home.

It is true, home is where your heart is. Where your priorities dwell. We've had countless conversations over the past 8 years on where to make our home. And over 8 years the idea of "home" has changed so much. It went from where my parents and brothers were to where Joe's school was, then closer and eventually far away from my parents. And I still feel "home"less. So odd. Moving around as a kid and having family all over, I guess you lose that a bit. So, after years of possibley pointless searching, I am deciding to find comfort in the "home" that I am in. The shingles and boards that make up the house in which I raise my children for a few short years. And where they are, my heart goes, so they are....home.

plans.

On this day, 8 crazy years ago, I married this guy. He is a good man, honest, responsible and hard working.

8 years ago our "plans" looked so much different than they do now. We were going to finish school, travel, buy a house, hang out with friends, party and then maybe someday....have a family.

About 4 weeks after this photo was taken we found out our first baby was on the way. Talk about shock and awe. But we made it. Even though at times neither of us thought we would. We keep plugging along, working hard to do things the way we knew they needed to be done.

And here we are, 5 babies, 1 funeral, 6 moves, 5 jobs, 2 states, 3 colleges, 1 almost-completed bachelor's degree and oh so many failed plans later. And yet I couldn't be happier with how this "Plan" turned out. Because although our plan wasn't meant to be, we've learned together, time after time that God has a plan for us, and it is way better than we ever could have dreamed.

So, in the next 8 years, my plan........ is to love on my growing babies, hang out with my man and keep giving my plans up to God.

In the spirit.

Trying to lift myself up instead of falling into what has become a predictable routine for me. The after-baby slump. When nothing fits and no one is quite themselves. Well, my babe is 2 months old tomorrow and we're rebelling against the slump.

So, here I am. Trying to revive what used to be save my sanity. A blog. It has moved around a bit, but Xanga kept me for about 4 years and I made some wonderful friends there. Beautiful and inspiring mama's.

So, without further ado.

Today we hung around the house. After a lazy, close-to-home weekend full of rain, sunshine, playing outside, family walks to the park, sleeping babe in the mei tai and a mug of coffee. Mmmm it was a good weekend. But of course Monday did what it seems to do so well and I was exhausted by 9am. Boo. However, Olive took a lovely little nap, solo. And I mopped, moved furniture, cleaned up clutter, swept.....bliss.

Now I am not usually one to find comfort in cleaning, I tend to avoid it at all costs, but after the 8 weeks our family has had...it was long overdue and it felt so nice to get something done without having to ask someone to help me or hold the baby etc. And the tv was off so I had my little helpers too. It was a good morning. After Ollie woke up, it gave me an excuse to sit down and finish off the 1st sleeve to this. More pictures to come of it finished.

All in all, not spectacular but nice all the same. It was a good day.