Celebrating 33 years of life...



 

Celebrating 33 years of life...

 

The beautiful flower gardens at Eaton greeted us

as we headed in for dinner.

 

 Chop It

 

I am a vegan.

So, we headed to this awesome place for dinner.

Pick your ingredients, they chop it up, and serve it up as a salad or in a wrap.

SO good!

 

 

Vegan Sweet Tooth

 

 Then we enjoyed dessert from Vegan Sweet Tooth

which is right next to Chop It.

Yum, yum, yum...

They have cupcakes, cake pops, brownies, pecan bars, and more,

all vegan :)

I enjoyed a key lime margaritta cupcake

and a taste of my hubby's pecan bar.

D'lish!

 

 

 

 The boys (and girls) ate every bite of their wraps

and have been asking to go back again.

 

 

 Emilee showing GG (Great Grandma) her latest tooth that she lost

on my birthday.

 

 

Evan and his best buddy, Grandpa

 

 Family

 

 

 

And some gifts...

 

 

My new "mod" camera strap!

SO comfortable by the way!

 

 

and some Furgalicious kicks

 

 

 

and some strappy shoes too...

 

The monitary gifts that I recieved I have used to buy

 a new camera bag and...whatever else I may decide :)

 

 

 

 

 

I am very blessed and looking forward to this 33rd year of life

and all of the lessons that it has to teach me.

 

-Kristin

What 33 years of life has taught me...

33 

"Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment laid out before a single day passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me O God."

Psalm 139:16b-17a

 

 

What 33 years of life has taught me...

1. Have faith and trust in God with all that you are.
    
2. Like it or not...God is in control. The more you fight it the more miserable your life will be.
 
3. Getting up early is no fun...until you do and you realize that beautiful time that awaits you every morning, before the world wakes, and the craziness of the day starts. I have experienced such wonderful clarity of my day and God's plan for my life in the quiet of these mornings.
4. Sometimes when you become what you want to be when you grow up...it is not the wonderful dream that you imagine. Sometimes it is very hard. And sometimes...it is more amazing and beautiful and rewarding than you could ever imagine.
5. Have hope...always.
6. Find your joy.
7. Embrace your life and find the blessings in your circumstances.
8. Children are smarter than adults.
9. Love and marriage isn't about living happily ever after. It is about finding the balance, forgiving often, understanding that you won't always understand each other BUT you can still support each other through the differences.
10. There is a handbook. It is called "The Bible." I didn't understand that until I read it. 
11. Be present.
     
12. Breathe.
     
13. Eat food that is alive, beautiful, full of color, and that nourishes your body.
     
14. Take care of the planet and leave it better then it was when you came into it.
15. Take a lot of pictures to see all of the beauty that surrounds you.
16. Give.
17. Love.
18. Never stop educating yourself and share what you know to help others.
19. Be an example.
20. Dance.
21. Sing...LOUD :)
22. Simplify your life down to what makes you happy, what brings you beauty, and what has purpose. Eliminate the clutter and chaos in your life.
23. Sometimes you just have to have a good cry.
24. Trust.
25. Everything negative that I felt about myself in high school was not true.
26. I am VERY blessed.
27. Your health IS your wealth and you have more control over it then you could ever imagine. Do your homework.
28. Dance in the rain.
29. Laugh...hysterically...on a daily basis.
30. The more in tune with your body you are the more you will know what it needs.
31. Life is a gift and not one breath is promised to us.
32. Losing a child is the most excruciating pain that I have ever felt in my life. At the same time, I have never felt more connected and surrounded by God's penetrating care then I have walking through this journey.
33. Life has different seasons.Some are confusing and frustrating. Some are amazing and full of promise. Some you find yourself in darker places then you even knew existed. Every season given to us is a gift and part of our journey. Embrace every moment because it is yours. No one else gets to experience our journey but you. Don't miss the joy of the ride while watching others whizzing by. Hang on tight and enjoy the ride because some day it will all be over. Give yourself something amazing to look back on.

                                                                                               -Kristin


6 Months

 

Happy 6 months Isaac!

 

 

We found this bridge in the Metroparks overlooking the highway.

It sat among the tree tops in eye line with the sunset.

 

 

 In my hand I held all six of your balloons.

Six months.

I cannot believe that it has been six months...

 

We found the perfect spot on the bridge.

 Below us life was flying past while we were in this moment with you.

These brief moments as we honor you.

We quietly speak your name to be carried away in the wind

to where you are.

 

 

And we let go.

 

And we wait and watch as they drift out of sight.

 

The sun sets and the day ends preparing for a new day to begin again.

And time goes on....

 

"We love you more than words can say

 as we think about you every day.

For a time we shall part

but keep you always within our hearts.

For we know one day we will meet again,

when all of our pain of this earth will end.

Till then, my love, you will always be a part of me,

and of our loving family." 

Love,

your mommy

Owen turns 5! *Fishing Party*

Owen is 5!

 

 

I cannot believe it but out little boy, our first son is now five years old.

 

We had a small family part over the weekend and here is how we celebrated....

 

 

 Owen Michael, 5 years old

 

Fishing party!

 

 

Food...

 

fishy fruit

 

fishing poles

 

under the sea chocolate covered marshmallows

 

dirt

 

worms

 

jello with Swedish fish

 

goldfish

 

fishy cupcakes

 

and fishy cookies

 

and of course a fishy cake

 

 

 

 

water slide fun

 

 

 

What a fun day!

 

Happy Birthday Owen!

 

We love you so much!

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 11th - 5 months

We  celebrate you Isaac.

 

Not just once a month, but in every day.

 

Your name is spoken throughout the day.

Your pictures are all around us.

Even your siblings include you in their play time.

 

You are a very special part of our family

and

you always will be our sweet boy.

 

Happy 5 months my love.

 

Catch!

 

 

 We went at sunset on June 11th to send off your 5 month balloons.

 

 

Daddy...

(& Mommy is behind the camera lens)

 

 

 and your siblings Emilee, Olivia, Owen,

and Evan (he was sleeping in the car)

 

 

They are always so excited to send you your balloons and to be a part of it!

 

Ready?

 

Catch!

 

Owen running after the balloons.

 I think that he hopes that if he follows them that he will find you.

If only that were true my love.

 

 

The sunset was beautiful that evening as we released your balloons.

As soon as they were in the air a bird flew across the field where we stood.

It kind of took my breath away.

 

 

 

But on days like this I can only imagine how beautiful it is from where you are.

We love you our sweet, sweet boy.

More than you will ever know.

 

Love,

Mommy