110 with Rachael and Ben: Spring Break edition

So, this stay home day wraps up a week's worth of 'em....it was Spring Break for the preschool as well as the local public school system. This is what spring break USED to look like in my life:

Now it looks like this:

While I wouldn't trade it for A MINUTE, it's definitely NOT what it used to be. 

All the while, though, we had a fabulous week -- the weather here was top-notch -- mid-upper 70s each day (mid 80s one day!) and sunny and blue skies were abundant. This meant that the park or other outdoor venue was always on our list. There were school friends to meet, neighbor friends to play with, and sandboxes to discover. I had the chance to make and take meals to families from church who were just welcoming a new baby and/or were recovering from surgery. I got the chance to play and play and play some more with the kids. Nana was here doing some house hunting (again,a whole 'nother post!) and so that was an adventure for her! 

110 with Rachael and Ben: March 2014

March brought the bipolar weather pattern: three weekends of 70 degree weather and yet, an ice storm on St. Patrick's day! Make up your mind....is it spring, or not??? Much like our family life of lots of bright days with a few dark clouds to remind us to be thankful.
March started with some traveling -- Mike to Charlottesville, VA to be with our Amigo guy friends to help and care for our friends Jennifer and Matt. {Jennifer is fighting a valiant battle with ALS and is doing so with a grace and strength that is only found in our Lord and savior.} He was thankful for some guy time and I *mostly* treasured some one-on-two time with the kids. On most days of the week, I go to bed exhausted from the chance to love them and give to them and be with them and take care of them and raise them....what a good kind of tired that is.
Then, it was my turn to be on the road. I took the kids by myself to PA for Dad's open heart surgery. He came through with flying colors and the trip wouldn't have happened without Nana and Mimi's help....thank you! The weekend of Dad's surgery also brought a chance to visit with his sister and brothers....we prayed together and broke bread together in honor of my Dad.....glad I could be there for him and to be with my aunts and uncles. Rachael and Ben were AH-MAZING during the trip...very patient with 2 8-hour trips in the car and went with the roller coaster of the hospital and Mommy being in-and-out and staying up too late and busy days playing with grandmas and cousins.
The month was brought to a joyful wind down: Ben is THREE!
Can.
Not.
Believe.
It.
Where did my baby go???? We celebrated with a race car party and pizza! He is all boy and continues to enjoy cars, trucks, trains, planes, bikes...anything with wheels. He's also in to construction....wearing his construction dress up almost daily.

In a future post, I'll give the run down of both kiddos at this age...they are complex and precious miracles, indeed.

110 with Rachael and Ben: February 2014

This month was our true winter...the space between holiday fun and spring time renewal.
Our weather brought the most trying winter I've had in Raleigh in the 10 years living here -- celebrating that on April 12...a decade. Wow.

Fortunately, the month of love brought us just that: love and fun and time to begin to move forward after the loss of my grandmother. As she would have wanted us to 'get on with it'.
We had an adults-night-out with our neighbors....the wonderful folks with whom we get to share this parenting journey...living beside, loving our time together to talk, laugh, learn, share and support -- we are so grateful for them!

Sadly, the harsh winter weather kept me from the memorial service (1st of 2) for my grandmother, so, I honored her from afar by loving more on my kids and focusing deeper on my faith.

The kids celebrated the Valentine's day holiday with lots of love and the viewing of their first theatre movie: Frozen! It's taken the world by storm and my kids are no exception. There's been lots of singing of the beautiful music and playing games stemming from the ice queen and her ill-fated frozen heart.

Mimi and Papa were fortunate enough to visit this month during the most beautiful weekend of the month -- 2 70 degree days in February...a MUCH needed reprieve from snow/ice/20 degree days. We all enjoyed our time together....Mimi spoiled the kids with their first visit to Build-A-Bear workshop and took Ben to the "choo-choo park" while Mommy and Rachael went to the circus with friends.
The visit was some much needed fun and distraction from the winter of our lives.

110 with Rachael and Ben: January 2014

What just happened here? Where did the first quarter of 2014 go? YES...I said, 2014. Last we met, I was blissfully wrapping up 2013 as a mostly wonderful year in the life.
Well, here we are. More than 3 months in. Lemme see if we can catch up. {Disclaimer: photo stream is not working properly on the trusty computer here, so, I will be devoid of picture posts until I can talk with tech support -- AKA -- my wonderful husband!}

January...what a month! Confession time: My grandmother was diagnosed with supposed lung cancer in September 2013. I say supposed because when you're 93, they're not really going to find out, since the procedure to do so could do more harm than good. She agreed that she'd live like she did the day before the diagnosis -- with the faith that God would take her when it's time. So, fast forward to January 2014...the beginning of the end. Family came from near and far to see her (and by proxy, since we live by an awesome airport, to see us!). The treasure of the family visits was not lost on me....a 2nd cousin from Cali, my first cousins from Arizona and Colorado, my Uncle from Alaska.....all came to my home within a 10 day span....what a treat. Time with them that I will treasure because it's a once-every-10-years kinda thing.
The kids were troopers while all of these new-to-them folks came in and out the house and guest bedroom.
Meanwhile, my grandmother was declining. She was pain-free through the end; the work of breathing was the hardest part (and that's HARD work, for sure!).
On Friday, January 31st at 11:45pm, she took her last hard breath and went peacefully and beautifully in to the eternal kingdom. I wish her kind of exit on all of my loved ones....surrounded by her daughters and with no pain nor much suffering and with her most valued relationships all in the upright position after precious visits just weeks before passing on.
I miss her more today than yesterday and I'm finding that I just long for one more conversation...not that I'd say anything differently than I did any other time. I feel blessed and at peace that I said all of the I love you's I knew how to say. I gave of my time and energy and heart to her -- just like she did to me. She's my precious one and I am thankful, so deeply thankful, for our relationship.

Lenore Margaret Heinz Eavis (September 30, 1920 - January 31, 2014)

Now....explaining to the kids....that's a whole 'nother post.

The other major highlight from this month:
Rachael is 4! Rachael is 4! Rachael is 4!
We celebrated "princess style" with a pink castle cake, wand-making, and with a visit from Cinderella herself. Again the feeling of thanksgiving washes over me that we were able to celebrate with her in this way and to be able to bring her that special guest was a memory in the making and one that took her breath (and mine!) away. I do have some photos:

To say January was an emotional month would be an understatement. If it's an indicator of 2014, we'd better hang on for the ride!