Happy Spring

From the luckiest Mom in the world.

Stating the Obvious

Finally, as promised, George with Jude in ERGO.

On that note, I just have to go ahead and state the obvious. I can think of nothing on this Earth more attractive than a good Dad. I am sure so many Mothers, Grandmothers, Great-grandmothers, etc. out there can agree. It does it for me.

And this brings to my mind a quote I mulled over many times during our Indiana summer. My Mom had it taped to her bathroom mirror, there for the taking. I read over and over, seeing more and more in it each time I took it in.

"A good man leaves and inheritance to his children's children"

(Proverbs 13:22)

We couldn't ask for anything more.

And no, this is not going to become a religious blog, but I did have to ask Elsa to borrow her Bible so I could look this verse up. Thanks for sharing Elsa.

All Things Leading to 2012

Another year has flown by, gone by, and I think we got by. I can only reflect on the year and realize the true unpredictability of life. Because as much as I like to plan and scribble dates, events, and appointments on my calendar, I realize it can all change in a moment. Everything set in motion by a single phone call, a single birth, a single decision causing everything to play out the exact way it should. How could we be anything but thankful? 


And though 2011 brought some unexpected twists and turns, no other year since the birth of Nyah has been much different. A whirlwind to say the least.

The dark haired beauty came after just four hours of labor in the summer of 2007, the year and the season I became the woman and the person I was meant to be. The name Nyah is Swahili for "purpose", and that is exactly what she gave to me. A purpose. Through her I also learned not only my physical strength but mental strength and once I had discovered my true self worth, we were on our way.




The two of us spent 2008 working hard in Indiana, me to make things happen for us and her growing into the strong, bold, precious girl she is, none which could have happened without the help of my family. Though times were good, the inspiration just wasn't there for me.

So, jump to January 2009, we packed our humble belongings in a few suit cases, I gathered my courage, stepped out on faith, and followed our hearts back to Nyah's island of St. Croix. I was content. Nyah was all I needed.

And from there we grew more, connected with the island culture, enjoyed local food and the company of my brother and sister in law. We lived a simple life under the sun.

And then on that hot night in the rainforest, I just happened to run into my old friend George. The thing that neither of us were aware of or ready for prior to that night became a reality. And I am not sure I can put into words just how good things got from there.

My brother and sister in law left the island for new horizons and got married. We moved to town in our first home together, a tiny condo on a hill where Nyah celebrated her second birthday and began attending the most amazing Montessori preschool. 


Just before the year ended, we welcomed Elsa Christiana into our lives. The bounciest happiest little girl we could never imagine, not even in our wildest dreams.

And then 2010, the year we found our dream piece of land over looking the Caribbean Sea, at the restaurant where George and I had our first date and where he proposed to me on one of the only dates we went on for the year.


I felt there was such a reason to celebrate life and family, so on June 3,2010, I wrote my first blog post. A hobby that has become such a creative release for me and great way to share our daily lives.


But 2010 wouldn't have been complete without a positive pregnancy test, of course taken in the triage booth of the Juan F. Luis Hospital, the place I was working when I discovered I was blessed with new life with all three of our children. The ultimate secret only I knew for the seconds, the days, the moments I held it, my insides jumping into my throat the entire time, once from fear and twice from excitement. 


Twenty-ten ended with us making our love official in the presence of our most loved family and friends, in Las Vegas, of course.

And 2011, the present for but a few more hours has been such a good year, where we enjoyed our island life, stronger friendships, and growing children. 

Mango season was the best yet, and then it was time to go. To a different job, to a different life not on an island and I cried. We enjoyed an Indiana summer to the fullest as we assimilate to the mega life on the mainland.


And then in July our big ten pound boy reluctantly came to us in one big push, securing his place as our baby boy, our last. A calm and snuggly Momma's boy.

George left us two weeks later to start his job and find a home for us. I gathered myself and learned to be the momma of three babies alone, but of course, not without the help of my family, especially my Nan.


So here were are, in our new home. A house with screens, a yard, and space, located in a place we never dreamed we would be, Louisiana. Learning and loving and assimilating to a new culture and new flavors. And growing and enjoying each other every step of the way.


I have no major resolutions for 2012, just the same as last year, and the daily goal of being the best person I can be. I do hope to settle in this coming year, appreciate, and be ultimately present with the kids as they grow. And maybe enjoy a year without being pregnant or giving birth. That would be a year for the record books.


Wishing the best to all of you, hoping your hearts are filled to the brim in 2012.


And as always, thanks for the support and thanks for reading.


All my love,
Suz

Flea Market Find

Our latest (or first, ever) flea market find.

A nice little pair of Mexican paintings.

Five dollars each, with frame. The woman we bought them from wasn't sure where the paintings came from or who painted them, she bought them from a woman and was reselling them, obviously trying to make a dolla, but she did her best to convince us we needed these two in our lives. How did she know?


Here they are all trimmed up and reframed (in new frames).

Perfectly gender neutral (which is totally my thing now), wonderfully colorful, and the perfect scenes to spark a kids imagination.

I found Nyah staring into the paintings the other day and that is when we found the pinata. So appropriate since the pinata is the highlight of all our celebrations.

Can't wait to place them in their new home- the hallway leading into the kids rooms. Gotta love cheap art.

Roses are Real

It's an odd thing moving into a space someone else has occupied. It is easy to inherit the most unintentional things, a cat's hair from deep in the shag(adelic) carpet, another's esthetic and scratches in the wood floor, or someone else's hair in the clogged drain (any volunteers to come fix that problem, I mean, I just can't). Yet somehow we made it all our own by just walking through the front door. 


At times, things are passed along you didn't even know you needed until you see them each morning at breakfast, and watch your girls lean on the window sill and gaze at them as the sun is setting through the glass each evening.  

