New Blog

I have started a new blog. I will be sharing insights I have into the Book of Mormon as I read it through this time. You can see it here.

My Momma

Meg turns 55 today. This woman is the genesis of all that is good in my life and in the life of so many others. She has mothered many more than just her five biological children. She possesses the ability to converse comfortably with anyone, drawing out their secret thoughts and offering the most candid advice. In high school I ate lunch at home almost every day, bringing with me friends who always wondered if my mom was going to be there. They were all able to sense her genuine interest and longed for her wisdom about the daily dramas.

She remains a part of my daily drama and I am not sure how I would do it without her!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Reading

I often catch Luke reading books to himself or to his brothers. It's one of my favorite things about him.

Cardinals

When my mom was a young mother and new to Illinois, where I was raised, she was feeling particularly grumpy on winter day, missing Utah. We lived in the last house on a dead end and the house was surrounded by trees. She looked outside and saw what she thought was a piece of red paper in the tree. She stomped outside to find that no, it wasn't litter, it was a cardinal, a bird she would grow to love as she lived through 17 more Midwestern winters.

Yesterday I was housebound with my three little ones and Luke didn't have school. I noticed this flash of red in my trees. I smiled as I remembered this story of my mom and wondered how much I had in common with young Meg. What parts of Maryland am I failing to appreciate this winter?

Making Friends

Isaac recently made friends with that baby that resides in the mirror. A friend who, as Luke informed him, with be with him forever. It's a delight to watch him discover this secret.

How each day ends

This nighttime snuggling with a book in front of us is how each day with the boys concludes. It's the best. Really this period of reconnecting means so much to me. It's one of the greatest pleasures of my day.

I recently found this book at the Goodwill by my house. It's a delightful book, originally published in 1918 it possesses the perfect balance of didactics and funny little tales.

haircut

Before:

After:

I really wasn't planning on cutting off the curls, I just wanted to trim them. However, he moved a lot during the trim and caused me to get the clippers out.

random pictures

January

I am going embrace the lack of sunlight that accompanies this time of year as an opportunity to perfect my low light shots. There's a silver lining right?

Missing this

I just put this little one and her mother on a plane this morning. I am already dying to kiss and squeeze those cheeks some more. Life is cruel isn't it?

smiles

Fresh

I gave birth to this little man seven weeks ago. Tonight my sister will give birth to his cousin. Oh, how I wish I was there with her. I wish that I would be able to get my hands on her little one while he is still new. I love labor, birth and the glorious result. To be a woman and a mother is a marvelous gift.

Brothers

2008 in retrospect

I compiled these pictures a week ago when it was still 2008 and had hopes of creating a photo collage. But, as of yet, Picasa will not load on my computer and you are forced to endure a full size photo journey through our family's year.

Reflection is a good thing. As I was going through pictures I could hardly believe all the progress we made as a family and as individuals. I grew and birthed an entire person in the year 2008. Noah started out the year as a nursing babe and ended it as a talking, throwing, laughing toddler. Luke shed the final remnants of babyhood and became an official boy. Nat became a doctor (of philosophy). Noah became old enough to be Luke's "best buddy"-- watching that relationship blossom and thrive is perhaps my greatest privilege as a mother. We cleared some major family hurdles and became a "new and improved" family, as Laurel put it.

Here you have it-- 2008 in review:

January

We are still in Madison, with a year of record breaking snowfall. I really enjoyed the winter's intensity but could have done without the duration. Luke and Noah are both old enough to get out and enjoy the snow.

February

The snow continued and we read a lot of Little House on the Prairie, snuggled under the down comforter. Luke decided, on one very snowy day, that we needed to go out and rescue dad at the bus stop. I loaded Noah into the back pack and watched, in awe, as my little three year old climbed through snow drifts up past his waist.

March

More snow (did I mention the duration of last winter?). March 15 finds my little sister, Ashley in labor, about to deliver her first baby. I am desperate to be with her and make Emily give me a play by play over the phone. When Emily refuses to talk anymore I go into the bathroom with a pregnancy test to distract myself. It's positive. Nat and I laugh out loud at the idea of three children. We go maple sugaring that day as the reality of another pregnancy sets in.

Easter egg hunting in the snow-- don't you love the Midwest?

April

Nat turned 29 without a birthday cake because I was too sick to make it. He was a good sport and blew out candles in his pastries.

Luke turned four and had to blow out birthday candles placed in dino nuggets because, again, you can't puke and make a birthday cake at the same time.

May

We began the month on Florida's gulf coast. I am starting to feel better. The boys have the time of their lives in the sand, playing with cousins, and enjoying Aunts, Uncles, Grandma and Grandpa Fredin. Courtney and Dave get engaged.

Nat walks in the Spring graduation. Doesn't he look good in a cap and gown. This is the official start of single parenting for me as Nat buckles down to finish his dissertation and experiments.

June I find myself taking a last minute trip to Utah when I learn of my Aunt Allyson's unexpected, untimely death (I am still adjusting to the reality of her being gone). All of my cousins are together for the first time in at least ten years. We commemorate with a nose picking picture that Allyson would have loved. I also find out at her memorial service that one of my second cousins is in my ward in Madison-- it's a gift to find family so close.

We take our first trip to Maryland to find a place to live. Luke is relieved to find that the ice cream in Maryland is as good as the ice cream in Wisconsin (again, this is ice cream we're talking about, not frozen custard-- that's a whole 'nother story).
We list and sell the house in four days-- a miracle. It's almost as miraculous that we were ever able to keep it clean while it was on the market. The above picture depicts the time that I stopped at home in the fifteen minutes between showings to go to the bathroom and Noah managed to find a sharpie, draw all over his legs, shorts, and the hardwood floors (thank you, Magic Eraser).

July

This picture might have been the only time that we saw Nat in the month of July. We celebrated the fourth the only way we know how, wearing Cubs shirts.

We enjoy the last days of living close to all our Madison friends (whose company I still miss daily). Nat lives at the lab and his office.

August

Nat defends his thesis, Physical Characterization of Erodible Polyelectrolite Thin Films Fabricated From Plasmid DNA and Synthetic Polyamines (I did have to go over to the shelf and open the 300 page book to remember the title). We pack up and drive to Maryland to start a new life.

September

Luke starts a new preschool. I turn thirty. We enjoy the beginning of fall in Maryland on our daily walks through the park.

October

More fall fun, watching the leaves change, a memorable visit from Grandma Barb and Grandpa Doug, and getting to know the area better.

Noah turns two with a fall themed celebration.

An elephant and ewok/monkey make their way around the neighborhood, gathering goodies.

November

We patiently await the birth of our newest member, his birth is quick and wonderful and we settle into a quiet, at home time of snuggles and getting to know little I-guy.

December

We enjoy visits from both Grandmas, a darling school presentation, lots of goodies, Santa's visit and Grandma Barb and Grandpa Doug's Christmas visit.

Here's hoping 2009 holds such adventures and wonders!