BYH- random edition

http://www.stephaniehowell.com/my_weblog/2015/08/byh-summerpregnancy-edition.html

I've been following Stephanie Howell for a long time now, before she ever had her twin girls and now she's pregnant with #5 and looking as lovely as ever! I read her last blog post called Blog Your Heart and decided to join up! Basically I just blog whatever is on my heart, whether serious, witty, silly or sad, but I just have to be authentic. So here goes.

1. I am in love with my daughters voice. She has her own words for things and calls Koa "buddy." She never called him anything up until about a month ago, when she called him Koke. But now "bud" or "buddy" seems to have replaced that name! Her word from Drink is Gink, she calls my cell phone a Hi-yo (hello), she calls the stroller a Wee-see and calls her clips (and chips) Bocks. But even more than her words, I love her sweet little voice when I tell her not to touch something and she says O-tay (even after she's just thrown a demoniac tantrum).

2. Newborn diapers are just the sweetest. Since I change Baby C about 10 times a day, its a good thing I enjoy them!

3. I have recently developed a love for indoor plants. Especially succulents and colorful little cacti. I think I will start collecting them and putting them up in my windowsill. 

4. Open adoption can be hard. We've been working through some challenging issues lately. But it also can be beautiful. 

5. Everyone is asking if we will adopt baby C. We absolutely love him dearly, but I am very honest with myself in knowing there is a LONG road ahead of us, if it is even a possibility (which I don't know if it is). I am not planning on NOT being naive about things. Adoption through the state is long and tiring journey and everything, EVERYTHING, takes longer than they say. That being said, I am loving him with my whole heart through the journey, no matter where it leads. In reality he could leave tomorrow or he could stay forever. How's that for certainty?

6. Foster care is hard. Beautifully hard. 

7. I like to view things with ages. For example, when Jason is done with nursing school, Koa will be 4 (about to turn 5), Norah will be 2, and Baby C will be 11 months. I like to imagine what everyone looks like at those ages and what they will be doing. Another example, I will be 45 when Norah graduates from High School, I hope to not have too many gray hairs and pray I'm not frumpy.

8. Going to bed with a clean kitchen makes me really happy. I might even write a whole blog post about it. I feel extremely accomplished when the dishes are drying in the drying rack, the floors are swept and the counters are sanitized. Its a bonus when the recycling and garbage are taken out. I really think I sleep better. It doesn't always happen, but when it does, I am a happy wife.

9. Our first garden has done better than we ever expected! But with the 100+ degree whether the last few weeks I began to resent the garden and going outside to water it. I am glad we are back to the 80's. PNW, don't ever do that to me again.

If you feel inspired, Blog Your Heart today!