Every Breath

It's been a long time. Too long. I started this blog in an effort to keep a record of our lives. Our lives with our children at home with us. It's not that the living slows down or stops. It's that the speed sometimes is so fast, I can hardly breathe much less write. But as life would have it, one moment this past week stopped me in my tracks and reminded me that I have to write. I have to keep this diary for you. So that you know just how it felt when you were 10 and she was 7.

On Tuesday, we had Middle School orientation. Apparently, you will be in 6th grade next year. I don't understand how I'm the last to know but that's how the cookie has crumbled. Just like at your 5K graduation or the Mother's Day program in 2nd grade, I cried. Teared right up like I was chopping onions. Uncontrollable. Unstoppable. For maybe the first time ever you were embarrassed of us in front of your friends. You didn't care if we bought the orange, the blue or the white tshirt. Just buy one already and stop asking! Damn!

I asked Daddy if he was sad. We only have 6 more years with you in our house more than likely. That fact is a real pisser for me. Time is speeding by. Good ole' time. Never there when you need it and always in the way when you don't want it to be. Anyways, Daddy was ok but I'm sure it will be a different story when Lil' gets to Middle School.

There is lots going on right now. Turkey Season has come back and gone out again. You spent 5 days with Papa reenacting "The Old Man and the Boy" in the woods on Spring Break. You loved every single second.We are waiting on Baby Cheffie to come. Boat days are happening and summer will bring Edisto and friends soon. Life is happening and I'm hanging on to every breath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Possible.

Tomorrow will take you back to school. We are all dreading it. What a long and wonderful break it's been. Another Christmas in Chapin. With all the people, the lights, the family, the dogs. I hope these memories are chiseled into your heads. How lucky you are to have such big Christmas' in every way. Big parties with big groups of people. Christmas Eve services in a big church with a big beautiful candlelit finale. Big Christmas day wake ups with lots of big dreams that come true. Big dinners with big family and long days of playing and unwrapping and eating. Please remember what Nettie does each year to make your Christmas special. All her hard work is for you and your cousins. Making sure each Christmas is special and meaningful and the one that "you will never forget". Don't forget it. Don't ever forget it.

New Year's was spent in a new way for us this year. Time in Edisto with special friends who are now our family as well. Edisto's loveliness delivered each morning and put to bed each night in the sunset. A true gift all wrapped up in beach sand. We laughed and sent lanterns up to the sky. 

We took pictures on the beach together. Pictures that showed me we look more alike than I ever thought we did.

Tomorrow will take you back again. Back to the daily in's and out's. And that's fine. But when you look back and think of this Christmas, remember your joy. Remember how much you believed. Because it was more than you ever have and that's where the magic really came from. Our Christmas' are wonderful because of you. You have made them more than we ever thought was possible. 

Every Last Drop

Sorry kids... It's been a while.

Yesterday Big was sick and we snuggled up in my bed. I pulled out the journal I had started for him years ago and began to read it to him. He was shocked at the letters I had written and so happy to hear all the stories from long ago.  So that was inspiration enough for me to rat a tat tat on the old keyboard and put some updates down. 

In October, Daddy and I went to Cabo for Uncle J's wedding. Just being honest, I really wasn't expecting to love it like I did. But holy cow. How could you not? Cabo is EVERYTHING! The people are amazing! I know they want all my money, but hey man, it's all yours. You know why? Cause' I'm having the time of my life here and that's all that matters. Arriba!!

Epic I tell you. Epic.

We finished up that month with some trick or treating of course. Sorry but once again we will not see sweet Big's face this year. Instead it will be covered up again by some ghoulish monster. That's a hook he has around his sister's neck. He is sooooo 10 years old.

I caught some pretty spectacular pictures in early November. Real pretty autumn leaves at SpringHill, some sweet kiddos and Big being tamed by BooBoo.

The best part of November was finally being able to shout it from the rooftops that  I'm gonna be an aunt again in May!! These nieces (maybe nephew) are the absolute nicest things my brother and sister have EVER done for me!!! What an awesome little gaggle of kids we have now: Big, Lil', Miss E, BooBoo and Cheffie.

So now it's almost Thanksgiving. This year we will celebrate and be deeply grateful for our health, our family and friends and all the blessings that have been given to us. We will remember the people that we miss every. single. solitary. second. We will love each other, laugh together, and look each other in the eye. Not one moment will be taken for granted and we will soak it all up. Every last drop.

You Melt Me

Lauren turned 7 yesterday. I can't even believe it. Time is clicking by much faster than I'm ok with. She had a sleepover and for most of these kids, it was their first night away. I expected drama. I expected late night parent pick-ups. I did not expect for all of them to fall asleep before 11 and sleep all night long.

They played manhunt. They had sundaes. They had dance parties, and lipstick and jump marathons on the trampoline. There were balloons and cake and signs and screaming and running and shrieking. Lil' and her friend Ava devised a genius plan to split the 8 girls into groups. They took turns switching between the groups and each group did different things throughout the night. This made it more manageable. It was brilliant.



This girl loves her Daddy.

She also loves her new bike.



She made her own birthday sign with Ava this year.

BooBoo even had fun!! Takin a bath in the sink...



This was taken 7 years to the minute of your birth. You melt me now just like you did then.

 









Double Digits

Big's birthday was an easy one. He wanted to do something fun and he wanted all his friends there. Not too hard to figure out, right? Think again friends. Think.again.

I have a finicky 10 year old. He doesn't know what he does want but he has a lot to say about what he doesn't want. We had the hardest time coming up with an idea but then it hit me - bowling would be the simplest thing possible. It's not my house, all the kids like it, boys are competitive... perfect.

The invite turned out precious...

 

 

And even Lil' had fun... 



 

Daddy just ordered a drink and closed his eyes and started handing out quarters...

Then we moved to bowling.

Big's done with being 9.

 

We started and ended Big's Birthday bonanza by being on the boat of course. Welcome to Double Digits!

 

 



I Made Pancakes

I'm trying to pretend like today isn't really happening. It's not really working out though. Every where I turn I see it...August 21st. If it's not the date, it's someone asking me if you made it to school alright. Or did I cry. Or did you cry. What did I make for breakfast. On and on.

It is seriously unbelievable to me that she is a 1st grader and he is a 5th grader. Can someone please tell me when this happened? All I did was blink and bam! Here we are.

I'm so proud of each one of you. Her because she is so stinking sweet. And loving. And thoughtful. And him because he is ridiculously smart. And cool. And fun to be around.

I watched you pull out of the driveway and yes, there was a lump in my throat. You did make it to school alright. No, neither of you cried. And I made pancakes.