Cont....

Thanks to Aunt Barbara, we have more photos to share of our family get together!
Again - more proof of a good time. AND Aunt Barbara carried on the tradition of getting as many photos of Dom with a beer as possible. The reality is that he probably had 2 - but we love to stretch it out into entire rolls of film of him boozing.

Aunt Barbara also managed to do the impossible - prove that I was there! It's like my own version of "Where's Waldo"...have fun finding me!

And I May Never Find the Meaning of Life...But For This Moment I Am Fine

Last weekend we had the Wright side family over to celebrate the season of Thanks.

It was so wonderful to sit and enjoy one another, to catch up and at the same time realize that we interact as if no time had passed at all. Spending time with Grandma and Grandpa fills our hearts in an indescribable way; seeing Dominick with them paints such a beautiful and whole picture. Seeing my husband through their eyes allows me to appreciate him for the amazing man that he has become, but also see the child that he was that still exists in the mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Billie and Rob, and their beautiful girlfriends had us laughing all day long, and we realized that we definitely need to spend more time together. It was great seeing our aunts and uncles, watching football and knocking a few back - we even got a phone call from Jess and baby Jersie in Arizona!

But - as always - it was the shortest attendee that kept our attention the most. Our cousin Holly and her beautiful daughter MacKenzie made the time so special. MacKenzie's cheerful laughter and squeeky voice echoed through our house and lended a soundtrack of joy to the entire day. She and Tugger were fast friends and did a great job of exhausting one another - there was even a quick cat nap together on the couch.

On the one hand, when I went through the camera I kept thinking "Gosh, I thought I took more pictures....I wish I had taken more pictures"....but the truth is, I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Because while I may have come up short on the proof, it was a magical day of reconnecting and love...and while it can't be blogged or printed, that is the stuff that lives in the heart and can never be overexposed or fade with time.

And I Love The Way You Call Me "Baby"

Dominick and I recently celebrated two years of marriage. It has been a wonderful and blessed two years of laughter, tears, growth and learning. Everyday we recognize that marriage is a negotiation....an intimate dance of giving and receiving joy. It is difficult, imperfect, challenging....but anything rewarding is.

As I thought back on the many lessons that the past two years have taught us - about our marriage, about ourselves, about our faith - our time together seems at once brief and infinite. Though our marriage is new, our friendship and relationship has endured much growth and change over the years.

We met 10 years ago, just about this time of year, and never suspected how our lives would be forever changed by the curious new friend we had made. In celebration of this, I put together a little photo montage beginning with the photo from our first "group date" and ending with dinner on our second anniversary.

Conceived in Love, Sun is Gonna Shine Above

I'm SO behind on postings!

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Patrick Norton. He is just about the cutest bundle of new skin and strawberry blonde hair that I've ever seen!

When I saw him, all of the worries and anxiety that we shared with his mom during her pregnancy faded away and I was left speechless, save for two words that I couldn't help repeating over and over.....

"He's perfect."

I think you'll all agree.

Patrick and Jeanna having some bonding time:

Mother and Child: like a duck to water.

A good nap after a bottle...this is living!




Patrick was slightly startled at the strange women hovering over him as he awoke from his slumber...but we think he recognized our voices from mommy's tummy!



Note the "Future FBI Agent" blanket to the left...he's Mike, Jr. for sure!


Patrick and the Lions are bff. They are apparently much more interesting and better conversationalists than mommy and her friends.



That's enough work for now...more napping must commence.

Like I said....Perfect.

Let Them Cry, Let Them Giggle, Let Them Sleep in the Middle.....Just Let Them be Little

There are few things in this world that feed my soul like spending time with family, and since our extended families have begun adding little ones to the clan, that statement has become increasingly true.

There is a special smile that comes to my face when I see Robert running breathlessly around my yard, or Michael rocking out to the songs on my IPod that (surprisingly) pass his intense musical scrutiny, or Megan nonchalantly tugging on my shirt saying "Hey Kerny, can I have some juice?". I am awe-struck when I see Kaitlyn, a beautiful blond young woman, enter my house - how can this be when I have such clear memories of holding her as an infant? It seems moments ago that the photo above was taken - and now here we are, adults in our own right - some raising families, all working hard.

Few things in this world mark the passage of time and the profundity of growth so eloquently as children. I was the youngest of the New Jersey cousins, which has given me the blessing of watching all of my cousins grow up before me, graduate before me, have families before me....and the opportunity to learn from their experiences.

A few weekends ago, our family spent some time together playing, listening to music, roasting marshmallows and drinking hot apple cider, and cuddling in the brisk fall weather. And while the overall goal was to "catch up" - we really just ended up enjoying one another and standing back, watching the beautiful scene that our lives have become. Our families remind me of Monet's famous Water Lillies paintings: each canvas remarkable in their own right, beautiful and moving, created individually but in a similar fashion, able to be enjoyed alone - and yet they make so much more sense when viewed together.