We Are Structurified!

One of the *many* things I have learned about myself is that I do not handle unstructured free time well.  This has been the case for as long as I can remember.  And contrary to what I previously thought, I have not grown out of it.  

In the past, the night before a day off was filled with excitement and anticipation.  No time to wake up, no obligations, no one to see, nothing to do...it was magical.  Until I slept in until 10:30, kind of ate lunch, binged on netflix, putzed around and found myself at the end of the day feeling really dissatisfied and a bit unsettled and generally moody.   

Why did this keep happening?  Days off were supposed to be the wind beneath my wings!  The respit from a busy and stressful life!  But instead I felt like I had wasted my time, accomplished nothing and kind of felt like a slob.  

So, armed with this discovery, I have faced this new season of my life as a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM).  Initially, I had that same excitement of feeling totally unobligated to anything or anyone besides the task of keeping the baby alive.  That excitement was followed by the weight of knowledge.   I knew that I could not allow my days to slip by without structure of some kind.  I was further encouraged in that by my mom and husband, who both have experienced me at the end of a day when I feel totally blah after having wasted it entirely.  And they don't love it either.  

What does this structure look like in my days?  Well, when my mom was visiting for Asher's birth, she bought me a great big white board and Ben hung it in the kitchen.  On it I have three lists.  A weekly to-do list of things that are regular tasks (laundry, vacuuming--we have a lot of dog hair, grocery shopping etc...).  A Miscellaneous to-do list (take things to goodwill, Christmas shopping, organize closet, write thank-you notes etc...).  And then I have a list of the days of the week.  Every Sunday evening, I write what I have going on each day of the week.  I try to get out of the house every day.  Whether it be a walk to the lake, grocery shopping, swinging by a friends house or even just regular weekly things like church on Wednesday night, I need to breathe other air than my own.  For the most part it works really well.  Sure, there are days it just doesn't happen, like yesterday when it rained all day and so we cozied up inside all day.   But I made it a point to keep busy...doing things around the house that helped me to feel productive.  

When I follow this model, I end my days feeling accomplished. And even better, whatever rest and indulgance in doing nothing that I carve out for myself feels deserved and actually seems to accomplish its purpose.  

Because schedules work so well for me, I have gotten Asher on board (not like he had much of a say in the matter.)  It all came about one day when I was using my free time on facebook to stalk look up old aquaintances who are not technically in my friends list.  This one in particular, I'll admit that I looked her up because I think she is beautiful and put together, and I was always envious of her as a young teen and wanted to see where she was at now.  I was looking at the adorable (of course) pictures of her children and there on her wall was a link to a blog with a caption she wrote saying how this lady and her technique helped her kiddos sleep through the night as babies.  I was intruiged because my sweet baby boy was NOT sleeping through the night and was in fact starting to get needy in ways beyond necessity.  Long story short-ish, the technique is based on Baby Wise, and essentially follows a schedule during the day so that he gets his days and nights straight, eats well, rests well and ultimately has reliability so that he can sleep well at night.  The first night he cried himself to sleep--took 7 excruciating minutes...Ben and I laying on the couch in the living room in silence as we used each other as an anchor so we didn't run in and cuddle him.  By the next night though, he went down without a peep.  That kind of proved to us that he was using his crying to get held, not because he actually had a need that had to be met.  And when he fussed at his normal 12:30 am feeding, I just popped in his pacifier and he went right back to sleep.  For the first week, I still did one feeding in the middle of the night around 2:30.  But last night, I didn't do one then at all...and he slept 6.5 hours straight!  He got fussy around 4:30, and I fed him and then he slept until 7:30.  

Moral of the story:  you never know what will come from keeping tabs on beautiful people from your past...it might just help you transform your baby's sleeping habits!  

Here are a few pictures of life that I haven't posted on Facebook or Instagram: 

A stroller-walk around the lake!  He is such a little peanut in that thing!  

Beautiful grove of bare oak trees by the lake.  

I could watch him sleep forever.  

