a heart of celebration

I've always loved parties.
Celebrations.
Gatherings to eat cake & sing & laugh & play games.
My mom would always make a
super special Valentine's candlelight breakfast for us.
And I loved Christmas Eve & sleeping with my sister
and waking up in the dark to see
what magic lay waiting for us under the Christmas tree.
Or waking up on Easter to a bulging basket.



On my 16th b-day,
I was away at Girl's Camp.
My mom happened to be one of the counselors.
She put up Happy B-day signs all over camp.
And she & my friends threw me a surprise party.
And my Grandpa was there, too,
and took me out on my first date
to a nearby city for ice cream.
Then when I was away at college,
Mom sent me a birthday box
complete with b-day hats and party blowers.
Wow, I LOVE celebrations.

Pre-kids - Easter breakfast 2004
for the Hunk

I couldn't wait for the day
to start a family so I could build traditions
and create memories
for my own children.
Making pancakes in fun shapes
and putting little cute notes
in their lunches
and planning birthday parties!

May 2005 - Dada & Mia (9 mos)

When our first baby was born,
oh, how life just seemed to be enhanced
with every smile & move Mia made!
Joy, joy, joy.
Feeding her, playing with her,
singing her to sleep,
going for a walk, to the zoo, the park.
Life was so good and fun!

May 19, 2006 - mama & Wyatt

When Wyatt was born,
I had such deep heartache.
I wondered if I could ever enjoy
the merriment of our festivities
with a handicapped child.
Especially as he got older & his challenges
became more obvious.
Would my heart ever feel joy and love and cheeryness again?

If only I could have known what these eyes
were telling me!
"You will rejoice in life's simplest pleasures
more than any shindig or bash, mama!"
As I learned to finally love Wyatt (& stop obsessing
over a "label"),
the Bugg taught me that there is a celebration
in every. little. moment.

Bugg in the Bumbo chair -
November 2006

The way his little hands would come to midline and twiddle,
which his E.I. therapists told us was a great milestone.
And how amazing it was when he would
actually hold his head up,
even at 6 months.
Playing with toys and
discovering his toes were HUGE deals
and cause for great celebration!
He was becoming my little hero.

15 months

14 months

Then there was the day he got
his wheelchair.
It came on his 2nd birthday.
And how totally ironic
for me that it should be the time when
I truly learned to embrace all the beauty of life.
Here my son was sitting in a wheelchair!
and I was so giddy.
Bugg was getting what he needed
and I celebrated him and his comfyness.
I was loving him and all the special challenges he was made of.
Pure awesomeness.

The sign on the garage door
for all to see & welcome the
new wheels!

I felt free.
I felt joy.
I felt the power of his existence.
That this life is so much more than just having fun.
That trivial things are not worth fussing about.
That there is a whole wondrous experience
waiting to be embraced as the sun rises & sets.
All those magnificent colors stir one's soul
to feel closer to our Heavenly Father.
That the soft lashes on a sleeping babe
and the way their wispy hair
tickles my cheek reminds me
of the splendor & miracle it is to be alive,
and to be able to enjoy it with those I love so very much.
CELEBRATION!

Then was it by chance
that I discovered this book at a 2nd-hand store
just a few weeks ago?
Celebrating is, after all,
my life's motto.
Among many.
Had you caught that?

I have marked this book
all over the place!
It is incredible and I believe,
a must-read for everyone,
especially those looking for ways
to live happier.

Want to read it, too?
We need more celebratory hearts in this world!
I'll send it to you
if you promise to keep
passing it around to others!
(email me (breefro at yahoo) your addresses and let's
get this baby circulating!)



And so........
I celebrate the humble, minute things.........

The Bugg.
I love this kid.
Especially when he looks over
his glasses like this.
Kills me!

a new candle.
It just perked the room right up.
So much, in fact, that the Hunk
craved sugar cookies every time
he passed by it.
Well, shoot!
Let's make some then.

Watching the sunset
with cousins.

Bugg's Christmas present
from G&G.
A more efficient way to eat.
YEs!
Today's menu would be:
Lentil soup,
salad,
and a piece of cinnamon raisin bread.

He loved it,
thanks.

Celebrating the cold & unhealthy
air outside, therefore,
getting creative inside with
bubbles!

Is it not incredible how much
a new adornment for the house
can bring so many bright eyes and smiles?
I'm ready to learn how to make these!

Celebrating more inside boredom busters.
Hopscotch.
(I moved the couch and used masking tape.)

Ella & I wear matching aprons.

Celebrating my baby!
She is so full of energy and life.
Her big personality
("big" meaning demanding & loud)
has me at wit's end some days
but I have loved her 18th month more than any other.
The way she says,
"Mine!" and "owie" and "andy" (candy).
And how she'll run & hide under Wyatt's bed
when it's time for a diaper change or nap.
Or how she pull out a huge "cheezer"
when I take a picture.

Jan. 2011

Ella adds her own take
on the recipe to
Cocoa Buttons.

signing "more" for
more cookies.

I am loving this little
spice of life.

Imperfections and all.

watching Bugg return home
from preschool

Celebrating our soon-to-come
snow party.
These snowballs are going
to be the party favors.
(silly bands hidden inside)
Yeah, we're jazzing up January.

The Cold
and the way it creates
cool natural art.

Mia.
I loved going sledding with her
on our street.
And watching the elk on the mountain.
And eating at the new Chocolate
for a little date.

I love her creativity
and willingness to help her siblings.
She told me the other night
that she is so "happy that we have a special needs
kid in our family."
Me, too.

Celebrating something new for the Bugg
to look at.

Just a simple paper chain.
And look at how happy he is
about it!
And us.
And our eleven years together.
That is,
11 years since we first went out
on that momentous 1st date.
We recreate it ever year on January the 7th.
I'll tell you about it sometime.....


And you? What is your heart celebrating?