Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Cast


Our family is a little crazy, a little wild, a little hectic, and a lot of love. We are the modern American family- one mom, one dad, two boys and two girls. Oh, and a stepmom, two stepsons, half siblings and whole siblings.  Confusing? A bit, but we make the best of it. 

Jason is the husband and the dad. He is currently serving as an Army Captain, and he is nearly halfway done with law school. He works hard, plays hard and loves the kids more than his life. He is a charming husband, equally exasperating and impishly loving. When he comes home, there is equal chance that he is carrying a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine, as there is that he is carrying the latest zombie movie and a package of twizzlers- both make for a fun evening together. He makes me laugh in a way that no one else ever has, and I love the conversations that we have.  Although I say conversations, those who know us know that they could also be called debates or even arguments! But, it is all in fun and love, and we both love to delve into sensitive subjects, intellectual discourse and hot topics in society.  Jason is my other half, my parent partner, and my true love.

I am the mom, the stepmom, and the wife. While I have a degree in education and a Masters in HR, I am currently staying home to raise and enjoy our two sweet girls. I keep one foot in the workforce by teaching two evenings a week for the local adult education program, and I enjoy helping the citizens of our community reach their goals. I am a planner by nature, and that comes in handy when trying to wrangle four children. Being a mama has been the greatest joy of my life, and I love almost every minute of it. I say almost because anyone with kids knows that there are moments when you could easily run screaming for the hills after the 100th chorus of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or after cleaning up spilled milk for the 3rd time in span of 20 minutes. Regardless, this is my life, and I LOVE it!

Now, the kids:
Chris is a charming, witty 6.5 year old. He is sweet and sensitive with just enough trouble and mischief mixed in to keep it exciting. He loves his siblings, and he is a caring, kind brother. He is most patient with his sisters, and he saves the rough stuff for his brother. Equally happy playing dress up or kicking a ball, Chris is the sort of kid that is not ashamed to be exactly who he is with no apologies or excuses. He handles the many challenges and transitions of two families with style and maturity. 

Josh is a robust nearly 4 year old, who is funny and grumpy in equal proportion. He loves all things sports, evidenced by the fact that his first word was "ball." He had a rough start in life, facing reflux, asthma, constant illness, speech problems and ear tubes, but he has grown out of most of those things. Right now, Josh is having a difficult time with our family dynamic, and he unfortunately has a tough time overcoming some of the negative influences in his life. We don't get to hold him as close as we'd like, but we love him more than he can know. When I think of Josh, I always think of him as a sweet little baby who snuggled with me when he was sick- he was happy as long as you held him! I took care of him a lot back then, and sang him many a song- songs that still bring him to mind when I hear them.

Caitlyn is a treasure- she is my first biological child and the most amazing kid ever. I have been in awe of her since the day she was born. She is a tiny little thing with an overabundance of determination, grit and insight. Her cleverness astounds us daily, and she is eloquent beyond her two years. This kid is full of life, and she is going places.  Where she is going is yet to be determined, but it will be BIG, for better or worse. She just doesn't do middle ground.

Lorelei is our last little baby, and I intend to soak up everything about her. When the days and nights are long with mommy tasks, one little whiff of her sweet head is enough to melt the stress away. She is a vivacious little redhead who smiles with her whole face. Everything she does, she does with vigor- laughing, crying, crawling- it is all done with enthusiasm! She is quick and eager, and I can't wait to see what this little girl does next.




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