Tuesday's Treasures

This idea is something I have been reading on this blog for awhile now. I love the idea of noting what is treasured in our lives. So, since I am loving this blogging world, i figured why not start doing this on Tuesdays as well.

When I was pregnant with my son, I did not want a traditional baby shower. I was lucky enough to have one the first time around and did not need the baby theme. I had been to my sweet friend Jess's Mother Blessing a year earlier and really enjoyed the celebration aspect of it. The tradition in this cereomny is to surround yourself with women and celebrate the power they have in life. (Well, that is an extremely short version of the meaning, but you get the picture!) So, my mom helped put together a great day with some of the strong and supportive women in my life. Part of the day was for people to bring a bead, charm or trinket to put on a labor necklace. This was incredibly humbling for me. I was amazed at what people saw in me and how they saw these traits in these little beads. I am not one to know the impact that I may have in people's lives. I tend to go day to day caring and loving those in my life without really thinking of how I may affect them.

This necklace is the final product of an amazing day.

My mom who can never do things the easy way (I wonder where I get it from!), also made this sweet book. It has a picture of each bead along with what people said that day. She made it so it hangs from the case the necklace is stored.

The necklace did travel with me to the hospital. During the 30ish minutes my epidural was not working, it was a life saver. I tried to just stare at it and realize the strength that the women in my life provided for me. The necklace gave me a true focal point, not just something to stare at, something positive to focus on...giving me the strength to get to the next break in contractions. The meaning of each bead holds such a dear place in my heart. My friends and family care so much for me that it lifts me up when I need it the most. I also treasure this because my mom spent SO much time making it just perfect for me. The love and care that she put into it means the world to me.

The Simple Things

Sometimes the joy of life is shown in the simplest ways...

A twirl in a pretty dress....

The discovery of a new toy....

Just laying on a blanket on a rainy day....

These things all make me realize how precious each and every day is. Through the hard moments and long moments of the day, I need to step back and remember that it is the simple things in life that are important. We make our lives so complicated sometimes and end up going through the motions of the day. Today, I am going to try to remember what is truly important...love of family and friends.

I am now a blogger!

I am now officially entering this crazy blogging world. I have been actively reading friends blogs for quite some time now. It might take me a little while to figure this thing out and how to do all that I would like to do, but i guess you all will take the ride with me. I figure we have quite a few friends and family out of town (and in town) who might want to see updates on our lives. This way I do not need to clog people's emails with pictures of the kiddos. So, hang onto your seats, this will hopefully be a fun ride! Thanks for coming along.