One day he was fussing a little as he was falling asleep in his swing, and I look over and Sierra had layed down next to him and put her head on the swing and was watching him.  It was so sweet...she has definitely taken on a more "protective" role.  The night we let him cry himself to sleep, she was going back and forth from his little nook, glancing at us with what can only be described as a nervous/worried look on her face.  It was as if she was saying, "Aren't you going to do anything?" 

This kid produces two loads of laundry like this a week.  At least.  So many bodily fluids.  

Speaking of bodily fluids... For two of our showers, people could write messages on diapers.  This one says: CAUTION, contents may be explosive.  

Lets just say, you're welcome that I didn't post the picture I took after I opened the diaper...

Comfy on Auntie Claire's couch when we went over to her apartment for Friday morning sibling breakfast!  

milk drunk smiles!  

Actually, I think he was so happy because last week, he got a NEW COUSIN!!!

Baby #2 of the Klotzle Kousins Krew Trilogy

Between me and my two married brothers, we are all having babies within 4 months.  

 Anyway, introducing this little sweetie.  

Reese Everly

While she looks a bit skeptical of this big ol' world, she is totally adorable.  Amy and I have decided we need to get together sooner rather than later for a little baby-snuggle-swap. 

Welcome, baby Reese!  We are so excited you are here!  Can't wait to meet you and to also welcome together the next cousin in the triolgy!  

The three cousins will meet officially at Joe and Heather's wedding in March.  

How our family has changed this year!  

  

One Month!

I can hardly believe it...
...well let me qualify that.  There isn't just one "it" that I can hardly believe.  There are so many.  Let me tell you what all I am having a hard time wrapping my head around.

*My sweet baby boy Asher is one month old today.  One month ago today at this time I was laying in the postpartum room, snuggling my new little bundle while my hero of a husband lay sleeping across the room.  I was on the brink of a new life, and really had no idea what to expect.  And here we are, one month later...and I can barely remember life before. Before this sweet, poopy, hungry, squishy, delightful little human invaded every moment of my day (and night).

*I can hardly believe that I have kept a baby alive for one month.  Had you asked me before he was born I would have said, "DUH. of course I can keep a baby alive."  But there is something about holding a wriggling newborn with a body that feels like it could break at any moment that makes you second guess your skills.  I have googled, asked, wondered and fretted over many things that have snuck up on me.  These include, but are not limited to:  How Do I Know If My Baby Is Eating Enough?  Discharge from Umbilical Wound.  Baby Acne.  Will His Breast Buds Go Away?  Irregular, Erratic Breathing Patterns.  Blocked Tear Ducts.  (and many more).
I have realized that the newborn stage isn't my most confident stage.  But I am learning to enjoy it and have realized that this little guy is more resiliant and sturdy than I give him credit for.

*My body.  I can hardly believe what it went through to bring Asher into this world.  I can hardly believe how incredible it is that it now heals on its own (with a little help from me), and begins a whole new process of functions.  My body produces all the food Asher needs.  It hasn't been without its challenges, though.  I never knew the frustration, the wondering, the pain and more googling that goes into this.  I am grateful to be able to exclusively breastfeed, and it has gone better than I've heard it go for some.  But there is still a learning curve.

*The Awe. I can't explain how truly awesome it is to hold this little boy, and just stare at him, soaking up his little existence.  As he nurses, I am in awe.  When he gazes around with his inquisitive and serious gaze, I am in awe.  When he makes eye contact for even a brief moment, I am in awe.  When his little fist closes around my finger, I am in awe.  As he wails until cuddled close and then goes instantly quiet, I am in awe.  As I look at his incredibly intricate and perfect features, I am in awe.   I spend my days with this child and we are already connected in ways that are much deeper than I could have imagined.

*I can hardly believe what I do now that I never would or could have done before.  Running on low sleep.  Getting out of bed so quickly when he begins to wail in the night.  Sit up for an hour at a time in the middle of the night to feed him.  Perfect the shortened shower (and yes, I do shower daily...it is a glorious reprieve for me).  Make coffee, breakfast and a number of other things one handed.  Perfect the right angle, pressure and bounce of the cuddle-hold that settles him.  Talk about poop, gas, and other bodily functions freely and easily and often with much joy, if they are happening regularly.  Take an inordinate amount of pictures because he is just. so. cute.

