Alanis eat your heart out!

I have been noticing for months, the changes that are occurring in my daughter. So the following pictures should come as no shock to me. I am just not sure that I am completely ready to be the parent of a brooding pre-teen.




ETA: I should also probably note that she has taken my favorite plastic cup(I am so classy) and used it for her savings. She is going to be so much more mad when I make her give it back.

Happy 15 Years

15 Years ago, today, I married my high school sweetheart. In some ways that seems like an absolutely unbelievable amount of time and in other ways it feels like it has been a fleeting moment.

I sat drinking my coffee this morning and eating my panera pecan sticky bun(thanks J.R.) and watched my family. The family that was created on that day 15 years ago. How much different my life would be if I had not sort of accidentally gone on that date with that handsome boy 19 years ago. Where would I be? And then I started remembering this same morning 15 years ago. I woke up at the crack of dawn, excited to face my wedding day. I was greeted to family that had driven over 24 hours to be there for my big day from Canada and a big sloppy kiss from the best golden retriever ever. This was a time before texting and cell phones, so J.R. and I didn't see each other or talk until right before the wedding for pictures(we aren't superstitious and never were). I remember looking at him and just being taken away by the emotions of the entire day. I also remember walking down the aisle and only wanting to look at him. Nobody else in that entire room mattered to me. It was just the two of us there. Everything was sort of a blur, the ceremony, candles, friends, family, cake, pictures. What mattered is I married the man I loved and will spend the rest of my life with.

Our marriage is not perfect. I won't lie about that. We struggle at times. We get annoyed and angry. I don't think any two humans could possibly live together this long and not have some angst at times, but it is these anniversaries that are there to remind us of that promise that we made before our friends and family and most especially our God.

J.R. thanks for putting up with me and my quirks for so long. I love you and look forward to what the next 15+ years hold for us. Whatever it is, we can face it together.

8 Big Years!

Let's pretend for the sake of my favorite middle child that I got this post up yesterday. And not that I got so busy fixing a dinner for my favorite aunt from Tennessee (hi Aunt Mary) that I just never got around to it. And even though there was guilt while I collapsed in bed last night, sleep overcame all of it....SO.....

8 Years ago little Tara Elizabeth came into our lives. I have heard before that a child's birth experience tells you a lot about their personality. Of course I have tested this theory three times and guess what?!? For my kids it ABSOLUTELY does!

Ella- Easy Peesy! No pain and I exclaimed to my nurse "What's the big deal?"
Tara- Came fast and broke my tailbone in the process!
Coryn- No epidural and LONGEST labor!

You can make your own guesses as to what this says about their individual personalities ;)

In the meantime let me share a little about that day 8 years ago.
(This is me crying right before we left for the hospital...WHOA I look HUGE!)

My mom is pretty awesome. In fact 8 years ago I called her crying. I had been in so much pain and just couldn't handle Ella anymore. I had spent part of the day laying on my sister's couch in early labor, but when I got back home it was slowly getting stronger. To make matters worse, J.R. had a HUGE meeting a work. He was in That meeting when I finally decided to go to the hospital. I called the girls at work to tell them that as soon as he was out, he was to go to the hospital. My mom and I arrived at the hospital a little after 5 PM. J.R. arrived around 6. In just 5 hours I went from begging my OB to break my water to holding my newest beautiful girl.

(J.R. and I meeting our 7lb 4oz, 19 inch long girl)
(Our girl right before we took her home)


Tara is 8! I can't believe it. I remember my 8th birthday party. I remember the guests, the gifts, the cake, the games and now she too is 8. This year will be full of big things for her. She will start 2nd grade in a week and probably the biggest thing that will happen to her...She will be baptized and confirmed. She has been preparing for this with pre-baptismal classes and lots of questions. She want's to be baptized at camp like Ella did, so she will have to wait until next June, but I have no doubt that she will wait patiently just like her big sister.


Tara is an amazing kid. She has a zest for life that is completely envy making. She has an imagination like nobody I have ever met. And she befriends everybody. She doesn't have a best friend, because she is everybody's friend. I am excited to watch her grow into a woman and see what she becomes because I have no doubt that whatever she does, it will be exciting and worth listening to the story. Happy Birthday Bobby Sue!