a little piece of history

On June 6, 1944 the LST 325 arrived on Normandy Beach, delivering with it the power and bravery of US soldiers who put their stamp on history forever on a day we recall as D-Day. And today we went to see that ship in person, to feel a little piece of history. 

brick by brick

We hit somewhat of a brick wall (pun intended) with 'project house addition' the past few weeks thanks to an unplanned hiccup. Long story short: we hired a brick guy months ago and then on the day he was to start his partner quit on him, leaving him unprepared to do the job on his own. So, three weeks later we have a new brick guy with a crew ready to get to work. They have been in set-up mode the past couple of days, but today was the day we have been impatiently waiting for as we saw first signs of progress!

I can't tell you how fulfilling it is to watch this vision come to life. A vision that Dan and I developed and share together. We spent the evening outside entranced by all that we've produced together over the past months. 

This house is somewhat like another baby of ours, ironically developing and maturing as Jackson and Audrey do the same. Not so ironic is the due date Audrey and 'addition' share... something tells me one will be on time and the other will not.

After a full day's work the brick laid is but a small dent into the the work ahead. But it's progress. Progress that had to work through a lot of intricate cuts only years of skill and experience could produce. Progress well-earned- brick by brick. And so this addition will continue to progress and eventually finish- brick by brick. 

Not too over-dramatize the metaphors in life, but this whole idea of brick-by-brick isn't one too pass up too quickly because I'm learning more and more that the magic in life happens when I'm living in the moment, when I'm enjoying the journey and not just the dreams achieved. And we've had a lot of moments lately that are totally 'everyday' and completely 'ordinary' but those are almost always the best kind because they are LIFE. Beautiful, not always perfect, life.

This week we hit the 8-month pregnancy mark- the countdown is on: 26 working days and 53 days until Audrey. The 'pre-Audrey' to-do list is a long one, an overly-ambitious one both at work and at home, but you know what... we'll get there. Brick by brick.

daddy's boy

saturday morning tradition

early every saturday morning dan gets jackson out of bed, they pack up coffee and breakfast and they head off on their own little adventure to a playground down the street. it's their own little thing. a boy thing. 


tonight they let me tag along for a special friday night edition. my presence was greeted with a lot of "this is where we go first" and "this is where we go next" and "no, he doesn't like that slide, this is his favorite" and... you get the picture, mama was welcome this time, but probably not every time. 


that's okay, audrey and i will soon have our own little traditions that will be made up of all things pretty and sweet and nothing to do with boys. 

joy.

There is a deep sense of clarity that comes along with happiness. Not the every day kind of happiness, but the kind that you find when you really stop to feel your life. To feel the love that fills the air around you in a way that is so heavy you can feel it laying on your skin, you can taste it. I think this may be what Jesus called JOY. 


Having this week at home with Jackson has given me that rare opportunity to really feel this joy. I mean really feel it. I feel it when I walk into his room in the morning and before I can see him I can hear him giggling. I feel it throughout the day when I hear him say my name, when he comes to where I am and takes me by the hand, when he is just Jackson. And I am just Mama. 

I believe there is something extraordinary about my love for Jackson. About my respect for being chosen to be his mother. I feel it so deeply in my heart that it is undeniable to the point of being overwhelming. 


This kind of love is rare- and when something is this rare you protect it with all you have and you savor it with your entire being. And when you feel JOY that deeply you can't help but to shout about it. To tell the world. To want more than anything to be able to share with everyone around you just a little piece of heaven God is giving you a taste of. So, I do that. I shout it out. I tell my story. I thank God so many times a day for this little man that even He probably thinks I sound like a broken record. 


There are many things in my life that bring me happiness, but there are very few that bring me JOY. Very few that are eternal. That are forever. That I pray will be beside me someday in Heaven. And for these people I am humbled to be such a big part of their lives too. 

19 months of pure JOY!