*I can't believe how much I love my husband.  He is so sweet with Asher, holding him, talking to him, taking him so I can sleep.  He has a servant heart and never stops asking if there is something I need or something he can do for me or Asher.  He takes me on date nights with surprises that bring joy to my heart and rekindle the fire in our relationship.  He gives hugs, back rubs, and cuddles when I need them.  He listens to me as I have a myriad of emotions, thoughts, doubts, joys and frustrations that are woven throughout my day.  Ok, I can believe how much I love him. It is a joy to parent and do life with him.


Those are some of the things that have filled this past month.  I am blessed, grateful and overwhelmed by the changes (wonderful and challenging) and can't wait for what the next month will bring!

On to pictures! Sorry there are quite a few.  =)

This kid has perfected the grouch-face.  But it's so cute! 

He has also perfected the sleeping.  Which is also adorable. 

I, too have perfected the napping....

Daddy time! 

(Ben reading him books)

Superman pose

hehe.  I couldn't resist.  

ONE MONTH!!  

A little about Asher at 1 month:

-Loves eating and sleeping and pooping, especially right after Mom or Dad changes his diaper

-Sucking is his favorite.  Sleeve, thumb, fist, paci, me, any exposed skin, bottle...or nothing if it comes down to that.  He'll just work his little mouth as if he is sucking something. 

-He sleeps about 3 hour stretches at night.  Sometimes 4 if we are lucky...sometimes 1-2 if we aren't.  

-Snuggles are his favorite.  Hold him close, hold him tight and he will be your best friend.  

-He sleeps best and longest on Daddy's chest, but will sleep in his bed if he is fully asleep before going in there. 

-He loves the carseat and swing and carrier.

-Bathtime is a mixed bag, he loves water on his back and head, but not his tummy so much.

-He is just starting to coo, make eye contact and react to talking/singing

Basically he is just a sweet buddy.  And we love him a lot.  

life: readjusted

Two and a half weeks in to this whole parenting thing, and I still can't believe this is my new reality.  Honestly, it has been really good and I am really blessed.  Of course it is not without its challenges, but I don't feel overwhelmed [yet] and for that I am grateful.  

So, some updates...

Asher: Oh this sweet, beautiful, perfectly made little boy.  He has stolen our hearts so completely.  He just had his 2-week doctor's visit and everything looks really good!  He is up about a pound above his birth weight, which is super great.  He is average on height/weight ratio and length and head circumferance.  His cord stump fell off on Friday and the little wound left behind is healing well.  Overall, we have a strong, healthy, growing boy and we praise God for that!  

Common questions we get include his sleeping habits.  Again, not without its challenges, but not overwhelming either.  He naps a ton during the day, with little 30-45 minute awake periods sprinkled throughout.  So Ben and I desired and prayed for a little boy who loved to snuggle.  And that prayer was answered.  This boy so loves being in our arms and held close, that it is making sleeping at night a bit tricky.  If he is in a deep enough sleep, he will sleep in his little bassinet for several hours at a time.  Otherwise, he just wants to be near us.  His all-time favorite is to lay on Ben's chest...it calms him pretty much instantly [super adorable, by the way].  Sometimes the only way for all of us to get sleep is for Asher to sleep on Ben's chest.  Somehow, Ben is able to sleep that way, semi-propped up, for a few hours between feedings.  Basically every night is a little different, and we are figuring it out.  

He eats great (obviously gaining weight) and poops on the regular...so all of those systems are working right.  And when he isn't snoozing, he is gazing all around him, taking in the world with his serious gaze.  

