Long Over Due!

Hello Friends~  It has been quite some time since I have last blogged about our adventures.  This is due to many factors, including but not limited to, winter illnesses that seemed to run rampet in our house this year, the loss of another close family member, the winter blahs, and being BUSY with the boys!  I have decided to recommit to my blogging though, knowing that some of you really would like updates on our crazy parenting adventures and cute pics of the boys are always fun to post!  So here we go again...

Life has been anything but normal this last year for myself and family.  I can not believe in 4 short days my baby will be a year old already!  I think of all that has happened in our lives and can not help but look at him with the utmost love and feeling of being blessed.  God knew exactly what I would need to get through this last year when he blessed us with Griffin Lawrence.  Not to say He didn't create a few unexpected moments along the way!

I would like to start with some honesty.  It has been a difficult year for me personally as I was diagnosed with post-partum depression.  I sought some medical help, but it took some time and I found myself questioning if I really needed the help or not.  I did.  I am so thankful for a long talk with my husband one night that made me realize just how much it was effecting
not only me, but my husband and children as well.  I have been on medication to help me for a few months now and am feeling much better.  I don't know that I would be blogging about this if not for the fact that some family members are now struggling with issues of their own and I feel the responsibility to say that it is OK to ask for help.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with needed help from other people &/or medication if it is needed.  No one is going to judge you (and if \they o, it is more about them than it is about you).  Also, getting help is better than the alternative.  So that is my 2 cents on that.

Along with the medical piece has been a greater understanding in faith.  We consciously placed Easton in a Christian preschool environment this year.  Along with this we have been attending MOPS (a christian based Mom's group and child care setting) which both Easton and I have fallen in love with.  I am sure Griffin enjoys it too, but can only show us with smiles for now.  We have been having a lot of talks about heaven due to my dad's (cousin Kyle and aunt Carol's) passing and this has helped us immensely.  I have also found a home in Grace Fellowship, a local nondenominational church and Easton is expressing a greater interest in Sunday school as well.  It has brought back a lot of memories of going to Sunday School, VBS, and church with my family as a child and I am happy to be passing that onto my boys.

I know this is a lot, but one more transformation that has been critical is living each day as best as we can.  Cleaning out the junk and surrounding ourselves with family and meaningful friends.  I have taken up running and Chris is getting into target/sport shooting.  Finding and enjoying new hobbies together and separately has put a spark back into our marriage, and is wonderful!  I find myself falling more in love with my husband everyday.  Easton is looking forward to starting up t-ball this spring and trying out soccer later in the summer.  he is not looking forward to school ending for the year, but I am sure he will find plenty of things to keep him busy over the summer months!  Griffin's big first birthday is on Saturday and I am sure walking will be soon be following, he is already busy getting into everything!

Enough for now!  I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with love and blessings!