To new beginnings...

We leave our house today.  It's packed up and on a moving truck.

It may look empty, but it is quite the opposite.  It is actually full...full of love, of hope, of memories.  It's full of a lot of firsts...Of Sean's and my first home, where we came after we were married and got back from our honeymoon.  Of decorating a baby's nursery and then his big boy room.

The first home both SE and Finley were brought to after being born and coming home from the hospital.

Full of first steps, first laughs, first cries, first words...full of memories of cuddling sweet babes, story times, birthday parties, Christmases, art projects.  Golf games, baseball games, basketball and football.  Of tents being made, dance parties being had, boo boos being kissed, tears being cried, laughter ringing loud, and love, lots and lots of love.  Full of sweet mornings and good nights...one last prayer, story, cuddle, nosey kiss, I love you.  Full of the last checks on the sleeping babes before Sean and I go night night ourselves.

Full of sweet friends and one sweet, sweet family for whom I'm so incredibly thankful.  The house may look empty, but it is bursting because it's so full of love. 

And ready and waiting for the next family to make as many memories and have as much love as we did.  So long first home.  May you be ever as great to the next family as you were to us!

So in love...

With this little boy.

He makes me laugh on a daily basis...he also makes me cry...with tears of immense gratitude and joy.  Our first born who we tried for almost a year to have.  God has brought me to a new level of thankfulness for my kiddos...to where I hug them a little tighter, snuggle with them a little longer, read story after story after story because he requests it. 

Last night I was at a friend's personal shower, and my phone started ringing; it was Sean.  I let it go to voicemail, but he subsequently called back so I knew I should answer.  He had to call me because as he was getting SE ready for bed, SE started crying for "his mommy"...me...my little boy was crying for me.  Sean put SE on the phone, and we had a simple conversation of "I'll be home soon and will come say night-night".  A simple conversation that meant the world to me.

Clearly not a recent picture

The conversation ended with me telling SE I love him...his response "I love you too".  As he grows, so does my place in his life.  How he recognizes me, responds to me, which means how I recognize him and respond to him have to be done in a place of complete and utter love.  The love that I can't humanly give, but I know One greater than I can.  And does, every day, over and over again.  And because of that, I hug my little man any time he asks, read to him at his request, pause whenever I find myself impatient with his whining or behavior, encourage when he is facing something challenging, and tell him how much I love him and how proud of him I am over and over and over because even though it may seem like he's not listening, I know somewhere in his heart is.  I am so in love with him! 

Side story:  we found PUPPY!  We kind of lost him for a few weeks, but as Sean was cleaning up the backyard this morning, he found puppy under the turtle sand box lid.  SE was soooo happy to have puppy back!

Finley Cohrs

See the little sweetie...

 She's going to give me a run for my money.  It's crazy that at only 6 months, her personality is already forming, already evident.  I can tell you she's going to be a mover and a shaker...a definite Kingdom changer. 

She has a love for people.  Regardless of how tired, hungry, hot, cranky she is, the minute she sees people, she lights up in a big smile and starts looking at anyone around.  I have a feeling she's going to have the gift of prophecy...she studies people.  It makes me want to know what she's thinking.

 She is one determined little girl.  If you don't believe me, ask our friend, Jill.  At the pool the other day, Finley and Jill had a repeated "discussion" of whether Finley was going to wear the sun hat that I insisted on her wearing.  When on Finley's head, Finley was fussing; when off of Finley's head, Finley was a happy camper.  We compromised by moving to a more shaded area. 

We also compromised with a popsicle.

 She's absolutely in love with her big brother.  He makes her laugh like no other...and teaches her about climbing, throwing, getting hit in the head with golf balls, and much more.

 She does not tolerate being rocked, bounced, swayed, cuddled or held while going to sleep.  She wants to be in her bed, with her hippo and blanket.  I decided to challenge her the other day and rocked her at nap time because I wanted to hold her.  Happy to say that is one battle I won.

 She is a delight...a lovely little creature that the Lord has blessed our family with.  We are all in love with her.  And will continue to fall even more in love with her as she continues to grow.  She's a pretty cool little girl.

Finley Cohrs, we love, love, love you!