The Wink

I was watching Luke the other day as he was trying to wink. 

He was determined and kept going at it until he finally figured it out.

He finally winked with his right eye.

And he was so excited. 

He cheered for himself and giggled as he celebrated his accomplishment.

Then he decided to switch eyes and the challenge began.

He couldn't do it.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do it.

I watched him stretch and strain as he tried to 

convince his left eye to close.

But, it wouldn't.

Then I watched as my son made a decision in his mind.

He decided to not get discouraged.

He did not give up.

He started giggling, then he looked at me, reached up and pulled his left eye closed.

Then he started cheering, "I DID IT!!"

There wasn't any room in his mind for the fact that he couldn't do this, or that he had failed.

In his mind, he had succeeded.

And I was very proud of him.

There are so many things in life that I have to work really hard at.

There are things that don't come easily to me.

There are days that are harder than others.

There are challenges that are trickier than others.

There are weaknesses that I would love to overcome.

Sometimes it's easy to feel discouraged or to feel like I'm not strong enough, or talented enough.....or "whatever" enough.

I'm grateful for the example of my sweet Luke, to never give up.

He reminded me that how I measure my own success, is completely up to me.

What a sweet little lesson to be reminded of.

Thank you Luke.

Mustache Mania

We have had a crazy week here at the Blaylock home!

But, a very happy one.

This weekend, for the first time since Christmas, we had all our children in our home.

And I can't tell you how much I LOVED it!

We had a wonderful Open House to celebrate Keely's adoption and were surrounded by friends and family. We have felt their love and support and it makes all the difference. It's been especially important for Keely, so thank you!!

We worked together as a family, we sat around and talked and laughed, and thoroughly enjoyed each other. There were brief little moments throughout the weekend when I looked at my family and felt overwhelmed with gratitude. It's hard to explain what it's like to be surrounded by these amazing little creatures. They make me laugh and cry. They make me dig deep to be better. They teach me by their examples. They are strong, talented and capable. They are kind and sincere.

Simply put,

they make me happy.

So do mustaches.
I've been saving my mustaches for a day like this.
And I'm happy I did.

HAHAHA!!

They truly are the best little sports.
Such good kids.

Do you want some mustaches?
I found mine at a dollar store, but you can find them here.

Now we move on to Ricky.

He loves his kids. 

And he loves me.

He's always joking that he's Mr. Wonderful.

And he really is.

BWAHH-HA-HA-HA!!!!

Sorry Ricky.

I couldn't resist.

I am a lucky girl!

hahahahaha!

And this.....

THIS is my new favorite picture.

I think Ricky scared our sweet little neighbor.

HAHAHAHA!

Oh my goodness.

HUGE GUT GIGGLE GOING ON!

What a happy, crazy life I have.

This really is what it's all about.

Mustaches and all.

A Happy Heart: A New Beginning

This is our Keely.

Today she officially became Keely Blaylock.

I struggled with writing this post, because there are so many emotions I'm feeling tonight as I write this.

This has been a bittersweet day, but mostly sweet.

This has been a long, hard road for Keely. But she is a strong little stinker. In spite of the many different challenges she has had to face in her short little 12 years, she has turned into quite the impressive young lady.

And I couldn't be more proud of her.

It was wonderful to watch her today as she sat waiting for the judge to come in to the courtroom. We were all sitting on a long wooden bench, and I was on the end. As I looked down the bench, I saw Keely. You could see the anticipation and nervousness all over her face. Then I looked past her. And I saw that she was surrounded on both sides by brothers and sisters who loved her.

Brothers and sisters who have each made a choice to love her.

And I couldn't be more grateful. 

Then we got called up to stand before the judge.

As our lawyer asked us questions, I looked at my sweetheart Ricky.

I watched as he willingly assumed all responsibility for my daughter. 

I watched as he put his arm around her to reassure her.

I watched him smile.

I can't comprehend the weight that he feels as a father of nine children.

I can't imagine the stress he feels at times as he tries to provide for all of us.

He cherishes his role as a father, and his kids know it. 

He is always willing to make whatever sacrifice is necessary for the happiness and well-being of his family.

