On-Call

This summer I had the opportunity to be on-call to photograph for 4 births. All 4 babies are now earth side and each are healthy, thriving and very much loved.

This blog post is on my thoughts and feelings of what being on-call meant for myself and my family. 
But first, a little overview of how those births played out....

The 1st was a planned Homebirth of dear friends of ours. She had experienced a difficult pregnancy and at 35 weeks went into the hospital due to contractions. She texted me that night around 3:00am to let me know what was going on. I told her I was there for her if she needed anything or still wanted me to photograph the birth for her. I definitely respected the fact that this was a difficult time for them and I gave them their space. Their sweet boy spent 10 days in the NICU, but is now home and healthy and so so stinkin cute!

The 2nd birth I was on call for was for a friend who was having her 4th baby. Her babies have always come very early and she too went into labor at 35 weeks. Her labor was incredibly short and fast! It lasted only an hour. She notified me that she was in labor when her contractions were only 1 minute apart and they were heading for the hospital. She had the baby 20 minutes after they had arrived.  There was no way I would have made it in time. Their baby boy spent 4 days in the NICU but is now at home, healthy and they are all doing well.

The 3rd birth was for a couple who was planning a homebirth. Her labor was very long, spanning across 4 days. When she let me know that she was in labor I made my way over to their house. At that point her contractions were 5 minutes apart and not lasting very long. I stayed available to them throughout the next couple days. Her water broke around 1am and she progressed very quickly after that. At that point they did not contact me to come. Thankfully their Midwife was able to make it with only 20 minutes to spare!

At this point in my new endeavor of birth photography I was feeling very defeated. Birth photography has been something I have been praying about for a very long time. This past Spring I felt very pulled towards making myself available to this opportunity and I felt much reassurance when each of the 4 women asked me to photograph their births. Not only reassurance but I felt overwhelmingly blessed to have been asked into such intimate moments of those growing families. Each stage of pregnancy, labor and birth all amaze me. I stand in awe of the way God has made a woman's body. I earnestly believe it is something to be captured and treasured.
So when 3 of the 4 births had not played out how *I* had foreseen, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment and sadness of what I could have provided for each of those families.

The 4th birth was for friends who were planning a homebirth for their 4th baby. She was anticipating to be overdue. Her due date came and went and she reached 42 weeks and 6 days. Around 12:30am she let me know that her water had broken and that her labor was slowly progressing. I made my way over to their house around 2:30am. They had a full house, I mean, 16 people in all! She was powerful and steadfast and let her body work. Her husband poured compassion and tenderness onto her like nobody's business. It was beautiful to capture. I did my best to stay out of the way, quiet and respectful. There were moments when I couldn't help but get choked up with emotion, but I continued to focus on what I was there for. It was an amazing experience to be a part of and to be able to capture those images for them to cherish was priceless.

With all that being said, and my thankfulness poured out, I thought I would share what being on-call meant for me and my family. It was a challenge at times and it has left me with the utmost respect for those who live an on-call lifestyle. I know there are many careers that depend upon those who are willing to be on-call, but my first, personal thoughts go to Midwives and Doulas. They give up a lot for their clients and they have to be ready at a minutes notice, around the clock.

Being On-call:
~ Always having my phone charged and volume on in order to hear any texts/calls received. (my cell is normally on silent)
~ Never being away from my phone for too long.
~ Having my camera battery charged and my camera bag ready.
~ Having my childrens' cloth diaper bag ready to go.
~ Having our only vehicle available.  Which meant driving my husband to work at 5:30am every. single. morning. whew!
~Having childcare available if my husband was at work.
~ Being freshly showered.... what can i say, I'm a SAHM. ;-)
~ Having a clean house/food in the fridge. The length of a labor is unpredictable.
~ Not traveling too far out of town.
~ Being willing to leave any current event....birthdays/holidays.

I'm sure there are more, but these are the lessons I have learned and come to appreciate in my newness of birth photography. I am so so grateful despite only having 1 birth work out so far.
With every challenge there are lessons to be learned, and I love to learn, so bring it on. ;-)


Enjoy a few pictures from that last birth!

This particular moment was so moving to me. Children just love so well.

Essential Oils!

Essential Oils.... let's just say that they have become essential in my life.

I have been using Essential Oils for almost 5 years now and the more i have learned about them and tested them out, the more i appreciate the value of them in our family life.

