.Wise professors.

A wise professor once told us in class, "Part of my time is mine to keep, and I don't have to explain it.  I can only help if I'm healthy."

I'm working on balancing that.  The taking and giving.  It's a tricky scale.  But I'm learning that if I'm not taking care of myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually in order to do for others, I provide no real relief.   So I will try to replay the words of this intelligent and dear professor over and over until they stick, that we are all allowed to have that pause to rest without feelings of failing others, because if not, we (I) really end up failing us all.

Part of our time is ours to keep, and we don't have to explain it.

.Our first home.

Look at that beauty!

Our first home as a family, illustrated by the talented Rebekka Seale.   I've been an admirer of Rebekka's beautiful work for a long time, and jumped at the chance to have a house portrait done of our sweet home.  Rebekka is gracious and creative, and has the most beautiful home in Tennessee herself!

I'm sure I'll find myself with more of her art in the future, and I highly recommend you check her out yourself.  I know this painting will have a special place in our future homes for years and years to come.  Our first home where both our babies were (will be) born, details like the fence that Garrett built in our first year here, the front yard where Dylan has experienced so much play, the memories inside this place through the seasons. 

Thank you again Rebekka!

.Married to an older man.

Today is Garrett's 27th birthday!

For his birthday, we got awesome bikes!!  Yes, we ;)  Thanks for being a great sport G.  I look forward to the hours I'll spend by your side riding, enjoying the scenery, and finding adventure with our little family.  

As we get older,  he tries to make his birthday less and less of a big deal.  But a day that celebrates the existence of my very best friend is no small thing.  So we'll make it a multi-day event full of spring-time bike rides, a celebratory meal, and a cookie cake to complete, requested from the birthday boy himself.

A lot of the time, life is hard.  

But I love this simple life with you.

P.S. Garrett's 25th and 26th birthday.

.Chained down.

Right now, I'm buried in hours of SPSS tutorials, MANOVAs, t-tests, path models, factorial ANOVAs, and significance tests.  If those words mean anything to you, then you understand my pain.  Although, a month into data analysis, those words still mean little to me.  But I've got deadlines to make and although it's my "spring break" that also means nothing with work and if I want to successfully defend before littlest baby makes her arrival in June.

So, I leave you with this picture of my sweet Dylan during one of our much-needed outings outside and away from a computer.  That in itself sounds like a vacation; I'm tired of being chained to this darn thing.

.Recent things.

A mixture of celebrations, enjoying (cool) days at the park, drinking in the sunshine and the taste of Spring at the yogurt shoppe, hours of (dull) data analysis and long evenings spent with SPSS, social outings, and lining up odds and ends for littlest baby girl.  

I know it's a terrible practice to rush precious time, but this summer will be so welcome.  The time when the days are long, and we're sticky with river water and sun, the first time ever that I'll be able to focus entirely on my little family and be done with draining deadlines, research, and other various academic obligations.  

So until then, we'll stay as we are and savor this season because it too, is good.

P.S. That coke was not Dylan's, herego the distressed look on her face because I was ignoring her requests to open her father's sugary goodness.