My New Niece

My niece Savy who is in the picture above that was taken this past Christmas is now a big sister.

Her little sisters name is Sophia Adelle.
I had asked Sophia to come out and play while I was there. Pleading with my sister Bean's belly, I begged and begged. She didn't come when I was there.

She came a few days after I left.

She was born on New Years Eve.

She came earlier than her due date, and later than my trip down to NV would allow me to stay.

So I guess you could say that in her short life she has already learned the art of compromise.

Although I haven't yet had the joy of holding her I have had a few skype visits which have been a real treat, and I love her already.

I remember the day her sister was born.
I remember the day my baby girl was born.
Heck I remember the day her mom was born.
And if my mom was here she would say,"I remember the day you were born"
All this really means is that I am OLD!

Oh but the newborn.
The new life that is only a week and 4 days old.

Well what can I say about that.

The newborn phase in each of our lives is so very precious.

I know if I was living there right now, my house and my children would all be neglected because all I would want to do is to sit there and stare at her, ALL DAY LONG.
It's what my mom calls a baby romance.
That's what she calls the need to just sit and stare at a newborn.
ALL DAY LONG.
And it's a need make no mistake about it.
It's a need because it reminds us that
New life is such a gift.
It speaks of promise for the future.
Hope for better tomorrows.
And a love that is unlike any other.

Congratulations Izzy, Gina, and Savanah.

Give Sophia extra hugs and kisses until her Auntie Noel can do it herself, oh and be sure to get in some sitting and staring, because before you know it Sophia will look like this.

My big girl Emma Lou, working away, being so responsible, so grown up. So not wanting me to take her picture

Mom, The Month of MAY, and My new Theme for this Month

I almost lost it in the card isle in the grocery store the other day. I was looking for Mother's day cards and this year I decided to send them to not only the 3 mothers I have; Mom Ellen, Momma Nash, and Mom B., but also to some other mother's in my life.


So, basically I went nutts, and spent way too much money on cards, but .... shhh please don't tell on me for this. I am keeping with my LOVE theme that I set out to do in the month of February. I don't know if you caught that blog but I said that I wanted to write one person a day in the month of February to tell them how much I love them and well, there are just more people than that calendar month provided for me to tell how much I love so I decided in February to make the month of May be a special theme month for me as well.



I know I am a dork who LOVES words probably wayyy too much.

I know to most of you it might just be a silly thing, but for me it has been therapeutic to tell the people I love, that I LOVE them.

I know there should be an award for cheese-ball of the year that could be given to people for things such as this.

BUT

It is the John Mayer song "Say What you NEED to Say" kind of thing for me that is happening here.



So May is the "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight Oh Lord" month! WOW! Sheesh, that was a long one. I thought of this though the other day when I read this in THE BOOK. I thought, I am pretty sure those words, the words that The Lord would accept, would be those of sincere and genuine heart felt LOVE.


You can now award me with the Cheese-Ball of the year award, but go right ahead! Won't even bug me a bit, because you know what? Chances are if you are reading this blog I probably love you too! SO THERE.






The pictures are of just SOME of the amazing mother's in my life. Enjoy.

Favorite moments captured from 2008

This picture at the top is one of my all time favorites from the year. It reminds me of course of the journey of the Wizard of Oz and the journey that group of unlikely strangers faced. They soon became friends and defeated their greatest enemies together. Each realizing that the greatest enemy was just themselves. Reflecting back on the year past can be dangerous but this morning as I sit here and go through all the moments captured in 2008 I am reminded of my friends and family that have come along side me. I am blessed beyond measure with the greatest treasures life has to offer. People. The people in my life young and old are my gifts that I will take into this new year with a complete gratitude not taking even one for granted.








I have so much to be thankful for. If even one person in this life knows you, really knows you that is a blessing. So many people are lonely in this world that is full of fear right now. I am not alone. That is a good feeling. To know and be known is what it's all about so that at the end of it all you are not alone left in a room with all the stuff that can clutter and distract a life from the most important treasures, People.

Just a few pictures

The pictures that I took were mostly with Gina and Izzy's brand new camera so by the time I realized I should take some of her with my own camera to post and email she was already in the nursery. So these are through the window but you can still see how beautiful she is and all that hair :)

Can you say , proud Auntie.