Maternity Photos

Poor, sweet, Super Mom didn't have a clue what she was in for when she agreed to take our wedding pictures.  That day officially made her our family photographer for life.  So, when maternity pictures rolled around, I called and she kindly agreed to take care of us yet again.  I generally give her no direction and just trust her.  Which is not hard to do since she, as my dad likes to say, "is great at everything she does."

When she led us to a mosquito infested drainage ditch in the middle of town a couple of weeks ago, I'm not going to lie, I was a little concerned.  I should have known better than to doubt her.

Because she ended up snapping photos that look like this.  And the shoot took all of 30 minutes.  Plus gave me time to visit with one of my best friends.  Win, win, win.

I'm debating which one to hang on the wall.....tell me your favorite!

I cannot tell you what a joy it is to be friends with this talented lady.  Not only is she an amazing photographer, she's an even better friend and example and we are so, so grateful to have her friendship in our lives and her pictures on our walls!

Deck The Halls Post #4: Super Mom

Today's post completely explains why Super Mom received her blog name.  For crying out loud, she is taking care of three boys under the age of 3 who have been sick for weeks, she's pregnant with baby #4, she makes freaking homemade Christmas gifts for people like homemade vanilla extract and sugared almonds, and still has time to beautifully decorate her house and look this adorable while going to Mass on Saturday night.  Seriously, she's super human.  Enjoy.  Be jealous. 




I bought this before I was married and for some reason it's one of my favorite pieces.

This is part of my Christmas "china" - rather than picking out a regular china when I registered for my wedding, I picked out Christmas themed china. I love bringing it out every year to use every day as we prepare for Christmas!

 I love nativities.  This Nambe one was a gift from my grandmother.  I love it's simplicity!

Last year the boys received this book and figurine as a reminder of the real reason for Christmas.

I also love Christmas trees (see a theme here?).  I think I'll start collecting them :)



 I finally found an Advent calendar that I adore.  I've been putting little toys in it for the boys but hope to put ideas for acts of kindness that we can participate in during Advent as the boys get older.

A sweet lady in town made these stockings for each of the boys without me even asking her to - we'll forever treasure them!

Each one has their name and the year that they were born.

Just a little "Merry Christmas" garland.

Our Advent wreath.

Carter decorating a wonderful smelling real tree.

Our tree topper (with Jesus in the background).

I used to hate these glass ornaments, but now they're my favorite - funny how things change.  

Phillip from Milwaukee

“Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody's business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.” ~Thomas Merton

Give a stranger $100.  

This has been a bucket list item of mine for a while.  For some reason, I just never got around to doing it.  And then, when Super Mom and I were planning an idea for ND Friend's birthday, I knew I had found my opportunity.

See, ND Friend is hands down the sweetest, kindest, most generous person I know.  By about a mile.  For her 30th birthday she has been making a list of 30 acts of kindness to do on her birthday.  So Super Mom and I decided that part of our gift to her would be to get in touch with 30 of her family and friends, and have each of them do one act of kindness in the 30 days leading up to her birthday.  Once the act of kindness was done, each person would write a letter to ND Friend telling her about what they did in her honor.  Pretty good, right?  (Give me zero credit....it was all Super Mom's idea!)

So prior to the date that I was assigned (April 5), I got a $100 bill out of the bank.  I wrote a little note telling the recipient all about ND Friend and why I was doing this.  And I ordered four prayer cards from the St. Therese Society--The Little Flower is one of ND Friend's favorite saints.  One for ND Friend, one for the stranger who will get the money, one for Super Mom who came up with this idea, and one for me.

And then I set out on a mission to find my stranger.  Before I went, I prayed that God would put the right person in my path, and that I would be paying attention enough to discern that.  As I waited for the right person, I focused on the Thomas Merton quote a top of this blog.  It was not for me to decide who was worthy of the money, it was not for me to wonder what they would spend it on.  It was for me to have an open heart and a desire to help.

On a random Tuesday as I was leaving the grocery store, I met Phillip from Milwaukee.  I was running late and stressed out and in a hurry.  He walked up to me in jeans and an old Raider hoodie.  He had long blonde hair that hadn't been washed in a while that was pulled back in a ponytail.  He asked if I had any change that I could spare.  "Actually," I said, "I sure do."  I handed him the prayer card with the note about ND Friend and the $100 bill tucked inside.

He opened it up, saw the money, and sighed the happiest, most relieved sigh I think I ever heard.  "Are you serious?"  He then said that another lady in the parking lot had just prayed with him that he would be able to find a way to get a room for the night.  I told him that it was pretty clear that God was on his side!

