Growing up Girls

Life is beautiful guys.  Sure......its a chaotic hot mess sometimes, but when you stop and look around and see what life is made of, Damn, its a beautiful thing.

The movie "Tully" is coming out soon in honor of Mother's Day.  I think it is going to be a spectacular movie about motherhood and all the hardship and beauty that it is.  I have been watching the trailer lately and there is one line in it that has made me stop and think and emote more than I have about this motherhood thing.

"In motherhood, sometimes you feel like such a failure. 

But remember you made your biggest dream come true."

 

I love that line, and I haven't even seen the whole movie!  These girls of mine are absolutely a dream come true for me,  and lately I am soaking up that reality.

Bob and I managed to practically carbon copy our children, and yet they are both so perfectly unique and such a special blend of all the things in Bob and I.  When you stop, in the chaos and challenges of life and simply look, it is like a dream seeing the best parts of you and your spouse living and breathing in another.

There is nothing sweeter or more affirming for me right now than growing up my girls.  They are a dream come true.

#RedforED

Lily and Evie,

Today is a big day, one that is going to wildly impact you, your education, and the future of your friends, and we are excited!  For the past couple of weeks we as a family have donned our red attire and have shown up to support our teachers, and our school as they have begun to protest the funding discrepancies and other education needs in our State.  It is needed and important and so worth fighting for.

I am not writing this letter today however, to talk about the politics of the movement, or to give my explanation of exactly what is happening.  I am writing this to you today because I have empowered the 2 of you to be world changers.  I have challenged the 2 of you to stand tall and be bold.  I have raised you girls to know your truth, to speak your truth, and to go and live boldly. I have raised you fearless.

And you are being surrounded by men and women who are a living embodiment of that.  You are walking in the presence of superheroes.  You dear girls are holding the hands of real life Wonder Women!

Injustice exists everywhere. How can we change the world when the world needs SO MUCH CHANGING.

By walking out, by speaking up, by shining your light, and by boldly pushing "what's been" towards "what could be!"  Your teachers, Mrs. Balanoff, Mrs. Rodeffer, Mrs. Ana, and all of their co workers are peacefully, aggressively, and boldly making a stance today.  They are uniting and empowering one another to MAKE A DIFFERENCE and you 2 are bearing witness and participating! 

Lily, we have talked openly and honestly to you about all of this and you dear one, have spoken boldly with your classmates.  This week I received a text from your Teacher....."Lily spoke beautifully and very eloquently to her peers and I about the governor. I was very impressed. Wow!  You have one amazing kid!"

You both are, and today, as the teachers stand up, stand firm, and challenge what's been, I want to remind you of the power you have.  You were meant to change the world girls.

When you see injustice RISE UP, be FEARLESS, and know that the God who lives in you has purposed you for greatness!

Believe

Christmas this year came and went in somewhat of a busy blur.  I love blurs, but sometimes it ends so fast you can't even remember all that happened.  In true, Mom, form, Lily handed me a letter she had written for Santa with strict instructions to mail it to the North Pole.

I forgot.  

And foolishly thought that she would too.  So in February she came running out of her bedroom one day with the letter and alligator tears running down her face. "Mommy!  You never mailed my letter. I need Santa to know what I wrote!"  Oh dear......BAD MOM right over this way people.

I played it off and told her that I would get it in the mail just as fast as I could.  "But Mom, its not Christmas!"  I turned and smiled and told her, "Well Babe, if Santa can only get letters at Christmas then hes not a very good Santa!"

I hastily put Grandma Lynn's address on it knowing she would love to play Santa and sent it off.  I had no idea what Lily had written, but I knew that Grandma would know right what to do.

A few weeks later we got this, and some boxes of presents.  Lily and Evie were AMAZED, in AWE, and so EXCITED that "Santa" had gotten their letter.  But there was more to it than simply getting what she asked for.

Bob and I videoed the entire morning and sat delighted as Lily did just what Santa had asked. 

I am eternally grateful for the family that we have.  Whether in Vernon, Illinois, Florida, their love and support of our girls stretches far.

My girls are in a good place of wonderment about Santa and the real or not real belief.  This moment reminded them that the spirit of generosity, giving, and love brought to all, are what Santa, and Christ-mas are all about.

Windows and What ifs

Life is all about learning lessons and making decisions informed by those lessons. Let's face it, some lessons are easy, other lessons are hard. My girls are learning that very real lesson though that ALL decisions have consequences.  All decisions impact someone or lots of someones and all consequences are not awesome.  Growing up is hard.

About a month ago, as Bob and I sat inside, letting our children have the independence we dole out all too frequently, Lily and her girlfriend Emme decided that throwing rocks at the house was a good idea.  In one of our, "hey maybe we should check on the girls" moments, we did, discovered the infraction and instantly discussed all the reasons why we don't throw rocks at or towards houses with windows.  We were clear, we were sound, we were full of all the consequences that could occur, and Lily listened, nodded, and stopped.

Until a couple weeks ago when we were out and she was with Grandma.  Grandma was playing with Evie allowing Lily to once again have independence to make her own choices and she decided to disregard everything we told her and throw rocks again.

Bob and I were out on date night when the call came.  A near hysterical Lily was on the other line telling us how she broke our bathroom window.  Well completely shattered is more like it.

She was beyond aware of what she had done and she was reaping consequence after emotional consequence.  Although getting our window broken was not on our list of "awesomes" for the day, we are SO grateful for natural consequences and that parenting your child through their own consequences is one of the most blessed things.  She was distraught.

