Yes this. After I uploaded this picture I laughed out loud. I thought to myself, “This could not be a better representation of our summer.” Minus one crazy little man toddler child 🙂
They absolutely slay me. Goodness I kind of like them!
Happy Wednesday…for real this time.
Almost every night I sit down at our computer, pull out my decorative paper, tape, heart washi tape and key fobs and begin addressing and packaging key fobs to mail out the next day to say ‘thank you’ to all of you who have donated to our heart fund in honor of Amon. When I set the goal of $5k I honestly didn’t think it through and afterwards I realized it was a really lofty goal, but I figured, what the hey, we’ll give it a go.
Tonight when I sat down to start my little nightly routine, I checked our team page and I was floored.
Floored people. Absolutely floored. And yes, I did google ‘negate’ to make sure I was spelling it correctly 🙂
I sit here tonight just completely humbled and honored. I’m crazy grateful to everyone who has donated. You guys are stellar! Thank you for stepping out in honor of Amon and heart research and the many people and kids and families who have been directly impacted. You are making a difference and it is an honor to experience.
I get an email every time one of you donates. It never says the amount. Sometimes it doesn’t say a name at all. For all you anonymous people out there…thank you! I wish I could send you a reply email and tell you so in a more personal way. And for the people today that pushed us over our goal and then some…gosh, I just like you…like a lot…like a whole lot. You amaze me.
We still have a month to go. I’m still ready to mail out more key fobs. So if you would like to join us in this fundraising effort there is still plenty of time to donate. You can go to our personal fundraising page HERE and make your donation. If you make a donation of $15 or more, I will happily mail you a key fob as a small thank you for your generosity. Please do not forget to GO HERE and send me your mailing address after you make your donation. I do not have access to your personal information, so I do not know your address. Dang security and protecting your identity 🙂
Thank you again so much. Humbled, honored, amazed, grateful, dumbfounded and all of those great kinds of words…this is how I feel. This has been a really great Friday. Thank you so much…from our hearts, to yours.
My friend Jami asked me a few weeks ago if she could watch all 3 of the boys for me one day…just because…because Jami is way super nice and she just does nice things like that for no reason at all. It was a no brainer and I gladly accepted. One of her boys is 4 also, so it was pretty much the most perfect play date ever.
I contemplated what I should do with my time alone…completely alone…not one little wee Kelley in tow. I had a very lengthy “productive” list in my head. You know…clean the house, get a head start on dinner, fold and put away a mound of laundry, load the dishwasher, throw away piles and piles of paper swords & knives & guns while Huddy was away…the productive list could go on and on. And then yesterday arrived and I wanted to do nothing from that list. Sooooo, I didn’t.
I get stressed really easy by things like that…my world can spin out of control in my mind when there are dishes piled high in the sink and other little things like that, so choosing to say “Forget you, productive day” was very hard and yet very liberating. Can I get a high-5 for taking small steps in the pursuit of normalcy?!?!
Instead, Sandra, Courtney’s mom called and said she made us dinner. Score. The best baked spaghetti ever. I went over to pick it up and…stayed. We chatted and talked and chatted some more. She reminds me so much of Mom sometimes…especially when we chat because she is candid and real and she really wants to know how things are going with me. She cares.
Then, just for the heck of it, I got my hair cut and colored. I guess it wasn’t totally just for the heck of it…it had been about 7 months since I had been to get my hair done. It was time. And what is it about getting a fresh hair cut and color that will literally make me feel like a new woman. It is what dreams are made of. It was glorious.
And unbeknownst to me, Josh got to work from home yesterday so we got to have lunch together. Alone. And I didn’t even have to share my food…with anyone.
The rest of the day was just as lax and fun.
We even snagged ice cream after I picked everyone up. All 6 of us sat around our table at 2:45 in the afternoon and enjoyed ice cream. It was just that type of day. And it was awesome.
Thank you Jami for giving me such a great day. You kind of rock. I will pay you back in Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Here’s to another awesome day.
Happy Tuesday.
that totally make my day…really, my week.