Me: I am doing really well too, all things considered.  Aside from some random weeping spells (sometimes the sunset is too pretty, I miss my parents, the baby is beautiful, showers feel amazing and my husband is so sweet...all tear-inducing situations, of course), I haven't really experienced the post-baby blues. I have been really intentional about getting out of the house several days a week, even if its just for a walk around the neighborhood.  That definitely helps.  I am sort of in a waiting period for my body to get back to "normal."  I am still experiencing some of the effects from my marathon of pushing and only recently have my back and shoulder muscles gotten to a point of not aching and burning every waking [and sleeping] moment.  

Us:  I'll admit one of my biggest fears was how this would affect Ben and I.  We had a good thing going, and I so didn't want to lose it.  And while we have had to make some adjustments, it hasn't been too terrible yet.  We have acknowledged that it is easy for Asher to become the center of our world, and we have to be intentional about not letting our priorities get too out of whack.  Last night there was a showing for our house (our landlord is selling the duplex...long story), and so we took the opportunity to have a little date night.  Asher slept pretty much the whole time, and so we were able to have conversation, laughs, hand-holding and it felt really good to reconnect again. 

We took a trip to IL this past weekend for Ben's cousin's wedding.  Asher slept pretty much the whole way there and back, with the exception of a few feeding times along the way.  The time there was enjoyable and not stressful at all.  We loved seeing extended family and having them meet Asher for the first time...especially Ben's grandpa Warren, who inspired Asher's middle name.  

I find myself turning to the Father with a thankful heart many times during my day.  we have been so incredibly blessed each step of this journey.  Sometimes it is hard to soak up these good moments, because it almost seems too good.   I keep waiting for something really difficult or devastating to happen.  I have to be purposeful about accepting the gift of the present and rely on grace for the future.  I know the road won't always be smooth...that is life in a broken world.  But I do know who holds tomorrow, and I know my child (and I) can face uncertain days because He lives.  

Here are some moments from the past week or so.  

Dog introductions went well.  Sierra sniffed him, licked his hand and head a few times and then pretty much left him alone.  As you can see in this picture, she seems 

 pretty nonchalant.  Her indifference was also fueled by pouting because she saw she had been replaced as Queen Bee.

But even though she pretends she doesn't care, she will still position herself in protective places while he is sleeping or crying.  

Ben wrote me this super sweet note on our whiteboard.  love him. 

Gave our little guy a faux-hawk.  I mean, he has the hair, might as well have some fun with it!  

He has got great sleeping facial expressions.  

Asher meeting his cousins Maria, Hanna and Eva.  They were so sweet with him.  

Great-Grandma Dolores and Great-Grandpa Warren

Ben's Great-Aunt Joanne.  

One of his favorite sleeping positions.  cute little monkey-bum =) 

His awake stare.  Just looking at everything and taking it all in.  Also done very seriously...

well that is all for an update.  He is feeding right now and it so happens I only have one hand available which makes typing difficult...so I shall sign off for now!!

Asher's Journey Earth Side

Well here we are, already a week postpartum and I realized the story has yet to be told.  I love reading birth stories and so I am going to share mine.  I apologize if there is too little or too much detail.  Can't please 'em all ;)  But be warned it is lengthy.

Saturday 10/3:  Woke up about 6:30 to realize that my water had broken...or so I thought.  There was no major gush, and in fact it just seemed to trickle annoyingly all morning.  The doctor had said to call if my water broke, and so I did.  Of course they told me to come in right away.  I didn't particularly want to, since my goal had been to labor at home as long as possible, and I wasn't even having contractions at this point.  So Ben and I decided to be rebels and ignore the advice and stayed home.  

*side note* My mom had come the Tuesday before.  We had been trying everything to get this baby to come, because the last thin we wanted was for her to have to go home before he was born!  Leading up to Saturday, I had tried bouncing on an exercise ball, clary sage essential oil, accupressure points on my ankles, walking, spicy food...and aside from a few twinges, nothing happened.  

Back to Saturday.  We layed low that day, eating, relaxing, playing Skip-bo, talking and we took a few walks.  Early labor contractions started at some point, but were about 10-15 minutes apart and lasted about 30 seconds and weren't that intense.  Ben and Mumzy can tell you, I did not feel like walking, even though they were convinced it would help speed things up. Sure I wanted the baby to come, but physical activity was not sounding like the way I wanted it to happen.  As it turns out, that is what pushed me over the edge.  

