Nashville

My sister, Kara, just turned the big 3-0.  A couple of months ago she asked me if Troy and I would like to take a weekend trip with her and her husband, Dustin, to Nashville to celebrate her birthday.  I knew as soon as she mentioned it that I wanted to go.  I have often heard that Nashville is a really nice place to visit.  And a weekend away with my husband to be with Kara and Dustin sounded wonderful.  We are blessed with parents who are always willing to come to stay with our girls, so thanks to the kindness of my wonderful in-laws coming to stay with Kyla and Ashlyn, we were able to go and we had a great time!  The weather was beautiful, the food was delicious, the city was fun and the company was the best.  Kara and I have always dreamed of taking trips together with our husbands one day......our first one got us off to a really good start.  Here is how our weekend in Nashville went down....

We were told that breakfast at the Pancake Pantry was a must.  We were also told the line is usually out the door.  They were right....here we are waiting in line.

Hungry men ready for pancakes

 The wait was so worth it!  The best pancakes I have ever had.  I don't know what it was, but there was something in either the pancakes or the syrup that was just so good.

 We visited the Opryland Hotel.  It is so beautiful.

And even though the hotel is beautiful, when March Madness is in full swing, you gotta to check the scores.  

Kara and I outside of Monell's restaurant

With my love

Happy to be with my sister

This place was so cute....they had swings in an outdoor area and the night was gorgeous

Kara and Dustin

The food!  It is family style and you sit at big tables with a bunch of people and they just keep bringing out down home food and you pass it around and take what you want.  And the sweet tea that went with it was amazing.

The cuteness of Franklin, TN can't be described.  I fell in love.  A quaint city with such a cute downtown area full of shops that look like this.

And kids outside singing with guitars

My favorite store was Philanthropy.  Such cute clothes.  The coolest part is they give 10% of what they make away to needs around the world.  This is Mary, one of the sweet girls who works there.  You could sense her love for God while you talked to her.  

Kara and I made some purchases

Lunch at Baja Burrito....soooo good.  Can you tell we like to eat?  And that this was on St. Patrick's Day?

Went to the Bluebird Cafe....a legendary place where Nashville songwriters play their music.  The cool thing is that it is a very small space so you are right by the singers.  Really fun.

I loved everything about Nashville and would go back anytime. My kind of place.  The best part of the weekend was having time away with my sweet husband

and getting to have our first trip with Kara and Dustin

So thankful for our time together.

Early Spring

We have been seeing signs of an early Spring coming.  I mean, at the end of January I saw our daffodils starting to sprout up.  Well, Spring has definitely sprung.  In fact, the past couple of days have felt more like June.  We are loving it......spending lots of time outside and doing all the things that make the beginning of Spring so wonderful.

Time for a morning wagon ride....first one of the season

Time for bike rides too....little sister loves to follow along

Happiness for Ashlyn is wide open spaces....happy girl on a beautiful morning

The daffodils have arrived!

 Ashlyn checking out the flowers while Kyla strikes a pose

Perfect weather for running around in the yard

 And for swinging at the park

There is nothing better than the arrival of a new season.  We are ready for this one....Happy Spring!

Round Up the Kindergarteners

Last week was a little milestone for us....kindergarten round up.  I wasn't dreading it or feeling that nervous.  I was getting a little emotional as the time got closer.  We pulled up to the elementary school and walked hand in hand into that brand new world with our firstborn daughter.  I love her so much.  She is my heart.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Kyla on that night because she has a shy and timid personality in new situations.  The principal was greeting all the families and children as we walked in and Kyla gave her a quiet "hi."  We went and sat in the school cafeteria with the rest of the parents and soon to be kindergarteners.  They introduced the teachers and told us a little bit of the school schedule.  I knew their would be a bus ride that the kids could go on to see what it was like.  The time came and most of the kids made a bee line to get ready to go on the bus.  Not my shy girl.....she hung onto me, crying.  Told me she didn't want to go on the bus without me.  The rest of the kids were heading out to go and the sweet kindergarten teachers were telling me she didn't have to go.  I told Kyla she didn't have to go on the bus, but that made her cry more.  I knew she was caught between wanting to go and being scared to go.  She finally took the hand of a young student teacher and headed out to the bus.  I was so glad she went because I knew she would love it.  And she did, she later told us it was her favorite part of the night.