In short, Essential oils are a highly concentrated pure oil.  There are endless uses for them! From treating Migraines, the Flu, and infections....to cleaning your home, disinfecting the air, and simply scenting your living space.

I would love to talk to more friends about the benefits my family has received from essential oils and the power of healing i have felt through them. They have been life enhancing for me.

On top of that, i absolutely love love love when i hear of how others have been positively effected by essential oils. Especially those who don't believe in the healing power of them.

One of the first facts that drew me into trying them out was that the Bible refers to the use of Essential oils 188 times. It is so neat to know that i am using the same "medicine" that was used in the time of Jesus....on Jesus, by Jesus!

There are many different brands of Essential oils, some have a higher quality than others. Which is why i buy from Young Living. They sell only Pure, Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils.
Here is an article of why Young Living is a great company:
http://www.oilyjoy.com/young-living-vs-other-eos/

I use Essential oils every day, and throughout our day. I diffuse it using the diffuser shown in the picture to the right. For example, I will diffuse Joy in the morning, peace & calming during nap time and homeschool time. Purification or Thieves oil if someone is struggling with a sickness or if we have had guests in our home.
I use Frankincense on scars, blemishes or healed cuts. I will use Lavender if we are dealing with anxiety or headaches. I rub Theives oil or Peace & calming on my kiddos feet at bedtime. I will use PanAway on tense or tight muscles. I will rub Valor on my feet before a chiropractic appointment. I will put Lemon, Theives or Purification in my cleaning supplies.
These examples are just skimming the surface of how i use them, and how they can be used. Those are only a FEW of the Essential Oils that are available!

If you are interested in giving them a try, right now is the perfect time! You can buy the Young Living Starter Kit for only $80! That is an amazing price.
You will be getting 11 oils, a diffuser, a roller applicator, samples, lots of information, and the gift of health!


(Do i sound a little excited about this?!)

If you have any questions about it, i would LOVE to hear from you and help you discover the benefits specifically for your life through using these oils.

Rememeber, you are getting everything pictured above, for only $80. This will only last until the end of the month. This is a great step in being proactive about your health and healing.

Blessings And Struggles

         We have been living in our new house for just over 2 months now. It was surprising to me how quickly we all adjusted. I feel as though i have barely even thought of our old house. Isaiah will mention it every once in a while; referring to an event that took place there, or the possibility of one of his toys being left there, when he cannot find what he is looking for. Nothing to heartbreaking....
We were able to spend quite a bit of time here before moving in, which in turn, made the entrance of all our possessions feel quite natural. Unpacking has also been very easy and quick. I still have some cupboards and closet spaces that i would like to rearrange or organize, but that will happen....when it happens.
I am loving the colors that we chose to paint the walls with, and they have been one of the most helpful tools in keeping this stay-at-home-mom from getting cabin fever. Our living area is so bright and cheery and spacious compared to our last house.

 I can't even begin to express how much of a blessing this house is, and will be to us, as a family. I love to have friends and family over, but never felt as comfortable doing that at our last house as i do here. The layout is much more open and we are even able to have our table fully extended with plenty of room all around. Dan and i are eager to live more in community with those around us, and to learn how to make people feel more "at home" in our house. We have been entering into some amazing relationships with people in our area (finally), and i look forward to having an "open door" to them. It feels so nice to be grounding ourselves here, in this community. We have lived in Belding for over 6 years now, and have had the hopes of leaving, but God has certainly changed our hearts on that matter!

The most difficult part about this move has been our health. Oh man, has it been frustrating! I try incredibly hard, to do what i can, to keep my family healthy and nourished. I have spent much time researching, reading and acquiring information, on what it is that would best keep MY family in tip-top shape. So it has come as a big hammer on the head when we have spent the last 2 months fighting sickness. It has literally been one thing after another. Just when one of us is recovering from a cold, another gets the flu...etc..! We have experienced so many different types of sickness' in such a short period of time. Ezra seems to be getting the worst of everything, followed by me. I keep hearing that it is fairly normal to get sick after moving into a new house. It is a new environment and your body doesn't have the chance for a rest, like you would get when you return home to your own germs. Not to mention the time of year we are in. It makes sense to me, but doesn't make it any better.

I do blame myself for a lot of it though. During the move, we completely failed when it came to eating healthy meals. It was all quick and easy junk, amid our busy schedule. We spent many late nights prepping and painting as soon as Dan would get home from work. As anyone who has moved would know, its a tough job, i don't need to explain it. Something i know for next time, is that i will be most definitely making meals ahead of time that i can easily heat up in the oven or put in the crock-pot. Lovely hindsight.

