Dear Emma Grace –
I often tease that perhaps “Grace” may not have been the best choice of middle names for you, for it seems you might have inherited Mama’s complete lack of physical grace. I don’t want to say you are necessarily clumsy, but…take it from your bruise-covered Mama – I think you may need a back-up helmet, knee pads and a first aid kit always in arm’s reach, possibly for the rest of your life.

But in your six short years in this world, you have learned something that is far more important than being agile, or coordinated.

While we were at a Birthday party on Friday, I watched you selflessly give over half of your loot from the pinata to a girl that had walked away without a single piece of candy. She was holding her empty bag looking a little forlorn and you went up to her, put your arm around her shoulder, and asked “Here. Would you like some of my candy?” And then you proceeded to put half of your candy into her bag.

Tears welled up in my eyes and I found myself breathless as I watched your (completely unprompted) generosity unfold. And I simply could not have been prouder of you.

When you saw that I was watching you share, you gave me a little shrug and smile as if to say, “Eh, it’s only candy.” It gave me a small glimpse at the thoughtful and loving person you are becoming. I was also reminded that the word “grace” has more than just a physical meaning.

And I think your middle name suits you just perfectly, Peanut. You truly are full of Grace.

Love,
Mama

Our little “Triker” in her first trike-a-thon.

As she was racing around the track on Saturday, I caught myself yelling “Go, Tiny!” And I thought, “she is probably really going to hate that nickname in a few years.”

Plus, she is anything but “Tiny,” anymore. And she was not even that “Tiny” when she was born. But when she came out she seemed just so much tinier than our two-and-a-half year old who was at home waiting to be a big sister. J. kept calling her “Tiny” and, I guess, it just sort of stuck.

Even though she is pedaling fast towards being four-years old (a little too quickly if you ask me!), she is, and always will be our sweet, little “Tiny” Rosey-Toes. And she did us proud on Saturday.

And, all the pieces of my triathlon relay team is now complete. Em can run, Ad can bike, and Mama will swim. Perfect.

There is nothing like the feeling of sun on your face and sand beneath your toes…

I know technically summer is a few months off, and many of you are still waiting for signs of spring.

So it probably feels a little unfair that we had an amazing, as “summer-like” as it can get, type of weekend around here.

Today it was 95 degrees, and tomorrow we are supposed to hit 100 in the valley.

Hello, summer!

Beautiful hope.
I hope that she gets the chance to grow into the beautiful person I know she will be.
I hope I can leave her, and her children, with a cleaner planet filled with amazing beauty.
I hope that I can instill in her the ability to see and appreciate that beauty.
And I hope that I can see that beautiful look in her eyes for a very long time to come.

…can you fit in a hammock?

Do you think the cousins are having a good time? Yes. I think possibly so.

We are soaking up as much of Aunt Meesh and the cousins as we can, while we can. And although I have well over 700 photos to go through, this one is my favorite and my Best Shot Monday for today. I think it speaks well to the complete joy we are feeling that they are here with us.

Make sure to hang around over at Tracey’s for a bit, to catch some other fun shots.

Smokey’s favorite spot on “her” chair.

She was our first “baby.” I can still remember picking her out of the bunch in that old barn almost fourteen years ago. And attempting to give her a bath (or five) to get rid of her fleas. And then her attempt to singe all of the whiskers off of her face when she got too close to a candle. And the many cross-continental flights she took with us on our moves. And introducing her to her the much detested Tiger cat (although I think they grew to secretly love each other!). And the way she would run from the furthest corner of the house with a chorus of “meows” when she would hear the whip cream can get uncapped.

She was such a good kitty and we are just trying to remember all of those good things today. But I have a very heavy heart when I look at her empty spot. She will be so very missed.

Stacy asked for some summer reminders today.

This isn’t completely “summer-y,” since when we visited the beach yesterday it was only low 60s, and the water was frigid! (Yeah, Addie found out first hand, as she fell headfirst into a wave!) – But it is sunny, there are blue skies, and proof that summer is a-comin’!