One Daddy and 3 little ladies :)

So today we found out we will be blessed with another little girl. As I said before we feel each of our girls is a special blessing,on loan from God. We have been blessed twice with healthy children and pray that this will be no different.

Those things being said there is a small piece of my heart that aches for a son. Almost all of the men I know have great relationships with their mothers and maintain that those relationships formed as they grew up. Part of me feels said that I won't have that opportunity. But such is life and Gods plan for me as a mother. 

I'm excited to begin preparing for this new little girl and pray that she is healthy, strong and welcomed by her two big sisters. Life is good, actually life is great! 

Days, weeks, months

I cannot believe that in 2 days we will know the sex of our 3rd and final child. Everyone has asked, "are you hoping for a boy?" I often say that it would be nice but that there is something quite comforting should we be blessed with another daughter. Girls are our norm. We know what to expect. I almost feel like having a boy would be like starting over again. Boys are completely foreign to me. All I can say for certain is, boy or girl, we will welcome our winter blessing with open arms. 

In less than 3 weeks my first born will be 2! How in the heck did that happen?!?! It's just yesterday that we brought her to our small mountain home and felt completely unprepared to raise a child. Those first days and weeks were terrifying and some I my most fond memories, just the 3 of us. Brynny you are my sweet and sassy baby girl. You're independent and crazy. You bring so much joy to my life. When you were born you created a mom and I will forever be grateful and indebted to you. May The Lord continue to bless and guide you. 

In less than 4 months my baby will be one year old. Elliot has taught me so much about myself, about loving each of my children uniquely and deeply. She has been patient and gentle. Although she's learned that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Each morning she greets us with a smile and laugh. It's one of the things that helps me get through the day. I will continue to celebrate your uniqueness Lellie Bug. You will always hold a very special place in my heart. 

Bryan and I are coming up on being together for 5 years! It's been quite the adventure. We've been through a lot, grown up a lot, fought, made up and learned how to be parents and balance that with our roles as husband and wife. 

My life is AMAZING. Each day I wake up with a grateful heart and each night I ask for one more day. 

Viva Las Vegas

So in Feb of this year we made the decision to move yet again but this time it was to be closer to my family. Las Vegas has a rebounding home market, opportunity for career growth for us both, and the opportunity for our kids to grow up near their cousins. 

It's been quite an adventure but for now, we feel settled. In March we found out that we are expecting our 3rd child! It was definitely a surprise but we believe firmly that God has a plan and that in the end this is what our family was meant to be. So it's Callen party of 5! 

More to come....

So many firsts...

So this was a week of many firsts. It was my first week back to work. My first week as a director of rehab, Bryan's first week with both girls alone, and my first week as a working mom of 2 under 2.

Elliot is such a different child than Brynn. She sleeps, she is much more calm, she just sorta hangs out. Physically she is bigger, she is already into 3 month clothes. She eats more than Brynn ever did.

We are in a process of redefining our roles, yet again. As a family of 4 we are muddling our way through this new chapter. We are excited to bring on the holiday season and celebrate how great 2013 will be!!!

Where oh where do we belong?

So we are tried and true Catholics. We had a full mass at our wedding, we baptized our 1st daughter, we've attended church everywhere we've lived.

Now that we have children the flaws of the church are becoming glaringly apparent. We love attending mass and genuinely want to devote that time to God however with toddlers more of your attention is spent chasing them in the vestibule, picking up Cheerios, and shushing them during the homily.

One integral and appealing aspect of the Protestant churches is that they have nurseries and children's church. I totally get that our ministers and priests want us to expose our children to mass but I have to ask, if I'm not listening to what they are saying am I really getting anything out of mass?

Also most Protestant churches have activities for young families, this is an area in which the church is lacking, at least where we live.

We are sort of drifting, do we continue with the faith we were raised with, chose for ourselves as adults, married in and one in which we feel at home or do we be adventurous and try something new????

Hello Elliot!

Our sweet girl came into this world 1 day after one due date and 2 days before another. The labor before her birth was intense but manageable. She is perfect in every way.

She looks like her sister but has her very own unique flair! She's got dark wavy hair, dark almost green eyes and a sweet face. She is very calm but will "get her Irish up" if you do something she doesn't particularly like.

As I wrote in my post a few weeks ago I am anxious to see who she will become. I did not know that I could love another child this much but as everyone told me, the love just expands.

