always be my baby

A hug and a snuggle followed by "Mom, I don't want to go to Kindergarten next year. I want to stay here with you all day, everyday." This was followed by a story about the latest goldfish chasers on the playground, or was it unicorns today, or maybe it was vanilla wafer stealers (all versions of boys chase girls), and the light was hitting him just so. And I thought, this is it, tomorrow he will be 15 telling me he doesn't ever want to talk to me again. For now, I will just sit and listen to him as long as he wants to talk.

Moving is confusing

I was just emailed a short survey to take of our local library. I clicked on the link and I honestly sat there for 5 minutes trying to remember where we once lived that had a Hillsboro library. (Oregon btw!). I hear peoples names or hear the name of a store and have to wrap my brain around their location. We are officially "settled" in the great suburbs of Georgia! I do miss all of those great places where we once lived and I hope that this will feel like home soon.

I think I'm bracing myself in this picture. I'm 5'10 and a little klutzy!

The fam

We wanted to remember our time at Duke, so we had these taken by an awesome photographer and friend at the Duke Chapel. I love this spot! Good bye Durham! We have loved every minute of our two years with you!

http://www.tarajanephotography.com/

Celebrate good times

Congrats Graduate! We are so proud of you!

Sunny in NC

Derek let the boys pick out their own sunglasses at Ron Jon's surfshop on our spring break roadtrip

Loyalty remains..sorry Duke

Sweet notes

A few weeks ago I gave Jack a notepad and pen that I got at a hotel we stayed at recently. I told him that we could use them to write notes back and forth to each other. He was ecstatic with this idea and quickly ran away already thinking of what to write first. Later that night, his ear to ear grin could not mask his joy in writing Derek and I each a secret note left on each of our nightstands. I know this might not mean as much to anyone else, but this note melted my heart and brought me to tears. Even in his limited writing ability he conveyed to me such a sweet message. Derek's was similar with another little note attached to it "so he would know who it was from."

Another night I received another note on my nightstand.
(side note: here he said he was practicing connecting all of the letters in his name together)

Fast forward to last night. I received another sweet note. His signature M.
Derek received another kind of note.

(When asked, Jack said he started writing the A for Dad, but then decided against it. Derek said he wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't the last note written like this to him!)

I'm one!

Happy 1st Birthday Henry!

my cake

my food

my present

Hank's first year favorites

favorite toys

favorite things to do

favorite buddies

We love you little monkey!

Traditions

Oh how I love holiday traditions with my little family. I can't believe we have been a family long enough now to have traditions, no matter where life takes us. How grateful I am for my sweet family.

(I know there's an ugly outlet in this picture, but who has time to edit their pictures?)