tradition

it is a family tradition on my mom's side to have all of our babies photographed in this christening gown....although we don't get our babies, christened....it is fun to procrastinate the picture and worry and worry that the baby is going to be too big to fit in the gown....

well, here's levi's pic....he fit just fine....you can check out luke's pic on emily's blog....and i actually took mason to wal-mart to have his pic taken in it so i can't post it here...well, i could if i scanned it and posted it...but that is a lot of work.




levi will be 6 months on thursday!!! unbelievable. i remember praying and praying when he was going through his rough time that by 6 months he would be my happy, healthy boy. i mean, i even dreamed of this chunky, happy baby...it is part of what got me through. i also prayed and prayed that levi would still be nursing...i was so close to quitting.

thank you, lord, for answering my prayers! i am so grateful...beyond words...and my prayers were answered without needing even one drop of formula.

levi has taught me so much about perserverence and patience and hope and pain with a purpose. thank you for growing my faith, levi. thank you for bringing me such joy. thank you for overflowing my heart with love.

being a mom is the hardest, best job i have ever had. it's a job that requires all of you....more of you than you thought you had. you must be present. in the moment. all.the.time. you can't quit. you don't want to quit. it changes you.

the other week, i was flipping through some pictures from christmastime when i was pregnant...and this wave of sadness came over me....sadness because i realized that in those pictures, i did not know my levi. and i remember having this same feeling after mason was born. from the first moment you see your baby, you simply cannot imagine life without them. i mean, sure, you can remember being able to sleep in and napping and not having to worry about packing everything but the kitchen sink every time you leave the house...but, you honestly can't remember what was so important before. what was your purpose for living before...

i love being a mom. i don't say it enough. but, today, i want to scream it from the mountaintops! I LOVE BEING A MOM!! I DO!! I CAN'T IMAGINE A BETTER PLACE TO BE THAN RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! THANK YOU, LORD, FOR ENTRUSTING THESE TWO AMAZING CREATURES TO US!! GIVE ME THE STRENGTH, PATIENCE, WISDOM, AND WHEREWITHALL TO BE ALL THAT THEY NEED IN A MOTHER. AMEN!