Around 6:30 pm, Ben took Sierra up to a friends house who was going to keep her for a while.  While he was gone, my mom convinced me to take another walk around the cemetery.  We were commenting on the contrast of the impending new life in the presence of so many who had died.  While slightly macabre, it is a beautiful and peaceful place...perfect for labor walking =)  Contractions sped up quite a bit from 10 minutes to about 2-3 minutes apart and lasting a little longer, and were a bit more noticeable.  When Ben got back, we packed up and went to the hospital, which was about 30 minutes away.  

By about 8:30-9, I was checked into my room, confirmed my water had sprung a leak,  I was dilated 5 cm and contractions were pretty regular, though not unbearable.  Now I just had to wait for the doctor to come break my water the rest of the way.  

At 10:30 or so, the doctor finally came in and broke my water.  And then the real action got started.  We realized then that had we come in earlier and had them break my water then, we probably would have had a baby much sooner than we actually did. Oh well...live and learn.  

Right away, Ben and I got to put into practice all of the techniques for med-free pain management that we had gone over and over.  For the most part it all worked.  Every contraction, I just zoned out, concentrated hard, relaxed and kept my breathing steady.  I didn't anticipate how much a deep gutteral moan would help during exhaling, but it did.  At one point I got in the tub with jets and it felt so good.  But the doctor wanted the baby monitered every half hour or so which meant getting out of the tub (their portable waterproof moniter wasn't working so well).  And getting out of a tub, drying off, getting to the bed and getting the monitering started was really difficult when stopped by several contractions along the way.  Finally I decided the tub just wasn't worth the back and forth.  My next favorite (if you can call any part of labor a favorite) position was on the birthing ball.  In between contractions I would bounce, and when one came on, I would put my arms around Ben's neck (he was on a stool opposite me) and hang my weight on him.  Super tiring for him, but really helpful for me.  Something about the bouncing helped my body when I couldn't just lay and relax anymore.  

Around 2 am, I finally felt ready to push.  Unbeknownst to us, Bambino was face up and was not in a very good position for coming out quickly.  That led to three hours of pushing.  THREE.  HOURS.  PUSHING.  Definitely the most challenging thing I've done.  In addition to being incredibly tired (kept dozing off between contractions), my muscles and body were so not ready for the intensity that was contained in those three hours.  But I did it anyway.  And somehow my body mustered up the energy.  It wasn't until the last hour or so that I had some serious self-doubt.  I kept telling them I couldn't do it, and I wasn't strong enough, and I was so tired and JUST GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME!!!  At one point, his heart rate leaped up to 190 and they were worried he was in distress.  They almost had to use suction to get him out, but when I heard that, I gave all my last bit of energy into pushing and he came out a few contractions later.  

Oh the sweet relief of feeling his slippery body enter this world and be placed on my chest.  The adrenaline took over and the chaos of the nurses and doctors fussing over me and the baby made for quite a welcoming party.  I remember hearing the doctor say, "Check and make sure he is actually a boy." And I may or may not have slightly panicked that we might have a girl after all the prep for a boy.  But there he was, in all his glory...totally boy. My mom asked his name, Ben and I looked at each other and said, "Asher Warren."  There was laughter, tears, and a very shaky me stroking my baby's cheek as he lay there screaming with the fresh breath of new life.  

His stats were: 

7 lbs, 11 oz.  

21 inches long

healthy, with no complications.

The rest really is details.  Birthing the placenta was miserable.  The Uterine massage (or rather torture) every 15 minutes was terrible.  But I had my baby.  Ben was so exhausted that he passed out sleeping.  My mom went home to sleep and I was there in the bed dozing on and off, holding tightly to my now-sleeping baby.  

