Fresh Start

Fresh Start means a lot to our family going into 2012. We are enjoying the first of many milestones to come with our new addition. There is always something to organize in our home. Traditions we loved as children are being rekindled in our home for the holidays. Family members that have been away and relationships that were broken are being repaired. I feel like everywhere I turn we are starting over with projects we have wanted to get to, or things we have wanted to do.

Let's be honest now. Organization is not an area in which my husband and I are gifted in. Both of us are very gifted in organizing people in groups and leading others. However, when it comes to "stuff" well I am no Martha Stewart. Our house lacks storage and there is no where for my crafting habit. It pretty much lives on the floor in the living room. Soon our little guy will be mobile and now is the time to get our junk in order. PM was kind enough to buy me drawers that will act as an end table where I can organize my yarn and other supplies. 

Before

After

Hank is also making a fresh start with his attempts to roll over. He took a break for a few days (I think it was because he was under the weather). During his break from trying to roll over, he mastered being able to maneuver himself all the way around the perimeter of his play mat and turning himself around in his crib. As you can clearly see, Hank is not happy that he can't roll over.

Growing up all of my holiday traditions revolved around church with exception of Thanksgiving. We didn't dress up and trick or treat until I was older. Christmas and Easter were strictly celebrated for the true intended purpose of the birth of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. Looking back now I understand why my parents choose to guide us down that path. I believe their choice really rooted my faith, defined what we believed as a family, and helped me to grow. However, the secular "magic" was always missing. My hopes for Henry are to know the true meaning as to why we celebrate holidays that are important to our faith, but also know why Santa Claus exists. I want to start fresh with holiday traditions this year; continue what we already hold dear and create new ones along the way for Henry to look back on. This year is the second time I have ever put out cookies for Santa. If you look, you will see that Santa has an extra cookie on his plate for him to take home to Mrs. Claus (gingerbread is her favorite =] )

Santa's cookies

A fresh start and second chances with family is something we are very grateful for coming into the new year. To make a long story short, the faith my parents fostered at a young age came in very handy growing up when my parents marriage fell apart. I am very happy to say that Henry will have the chance to know Pap. Pap is celebrating a fresh start to his life. He is living out a life that reflects the change that God has made in him. The past few months have brought a whole bunch of emotions with reintegrating family back into our life. When it is all said and done, the roller coaster ride of emotions is worth staying on track and coming full circle.

Pap meeting Henry for the first time

Lastly, I need a fresh start in the way I view myself. Almost every night after Hank is tucked I reflect on all the stuff I didn't accomplish that day. I feel like my house is supposed to be spotless since being a domestic engineer is my current job title. People think I have all this time on my hands to volunteer with this and that since I am "not working" or “ you‘re the pastors wife“, and Preacher Man should have his socks matched (which I would rather get a tooth filled than match socks... but that is another story). I need to start viewing what I did achieve over the past 24 hours: sang, played and read to Henry, our belly’s are filled, the waterfall of spit that came out of Henry's mouth has been removed from the floor, I managed a load of clothes and diapers, and most likely got up at least 3 times in the middle of the night for a screaming child. When I look at it this way, the dishes in the sink can wait.

 PM likes to leave encouraging words on the fridge