'til death

It's obvious when an anniversary rolls around that you will think of how far you've come as a couple but this past weekend my vows took on new meaning. We decided to make an impromptu trip to visit Joel's grandfather. Grandpa Jack has been undergoing multiple seizures, possible heart attack & has been responding unfavorably to medication. It's been a roller coaster of text messages with every other text looking grim...

We knew it was the time to go & visit as our trip to Ireland was coming close and perhaps this would be our only time.

I am so glad we did. I mean, sure, it was awesome to see Grandpa Jack & see him on a 'good' day where we were pleasantly surprised to hear him speak, crack an inappropriate joke or two & flirt & flirt & flirt. This old man reminded us a bit of the Grandpa Jack we've always known & loved.

What made me squeeze my Joel a little tighter, however, was watching Grandma Carla care for this man she loved. I don't know that I'll ever forget seeing her sweet hands hold onto his or how she so lovingly put chapstick on his drying lips & then stoop down for a kiss. I listened to her speak of her hope & prayers & bible readings that had given her an arm to lean on during this time. While she was scared of losing him, she stood strong & quite literally stood beside him. Faithful. Faithful. Faithful.

On our car ride home, I will always remember exhaling deeply & holding Joel's hand - knowing the man who sat next to me would do the same for me and I for him.

'til death

It's obvious when an anniversary rolls around that you will think of how far you've come as a couple but this past weekend my vows took on new meaning. We decided to make an impromptu trip to visit Joel's grandfather. Grandpa Jack has been undergoing multiple seizures, possible heart attack & has been responding unfavorably to medication. It's been a roller coaster of text messages with every other text looking grim...

We knew it was the time to go & visit as our trip to Ireland was coming close and perhaps this would be our only time.

I am so glad we did. I mean, sure, it was awesome to see Grandpa Jack & see him on a 'good' day where we were pleasantly surprised to hear him speak, crack an inappropriate joke or two & flirt & flirt & flirt. This old man reminded us a bit of the Grandpa Jack we've always known & loved.

What made me squeeze my Joel a little tighter, however, was watching Grandma Carla care for this man she loved. I don't know that I'll ever forget seeing her sweet hands hold onto his or how she so lovingly put chapstick on his drying lips & then stoop down for a kiss. I listened to her speak of her hope & prayers & bible readings that had given her an arm to lean on during this time. While she was scared of losing him, she stood strong & quite literally stood beside him. Faithful. Faithful. Faithful.

On our car ride home, I will always remember exhaling deeply & holding Joel's hand - knowing the man who sat next to me would do the same for me and I for him.

little helper

My sweet Leland is growing up.

His little babbles are turning into sentences - see if you can translate what he is ACTUALLY saying into what he REALLY means:

"I wanna go oside"
"I want elmo"
"I want fishie cackers"
"tank u mama'
"wuv u mama"
"bye bye Ju Ju"
"oh no wheredhego?"
"pidaman" (spiderman)

I am enjoying conversation with this child & he is definitely more comfortable in his own skin knowing he can pretty much tell me what he wants.

Last night, I felt bad. He loves to help me unload the dishwasher. He is still kind of obsessed with the dishwasher. Not sure if I need to plan on him having a career in appliances but either way....he wanted to help.

EXCEPT his helping turned into 2 broken dishes.

Without even realizing I said this, sternly, tonight after dish #2 was shattered, 'No Leland, No break dishes! That was naughty!"

In that moment I forgot it was just an accident. He was just trying to help me. He was just trying to make me look into his eyes and tell him "Good job!" and to earn a little harmless applause.

Instead, he heard me use the word he hates most: NAUGHTY and his eyes welled up with watermelon tears, his little veins started to pop out & he ran into the other room to cry. I followed him to let him know I wasn't mad & we hugged it out.

Trying to be extra patient with my little helper these days....his little heart is still so full of innocence & goodwill.

*deep breath*

Squeezing him extra tight today...I think he forgives me.

the gentlemen project

I have to say the longer I'm a parent, the more I'm realizing how much I'm really influencing the future wives of these boys.

Every skill they will take with them into work//marriage//parenting will derive from the way we did things in our home. Sometimes I wonder if I'm screwing my kids up - I probably am a little.

I think one area that we are being successful in is in the area of training up gentlemen. Joel is so phenomenal at this & our boys take notice. It's almost always like on-the-job training when you have a ratio of 3 men to 1 woman in the house. Doors are being opened for me, I am getting the chance to relax after a long day, and occasionally I will hear explanation about 'why it's important to put the toilet seat down.' I just am so grateful for a husband who gets this and shows our sons its importance.

If there is one thing I hope my sons carry on into adulthood is that when looking for a someone to share life with....that they search for a wife...not a Mom. I know I will always think my boys are the greatest ever...but they really ARE going to make fantastic little husbands & dads one day.

LADIES....GET IN LINE.....in about 35 years, that is.....

sweetest sounds

Those sounds to me are the ones of crazy laughter + joyful screams + silly giggles + Joel occasionally getting kicked in an inappropriate area...

I love what a great boy-Dad my husband is....

See for yourself.

*no boys were injured in the taking of these photos*

labor day

Joel & I took a few moments to reflect over the weekend. A LONG weekend filled with downtime, work, but mostly downtime.

I had the opportunity to tag team with my favorite makeup artist mentor on a big Indian wedding in the CLE market. It was honestly a ton of fun getting to know this family. A memory I appreciate about it will be while getting ready for the reception....the Mother of Groom sat in my chair to get her makeup done. She was tired and ready for some much-deserved sleep. Her sister walked in the room talking about how ill-fitting her reception garments were. Once she unraveled the fabric, it turned out to be twice as long and really no way she could wear it without practically duct taping it around her waist over and over. I loved watching these sisters laugh & laugh - the kind of laughter you have when you've barely slept and just about anything is funny. I couldn't even do her makeup for a solid 5 minutes - and I loved how in every country, in any language, laughter is such sweet medicine.

Joel overdid the romance this weekend, friends....surprised me with a couples massage at Dragonfly Massage in their new location in Chagrin Falls followed by a beautiful dinner at Jekyll's Kitchen. I might have to say that the addition of a massage to 'date night' really causes you to relax, sleep better & feel closer.

I hope you all got some time in with some family this weekend....Short work week....let's make it count.

capture life

With life moving so fast these days, I am ever more motivated to get out with my camera so I don't forget. Heck, that is the whole point of this blog: Writing it all down so I can look back.

I love that feeling of clicking on a month a year or two back and remembering what trials & triumphs we faced back then. Usually they are different than what we are facing in the present.

As a makeup artist, I've been surrounded by a lot of photographers. I am amazed at how they work & how they view their subjects. I always love remembering a day watching a photog shoot and then later seeing what they were composing in that very moment.

I have to say one of my favorite photogs is my awesome sis inlaw, Kim. Her company has been exploding the Kalamazoo market over the last several years and I just love when success reaches those who diligently work in their art.

Take a look at her work....and check her out on facebook! (She gives away a free download every Friday!)