fun and unexpected!

We have had a good week filled with some fun and unexpected surprises!  First, we love getting things in the mail, who doesn't, especially surprises!

Unexpected package from Grammy and Poppy

filled with personalized audio books

and cute tutu's

and then.....

we got another unexpected package!

from Grandma Phoebe

With 2 adorable dresses

followed by an unexpected nice day at the park

Maya is flying her first kite!

Even more happiness came with Uncle Tim, Aunt Cynthia, Coby and Garek decided to last minute unexpectedly stop by! 

(all the way from Texas)

Maya loves aunt cynthia, and her phone!

this is what all lot of time with our extended family looks like (computers, ipad, ipods, etc)

Maya showing the boys the "Secret Space"

Norah and Maya sat with uncle time for a VERY long time! ( I am lucky if Norah will sit on my lap for 1 minute!)

Norah loved Peek-a-boo with cousin Coby

still hanging out with Cynthia

Cousins

Norah loving Cynthia

Family Together

 

Our time together was very quick and short, but it was so fun!  We were so happy the Gratzer's came out out of their way to meet Norah!  They loved her immediately and made Norah feel even more like our family!

We love the unexpected!

My Princesses

I love having little girls!  It has always been a dream of mine to have girls!  I love pink and flowers and tutu's and everything girly.  I have told my husband I could be happy with 5 girls (and he always gives me a crazy look)!

I love that Maya and Norah are so girly!   Maya always says, "my favorite color is pink." and Norah is always wanting her babies (already such a mommy)  and just about everyday the girls ask to wear their tutu's!  Thanks Old Navy for the $4 clearance tutu's!  They seriously wear them everywhere!

In the car

In the store

Outside

While brushing teeth

Before Going to Bed

And While Sleeping (or watching a movie)

Don't you just love these precious girls?  They like other girly things too, like pedicures

and princess parties

and loving daddy too

Girls are so fun!

Then & Now

I think of habits and things that I used to do that I thought I would NEVER change!  Well, things have to change when you are taking care of 2 very busy toddlers!   Here are some examples

1. Showers.  I used to take showers in the morning only, and was very adamant about that!  I don't like night showers because I feel like I go to bed with either wet hair or frizzy hair and I also feel like I look more tired in the morning with no shower.  Can you guess what I do now.? Yep, showers at night and they are glorious because it is a few minutes to myself! I don't mind wet or frizzy hair at night, as long as I am clean!

2.  Shopping.  I have always taken Maya shopping with me wherever I go.  Target, the mall, Old Navy, Starbucks, everywhere!  It's not that hard with 1, and most places you shop can accommodate 1 child.  Ok, shopping with 2 toddlers = breaking out in a sweat!  Most places do not make it easy to shop with 2 young toddlers!  Even Target, my favorite store and frequent stomping grounds.  Yes, they have those big carts that 2 toddlers can sit in,  with those seat belts.  Have you seen them?  Ok, with 2 toddlers sitting in them and a cart full of groceries, they are IMPOSSIBLE to push, they way about 500 pounds!  They are So heavy, incredibly awkward and I end up just ramming into the aisles, while I am sweating, trying to check my grocery lis,t and have 2 toddlers escaping from their seat belts.   Suddenly I love the shopping carts at Costco more than I ever thought I would because 2 toddlers can sit in the front facing me (plus they get snacks).

3. Cleanliness.  Having a clean house is huge for me! I get really stressed out when things are messy.  This has been the hardest adjustment.  I will clean something up just to have something else destroyed.  I can't keep up.  I am learning it is ok to keep things a mess (for a short time), but I am also trying to teach the girls to clean up before they move on to the next activity.  This has been a VERY big battle this week!  But I know that if I always pick up after them they will always expect it and never learn to clean up after themselves.

4. Eating.  It has always been important for me to cook most meals.  I still do that, but have modified things to make them quicker.  Lots of crock pot meals.  Leftovers that can be eaten in more than one way (chicken enchiladas one night, chicken nachos the next).  Brett is also extremely helpful with meals on certain nights and makes home-made pizza, spaghetti, tacos, or any recipe I give him (isn't he the best?)  It is also ok to have macaroni every once in a while, our life is not always very organized. 

5.  Sleeping.  I love to get my 8 hours of sleep and I like naps (or at least getting things done during nap time).  The girls both sleep awesome at night!  It is the naps that have been hard.  I have to go in their room about 50 times to settle them down and then by the time I get them to sleep they wake up in 45 minutes and I haven't gotten anything around the house done.......sigh.

but when they are sleeping, it is the most precious thing ever

On another note, my friend Celine came over to do my hair on Friday.  She has 2 boy, ages 1 and 2.  We had 4 children, 2 and under, it was a bit chaotic! but fun!

Lane

Gage

Norah

Maya

The only way to get my hair done was to try to do it during nap time, so we put 4 toddlers down for a nap (3 in the same room)  and at one point they were ALL sleeping at once!  Celine and I were amazed, it was such an accomplishment!

and somehow we got my hair done, color and all.

