Finding the Majestic in the Snow....

This week I am thankful for the majestic in my life. The last month has been pretty hard for this Stay at Home Momma!! Winter brings many fun things; warm fires, hot chocolate and even cozy movie days, curled up with the ones you love. However, winters also bring nasty viruses that last way to long. Unfortunately, the Barton house has had nasty viruses and a dose of croup that have kept us up all day and night. Having to stay at home, staying up all night, being the one that gives the around the clock, with no time or energy to recharge, its gets tiring and lonely quick. The mundane days start running together. I have felt worn out lately by picking up messes, and cleaning up after a very sick family, while being sick myself. I was feeling down and did not even really know it until yesterday morning, when I woke up to a mild snowy Wonderland. Now it was not a ton of snow but just enough to cover my neighborhood and make it look beautiful. I took out the snowboarding gear and as soon as Mia got up we geared and went out in our small NC blizzard. I took a long walk with my sweet baby girl. It was magical and a gift from God. The Sun was rising and there was a peaceful quiet that lay over our streets. Mia was so excited about the “Smow”, and finding the birds and the cows. We even found some small birds that were singing in a small tree right at Mia’s level. I felt a peace come over me in this Small Winter Wonderland. I felt like I could breathe easier and could release a huge burden that I was carrying and did not even know it. It was such a sweet reminder from God that he is and has been with me this last month. I also felt reminded that these small things mean so much to him. He sees me persevering in these small moments, when I have absolutely nothing left to give but I go to the crib and gladly scoop up my little girl and rock her little sick body. God has given me exactly what I have needed and I just did not recognize it, but yesterday I did. I even come home and did a snowflake craft with Mia, and we laughed a ton and turned out to be a great day.

 For anybody that is asking these same questions, am I in God’s will, feeling like your days are just running together, is what I am doing enough, where did my joy go?, I would encourage you to just stop and find the majestic in your life. It may be very small but I believe you will find it like I did yesterday. Be encouraged that you are not alone, God will give you the Joy that you need….

A Glimpse of our January...

Our Summer……

The Barton Bunch had a great summer. The summer was full of a lot of traveling and summer activities.  There are some special moments that we had this summer. We were able to go to Myrtle Beach for nine nights with some of our family and we were able to soak up the sun and relax. Mia loved the beach and the pool and loved to say One, Two, And Three and then jump in the pool.

I also was able to be part of a Breast Cancer run with some of my friends. This was a first for me and really loved running for such a great cause.  Mia had some fun firsts this summer. Mia checked out her first library book, built her first tent in Hurricane Irene, planted her first plant and had her first Yoga class. It has been so great to share these moments with her.

Reed and I have been able to have more time for ourselves now that Mia is older. We both have been taking time to get back into shape, do the things that we love, and focus on our relationship again. We both were able to have weekends away hanging out with friends, just being Reed and Holly. I was able to have a great weekend in Richmond with some of my favorite ladies. We did some intense wedding planning for my cousin. We laughed and had such a great weekend. Now that the summer is coming to an end we are really looking forward to the fall. Some of the highlights that I can’t wait to share more about are our six year anniversary trip, and our 60 day insanity workout program. Until then, happy fall, love The Barton Bunch!

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!