Vacation Highlights!!

We took a quick little vacation to Branson last week.  

It was very nice and relaxing.  

We stayed at the Cliffs at Long Creek.  It's our 3rd time to stay there and it's still breathtaking how beautiful it is!

We drove a different route this time and took more of the scenic/backroads way and I'm so glad we did...

I did some drive-by shooting ; )

We got lucky on the way down...Maddie slept for about two hours.

Maddie's favorite part of the trip was hands down SWIMMING!

Maddie insisted on swimming out to the deep end of the infinity pool!  She loved it : ) 

We got this great little "swimsuit" with built in floatation device.  It was perfect!!  Peace of mind really helps when it comes to enjoying the swimming experience.

We got some good family pics too...

This is definitely an accurate depiction of my parents : )  

Dad says something sarcastic and Mom laughs and says nuh-uh!  

My nephew, Evan.

My niece, Emilie.  

The other two nephews run when the camera comes out!  

But at least Emilie lets me play around...

Tried some new techniques with off camera flash! 

My favorite part of vacation was horseback riding.  My sister, Emilie, and I went.  

I finally realized why some use horses for therapy.  When you are riding, the rhythm of the gait and the back and forth could really help with physical therapy.  

It was great to get away for a few days before the busy, busy school schedule hit!!

First Day of School!

We survived the first day of school yesterday!

She looks so little with her little friends!

She was excited to go!!

What a difference a year makes.  I really wanted her to go back to Antioch this year, but in order to move up to the next class, she had to be potty trained.  We are no where close to being potty trained, so I enrolled her at the the Moore Public Special Needs Preschool.  

She will go 4 days a week for 2 1/2 hours.  

I was disappointed at first, but seeing her march right in and begin playing was awesome.

I even got a special shirt made for her first day of school...

It says, "Down Syndrome?  I'm down with that!!"

She loved her first day of school!

And I think she's going to love her new teachers too!!

We are excited about a new school year : ) 

Summer Fun!

Our playgroup has been trying to find lots of things to in INSIDE to stay out of the heat.  

A couple of weeks ago, we found the Fred Jones Jr Art Museum in Norman.

It was so fun!! 

They happen to have a Disney display right now, so Maddie was thrilled to see all of her friends on the wall!

She spotted "Poppins!!"

And Lion King!

But she spent the most time looking at Winne the Pooh!

MaKenna got some practice climbing stairs

And Alexis wasn't quite sure if she was supposed to be in the shot or not...

And this was my favorite picture of the day...

I like to think she's discovering the artist in herself! : ) 

Connections

Photography is more than just snapping pictures.  

In its purest form, it's really more about connecting.  

I LOVE photographing the Byrd/Ramick family!!!

I began with baby Jayli's newborn pics and I can't believe it but it's already time for one year pics!!

Can you believe this cuteness!!!

She's such an amazing little one, I just love her so much.  

We did the smash cake which I highly recommend...sooo much fun!

But sometimes the most monumental memories from sessions happen after the main event!

Grandma Julie decided to create some of her own fun with the leftover smash cake!!

I just have to take a moment and tell you how much I love Julie!  

She's the epitome of living life to the fullest.  

She loves her family with focused passion and  its the same passion that overflows into other aspects of her life.

She's the perfect balance of not taking life too seriously, and taking serious the responsibilities given her.

She's one in a million : ) 

"When you lose your laugh, you lose your footing."  -Ken Kesey

Jayli approved!!

Fun, fun, fun!!!!

A photo session I will never forget : ) 

 

Hello World!

This is it.  

My last week of summer!

Next week I'll be heading to preschool.  

My Mommy has mixed feelings about it, but I know I'll be fine.  

I've been busy collecting things, packing and unpacking containers, watching Curious George and Mary Poppins, and perfecting my dance moves.  

The good thing about preschool will be playing games with the speech teacher.  

I don't know what the big deal is, I can say everything I need to and sometimes I just don't know why Mommy can't hear me.  

I have to repeat myself and raise my voice louder but for some reason she still doesn't hear!  

She just says, "I can't understand what you are saying, Why don't you show me."  

I have to keep things really simple so she understands!

Well, better go.

I have to make the most of my last week of summer!!

All my love, 

Maddie

Maddie Speaks!

Maddie's been speaking in sentences for a while now, but it's just been recently that we have been able to understand some of what she's been saying.  

The other day she was wanting to watch more T.V.  

I told it was getting late and there wouldn't be anymore T.V.

She asked again...

and again...

 and finally I told her we could listen to music.  

It just so happens that the same remote and the same action is required to listen to music or watch T.V.  

When she saw the remote in my hands she squealed with delight and said, 

"I did it!!!  Here it comes!!!"

She was disappointed at first, but we were laughing so much that she soon joined in too : ) 

Motherhood Musings

I think most little girls dream about growing up and having babies.  

I'm not even sure if Maddie is physically able to have children.  There's a lot of mixed reviews when I googled it.  

I honestly don't remember if I grew up thinking I would be a Mom.  

When I thought about growing up, in my mind 25 years old was grown up, and I never thought about life past that.  

Ironically, I was 25 when I was told I wouldn't be able to have children.  

The writing was on the wall, so the news wasn't shocking.  

We build a lot of facades in life.  

Maybe it's a coping mechanism.  

Maybe it's because reality is too much to bear.  

My facade was that I wanted children...some day.  

The truth was, when I was told I wouldn't be able to have children I thought it was just confirmation that I wouldn't have been a good mom.  

It was for the best. 

We told friends and family that we would adopt some day, but I knew in my heart life was as it should be.

So when I found out I was pregnant, the exhilarating joy overshadowed the enormous responsibility that lay ahead.  

I realized God trusted me more than I trusted myself.  

I resolved I would not betray his trust.  

Motherhood is a tricky balance though.  

You devote all of who you are to these precious little ones but you can't lose yourself in the process.

You sacrifice all you know to give but you have to reserve some energy for the other people in your life. 

You stretch yourself and find yourself doing things only for the sake of your children, yet personal growth takes away time with them.  

 

It's not easy.  

On my worst days, the old messages have a way of creeping back in my mind.

But on my best days, my joy cannot be contained.  

And my best days have a way of overshadowing the worst!!

In the words of Switchfoot, "the shadow proves the sunshine."

For all my Mommy friends, when the bad days come (because they will) know that you were perfectly designed to be the Mommy of your little ones.  

Know that God holds all the wisdom to navigate through the shadows.

And know that the light of the good times can eliminate the even the darkest shadow.