Another challenge, that i had to face last month, was my Dad having a heart attack. I experienced so many emotions that week, which were all very hard to process. Inwardly and outwardly i was a wreck. I spent quite a few days whipping tears away, and casting all my burdens upon HIM. The Sunday following his hospitalization we had communion at church. It was incredibly comforting, emotional and timely. I am so thankful for HIS Peace that surpasses my understanding and HIS mercy in sustaining life.
My Dad is doing well, if you are wondering, and adjusting to the changes he has experienced.

Sorry that this post may seem a little all over the place.... i do have the excuse of having just recovered from the flu, myself. As well as the fact that i just typed this out with one hand, as i have a sick little guy sleeping on me at the moment.

Until next time....

Beginnings of Homeschool!

One of the exciting adventures we are embarking on, this Fall, is the beginnings of Homeschool!

Dan and i came to the easy agreement that we wanted to Homeschool our children. I feel as if i began the process of teaching Isaiah's little spongy brain the moment he was born. As for technicalities, now that he is 4, he has started Preschool like many of his other peers. So far the transition is unfolding very seamlessly for Isaiah.

A couple years ago i started becoming familiar with a group of Homeschool families in our area. Since then it has grown increasingly! This year we joined the Homeschool Cooperative that meets once a week for classes as well as the Soccer team. It is absolutely perfect for us.

There have been a lot of changes going on this past year for our family and i was unsure how Isaiah would handle yet another unknown. I did my best at explaining to him what to expect.
We got him a backpack and he picked out a lunch box. He was ready to go! ..... but the first morning of, i realized...i wasn't. I was a complete bundle of nerves. I hadn't slept a wink, my heart was beating out of my chest and i felt sick to my stomach. I stopped to get gas on the way, as well as to pray and gather myself. I didn't want Isaiah to pick up on my anxiety, and i think i did a pretty good job at hiding it from him. I realized that my biggest fear was that he would feel the same ways that i did when i was his age.
I want him to be confident, not hindered.
Fearless, not afraid.
Strong, not intimidated.
Bold, not ashamed.
To know that even if he is in a room full of strangers, that he has his friend, Jesus, by his side.

It was pouring rain that first morning. All my fears were washed away as we ran from our car into the school building. I stepped inside in complete peace!

          All the families gathered in one room and we each took turns introducing ourselves.
(Side note, Isaiah has come into the habit of putting his hand up by his face whenever he is feeling insecure or embarrassed, and so i expected to see that when it came to his turn for introduction.)
Instead, he stood up, with his hands by his sides, clearly and loudly shared his name, age, and when asked about his favorite experience of summer, he said "Kipper the Cat". I was SO proud!
         Later, during recess, he was playing on the playground and some of the older boys were very rigorously jumping across the "moving bridge". This in turn was making the younger kids scared and hold on for their dear little lives. Isaiah gently and confidently spoke up to one of the older boys and said "Hey, can you stop doing that, your making them scared" (pointing at a boy) "Look at his face, your making him sad." The boy replied that it was just his brother. I then pipped up, "Well than if he is your brother you really need to stop and help him out."
         Isaiah is learning to "Love his neighbors as himself" and i wanted to shout "Way to go!" but....
I have learned that one of the many roles of motherhood is trying to contain your external cheering section at times that it wouldn't be the most appropriate. Isaiah and i share a little "wink and thumbs up" combo system for those moments.

         The best part of these weekly Homeschool gatherings is the pure joy all over Isaiah's face on our way home. He absolutely loves it and has had a blast so far. This week i was helping out in the nursery and was tending to Ezra. Isaiah went to class alone. Every time i would peek in on him, he just seemed so happy. Afterwards, when were getting ready to leave, one of the fellow moms said that Isaiah was the best listener in the whole class, and had done great.

         To say that it is going well is an understatement. I am seeing him completely blossom and soak it all up. What an answer to my prayers. God is blessing him so much through this change and i absolutely love that i get to witness it all.

Here are a few pictures from his first day....

A mouth full of Almonds.

Blurry, but i loved his little confident walk!

A Home Inside.

The boys just crashed after a busy day and i have a few moments to myself. I have been dying to write in my blog the last couple weeks or months, but we, as a family, are coming off of a very busy Summer and headed into the Fall with a full schedule. Pretty much all of my hobbies have been put in the back seat since Ezra's birth.

