40 Days (Day 23)

Okay, people...I just smelled spring. #ilovespringstorms So thankful for our time here at my parents'...there's nothing like going home and sitting with my mama at the kitchen table.  :)

40 Days (Day 18)

When thinking of things for which I am thankful, a million memories flood my mind.  In a flash.

Memories from our years here…

…from our time in Louisville…

…from my days in Orlando…

…from Miami…

…from high school.

Stop.

High school….

There is no way I can think of my high school years without thinking of Sasha, my best friend.  "Sasha and Sarah" were words that were said together, almost synonymously, often and quickly, so that they came out more like "soshensare".  I wouldn't want to begin to imagine my days at CNHS without Sasha…our friendship went from casual to best during the summer before high school, and we never looked back.  I love you, Sasha, and I am SO thankful for you!

This year, during the week of my birthday, Sasha posted several of our favorite pictures…I smile when I recall...

 …graduation.  We look so young!  (We were!)

 …senior year spring break in Pensacola.  We had a blast during this week and made a ton of memories.  This picture makes me laugh because I remember how we were trying to keep straight faces while it was taken.  I had opened the magazine to the ad with the shirtless man on it so that he would be in the picture with it, even though we were both just reading.  We thought that was really funny then.  :)

 The moped picture.  Classic.  This thing took us everywhere around town and represented such freedom for me and Sasha.  I don't have many pictures with my moped, so I'm so glad that Sasha's mom thought to take this one.  (Never mind the fact that all these years later, I look like I'm a piece out of the 80s while Sash looks timeless.)

 Not sure where this one was taken, but we sure were feeling dramatic!

This picture was taken on my 18th birthday…22 years ago now!  Mom almost always made a cut-out cake for me, this one of a flower cart, and now I make cut-out cakes for my kids!

Years of memories, and a friendship that continues to this day.  Love you, Sash!

40 Days (Day 16)

She's beautiful.  That's all I can say.  

Some would look at this picture and see a bored, disinterested, annoyed little girl.  I see a loving big sister who was excited about feeding Bart, and although she was truly a bit bored with the whole task by the time I asked her to look up for the camera, overall, she was great with it.  A little mama in training.  

And a beautiful one at that, inside and out.

40 Days (Day 12) - Happy Bart Bath

Look!  I'm sitting!  In my bathtub!  And I'm enjoying it (comparatively speaking)!

Bart has pretty much hated every bath he's ever been given...until yesterday.  He has tolerated a few of them, but most of them have just been one big screamfest.  That is, until yesterday.  Yesterday, he actually seemed to almost sorta kinda like it.  Almost.

We're making progress...we'll take it!

40 Days (Day 9) - Linus and friends

Watching him sing and act his way through his middle school musical this year was way beyond fun.  Rex IS Linus!  Ever since he started reading and carrying a book around with him everywhere he goes, I've been saying that he is a lot like Linus, the Peanuts' character who is small in stature but big in words.  As his youth leader wrote on a note given him the night of the play, "Minus the security blanket and the thumb-sucking, you pretty much are Linus, so you really just had to play yourself!"  It's true.  He played Linus beautifully, and everyone in the audience knew it and enjoyed.

Frankly, the entire cast was fantastic!  I had a huge smile on my face for most of the performance...the color, the vibrancy, the beautiful voices, the energy...it was awesome.

I only wish it wasn't over already.  We are so proud of Rex, our little actor!

40 Days (Day 7)

We love him.  This young man we met a decade ago.  He was small and quiet and a follower.  Now he's big and quiet and coming out of his shell day by day.  Desi is a fighter--literally and figuratively.  We are proud that he has stayed out of trouble in a place where trouble is far too easy to find.  First it was basketball; now it is boxing.

Today, Desi got on an airplane for the first time, heading to his second professional fight.  He is a boxer now...crazy, scary, and amazing, the opportunity that is before him.  As often happens, he had misplaced his ID, so today he and I went to the DMV before lunch at Burger King and a drive to the boxing gym where he would work out once more before heading to the airport.

But he made it.  New Jersey-bound.  Godspeed, Desi....your "family" loves you dearly!

40 Days (Day 6)

Here's what my sister wrote yesterday:

"When I was seven years old, I prayed daily that God would bless our family with a baby. I remember saying that if it has to be a boy, I don't care....40 years ago today, my sweet sister, Sarah, came into this world. God has used her life to bless so many and bring so many to Him. I love you Hoffbeauty! Happy Birthday!!"

Pretty sweet, huh?  I am so thankful for my big sister, Becky....can't imagine life without her!  Thanks for praying for me for all those months, Bek...it feels pretty amazing and so special to have been an answer to your prayers!