hi friends!

well, it is a beautiful chaos around here.  i haven’t picked up my big ol’ fancy camera except for a few times (a couple awesome weddings and one lovely evening in our backyard as your about to see) so in an effort to try and remember this time i have tried to take at least one picture each day with my iPhone, thank you Jesus for instagram!  plus it is just a ton easier than my big nikon seeing that there aren’t enough hands to begin with.  😉  in a nut shell, we are incredibly blessed.  and happy.  and exhausted.  and trying to just figure this whole thing out as we go along. I’m not going to deny for a second that having four is hard. {open to any sweet mamas out there who want to let me know some real advice! cause I’m open to hearing any and all of it.}  in an effort of trying to be real, i really just am hoping for the day to come when i don’t feel guilty at the end of the day from not giving each child or my husband what they really needed from me that day.  and that maybe i let the baby cry too long because i was trying to have a moment with one of the other ones. and walking out the door with spit up on my shirt. and not shower for a day extra then i should. and not calling my friend back. is a smoothie, a granola bar and jelly beans a good dinner?  i know i might have lofty aspirations that i may become supermom and have everyone with an exciting craft, three square meals and i would be able to answer all 400+ emails in my inbox in one uninterrupted sitting, but the truth is that i consider myself incredibly blessed to be able to smile at the end of it.  and my prayer is that my girls see me as an imperfect person relying on a perfect God to help walk us through it. and remind myself it is the simple things that are the blessings and accomplishments. and feel grateful when i am able to walk my oldest to school that morning. laughing, lots and lots of laughing. having a dance party in our living room. being able to all sit down together at the dinner table despite whats on it. having my newest lock eyes on mine as if she knows that i, yes me, am her mom and she knows without a question that i love her. saying bedtime prayers with my girls and hearing what has impacted their day. getting snuggle time and eskimo kisses. and 

being able to hold my husband’s hand for longer than a minute. these are the simple things. these are the moments that are my joy. 🙂 thanks for letting me be a little personal! 

so, that is what we’ve been up to!

Joy friends!!

Alea