Anyways, Speaking of putting things in our back seat... We Are Moving!
I never thought the day would come, but in a few short weeks we will be saying goodbye to our first house of 6 years.
So many emotions have been running through my heart as i have slowly packed up boxes of all. our. stuff.

This house held our first home.

My husband bought this fixer-upper 6 years ago this past July, and spent endless hours preparing it for his Bride. As a Wedding gift to me, he finished our bedroom first. Red, hard wood floors and candles...you get the picture. He wouldn't let me see it until we returned from our Honeymoon. Lets just say, I was pleasantly surprised.

We spent the first week back home....remodeling our kitchen. ;-)
We spent the first year of our marriage learning how to be Husband and Wife in our house. (and failing over and over again).
We spent the second year watching my belly grow as God was knitting our baby in my womb. Later that year I gave birth to Isaiah Paul in our living room.
We spent the third year learning all about parenthood. The long nights, endless nursing sessions, exhausted bickering, and indescribable joy filled our house.
We spent the fourth year celebrating yet another child entering our house. I also gave birth to Ezra Jude in our living room.
We spent the fifth year learning to parent 2 boys. Practicing patience. Watching our oldest grow and our youngest fit in.
We spent our sixth year full of endless questions, exciting changes, lessons learned.

It has been a full 6 years for us.... full of love, joy, heartache, anxiety, peace, forgiveness, messiness, hard work, confusion, laughter, disappointment, impatience.....oh, i could go on forever.
Simply put, these walls have been a house for us. They have not been a home. Our home lies within 4 beating hearts that are all intimately intertwined by the grace of God.

I am in love with our home, and i am taking it with us. Which is why i know i wont find it very hard to say goodbye to our house.

Ezra Judes Home Birth

Wednesday:
I don't know if it had been the emotions that i had been experiencing all day or the fact that i had just had some "Special" time with my husband, but at exactly 10:30pm i had my first contraction.
With the dim light of a candle i laid in bed watching the clock on my phone for almost 2 hours in a suppressed excitement. I was ending my 8th day of being "overdue" and didn't want to get my hopes up in case the contractions stopped. Thankfully they didn't... but little did i know they would continue for the next 36 hours.
I decided i would go downstairs since i was certain that this was going to be a faster labor than my first (30hrs). I had plenty of things to keep me occupied and out of bed. I wanted every contraction to count and so standing upward and walking around was my main prerogative.
Around 12:30am i gave in and texted my mom who called me right away.
Afterward i called my Midwife to just let her know that i was having contractions. She said to call her back whenever i wanted her to come out.
At 2:30am i snuck up to our bedroom and gently woke Dan up to let him know that i was having contractions and that my mom was on her way over. I told him to go back to sleep though, because he would need his rest.
My mom came over around 3am and slept on our lounge chair while i tried to rest on our couch.

Thursday:
Dan and Isaiah groggily came downstairs around 8am. Isaiah and i curled up together while he ate a banana and Dan recorded me telling him that we were going to meet the baby soon. It was a sweet morning, so relaxed. We took our last couple pictures of just the 3 of us. We ate breakfast and hung around the house just waiting for my contractions to continue to pick up. As i hadn't gotten much sleep the night before my mom thought it best if they leave me alone to sleep for a while. They went on a long 2 hour hike and stopped at the store and i was able to curl up on the couch and finally sleep. It felt so good!
After they got back home i got up and realized that i probably should have gone on the walk with them. My contractions had slowed WAY down, and weren't hardly uncomfortable at all. I was pretty bummed.
Thankfully my best friend Mandy was on her way over to keep me company for a while before she had to head out of town. It was a pleasant break from my frustration and it was nice to have her there with me. We decided that her, Isaiah and i would take a small walk down to the river near our house since i was in need of some exercise. I had a couple contractions while we were walking, but nothing very strong. When we got back home she asked if she could give me a foot massage. Since i had recently gotten a pedicure i agreed. haha!
This is where things seemed to change for the better for me. I noticed halfway thru her massage that my contractions were getting much stronger. Nothing to make me uncomfortable in my sitting position, but finally picking up. I kept my excitement to myself.
After we said our sad goodbyes we all hung around the house a bit more and waited for my Father-in-law to arrive. He was over for about an hour and after he left we sat down to eat dinner. I gave Isaiah a bath and he watched in amusement while i danced around the bathroom during my contractions, i was SO ready to get things moving faster. Afterward he and i went upstairs to snuggle. After laying there for a couple minutes i knew i wouldn't last long. During each contraction i kept awkwardly standing up out of bed while Isaiah was trying to fall asleep.
I HAVE to be moving during my contractions. It helps me so much to rock my hips side to side, or front to back, or to squat. I prefer not to lay still. I gave up trying to lay there with Isaiah and asked Dan to take over. I layed down on the couch while my mom crocheted and Dan eventually came downstairs as well.
I was pretty tired at this point and just wanted a little bit of sleep. Every time a contraction came i would change from laying down on the couch to leaning my elbows on the arm rest so that i was in an upright position.