I now cannot imagine my life without these flowers growing and showing off just outside the window. I wonder how they have managed to survived on their own for this long? Actually, they have thrived. So I guess that is what I will continue to do, leave them alone and let them do their thing, naturally, because they are really out doing themselves.

Though George isn't exactly the flower giving type (they just die is his philosophy, and I totally agree) he has now given me all the roses I could ever want, though I was never aware that I ever desired such a thing. Because we both know what I really dream of is a mango tree and bananas growing in my backyard for the pickin'. 

 But these little beauties will do the trick for now. Thanks babe!

The Company You Keep

The game has changed. The dynamics have been jumbled, once again, and this is what I have been left with. 

We are adapting to life minus one and the whole new order and routine it brings to each of our lives. All day, everyday of the week its just the three of us eating together, playing together, cleaning together, sleeping and just hanging out. Together. 

I am thankful for the frequent mix up in structure of our lives because it allows me to get to know each of these little bundles of energy, curiosity and pure love even better, as individuals. Because they are as different with each other as they are without each other but equally perfect in every way.

Someday soon Elsa will venture from the nest, followed by Jude. Though my mind can hardly go there it really doesn't have to because I am learning that life is constantly changing and everything and everyone is evolving and everything will work perfectly when the time comes. Routines are really only that for a short moment. 

So for now, right here, in this moment in our lives I am going to enjoy every minute of these lovable siblings and kiss them and snuggle them and accomplish absolutely nothing but the important job they have of growing. And in that, we will have accomplished everything. 

Heirloom Art

My grandmother (Nan), is quite possible the best grandmother ever. I am not just saying that because I know she is reading, it is the honest truth. I am sure I have mentioned her on here before because she was slaving away and helping me with the kids and life every single day during our summer in Indiana. She has done everything for me in life, completely selflessly and with a smile. I am so glad my children get to have her in their lives because she is the bomb dig and definitely one of my favorite people. 


When I George and I got married, our gift from both of my grandmothers were family heirlooms. The perfect gift. Nan specifically wanted to give us her mother's (Nana) fine china. And as you might guess, we own absolutely nothing of that nature so I was pretty excited because I am a definite fan of the old. But being that we lived an ocean away, I wasn't really up for having the precious heirloom sent to us. So it sat in her cabinets until recently when we moved back to the continental United States.  


Right before we left for the great state of Louisiana, Nan invited me over and showed me the beautiful china and gave me a ton of kitchen supplies, which I know she could still use, but she gave to me anyway because she is just that kind. And among these items was a little tea towel that my great grandmother once used. I immediately fell in love and I knew I had to find a way to use it in my house. 


So, I decided to frame it up and hang it in my laundry room, which I am determined to make the happiest room in the house. And so far, each time I walk in, the tea towel puts a smile on my face just thinking of those hands which came before me that once touched it.


It was so easy to do. I simply cut a piece of card stock to fit an old frame I had. 

 Ironed the tea towel.

Then stretched it across a piece of card stock using staples. 

Finally, I backed it with white paper and whala, instant heirloom art.

And if you haven't yet notice, let me just fill you in. All of the walls in our house are the same color, which just happen to match the outside of our house too. I think I might actually like the color, in moderation, but I am not quite sure because I have never had the option. And yes, those are paper blinds. I'm working on it.

Back to School

It was back to school for this one last week. Better late than never. I feel like she has been waiting all summer for this moment, bored out of her mind with all of the baby stuff going on. 


I stayed awake late into the night on the eve of her first day with anxiety. Was it too much to send her so soon after the move? Would it be as inspiring as her old school? Did I pack everything she needed in her lunch box? 


Well, she woke that morning, got herself dressed, jabbered all the way there then rushed into school and jumped right into her work like she never stopped, and even forgot to kiss me goodbye. That is the great thing about Montessori, the work (activities) are pretty much the same around the world. 


She came home that day walking a little taller, showing her little sister how to do a few more things, suddenly taking her duty as "big sister" very seriously. On the second day she asked me not to walk her in, though I made up some excuse so I could. And now school is like her second home, it is part of her, something all her own.


Elsa on the other hand cried during drop off for the first two days. Now she just takes her shoes off at school and makes every attempt to stay and join the class. She wonders around the house calling for, "Yaya?" and shrieks when it is time to pick her up. She misses her partner in crime and so do I.

Our Shelter

We waited all afternoon to hear from George. After much anticipation, we finally heard him slide his credit card key into the hotel door, which caused the girls to scream then hide, giggling the entire time. The smile he entered with said it all. 


After another meal in a sterile restaurant, we arrived with tired eyes in the dark with rain falling hard and the thunder rumbling even harder. The garage door hummed open, powered by our new opener, a free gift with our purchase. The kids piled out of the van and in they rushed in to fill their new home, their refuge from the world, with their echoing shrieks and extremely tired, nearly over the edge of sanity energy. It was all so surreal, such comfort from the storm. 

And all I could think about was hanging Christmas stockings, and decorating the girls room, and just how far we've come from the tiny space we started out in together on our tiny island. 


We've learned so much about each other and life leading up to this moment, and we now know that any space is perfect for us, that we can make any situation work, hopefully even one as perfect as this. 

Crackers were spilled, a rug was laid, diapers changed and a tantrum was thrown by our littlest girl who is testing the water of what her will is capable of in preparation for her second year of life. And then we had to say goodbye the place we will call home, leaving remnants of us behind, to head back to our hotel room for one last night. 

Tomorrow our journey as a family begins continues, in a house on a canal down in Louisiana. Our permanent shelter from the storm.

And I can't enjoy this moment without taking a moment to give thanks for the support, advice, encouragement and absolute love from all of those who helped us get here. We are blessed beyond words, not for things like houses but for you.