday balloons. It was so much fun!
This year we started a new tradition that I found on none other than Pinterest that I am SO excited to continue and do with both Gianna and Jensen. Basically, I came up with 20 questions that I will ask the kids every year and each year I will put there answers into a book along with a picture from their birthday. They recommend that you start at 3 so I started this year with Gigi and it was so much fun! She is used to me asking her lots of questions as I get a total kick out of her answers and its a fun way I quiz her on colors and numbers and what not so here are the questions I chose:
1. What's your favorite color? Pink and Red
2. What's your favorite show? Doc McStuffins
3. What's your favorite snack? Turkey Sandwiches
4. What's your favorite thing to wear? Dresses (SHOCKER)
5. What's your favorite book? Penny Loves Pink
6. What's your favorite toy? Princess Castle
7. If you could be an animal which one would you be? Giraffe
8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Strawberry
9. What is your favorite movie? Snow White
10. What game do you like to play? "I Get You I Get You" with Dad (This is a game that they play every day when Daniel gets home from work which consists of Daniel throwing Gigi in the air.)
11. Who's your best friend? Vinny
12. What makes you laugh? Funny Jokes
13. What's your favorite song? Old McDonald
14. Which holiday do you like the best? Easter
15. What do you like best about your brother? Helping to feed him his bottle.
16. What is your favorite thing to do with mom? Bake cupcakes
17. What is your favorite thing to do with dad? Play "I Get You I Get You"
18. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play in the pool
19. What is your favorite thing to do inside? Play hide and seek
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Ice Cream Lady
I absolutely cannot wait to see how these answers change every year!
Than we went to the big party! Gigi and all her little friends had a blast bouncing the night away! She got more dress up clothes and awesome toys than a little girl could dream of. I loved watching her expressions as she opened each gift...so happy so appreciative. The best part of the day to me was thinking she had fallen asleep in her bed only to see that she was laying in her bed with her hands behind her head with a sweet smile on her face staring at her princess dresses laid out in front of her. She was on cloud 9! Then she looked at me and asked me, "Mom, I get to turn 4 too?!" I laughed and told her that she did but she has a whole year to enjoy being 3. I know I will do my best to enjoy every moment of it too because I still can't believe that its been 3 years since I held my 7lb. 13oz. baby girl for the first time. What a truly amazing 3 years it has been.
Gigi got a cute princess piggy bank when she was born and it has become the depository for all lose change in our house. On her first birthday we emptied it out and put the change in her bank account but last year and this year we let her take the change out and by something at the toy store. This year she was REALLY excited to do this as she had $57 whole dollars to spend. It was fun to see how seriously she considered each toy and asked how much it was and if she had enough money. After picking a few toys (notice from the below picture that she is into ALL things girly!) she had money left over and absolutely melted my heart when she said that Handsome could pick out something with her money. (By the way she pretty much only calls Jensen Handsome...this is the cutest thing to me. xoxo)
On the night before her birthday Daniel and I decorated her room with streamers and balloons in hopes to suprise her on her birthday. However, she woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and came into my room to let me know that someone had left a bunch of balloons in her room while she was sleeping and then went back to sleep. :) So, the suprise wasn't as big as I had hoped but she still loved it. In the morning we gave her Dream Lite and as you can see from the picture she was in shock. lol I must say it is actually a really cool toy! We also gave her a bunch of new dresses because as I mentioned earlier that is all she wears so I have given in and only buy her dresses. She was in heaven!
1. What's your favorite color? Pink and Red
2. What's your favorite show? Doc McStuffins
3. What's your favorite snack? Turkey Sandwiches
4. What's your favorite thing to wear? Dresses (SHOCKER)
5. What's your favorite book? Penny Loves Pink
6. What's your favorite toy? Princess Castle
7. If you could be an animal which one would you be? Giraffe
8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Strawberry
9. What is your favorite movie? Snow White
10. What game do you like to play? "I Get You I Get You" with Dad (This is a game that they play every day when Daniel gets home from work which consists of Daniel throwing Gigi in the air.)
11. Who's your best friend? Vinny
12. What makes you laugh? Funny Jokes
13. What's your favorite song? Old McDonald
14. Which holiday do you like the best? Easter
15. What do you like best about your brother? Helping to feed him his bottle.
16. What is your favorite thing to do with mom? Bake cupcakes
17. What is your favorite thing to do with dad? Play "I Get You I Get You"
18. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play in the pool
19. What is your favorite thing to do inside? Play hide and seek
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Ice Cream Lady
I absolutely cannot wait to see how these answers change every year!
Than we went to the big party! Gigi and all her little friends had a blast bouncing the night away! She got more dress up clothes and awesome toys than a little girl could dream of. I loved watching her expressions as she opened each gift...so happy so appreciative. The best part of the day to me was thinking she had fallen asleep in her bed only to see that she was laying in her bed with her hands behind her head with a sweet smile on her face staring at her princess dresses laid out in front of her. She was on cloud 9! Then she looked at me and asked me, "Mom, I get to turn 4 too?!" I laughed and told her that she did but she has a whole year to enjoy being 3. I know I will do my best to enjoy every moment of it too because I still can't believe that its been 3 years since I held my 7lb. 13oz. baby girl for the first time. What a truly amazing 3 years it has been.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)