Friday:
After a while of that frustrating "back and forth game" i asked Dan to call his Mom and let her know she could come over. It was about 12:30am and i decided i should update my Midwife Sara as well. She said that her and her apprentice, Jodi would make their way out.
I asked Dan to lay on the lounge chair so that i could at least have his hand available. Its amazing how the hand of a husband can lend so much support to a laboring women even if he is completely asleep. I was so thankful to have him there with me. During this time i did the majority of my squatting as it felt the most comfortable (Gravity is your best friend during labor!)
My Mother-in-law, Julie, arrived who was shortly followed by my Midwife. I was so happy to see Sara and Jodi as it was another reminder that i was making my way through this long labor. They brought a few things in, Jodi listened to the babies heartbeat and then they sat on the floor on the other side of the room.
Reflecting back on this part of my labor i just have to smile. It was perfect, and just how labor should be: Peaceful. The lights were all out, my mom and and Julie were asleep in the living room, Dan was asleep and Sara and Jodi were crocheting. We were all just patiently waiting. No interruptions, no checking, no monitors beeping, no uncomfortable gowns..... just me, just us,  simply in our own home.
Sara said that they were going to go drive around to find some coffee and to let her know if anything happens. After they left i decided to walk around the house. I couldn't help but notice the full moon that was SO bright. There was something about it that gave me a sense of peace every time i walked past the back door and saw it.
I asked Dan to wake up and try to massage my lower back during the contractions as i was beginning to have a lot of back labor. I had been squatting most of the night and resumed that position.
Around 6:30am my mom and Julie started to get up and at 7am i heard the pitter-patter of Isaiah's little feet upstairs. By 8am i was beginning to wonder if my Midwife had found coffee in our small little town and sure enough, when i texted her, she said that they had just been sitting outside in her car. I told her that i was beginning to feel a little pushy and she asked if i wanted her to come inside. She was incredibly respectful of my own ability to think for myself.... no commands, no suggestions, no interruptions to check how many centimeters i was dilated, only praise for how well i was doing.
Isaiah made his way over to me and gave me his usual morning snuggles. Then he spent the rest of the morning playing quietly with Grandma Julie.
My Midwife, Sara, came in and Jodi listened to the babies heartbeat. They made themselves comfortable on the couches and were crocheting again. I loved it. When i asked my Midwife if i should change anything i was doing she said that i was doing great, and should do whatever my body feels most comfortable doing. She said that she was having a hard time gauging where i was at because i was so quiet. The following day she told me that she had only 1 other client that was as quiet as i was during my labor. I am a silent laborer, that is how i stay calm and relaxed. I focus a lot on my breathing so that i don't get carried away with the pain.
Around 9:15am Isaiah joined me again and helped daddy rub my back during a few contractions and helped me drink some water. He is such a lover, his daddy has taught him well.
Jodi listened to the heartbeat again as i think we could all tell, at least i could, that i was nearing the end. I never kept track of how long i was in labor, it just didn't enter my mind. I do remember wondering if it would ever be over though.
I felt like i needed to go pee, so Dan and i went into the bathroom together. I had a strong contraction and then made my way over to the toilet. Almost as soon as i was sitting down i had another strong contraction and my water broke. It was so powerful that i let out a big moan and i honestly thought that the babies head had come out! Dan and i looked at each other and then very slowly the bathroom door opened and Sara asked if i was doing ok. She asked if i wanted to stay there or move back into the living room and so Dan and Sara helped me waddle to the couch where i sat down. I don't remember this, but Jodi said that when i sat down that i told them it was time for me to push. Between the time my water broke and our babies entrance into the world was 15 minutes. It all happened so fast after such a long labor. Feeling the intensity of pushing out your baby is something i cannot explain. I could feel every little movement forward and every little regression as well. Its incredibly painful....and yet.... its not. I was the 1st to feel the top of his head and it was an amazing feeling knowing that i was so close to holding our blessing in my arms. Sara handed me a few cloths with Arnica oil on them to help in the process of not tearing. (Which i am happy to say was successful). First his head came out, with his little hand tucked up by his chin, which he slipped back inside. My mom and husband called for Julie and Isaiah to come downstairs. As they came racing down the stairs i had another contraction and i pushed the rest of his body out. The cord was draped across his chest and as Sara helped me pull him towards me she moved it out of the way. I felt so relieved that after such a long labor he was finally in my arms AND so shocked that my baby was a 'HE'! I was more than certain that we were going to have a girl. My confidence led me to purchasing a few girl outfits just in case ;-) I also had the reassurance of many others telling me the same thing. Never the less, i was thrilled to have another boy on our hands! We had the name Ezra picked out, but hadn't completely decided on a middle name.... Ezra Jude seemed like the perfect fit for him. A healthy 7lbs 3oz. and 21inches long. It took me a while to take it all in....in fact it took a couple days to really process the whole event in my mind. It was such an incredibly empowering experience and i am so thankful that i had such loving people around me. When you know you are loved and being compassionately cared for it makes it that much easier to love another in return.

