Fleeting Moments

Mo, Porter, & Baby Beetle

In my head, I have songs associated with many of life's memories. To name a few... Almost Paradise (the love theme from the movie, Footloose) was playing on B98.7 when I first said "I love you" to Ryan. Jack Johnson's album On and on will always remind me of remodeling our basement apartment while dealing with the regrets and emotions of the death of Alisa, my best girlfriend since junior high. I remember Keith Urban's Better Life playing on the radio while driving our red truck - I was four month's pregnant with Morgan and was about to hear that Ryan got into PA school...literally, he called me minutes later. I thought the chorus of the song was so fitting:

Someday baby,
You and I are gonna be the ones, good luck's gonna shine
Someday baby,
You and I are gonna be the ones, so hold on, we're headed for a better life.

I also have a number of songs that I associate with our infertility struggles - some that helped me through, others that just happened to be playing in the background while our hearts were breaking. I will always think of our first miscarriage when I hear Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole's version of Somewhere over the Rainbow. It came on my Pandora radio station today, and of course, many of the emotions came back to me.

Instead of pain though, I was grateful...Grateful we got through those trying times, grateful for my beautiful miracles, grateful to be a mommy. Already holding Porter at the computer desk, I wanted to share a special moment with both my kids. I pulled Mo close so I could tell her why this song is special and meaningful, but instead, she wanted to enjoy the music and dance. I contentedly smiled, inside and out, as I watched her float and twirl in her pink-ruffled play dress. To make things better, I even enjoyed a slobbery suck-kiss on the cheek from a happy Porter. It was precious and priceless. "Is this not the best moment ever?" I thought, "Sooo rewarding."

And then, as fast as the moment began, it was gone. Before the end of the song, Mo was up on the computer desk, getting into and knocking stuff off the desk, asking me to hold her baby doll (who today, is a baby beetle). I'm fighting her to get down, trying to explain she cannot have the candy-shaped lip gloss she just found amidst the desk clutter...the lip gloss that Daddy bought for her birthday in two weeks. Porter must've been on Mo's side. He now had a very stinky diaper and was biting me with his 3.25 sharp teeth.

These are my joys of mommyhood. Awesome, rewarding, always changing, smelly, painful, but oh so worth it. And to Keith Urban, I'm livin' that better life, good luck is shining on me. Forget almost paradise. I'm there!

Our Gorgeous Nieces

Special thanks to the lovely Calliwag (below, isn't she gorgeous?) for motivating me to come out of my nearly five-month non-blogging slump! (and special thanks to Kenz for posting pix on FB that I stole)

We've been lucky enough to have these three hotties visit us in Longview twice this year.

Our nieces are awesome and we love that they're willing to grace us with their presence.

Along with these rockin' teens came our (and I say "our" because Ryan always corrects me when I say they're "mine") three oldest sisters, and an additional eight more nieces and nephews. So, if you're doing the math, that's 18 excited people in our home (sorry landlords... hope you never find out). Yes, that's a whole lotta people in one kinda small house, but that's for another post I have swirling around in my head.

Last Sunday we made a grand entrance at church. In true Richmond tradition, which I honor and follow, we were late to church. During the last line of the sacrament song, all eighteen of us come walking up (down?) the aisle in a semi-single file line to squeeze in some rows near the front of the chapel. And in case someone hadn't seen or heard us, there was an awkward pause after the song ended so we could get settled before the Sacrament prayer began. It was slightly embarrassing, but I was delighted and proud to have a big chunk of family here to sample a bit of our life and for the congregation to sample a bit of our familia.

Many ward members commented and asked about our visiting family throughout church and later on in the week. It was fun and still makes me smile to think about it.

I think the three older nieces doubled the size of our entire young women's group. Today at church, I was told the teenage boys in the ward were wishing my nieces weren't just visiting and that they would have loved to have these new cute and fun girls in the ward. I can't blame them, they are absolutely beautiful and super funny and entertaining. But, sorry boys, they're not on the market 'til they're 35. And even then, no boy or man will ever be good enough.

Thanks for coming to see us ladies. I will always remember, smile and giggle over these memories...your "40-year-old party pooper moms", you guys singing Tracy's "is that your breath or did you just fart" song in unison, Tina Tina Shanuz's doorbell commercials, and the Starbucks turned into Burger King into a laughing wet mess! I think I would have been delightfully entertained to hear what went on in the tent. And Livi, I'm thinkin' of you too in all of this crazy silliness.

Please come back soon. Maybe next time you'll see Taco rockin' out in all his Michael Jackson wannabe glory. And maybe we'll make it to the squirrel bridge too. Love you guys!

Little Guy Laughing/Squealing

Per your request, Papa. The best laughs are at the changing table or with big sis, but this will work for now. :)

Blackmail

What You Missed Today

Scene 1 on Thursday afternoon:

While riding in her stroller, through a field of weeds with the sun shining down (en route to the park), Morgan exclaims, "It's beautiful!"

Not really sure I heard her correctly, I ask, "What?"

Her response, "It's beautiful! It's magic."

Yes, it was beautiful and magic. The scenery and the precious two-year-old to point it out.

Scene 2 also on Thursday afternoon:

Background: In an effort to sway Morgan's distaste for pull-ups, I talk about how much I like pull-ups, how Grandpa, Grandma, and other cool people wear pull-ups (hey, you have to "pull up" underwear, right?). None of this changes her opinion. Every time we use the potty or do a diaper change, I ask her if she wants the Dora or the Diego pull-ups (which she chose at the store). She replies, "No, just a diaper" in a pleasant little sing-song voice.

"Why don't you like pull-ups, Mo?"

"No, just a diaper." The way she says it isn't angry or fierce. It's just very matter of fact, it is what it is.

So back to the scene of the day:

Morgan is off playing, happily talking/singing to herself somewhere in the house. I am changing Porter's diaper in the bathroom and start to sing (to the tune of "We are a Happy Family"):

"I love pull-ups, they love me. Porter loves pull-ups, yes-sir-eee!"

Before I can finish my lovely song, Mo chimes in with her own version..."I yuv diapers, dey yuv me!"

She got me. Again.

So happy I get to spend my days and nights with these cuties!