One Last Time

The soft light of morning washed over him through our front door as he put on his jacket. Today was the last day that he will wear his uniform. He turned to look at me, a mix of emotion in his eyes. "Take my picture." I grabbed the camera and pressed the shutter, my own emotion settling over me with each click. He stood at rest for a final time. The day we had been waiting forever for was finally here and it was the definition of bittersweet.

Touch A Tree

...that was the funniest thing you could have said to Mila that day. It was nice outside, sunny and warm and our little family was in good spirits. So what else was there left to do but go for a walk in the park? Miss Mila was excited to say the least, especially for the trees. She was in awe during the drive in and it only got better as I strapped her in the carrier and began our journey. Trees were everywhere and we had to touch them all! I love experiencing all of her quirks, her laughs, her need to explore. You go out there and you touch all of the trees you can find honey. Dad and I will be right behind you, laughing and cheering you on!

A Walk With Miss Mila

The sun came out, the snow melted. I looked my baby girl in the eyes and asked "Do you want to go outside?" Her face lit up and we threw on our jackets. The fresh air was instantly spirit lifting and we trekked down our muddy, slushy street. We took a back path through another neighborhood, down a very steep hill and over a creek. Mila was quiet, observing the change of scenery with a smile. We shared some kisses and giggles and snapped a few photos. It was a good day.

Around The House

As I said in my previous post, we have been BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! Despite beginning the chaos of packing,  rearranging, selling of everything and cleaning, we've tried to keep our schedule as normal as possible and keep as much playtime alive as we can during the day (for Mila's and our sakes)! This is not hard to accomplish at all though when you have a ridiculously silly daughter that fills your house with laughter every second! Her laugh and smile are so addictive, they are like a drug that Josh and I cannot get enough of. We will do just about damn near anything to hear or see them, no matter how insane we look or sound to our neighbors!

Saying Goodbye and A New Beginning

We've had our bout of good and bad news recently. I guess I'll start with the bad and finish up with a high note! It's always hard being away from friends and family, especially during a time of loss. My mom called me last week to tell me that one of our dogs was going to be put down. Dozer, our family's black lab, had been having some strokes and refusing to eat so it was time. I felt extremely guilty and mad that I couldn't be there to say goodbye to our puppy. I felt even worse about not being able to be there for my parents. Josh was smart and kind enough to get us out of the house for the day (have I mentioned lately how much I love that man?). We had Starbucks and tried a random chinese restaurant for dinner and it was just what I needed.

Mila's Snow Day

It FINALLY snowed in Missouri the other day so despite Mila's constant protests, I bundled her up in many, many puffy layers and set her free! She was in heaven and it was all I could do to keep myself from laughing hysterically the entire time we were outside...

A New Year - Reflections and Goals

This year has been A YEAR, let me tell you. So much has happened - we have changed, grown, been disappointed, found a love we never knew existed, moved, felt absolutely alone and created new traditions together. We have been in Missouri now for a little over a year and it truly has been eye opening. I know everybody says this but we truly didn't know what we had until we no longer had it.