Happy 2nd Birthday Maddox!!

Today is Maddox's second birthday. It's hard to believe how quickly the last two years have flown by! Two years ago today I was barely holding it together, trying to maintain a level of strength and "cool" after eight months of  intense treatments, ultrasounds, and fear. Fear is a scary thing in itself, because if you let it consume you it will destroy your life, your perspectives, and your ability fight for what's important. Trying to keep that fear at bay is exhausting work! I'm convinced that the only way I was able to stay rational throughout Maddox's pregnancy was through a lot of prayer, and an amazing family that was my rock and my source of never ending positivity. Most of you know Maddox's birth story, but if you would like to read it you can find it here.

Two years later the memories and emotions are still raw, maybe they will never really go away. But in return for for those memories I get to enjoy an amazing little person every single day for the rest of my life. At two Maddox is the happiest, snuggliest little guy I have ever known. I love to watch the relationship that is growing between he and Jax, and listen to the conversations they have when they think I'm not around. He makes me smile every single day, and never fails me make me laugh with his hysterical laughter. Quite simply, we are blessed beyond belief.

 

                        

 

 

Whirlwind Weekend

A friend of ours and her husband run a local non-profit (2nd Mile) in our area which does "Extreme Makeover" style renovations on schools, churches, and other facilities in need. A few months ago they asked if I wouldn't mind volunteering to design two offices within the Family Services building of a middle school they were planning to renovate. Months and months of planning all came down to one "Compassion Weekend" in which over 1000 volunteers contributed their time and energy to completely remodel the campus- in two days.

"Compassion Weekend" was last weekend. I can't say enough good things about the people running 2nd Mile and their crew. Keeping 1000 volunteers on motivated and productive is no simple task... neither is completely renovating a middle school in two days! I am exhausted and sunburned, but also completely inspired and moved by what took place in those two days. I was so blessed to play a small role in this renovation! My favorite part was watching all of the little ones, mine especially, jumping at the chance to help strangers.

Now it's time to get back to every day life, and catch up on the to-do list that has been so badly neglected in the last few weeks!

  

Thousands of volunteers working like crazy!

  

Landscaping

 

Hallway of the Family Center leading to the offices I was responsible for.

 

Family Center Reception Area

 

Volunteers putting together furniture and building benches around the trees in the playground.

 

DIY Station

  

My little man helping any way he could, and SO excited to do it!

 

  

One of two offices I created for the school's AmeriCorp Employees

 

 

 One of two custom painted file cabinets I created

 

 Second of two offices created for the AmeriCorp girls.

  

 

My pride and joy... a custom chevron file cabinet :)