Once Kyla was on the bus and I was sitting back next to Troy at our seat in the school cafeteria, the principal went on to tell us about kindergarten....how it isn't how it used to be.  She even used the word "rigorous" more than once.  Telling us that kindergarten is rigorous.  Hmmmmm.  Honestly, she almost had me believing that kindergarten was the step right before leaving for college.  Tough stuff.  There is a half day and full day option for kindergarten.  I had always thought Kyla would go to half day....I am in no rush to get her out of the house.  We got the impression that because kindergarten is "rigorous" that half day is not the best option.  I left feeling more unsure than when I came in.

I talked to my mom the next day and told her all of my feelings.  I told her how emotional I was feeling.  I explained to her how on one hand I am really frustrated that education is getting so competitive that kindergarten is now considered "rigorous" and we need to get our kids out of the house earlier to get them ready.  I told her that on the other hand I know Kyla's temperament and that even more than the education I can see how she might benefit from full day to get comfortable and that by the time first grade comes she won't be as scared of new experiences.  Things like eating in the cafeteria, going to gym....those kinds of things that full day students do.  I knew exactly where my emotions were coming from....I didn't know what the best option was, I just knew that things are going to start to be different and that makes the tears come. 

Here is my sweet, Kyla, feeling more comfortable and happy after her first bus ride and seeing the kindergarten rooms at her soon to be school

I really don't know what option we will pick.  And I know everyone has their own opinions.  In the same conversation about this subject I can have one person say to me, "Don't let anyone tell you what to do about your child's education.  Don't let them push you into anything," and another say, "My kids did full day and it was so good for them."  Everyone parent is different, just like each child is different.  I am praying very hard that God would show us what is best for Kyla. 

Regardless, I am feeling the changes as I process all of this and I think the hardest part for me will be these two girls of mine not being together as much in the day.  I am telling you, the next morning after round up, as I was thinking about, I was grieving it.  The bond these girls share is so special.  They are best friends.  When Kyla is in kindergarten, half day or full day, things will be different and there won't be as much free time and things like.....

 a bath on a random Thursday morning....two sisters having so much fun together

or cuddling together to look at a book

I know those things will still happen, but not how we are used to them now.  There won't be as much of just Mommy, Kyla and Ashlyn all together.  Thinking of us not eating lunch together everyday is one of the hardest things for me.  And I wish I wasn't so sentimental or that I didn't feel things as strongly as I do.  But, in these cases, it tends to be the way I am.  And I know that these sweet years of days at home and the preschool schedule are in some ways about to change.  It is okay.....life is moving along and that means things change.  I know.  I am just starting to feel it.  And I have a feeling that I will feel like the kindergarten days are very sweet days as well.  Really, when God is orchestrating and guiding our lives.....all of the days are sweet ones.  Thankful.  For now, we will enjoy today and trust Him for tomorrow. 

Bloom

Last week I posted a link to the video below on Facebook.  It is a video of a trailer for a book written by Kelle Hampton.  I first heard of Kelle Hampton when Ashlyn was still a small baby.  A friend of mine knew the grieving process I was in and shared a link to her blog with me, in which Kelle Hampton had written a blog post about her second daughter just being born with Down Syndrome.  I remember reading that blog post and thinking that literally she had just written everything I was feeling.  It was all exactly the same and she wrote it so beautifully.  I have been reading her blog ever since. 

She has since gotten quite famous in the Down Syndrome community and seems to be getting well known in general.  She is a very gifted writer and beautiful photographer.  She recently wrote a book called, "Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected" and this is the trailer for that book.  Again, these could have just as easily been my same thoughts and feelings, because they were....



