Best of 2016

I did a Best of 2015 post last year, and I just love looking back at it, so I thought I would do one for this year as well! We've made some wonderful memories this year, and once again, we have so much to be thankful for.

2016 was a good one. We have been blessed with good health, happiness, and the love of our family and friends. I am so humbled and grateful for all of your incredible support and encouragement this year. Thank you all for reading this blog, and for sharing in our journey.

Here are some of my favourite photos from this year:

And Brennen's school photo. He rocked it!

For me, 2016 will forever be a year to remember. We welcomed the sweetest girl into our family (see update HERE), and while we have always tried to make the most of each day, the days since her arrival have been particularly special.

We are a family of four. Andrew and I tuck two children into bed at night, kiss their cheeks, and feel an enormous weight of gratitude that they are both here. That they are safe, and happy, and oh so loved. There will be days ahead, I am sure, that will not be so blissful. There will be mountains to move and valleys to cross. There will be tears and battles and unanswered questions, but today there is celebrating. I wouldn't trade this life for anything in the world, and we are looking forward to what the future will bring!

What a gift it is to get to enjoy another year with those we love so deeply.

Happy New Year, everyone!

This boy..

“... and she loved a boy very, very much - even more than she loved herself.”

― Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree

There has been a lot of sadness lately - with the passing of a dear friend, the many tragedies that are happening in our world these days, the general stresses that come with raising a child with a disability, and thoughts of the future and what it might hold for us. It can be hard to put a positive spin on it, and to find a silver lining. There are no magic words to make the world a better place. I have to remember, though, that this is my life, and I am grateful for it. All of it. The beauty and the pain, and the ever-expanding definition of what motherhood truly is.

This boy. He reminds me that true joy is experienced most often in the regular old every day moments - the hard moments, the beautiful ones, and the moments in between where I sometimes forget to notice it. There is a lot of good out there, we just have to keep it in focus. I have to work really hard at that, but this boy shows me every day how much good is in our lives, and just how good that good is. 

Thanks so much to Melissa Pelley for these beautiful photos!

50 Shades of Green

I'm just going to leave this right here. This is a portrait that Andrew and Brennen had made for me for Mother's Day.
Can you take it? Because I CANNOT!! It's the little things, people!

I have learned over the years that one of the best things you can do for yourself is to find joy in the little things. My Dad always says, "Don't sweat the small stuff - and it's all small stuff." It's hard sometimes. Ok, it's hard a lot of the time. I am human and sometimes I fall into the "grass is always greener" mindset, because sometimes the grass over there just looks so freaking green, but then I realize how fortunate I am to have any grass to stand on at all, and really, I know that my grass is pretty darn good.

It's all about perspective. I know that our life will come with challenges, sad days, pain and heartache, but we water our grass. We take note of its beauty. There are 50 shades of green, and right now ours is vibrant!

Life isn't perfect, but we have everything that we need in this moment to live our imperfect life and we recognize the beauty that it holds. You see those smiles? Ok, ok, it's an artist's rendering, but the smiles are real! We are happy!

The lesson here - Life doesn't have to be perfect to be amazing.

-Julie xo

Summer Love

This Summer was a long time coming, so now that it has finally arrived, we are drinking it up!

Brennen has been enjoying his holidays, and Andrew and I took a week off to relax and enjoy some time together as a family. We were fortunate to have a string of beautiful, warm sunny days that allowed us to make impromptu trips to the park, have picnics in the grass, and enjoy some incredible sunsets from Nanny and Poppy's dock.

Here are some photos of what we've been enjoying so far.

I am a sucker for pops of colour, and I just love how a crisp blue sky brings out all of the vibrant hues of the season. Though we try to find the beauty in the grey days as well, as there are so many of them (it's a bit of a metaphor for life, really).. I do prefer a sunny day to the rain, drizzle and fog!

Being able to spend time together as a family, without the pressures and stresses of work, has been invaluable. Part of being a "grown-up" is realizing that work and routine are just as important as fun and relaxation, and it is essential to have a good balance of both. Sharing these moments together makes me grateful, motivated, and happy for everything that is right now.

“All in all, it was a never to be forgotten summer — one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going — one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world.”
—L.M. Montgomery, Anne’s House of Dreams