Feeding went really smoothly from the get-go.  He latched on after a few tries and after a little bit of a learning curve, we got a good system down.  After a few sleepless nights in the hospital (he kept coughing up amniotic fluid and then choking and gagging on it, which is not a fun sound when you are drifting off to sleep), we finally were cleared to go home.  Of course there are lots of other fun things about the hospital stay...but I shan't bore you with the details.  

A few shoutouts:

Nurse Kathy--We were her only patients that night...and she was so attentive, respectful, sweet and motivational.  She didn't bother us at all except for the intermittent monitering she did every so often.  She chatted with my mom which was actually a helpful distraction between contractions for me.  When I apologized for being a pill because I was so disheartened during the pushing, she said I was amazing and not a pill at all.  Basically she was awesome. 

Mumzy--It was such an honor to have my mom there.  She was an integral part of the team and really made it a doable experience.  From fetching ice water, heat packs, rubbing my legs and arms and propping me up during pushing, to the encouraging words, asking questions I didn't think of, and not letting me give up...it was such a blessing having her there.  I have had to go through a lot of significant events in my life without my mom there recently and so it was comforting to have her presence at one of the most important events.  Her and Ben meshed well and made for a really smooth team. 

Ben--I couldn't have done it without him.  Seriously, the most amazing birth coach and partner ever.  He held my hands, stroked my hair (which i love), read me scripture, kept me hydrated, reminded me that the pain was good and meant things were doing what they were supposed to.  He stayed present with me even though he was exhausted.  He was calm when I was on the borderline of losing my control.  He didn't try to fix it...because there was nothing to fix.  He was just there for me.  He laughed and cried with me as we welcomed our son into the world.  I will forever savor those moments because we had faced and accomplished an incredible feat together, and were finally face-to-face with the fruits of our labor.  It will be an ebenezer in our relationship, marking a really sacred time for us.  

This was my team.  In addition to those present, were all the friends and family who were praying and cheering us on.  We are so blessed to not only have such a strong support network, but also have an incredible community to welcome our son into.   

Ok...now on to pictures!!

This was the day before...I went to goodwill with my mom, and while I was in the dressing room, realized how popped my belly looked. 

Saturday morning, I decided to straighten my hair while having mild contractions. 

Who knows why...

Still smiling...obviously things hadn't started getting super intense yet.  

So I had a plan to wear my own clothes during labor, but their gowns were SO comfortable (albeit hideous), that I just went with that.  

Here we are just a few short hours later...the position that helped the most.  

Just moments after he was born.  You can see he had quite the conehead due to being in the birth canal for THREE HOURS.  poor guy.  Went back to normal by the next day.  

Mimi went over to calm him while he got weighed and measured.  

In the postpartum room...all settled in.  First family selfie =) 

Finally he got his hair washed.  It was all matted and gross.  

Then it was adorably sticking up all over the place.  

Ben's family came to visit.  So fun to have them meet him for the first time. 

The team.  Amazing. 

This picture is Asher...

This picture is Ben as a newborn.  

Crazy resemblance, right?  

All ready to go home! 

Obligatory going home picture =)

Sleepy milk-drunk smiles.  

This melts my heart.  He is such a good daddy. 

His cavernous yawns are pretty much the most adorable.  

And that is what I am doing right now...yawning.  So I shall wrap this up, and will post again soon with a life-post-birth blog.  

stay tuned. 

The In-between

I know that I kind of left you all hanging with my last post.  And I am here to let you know that my life isn't all insecurity and depressing thoughts...  In fact, those kinds of things are not prevailing at all.  Very real, very powerful...but not prevailing.  

So here I am...two-ish weeks from my Estimated Due Date.  Based on a recent doctor's appointment, things are looking good and heading toward the finish line!  Bambino is nice and comfy and low in my pelvis, my body is all ready  to do this thing at any time.  While she didn't want to give me a specific arrival time obviously, she said she wouldn't be surprised if he was born in the next week or so.  