They are a few differences between what she shares in her video and what my experience was.  First, I do not have a budding photography career nor do I have Saturday breakfast with friends, although that sounds wonderful.  The main difference is that I did not know that Ashlyn had Down Syndrome as soon as I saw her.  I am realizing that I have never shared much on this blog about my labor and delivery with Ashlyn and I really should because it is quite a story.  I will someday.  I first heard the words Down Syndrome about fifteen minutes after she was delivered and they were spoken by the doctor who was on call and delivered her.  It wasn't until a couple of days later that I began to see glimpses of it myself and even then I didn't want to believe it.  It was a day later that a doctor sat us down and said it plain and simple and showed us on paper in black and white ink a copy of an extra 21st chromosome.  Even then, I didn't want to believe it and was in somewhat of a denial for awhile.  The grieving process had begun in a big way and I found out firsthand that denial is most definitely a part of the grieving process.

All of that is for another post and I will share about the day of her birth (it was wild).  But, for now, all I know is what was shared in that video is so much of what I felt.  Kelle Hampton has not only just written a book but has also been interviewed on CNN and done internet interviews for some big things.  One of the most recent ones she linked to on her blog and I watched it and she mentioned how some of the comments people left were not very kind.  In the particular interview, Kelle Hampton was saying that although Down Syndrome was a shock they are embracing the beauty it brings and are so thankful for their daughter and all she is teaching them.  All things that I also feel.  I looked at some of the comments and one person said something to the effect of, "That is great that you feel that way now, but this is only the tip of the iceberg of the challenges you will face raising a child with Down Syndrome.  You need a dose of reality and it will be coming.  You have no idea how hard it is going to be."

I could tell the comment really bothered Kelle and she talked a little bit about.  The comment really bothered me.  I have no idea where that person was coming from or the personal experiences they have had that caused them to say those things.  I realized it was going to start getting to me if I didn't get control of it.  Because the truth is that sometimes it does hit me that Ashlyn is only two and the challenges that lay ahead for her, we haven't even begun to experience them yet.  I have realized this I have talked with two mothers of Down Syndrome recently who both told me their elementary aged children were not yet potty trained.  Yes, those kinds of conversations can definitely make you realize there are bigger challenges to come.  I know that.  I am aware.  I know it isn't always going to be easy.  I see some of those things now.  But, you know what?  If you would have told me three years ago that I would have a child with Down Syndrome I would have thought I could never handle that.  And here I am.  People can be as negative as they want and life can throw as many curveballs as it wants and the challenges can just keep coming, but if there is anything I have learned in the last three years it is that my God is HUGE!  And it is that and that alone that let me know there is nothing to worry about in our future.  Some people can call that being unrealistic, but I call it faith.  God is so able and He certainly does make the unexpected so very beautiful. 

Love List

I know that Valentine's Day was last week, but it is still the month of love, so I thought I would share a list of things that I am loving right now.....

*Pinterest - Oh, Pinterest, how much do I love you?  If you are at all into decorating, cute ideas or recipes and you haven't gotten on pinterest yet.....it is time.  My sister in law first introduced it to me and I have been hooked ever since.  I love decorating and doing new things around our house and also trying new recipes.  And, it turns out, people have all sorts of creative things on this site.  Just looking around on pinterest makes me happy and here are a few things I have found on there lately that I am really loving....

Green Monster Smoothie.....so good

I have heard several people talk about spinach smoothies and as much as it sounded like a good idea it just didn't sound good enough for me to want to make one.  Until one day on pinterest I saw a pretty picture of one (that always draws me in) and people saying that it tasted really good.  Honestly, to me that means it tastes like a blizzard from DQ.  I was highly doubting that a spinach smoothie would taste like that and to be truthful, this doesn't taste quite that good, but it is really good.  I make one several times a week.  If you are on pinterest, look it up and give it a try. My other favorite from pinterest is this photo collage that is now on our living room wall.....

Here it is all laid out on our floor before being put up

I had so bad been wanting a photo collage for one of our walls, but left to my own devices to try to come up with all the right frames all the right distance apart, it never happened.  Enter pinterest and all of the creative, pretty and inspiring ideas.  And, this particular project gave very detailed instructions, was not hard and did not cost a lot of money....all of my favorite things.

