The Birthday Celebration

This past week has been crazy and wonderful and so full of life I feel like I'm going to burst. 

Felix turned One and that in and of itself makes my heart pound in awe of how time is speeding by me. In my minds eye I can still conjure up the image of him as a squishy blob of a newborn doing nothing but slowly stretching his limbs, sleeping, eating and well...pooping. And then I look up and I've got this busy little boy in front of me walking around the house and trying his hardest to break into a run at times. Saying words like car, ball, balloon, willow, book, and many other made up words in his own language. And most definitely understanding some of the things I ask him to do...like "shut the door, please." "Bring me that brush." "Can you put that water bottle right there for mommy?" "Do you want to put your shoes on?" and more.

We celebrated his first birthday with a couple of small gifts when he woke up and then eating a giant belgium waffle. Half of it ended up on the ground and then very quickly made it's way into Willow's mouth. She was celebrating his birthday too, I guess. Felix took two good naps throughout the day and we ran a couple errands, and visited barnes and noble for a bit, but other than that I basically just sat on the floor playing with him all day, letting him do whatever he wanted...I mean - it was his big day! You only turn one once.

The BIG celebration came on Saturday when we had over 40 people come to celebrate our little man. He did so wonderfully wandering through the adult legs in our kitchen, playing with the other kids, begging for snacks and drinks and to be held. Then we let him do a smash cake (a vanilla one with blue frosting that I made for him). He gingerly played in the icing for a minute or two, but once I showed him that he could eat it, his eyes got really big and he dug right in...still gently, but with both hands full of blue icing and cake. It was the sweetest thing.

Some people may have felt stressed having so many people (including a handful of rambunctious children) in their tiny condo, but I LOVED it. The stress of getting the house clean is never my favorite, but once the food is out and there are people wall to wall chatting and deepening friendships, my heart is full. I am energized and I'm in my element.

We followed up our crazy busy Saturday celebration with more people filling our living room for most of the day on Sunday to watch Football. No agenda other than hanging out with a game on in the background. This is the root of community. Spending time together. Being around one another for long periods of time. Making memories. Making conversation.  In the age of facebook and cell phones, breaking down the barrier of the computer screen and text message friendship for real face-to-face interaction is when life happens. It was a beautiful thing.

Tuesday Mornings

It's been a long morning already. Felix woke at 5:00 am and wouldn't go back to sleep so by the time 9:30 rolls around I'm groggy, I have a headache and my stomach is already ready to eat it's second meal. But lucky for me, Tuesday mornings have also become one of my favorite parts of every week. At 9:30(ish) a group of women from my church get together for shared breakfast, laughter, prayer, and reflection on a book we are reading together.

Childcare is provided and I'm able to eat some delicious - often times very healthy -  breakfast with both hands! (A small miracle for women with young children.) A lot of times we spend the first hour or so sipping tea and catching up on the past week. Laughing about something our kids did, sharing a recipe or talking about our upcoming plans. Then the last 1-2 hours we discuss all that the Lord is showing us and how He is moving in our lives. Places where he is pressing us outside our comfort zone or an area where we are finding breakthrough. A lot of times relating it back to the book, but sometimes just needing to have a space to process where people will listen and pray and encourage our souls.

It is deeply soothing to me to be around these women. Even when Felix won't stay with the sitter and I have to chase him around the room, there is no awkwardness. No judgement. No heavy sighs of having to listen to him babble on top of prayer time. I feel so comfortable and welcomed by these women. Each and every one of them unique and beautiful. SO beautiful sometimes I just listen in awe of each person. How strong they are and how God speaks to them in unique and wonderful ways. How vulnerable we allow ourselves to be with one another. How we can laugh to tears and then in the next breath unveil deep and weighty revelations.

I'm so thankful for this group of women. I look up to them. I care for each and every one of them. I love them all and I know the steadfast weekly and daily encouragement and prayer I receive from these ladies is smoothing out more in my life than I even realize. We have only been meeting for 4 months, but already I can feel the roots of community and friendship going deep.

Another Farewell for Now

Chips, salsa, queso and two cold beers sat on the table in front of us. There is not much in life that the Ewing family loves more than mexican food and it seemed right for me and my older sister to celebrate our last hurrah together in Franklin at our favorite little mexican restaurant - Pueblo Real.

The little hole-in-the-wall is half way between out two houses and it has become a tradition for us to meet there for much needed sister-friend time. The salsa ran out 4 times over the course of the meal, but it was so nice to sit together and linger chatting like it wasn't the last time we would eat there together in a long time.

This weekend the Cahills move to Byrdstown, TN. They have lived in Franklin for 3 years now and we have been through a lot together. Two jobs and stay-at-home-momdom for me. Two jobs for josh. Grueling residency for Cynthia. Early mornings and late nights at the farm for JP. Two precious Cahill babies and one much-longed for Michael baby. Countless belly laughs and late nights out and many stressful phone calls to vent or cry together and celebrations galore. We have fully lived life together letting each other into the ugliest and most beautiful parts of each others lives. They are not only family, but they have become our closest and dearest friends.

Spontaneous cookouts with sweet corn, roasted veggies and burgers in their back yard while the kids chase fireflies and splash in a baby pool. Football games on the big screen with spicy chili, cornbread and cookies. Movie nights. Game nights. Wine nights. Just-come-over-for-the-heck-of-it-nights. I'm going to miss them dearly.

Luckily they are only 2 hours away so instead of spontaneous nights together around their back yard, our new MO will be weekends at their cabin. Renting boats on the lake. Watching our kids sled down hills in the forrest, farmer's market saturday mornings in Franklin and Let's-meet-half-way dinners in Lebanon. I cherish the time we have had together and I know there are still many memories and good times that lie ahead in our future.

I know it's lame, but this was one of three photos that contained JUST the 4 of us and even though it's old and at a mini golf course it was the best one.

Silent House

After a weekend of non-stop movement and people filling our house I sit on a Sunday afternoon in a quite and empty condo. Josh has gone to Indianapolis for the day and Nathan, Joanna, and Ayla are at church/Jo's parents for the day.

I spent the morning slowly waking up, cleaning from the previous night's festivities, catching up on the best TV show ever (LOST), doing yoga, and wrapping up the mound of laundry that needed to be done. A leisurely morning doesn't happen often around here. I really enjoy it from time to time, but after a while it starts to feel odd....where is everyone? I wish they were home so I could at least be typing this blog next to someone I love. Even if Josh were just in the other room working on ESL Basics or if Jo were upstairs feeding the Ayla I would at least be surrounded by the ones I care about.

It is hard for me to picture myself living alone ever again. When the condo is empty it starts to feel cold and stale...that could have something to do with the snow that came last night or it could be that humans are made to be in community. God made us as relational beings and even if it's hard to find a moments peace and quite when the house is full...I much prefer it that way. :)