Dan, you are the best partner i could ever ask for. You are so sweet, so tender, and yet know exactly how to make me laugh when i need it most. Its overwhelming to share these brown eyed boys with you.
I can't express enough how blessed i am to have been able to share those priceless moments with Isaiah and both of his Grandmas. It was all the more beautiful to have each of you there with me.

Thank you Sara and Jodi for expressing to me the meaning of Midwifery. Compassion never left your eyes and yet you both gave me the space to draw strength and confidence from within and the One who made me. You truly know what it means to respect a women in labor and i will be forever thankful to you for it. You are both amazing!

To my 3 year old.

What a beautiful morning it was the day that you were born. Peaceful, happy and exciting. You brought tears of joy to your daddy and i the moment we first saw you. Thinking about those first moments still brings tears of joy to my face. There are few people in this world that i am In Love With, and you, my Isaiah Paul, are one of them.
If i could give you one word that embodies your character it would be 'passion'.
You play with a passion.
You run with a passion.
You dance and sing with a passion.
You talk with a passion.
You hug and kiss with passion.
You love with a passion.
Your an "all or nothing" kind of boy.
People remark a lot on how you always seem to never be without a smile, and although you are not perfect, you certainly radiate happiness. Even if i am having a horrible and impatient day, you somehow remain steadfast.
I love that you wear your heart on your sleeve but yet show much self control when i know it is in you to be impulsive. You are a leader, but you know when to follow. You are independent yet still rely so comfortably on me. You are a listener and you take the time to think about what others are saying. You are so aware of the world around you. You are unique and it saddens me when others don't see you as i do.

This past year has been full of changes and excitement:
You pretty much taught yourself how to go diaper free right after you turned 2 which left me a very happy mama.

You learned how to become a big brother. It all started with helping our Midwife check the babies heartbeat while it was growing inside my tummy and helping me through my labor. You were there with us when we welcomed baby Ezra into our home and right away you assigned him is very own car.
You learned how to share a mommy and daddy that was all your own with a new baby and have done an amazing job so far. You are so sweet with Ezra that it absolutely melts my heart. I love to spy on you when your in the room alone with him and he begins to whimper. You get real close and say in a soft high pitched voice "Its okay Ezwa, don't cry Ezwa. Be happy, don't worry." You are so patient. I love seeing the endearment on your face when you are talking to Ezra. You are such a good big brother.

You are in LOVE with Cars. You are Obsessed with cars!! You play with cars every day, all day long. You love watching anything having to do with cars. You bring the cars to the potty, in the car, to the store, on our walks.... you sleep with cars. You talk about cars, fast cars, big cars, little cars. You will be in the middle of a sentence and see a car and exclaim, "Fast Car!" I have no idea what your going to be when you grow up, but i wont be one bit surprised if it has to do with cars.

You are learning about God. Its amazing to hear you talk to God and ask me if we can pray. Your still trying to figure Him out and have asked where He is, but you still continue to talk to Him. I can't wait for the day that you realize all that He has done for You!

You are 3.... 2 is gone. Although i fight the urge to ball my eyes out every single time i think about it, and although i know my heart is going to break with every birthday that comes and goes it will also be filled with so much of your contagious joy, because i am incredibly blessed to be your mother.

I love you Isaiah Paul.... "So Much".