There's More Life

So there we were. 7 1/2 years ago. Honeymoon. Oahu. I look at this picture and remember how our only care at the time was how to snorkel over the coral reef without touching it because the oil from our skin would kill it. Our biggest decision was how to spend the next day: shopping spree of our lives or Ferrari for a day. Seriously! We were actually going to rent a Ferrari and drive around the island.
Our spontaneity...
Our naivety...
Our irresponsibility...
They make me smile.
What makes me smile the most, though, is that my 24 year old self thought life was as good as it could possibly get. I couldn't fathom feeling more love than I felt as I held onto Rick.
How could life get any better?

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Fast forward to 7 1/2 years later. Thanksgiving weekend. Rick and I help our 2 year old daughter ride her tricycle for the first time. As she puts her feet on the pedals and starts to move, we exclaim, "Go, Gabriella Grace, Go!"
You'd think she was moving mountains.
To us...
She is.

I love looking back and seeing how much the life I have has changed and how, in my wildest dreams, I couldn't have imagined where I'd be.
Hanging from our fireplace...
five stockings.
Hey, 24 year old self, did ya ever see that one coming?!
I bet not.
What's funny, as I mentioned before, is that I really thought life was as good as it could get.
It hasn't gotten any easier, that's for sure. In many ways, things are much more difficult.
More responsibility, more disappointments, more bills, less money...
But.
It's so much better.
It's so much richer.
Somehow, there's more love.
There's more time.
There's more appreciation.
There's more understanding.

There's more...
life.

For the past few days, I have just stared at those stockings. They bring me such joy. They remind me that the future is so uncertain and full of surprises. Who knows what I'll be thinking in 7, or 10, or 20 years from now as I look back on the pictures from this weekend. I can only hope that I'll still be able to say that life (even with it's rough spots) has continued to get better,
that I have more love than I have now...
even though that seems impossible.

Then again, I never thought life as I know it would be possible! Ha! What do I know?

What I know is that I see God in the 5 stockings that represent the life of each member of my precious (I almost typed little here...whoops!) family.

Love,
Mary

Where I'll Be

21 1/2 weeks along and every day gets a little bit more difficult. Words can't describe the fatigue and discomfort that comes with carrying two babies. Sometimes, it's all I can do to sit up straight with my eyes open! It is that exhausting.
Last night, Gabriella wanted me to read her a book. I looked at her, looked at the book, looked back at her. That book was awfully long and, as crazy as it sounds, I was too tired to turn the pages and speak, but...
somehow God gave me the energy to read that book
and another.
I never thought there would be a time in my life when I would be too tired to read to my child.
Guess what...I haven't been...yet!
God gives me bursts of energy at just the right time.
Thank goodness.

That's why I am so thankful that I have the next 5 days off with my little family! I have cleared my schedule so that there is absolutely nothing I have to do other than spend time with Rick and GG!
Just how will we spend our time, you ask...
Well, at Gabriella's birthday party, she got a princess tent and it is quite the addition to our living room. Somehow, that tent can hold my ever-growing belly and Gabriella! We've already had such fun playing and pretending in her little castle. When I said I had cleared my schedule I wasn't entirely honest, though. There is one thing on my list. Crawl, okay, maybe waddle, scoot, have Rick drop me down in it...anyways...I plan on, somehow, getting into that castle, raising the drawbridge, closing the doors and making the most of every second with Gabriella. We're going to invite Mickey and Minnie. Phineas, Ferb, and Perry will be there. I even think Glo-worm might make an entrance if it gets too dark. Of course, we'll be sending love messages through the window to King Rick. hehe :) 5 days in a castle. Sounds magical, right?

So, if you're looking for me this Thanksgiving holiday, you won't find me in front of the TV. You won't find me on facebook. You won't find me at Black Friday sales.
Instead, you'll find me snuggled up in a castle in the clouds enjoying the last of Gabriella's only-child days. You'll have to peek through the window of the tower high in the sky because that's where I'll be.

No worries (not that I'm in high demand), though. The drawbridge will come back down on Monday morning. But until then...I'll enjoy every second of my royal long weekend.

Hoping you spend your Thanksgiving holiday in a castle somewhere!

Love,
Mary

Too Fast

What a week it's been! Rick and I found out we will be adding two more GIRLS to our family!
Marielle Corrine and Genevieve Elise
We are beyond excited and for anyone wondering or wanting to ask, we are not disappointed (several people have asked already). How could you ever be disappointed in two miracles...
Life exists inside of me. Two to be exact.
I...WE are overjoyed!

We had clearer pictures to share, but I love this ultrasound pic because you can see Genevieve in the bottom corner resting against her sister, Marielle. It almost looks like Marielle is letting Genevieve rest on her chest. I love to think that they're already relying on each other. :)

Being able to call the babies by name has been the best! Marielle, Genevieve, and I left a little love note for Rick and GG on Thursday morning. I loved being able to sign our names.
Love,
Marielle, Genevieve, and Mommy
That's how the note ended. Something so small brought me such joy.

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A couple of nights ago, I couldn't sleep. I was up, it was 4:00 am and I'd been awake for hours. I kept thinking about Marielle and Genevieve and how small they are. 8 ounces each. Gabriella was once that small. Now, she's running around here, flipping that long hair around, and throwing herself on the ground when we say no, only to peek out from her covered face to see if her tantrum is having any sort of impact...
I might mention that it's not. Ha! So, we don't get many of those!
BUT, as I thought about how much Gabriella has grown, has changed...I could hardly stand it.
Time is going too fast.
I want it to stop.
I tip-toed into Gabriella's room that night and listened to her sleep. I looked around at her itty bitty clothes that she just wore just a week ago and are already too small. I tried to peek through the slats of her crib so I could see her little fingers. As crazy as it sounds, I wanted her to wake up. I know what you're thinking: What mother wants her child to wake from a restful sleep in the middle of the night? I'll tell you:
a mother who doesn't want her child to grow up
a mother who wishes we didn't need sleep because that would be 8 more hours a day together
a mother who likes feeling the head of her child on her shoulder as she sleeps
No such luck.
She didn't wake up.
So, I just rocked in the rocker and cried like a big baby!
I guess because I hate the fact that time just keeps on ticking and there's nothing any of us can do to stop it. Not one single thing.
I think I will invent a time stopper. That way when Rick rolls over in the middle of the night and holds me when he thinks I'm asleep, but I'm really wide awake, when Gabriella puts her hands on my face and kisses me, and, one day, when Marielle and Genevieve are blaming the other for lost clothes and bows, I can freeze the moment. Make it last.
Turn each second into 5 or 10 or 100.
Light bulb moment: Maybe that's why God doesn't give us forever. We wouldn't appreciate it as much. When you only have a set time, you have to enjoy each moment because it is fleeting.
It doesn't and it won't last forever.
Just looked at the clock...it's almost 7:30. Since it's not in the middle of the night, I think I'll go wake up Gabriella and start enjoying this day with her and Rick.
and Marielle and Genevieve, of course.

As Rick and I sat down for our first dinner together in months and opened a card that read, "TWO GIRLS!!" I saw God. I felt Him.

Love,
Mary