It may seem small and not so grand to some, but wow…to our family it’s awesome. We are so proud and just think he is making great strides. It’s kind of crazy amazing being his mom.
Happy Tuesday!
How was your weekend? Was it full and fun? Was it hard and good? Sad? I’ve come to learn that a good day or wonderful weekend or a good life can contain so many of these emotions all wrapped into one. This weekend was good and hard…fun and emotional. Our little family is in such a strange place right now…so many big hopes and dreams…it’s like we’re sitting on the edge of tomorrow, just waiting for the word to jump…just waiting for the guidance to know whether to jump to the left or the right. We’re in a strange place.
And strange is okay…it’s just hard to be patient sometimes. We also got the last bit of my stuff out of my Mom’s. We close on her house Friday and I have a feeling that will be a very hard day. I’m not good with stuff like that yet. I miss her so very very much. So yeah, life is just strange right now, but the hopes and dreams are big. The faith that God is moving and working and healing is amazing to sit with. Life is just full.
Our weekend was full too. Like with Chick-fil-A.
And sweet treats…sugar cookie squares. Rad to the radness. Make them. Now.
And tiny cut up food for a tiny toothless baby.
And lunches with Dad.
And practicing for the Color Run and park adventures.
And the sweetest little running partner ever.
And yummy Valentine candy.
And crafty creativeness. I adore how she sets her stuff up…ready to create. All options available.
And checkers with chess pieces. No kinging going on.
And Amon love. It’s good Yo!
And flowers from Huddy. Oh he is so funny…scarf, boots and all.
And toy playing.
Today we had a bit of an Amon scare, but after a quick doctor’s visit, some new meds and stocking up on Pedialyte, I know he’s going to be just fine. Having a sweet little heart baby raises my blood pressure a bit sometimes though. And he’s pretty pitiful.
When I was picking up his Pedialyte, I totally stressed shopped. Some are ingredients for a baked good this week, but even so, I’m so weak…totally and completely an emotional eater. Why, why, why. I told the cashier, “Only the necessities today.”
So life is a bit crazy and strange these days, I’m sure no one out there can relate at all right?!?! Bahahahaha. Here’s to a great week people. One that is full and fun and hard and good and sad and wonderful. Make it grand.
Happy Monday.
Thank you guys so much for entering my Happy 2013/Thank You BIG Time giveaway. I loved reading all your goals for this new year. Thanks for sharing them with me. And here are the 3 winners:
therese schulle stokes says:
January 8, 2013 at 9:23 am
Shared on fb: Awesome giveaway at Pitter Patter Art!! THREE chances to win one of three amazing art pieces!!
Crystal says:
January 7, 2013 at 8:13 am
Shared your giveaway on my Facebook page. Hoping some friends check it out too!
shannon herrmann says:
January 7, 2013 at 8:12 am
Fan on facebook! have been forever.
Super congrats ladies and check your email for a message from me.
I’ve decided I need to teach Harper, Huddy and Sol how to fix their own breakfast. Can you imagine the extra sleep? It sounds magical. Either that or I need to start buying Pop-Tarts and putting them in a low cabinet.
I’ve been cutting strawberries the way my Mom did. I can distinctly remember the way she held the knife and the strawberry between her fingers…it was just so her. I miss her.
When looking at this picture I feel like they have formed a small gang behind my back and are threatening me in some way. Good thing I’m not easily intimidated by plastic screwdrivers or Donatello’s staff.
Huddy is my question asker. I love this about him, but it also sometimes drives me semi insane. One day this week I decided to document every time he asked a question over a 2 hour period. This was just the tip of the question iceberg. I love him.
Sol made the cutest igloo at MDO on Tuesday. He was so proud of it and Huddy really…I mean REALLy…wanted to eat it.
I adore these little chubby fingers. I adore how he fists his food and just shovels it all in.
Fixing school lunches may have joined folding laundry on my list of arch nemesis.
Pretty sure I now have one million pictures of Amon at this point. That whole thing about not having as many pictures of your youngest child is soooo not true with us. He rules this Kelley roost with his fabulous hair and crazy enchanting, dark as night eyes. Goodness we may have a problem.
