this time of year

Once there were 2 mothers and it was this time of year.

For one mother this time of year everything is in bloom, the green grass grows so quickly.   The days are longer.  The iris' just finished blooming while the roses show their color and the lilies are ready to show themselves soon.   The robins are busy feeding their nest full of babies.   It is this time of year that she was carrying her first born, Judson.  She remembers this time of year so well precisely because she was on the verge of motherhood...and then became a mother on July 1st, 2001.

It is this time of year for a mother in Ethiopia.  For her this time of year is not marked on a calendar by a month, day of the week or even year.  For her this time of year is marked by the crops growing.  This time of year is marked by the wet weather as they enter the rainy season.  The dirt roads under her feet may be muddy and slick.  She may not have the date, but she may look around and see this time of year and remember.   It was this time of year 2 years ago that she brought our daughter into the world.   This child was given a birth date of July 1st, 2009.

It is this time of year that these 2 mothers were both on a journey of motherhood.

It is this time of year that 2 children were on their journey to each of us, 8 years between them.

It is this time of year that one mother grieves for the other's loss, and wonders and wishes and hopes....

It is this time of year that one mother is forever grateful.

Forever grateful for the beautiful life brought into the world.

Forever grateful for God uniting our lives together forever.

It is this time of year, and beyond, that these 2 mothers will be forever connected through the thread of life, love and motherhood.  It is this time of year.

living room face lift

Ahh.....
a new couch in the living room, which I have waited a long time for and I love.  But I quickly realized a new couch needs an updated space.  A little living room facelift was in order!

This was the accent wall in my living room that I once loved.  The blue color is from the dining area and the stencil is the green from my kitchen.  But with the new couch it felt way too dominating.  And I was tired of it.

So, I decided to lighten the wall and pull in the charcoal gray from the couch and granny smith green color from the kitchen walls for a totally new accent fireplace wall.
I started with painting the wall a buttery cream color.  It looks like French vanilla icecream (it is an old paint from a bathroom in the house).
Then I took the plunge on painting the brick surround a charcoal blue-gray (our house exterior paint).   It was a risk.....but I love how it turned out.
Then it was time to beautify the French vanilla cream wall with a damask stencil and colors from the fireplace (same color as the couch) and the green color from the kitchen.   Using 2 colors on a wall stencil is a bit more time intensive, but the effect is beautiful and worth it!

I didn't pay a cent for this wall makeover because I already had the stencil (which is also in my bedroom) and used house paint we already had!   freebie....bonus.

I do love the way it turned out.  The room now has a modern vintage feel.  

It is comfortable and more open with the creamy wall.  

The accent wall makes sense pulling the colors together from the couch and kitchen.  

gotta love a facelift....I mean a makeover!

swinging from a tree

Here is Drew swinging from a tree.   Free as can be....swinging from a tree!

This is my favorite shot of June.  Precisely because Drew is so in the moment.  Soooo enjoying the new swing.  And so unaware of my camera...and I just got lucky with this great shot.  

A happy childhood moment captured!  I love it!

Scavenger hunt

What I love most about scavenger hunt Sunday is that it gets me looking around....looking for those shots around me that I might not otherwise be looking for or find.   This week I found all of these shots right here at home.in a very short span...it was just plain fun.

Window/Door-   

Our back door...I love the reflection coming through of the me in the back yard and windmill.

Eyelashes-

Jack could barely sit still for me to catch a shot of his eye lashes...but alas, I got it!

And I love how the sunflare is pointing you right to his eyelashes.  bonus.

Leaf veins-

These are leaves from a "the smoke tree" in my garden.

Paint-

look at what a little glossy white spray paint can do!  yahoo!

Faceless Portrait-

love these sweet little hands

15 years ago....

15 years ago.....I married my best friend, my love, my partner in life

We were young, in love and eager to happily begin our life together.

Our wedding was held at the Historic Courthouse in Stillwater, Minnesota....beautiful.

I think it is best we didn't know the challenges we would face.   The growing pains.

We were both growing and both changing....together.

Some how, by being together, we were able to become more of ourselves side by side.

Like the symbolism of a teeter-totter.....there were ups and downs.  But to find the balance we worked at it and worked at it.  Over the years we have become better communicators, better listeners, better at knowing eachother and ourselves.   That's the key, or at least one of them....and remembering the balance just doesn't happen, it requires understanding, love, compromise.

In 15 years of marriage we have finished degrees, moved between states(WI/MN to KS, MI, WI) and a year in Strasbourg, France.   There were internships/residencies, and then jobs we loved and didn't love.  We decided to grow our family,  there were miscarriages, and then 3 pregnancies and birthing 3 beautiful boys in 5 years.  And then in our 11th year we began our journey into adoption and brought home our daughter from Ethiopia.  There have been wonderful furry little souls (Porter the Pug, BlueBoy) that we have loved, snuggled with and said good-bye to. We purchased several homes, each of which we worked hard on, loved and made memories in.   We have lived on loans, and very small pay checks, pinched pennies and recycled cans (10cents a can) in Michigan to make ends meat.  We have played hard and lived/ traveled around the world, with 2 small children.  We have yelled and cried, made mistakes and resolved to do better.  We have grown some gray hairs and began some lines on our faces, hopefully more from smiling.
We have laughed, at each other and ourselves.

We have we grown, oh how we have grown.   

At times I hardly recognize those people 15 years ago, but love them and their hopes and dreams.   

And today, I love how those hopes and dreams have evolved and grown beyond anything we could have hoped or dreamed for.

15 years....

happy anniversary my love.
I love the life we have made and continue to make..

 together.

photo challenge

you know how I love to share my photos...and all of these are from seeing my family this weekend.

 love it.

Emotion:

When you sit on grass for the first time...this is how it feels.

From a Flower's Perspective:

Letters:

My brother tells me his shirt says "What's Up?!"....he is a sign language interpreter and is awesome....

Frames:

Bliss:

My Dad, aka Pops
This is what happens when you are truly loved....

we were all together, all of us, on father's day.....that is a moment of Pops' bliss

Let's here it for the boys....

Let's here it for the boys.....  

There is something so simply wonderful about a little guy eatting watermelon on a summer day.  And this cutie patootie happens to be my nephew.  Isn't he squeezable?

An i heart faces photo challenge!

hot air balloon!

Once a year our town hosts a balloon rally.  Last night the balloons were in the sky.

And one balloon decided to land in our neighborhood!

Isn't it neat to see all of these little people in our neighborhood....and there are quite a few missing from this photo.   And how wonderful to see how small they are compared to that beautiful balloon!

The balloon team practiced taking off and landing.....then the real fun started for our little neighborhood!

Yep, that's right....balloon rides!  yahoo!!!

This is Tessa, Daddy and her friend Viv and her Mom.   

I was behind my camera thinking....

how amazing is it that this little sweetie from Ethiopia just had a hot air balloon ride?  

This is Juddy with his buddy Logan.

All the kids in the neighborhood had a turn...if they chose to.  ;)

This is Jack...running to the balloon. And then deciding "no way man"

Below is Drew with his pals Nicholas and Carson....happy boys!

below....Judson and Logan flying high!

Tessa wasn't a big fan of the fire, noise and heat.   There were tears.

but when in Daddy's arms everything going to be o.k.

Eventually the fun has to come to an end......but even watching the balloon come down was beautiful.

graced for a moment

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Just when the catepillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly. -anon

When a small child, I thought that success spelled happiness. I was wrong, happiness is like a butterfly which appears and delights us for one brief moment, but soon flits away.
Anna Pavlova