Finished product.....we all love it.  The girls love it! They were so excited to see it and Kyla loves to talk about the memories associated with each picture.  So much more meaningful than the wall art that was hanging there before.

*Message Board - This is another thing I am really loving right now....

My friend, Nicole, recently had what is called a Blessings Party, which sells DaySpring products.  They have beautiful products and I chose this.  I love it!  It is a dry erase marker board....it is in our kitchen and I put Bible verses on it.  It is a great way for our family to see Scripture as we walk through the house and also to help the girls memorize verses.  

*The phrase, "Not cool"- I am loving this right now because it is one of Kyla's new phrases.  It is so big kid sounding and makes me laugh.  She uses it in several circumstances.  The other day she was building blocks and Ashlyn knocked them over and she said, "Ashlyn, that is not cool." :)  And just a few days ago I accidentally dropped a plate in the kitchen.  She walked in, looked at me and just said, "Not cool."  She cracks me up.

 *Morning devotional time -  I have for so long wanted to get up early in the morning and have quiet time with God reading the Bible and praying before my day starts.  The problem here is I am not a morning person.  I tried it in college, it lasted a few days.  I have tried it several times over the years, never lasted long.  I always did better with devotional time in the afternoon.  The problem I was running into recently though, was that my afternoon time is becoming very limited.  I just don't have a lot of uninterrupted time and was feeling like I couldn't really focus.  I knew it was time to try the morning thing again but I was nervous about it.  And, the deal is, I really need this time and really want it.  I kept thinking about doing it in the mornings and finally tried it again.  I am going on a month now and loving it.  Both of my girls are good morning sleepers, neither of them getting up super early, so I am able to get up before they are awake and have that time.  It has been wonderful.

*Date nights - This will always be on the list of things that I love.  The other thing I really love about date nights right now, though, is that my friend Tracy and I swap date nights with each other once a month.  One Friday night a month her kids come to our house so she and her husband can go out and vice versa.  We each get a night out with our husbands, free babysitting and our kids get to play together, which they love.  Everybody is happy.

The very top of my love list.  On our date this past weekend

Woohoo!!!  We are getting ready to celebrate being married 10 years and we are taking a trip to celebrate.  Add in some travel research to our date.

The love is shared with our kids on date night too.....Kyla came home with this note of sweetness from her friend, Alyssa

This is what I am loving these days.  How about you....anything on your love list right now?

Lovey Dovey

Today is Valentine's Day but we have been feeling the love for weeks leading up to it.  I love Valentine's Day because it is a reason to make things special, but nothing you have to stress about to get ready for.  It is just the special little things about Valentine's Day that make it so fun.  Like wearing clothes with hearts on them....

Ashlyn after church

Another heart shirt

And another

And one more....Ashlyn declaring her love for her daddy

And, of course, the fun of having small kids at Valentines....making crafts.  This is something Kyla just loves!

Ashlyn got in on it too with her sweet speech therapist adding in some play dough fun during speech.

And, who can forget about the Valentine's treats?  We always look forward to the really yummy treats my mother in law sends us at Valentines each year.  I have been getting these treats ever since Troy and I were dating in college and now Kyla and Ashlyn are loving them.

The other great thing about Valentine's is that you can make anything extra special by making it into the shape of a heart.....

  Rice Krispie treats

Not heart shaped, but so good

Valentine's lunch....heart shaped grilled cheese

My favorite part of Valentine's is doing special things to show our love for each other.  I love seeing this between Troy and the girls....he is such a loving daddy to them, making sure they know they are loved.  And he gives them each flowers every year.  I just read something a couple of weeks ago that said that young girls that know they are loved and affirmed by their dads when they are small, won't be as likely to feel the need to seek love and affirmation someday from a teenage boy. Amen! I experienced this love from my dad and love seeing my girls receive it from theirs.

Ashlyn looking at her card from daddy

We are lucky girls....our beautiful flowers

Add in a little Valentine's snow.....

and, we had a great day.  Feeling the love....Happy Valentine's Day!