the Tilt-a-Whirl

Because the looming two week rotation is right before our eyes, we decided to squeeze in one more date day before Captain J leaves again. Yesterday, was a perfect day to spend with family. It was one of those days, I'll remember back to when we were just a small family of three. It felt easy. It was fun. It was representative of a new chapter in our lives. When our date days used to consist of the two of us packing up for a day or two long outdoor adventure, now we're ever planning around the little one's nap schedule. When we used to dress up and get cocktails at one location, drive to another for dinner, and yet another for dessert, now we're lucky to get to eat an entire meal without one of us excusing ourselves from the crowded restaurant to tend to an unhappy baby. It's not that I'm complaining. Not at all. It's just that we got off the Ferris Wheel and now we're on the Tilt-a-Whirl. Both rides are fun in their own right.

The local pool here has been calling my name for months now. As a lot of the country has experienced, it has been hot lately! Because I've failed to make any friends with a pool, our options are limited to the country club down the road or the public facility in town. I'm not picky. The pools are getting ready to shut down for the season (although I'm pretty sure one could leave their pool open all season here in Louisiana!) so we opted for the cheaper choice and were delighted to find that Saturdays were discounted for military folks. Score.

After we got some much needed sun rays, we drove home to clean up to head to the big town- Lake Charles, Louisiana. If you've been there, you're laughing now. Anyway, they do have more food options there (and helllllooo, Target!) so away we went with our sweet boy sleeping soundly in the backseat. After shopping a bit, we found Sha Sha's downtown. It was there that I heard these words uttered for the first time ever:

"Your boy was so good! We've never had a baby in here that was as well-behaved as he was. He's happy, isn't he?"

After I picked up my jaw from the floor, we drove home in blissful peace with the realization that our incredibly collicky newborn had morphed into a fun and playful toddler in just a year.

How can it be that God has chosen to bless me with such a loving husband? Why has he given me not one but two awesome sons to complete my happy family?

It's not always easy for me around here, but yesterday? Yesterday was what life is all about- enjoying each other and counting my blessings all over again.