I told him I was and that I was doing this as an act of kindness in honor of my friend's birthday and that I hoped it would help him.  After hearing that, he said that he had been given four bags of Starbucks ground coffee and wanted to give it to me for my friend's birthday party.  I explained that my friend lived in Chicago so we were not having a party (ironic though that he offered coffee to ND Friend who likes that stuff more than anyone I know!) and he got all excited and said he was from Milwaukee.  Some sort of midwestern bond he felt to her in Chicago, apparently.  Next, he asked if he could hug me, and being a hugger, I of course said yes.  (For the record, I don't normally hug random men in the grocery store parking lot.)   Before he left, he asked my name, shook my hand, and said he would pray for me and ND Friend.

As I left, I just felt thankful.  Thankful for ND Friend for being such an example of kindness and charity.  Thankful for Super Mom for coming up with such a great birthday idea.  Thankful for Phillip from Milwaukee for being such a grateful recipient.  And thankful to God, for putting the right people in our paths when we open our hearts to do good.

An Easter Visit

"I live for the simple moments, the moments that make me smile, the moments that take my breath away, the moments that make me cry, but the moments that mean the world to me are the ones spent with friends...all the remember whens, and the times we finish each other's sentences, every second we spend together, are the ones that I want to remember forever."  ~Board of Wisdom

On Easter evening, I made a little trek to northeastern New Mexico to see two of my dearest friends, Super Mom and ND Friend.  I hadn't seen Super Mom in about 8 years, and I had never met her husband and sweet boys, and it was great to have ND Friend and Tiny Dancer closer than Chicago for a weekend!

Love these girls so much!!

We just hung out at Super Mom's house, played with the boys, ate pizza, laughed a ridiculous amount and had the best time.  At one point, all of us--5 adults and three kiddos were in one of the boy's rooms just hanging out.  There was a basketball game going, tractors being played, books being read.  And at that moment I looked around and just tried to soak it all in, because it couldn't have been more perfect.

ND Friend, Tiny Dancer and the adorable oldest boy

Me and the oldest boy

Me and the middle boy playing tractors

You try to get two kids and two adults all looking at the camera!

Reading a book....I just love this child!

Our attempt at a group photo

I am so thankful for these girls (and their family) and their friendship, and an Easter visit was a the perfect way to celebrate that!

Letters to Mr. Right: Letter #20

"I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”  ~Umberto Eco, Foucault's Pendulum

Dear Mr. Right,

Last Sunday I overheard a daddy tucking his son into bed.  I watched as he carried the pajama-clad one year old into his bedroom room.  And then I listened as the daddy said prayers with the son and then softly sang Jesus Loves Me.  This man's man--a cowboy who wears boots and sorts cattle all day and who served a tour in the army in Iraq--took the time to gently say goodnight to his son.  And my heart melted.

Photo via Super Mom's blog

As excited as I am about you loving me, I'm even more excited about you loving our little ones.

(Who with any luck will be college football stars in the making.)

Until that day,

Me

Meet the Cast Monday #41: Super Mom

It's been a while since I've done a Meet the Cast Monday post, but I've got several lined up over the next few week that I'm really excited about! For those of you who are knew, my blog title comes from the quote, "My life has a superb cast, I just can't figure out the plot." And, so, I use this little series to introduce you to the people who make up that superb cast through a series of questions.

I have been friends with Super Mom since I was in about the 8th grade and she was winning all of the contests in FFA.  She and ND Friend (they're sisters) were some of my favorite FFA friends.  Seriously, she's a rock star.  Brilliant, beautiful, one of the nicest, most genuine people you will ever meet.  And, as her name suggests, she is a great mom to three of the cutest little boys I've ever seen.  From hanging out at State FFA to her giving me a tour while she worked at the White House to our multiple emails every day now, I could not be more grateful for her friendship!  Oh, and she has an adorable blog that you all need to go read and follow. Seriously.

Meet Super Mom!

What is the best part about being a mom?

 

Gosh, there are so many wonderful things! As many say, I didn't know I could love someone in this way or with this intensity until I became a mom. There are days in which you are at your limits, stretched thin and praying that one more thing doesn't get thrown across the room or dropped behind the couch, when to discipline just one more time would send you over the edge, and when you can barely find time to get dressed. However, to combat those days, there are the moments when your child looks at you and says, "I luh you, Mommy!," when they give you hugs like you've never had before and when you watch them sleeping like angels on earth...those are the times when you think, why me? Do I deserve to be blessed like this? These little ones are miracles...every single one of them. The best part of being a mom is being blessed with the opportunity to raise them.  {Could there be a better answer to this?  No.  No there could not.}

 

 

Tell us about how you met your husband.

Ahh, it was in sixth grade! I remember; he doesn't.  {Go figure!  Men!}  He was a senior at the time, ha! His mom and my aunt grew up together and had boys about the same time. So, my husband was friends with my older cousins. I met him at my cousin's house when I was twelve, and he was nice to me...little ol' me. He took the time to visit with me when tons of people were there, and it made my year! I then dreamed of marrying him, probably like all young girls dream of someone. Life went on, and I would secretly wish for updates on his well-being from my aunt, but I never mentioned him to anyone (minus my sister who I share everything with). Then, years later, when I was finishing college, and he was immersed in an Army career, we met up again at my cousin's wedding. After dating a few months and then taking a three-year "break," we got together again and now have been married almost four years.  {Just like Ross and Rachel on Friends---we were on a break!}  I am the luckiest girl alive!

