b is for...

beach in winter...
my favorite time to enjoy...
the breeze that stings your cheeks...
the sand that you can dig your toes down into...
and the rolling surf that reminds me that every day is washed clean and new.

Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone. -Anonymous

(it wasn't too late for me to join a to z mondays! just late enough to miss "a")

she's growing up

Today is the 15th anniversary of me becoming a Mommy... yes... my baby girl is fifteen today. Where, oh where, has the time gone...
Never having been around babies, I certainly did not know what to expect... and when that little pink bundle was placed in my arms I was overwhelmed with love and wonder. She was perfectly precious... heaven sent... ours.
Her first year actually comes back quite vividly... but what I most remember about our first few months of parenthood was the day we sat in the doctor's office and were told that our little baby would not go to regular school... not be able to drive a car... she would be blind. I remember sitting in the waiting room afterwards...just sitting. And again in the car... just sitting... and imagining all of the things she would never see... oh this precious, sweet, baby girl of mine. There are many times over the years that we have thought Where is that doctor now? I'd like her to know that Laura is... and this year is no different. I wish I could tell that doctor that my daughter is getting ready to get her learner's permit and will soon be out there driving. I don't want to be mean to that doctor, I just want her to know that she was wrong (I'm thankful every day for that!)... and that maybe, next time, she could be a little more hopeful and try to put a better spin on such news for people who have only been parents for six weeks. And so today, we feel like we have hit one of those milestones... Laura is officially old enough to learn to drive (that part is slightly scary!) and her eye doctor is confident that she will pass the eye test!
I am excited for what this fifteenth year might hold for Laura. It has certainly been a year of growing pains, and while many more are probably right around the corner, there have been a lot of lessons learned... and a lot of joy shared. This girl of mine... she is beautiful. Inside and out. She gives so much joy to so many people... through her volunteering at the Equestrian Challenge... in the church choir where those ladies just love her to pieces... and to our family, every day. Yes, there are days when I want to scream... I am sure it is part of the Mommy job description... but the other moments- the ones that melt your heart? Those are the ones I am choosing to think about today... on this birthday of hers.

a game for today

So... Suz has me playing a game today. She is continuing a Letter Meme... and she promised it would be easy!
Here's the deal:
Leave a comment on this post and I will assign you a letter.
Write about ten things you love that begin with said letter.
Post the list on your blog.
When people comment on your list, you assign a letter, and the game continues.If you want to comment, but don't want a letter, that is okay, let me know. I'm not pushy!
So... what letter did I get from Suz/Vanna? "S" And she said I don't even have to write about her, but...

1. Suz.
What a friend... if you need to laugh, she is the one you need. Here is a little more about this gal who keeps me giggling, not to mention wondering about her sanity!

2. Sharpies. Anybody who knows me knows how much I love these great pens! I don't really know what it is about them, but I love them. Seriously.

3. Sister. We are not the kind of sisters that talk every day and share every detail... but we are the kind of sisters that are there for one another in an instant. She is why I wanted a second daughter... so my daughter would have a sister. When her heart breaks, mine does, too... and I want to be that great big sister that can fix it all. Until I can find that magic wand, she'll have to make do with my prayers and a few blog entries.

4. Spouse. Oh yes... I love him. And I love that he loves me so completely- through all of my craziness. I love that he will just shake his head and smile... because he knows me. I am not wishing time away, but I love that I will grow old with him.

5. Savoring dessert. I love dessert. I suppose that anyone who knows me already knows this! But did you know that I like to make the dessert last and last and last? It is why I typically eat it with a little kid spoon... and when I can't seem to scrape that last little bit from the bowl? I know my Momma taught me not to lick the plate, but I do... when no one is looking.

6. Savior.
I can't do this on my own... not one little bit. I am so grateful that Jesus has done it all for me, and will continue to hold me up with strength and grace.

7. Sand between my toes.
I do love the beach... and the rolling waves. I could simply stay there forever. Sitting in a chair reading... walking the shore line... enjoying a sunset. All of it. I love it.

8. Splashing in puddles.
My kids know that I do this... and I wouldn't stop them from participating- as long as we are on the way home. Because I have learned my lesson. On the day that Eric & I made arrangements for our first date, I had been splashing in puddles... and was soaked clear up past my knees. He should have run right then and there... but he didn't.

9. Stones. Heart shaped. I don't know how he does it, but Eric is really good at finding them. I suppose he has an eye for spotting treasure amongst the rubble.

10. Silliness.
I could not live without it. Seriously. Little jokes, sarcasm, and laughter. There is not a day that passes when we don't laugh at something utterly silly. It is part of what makes me who I am.

And so there you have it... things I love that begin with S. There is so much more I love... but it will have to wait for another day.

one at a time

Each morning I work, I climb these stairs... all the way to the top of the building. Five flights. It's not the hardest climb... but every day I wish our office was on the fourth floor. Why do I climb? The elevator is really slow... and honestly, I need the exercise. So up I go... at least twice a day, sometimes more. I actually enjoy the up part more than I do the down. It gets my heart racing and makes me feel like I've accomplished something, even though it often leaves me breathless. But really, I wish our office was on the fourth floor. Sometimes I count the steps... not the actual steps, but the steps I take, including the landings. And sometimes I just run. But today... someone else put an idea in my head... so thanks to Amy, the Rocky theme will running through my brain... every time I climb. I seriously doubt I'll be raising my arms up above my head in victory, what with my purse, lunch box & coffee cup, but in my mind, I'll be celebrating. Celebrating making it to the top? No... celebrating the perseverance. Because there are so many days when it would just be easier to push that elevator button... or hide under the covers. But we keep going. Even through the tough times- or maybe, especially through the tough times. This new year has started off slow for me... fogged under a sinus infection and the prescriptions that followed... and I have not been me at my best, or honestly, even close. But I keep going... knowing that I will be back up on top soon enough. And you know, the view from the top is always spectacular. That moment when you can see how it all fits together... when nothing is hidden from your line of sight. Almost monumental. Fitting, today, that I have come to this conclusion... as I am about to hit that little publish post button for the 200th time. That in itself is nothing I ever dreamed of... nothing I ever hoped for. But, there is someone who knows me far better than I know myself... and He continues on this journey with me... one step at a time... all the way to the top.