And so I find myself in this beautifully frustrating place of in-between.  I told Ben that at this point, it seems like carrying this baby longer isn't serving much purpose.  I mean, he is fully developed, a good weight, ready to be born (by all measurable qualifications)... I'm basically a little nest for him to wait until that magical moment my uterus decides it is ready to vacate him.  While the anticipation is mounting, I can't really say that I'm hating the limbo.  I am still sleeping pretty good at night, feeling okay (aside from minor aches and pains), and haven't experienced any cramping or other kinds of pre-labor discomforts.   I don't want to rush something that isn't ready to happen.  

But I also am so looking forward to meeting this little guy face-to-face.  I guess it is still surreal to think that I will be his mom.  That he will depend totally on Ben and I.  That I won't have to give him back at the end of the day.  I have spent so much time with other people's kids that it is hard for me to picture having my own.  

BRING IT ON!

We recently went on vacation to Michigan with my family (yes, I did travel at 36 weeks...and yes everything was fine).   Not everyone was there, but we enjoyed the time we had!  unfortunately, I did not pull out my camera to take pictures that often, so there really isn't a great representation.  

There is nothing like sunset on a lake

Large Baby bump...It is strange to me that I don't remember life pre-bump.  

Amy and I and our bumps...6 weeks apart.  So excited for our kiddos to be close in age!  

It was quite fun to spend time with these guys!  Always enjoy good bonding with them and their kiddos. 

On to other life things...

Kind of blurry, but a friend snapped this of Ben and I when we were out to dinner the other night.  I thought it was cute. =)  

Pepper bounty from our garden.  Used our Purple Bell peppers in some Sweet and Sour Chicken, still pondering ideas for jalapenos, and decided to string up the red chiles and dry them out! 

And now for the OTHER exciting news in our family...

...drumroll please...

My little (not-so-little) brother, Joe is ENGAGED.  

that is right. He is getting married. 

MIND. BLOWN. 

I can hardly believe that he is at this stage of life. 

In our younger years, Joe and I didn't always get along so well.  He was annoying, I was bossy and the combination just didn't jive most of the time.   By the grace of God, we are both able to pull memories from our childhood that were positive and hold sweet experiences for us. 

Over the years, we have been able to move past those not-so-great dynamics and actually become friends.  Joe went to the same high school I did, and we had a lot in common because we had the same teachers and similar friends. 

He then went to the same college I did...and again, we had common ground.  Sure we still have our sibling moments when we bother each other, but it hasn't seemed to hinder the positive growth.

Our friendship developed and we share conversations about life, relationships, school, God and ourselves.  I have come to really appreciate the man Joe has become.  He is wise, godly, funny, lively, musical, thoughtful, cautious, adventerous... 

I always knew he would make someone a fantastic life partner someday. 

In fact, the only thing I'm mourning right now, is that I am no longer his go-to girl.  He used to always call me up for advice or just to get my perspective...and now that will change.  But I am used to it.  After all, he is brother number 3 to go through this...and each time I have gone through a period of feeling replaced...only to realize that it is right and good that I am replaced and that it doesn't mean our friendship is over...just that it has different parameters.  (it helps that they have all married great women!) 

This kid...

pretty fantastic. 

And he also knows how to have a good time...which is definitely a plus!

This is the girl he is marrying...Heather.  

Isn't she just adorable?!

For a little bit of background...Heather and I have been friends for quite a while.  

Here is a bit of our history...

We roadtripped across the country with her sister Tasha. 

She made us matching beanies...(obviously she is a talented knitter or crochetter) 

We climbed mountains in Colorado together! 

We ate at a really random little diner with a giant stuffed Elk head behind us. 

We sang "Jar of Hearts" together at a painted piano in Downtown Saint Paul (before I ever knew I would move here).

She serenaded us in the dog park with her ukelele

we tanned our pelts at the beach

These are just a few of the snapshots of so many good times Heather and I have shared together.   So many conversations, laughs, crazy times and just building a friendship in general.  I am so so grateful to have her as a part of our family now.  She will be a fabulous addition.  Not to mention, she and Joe are MFEO (meant for each other)

 =)  

So here is to new and exciting changes in our family all across the board!  2015-2016 is a big year for us, and like always, God has proven faithful...I have no doubt he will continue to be!