Happy Birthday, Mr. B!

Photos taken by Leisha Kelsey Photography

Happy Birthday Bryson!

My cute boy.

Yesterday I said, "I can't believe my baby is going to be turning 4 years old tomorrow."

Bryson quickly responded by saying, "I'm not a baby!"

It made me laugh.

And a little sad at the same time.

He's right.

He's not a baby. At least not to anyone else.

But as any mom will attest, he'll always be my baby.

Happy New Year's Eve!

10 years ago tonight, Scott and I were with some friends celebrating New Year's Eve. After several years of trying, we still didn't have any children. The toast that night went something like this:

"To baby 2000! Yes, to baby 2000!"

That phrase became a kind of mantra to me. Any time I felt sad or discouraged I would think, "baby 2000." It was in June of 2000 that Gracie was born. It was the most wonderful event, ever. The absolute answer to so many, countless really, prayers. And now, 10 years later, Heavenly Father has blessed us with the family I wondered if we would ever have. We are so truly blessed. I am so thankful for the plan Heavenly Father had in store for us. At the time, I didn't understand how wonderful, how perfect for us, it would be. I am grateful He sustained us through those difficult times and I feel so much gratitude for all the tremendous blessings He has poured out upon us since then. "Baby 2000" is still a mantra to me. It reminds me to have hope and faith in the future. It reminds me that Heavenly Father is aware of me and that He loves me. It reminds me how blessed I am.