A Thorn Among Roses

So, it's been a while since i posted...years, in fact.  I stumbled upon to an old post and thought, I need to write more.  So here we are now... My family looks completely different and times are different, but we are still just the same people.  We've added one...P got married 2 years ago and now we have A.  I will talk more about that later.  But isn't our pic soooo cute?   For now, life is crazy and wild and sometimes completely unpredictable, but we are still praying and playing together.  Ryan and I are on our 21st year of marriage (woot woot), and the kids are well, old!  P is 25 and happily married to A, and they are celebrating 2 years next month.   B is a junior,  has a job and is blowing our minds with all she is achieving in this world, and she's one of the funniest kids on the planet.  She's grown an amazing amount in all her therapies and in life in general...she's an advocate for all who struggle, and au...

i have been super blessed with a man who not only loves and adores me, but thinks his daughters are all queens deserving of the most love a daddy can give.  in this family, and with other special needs families, there are days that make being fully engaged, well, let's just say difficult. poop, for instance...it's still an issue in our house.  with kids 20, 12, 10, and 7, you would think that we were well past the poop problems, but we are not.  ASD (autism spectrum disorder) is a beast when it comes to poop. and here's a little insight on me...i'm a gagger, meaning the harsh smell of poop or puke makes be puke.  but the amazing hot hubs, he's a beast on the clean up.  poop on the walls...he scrubs it.  poop pasted on the toilet...he cleans it up.  poop on the shower curtain...he washes it.  and he does it without being nasty.  (he doesn't like it...but he does it.) so, when people see our fam and think it's all amazingly perfect and cu...

One of the best things about Zeus is his utter disregard for being left alone. He isn't a formal therapy doc, but was bought with the intent of being a therapy for b.  I think he has worked out very well. 

I just had a very scary convo...Sofia said, "I would really like to go to the mountains and hike."   Where have I gone wrong?  Beach people. That's what we are. No bears at the beach!!!

as a parent, i always have known and strived for my children to grow up and leave for college and be on their own.  and i've been at this point now for almost a year, as p began her college career in august. there's something weird, still about having only 5 of us when we do the "family" things we always do.  vacation this year was a time of amazing peace...but a piece of me was lost.  the beach wasn't quite the same without fun, chatty times with my pig.  i had my bff karen, which i wouldn't have traded for the world, but i didn't have pig. i just edited our family shoot that we do every year at the beach and it hits me...we are just 5, plus one at college.   i'm not sure why that's such a big deal or why it takes the beach pic to show me, but times are a changing.  and sometimes, it's changing quick.  i know it's for the best...she's doing amazing and becoming a responsible adult and living life... ...but sometimes, i...

i've heard it said that there's nothing more wonderful or reassuring in life than knowing that your children have chosen Christ. and i agree...we live in this world that is fallen and full of things that satisfy for the moment, but a life lived in Christ is one lived for His glory and is one that finds real fulfillment and joy. i saw that today...in the baptism of my jk and sofia.  and in the company of family and friends and our amazing church family, westfield horizon christian fellowship.  and since we're still worshipping  in the school, we did a little baptizing in the old hot tub on the deck. we started with praising God for His Son, Jesus...and praying for our kiddos.  what a great gift. and then you can see for yourself what was next... dead to sin and alive in Christ... and then there was simply celebration with the kiddos who had chosen to be baptized.  what a great joy and amazing time to see God working in the kids heart...

i had the absolute best time shooting Brittany Brooks' bridal shower...we've known the family for many years and being able to be part of this was just amazing. miss christi did not leave a page unturned when it came to details...hello pinterest!  in love!      and then...there was a prop station for the photos!!!! then came the food...and oh my, was it delicious! make your own mimosa's and coffee mocha punch. delish!          then the food part...yummo!          there's a lot of fun that happened at this party for sure and gifts... and for the guests...chocolate covered coffee beans.  so amazing... happily ever after started with this shower for sure.  congrats brittany!

since i'm getting over being a mom to an adult child now, i'm ready to remind myself i'm not that old...and remember i still have my 3 little ones {which may or may not make me feel older}.  b is almost 10 now...so here's a glimpse into her life today...b is hilarious.  plain and simple: hilarious.  quick witted and funny... she adores animals more than almost anything else, other than family...so much so that she has been a vegetarian since she could speak. the 2 major loves of her life: Oliver Joseph Poops-a-lot and Zeus...our bunny and dog, who both deserve a medal of honor for what they do with and for b and her ASD. oh yea, she's on the spectrum.  b is autistic...and in special schooling and lots of counseling for life skills, but most of all, b is loving and kind and caring and a free spirit. who doesn't love a kid that can start a "pile on dad" at 7am with her sisters and giggle through it all! most of all, she's...

graduation is a great way to get you to review your time with your kids in the past 18 years...it's a fun way to remember all the great things you have actually done with them along the way. i loved prepping for the open house...getting all the pics together and the house ready.  i just really wanted to completely honor paiger, admiring all the amazing accomplishments of a great young lady. so here's a few shots of just that...honoring a great woman of character, a woman of God, a daughter that is worthy of praise.  thanks, pig, for being a perfect role model for your younger sibs.