Double the LOVE.

       My little Lily Belle started clapping this morning. And yesterday she started saying "uh oh" and "da-da". She is working on "growing" her third tooth (we expect its grand debut any day now, ouch) and she is so so super close to cruising on the furniture. Every morning when she wakes up she stands in her crib calling out, "Mama!!" until I go in and get her. She loves giving kisses, reading books, pointing and if you ask her who is number one she holds up one finger. All of these achievements make me realize even more just how fast my little ones grow.
       It's crazy to think that that little person crawling around raising cain wasn't even here a year ago. This time last year I was a whale of a woman, miserable, hot, cranky and so ready to meet my newest daughter. This time last year I was only a mother to one, so unaware of just how much my life was about to change. It's only one year later and I am now chasing two rug rats around, my life is so much crazier but it's also so much sweeter. While, yes, it is double the trouble it is also double the hugs, double the cuddles, double the laughs, double the play time, double the kisses and double the L-O-V-E.
       God is good to my little family. It's easy for me to stray these days. I get so stressed with being a single mommy and life tends to be very overwhelming. I go a few days without having my quiet time and I start getting this "I can do this by myself, I don't need any help" perspective on the whole situation. And that may be true...for a very short amount of time. And then it becomes extremely evident that I CANNOT do this on my own. At least not without being completely miserable and a bad mommy. I get back in the word and spend some time in prayer and all the pieces start falling back into place. It's a good thing God is patient with me :)

      I also have to insert here how thankful I am for protection over my sweet family one year ago on April 27th. When that monster of a tornado swept over our city, I was pregnant with our little Lil and as half of our family hid underneath the house and the other half underneath the stairs, I remember praying that God would protect us, that my unborn child would be protected...this past Friday I looked at those two sweet angels of mine and couldn't help but cry, out of appreciation and sheer thankfulness. Every day and every breath is such a blessing.