The last two weeks, I have been attending MOPS again!  Last week, I visited MOPS at City Church and had a wonderful time hearing 3 older mothers share their stories!  This week I attended MOPS at Timberlake Church and had a fun time making beaded bookmarks.  It feels so good to be able to get out to MOPS again!  My kids are past the separation anxiety age and they go happily to their classes.  It is such a difference from a year ago!  I didn't realize how stressful MOPS was for me last year---leaving crying children behind in their classes!

The last couple months have been so different for me.  I finally read my first book (mommy book) since I had my kids.  Last weekend I took a bath and read in the tub---it was so relaxing.  I feel like I am finding myself again--my identity.  Yes I am a mom and a wife--but I am so much more than that!

It has been so freeing to feel like myself again!  I am praising God for healing and finally balancing out my hormones.  The postpartum depression---I experienced after having Chloe was so debilitating and so foreign to me.  I am finally enjoying life again and laughing out loud!  Two years ago--I didn't believe I would ever feel like myself again---but today I am a stronger woman because of what I have overcome!

Hooray!! It's Friday and I get a date with my hubby tonight!  This week is special for us because 7 years ago we met each other for the first time!  Thanks to Kenny's cousin Noelle and my friend Dawn for matching us up!  

Kenny and I had been emailing about a month before we met.  I was a new nurse working night shift so my schedule was really crazy.  I remember the night we met so clearly and I remember being so excited and nervous at the same time.  I was finally meeting this great guy that I had learned so much about in email--now it was time to see if we 'clicked' in person.  One of my biggest concerns was whether or not I would be able to hear him well.  Because of my hearing loss, I have I hard time hearing guys voices a lot of the time.  Well, God put my fear to rest!  Not only can I hear Kenny well---we say that God made Kenny's voice for me because most of the time I can hear him when my hearing aids are removed!

Anyways--7 years later I am still in love with my man and he is 'my only one.'  God gave me so much more in a husband than I ever asked for!  Just today he surprised me with a few Godiva Roasted Almond truffles when he came home for lunch.  He is an amazing dad and an amazing husband and I appreciate him so much! Thank you Noelle and Dawn---for finding him for me!!

The last two days we have spent the mornings outdoors--which has been so wonderful!!  Yesterday I walked to a park about 3 blocks from our home--a huge accomplishment for me.  For those of you who don't know---the last few months have been so rough on me physically--including two hospital stays and dealing with a really low blood count.  Getting to the park was a challenge for me---but walking home was easier and I felt proud of myself when I returned home!!  The kids and I had so much fun---we swung on the swings and we went down the slides together.  At one point I just stood in the warm sun and thanked God I could be active with my kiddos again!!

Today has been a grey day but we still took the opportunity to go to a park and be outside.  We met our cousins Meagan and Ashleigh at a park in Bothell at Country Village.  Now that Nat and Meagan have moved to Lynnwood--Bothell is a half-way point for us. The kids had such a blast!!  They rode on the merry-go-round and went down a tunnel slide over and over again!!  When we got too cold, we went to a near-by coffee shop and the kids played with some toys in the coffee shop---a very kid-friendly coffee shop. :) We had so much fun together---and we are so thankful to have cousins that live close by!!

Happy February everyone! February is always special for me--it is the month I first met Kenny and it is also the month that Kenny proposed to me!!  Lots and lots of love!!

Yesterday the kids and I were playing a game called Hullabaloo--great game for preschool age... Anyways one of the pieces of the game has an ice cream cone on it.  So this morning Caleb announces that he wants an ice cream cone with chocolate ice cream.  For those of you who don't know Caleb---this is a HUGE deal!!  Caleb is one of the pickiest eaters I have ever known and he has always refused ice cream!!  So when Caleb announced he wanted some ice cream--the kids and I made a run to Safeway where we picked up chocolate ice cream for Caleb and strawberry (pink) ice cream for Chloe.  And don't forget the sugar cones!!

When we came home--I totally expected Caleb to change his mind.  I even made him taste the chocolate ice cream on a spoon before I made him an ice cream cone.  Guess what??  He loved it!!  I was so happy that he tried something new.  Even though ice cream may not be the healthiest choice--it's the yummiest--in my opinion!! :)