And today, as I looked at him, I was more grateful for him than I think I've ever been. 

What he did today showed what a great man he is.

It showed his goodness, his selflessness and his ability to love.

I have watched him over the past 6 1/2 years, choose on a daily basis to love Keely as his own. I have watched him treat her with the same tenderness and devotion that he treats his own. I have watched this great man choose to be a father to a little girl who really needed him.

And I dearly love him for that.

Thank you Ricky.

My heart is full as I type this and I am so very grateful for you.

No matter how nervous, anxious, scared or unsure Keely may feel at different times in her life, she will always be surrounded by a loving family who will support her and love her. 

She is officially one of the "Blaylock Girls"!

Oh, how I love her.

Keely Blaylock, you make my heart incredibly happy.

A Happy Heart: Registration Day

This past week had many big and happy moments. 

One of my biggest moments was this.

On Friday I took Luke and registered him for Kindergarten.

It makes me so emotional just thinking about it. 

I still remember the moment I found out I was pregnant with him.

I remember feeling him move for the first time. It felt like a little frog was doing a little dance.

I remember seeing his cute little face on the ultrasound.

I still remember how it felt as he got bigger and would move around.

I remember wanting to hit someone if that epidural didn't happen soon.

And I remember the exact moment he was placed in my arms.

You can't explain those feelings.

They are so powerful and, to me, it was a sacred moment.

A moment shared between mother and son.

I remember lying on my bed with him and just staring at him.

I loved the way he smelled. I loved the way his little face felt next to mine.

I loved feeling his little heart beat.

I was amazed with every new accomplishment and development. 

Even the smallest things seemed huge to me. 

I remember when he started to recognize the people in his life.

I remember the first time he smiled at me.....and my heart melted.

And the first time he giggled was the BEST.

He has one of those laughs that is simply contagious.

It is the best giggle in the world.

I have watched him learn to crawl, to walk, to run, to climb and do his own little Star Wars Jedi moves.

I have listened to him struggle with this crazy English language, and have laughed as he has made up his own words.

I have watched my baby grow up into an amazing 5 year old boy.

And this boy has changed me.

From the moment I found out I was pregnant with him, I have never been the same.

I can honestly say I have enjoyed every moment spent with my little man.

He has been the very best little boy.

He is happy, lovable, gentle, forgiving and has such a kind heart.

I have spent almost every day with this little boy for over 5 years.

And the thought that this will all be changing soon is a pill that is almost too big to swallow.

I'm excited for him though.

I'm excited to watch him continue to grow, to develop and to have great experiences in his life.

So today, my soon-to-be kindergartner makes my heart really, really happy.

A little sad too.....

but mostly happy.

I love you Lukie-Poo.

A Happy Heart: Let's Celebrate!

I love holidays.

I love any reason to celebrate ANYTHING.

It makes me so happy.

Recently I found the greatest thing! 

It's a dream for anyone who loves to celebrate.

It's a website that lists all the funny holidays you can celebrate with your family.

You can find it here.

I looked at it yesterday, and it was National Pig-in-a-Blanket Day.

HAHAHAHA!

How funny is that?

So, we had pigs-in-a-blanket for dinner.

And how can you eat pigs-in-a-blanket without looking like little piggies?

They are the best little sports around.

They all wrapped up in blankets and ate their dinner.

Oh.....so funny.

So, for anyone who's thinking I'm the ideal mother, just remember that I dressed my kids up as pigs, wrapped them in blankets and made them eat on the floor.....on paper plates. They DID have grapes though, so I'm not feeling so bad.

A model mother.

hahahaha!

If you're interested, tomorrow is:

Hug-a-Friend Day

National Pretzel Day

and 

Take Your Daughter to Work Day

Today, having new fun things to celebrate, makes my heart happy.

A Happy Heart: A Clean Little Face

We have a new beauty consultant in our home right now. 

Her name is Ms. Hannah. 

She loves trying new things, and this week we have all been her guinea pigs.

And it has been quite fun being a guinea pig.

The other night Charity, Luke and Lucy got the spa facial treatment. They thought it was quite hilarious.
And I have to admit.....so did I.

