Heavy Heart

I lost my first grandparent yesterday. My grandpa, Nonno, started feeling bad a couple weeks ago. They found some spots on his liver and after testing, they were told on Thursday that cancer was throughout his body and that they expected him to have 4-6 weeks. He began going downhill quickly on Friday, and yesterday his body gave out. My dad and his brother both live far away and were in mid-flight on their way there and sadly didn’t make it in time. What a reminder that life is so brief and can be over in an instant.

Please pray for our family at this time. Many of us will have long travels there (12 hours in our case) and the weather looks questionable. Also, please keep my grandmother in your prayers. She lost her mother last month and now has lost her husband too.

I’m grateful Nonno didn’t have to suffer. Up until two weeks ago he felt fine and I’m grateful the end of his life wasn’t filled with pain and suffering. He’s healed now and is feeling well again walking the streets of Heaven.

I’m very sad to be in this stage of my life. I know it will be happening more frequently as I get older. But I know I’m also SO SO fortunate that I’ve had my grandparents in my life this long. Not only that, I had three great grandparents until the age of 15. I’m truly blessed I’ve gotten to know my grandparents so well and am so glad my kids know them too. I’m sad that Reed & Nonno never had a chance to meet.

With them living 12 hours away, we didn’t get to see them frequently. The last time we saw him was in September at Stephen and Leslie’s wedding, three weeks before I had Reed. I’m grateful we had the chance to see him one last time. Rest in peace, Nonno. We will miss you.

Also, please also pray for my SIL. She will be undergoing a surgery this Tuesday and needs prayers for a safe procedure as well as a speedy recovery! Thanks friends!!!!

Project 366: Week 8

Reed’s Baptism!!

We had Reed baptized on Sunday, February 19th. It was a very special day for our family as we celebrated with our families and friends!

My mom bought this gorgeous gown before I had Ava and Reed got to wear it too! She bought it in San Francisco and it was hand made and she got it in Chinatown! Get me out of this mom!

Right before the ceremony (p.s. – I know this is so not the focus of this, but my new necklace is from a new store here, Charming Charlie. I’m in love with this place!)

Reed being baptized! He pretty much cried through the whole ceremony! Poor baby was tired! 

Reed and his godparents: my brother, Greg, & my cousin, Lexie 

Us with Zach’s family

Us & my parents (who both were looking at a different camera!)

Afterwards, we had a lunch at my parents house. A celebration isn’t a party without a cake!!!

Since my brother Greg was Reed’s godfather, his family made their way down from St. Louis. My mom was beyond excited to FINALLY have her three grandbabies together and to have a picture with all 3 of them. Here she is with her grandsons. Aren’t they cute little boys?! 

Mom and Dad with their grandbabies! Look how happy Mom is!

It was a wonderful day celebrating our dedicating Reed to the Lord. We were so thankful to have so many there to celebrate our son’s special day with us!!!

Project 366: Week 7

 

Snow and Valentine’s Day!

Monday morning we woke up to snow! It was just a little snow but really the first one we have had this winter minus some flurries! Ava was excited to see it! We took Reed out to see it but all he wanted to look at was Ava!

We didn’t do a whole lot but did take some pictures of our precious little sweeties on Valentine’s Day!

{future Mr. Right!}

We had a very sweet Valentine’s Day. Zach and I took Ava to dinner alone and she very much enjoyed it!

I feel so blessed to have three great loves in my life!!!

Getting bigger!!

Reed is growing so fast and we have started trying new things with him. It’s fun seeing him do something new!

He’s been sitting in the bumbo for a while but is getting so much better at sitting like a big boy! 

Saturday he played in his exersaucer for the first time and he was definitely a fan!

And this is just picture I love! I love his profile and his sweet little nose! He fell asleep during tummy time while sucking his fist. Such a precious little guy!!!! 

Reed, we are enjoying watching you grow and learn new things!

Project 366: Week 6

 

Being a mom is the most important job.. but I have another one too

Hi friends! It’s no secret that I’m a working mom. I’ve also not hidden my feelings about my desire for more time with my children. This post tells you where we are today. :)

For those who are new visitors from SUYL, I’m mom to Ava (3) and Reed (4 months). I work full time as an accountant for a local utility company. My husband is a teacher and we just can’t stretch the money far enough without my income. I was incredibly blessed last year when Reed was born by getting to stay home with him for 12 weeks. The first weeks were a little hard because I went from being around people all day to spending my day with someone who could only cry, but by the end of the time, I was in a groove and LOVED it. I don’t think the desire to be with my children more will ever go away, but I have to count the blessings I DO have or else I would spend my time severely depressed.

It’s definitely hard juggling working and getting things done around the house. Our day starts around 5:30 when we hit the ground running and it’s late when we finally get to rest at the end of the day! I spend lots of my lunch hours running errands so that is one less thing to do when my babies are around. I also use my lunch hour to come home and get a chore done if needed.  We have gotten in a good system of menu planning and having dinners more or less prepped so that we can get home in the evening and eat at a decent hour, so the majority of the time can be spent with Reed and Ava. After dinner there is bath time and play time and bed time. In between it all, we find the time to grocery shop, pay bills, balance checkbooks, clean the house (once a week!), and many other things. I have to say that I’m blessed beyond belief with a husband who steps in a does any and every chore to make sure we all get lots of family time. And it also does help that Zach is off during the summer – though let me tell you how hard it is to go to work when my whole family is at home without me!!!

While I don’t get to be with my kids, I am SO thankful we have a wonderful place to send them. Our church has an elementary school and Ava started preschool there this year. She’ll continue there through 6th grade. They also opened an infant program this year which was a HUGE blessing and Reed started there in January. We love this school and our children are so happy and receive such wonderful care and instruction there.

And honestly, if I do have to work, I’m so glad I work with the group of people I do. I’m blessed to have co-workers that I consider friends because I know that isn’t always the case.

The hope is there that one day things might change for us, but until they do, I just count my blessings that since I need a job, I HAVE a job. It helps provides the needs we have, as well as a lot of wants.

I look forward to meeting any other working moms stopping by! I know it’s hard being at home with children all day, but it is a different kind of hard for a mom who works and then goes home to the most important job, taking care of my family!

{These faces are what get me through my day!}

Sick Reed!

Last week, Reed starting getting a yucky cough. We could tell he didn’t feel well, but he wasn’t too bad. Even so, my grandma offered to watch him on Monday so he could have some one on one care. He did great and I know she enjoyed the time with him. She offered to watch him again on Tuesday and we let her.

He seemed better Tuesday evening so we decided to send him to school on Wednesday. He came home that evening and we could tell he didn’t feel well, but it’s so hard to judge how bad he is when he goes to bed so early and we don’t see him awake for more than a couple hours. A lot of the kids at his school all were sick with the same symptoms and many of them visited the doctor to find out they just had colds. We thought it was the same case with Reed. Thursday we sent him to school and I got this video from his teacher.

Talk about breaking my heart! I called the doctor and thankfully they were able to see us a couple hours later. I picked him up and took him to the doctor. At this point, he wasn’t quite so sad, but you could tell he didn’t feel well.

Waiting on the doctor.

The doctor determined he had an ear infection, mild bronchitis, and an upper respiratory infection! :( poor little guy! He never ran any fever and it took him several days to get bad. I’m glad I took in him at the first sign of it being more than just a cold. He definitely seems much better and is almost back to his normal self! I’m glad the guy is feeling better. Sick babies are NO fun!