baby Declan

My first job out of college was at a publishing company. I was barely twenty-one, and completely new to the corporate office setting (read = inexperienced/naive/terrified of making too many mistakes). Enter: Erika, executive assistant to the president of the company. A sweet southern girl, Erika was classy, stylish, smart, and very, very kind. She helped me out many times during my first weeks on the job, and I learned much from her calm demeanor under lots of stress. 

In short, Erika is fantastic.

Fast-forward a few years, and here we are: Erika is asking me to take pictures of her brand-new baby boy. (!!!!!!!) What a joy/honor/blessing/etc.etc.etc. (Side note: Erika and her husband, Geoff, are the kind of people you always want to be friends with. No matter how long it's been since you've last seen them, they're warm and welcoming and make you feel right at home. Even when you're taking too long setting up a shot because you're fawning over fuzzy newborn skin, and let their diaper-less infant pee all over his new blankie... hypothetically speaking, mind you.)

The new family of three: Geoff, Erika, and sweet little Declan.

4 years

Four years feels like an eternity.

(If I told that to my mentor, she'd laugh. She's been married for over fifty.)

Four years ago, I...

didn't know a thing about home reconstruction.

didn't own a good camera.

had a 9-5 desk job.

was wondering who would win the November 2008 election

(but didn't care because I was going to Hawaii BABY!

...and had no idea 2 babies were in my somewhat-immediate future).

didn't know how to cook.

didn't really take risks.

owned a convertible.

only did my own laundry.

didn't know how to garden.

didn't know how to share.

didn't know how to love.

Happy fourth anniversary, 

to Marty,

the man who turned my life upside-down

in the very best way possible

:)

thankful: a short list

Biggest problem yesterday: 

Trying to figure out how to get Charlie through a doctor's visit, while singlehandedly holding him down so our doctor could check his ears for an infection.

(Great news! No recurring ear infection.)

(Bad news! A brand-new bronchial infection. More antibiotics, please.)

Biggest problem today:

Trying to convince Charlie that his short sleeves really don't need to reach all the way down to his wrists.

(He kept crying and trying to pull his sleeves down, all the way until I put his jacket on.)

I love how, sometimes, problems change for the better.

Also, when the weather is gorgeous, having a sick child isn't quite as bad. I just take him outside when he cries; the sunshine somehow makes it ok.

And so, I'm thankful for breezy, sunshiney-days.
Short sleeves.
And yes, antibiotics. Lots and lots of antibiotics.

"Mom. Stop taking my picture. I'm sick. Goodbye."

{That's when he fell off the chair. Not kidding.}