This weekend we celebrated both Amon’s 1 year heart day and Josh’s birthday.  There were strings of hearts and happy birthday banners.  There were heart cookies and mini red velvet cheesecakes with homemade whipped cream.  There were sweets for breakfast and Mexican food for lunch and more sweets after that.  There was time together with our tribe of 6.  There were movie nights and Josh getting to sleep in and do yard work…it’s his thing…he likes it…I don’t get it.  There were cards and presents, one of which was a Millennium Falcon tshirt Huddy and Sol picked out for him.  Yes.  It was a really sweet time.

Last year we celebrated Josh’s birthday in the hospital.  Amon had his open heart surgery the previous day before, so there actually wasn’t much celebrating going on.  More like anxious, nervous, on pins and needles…a semi crying irrational mess.  That sounds like the ideal birthday right?  Yep.  I felt terrible…it was the combination of the worst/best/most memorable birthday ever.  So this year was nice.  A drastic change from last year and it made me very weepy with how far we’ve come…how far God has brought Amon and our family…how He has worked and moved and just amazed us.  I am very grateful for Josh Kelley and all these little humans we have been entrusted with…and this weekend we were all thinking heavily about Amon and his heart and the crazy good guy Josh Kelley is.

Laura Kelley Fun Fact #13  Since the time when we first met as kids I always referred to Josh as Josh Kelley.  All his baseball friends called him JK and it’s so fun to hear those same guys still call him that even today.  I love it.  It contains memories which I am so in love with.  For some reason, I just always referred to him as Josh Kelley.  When we started dating at 15, slowly but surely the “Josh Kelley” went to just “Josh” except for every now and then and when I write, it always come out as Josh Kelley again and it makes me smile because the boy who comes to mind when I say those two names together is the guy I fell crazy in love with.  He’s much radder now though.  I love him more than I ever thought I could.  I even like him too…most of the time.

This gig as wife and mom I have the privilege of doing is not always easy, but it is full to the brim of love and laughter and grace and mercy and forgiveness.  It can be madness.  There are days when I want to run far, far away, but these people…these faces…Oh my word.  This weekend He reminded me of how crazy, insanely blessed I am…that we are…to have each other and to be loved by our Savior.  It’s completely overwhelming in the most stellar way.

Happy Birthday Josh Kelley and Happy Heart Day Amon!  You two, are quite the pair!