Random

When Landon gets slammed at work, my life often feels a little out of control. Sometimes I feel like I may as well be a single mom, but then I feel guilty about that since single moms ALSO have to go earn a living in addition to all the stuff I'm doing. So instead, I choose to feel grateful that Landon has so much work to do because if there is a demand for his services, he still has a job. A good job. One that enables me to hang out at home and take care of the kids and such . . . So hooray for the two trials Landon has on his schedule in the next couple of months and the various other cases in different stages of development!

I have the GREATEST mother-in-law, ever. Like, for realz. She loves me like her own biological kids, and she adores the grandkids I have helped provide. Living near my in-laws has been a huge blessing in our lives, particularly in the form of me occasionally getting a break from cleaning, taking care of the kids, etc. Just last week, I was feeling slammed. My MIL calls me up and asks if she can "please" have the kids for the weekend . . . It's like she was reading my mind from afar and knew how to make me feel sane again. We drove the munchkins up to her house yesterday, hung out for maybe an hour (during which time I was fed a delicious, freshly baked cinnamon roll, no less) and then we took off. Our kids couldn't have cared less that we were leaving because they were with GRANDMA! When I called to check in this morning, Mason couldn't be bothered to talk to me as he was otherwise occupied with something awesome, and Marissa gave me all of 60 seconds with a strongly urged, "Say, 'I love you, Mama!'" from Grandma. By the way, that was the first time my daughter ever said that to me (she tells other people that all the time, but it was my first), so again, thanks Grandma Bailey! I'm so, so blessed to have you for my second mom!

Speaking of being kid-free, Landon and I went on a date yesterday. I love date night (er, date afternoon in this case), and not just because it's super nice to get out of the house sans enfants. I love date night because I really enjoy being with my husband. We have so much fun together. We don't have to be doing something fancy or expensive to have a good time. I just thoroughly enjoy my husband. He's really, really great. I'm grateful that I met and married a man who I love being with pretty much any time. Also, Avatar 3D on Imax was pretty fantastic.

Something else that is really nice about getting rid of the kids for a couple of days is that it reminds me how much I enjoy being with them too. As I was explaining this morning to Landon, being their mom is basically an integral part of my identity at this point. It's what I do all day, every day and has been for nearly 5 years. So, while I certainly love the break and the peace and the quiet, I do miss my kids. I'm looking forward to retrieving them from Grandma's house soon because my snug and kiss reserves are running low. I'm grateful for the reminder of how much I truly love being with my kids.

Finally, I recently started playing volleyball after an absence of five years from the sport. I love being back. I love getting out and being active and doing something I love to do. It's great. What's even better, however, is that my husband is really supportive of me playing again. He's encouraging me to go, rearranging his schedule to make sure I can go and is hanging out with the kids, feeding them dinner, and putting them to bed so I can go. I'm loving every minute of being back on the court, and I am so, so grateful for the opportunity to be out there.

Life is good. Amen.

May 2009, Looking Back

Wow. May was an exciting month for the Bailey crew. It brought the return of the baseball season with lots of opportunities to go to games together as a family (and Mason's first home run ball!).

It brought Mason's first attempts at fishing with Grandpa Rachac in 7th Heaven.

I had the opportunity to get away, alone, for a visit to my best friend Lara in Seattle (AWESOME!).

And finally, in the final hours of the month, we were able to meet the newest member of the Rachac clan!

We are so grateful for the arrival of a healthy baby to my sister's family. I am personally so grateful for the opportunity for time away to relax and remember why I love what I do, even though it's easy for me to forgot in the midst of the day-to-day. I cherish the memories we make in the simple moments of doing something new and in doing something familiar as a family. I am so blessed in my life.

April 2009, Looking Back

April was a month of being together with family. We played together at the zoo with the Williams:

We gathered with the Rachacs and the Baileys for Easter:

And we celebrated Mason's 4th birthday at least 4 different times:

Spring returned to Sacramento, and the kids and I were pleased to be back outside, in the yard and the park. We played together on the playground, painted together in the backyard, and generally enjoyed being together. Having Dad around some more was certainly nice too!

Time with family is the most important thing to me and Landon. When we are afforded the opportunity to be together regularly, we feel so grateful for the memories we are making and the love we are growing.

March 2009, Looking Back

March started strong, with Landon taking me on a weekend getaway to Napa for some much-needed reconnecting, relaxing and resting time together. It was wonderful, and we both agreed something we ought to do more regularly.

Landon went back to work, still busy with various cases needing his attention, and so the kids and I continued with our hanging out, playing, etc. We could feel spring approaching, so we started some herbs to grow in our tiny back yard.

As the month came to a close, I finally reached out to some of the moms from Mason's school. I had been missing the regular gatherings of a playgroup or being with my sisters and their kids, and I needed a friend. It took a lot for me to get out of my own head, but it was well worth the effort!
There was much to be grateful for in March: new friends, the opportunity to reconnect with my husband, and working in my own garden again. It was a good month - a happy month- which always makes gratitude easy.

brief hiatus

Our computer contracted a nasty virus before New Years, which threw my year end blogging for a loop. Mason's computer has neither a usable keyboard (his kiddie one has nice giant keys for his chubby little fingers, but it's awful for me to type on) nor photos stored on it, so I'll finish my retrospective in the coming week. Landon is nearly finished repairing our other computer.
Happy New Year!