Today

Today was good. Really good. It was one of those perfect, happy family, no-fighting days. Okay, that's not possible but it was a close to perfect as it could get. 

Our day started with swimming lessons and French Toast. A little later my wonderful and loving friend Marie picked the girls up and took them to her house to make a birthday cake for my birthday tomorrow. They measured flour, cracked eggs, frosted the cake, and decorated it with strawberry slices. While they weren't doing those things they watched Wall-E on Marie's projector. Marie is one of the most wonderful people I know.

While the girls were gone Michael and I took a trip to his favorite farm store, Cal-Ranch. We made our very first purchase for Baby Boy; a flannel shirt and a sturdy looking jacket. We visited some 2 week old boxer puppies at my friend Arielle's. We shopped for dinner, and headed out to our friends' farm to pick up some fresh eggs and triple-chocolate milk. Yum!

On the way back we stopped to get the girls and then we headed home for one of our very favorite meals, salmon and garlic asparagus. We drank half the gallon of chocolate milk, ate some cake, Michael cleaned up the kitchen (and I helped a little) while the girls got ready for bed. Afterwards we curled up in bed and watched an episode of Sherlock Holmes. And it was the opposite of relaxing. Mallory sat on me the entire time and bounced all over my swelling belly, squishing probably every part of Baby Brother's tiny body, all while babbling, singing, and using her new found vocabulary. The other girls were in and out making their noise, shouting to each other, making sure they were heard by their parents. Thank goodness for subtitles. We did watch the last 20 minutes in peace when the girls finally retreated and Mallory finally gave it up and went to sleep.

Not a super eventful or exciting day, but pretty dang good in my book.

When I wake up in the morning I will be 27. 27??? I look at my life at the age of (almost) 27 and marvel. I've been married for 8 years. Michael and I have grown in our marriage in ways that I can't even explain to you. I am so thankful for our relationship, for the struggles we've had and the way they've refined us and helped us to grow closer. I look at us and see the ways we have both matured and I am so thankful that there is such a thing as progression! I am happy to have spent 8 of my (almost) 27 years with my darling husband and I can't wait for more and more. If you ever read this, Michael, I love you. 

I have 4, almost 5 beautiful happy, healthy children. I watched them play tonight and I remembered them at younger ages. Kaylee at 2 and Lily at 3. Are these the same children? How is it possible that they keep growing? No matter how badly I wish I could slow time and keep them little, time will keep moving forward. Every day my kids will be a day older. They will grow and change and I won't even realize it until too many changes have already taken place. I love these children. They are the jewels in my crown. Everything I ever wanted to be was a wife and a mommy. I didn't care about being rich or poor or following the ways and fashions of the world and these days I care even less. I am living my dream. We have struggles. Life is not perfect and days like today are certainly not every day. I get down, I cry, I get frustrated with my children and sometimes my husband.  But at the end of every day, good or bad, I look back and I am thankful for my life. My husband. My children. Family who loves us. Friends who are good to us. A healthy mind and body. The list goes on...

I started to think today

for just a second that I don't want to be 27. I don't want to get older. But I looked at my life, I looked at my kids and my husband and I thought, "Whats the matter with you, Katie! Life is amazing and wonderful and it only gets better as you keep living, learning and growing old!"

I want to grow as absolutely old in age and years as Life and God will let me.

Bring it on.

...and one more thing. Mallory calls her daddy "Michael". All day long. "Mee-kole! Mee-kole! Ho Mee-kole? Ho Mee-kole??"

Ho Mee-kole? = Where's Michael?