Even though I have had to change some of my regular habits, even ones I enjoy, I would't change the way life is now.  Maya and Norah bring so much joy, so many giggles ,and so much love! It makes it worth every mess, sweaty shopping trip, and frizzy haired night.

My Story So Far

I have been part of a woman's small group this year, which has been so helpful, especially with the direction life has taken me.  These ladies have been such wonderful support; always listening, encouraging, and loving.  For the last small group we were asked to "write our story."  Well, that task sounds totally overwhelming to me.............   My story?  That could be like a book!  Where do I start, what do I write?  I just looked at the Bible study sheet so many times with not a clue where to start....

I finally decided to do a preface/synopsis of my story, so it wouldn't take years to write or tell.


My Story (so far)

My story is much more than asking Jesus to be my savior at a young age, it is more about how Jesus has taught me about Himself through life and difficulties and how to lean on Him.  He has taught me that it is our own story, each individual person, that is the greatest testimony and witness to Him. He has taught me that no matter how hard I want to control my own life, He is ultimately in control.  He has taught me than in the midst of great sorrow He is the only true comfort. 

I often wonder what happen to my “White picket fence story,”  where I grow up with everything the way I imagined it, like the books or movies.  Life is good, easy, everyone is healthy, and I have the most stuffed animals.  I get married, and have my 2 children, 1 girl and 1 boy. We live in bliss!  There’s nothing wrong with that dream, except for it is not my story, and I am ok with that.

My life before I knew loss

 I have probably been through more loss and grief that some people endure in a lifetime.  This has molded me and defined me in so many ways.  I wish this were not the case, I wish the people I loved the most were still here, and I wish I didn't know what true pain was.  However, I am so thankful for the time I had on earth with those I have loved,  and I am so thankful to God for revealing His heart to me during these hard times. He knows my pain.

 Isn’t it always suppose to be the “Other” family that deals with the loss?  It wasn’t suppose to be mine.  I wasn’t suppose to lose a father so young, no child is.  I wasn’t suppose to lose my oldest brother, why would God take him also?.  I have a baby, that I will only meet in heaven. I wasn’t suppose to lose my mother in law and I certainly was not suppose to lose my sister and be left to take care of her child....... How is this my life?................

 Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the burden of loss.  My throat is filled with a huge lump that I try to swallow every time I remember how much has been taken away.......... Sometimes, I just want to go to heaven and forget about the worries of this earth. 

That is not what God has for me now,  He has known that plans for my life and He grieves with me.  Despite the tremendous loss, my life has been filled with an unmeasurable joy, only joy that God can give.  Each day is filled with blessings and reminders of His eternal hope.

It’s only been 29 years......... my story is still being written.

On our Own

We had to say Goodbye to my parents on Wednesday.  It was bittersweet, we L.O.V.E.D. seeing them, and having all of their support and help, I mean you can't go wrong with dinner cooked every night (thanks mom!).  But we were excited to get our routine going, to see what life would be like with the four of us.  When we dropped my parents off at the airport, Maya said with excitement, "Norah is staying with us?"  Love her!  I was in the car by myself for 1.5 hours with the girls and they did great ( I did have an assortment of snacks ready to go, which helped tremendously!)

I took some extra time off work, just so I could be with Norah more, for more bonding time.  It has been a nice 5 days off, busy and exhausting, but very good.  Norah is doing great!  She loves Maya and copies her with everything.  Norah is so busy, all over the place and she loves to eat!  When she wants me to hold her she says, "hold it."  She is like a little parrot and repeats the last word of every phrase we say.  Norah also loves to give hugs and kisses with her mouth wide open.  I love hugs and cuddles from little girls, they are my favorite! Maya is doing better this week also, she is not so emotional.  She protects Norah when she feels like Norah isn't safe.  She calls her, "Nory," and yesterday she undressed Norah and attempted to change her diaper...... yeah that wasn't to successful.

We have had some friends over to play, we have done some cooking, and enjoyed a shopping trip to Target (enjoyed might not be the right word).

playing with Jackson

Ian and Emily came over and we did a marshmallow activity with toothpicks, it was fun, but Norah and Ian only ate the marshmallows

I decided to try to make some cookies with the girls..... I had to keep it simple for the first attempt at cooking with 2 toddlers, so we did box brownies.

I see that!

 After I let the girls have sneak peak of the brownie mix with their fingers Norah wouldn't stop talking about it all afternoon!  She kept saying, "finger, please, patience, brownie"  I did give in, at least once, it was too cute!
*side note, when Norah is asking for something and saying "Please," we have been telling her to have patience, and now she says, "please, patience," every time she wants something.

Maya's favorite friend Taysen also came over and we read to the girls before bed time, so cute!

My Favorite Photo of the Week, Norah, doing Down Dog.