Friends for a Lifetime.

I have recently found myself thinking a lot about the many friendships I have.  Some are just forming, while others have been around for as long as I can remember. True friends, ones that you can count on no matter what, are such an amazing blessing. So many people can come in and out of your life, but it is so important to hold onto the friendships that form.

{HUSBAND}

I can honestly say that I married my best friend; something that would be cliche if it wasn't true. He is someone that knows me, and still chooses to love me each day no matter what. He lives out Christ in front of me and our family, and leads me in the way that I need...even when I don't want the direction. He makes me laugh, and I enjoy spending my time with him, and he with me. {deep}

{MOM}

My mom is a woman that I grew up valuing and seeking her advice and opinion. I knew that she loved me no matter what, and that she supported me in what I did. As I got older the respect that I had for her grew into a friendship. I love getting to spend time talking with her, and watching her interact with my son. She is a wise, beautiful and loving woman...someone I hope to emulate. I also married into a family where I gained another mom that I love. She loves the Lord, her husband and her family. She raised my husband, and is a person I enjoy spending time with...something I am proud to be able to say. {unconditional} 

Listen to advice and accept instruction, 

that you may gain wisdom in the future. 

Proverbs 19:20

{SISTER}

 

This is such a special relationship, one that I am so thankful that I have in my life. My sister is a light in my life, and a person that I enjoy spending time with. Although we are different, those differences only seem to make the memories we have together all the more special. She is the person that brings the silly side of my out...the one that I find myself laughing for no reason at all. I have watched her grow from a tiny baby into a beautiful woman. I have also been blessed with two other sisters through marriage. I am thankful for the love they have for me, and the many memories we have had as a family. {sisterly}

{OLD FRIENDS}

The amount of friends that I have many not be as many as some, but the ones that I do have are ones that are deep and lasting. I love when I get to see a friend that I haven't had a good talk with in awhile, and it's as if we left off right where we left off the time before. I love that although many of these friends live far away, I know they are there for me all the time. I love that these friends have walked through life with me. They knew me when I was learning who I was and what I wanted my life to be about. They have walked through exciting times in my life, and have helped me through harder trials. These friendships are ones that I treasure. {lasting}

{NEW FRIENDS}

Thankful for the many new friends that I have in my life. I've learned that although it is hard to open up to someone, to let someone in, it is so worth it. These are friends that I love getting to create new memories with. They are ones that are equally excited about hanging out and spending time together. I love how they have come into my life, whether through work, at coffee shops or through church. These are women that desire to have me pour into their life, and I want the same from them. Thankful for these friends, in that I can be honest with how I am doing on a daily basis. {transparency}

"As iron sharpens iron, 

so one person sharpens another."

Proverbs 27:17

King's Court

Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd....

 

This past Sunday our little family of three took a trip up to Seattle to go to a Mariner game; something I think every Bernard boy is destined to love. From the start of the National Anthem to the announcement, "Mariner's win!" Blake was AMAZING.  He was in awe of how many people there were, and how loud they could be when a hit or out was made. By the end of the game though he was a pro, and was clapping along with the crowd.

We have quite the silly little baby boy on our hands...he LOVES people...he will point, wave, smile and 'talk' with anyone until he can get them to give him his full attention. It doesn't matter what they look like, Blake will befriend them, and soon enough have them making silly faces back at him or waving like they were a little kid too. If only we were all still so open to being friendly with others, and letting our lights shine as bright as Blake's does.

It was a quick trip, but so worth it to watch Jason and his little boy get to experience this first together. Who knows if Blake will be a ball-player, but there is no doubt that we have another baseball lover in the Bernard family.

"Working Mama"

This last week Jason and I changed roles, to working mom and stay-at-home dad.  I will be honest, my mama heart was breaking Monday morning when I was awakened by an alarm instead of the cries of my son. I knew that my men were going to be fine, and that they were going to have a blast, but it was strange knowing that I wouldn't be a part of it.  Maybe that's what the struggle was...I didn't want to miss out.

I have been away from my baby before, but there is something different knowing that it is going to be for a few weeks and many days in a row. Granted there are thousands of moms that wake up each morning knowing they will be spending time at work, but for the past year my work has been snuggling, changing, feeding and playing with my gift, my son.

  

"...my work has been 

snuggling, changing, feeding and playing 

with my gift, my son."

As the week went on, I heard stories over the phone about walks to the park, trips to the library and wrestling at home. I realized that my husband was getting the chance to connect with our son in a way he wouldn't be able to do if I was there too. I realized that Blake was getting to learn new things that I wouldn't necessarily be able to teach him on my own. Wow. 

Thankful for a husband that want's to invest in his son's life, who wants to get down on the floor and 'baby-talk.' Their relationship is so precious, and so special. I can see the love in both their eyes when I catch them playing, or when Jason is reading Blake a bedtime story. Thankful for a short-term job for me, that's allowing me to re-awaken my passion for teaching. This 'working mama,' is surely blessed.

Birthday Boy!

This last weekend we got to celebrate Blake's first birthday, and it was so wonderful. To see his smiles, and watch all those family members that love him so much enjoying watching his joy, was perfect. This sweet little boy is:

thoughtful, sweet, smiley, loving, silly, 

and so many more things. He is learning and doing so many new things, and celebrating a birthday can now also be added to that list.

