It still strikes me as strange sometimes— I have children! I’m a mom! It usually happens when I’m watching my boys out the kitchen window, or when I creep down the hallway to sneak a peek at all of the tickle-giggles I hear coming from a bedroom. It’s in these moments that I intentionally stop what I’m doing and just observe for a few moments, a few minutes, however long I can; because that’s the thing about humanity: no matter how many pictures or videos I take, no matter how much I want to feel the delicate weight of my snuggly 9-month-old’s head upon my chest forever— I can’t hold onto this time of life I’m in right now. I try to preserve these things in the mason jar of my heart, but while it’s a jar that is always being filled, it can’t be sealed. Breathing in the life around us in the present moment is all we can do.

I also do my best to not take motherhood for granted, to remember how incredibly blessed I am to be my family’s shepherdess. So it’s with great thanksgiving to the Father that I introduce you to the greatest blessing in my life: my family.

First is my husband, Lance. I fell head-over-heels for this handsome, 6’3″ man my senior year of high school. He’s two years older than I am and he showed his true, chivalrous qualities when he came to my senior prom with me [I asked him after I was turned down by two other guys at my school (my gain!!)]. He is intelligent, creative in so many ways and so patient with our boys.

This is Trevor. Trevor is our first born. He’s the one with whom I’m learning EVERYTHING (God bless him) about being a mom. He’s the one that showed me what it truly is for a mother to love her child. When he was born it was like a whole new chamber of my heart was unlocked. He is inquisitive, kind, relational and a little particular. His favorite food in the whole world is tomatoes— strange but true. He will choose tomatoes over desserts every. time.

And meet Zeke! I feel like Zeke’s name should just have an exclamation point attached to the end of it. He is a little dog who thinks he’s a big dog… always watching his big brother. Who can blame him for thinking there isn’t anything he can’t do? He is clever and so very sweet; an adventurer for sure. He is passionate about popcorn, climbing stuff and he’s my snuggle bug.