Just a tiny update on my kiddos

I have learned, that bad luck is coming. Its not if, its when. So with that said; if your luck is good...well then you better really take it in and enjoy it! Right now, I'm taking it in baby.

So with that said, I thought I'd just take a few minutes to reflect on how awesome these two boys are doing. Our wee one, as we like to call him is now 16 lbs! He just got his first two baby teeth; and rolls over from back to front. We could sit and watch him try for hours. He is an easy baby except when you won't hold him all the time; and then apparently he gives our daycare gal hell. Joe has been working on his photography and takes Cole & Will's pictures endlessly. I look forward to holding him every day while I'm working; and frequently do, all night long.

Will is just getting to be such a young man. He asked me yesterday to not hold his hand in the car when we were riding to Pella. His vocabulary is growing by the day and frequently cracks us up with his accidental insights. I have yet to learn that he is listening all the time, and can pretty accurately report what he has heard. He is 42 inches tall and 42 lbs. He loves rocks and all treasures. He could spend hours scouring mimi's beach for interesting things. He loves me most, he tells me. More than anyone. And I believe him.

My favorite part of every day is the 10 minute ride home, when we are all together riding away form the long day into the hours of the evening. We are all quiet and strapped into our seats. We are all happy to be together and happy. Will says everyday without fail, "its good to be home."

Valentines Card 2012

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Last February I was numb. Numb in a way that was difficult to understand. One day stands out in my memory, standing in the bitter cold - outside the end of January, beginning of February. I am talking to a colleague. The conversation stretches on before he realizes that I am standing in short sleeves, the wind biting the skin on my arms. The pain hurts so good. There is a temptation to lay down in the snow and to let the pain take over my entire body, to numb the pain in my heart and my brain. He sends me inside and I reluctantly leave the conversation, and as I am walking away I realize that it feels good to have my discomfort recognized even though he thinks it is caused by the cold, and it is not. Exhale. It is February 2012 and joy has found me in the form of a newborn son. Pregnant three times in a year I have bid farewell to a baby girl, I have grieved what was coined a therapeutic abortion and I have endured what seemed like the most anxiety ridden pregnancy ever. I have spent time hating my body and all that it has killed, and now it has produced a son, Nicholas, a name that means victory. Inhale. I celebrate my ability to endure, to remain standing. I celebrate my body and the two sons that it has given me, I celebrate the miracles of life, and as I am moved daily by my blessings, the tears inexplicably appear as well. That it would seem joy and sadness enter through the same door; and as I have allowed myself to open my heart and head to joy; the sadness slips through in its shadow. I look ahead to enjoying my family, my husband my sons. I look ahead to taking better care of myself, of returning to the woman I was before this journey. I am not sure if I am improved, but I am certainly changed. No matter, it is victory in my heart and in my head now. It is victory in my arms.

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Mum has been the word

I can't believe that it has been more than a year since I have touched this blog. I think there was an element of wanting to hush the heck up, to wait and see how 2011 would unfold. Well 2011 was definately a good good year. February 2011 brought a new pregnancy to the Rich household, the summer brought adventure upon adventure at mimi's lake house, and my brother's wedding. The fall brought Will's fourth birthday and the birth of our son Nicholas or "Cole" as he is referred to. And now, its 2012; and I look forward to new adventures with all three of my boys, my husband and sons. Happy New Year!

Christmas has come and gone...

Well, Christmas has come and gone. It certainly was not without event at our household. The beginning was marked by my fierce and painful battle with kidney stones, and then there was Will's 104.5 temperature and severe congestion, followed by my contracting pink eye! However, with all that said...we certainly have plenty of good memories, or at least photographs! Joe and I hosted the Rich family Christmas at my mom's house on the lake. The Uncles each spoiled their nephew with their very own firearms. Dillon and Danielle were excited about their being first time owners of bb guns (you'll shoot your eye out!) and Will the proud owner of a Nerf gun. The O'Neill's celebrated with a competitive game of Monopoly with $20.00 in actual cash awarded to the winner, mimi. We enjoyed my brother's engagement to the latest member of our family Danielle; and Will had his first sledding adventure down a big big hill. And finally, my own tiny family, Joe Will and I waited for Santa Clause at home and despite the fact that Will was so exhuasted by fever and congestion that he did not even recongize Mickey Mouse in the morning...he eventually became excited about his new scooter and GeoTrax train set.



And then there was of course the fact that Will learned about the Baby Cheese (Jesus), Mary/Joseph and the 3 wise men this year with the help of Ottumwa's Nights and Lights where they were lit up in neon, and his friends Leah and Lilly. We rang the New Year in quietly and contendly. With hope for luck in 2011 but with the knowledge that if it never gets any better than this, we are lucky enough.

"I want to give you a Magical Moment"

So we have returned from what was a truly magical trip to Walt Disney World. The absolute highlight of the trip was Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. It is a special event that is intended to be a Christmas Party thrown by Mickey himself at the Magic Kingdom. The party begins at 7, and you have to have an extra special ticket to join in the fun.

We spent the first hour of the party taking in the decorations, and beauty of the park. The castle was decked out in Christmas icicle lights, and tremendously beautiful. Then the special Christmas parade begins. It was so amazing; like being at Macy's Day Parade, only better. All of the characters seem to make an appearance, a broadway production times 100.











I was literally brought to tears by the beauty and brilliance. A cast member or, (employee) was sitting to my right, and leaned over to ask if I was OK. I explained that I was OK, that I was just happy and sad all at once. That we had, had a lot of loss this year, and that beautiful things sometimes make me very sad for my loss, and very happy that life continues in its blessings as well. We continued to enjoy the parade with Cinderella, the famous Mice, and topped off by Santa Clause (straight from the North Pole I am confident). After the parade, she leaned over and said that she wanted to give us a Magical Moment, could we follow her to City Hall. We did.



We waited about ten minutes and then entered a "garage" where they store the parade floats. Soon, appears Mickey, Minney, and Santa Clause. It was the most magical moment of my entire life. Will was scared. But excited. I could have gone home right that second and had my trip be complete.




After the Magical Moment, we continued to enjoy hot chocolate, fireworks set to Christmas Carols, and then Dumbo, Peter Pan, Its a Small World, Dumbo (again, and again) and the carousel. One more ride Will kept saying. At midnight we headed home.

As I was drifting to sleep I was thinking how exciting the night was, and that while I understand that Santa also went home and took of his suit and went to bed, as did the mice, that for me it was so real and beautiful and fun that it was such a gift. Just before we left for Disney World I learned that our new pregnancy is not destined to make it to delivery. And that hurts, again. And this gift took away that pain for the night and in the morning I thought first of Santa Clause instead of my pain. Thank you cast member, thank you Disney World, thank you Joe for the gift of going back to Disney World (my Christmas gift), and thank you God for the continued blessings.