Day 2 of our farmhouse storage bed project is complete.
We have a freestanding headboard and footboard, and sanding is underway.
We worked for about three hours today and the weather was gorgeous.
As always we made a few errors along the way, and it seemed like we had to redo every step to correct for warped boards. It was just one of those days.
I am in love with what we have made so far! The next week will involve a lot of sanding, building the platform/storage base, and staining. There are also drawers in the future, but I try not to dread think about those. Stay tuned for the final steps of our farmhouse storage bed!
I am so incredibly proud of the little gentleman you have become. You take care of me, you look out for your sister, and you are genuinely thoughtful and kind and wonderful. You love hard and you play hard. You are everything and more than we could have ever wanted or hoped for our family. You gave us love and purpose and faith.
As if that wasn't enough, you are smart. So incredibly smart. You put together puzzles with more pieces than I can count, and you do it with such ease. You are imaginative and inquisitive and brilliant. The world is wide open for your incredible mind. School won't know what hit it when you walk through those doors.
You are Adaleigh's best friend and protector; the two of you are a team. Whether you are snuggling or fighting, you are always inseparable. There are no words for the bond with your Daddy- it is manly, friendly, loving, and involves a lot of wrestling. You share a love of sports and superheroes.
As for me- You are part of me. It's not that I can't remember life without you; I can't imagine what I felt like or who I was without the love you have forever burned in my heart. There is no me without you. Each breath I take is because of you and the life you gave to me. Nothing and no one will ever replace you in my life, and I like it that way.
On the eve of your 4th birthday, I hope you feel loved. We wanted and hoped and prayed for you years before you came into our lives, and I hope that feeling is always with you. You are always worth it.
Love always & forever,
Mom
My sweet little ones,
I wrote to you about
life lessons, and the most important things I've learned to make it through the tough times. But I left out THE most important lesson: have faith.
I was raised in a loving, Southern Baptist home. We attended church every Sunday morning, every Sunday and Wednesday nights, and some days in between. Your grandparents never lacked faith. I was baptized young and believed so much in the God I was raised to know. As I got older and journeyed through the teenage years, God began to dwindle from my life. I questioned everything. I questioned Heaven and Hell, I questioned the importance of religion and attending church, and worst of all I questioned the existence of God. By the time I attended a lecture on Eastern world religions in college, my faith was completely gone. I didn't pray, I didn't attend church, and I didn't believe.
The next ten years or so are somewhat of a blur. I struggled with life, depression, relationships, choices, and everything that most twenty-somethings go through. Those years and experiences seemed so challenging and it's only now that I am realizing why- I was trying to do it alone. Faith wouldn't have kept me from those struggles, but it would have made them so much more bearable. I am amazed that I ever made it to where I am now without Him. There is nothing and no one that can replace the love and comfort of knowing God.
If you never listen to anything else I ever say, please learn from the biggest mistake I've ever made in life. No matter how smart or strong you are, no matter how much you have it all together or figured out, you can't do it alone. None of us can. Trust and believe and have faith in the God who created you... the God who SAVED you. There really is nothing more important. If you can figure that out and stick with it, everything else will fall into place. Pray every day, keep God first above everything, and live your life for Him. There is nothing more powerful than the peace, happiness, and love only He can provide.
With all my love,
Mom
I started 2015 with one goal- run one race each month.
One half marathon, one 15k, three 10ks, and seven 5ks later, and #run2015 is complete.
I didn't achieve any great times or distances, but that wasn't necessarily my goal. Maybe 2016 will be the year of a sub-25min 5k? Who knows, but here is a recap of the year:
Friends for Healing 10k, March 21, Franklin
2nd place Female 10K - 2 Person Co-Ed Team Top Finishers
St. Jude Country Music 1/2 Marathon,
April 25, Nashville
Beyond the Battlefield 10k,
May 23, Brentwood
F 10k 30-34 3rd 54:56.5 (
8:51/mile)
Running of the Bulls 5k,
June 20, Winston Salem
The Sara Walker Run 5k, October 4, Nashville
Hammer Down 10k, November 21, Nashville
Rudolph's Red Nose Run 5k, December 19, Nashville
2015 totals (logged in Runkeeper):
328.2 miles
55:37 hours
30,475 calories
"Though she be but little, she is fierce!"
~William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
my sweet girl,
It's hard to believe there was ever a time that you weren't a part of this family. You have brought an energy and excitement to our home that we didn't know we were missing.
You are loud and fearless, and never one to be forgotten in a crowd. You have music in your soul and dancing shoes on your feet. You pose for pictures like you were born for the spotlight. There hasn't been a dull moment since you entered our lives.
You were crawling by 7 months and cruising by 9, but despite a few steps here and there you haven't fully embraced walking. It's as if you know that once you step out of our arms, you are no longer the little baby girl we brought home a year ago.
You look more and more like your brother every day, but with an undeniable beauty and grace. You're still less than the 1st percentile on the growth chart, but full of courage and independence. You know just how and when to smile to make anyone's heart melt.
It's hard to imagine there will ever be a boy that loves you more than your brother. He never gets tired of smothering you with hugs and kisses and love. He is the first to protect you, and the last to leave your side. I hope you always cherish the bond you have shared since the day you were born.
When the day comes that you are ready to leave home, I hope you fly with open wings and your head held high. The world doesn't know what awaits them in your petite little frame. I hope you reach for your dreams, and never settle for anything less than what you deserve. You are full of strength and will that will take you far.
Here's to one year down, and a lifetime of joyful memories and beautiful journeys together. Forever and always, you are the most special girl in my life. Whatever life brings or wherever it takes us, you will be a part of my heart forever. I love you, sweet girl.
love always,
Mama