Sunday, January 9

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?

11 comments:

  1. My heart is celebrating YOU, my firstborn. Thank you for the lesson today. I loved the whole post and all the pictures, but the babydoll pic is a little frightening.

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  2. LOVE this post and ME...PICK ME! I want to read that book and I promise to pass it on! We'll even keep a log of where it goes. Will you allow us to sign the inside cover and write what we love most about it? Something like that? :)

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  3. Exactly what I had in mind, dearest Becky!

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  4. Beautiful post. I love your outlook on life. I only wish I could make as many cookies and stay as fit and trim as you. :) Thank you for a great way to start a new week.

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  5. I am celebrating the temple and my opportunity to see a dear friend sealed to her husband on Saturday, and the respect and love shown her mother who isn't a member and wasn't able to be in the temple. And kisses from my sweet baby and that she MISSED me! Rusty said she obviously missed me and noticed I was gone. HUGE milestone for us! :) And I too love being a "special needs family."

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  6. What a fun post to read. And thanks for linking me up, although I stole it from two other people :) Have a fun snow party!

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  7. Love this post! Something I need to learn about more in my life. I would love to read that book sometime too!!

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  8. Yeah, put me on the book list too!

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  9. I can't wait for Becky to read the book, so I'll have to seek it out on amazon!

    I heart this post for so many reasons. Life truly is about celebrating. I believe I also have a heart of celebration. I believe I learned that from my mom and I think you did too. I think many people believe they will have things to celebrate if good things come to them. Too bad so many don't understand that YOU are what brings the celebration to your own life! We were asked to create. Creation is in our eternal makeup -- it is what we are supposed to do!

    Although I'm not nearly as creative in my celebration as you -- nor do I make as many cookies -- I truly love and enjoy and celebrate each day. And thank my Chloe for teaching me to celebrate such minor details as well. What a beautiful gift each day to have these special spirits so near us to teach us how beautiful and special every little moment is -- and to celebrate it!

    Thanks girl! You teach me much and inspire me always!!! xo

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  10. You inspire me! With your beautiful photos and fun projects you do with and for your family. I love it all! This week we are celebrating Sebastian feeling better and going back to school. AND taking steps around the house in his new AFO's while I hold his upper body up. Awesome-sauce.

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  11. Oh what a JOYFUL post! I love it! and I love you! Happy January and happy 11 years!!!!

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