 

 

How was working at the White House?

It was a dream, in so many regards...walking the halls of our great Presidents, sitting in chairs/rooms where major history decisions took place, knowing the news before most, and being a part of political history. I gave tours of the West Wing, helped Make-A-Wish kids meet the President, held Barney (the President's dog) and worked under Karl Rove. We would host events such as those recognizing the winning Superbowl team or congratulating Olympians on their medals. I was there when Justice Alito and Justice Roberts were appointed and when Hurricane Katrina hit. Life was adventurous from about seven in the morning until nine or ten at night most days, and the weekends were full of tours and going out with the work crew. However, I began to notice that I valued myself based on how much I got done and what events I helped put together. I was an assistant, but my world revolved around my work, and part of the high of working there was telling others I worked at the White House. It was then, and when I began to see the lives of those older than me and with families, that I realized I could not stay in DC and have the life I had dreamed about...raising a family much like I was raised...with loving, committed parents who made me (and my siblings) their priority. So, I didn't stay long, but I am grateful for having had the experience.  {I feel like this answer right here is something that so many women deal with but we never talk about--the difficulty chosing between a powerful career and the family life that you want to have.  I love that Super Mom made the decision that was right for her!}

Our White House Visit (oh my lanta...my hair!)

 

Favorite FFA memory?

I think it was my junior year. My ag teacher, Mr. Geary was having heart problems, and they hit right in the middle of judging season. To know Mr. Geary was to know that he lived to win, and he did everything in his power to prepare us to do so! That particular judging season, he simply couldn't do it. He needed to regain his health. So, community members took the reins and helped coach our teams. We, as members, stepped up to the plate as well. We wanted so badly to win, for Mr. Geary. When state judging came around, we had eight teams...as we always did. And, it came down to the wire, but we won Sweepstakes, and it was one of the proudest moments of my FFA "career."

 

Who is your favorite saint?

I am just now delving more into the lives of the saints. At first when I would read about them (and still at times), I would have great despair...thinking "I can't do this." Instead of seeing them as ordinary people who did extraordinary things, I saw their actions and lives as unattainable. After some advice from my sister, I let their stories bring me to joy instead of despair thinking "look what we have to reach for." With that said, I love St. Therese and her constant choice to love God in all things, mainly the little things. I love St. Teresa of Avila in her struggles with being worldly but coming to realize that God alone is all we need. St. Clare is my confirmation saint, and I look to Mary the most for an example of how to be a mom and how to surrender all. I have so far to go :)

Super Mom and ND Friend

 

What is the best advice you've ever gotten?

 

My mom always says, "offer it up." I never really got it, and still struggle to do it. But, in essence, she is saying that the struggles we face can be offered back to God as a sacrifice. Instead of winning an argument, say, "I'm sorry" and offer it up. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, look for the positive in the situation, and offer it up. Instead of running from pain, bear it, and offer it up. By carrying our crosses rather than running from them, we can uniquely participate in the suffering of Jesus in order to become closer to Him.  {Great advice from your sweet mama!}

 

How do you like living back in your hometown?

 

Honestly, I never thought I would be back. I wasn't one of those people who hated my hometown growing up; I just never thought I'd come back to agriculture. The riskiness of the business scared me. However, that changed when I got married. My husband wanted to try his hand at it, and we wanted to raise our children in a place where we could focus on the simple things and grow together as a family. Country life provides that, and I couldn't be happier to be back!

 

You are a cookie-making expert....tell us your favorite recipe!  {Super Mom bakes cookies with her kiddos every week and they give them--at least the ones that the boys don't eat!--to their friends.  She blogs about that project weekly here.}

 

Ha! I'm really not, but I love to bake. I'm a big fan of my mom's oatmeal cookies. They are not the spice-filled raisin kind. They are a more buttery, non-raisin cookie, and they are amazing!

Here is the recipe:

1/4 C. Crisco

1/4 C. butter

1 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. White sugar

1 egg

1/4 C. water

1 t. vanilla

3 C. quick oats

1 1/4 C. flour

1 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

Cream wet ingredients. Add mixed dry ingredients. Cook at 350 for 12 minutes. (I never come close to 12 minutes - more like 8-9, but I like really chewy cookies).

 

What is something you constantly pray for?

 

Gosh, so many things: rain, my boys, those suffering, my family and friends. Lately, it's surrender. I am too much in need of control, and when I lead my life, it never works as it should. When I let Him, it does. However, I still haven't really learned that.  {Um....I'll just say ditto to that entire control issue.} 

 

What is one (or more) item(s) on your bucket list?

I have two, one I am in total control of, the other really is God.
 

1. I want to visit the Vatican.

2. I want to have a large family :)  {I'd say she's well on her way!}