Sweet Elliot I will give you all I can to make your life all you hope it can be, may your dreams stay big, your worries stay small, may you never need to carry more than you can hold. Always remember that if the good Lord brings you to it, he will see you through it.

I love you more than all the leaves on all of the trees. Welcome sweet girl.

An Open Letter to my two favorite girls...

My sweet girls,
As I sit awake, as I often do I wanted to write down my thoughts as all of what what know as a family is about to change in the very near future.

First and foremost Brynn, your entrance into this world was the most rewarding experience of my life. You made me truly realize what can happen to someone when they completely surrender themselves to the journey of parenthood. In your short 14 months of life we've both cried, laughed, learned how to live and do things together. It has truly been the pleasure of my life to be your Mom and you make me so very proud each and every day. Already you are kind, funny, sassy, strong willed, sweet and most of all completely unique. I hope you always have the courage to stay that way, never change, not for anyone, even me. I can't promise that your life will be perfect or that things will always go easy for you, even when we work hard sometimes we fail, sometimes we hurt but I do promise that our home will always be open and you will always have a soft place to land and feel loved. You have my word.

To my new baby girl, you are a blessing, a surprise but a blessing none the less. Never doubt that you were and are wanted. You will be my last baby and as such you, as well as your sister, will hold a place in my heart that is all your own. I didn't know that my heart could expand and love as much as it has. You've taught me how to let go of fears and learn how to trust that all will be well. I look forward to learning who you will be and become. I look forward to discovering your personality, hearing your laugh, seeing your smile and watching you turn into your own unique self.

To both of my girls I promise that I will not be perfect, I will make mistakes, we will disagree, there will be times when none of us like each other. I also promise that first and foremost I will be your Mom and your well being and safety will always come first, no exceptions. Secondly I will be one of the people who will always love you and will accept you for who and what you are. Thirdly my heart and my life will always be open to you both.

As this adventure for all of us begins it's exciting and scary. Know that I think of you both by day and pray for you at night. May the good Lord bless you and keep you both in the palm of his hand, and may his light always shine upon you. I love you both to the moon and back!

Love Always,

Your Mom <3

Emotionally I'm spent

So the last few days have been an emotional and logistical roller coaster. As with Brynn we had a trip to labor and delivery which left us with more questions than answers.

For the past few weeks at my weekly appointments I've had protein come up in the urine samples. The doctor seemed especially concerned yesterday and told us that if I had any abdominal pain, headache or blurred vision that I needed to call and possibly come in. So this AM I was feeling all of the above. We were told to come straight to labor and delivery. Being 38 weeks we were told that most likely we would be having our baby girl as any protein was no good and since this one is baked completely they wouldn't take any risks.

Basically 4.5 hours later we were discharged and told that all my labs were on the high side of normal but normal none the less so at this point we are to continue on and allow natural course. I have to be rechecked Friday but other than that all is well.

Of course baby E is good but as for me, emotionally spent. This pregnancy has been rough. Partially my own doing (moving us approximately 3000 miles in 3 months), and partially it's just harder being pregnant a second time. And when you add in going from low risk home birth to c section to moderate risk hospital birth it is what I would call a roller coaster. Basically I'm done. I know there is a light at the end of this but at the moment it seems a bit dim.

Thank you to all our incredibly committed and kind friends and family. Your kind words, positive thoughts, comedic interludes and prayers are all welcomed and appreciated. As always we are humbled by the support and thankful for your kindness.

So what now? Try to wait and be patient. Babies come when they are ready. She definitely takes after her sister and will NOT be rushed by anyone. I'm going to try and zen out on this. It will end. My favorite pregnancy quote, " Pregnancy takes commitment, it's like getting a tattoo on your face."

And so another chapter begins...

It's been so great to be back in CA. We've really begun to settle in. We have a great place, good support system and it seems like everything is falling into place.

After our regular weekly OB appointment we were told that although we cannot have our planned home birth we will be able to have a regular hospital birth. It really was an answer to our prayers. It's really all in Gods hands.

Now comes the waiting...baby E will be here and soon our little family of 3 will be our completed family of 4. It's scary and exciting. Until we meet again....

California at Last

Not even sure how to start this...we re home! The last 3 months have been a whirlwind of emotion, change, upheaval, deep contemplation, boat load of prayer and most of all humbling. We have gone from living in Reno, moving to Texas, to moving back to Graeagle.