Luke couldn't keep the cucumber on his face.
h.i.l.a.r.i.o.u.s.

Then Hannah made homemade pore strips. 

She got the recipe from here.

I'm always wary of homemade recipes, but this, 

ladies and gentlemen, is the REAL deal.

It worked so well, I thought I'd post it in case someone else wants a face that feels like a baby's soft little tush.

Here's what you will need.

 Pore Strip Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Unflavored Gelatin
1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons Milk

That's it!
So easy!

1. Measure 1 Tablespoon of unflavored gelatin into a disposable container.

2. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk into the gelatin.

3. Until it looks like this.

4. Mix it up, and be quick about it, until you get a chunky consistency. Add more milk if you're uncomfortable with the amount of chunk.

NEXT STEP.....VERY IMPORTANT

Microwave the gelatin mixture for about 10-15 seconds. It will get creamier in the microwave.

Don't forget to microwave it.

It will look like this.

After you microwave it, stir it well and start applying it IMMEDIATELY to your face. This stuff hardens up fast so you've got to act fast.

IMPORTANT FACT TO KNOW:

If you are attached to your eyebrows, DO NOT get this on them. 

You will be saying goodbye to them until they grow back! :)

You can put it all over your face, but if you have tender skin, I would suggest only the problem areas. 

 Let dry for 15+ minutes. When it says that it dries and gets hard, they aren't kidding. You'll know when it's done when you go to smile and it feels like your face is going to break!

We also learned the hard way that it really isn't a good idea to have a really hearty gut giggle while this goo is on your face.

Not. a. good. idea.

After it is completely dry, grab a spot and start peeling it off.

Ta-dahhhhh!

Clean, dirt-free, smooth-as-a-baby's-tush soft.

I don't know the last time my face was that clean.

Big Daddy and the boys are next.
.....they just don't know it yet.

hee hee hee.

Today, homemade pore strips make my heart happy.

Simply Sunday: A Happy Heart: A Child's Heart

I know I've said it before, but I love my Sundays. I've been thinking a lot today about the pressures of life. It's so easy to get lost in the day-to-day stresses of life, and I don't enjoy that. I believe that life is meant to be enjoyed, regardless of our age or circumstance. Yet, for some reason that's really hard to remember as adults.

I typically don't get out of bed every morning ready to party the day away. I get out of bed and deal with real life. Kids who are amazing.....but, they are real kids. A life that is wonderful.....but, it's the real deal with real stresses, just like everyone else. And everything else in between. I think I'm generally a happy person, so at the end of the day, I want to feel like I really enjoyed it. And on the not-so-enjoyable days, I want to feel like it was still worth it. I don't want to get so hardened by life that I don't feel those things any more. How do I do that? Well, my kids are my best reminders.

I looked out the window the other day and four of my cutie-cuties had created their own little world in the backyard. I watched them as they dragged logs over for their seats, they had made wands out of sticks and flowers, they created some makeshift cauldron which had some scary looking magical potion in it, all while enjoying their left-over Easter candy. They laughed and danced around the yard. They used 'magical powers' and had the time of their life.

I loved watching them.

It brought back memories of my own childhood. Then I started thinking of our other children. They are all clever kids and know how to entertain themselves. We don't have many fancy gadgets and gizmos in our house, and we don't typically go out to places for entertainment. They also know better than to tell me they are bored. All these things have made our kids good at entertaining themselves. They laugh with each other, they play with each other and they use their imagination. They are learning that life is what you make it. They are learning that no one is here to entertain them. They are learning to create their own happiness.

And I love that for them.

There is a childlike innocence you feel when you are around kids like that.

When I see them in action, it's a good reminder to hang onto that little part of me inside that still knows how to have fun. The part that knows how to create happiness and the part that can still enjoy life like I did as a child. It reminds me to not get lost in the seriousness of life, but to still make time to be silly, to laugh and to enjoy the fun little moments that make your heart happy.

I agree. 

I don't want to grow up completely.

I want to hang onto those childlike tendencies. I don't want to just live my life, but I want to love it.

Watching my kids play, hearing them laugh, seeing how they love their lives makes my heart happy today.