I like where I am, and don't miss where I'm not...

Have you ever played the "what if" game? What if I lived some where else? What if I went to a different college? What if I didn't move? etc, etc, etc. Matt and I often play the "What if" game and sometimes I say wow....what did we do?!?!? Well after today I don't think I am going to play that game any more.......I was showing a fellow teacher friend of mine that I haven't seen in awhile (and she is not on Facebook) pictures of my kids and the house we purchased in 2010.........her response to the pictures was simply, "what a perfect world you live"...........I looked at her and then looked at all 10,000 pictures I have taken over the last 5 years and said back to her, "I really am.....aren't I".  Sometimes playing the "What if" game can be fun or entertaining.........But I am really liking where I am and don't miss where I'm not :-)

Siblings

When we decided to have a second child the one thing we worried about knew we had to create, was the bond between Riley and his new brother or sister. We made sure Riley was involved from the very beginning with going to all the doctor appts and ultrasounds.....our doctor even let him listen to the baby with her tools :-) and when every she would listen to the baby's heart beat she would make sure he heard it nice and loud. Riley was so into a baby being in mommy's belly he was convinced he also had a baby in his :-)

Any time someone would ask Riley if mommy was having a girl/boy baby, he always replied, "girl baby". We're not sure if he really just wanted a baby sister or if it was the fact that his Aunt and Uncle just had a baby girl that he absolutely loved from day one and just wanted her, but he never once said boy....it was always "his girl baby".

Now 6 months later and he loves her more and more every day and she feels the same way! She looks for him and giggles at him and I'm pretty sure her first word is going to be mommy Riley. When my family sees them together or hears stories we tell about what they do together....my parents and grandmother say, "sounds a lot like you and John".  If my two children have the same bond as me and my big brother, then I know that we created something special for them and that they will always be in each others corner for life.

                                                  Picture by Shannon Beth Photograph



I am so glad my son has a little sister to love and protect and someday buy her husband a brewing kit, and I am very excited and thrilled that my daughter has a big brother that will always be there to protect her and be there for her no matter where they live or what their doing.

Alarm what?!?!

For the last 4 years we have Matt has set an alarm clock every day and every day, I laugh. Why? Because we don't need that annoying beep beep beep beep to wake us up we have a little one that comes into our room and whispers in our ear, "Mommy, Daddy, the sun is up it's time to get out of bed". Riley doesn't do this at any normal time........he does it as soon as you can see it is day.....6:00 am for those of you who do have that alarm thingy.......... It is clear to see, that our son is a morning person like his Momma!

Today we had a busy day.........6:00 wake up call, followed by a ride to get a hair cut for Riley, gymnastics at the YMCA and then back home to get Daddy and Paige to go back to the YMCA for swim lessons for Mommy and Paige and free swim for Riley and Daddy.  We try to make our weekends full and to make sure we do some kind of activity out of the house (We love our YMCA membership in the winter months).Then showers for all and up to our hometown for Miss Teagan's 1rst birthday party.

One day we will sleep pass 6 am again and our weekends will be back to sleeping in and relaxing all day, and on that day,  I know, we I will be sad not waking up to a little ones voice and heading off to mommy and me classes, so for now, I will enjoy the quite and beautiful morning sun with my little family.

Having the Best of Both Worlds

Since I could remember, I have only ever wanted to be two things in life.....a mommy (probably because I thought I had the best mom and grandmother) and a teacher (I had some good and some "not so good" teachers). I never once thought for a second that I couldn't have both. Now, half way through my 6th year teaching and having two children, although I am busy all the time and very tired, I am able to have "The best of both worlds".

I enjoy what I do for a living.....although at times......it can be very stressful......... but I want to work hard for my family and I want my children to one day say, "My mom is a teacher and she's the best". I was always very proud and still proud of my Momma for all the jobs she needed to have when my siblings and I were little......I am still proud of you Mom!

From 4 pm to 7:30 am and every holiday and weekend, I get to be a mommy and wife. I would not trade this time for all the millions of dollars in the world. I make sure our weekends are packed with family fun activities (gymnastics, swim lessons, Color Me Mine, walks around the malls.........even movie time), then off to church on Sundays.......as long as we all are up and ready to make the 45 min drive to one of the greatest churches.

Some say you have to choose.......I'm here to tell you, you can have "The best of both worlds"