gratitude.

My husband is a man who gives endlessly, selflessly, and without reservation to his family. He works long days, and then comes home and cares for his children with all the energy he can muster. He gives his daughter bath time every night, reads her bedtime stories and says goodnight prayers. He plays baby dolls, performs puppet shows and kisses boo-boos. He changes diapers, makes meals, and cleans the kitchen. My husband wakes with our baby at all hours of the night, giving her a bottle and settling her to sleep. He pays the bills, takes out the trash and vacuums the floors. My husband encourages my hobbies, supports my dreams and works his hardest to make them come true. He has afforded me the opportunity to stay at home with our children.

I am so proud of this man. He is a better Father than I imagined, and a most supportive Husband. I want to thank him publicly for sacrificing his own goals and dreams for his family. Recently, my husband sold his share of the company he started so that he could be home more with his children...and me too, i suppose. :) What a testament of the man he is.

He is destined for greatness, and I am so happy to be by his side. There is no other man I would rather spend every tomorrow with; no other man I would want my children to call "Daddy."

We love you, Dan. You are the light of our lives, and we are so proud to call you "ours."

~ Shannon, Anna and Lily

Lily the shredder.

So much for all those Christmas presents.... seems the paper is the real fun! isn't that always the case? When will we parents learn?!

in that moment.

last night i had one of those moments. A moment where I was so overcome by the love that i have for my girls, that it literally brought me to my knees. My blessings overwhelm me. It was a simple moment, really. But, in that moment i remembered...

I remembered my struggle in conceiving my precious miracles. I remembered every tear I cried when I longed so desperately for them. I remembered the JOY i felt when i took that first test that came back positive. My body shook with excitement, and my life would no longer be the same. I remembered holding each of my girls for the first time, looking into their eyes, quickly and wholeheartedly falling in love . I remember holding them on my chest all night long when they wouldn't sleep. Their first smiles, hearing their first coos, watching their personalities form; each so different and so precious.

I cannot believe how quickly time is passing, and how fast my children are growing. When i see Anna, i see a little girl. A girl who is growing into her own; developing her own interests, her own personality, her own habits. She no longer needs me like she did before. She is her own person. She is gaining her independence. She recites her own stories, tells her own jokes and will determine her own future (prayerfully, with the Lord's guidance and direction). She is outgrowing her baby looks. She is getting taller, more slender, her hair continues to grow and her mind is quickly retaining more and more.

Although she is her own, she will always be a part of me. She will always be my baby girl.

In that moment, as tears flowed, I realized once again that these girls are a gift. A most precious Blessing that has been bestowed upon me for a time. I must cherish each and every moment, no matter how mundane. Each day is a new day to discover who these girls are becoming. To get to know them, as their own. In that moment, I thanked my God for trusting me to be their "Mommy." There is no greater honor then to watch them grow and know that, in some way, I will always be a part of who they are. I will always be a part of their memories, and they will always be the reason I continue to make memories.

In that moment, I realized that my dreams have come true. My prayers have been answered. My life is no longer my own, I am a Mother to two precious girls... and there is nothing else I would rather be.

Not me!

I did not give my daughter marshmallows at 9 am just so I could take a shower in peace. Nope, not me.

I did not let Anna eat her baby sisters' "sweet potato puffs" for dinner and count it as a serving of vegetables. Of course that wasn't me.

I did not find a bag of clothes in my closet that I should have returned months ago. Nope, I would never be that irresponsible.

I did not buy more scrapbooking supplies for the scrapbooks i have not yet started. This year, i promise I will start them.....don't you just love all that pretty paper!

I did not play Mario with my husband for hours on Saturday night instead of packing away all of the Christmas decorations. Who do you think I am?!

And lastly, i did not skip a few pages of "Fancy Nancy" at nap time, only to be caught by my two year old. Seriously, that was NOT me!

****

So, fellow mommies... what is on your "NOT ME" list this week? Surely, i cannot be the only imperfectly perfect mama :)

thanks, Dora.

I think Anna is officially ready to start potty training. I don't know about you, but, i am perfectly happy having a child in diapers. Yes, she is currently wearing the last possible size of Pampers available. (have you ever seen a toddler in "Depends"....stay tuned). Yes, she will be in preschool soon (potty training = a requirement. who knew there were prerequisites for preschool!?) Yes, she has finally gotten over her fear (for the most part) and will at least entertain the idea of sitting on the potty. So, folks, looks like I am at the point of no return. It's now or never....well, maybe not never.

Anna has picked out her potty. Dora and Boots. However, this doesn't come with a backpack of helpful tools for Mommy. I have no idea where to begin. Okay, that's not true. I know that Anna will work for M&M's. Am i above a bribe? Probably not. So, sue me. I choose my battles...and believe me, with a 2.5 year old, there are many to choose from!

So, all you Mommies who have "been there, done that" - please, i am not too prideful to ask for help. advice. a lifeline. I am trying to start a "potty schedule" as well as a chart for Anna to see her accomplishments. However, with a daughter who is perfectly content sitting in her dirty diapers....this may take a while.

To be continued....

daydream.

Then.

When I was young, i often dreamed about what my perfect life would look like. A loving husband, adorable children, a home to call my own...you know, the one with the white picket fence. I would have a delicious (not from a box), home cooked meal on the table when my husband walked through the door from his 9-5. I would be wearing the most in style clothing and sport an up-t0-date hairstyle. My home would always be perfectly clean and ready for unexpected visitors. My children would never threw a tantrum, and always say "please and thank you." I would volunteer in the community, serve the church, and organize events. My life, as i imagined it, would be "perfect".... i might even change my name to Mrs. Cleaver.

Now.
Fast Forward 30 years. (did i just say that number out loud? we are all friends here...ahem). God has allowed many of my "dreams" to, in fact, become reality. I married my loving husband, best friend, and partner in 2003. We have been blessed with two adorable daughters, Anna Grace and Lily Kate who are 2 yrs and 1 day apart. We have a home to call our home, however this home has a mortgage...yeah, that wasn't part of my dream. I have clothes on my back, though I am so busy trying to remove spit-up from them, that the "in style" part doesn't seem to matter. let's be real...it's a good day if I am not wearing pajamas sweatpants. My hair....oh lord, my hair. Does a ponytail count as an up-to-date style? yeah, didn't think so. And, please pretend you don't notice the roots....and least they aren't gray...yet. My house is clean on occasion, but if you are stopping by unannounced, i may hand you a blindfold upon entering. Dinner is too often picked up and brought home. Mrs. Cleaver, i am not.

All of this to say, that the job of Mothering is tough.....beyond worth it...but tough. My days are full, and suddenly, things like clothes, hair and a clean floor don't seem to matter much. A mother doesn't get sick days, vacation or even a lunch break. However, this job of being "Mommy" has the biggest rewards. Unconditional Love, a hug (just when you need it the most), slobbery kisses, finger paintings, giggles, tickles, and too many precious moments to count. I am a comedian, entertainer, nurse, teacher, friend.

I am living my dream, and i realize that more and more with every passing day.

This blog is simply a place for me to share my heart, stories, memories and adventures with family and friends... and whoever else wants to join me in this crazy journey. So, please enjoy and remember to leave your shoes at the door... my children like to eat off of the floor.