This Is Hard...But I Am Blessed

NEWSFLASH!!!!! Being a mom is HARD! Let me pause for a minute while you pick your jaws up off the floor at this shocking new piece of knowledge...deep breaths it will sink in in a minute.

This has been a somewhat exhausting week for me. I have had nights of basically no sleep since Jacob is sick again with a really rough cold. He is on antibiotics and doing three breathing treatments a day. He is way more clingy, but I have been able to enjoy some really sweet moments with my little man. Claire has been pushing for a little more attention since Jacob has been in my arms pretty much nonstop. How does a three year old try to get your attention you might ask...laying on her brother's face (she said she was just loving on him since he is sick. FYI a stuffy baby finds it even harder to breath when a three year old is on his face.), climbing on counter tops to get into the candy (she said she was getting a treat since she is such a good girl), taking all of my jewelry out of my jewelry box and putting it in her little purse (she said she was just borrowing it and being really careful with it.), screaming hysterically while I try to put her in her car seat after an lunch date with the cousins and making me literally wrestle her into her car seat, listen to the fit all the way home and wrestle her all the way up the stairs to her room once we got home (there was no good reason for this one, she just had a little pent up frustration I guess). By the way she was punished in some way for all of these things and I feel like we are both making strides and learning how to be a good mommy and a good daughter together through all these antics.

So why am I blessed by all of this?
I have two healthy (minus the cold) children that I get to spend all day with learning and growing together. I have a baby boy that I get to cuddle with and listen to him jabber in between his sniffles. I have a sweet girl that is creative and funny and daring and knows what she wants in life. I am blessed to be a mom, even on the hard days.

This week alone I have prayed for a mom and her baby as he went into a surgery that she was not sure he would make it out of. I have prayed for a family that tragically lost their teenage daughter to a horrific act of violence. I have prayed for a friend that may lose her ability to have any more children way too early.

So is having a sick sleepless baby hard? Yep. Is having a daughter that is full of teachable moments hard? Absolutely! But at least I have these two little people in my life and in my arms on a daily basis. I am not currently in the middle of any tragedy or true stress. My heart is full of thankfulness at the very moment, even though my brain and body are tired.

Casa de Chaos

Last weekend we went to Waco to celebrate my Dad's birthday. Sometimes it is nice to just sit back and take it all in...the chaos that is our family gatherings. I mean I just have to laugh when I look at the pictures that were captured over a two day period. We all had a great time sitting out by the fire, cooking out, making s'mores, eating cake, and just being together. The kids ran wild outside most of the time throwing acorns, climbing all over the riding lawn mower (who needs toys when you are in the country), playing chase, and just being kids. I have said it before, but I love being at my parent's house even with the chaos. I love sitting on their porch, dancing in the dining room with Allan, and just being out of the city. I think that Dad felt celebrated in between all the chaotic moments that go along with having 19 people under one roof for two days.

Can't wait to revisit Casa de Chaos in a couple of weeks when we all go back and invade over Thanksgiving. We are all praying for good weather so we can enjoy the great outdoors (or at least the porch swing) over those few days.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Happy 60th birthday Dad! I love you! A few words come to mind when I think of you...

**Integrity
**Peaceful
**Easy Going
**Honor
**Witty
**Loving
**Faithful
**Committed

I am sure there are many other ways to describe who you are, but basically I think you are pretty great! I am so thankful that I am your daughter and that you are are my daddy. I am so thankful that you are here and healthy and I can't wait to celebrate you for many many more years.

Halloween 2009

My beautiful Belle and super cute Pumpkin

This was hands down the best Halloween we have ever had. My entire family was in town to celebrate my niece's 13th (more to come on that later) so we all went trick-or-treating together. I loved watching all the cousins in their costumes running from door to door scooping up as much candy as they could fit into their bags. They were all truly joyful and that was fun to see.

My parents stayed at our house and handed out candy as we made the rounds and Allan even set up the fire pit in the driveway so when we returned we all got to sit around the fire and chat for a while. It was one of the best Selke family get togethers we have had in a long time.

Jack (Jason Witten); Claire (Belle); Skyler (Strawberry Shortcake); Asher (pirate); Chloe Grace (strawberry); Cooper (Indiana Jones); Ainsley Grace (flower fairy); Allie (hippie); Jacob (pumpkin)

The whole Selke gang. We did a pretty good job filling up my front yard. It was so good to all be together for a day. I love my crazy family something fierce.

I'M SO HAPPY MY POPPIE FEELS GOOD ENOUGH TO HOLD ME AND KISS ME!!!! THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME WITH ME THIS LAST WEEKEND POPPIE, I LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY!

What We Have Been Up To

Jacob had his first trip to the zoo and he was nice enough to let his sister, mommy and daddy join him. We had such a great time. I love family outings! Claire's highlight was feeding the birds with her daddy. I got a kick out of the gorillas with their blankies. They would play peek-a-boo with each other and try and steal each others, it was hilarious. It was so nice to ride the train back to the front of the zoo after walking around for a few hours. We were all tired, but happy when we left.

Life is rarely dull around the house. Claire is a constant source of entertainment and we have been having fun having different kinds of picnics in the living room with all the rain we have been getting. The other day we each had a mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream on top. Claire was pretty sure she had hit the major leagues when I let her have a REAL mug, just like mommy and daddy use. Claire is also very in to having Allan and I be her pony and she rides on our backs. The other day she wanted to give Jacob a ride and they had a blast. I held him on and she walked all over the place with him on her back, it was so funny. Jacob is really starting to love playing with toys and of course everything goes straight into his mouth. We started him on cereal around his four month birthday, and good gosh that boy can eat. Sadly, the cereal did not work well with his tummy so we are on a food hiatus. We will try food again in a month or so. The picture of him with his bowl of cereal cracks me up, he looks so bored with the whole thing. Jacob LOVES sleeping in our bed, he seriously sleeps twice as long in our bed than anywhere else so until he starts rolling over that is where most of his naps take place. I love to cuddle up beside him when I can, sadly it is not as often as I would like. I love how much Claire and Jacob love being together. He thinks she is just about the greatest person in his world and she is still so in love with her baby brother. I am blessed with two great kiddos (if I do say so myself).

I uploaded the photos from my phone and there were a few fun memories I had to share. I love capturing the simple everyday moments with my phone when I don't have my big ol' camera handy. These pictures are from our random October garage sale, a midweek family lunch date with Allan to Burguesa (best "mexican burger" ever!), playing on the porch during a rare rain break a few weeks ago, our super relaxing Sunday afternoon family walk to Sonic and the grocery store, and a couple of pictures from our afternoon at The Great Wolf Lodge. Let me just say that we absolutely LOVED spending an afternoon splashing in the pools and riding the water slides there. I can't wait until we go and stay there sometime in the near future, it is such a great family place and they are having a great deal right now for a day pass to their water park.

So, life is good at the Kavalich house. We are staying busy and finding simple ways to enjoy life's moments as a family of four.

**sorry about all the collages, but I have a lot of pictures to share and not enough time to download them one by one. as always you can click on the collage to make it bigger and get a better look at the pictures.