For Hannah Marie

Dear Hannah,

As a 27-year-old woman, I finally feel like I am beginning to know myself. There have been many, many joys and harships in life and these experiences are what have allowed me to finally accept and celebrate my assets and flaws, talents, struggles, strengths and weaknesses. 

As a step-mother to you, a 13-year-old girl,  I wish I could take this message and infuse it in your brain: JUST BE YOU. BE YOURSELF. YOU ARE WONDERFUL. YOU WILL STAND OUT.  I PROMISE!

I want you to know that the most beautiful women, are the most confident. But not falsely confident.  Not over the top.  Not vain.  Just confident.  The women that I appreciate most in life, are not neccesarily the ones with the perfect waistline, or the best dye-job, but instead those who laugh, loudly.  And sing at the top of their lungs.  Those who freely compliment others, genuinely.  The women who truly see the beauty in others and believe in the strength that is themselves.

I wish I knew how to help you get past all of the daily struggles that come with being 13.  I wish you knew that the only reason any one says anything nasty about someone else is because they have confidence issues themselves.  I wish there was a way to let you know that what seems important at 13, will not be important in the long run.  Let the cruel words of others roll off your back girl, because thats all they are, words.

Hannah, please don't give away your power. Don't let someone take something from you that you don't want to give, don't let someone make you feel some way that you don't want to feel, don't let someone push you to do something you don't want to do. We all have a power within us that tells our heart and soul what is right for each of us...don't give this power away.  Ever.


Hannah, I want you to know that as long as you are smiling you are beautiful. Clothes, make-up, hair do's don't make the girl. Smiles do!  You have no idea how fabulous you are. But you are. You are fabulous. And when you are true to yourself, you will grow. No, you will soar.


I love you girlie.

Always,

Sarah

HannahEmmaMax

My loves.  There is a lot going on in our household lately.  Here is a brief update of each of our kids.

Hannah Marie:  Age 13 1/2, 8th grade.

Hannah started her final year at Whitehorse Middle School!  I can't believe that she is going to be in High School next year.  Time really flies.  When Matt and I started dating she was just a little girl of 9.  Now she is a beautiful teenager! So, whats going on in her life?  She spends the majority of her time with her friends, or at her afterschool activities (volleyball and dance).  She has a group of really great girlfriends that are truly good girls, so we don't really mind them always hanging out.  She really doesn't seem to be that interested in Matt and I lately...which is kind of sad, but comes with the age.  She doesn't realize how cool we really are.  And she thinks we are old...isn't that depressing?  I swear Hannah, I was really cool just a few years ago.  Ask anyone! Next week is our wedding reception and Hannah is really exciting.  After quite an extravaganza, we finally found her a beautiful dress, and we are both getting our hair done!  She loves stuff like that, and is really quite a girly-girl.  I haven't seen her since last Friday...I hope she comes to our house tonight!  Sharing custody is not fun :(


Emma Rose: Age 2 3/4.

Oh my little Rose.  How feisty you are!  I am truly impressed with Emma everyday.  Her vocabulary is immense and I tell everyone that she is 'fluent in English' now.  She says the funniest stuff sometimes that I am so surprised came out of a 2 year olds mouth!  She has told me that things are 'dangerous', and that we need to 'be careful mama'.  I love her so much.  That too is a new phrase for her.  There is nothing more heart melting that having your child say "I love you" to you.  She always asks us "how was work", or "how'd you sleep".  I love it.  Right now she is obsessed with Halloween and her costume ideas change everyday.  I hope when we finally pick out her costume she sticks with it!  At first she wanted to be a witch, but she says "witch is scary".  Then it went to a princess, and now we are on to Curious George, but sometimes she says she can't be George, because Daddy wants to be him.  Lol.  I love her and am constantly amused by her.  I cherish the days that we get to snuggle on the couch, and just talk.  She's so smart.  I can't wait to see who she becomes!

Max Roland: Age 3 months.

Max is seriously the best baby in the UNIVERSE!  He hardly cries, which is a huge change from what I was used to with Miss Emma.  He smiles all the time, and is starting to laugh!  He rolls over from his tummy to his back already...which makes me a little nervous that he is going to be an early learner in regards to the physical.  Emma was always advanced verbally, but didn't walk til she was almost 15 months old!  I love this little guy so much and am so happy that he is a part of our family.  I can't wait to see how he changes over the next year or so.  He brings back my faith in babies!   My sweet Max.

Well, I guess thats it.  Toodles!

Back to the BLOG!

So, I have had a bit going on lately.  Firstly, our 3rd child, Max, was born on 6/28/10.  Easiest birth ever, easiest baby ever.  Mama is very happy!  I finally feel like our family is complete.  I would ideally like Matt to get a vasectomy now, but he's not all for it.  Prior to having Max, it felt like there was someone missing, and now our family feels perfect.  We are so lucky and blessed and I couldn't ask for more.

This past weekend I went to Eau Claire for UWEC's homecoming and my mini-bachelorette party.  Our wedding reception is on the 15th and it was so great to see all of my ladies.  It's so wonderful when we all get together because its like no time has passed at all and we haven't skipped a beat!  I think that there are very few people who are lucky enough to have friendships like that, and I'm so happy I do.  I can't wait to see them all next week for the PARTY!

I'm still trying to figure out what Emma and Max should be for Halloween.  And Matt and I also have an adult halloween party to go to!  So I need a theme for the kids, and an adult theme for Matt and I.  Any ideas?  I kinda want to be Wonder Woman.  I wonder if Matt would be Super Man.  It would be so fitting.  When I first met Matt when he was a bartender at Nau-ti-gal, we called him Clark Kent.  See the resemblance?

I'm a lucky lady!