Oh, Hello Blog

I've neglected this blog for about seven months now. Better to neglect a blog than other things though, right?

We had a wonderful summer with our friends and family. It started off a little nervously with a raging forest fire in the mountains not too far from us, sadly many homes were destroyed and two people died.  We were mostly busy with birthday parties, life groups, play dates, and fun in the backyard. Fall came and took my dear friend Carrie and her family to South Dakota. We miss them dearly. It also brought chances for hiking in the beautiful mountains, a Thanksgiving shared with our favorite friends, and birthdays to celebrate as a family. 

We said goodbye to one of our first major purchases as a married couple this year too. Our Sony Vaio laptop. We bought a new laptop (HP) and it was horrid so we made the jump to Mac. We'll be faithful forever. I've also been investing more time (and money) into my hobby of photography. I'm hoping to use this blog to help keep me accountable for improving and showcasing some of my work. Tristan is most often my subject of choice, but I'm hoping to branch out a little more too. Thankfully I have friends who are professionals and give me great pointers - thank you Luke & Lee-Anne!

Perhaps one of the greatest things about the past seven months have been some new friendships that have blossomed. As soon as I typed the word "blossomed", I immediately pictured this:

But in all seriousness, I've found two really wonderful friends and both of their families totally click with ours so it's all around just completely awesome! Thankfully they aren't in the military, as so many families in this are are, so there is no immediate threat of them being relocated!

I'll end this post with a few pictures from the past few months and a promise to return and not neglect this blog as much anymore :)

A Very Seussical Birthday

This weekend we celebrated Tristan's 1st Birthday! It was wonderful to celebrate it in our new home surrounded by our new friends here in Colorado Springs - it really does feel like home now! Unfortunately I did not get as many pictures of my Dr. Seuss decorations as I'd hoped to - by the time I got them all up I had to prepare the food and by the time I was done with the food everyone started to arrive. Here are a few photos of Tristan's special day.

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with us for making his birthday so special. I still cannot believe my baby boy is 1 year old. It flew by and at the same time our lives have changed so much in that time that it feels like forever ago... Here's to a wonderful year!

Saying goodbye

"He still combs his hair like Elvis, pays cash for everything. He'll only drive a Chevy and thinks Alan Jackson's king. He knows everyone by name at the local hardware store. They don't make 'em like that anymore" - Jason Blaine

These lyrics remind me of my Dad. He never combed his hair like Elvis and you'd be more likely to find him at the truck center than the hardware store, but he certainly was from an older generation that did things differently. And he definitely thought Alan Jackson was king (perhaps only second to George Strait). That's why when he passed away the first thing I did was put on some Alan Jackson. The song "Drive" really is a song that will forever remind me of my Dad. I was his #1 pride and joy but his second was his truck. I always joke that I got my sense of direction and natural inclination for driving from him. I remember being a little girl and him letting me steer from the passenger seat. I really was "high on a mountain when Daddy let me drive."

This past Saturday we finally said goodbye to him in a small ceremony in Elgin, Ontario. Not too far from the town of Lyndhurst where he was born and raised and so was I. I wasn't completely pleased with the way the priest conducted the service. It was mostly a negative message about how we're all going to die someday. I wish I had tossed aside the reading he gave me and instead shared about the many fond memories I have of my Dad. Trips in his truck. Seeing him at my horse shows and soccer tournaments. Going to the movies and spending Saturdays with family. How he always helped me out with every big thing in my life. How when he retired from trucking we mostly talked about his recent online poker games, the price of gas, the weather, and of course, hockey. And also how proud I was to introduce my son to him. I wish I had shared those things on Saturday but in a way I'm glad to have them to myself. The relationship between a Daddy and his Daughter is a precious thing. I'm so glad to have had one for 28 years. I wish it had been longer but I'm still so thankful.

If you're blessed to still have your parents in your life, please do something for me. Call them frequently. Visit them often. Forgive their shortcomings and appreciate their sacrifices. And every time you speak, make sure to say I love you.

Dad

"It was just an old worn out Jeep

Rusty old floorboard, hot on my feet

A young girl two hands on the wheel

I can't replace the way it made me feel

And he'd say, "turn it left and steer it right,

Straighten up girl, you're doing just fine"

Just a little valley by the river where we'd ride

But I was high on a mountain

When daddy let me drive
When daddy let me drive
Oh he let me drive
Daddy let me drive "

-Alan Jackson, "Drive"

Thank you. I love you. I miss you.

New Friends

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one." - C.S. Lewis

When we lived in New Jersey, it took us a couple of years to meet new people and build friendships. When we decided to move to Colorado we were very nervous about starting all over again. The first couple of months here were especially rough for me. God answered our prayers and provided a job for Tom almost immediately which was incredible. However, it also meant that I was spending my days home alone with a baby; fulfilling but sometimes lonely. I was invited to join MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at my in-laws' church and one of the women at my table, Rebecca, suggested that I check out the small groups at her church (Mountain Springs). I signed up for a First Time Moms group and just showed up one day - I've made some wonderful friends there! It seems that having babies close in age provides a sort of instant camaraderie. Shortly after that, Tom and I began attending Mountain Springs Church regularly and one Sunday we signed up for one of their "Life Groups" specifically for young married couples with babies and young children. We instantly connected with several of the couples there. It is amazing to have other little ones for Tristan to play with as well - hopefully friends that he will grow up with! It's amazing how new friends can make a new place feel so much like home.

This is my blog...

...and you're reading it! I've been meaning to start one for a while but was waiting until I had a title that was witty enough to impress. So, how'd I do? I'm not sure what direction this blog will take, but it will most likely include many tales of my journey as a Christian wife and mother and plenty of pictures of my beautiful son and beautiful surroundings (Colorado is really the best place to live!).

Please leave a comment so I don't develop a complex!