We moved to Reno shortly after Brynns birth so that we could have easier access to the amenities of living "in town" as well as ease for Bryan during his student teaching. We were extremely fortunate to make some excellent friends and be closer to Bryan's parents. We however never imagined that Reno would be our final destination. The job market for Bryan was abysmal and it's just not where we saw our lives.

We looked into several opportunities in several states and after much consideration and prayer we decided to take a huge leap of faith and move to Texas. It was a huge undertaking and it was fraught with difficulties. Once we were there we had some difficulties adjusting to the politics, social aspects and living in the Bible belt. My work was good but we just didn't really fit in. Needless to say we believe it was definitely more than happenstance that my current job offer came along. When it did we prayed about it alot and although it would mean yet again uprooting our lives we decided that our real "home" was and always will be California.

The journey back was difficult but definitely worth it. We are truly home. We miss some of the niceties and pleasantries of Texas but as they say, Texas is for Texans. We wish all of the people we met there all the best ad hope they reciprocate the thoughts.

So as we spend this last forum weeks as a family of 3 we re excited to get settled and look forward to the coming Fall. Thank you again to all of our family and friends for all you've done for us.

Until next time....

Well it's been a hectic few weeks! After much deliberation, prayer and contemplation we have decided that we are moving back to CA! I was offered an unbelievable job and given the trials and tribulations of we've faced since moving we decided that perhaps this was a sign that we needed to make a change.

We are now in the process of moving back to CA. It will be great to be near familiar places, friends and family again. Don't get me wrong, the people we've met here have been so welcoming and nice but let's face it, Bryan and I, we are California to the bone! We miss our Bear Flag Republic!

Can't wait to see the ocean, mountains, trees and most of all cool fresh breeze! CA or BUST!

Sometimes the road is long and the journey is intense.....

In the past 30 days we packed up our lives, moved over 1400 miles, unpacked our house, I started a new job, entered the last trimester of my pregnancy, Brynn turned one year and we've begun the settling process.

Texas has been a huge change for us. Perhaps more than we realized. Luckily we've all had Bryan as our rock, our stabilizer, our greatest supporter. Thanks Bryan. We love you.

This journey, who knows where it leads.....we shall see.

Wow....it's been awhile.....

So Brynn is now almost 7 months old! She is sitting up on her own, crawling, babbling, she actually said Dada a couple of times and is pulling herself up to stand. Basically she is getting big and getting into everything. Each day we wait to see what new trick she'll master.

Bryan finished his student teaching in December and has since become a stay at home Daddy while he finishes up his Master's degree. He will begin the job hunting in the Spring for next school year, keep your fingers crossed!

I have begun covering my friend's maternity leave for the school district in Fallon, Nevada. 2 days a week I drive approximately 1 hour outside of Reno and complete evaluations, observations, and supervision of the COTAs that are currently working out there. I miss Brynn but it's good to be back in the swing of things :) And since it's a special assignment the $$$ isn't bad either.

In the last few months we have steadily been finding our way as a family of 3. We've grown and are doing well. This weekend we have a lot of family and friends in town for Brynn's baptism. We are excited to welcome her into the family of God and look forward to sharing this time with our family and friends.

Until we meet again....happy trials.

Oooppsss skipped a couple of weeks!

So....tomorrow Brynn will be three months old! I cannot believe the time has gone by so quickly. We have had our little one for a quarter of a year. Yes the sleepless nights do get to you, you sometimes wonder how it would feel to go somewhere without counting diapers, asking if I have extra outfits "just in case" and how good it feels to get a nap in the afternoon yet we cannot imagine our life without our little peach.

Bryan is about two weeks away from fully taking over all the classes in his student teaching. He is doing such a great job and although he has a lot of work he helps out so much with Brynn so I can retain some of my sanity.

We are currently staying at the Peppermill in Reno, we had two unused free nights so while the weather is nice we decided to make use of the pool on a little staycation!

Thanks so everyone for your support these last 3 months. Your words of encouragement, meals, voices of reason, all are appreciated! Here is to many many more months of fun!

Until we meet again.....

Hello Fall...where have you been????

Finally Fall has fallen! So far it's felt far more like the summer that will never end but today, it became Fall. It was a nice cool day with windy, what you might call blustery. We went to church as usual and spent the rest of our day at home. PERFECT!

Bryan is slowly but surely taking over all of his classes. He is diligently working each and every night, it's an adjustment but it's great none the less. We are so proud of all he has accomplished and can't wait for his student teaching to be completed!

