Our Independence Day...

It is not hard to feel like we are struggling as a country right now. Many of us watch the news and are wondering how long the freedoms that we hold so dear will last. We wonder if our children will have the same innocent memories of summer, eating watermelon and decorating wagons for July 4th. Yet this July 4th we were able to create these memories. Their was a feeling in the air of sweet freedom and pride in America Yesterday. We were able to have such a wonderful day of parades, watermelon, and even a Seafood Throw down! Please enjoy our pictures and our blog. Lets celebrate this year that we were able to have such a amazing July 4th, lets not forget all the people who sacrificed for us to have such a special day!!!

True Love….

I think that as little girls we are taught to wait for a knight in shining armor to come rescue us and take us to a Big Castle, and then we will live happily ever after. However, are these ideas really true, pure or real. Do they really help us to dream big, to want more. Or are we holding out for something that is so superficial, empty, unsatisfying???? I think so. I know this is a ramble of thoughts…However as I ponder being a Mother for the second year in a row I am afraid that I was waiting for the wrong thing, the wrong idea. I have such a better understanding of what true love is. Don’t worry I will explain even further…

I have come to understand what true love really us, at least for me. True love for me is found in many different pieces of my life. It is not one moment, it is not all day every day, it is in surprising moments. Six years ago this summer I was married to Reed, my husband. I was young and had no idea of what a marriage really meant or what it looked like day to day. Over these six years I have grown so much. I have learned to really love, to give, to be humble, to stand up for myself, to change, to be vulnerable. I am so thankful for that, I am so happy for conflict, for a love that pushes me, to grow, to change to be better than I was six years ago. Along this journey of ours I become a mother, and WOW, this is the definition of True Love. Love that is never ending, a love that fills your heart. A love that is so scary sometimes, because you could not handle ever loosing it. A love that makes you become more, to want more, to care about better things. I am so excited about this Mothers Day because I feel like I am more myself now, then I have ever been. There is something so pure about being a MOM, that makes all the sleepless nights, and sacrifices worth it. I feel like this kind of true love is a love that makes you love without the fancy dress, hair or castle. It is the love that makes you go for a walk, feeling the sun on your face, the wind blowing through your side ponytail, no makeup on, and just breathing it in, being so thankful for that exact moment. Now don’t get me wrong I want that Happily Ever After, I just understand now that it comes through hard work, perseverance vulnerability and sacrifice! So far I like this movie much better!

 

Happy Mothers Day to all, Mothers who are and Mothers who will be!

Aunt Ma Ma's visit!

My sister Amanda came to visit me in NC. Not only did she come to visit me she decided to ride the train! She had a blast and it was worth the crazy adventure. Amanda and I had such a great time with Mia and Clay. We were able to catch up, laugh a lot and enjoy our kids playing with each other. We had no idea how much we missed just hanging out with each other. We were able to eat at our favorite places, take the kids to parks and even go to a really cool kids museum.

Mia is Walking!

On Mia's actual Birthday she started walking! Now she is a walking machine.She thinks she is a big girl now. She loves adventures and is learning everyday!

Mia's Frist Birthday!

My little girl is one years old!

Months one and two I laughed and smiled, month three I learned to reach
Month four I rolled from back to front, by five discovered speech.
And in month six I learned to sit, then clapped and signed in seven
Month eight I was obsessed with light and Momma told me about Heaven.
Month nine I learned to say bye bye and wave my little hands
Month ten I crawled and stood and cruised and added words again!
Then at eleven months of age I’ve learned to stand alone
My dad and mom are very proud of how much I have grown.

Little Mia is such a sweet little girl, she loves to laugh and smile. Mia is our little party girl and we were able to celebrate her first birthday. Mia had a Pink Lemonade Birthday Party. We celebrated with her special friends and family!

2011 so far...

Mia's First Fort

Hanging out in the Sun!

This year so far has been refreshing and a new start for everyone in my family. My mom is officially cancer free. We are so thankful and are excited. This year has been busy with a lot of special moments. One of them was our daughter’s Mia dedication. We did not take this day lightly and realize the responsibility of being good parents. Reed and I are trying to be very purposeful in teaching Mia about Christ and his leading in our lives every day. Many of our family members took the time to come and visit us to be a part of Mia’s big day. We also have been enjoying our NC spring weather, and are in love with Spring!

What 2010 had for the Barton Bunch..

What a year....

The year 2010 was a very special year for us. Last January we hit the road and moved to North Carolina. We had no idea what this state had for us, except that our baby girl was on the way. We moved here eight months pregnant and knew no one! YIKES… I found a doctor quickly and had our baby girl in March of last year. After a very tough delivery and recovery our little Mia was her and has changed our lives completely. She has added so much to our lives. She has taught me so much about sacrifice and love. Being a  parent has forced me to really rely on God daily. I need him so much. I desire to teach her compassion and kindness and am determined to be a good MOM. Through my love for her I can understand Gods love in a new way.

This year also has brought many other challenges. One of them was my health and state of mind after having Mia. I hit a very low point and wondered and really asked God, Will I ever have my health back. No need to get into the details of it all, I am just happy to say that on January 1 2011, I got the report from the doctor that I am totally healed, and my lab tests were great. I am so happy to have my health back. My family has learned that sickness can really challenge us as people and make us rely on God even more. We also found out this year that my Mom had Breast Cancer. Thankfully she caught it early. She has had a very tough time. She finished all of her Chemo treatments and we are so close to having this Cancer behind us. She is going to have a full recovery and be able to move past all of this. She is so excited to get better so that she being an Awesome Gammy to her two grand babies. 2010 gave our families two babies. I am happy to say that I became an Aunt in 2011, and our little Clay is here. He looks just like his Daddy, and has the personality of my sister. We have had so much fun getting to know this little boy these last three months.

2010 also was the year that I celebrated my five year Anniversary with Reed. We are so thankful for each other. Now do not get me wrong, there have many hard days, but we know that we are meant for each other and cannot wait to see what 2011 holds for our families. One thing that we do now is that NC has been good to us and Reed has a great job here. Due, to this blessing we are building a house here and are really excited. It will be done this summer.

After a year that like this, I just sit back and say, WOW, I have much to be thankful for….. I have been able to spend some time reflecting and the verse that comes to me for this next year is Luke 12:48. It says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

I know that God has given me much, and much is demanded for me. My prayer is that God would show me what I am to do this year to reach out to others in their time of need. This year I want to be aware of what it means to be a true encourager! This last year I needed Joy and encouragement like never before. God brought so many awesome people in my life exactly when I needed them and it meant so much to me. I want to do the same this year… I do not know exactly what 2011 has for this Barton Bunch, but I am confident that God will always be there, and his love is everlasting. I leave you all with his verse for this next year….

Jeremiah 29:11-19

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Have Hope and Joy as you enter this new year!

Happy New year, love the Barton Bunch…