Flying the Nest

My little birdie left the nest for the first time ever. Bill's Grandma Thrash sadly passed away. He was to make the trip alone for the funeral service but decided at the last minute he wanted to surprise his family and take Will along. I was shocked he was willing to do that, excited that I was getting two whole days to myself, and incredibly nervous that my baby was going to be so far away from me. I didn't sleep at all the night before they left and I cried so hard seeing them go. But Bill was great about checking in with me to reassure me all was well and knowing how happy his being there made his family. And Will had a blast! And I did ok myself ;-)  I spent time doing the things I don't normally make the time to do like long walks by myself, watching movies and reading, seeing friends I don't get to see nearly as often as I'd like. But I couldn't have been happier or more ready to welcome them home.

First time in his own seat on the plane!

Bill's beautiful cousins, Grace (center) and Christina. They live in CO and hadn't met Will before, so Bill had a great time catching up with them.

Bill's favorite 2nd/3rd cousins Ann-Marie (right) and Nicole. He hadn't seen them in many, many years so it was a nice reunion.

Will made a visit to Uncle Tim & Chris house and got the privilege of seeing their collector's commodity train table! Can you say, little boy heaven?!

With Uncle Mike

Fun at Grandma's House

The Easter bunny left a basket waiting for Will at Grandma's house!

And the people said, Amen.

Hello Spring

“That is one good thing about this world...there are always sure to be more springs.” 
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

We made it through a rough March of back to back illnesses for all three of us so this month we've been taking full advantage of Spring!

I had so much fun reading my childhood favorites to Will.

Bedtime has always been one of my favorite times with Will. It's our one on one time together and lately he's liked me to sing him to sleep. There's a double bed in his room next to his crib we lay on. I turn off of the light, turn on his Cloud B Twilight turtle, sing, and he loves it. I think I probably love it even more...

Bedtime snuggles with Grandma

President's Day fun at Mrs Kim's house

Will LOVES animals!

Easter Sunday

We had a great Easter! Will went to his first Easter egg hunt. We hosted Easter at our house for the first time ever and it was a success. Dad, David, Raine and baby Adilynn came over, and Bill cooked the ham while I made salad with homemade strawberry balsamic dressing, spinach sun dried tomato quiche with ricotta, and carrot cake for dessert. It was the first time I've ever made carrot cake and let's just say I'll be baking one again! In fact I've been really enjoying cooking lately, (my Instagram is proof of that!). I plan meals for the week, cook most of them up on the w/e's so that I don't have to come home a cook every night after work, and it really doesn't feel like a chore. I love experimenting, trying new things, and most of all, watching my family enjoy.

Bill got yet another promotion! He is now a Director and has 12 direct reports. He's managing an inside sales team which is all new territory for him and he's off and running with it. I have no doubts he'll kick ass in Sales as he does in every thing else. We just keep looking at each other, shaking our heads in disbelief, that's he's moved into middle management in less than 18 months. They also appointed him a member on their new leadership team, only 1 of 12 people selected in the whole company. I'm proud that he's come so far but I'm most proud of the kind of boss he's turned out to be. He had an employee that wanted to fly home to Oregon to see her family but didn't think she could swing the airfare. She's been a top performer so he had the Executive team approve an impromptu bonus for her right away that would get her there. He saved one of his guy's jobs and gave him a second chance many would've considered undeserved, and he suffered through his first firing, but handled it with the grace and dignity of a seasoned manager. It's not hard to imagine why he's so well recognized and loved there. Bill went to grab lunch alone one day when there were still icy patches on the ground. He assisted an elderly woman to her car in the parking lot and who should happen to see that little act of kindness but his CEO! He sent Bill a note thanking him for upholding their company values, and Bill was a little shy and embarrassed about it, but I love that he got recognized for that. He does things like that all the time, and greater, that he'd never let me tell anyone about. He's beyond a wonderful role model for our son.  

So hopefully my next post will be filled with more adventures in this season that holds so much hope and promise. I went on a long walk with just the dogs two days ago; no headphones, no distractions. It was evening time and the sky was a total contrast with the sun on one side of the horizon and dark rain clouds on the other, and I felt God's presence so fully and prominently for the first time in a long time, (probably b/c I wasn't so distracted as I usually am). For two or three minutes I felt nothing but this overwhelming sense of euphoria - reassurance that I wasn't alone; that His light was there if I chose to turn towards it...

“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Easter Morning