Brynn continues to grow each day. She is really beginning to get her personality, she's definitely sassy and when she's ready to eat, you had better get movin! She is laughing and discovering all this world has to offer, you can really tell that she is "seeing" things for the first time and it's wonderous to be able to watch that!

We just keep trucking along. Hope everyone who reads this is well and until we meet again, Happy Trails.

One Full Month!

Well as our first month of blogging comes to a close it's nice to know that people are reading this and that it's serving it's purpose. As I type we are at Mike and Kathy's house for dinner. Although we miss our mountain home living "in town" has it's perks, one of the most important is living near family who can visit with Brynn regularly.

Bryan is slowly taking over all of his class periods now. It's a lot of work but he is enjoying it. We've begun thinking about what will come next when he is done. Sadly the job outlook in the Washoe County School District is well, grim, at best. I guess it's not great anywhere else but especially here. As such we are opening ourselves up for yet another move. We will happily go wherever he can find a teaching job. For now though we get through each week!

I am in my final two weeks of maternity leave. I am trying to relish every moment knowing that once I go back to work our little family dynamic will change. I know that my first days back will be difficult but I am looking forward to seeing my kids and teachers!

Brynn went to the doctor on Friday for her 2 month check up and first round of shots! She got three injections and one oral suspension. She cried but within a few minutes drifted off to sleep. She is now 9lbs, 11oz, 22 and 1/2 inches long and has a head circumfrence of 15 inches. She is getting stronger everyday and has finally found her voice!!!

We hope that everyone is enjoying the coming fall! We are certainly lookign forward to it and hope to have some visitors soon! Love to everyone...until we meet again!

3 weeks and counting

What a good weekend, busy but good! My good friend Jamie was married at beautiful South Lake Tahoe, it rained but the bride was beautiful, the ceremony inspring, the reception a blast. Congrats to the happy couple.

Bryan is trucking along and into his third week of student teaching. He has officially taken over one of 6 periods. He is busy preparing lessons and we are so proud of him! He will soon be preparing for his last exam, wish him luck!

Brynn is growing bigger by the day! She goes for her 2 month appointment and shots on friday, we are anxious to see what she weighs and how much she has grown. She is officially holding up her head, smiles constantly, is beginning to coo, and tracking with her eyes. She is so attentive, we love her so much.

Big news for me, Im reducing my schedule in order to spend more time with Brynn. It was a hard decision but in the end we decided that we can always make more money but Brynny will only be little once.

We are enjoying our new home, new life changes and we cant wait to see what happens next!

2nd week, 2nd post!

Bryan completed his first real week of student teaching, as expected he did great! His lead teacher was gone on friday so he planned a lesson, lectured and gave the quiz that was scheduled for that day! Needless to say he was tired but enjoyed the day.

Brynn has found her toes! She is very interested in their movement and has even reached down to grab them occassionally. Each day it seems like she is growing a bit larger. She is sleeping well and loves to spend time with her Daddy when he gets home from work! On wednesday she will be 8 weeks old, my how the time flies! We can't believe how much she has changed and how much time has passed but we look forward to each day we have with her.

This weekend we took a little trip out to Fernley to visit Bryan's parents and to go to the Cantalope Festival in Fallon. It was great to see Bryan's parents and they loved spending time with Brynn. The festival....it was interesting.

Overall a great week and our first Labor Day weekend as a family has been great. We are looking forward to the weeks ahead. Happy trails until we meet again!

Our first post!

Well here we go! It was my bright idea to try and keep all of our friends and family near and far up to date on our lives and goings on here in Reno.

For those who've not heard we have recently moved from our beloved Johnsville to Reno in order to provide Brynn and ourselves with the convienence of living "in town." It was a hard decision but with prayer and a lot of tears we decided and within a week we were moved. It has been nice to have grocery stores, food shops, etc nearby and open past 7pm! Although it's been a hard transition we feel that we made the right decision.

Bryan began his fall semester preparing for his student teaching last week. The week was full of meetings, lesson prep and photocopying (at least that's what I heard about!). This week the kids return to school, he is nervous but I am sure he will excel as he always does! Brynn and I couldn't be prouder and we wish him the best of luck!

I am starting my last month of maternity leave and trying to savor each and every moment.

Well I think that about sums it up and dinner is ready....until we meet again....happy trails!