Reflection

Today Pat and I spent more time together than we normally do on a "work day", we have had some extra time to talk and reflect on our family and those we love.

The video below is beautiful.  And spoke to me in ways that on any other day I may have just thought were kind or thoughtful...but today, an extra emotional day, were insightful and moved me to tears.

"We spend a lot of time as women, analyzing and trying to fix the things that aren't quite right. We should spend more time appreciating the things that we do like."



I am reminded not just about women's beauty, but the beauty of the creation of a human being.  And that we can't always fix things.  To value what we do get, and be thankful and appreciative for it all.

Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes

I took off for a weekend last month
Just to try and recall the whole year
All of the faces and all of the places
Wonderin where they all disappeared
I didn't ponder the question too long
I was hungry and went out for a bite
...
It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane
...
Oh, yesterdays over my shoulder
So I can't look back for too long
There's just too much to see waiting in front of me
And I know that I just can't go wrong
~Buffett

I've done a little big of blog planning and hope to have this friendly little site back up and running soon.

We have moved. One person in our family has a new job. Jacob has a new school.  We have new extra curricular activities, new friends, closer family (some further away now), new church (still checking those out) and lots of other changes between here and there.

Smilebox

My how quickly time has gone by lately.

Thank goodness for Smilebox, I didn't leave my favorite people without knowing I am thinking about them this holiday season.  Since the only cards I had were in small supply.  Enjoy our holiday card - this was how I did things this year. I'm planning on returning back to the paper, stamp and USPS holiday card next year. Hopefully that will happen.

Make your own digital ecard

Some Catching Up To Do

I have some SERIOUS catching up to do. I have it all planned...in my head.

In the mean time, something that's been taking up some of my time... Kelly's Kids.

Spring Launch is TODAY (well...21 minutes ago, I'm up far too late tonight).
www.kellyskids.com/LauraBethMcKew
Go check it out! Online parties have already started!!

Growing UP

It seems that lately, more and more, I'm looking at Pat and pointing out something Jacob can do on his own.  As if I never thought our little boy would reach the day he would not need us to so something for him.  And he's only 2 1/2, he hasn't mastered hardly anything in the grand scheme of things... but it sure seems like a lot has happened lately.

A few days ago, he grabbed the Wii remotes, and put them both around his wrist and then tightened the straps around his tiny arms.  We haven't even had the Wii out to play with in months... and he just did it. Then proceeded to stand in front of the TV and pretend to play Wii games. We're still not sure what he was pretending to play, because the Sing-Off was on when he did this.  Maybe he was going to Dance Party.

Last night we turned off the TV and headed up stairs for bath time and Jacob was the first one to hit the stairs.  Pat, Raven and I all stayed at the bottom of the stairs as we watched Jacob climb the stairs, with perfect balance, not holding on to the wall to brace himself.  All the way up the stairs he went.  All by himself with out a wobble or a tumble.  Pat and I just looked at each other and smiled.  When Jacob got to the top he turned around with his classic "mo mon" wondering why we were still at the bottom of the stairs.  He didn't think it was any big deal that he climbed the stairs by himself, but we sure did.

He talks all the time now. Remember the kid that had to go to speech therapy? That kid is long gone. The new Jacob has arrived.  The Jacob that likes Lightning McQueen and Pauly D.

Wordless Wednesday

2 1/2 Years

It took almost 2 1/2 years for it to happen. And it happened today.
I have such a big boy now.
Jacob has attended the same day care every day since he was 13 weeks old. He knows the building, he knows the kids, he knows the teachers and directors. He is comfortable there. But every day he screams and cries when I leave him there. He grabs my leg and holds on for dear life. Other kids have no problem with drop off.  Not Jacob. He doesn't want anything to do with his friends or teachers at 8:30 in the morning. He walks into the building fine, but as soon as he sees the door to his room, he turns around. On the days I carry him in, he clings tighter to me. The teachers pry him out of my arms and assure me every day that when I leave he is fine.  He's normally happily playing when I pick him up and sometimes doesn't want to leave in the afternoons.

Today, he walked right into his room.  He held my hand all the way to the play area, where he saw a teacher from his last classroom subbing for a few minutes while his teacher ran an errand. He walked right up to Ms. Ashley, handed her his cheese wrapper {we must have snacks in the car on the way to school, don't you?} and started to take off his coat.
She handed me the coat to take to his cubby.
Normally, Jacob follows me crying as I put his items in his cubby.
Not today. Not this morning.
He stayed with his friends.
I walked back to his play area to tell him goodbye for the day, give him a kiss... he walked right up to me and waived at me. With a big smile on his face. And then, walked away before I could bend down to hug him.
I smiled too.
The biggest smile I've ever had when I've dropped him off at "school".
Today was a big day.
Today Jacob was a big boy and decided it was okay for me to leave and he would have fun - and be just fine :)

It only took almost 2 1/2 years for it to happen.