Today you threw a party for you daughter's 11th birthday.  (1 of 3)  This party was for her school friends.  You always get a bit nervous (hoping you do a good job entertaining and making it a fun party for the guests and your daughter) a little anxious (lots of little, loud, crazy girls kind of makes you a little on edge) but a few minutes in you were glad you put forth the effort making this happen.  Her smiles, their smiles, laughs, silliness galore, tie dyed shirts, headbands as mustaches, pictures drawn by friends of her favorite things (animals!), hula hoops, lip gloss, cupcakes and singing and dancing.   The memories made will be worth it.

The night before you were out late shopping with your favorite person Jessica.  You were super tired eyes red from a week's worth of poor sleep and early mornings but this was the time you had.  And shopping with your best friend (along with some Vietnamese food in the sketchy part of town) made it fun and doable.

You woke up early on a Saturday for all the last minute prep and last visit to the grocery store.  Jake and your son helped get the place ready and together much was accomplished

You also were grateful for meeting the parents of her cute little friends and the opportunity to know her friends a little better.  They are pretty sweet little tweens.

Jake video'd on Caed's cam you took pics (poor Caed was working on Algebra) and Jake as only Jake can talked in silly voices and talked about boogers and the girls laughed and laughed.

You've never been much for the rambunctiousness of kids but you're getting better the older you get and the older your kids get and you are enjoying it.  True you didn't allow a sleepover... that would've been a little too much.. this time anyways.  

So in a short while your parents are coming over for party 2 of 3 along with more of your favorite people.  And you'll be tired once they all go home but you'll smile when you remember you can sleep in Sunday (since church is at 4 now).  And you'll know even if in a few years all will be forgotten the happiness of now makes it all worth it.  Togetherness, celebrating, laughs, and food.   You love your baby girl.

Today I began thinking about how soon my kids will be out of the nest and how each stage we've gone through and are about to go through as parents, as people, as adults has been unique with it's own challenges, joys, and memories.

And then came the urge to blog.  To document.  I saw myself, my future self, sifting through old blogs and writing new ones and remembering, cherishing, and noting the stages.

You can see from my side bar --all "My Blogs"-- that the blog urge happens from time to time (and for some reason I felt the urge to create new blogs... and I have deleted some along the way...sheesh).

I have not blogged lately with any consistency.  However my daydreaming today made me want to remember and record, write and document because the days are flying by.  I decided I will go home gather up my blogs and start blogging again.  And why not begin again with the blog that started it all.

This blog.  My very first post was in November of 2005.  Now 8 years later here I am again.  My kids were 3 and 5, now they are 11 and 13.  Jake and I were married 8 years now 16.  Our little buddy Blacky who we brought home December of 2005 and was first blogged about on this blog, died June of 2013.  We now have 8 month old Kitten, named Pouncer joining us.  I was a stay-at-home mom then now I work full time.  Jake was an apprentice electrician working for my dad, now he's the Supervising electrician at his current place of employment.

Some things haven't changed.  Obviously the blog urge ;) hasn't gone away.  But we are still sinners saved by Grace who stand on that Grace daily.  We walk with Jesus.  We walk through tough valleys and we take in the view from high mountaintops.  We've walked many tough journeys since I left this blog, journeys of trial and testing, journeys through fire, and journeys where each corner is new uncharted territory.  And we've walked some wonderful roads together as a family.  One of my greatest joys is watching my kids grow, mature, and emerge into the person God's created them to be.

Beginning again - because life is about beginning again.  Do overs and repeats.  And here I am having come full circle.

Onward!

My First Blog Post