We told her we loved her. We reminded her of our conversation a month ago.  We asked her all the whys. And at the end she was responsible for giving us $20 of her birthday money and would be responsible to help fix it when we tackled it.  The loss of her money and the emotional drain of having broken something so big was all the consequences she needed.

We hung up after making sure she knew how much we loved her and continued our date.  When we got home the next day Lily came to us with this completely humbled spirit.  She told us that Grandma had helped her learn from her mistake.  "Mommy, Grandma helped me understand that I should have thought about 'what if'.  That when I want to do something that doesn't feel really right I should ask myself what could happen if I do it.  I didn't think about that and I messed up. Next time I am going to ask 'what if'."

Yes Lily Grace.  That is how you learn......THAT is how you grow up.  Always remember your windows and what ifs.

She's a Star

I am so very proud.  My Lily Lu got her little self up on the STAR Student wall this month!  I have always known it, She is a STAR!

What is exceptional about this amazing honor is why.  Being a star student has nothing to do grades, or academic achievement. Being a STAR student is a way to celebrate kids who are kind, caring, compassionate, helpful, and inclusive.  It celebrates kids who do school, friendships, and respect with courage.  Yes, my Lily is a STAR.  I am just so proud.

We walked into her school today as a family and proudly walked over to the star wall to take her picture by her picture.  Yes, I am that Mom, and YES we are that family!  So proud.

Lily Grace, you are special and beautiful.  You are a role model and someone others aspire to be like.  You are amazing.  Shine bright girlie, YOU ARE A STAR!

Easter Life

What a weekend Easter was.  This year was jam packed with Bob's birthday celebration, a visit from Aunt Sue and Grandma Jill, and a trip up to the mountains for some fun in Vernon.  We celebrated life!  In big, beautiful, and bold ways!

I flew in from CO on the day of Bob's birthday and he and I headed to a hotel for some time together.  The kids had not one but 2 Grandmas so we were not very missed.  I love having a village.  We had birthday cheesecake pie to celebrate after our trip and the girls couldn't believe that Daddy kept a hole half of the pie for himself!  Birthday perks.

With Aunt Sue in town we were able to get out on the trails with Grandma Jill.  Our lollipop loop is one of our favorites and I cannot tell you how happy running out in the desert made me!

Once we got Aunt Sue on a plane back home we packed up our little Prius with the 6 of us and headed up the mountains.

Once we arrived, Memaw let the girls open up their Easter presents full of dresses.  Evie instantly put one of her dresses on, threw on a tiara, grabbed her muckboots and raced to help Memaw man the ranch.  This kid, she is perfect.  Memaw's ranch hand, now that is how you princess!

My parent's neighbors invited all of us to head over to Springerville for a night of BBQ and Line Dancing at the local BBQ spot Averys.  For a little town out in the middle of nowhere, Avery's was AMAZING.  The food, the company, the ambience, it was perfect.  We all loved it and spent the evening line dancing our little hearts out and enjoying ourselves thoroughly!  More dance lessons may be in our future plus, I think we ROCKED the Western vibe!

Saturday was a great day.  The weather was amazingly lovely and we enjoyed all things ranch related including campfires, cactus hunting, horseback riding, smore's making, hike taking, tree climbing, and easter egg hunting!

Easter weekend was wonderful and spending time with those that we love made it an even more special time.  There is nothing quite like enjoying time with family to celebrate the resurrection day of our Jesus!

Plus......we brought home tired kids.

I Heart Colorado

I love my job.  I love that I can travel and see places while capturing memories and moments.  Photography has given me such purpose and such joy.  It has also allowed me the opportunity to stay connected to Colorado.  There is something about being a native that doesn't leave you.  Colorado, the mountains, the City....its in you and I for one feel it every time I go.  

I am ever so grateful for the clients and friends that keep me busy and visiting often.  I am especially grateful for my girlfriend and sole sister Sara.  She not only keeps me busy, but allows me a bed and a weekend of wonderful friendship, renewal, and conversation.  Its heavenly and I look forward to my  business trips all the time.

I am learning to navigate the Denver Light Rail System.  I ended up missing a stop and having to be on the light rail for an hour longer than planned, but ces la vie.  I sat, and did nothing.  Which truly was lovely.

Between photo sessions Sarah and I did yoga, ran, took a bootcamp class, drank wine, and had a wonderful time together.  

I even got to experience a blizzard again!  It was wild.......kuddos to Sarah for her mad nighttime blizzard driving skills.  We woke up to a blanket of thick white snow.  In true Colorado fashion it was gone by that night, but I know all about that Springtime CO snow!

One of my favorite memories from this trip was our day up to Copper Mountain.  I had a session at the base of the mountain so me, Sarah, and Elijah took the drive up into the mountains and I felt all nostalgic.  I love my heat, but I do miss the time I spent skiing as a kid.  

I adore these 3 people and am so grateful for yet another weekend of fun, photos, and Colorado renewal. 

Daddy Daughter Date

There are moments that matter in a little girl's life.  As one of those little girls who had a Daddy that loved her big time, I know how important those special Daddy times are.  Bob is setting the standard high for our girls and I LOVE him for it.

While I was gone in Colorado, Bob got to have a very special date with Evie.  Not only did he let her dress him, but he had her help him get coiffed and ready. 

Lily got to spend the day with her buddy Kyla so that Daddy and Evie could have their special time.  

Bob took Evie to the Mall to ride the carousel and the motorized animals (her favorite thing to do).  Then they went shopping and he took her to a pedicure.  I love that he sat right next to her and got one himself sans polish (something about running out of time :)

I married a guy who gets it and understands the importance of the little things. He knows the value of setting a high standard and allowing our girls the freedom to get pedicures and go shopping.  It makes me smile and I am grateful for it.