Right now...

...If you were to take a peek into our house, you'd see me propped up on the loveseat, Gabe sleeping in his swing (now moved into his room), and the door to our garage open, with a little fan rigged up on the trash can whipping around some fresh air so that Mia, who fell asleep on the ride home from the mall, can get some peaceful shut-eye after a couple of busy days.

It's been a crazy chaotic and FUN month of April. There have been a few curveballs thrown in, like the passing of Greg's maternal grandfather last week, whose funeral he attended earlier this week in KY.  I barely knew him as Greg did, obviously, but from everything I know he was a top-notch man. From what I've been told, I'm so glad we chose Gabe's middle name from him (Charles).
There's also been the gradual decline of my maternal grandmother's health and hospice care was called in for her just a couple of weeks ago.  In some ways we're kind of waiting on pins and needles to hear the news, but life is a constant swirl of activity regardless, and amidst these sad truths, we've been busily moving along.

For instance, Mia turns the big 3 tomorrow. In some ways it doesn't seem possible, but when I look back at the person I was 3 years ago and who I am now, I feel very different, so I know even though it's hard to utter the words, "I have a three year old," something has changed within us that helps me understand how to mark this time: growth.

Mia at about 1 month

3 years ago on this day Greg and I were having fun, hardly realizing this would be the last day of just the two of us. We put off a trip to IKEA in Orlando since they didn't have the piece of furniture we wanted, and opted to drop some items off at Laura Hinely's "y-art" sale, and ended up that night at 5 Guys with Jackson and a friend, stopping off at Lowe's on the way home.  We read some pages from the Bradley book and went to bed quite late for us, especially on a Saturday night.  Little did we know just a few hours later we'd wake up to the start of contractions, and life, as we knew it, would never be the same again.

It is hard to imagine life any other way now. It's gone through so many ups and down for the 3, now 4 of us, and I know it will continue that way.

photo credit: Laura Hinely

Right now, I'm just enjoying the bliss that comes from a growing toddler and a chubby baby.  We're busy with family & friends, living in a great place and who knew -- running into TWO different Rays players two days in a row. Greg ran into Ben Zobrist yesterday at the airport (same flight even!) and I ran into Matt Joyce at the Apple Store at International Mall. If my iPhone hadn't been in the process of being replaced, I'd have totally requested a picture with him. It's not every day you run into a Rays player.  Or every two days.  If tomorrow we met Carlos Peña, I'll know something is up!

Well, Mia woke up, so I must rescue a probably sweaty toddler from her carseat nap.  Meal from the freezer tonight? Check.  Peace.  See you on the other side of 3 years old!