And that’s all I’ve got for today. Things are busy in the Kelley house and I have quite the To-Do List for today. I hope your day is grand. Happy Thursday!
A free baby. Amon got cleared to venture out into public for the first time since…well, since almost 4 months ago. In fact he’s only been in 2 store since coming home, so Monday was a big deal. We hit up Target asap.
Christmas books. They’re out and they are awesomely festive.
Lovely fabric.
Star Wars pens and slap bracelets. The perfect Huddy and Sol stocking stuffers.
A Face Timing baby.
Happy mail wrapped in snowflakes.
.
This dude. He’s doing so amazing and is even off his blood thinner shots. He’s way too good for a jugular blood clot. Boom.
Our first school lunch with Harper. Not being home bound is pretty stellar.
My “Boys Only” days.
Bedtime story reading.
And being dead last in the car rider line. Not the dead last part, but I was happy I made it. The Joanns line was crazy…like a hot mess of a craft store line.
That wraps it up. Now I have to get a mess of little boys ready for the day and head off to help with Harper’s Ornament Day at school. I think it’s going to be a pretty rad day.
Happy Thursday!
I have proclaimed today a good day. And there you have it…today shall be a good day. Amon is napping and the boys are playing outside with their stuffed monkey Duncan and stuffed frog Froggy. I like them.
I re-opened yesterday for 10 custom orders and well, you guys are pretty awesome. I ended up having to take down the post because I was flooded with comments and emails and that makes a girl & her artsy self feel loved. Big love. Thank you. I am starting to work on those 10 custom orders today and once I finish those up I will happily take on more orders. I just have to keep it real right now and keep myself underwhelmed…we’re still rocking out as a family of 6 and working on Amon’s recovery and those 2 things are pretty darn important to me, so I want to make sure I give them the time and attention they so deserve. But Amon’s medical bills have started rolling in and look out!…the insurance company waits for no one. Turns out open heart surgery and 24 days in the hospital are pretty expensive, who knew?!?!
The wee Kelleys can absolutely drive me nutso sometimes…we’re talking crazy mom with head spinning and sometimes there is yelling…it isn’t pretty…and I have to ask them for forgiveness. But then there are those really great days that seem to cancel out those bad days. Days when grace wins and super hero costumes make the day rad. I want those days everyday.
Amon will be 7-months-old tomorrow. Apparently the hospital is a time warp. I can’t believe he is already that old…he was a wee 4-month-old when we landed in Nashville…sweet baby boy. We finally gave the kid some food…it was about time. He truly enjoyed it.
We gave away almost every stitch of baby gear and clothing we owned because we…and by we I mean our agency and Josh and myself…just knew we were going to be matched with an older child. I did however keep a few of my most favorite things the kids wore. These pigeon pjs being one of them. Harper received these on her first birthday and it’s official…all 4 of our kiddos have sported them. They are a little saggy crotched for Amon, but he’ll grow into them.
Afternoon snack time is maybe the cutest most laid back part of our day. Can it be snack time all day long?
I made THIS POPCORN MIX, but didn’t get to go out and get purple candy melts. Amon being home bound has really limited my errand running to…ZERO. I did however have a little bit of green, a little bit of orange and a little bit of chocolate candy melts. Do what you can, with what you have. And I was able to snag some fun candies one super early morning before anyone was awake and all normal stores are closed…but not Kroger.
Dear Kroger (& Walmart),
Thank you for being open 24 hours for the abnormal Mom who needs to do shopping at crazy odd times.
Sincerely,
Laura Kelley
Turns out Amon is kind of vain…and well, I just don’t blame him. Have you seen his hair…at least in the front? He really enjoys the little mirrored spinning lady bug on his Bumbo seat contraption Brea bought him. Kid cracks himself up.
And I’ll end on a sappy, heart melting note. I imagine them being best friends despite the age difference. I’m envisioning Harper having a Man-Of-Honor in her wedding and Amon having a Best Lady. It truly is sweet and gooshy and one of those things that melts my momma’s heart into a big drippy puddle. I like them a lot.
Happy Wednesday!
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