He really enjoyed opening his presents, and would instantly want to play with the toy that he just opened. Made me so happy to see the pure joy, and genuine smiles that would cross his face with each new thing, whether socks or a big blue wagon with wheels.  I also love that he is starting to look and act so much like his daddy (see above picture for just one example). If he is as godly and loving as his dad then I am one lucky mom.

We sang happy birthday, and he was memorized by the candle and the song that everyone was singing. Then came what we were all excited about, Blake eating the cupcake...First off, Blake doesn't really ever like sticky or squishy food on his fingers...so the frosting was a little strange until he tried it. He liked it, so he took a bigger bite...we all cheered and then the tears came. Whether it was a mixture of embarrassment, too much food, or whatever, Blake was sad and needed his mom. To calm down what do you do? Rub your frosting and cake covered fingers on your mamas face. :) After he calmed down, he was all good eating again.

After he was good and messy, Blake got to take a bubble bath outside! If you know Blake, you know that he love his baths, and he loves being outside, so this was a double treat for him. I'm pretty sure he would have stayed in there all night if we had let him.

Aunties.

Grandma snuggles.

Great-Grandma and Blake snuggled in his pj's.

Happy birthday sweet baby boy. Blake Denver Bernard, know that you have changed our lives, only for the better. You have made my husband a dad, and that change has been wonderful to watch. You are a light in our lives, but it is evident that you light up any room that you go into. So blessed by this last year, getting to watch you learn and grow. Thankful that God blessed me with you, knowing that you would be the perfect addition to our family. On to year TWO! :)

Happy FIRST Blake!

Blake Denver - ONE YEAR OLD

One year ago Jason and my hearts were stolen by a tiny little man,
who has grown into such a sweet, smiley and happy little boy.
It is impossible to imagine life without him in it.
The moment he was placed in my arms I was in love.
It has been such a wonderful year, and we feel blessed each day to get to be Blake's mom and dad.
So thankful for his happy smiles and all that he is learning.

• He is ONE YEAR OLD! Amazing.
• He is now over 22lbs...we will know more exact after his 12 month doctor appointment.
• He has TWO teeth now; both on the bottom...so cute! He is working on the top ones now.
• He has many new tricks like: pointing his finger when asked, "How old are you?", raising his arms when asked, "How big is Blake?", learned the sign for "more"...used when he wants food ;) and dances to music.
• His favorite toys this month: WHEELS! Anything from cars to the vacuum cleaner, his music toys and the cats... ;)
• His NEW foods tried this month: TONS of "real" people food like pears, lunch meat, bread and jelly and lasagna. :) All hits!
• He is loving practicing walking...he smiles the whole time, unless he falls down.
• He "dances" to music when it comes on all on his own...even has started "singing" along.
• He LOVES the pool...whether that's his little backyard pool or the pool at swim lessons...water baby.
• He rode on the back of a bike with mom for the first time, and loved it!
• He celebrated father's day...so thankful for his daddy and the wonderful grandpas and great-grandpas in Blake's life. :) 
• He has learned how to go from laying down to sitting up all on his own...and pulls up, but only when he wants to, which is often times in the bathtub...
• He discovered the stairs...only went up a couple...and may have gone down a couple too...
• He celebrated his dad completing his Master's in Special Education. YEAH!
• He is starting to feed himself with a fork...he was very proud of himself with that feat.
• He had his first official swim lesson...and LOVED it! Went underwater and everything! :)

Playing at Riverfront Park.

Clapping for silly daddy :)

"DaDa"

Loving on his "Mama."

ELEVEN months Old.

Blake Denver - ELEVEN Months

• He is now over  22 lbs....although eating is not that interesting to him...he is diffidently a marathon eater...he gets it done, it just takes FOREVER.
• He got his first tooth! We weren't sure if/when this would happen for him ;)
• He is wearing size 12 month clothes and size 3 diapers.
• He has many new tricks like: waving "hi," clapping your hands and giving high-fives.
• He is officially sleeping through the night more often than not..."YEAH!" says mom. Proud of my "big" boy.
• He got to watch aunt Kinsey graduate from college...although he slept through most of it in dad's arms.
• He celebrated dad's 26th birthday, mom's first mother's day and mom and dad's 5th wedding anniversary this last month.
• His favorite toys this month: ANYTHING he can get his hands on...bath-time is his favorite time though...he gets excited when he even hears the water running.
• His NEW foods tried this month: kiwi, Ritz crackers, cottage cheese, beef, avocado(didn't like it) and pickles...which he loved...whose kid is this? ;)
• He had a friend, Ella, spend two whole days with us. They sure enjoyed playing with each other and "talking" back and forth.
• He shakes his head "no" when getting tickled or snuck up on.
• He has learned how to go from sitting to crawling...still doing army crawling...he just thinks it is funny when dad puts him up on his knees.
• He LOVES his two cats, Calli and Hobbes...he gets really excited, and is working on "gently" petting them when they let him get close enough.
• He spent his first 'all-day' time with Grandpa and Grandma Nolz so mom and dad could celebrate their anniversary...he had so much fun with them.
• He went on his first vacation to Sisters, Oregon with just mom and dad...it was such an awesome and relaxing trip for everyone.

Our little family :)

Blake in a Box #2