Three wonderful years

Weather changing from warm to hot.

Bedtime being pushed back as sunsets come later.

College Softball tournaments on TV.

Planting the Garden.

Vowing to keep up on the weeds this year.

Making sun tea.

Eating Dinner on the back patio.

All these are little reminders to me of welcoming Emma into this world. It was a quiet Memorial Day Weekend for us, that is until this little thing arrived:

And while she's too big to swaddle and nestle in the crook of my elbow now, she'll always be my favorite baby girl!

We're going on a trip....

The bags are packed, the car nearly loaded, and soon we'll be off. We are going for a short visit to see William and Erin in Elko and then make the long drive to Uncle Jacko and Aunt Daniel's house.

Things that I have learned this week:

1. We are now in the stage of Emma's life when, unless you want to be driven crazy, you shouldn't mention, tell, or otherwise discuss any trip plans with or in front of Emma. If I have to hear "Are we going to uncle Jacko's house yet?" one more time....

2. No matter how much planning you do the week leading up to departure day, you will still be up until midnight the night before packing and fretting that something is going to be forgotten.

But, I'm super excited to finally be going to visit Jacko in CO and I know the car drive will be long and hard on my patience but I have some car-only kid activities stashed under my seat, Fablehaven Dragon Santuary stashed in my bag for me, and a good book for the boy loaded onto the mp3 player.

Its time for an adventure.

Happy Mother's Day - early

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day

With little time to stop and pray

For life's been anything but calm

Since You called on me to be a mom

Running errands, matching socks

Building dreams with building blocks

Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes

And other stuff that children lose

Fitting lids on bottled bugs

Wiping tears and giving hugs

A stack of last weeks mail to read

So where's the quiet time I need?

Yet when I steal a minute, Lord

Just at the sink or ironing board

To ask the blessings of Your grace

I see then, in my small one's face

That you have blessed me

All the while

And I stop to kiss

That precious smile

I got my Mother's Day present early since we are going to be gone....Emma told the boy that she wanted to get me flowers. They smell great and are putting my desk orchids to shame. I love them.

Happy Mother's day to all of us!!!