Silver, Smiles and Moms

Say what you want...silver shoes just rock.

You know what else rocks? Moms. Moms in silver shoes. Me and my mom in silver shoes. Me and my mom. In our silver shoes. At my brother's birthday party. Smiling. Laughing. That's what rocks.

Color

Reminder

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.

-Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Smile

Get away.

Put your feet in the water.

Slow down.

Take a deep breath.

Focus on what is good.

Keep calm.

Carry on.

Liberate

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us.

We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? Your are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson From her book: Return To Love

Summer

Summer = fireworks Little boys + snappers = Duncan airborne Are you familiar with the little fireworks that you throw to the ground and they snap? My boys LOVE them...we go through hundreds of them.

Sunny

It seems only fitting to now blog about my other boy... This boy who looks so grown up and serious. So handsome. So amazing. This child who is in that wonderfully beautiful stage between little boy and little big boy... This child who gives his love so abundantly.

Let me share.

This is Duncan with blue blankey. These pictures are taken within weeks of each other. This is how Duncan holds blue blankey...with the embroidered rocking horse between his fingers and his thumb in his mouth. This is the ONLY time you will every see Duncan suck his thumb.

The top photo is the little big boy...the bottom photo is little boy...

Tonight I was holding Duncan who was holding blue blankey and as most of you know I call him Sunshine or "Sunny" for short...

Me: Oh Sunny, I love you sooo much.

Duncan: Oh Mommy, I love you too.

Me: Will you always be my Sunny?

Duncan: Mommy, I promise I will always bring light into your life...

Do you have any idea how drop dead incredible it was to hear that?

Does he know?

Cooper very much likes his mom and dad to come to school with him, to come to morning meeting, to attend his field trips, to be a "driver" etc. So this past Friday I joined Cooper on a field trip to the creek to hunt for fossils. I took my camera because, well, I'm ME...and after taking portraits of every child in Cooper's class, I turned the camera to him. He is so used to this I don't even think he notices which I am so thankful for. I loved coming home and downloading all the photographs. The photos of all the other children were so much fun, something different. (I ordered prints for all the parents and just picked them up at Target.) As I looked through them and sorted, I found myself gravitating toward photos where he wasn't looking at the camera like the one above. Then I looked back through ALL my photos and realized that this shot looking down on him (and those of Duncan too) are some of my favorites... I look at this and think... Does he know how much I love him? Does he know how I worry about his separation anxiety and wonder if it will fade in time? Does he know that in a strange way I cling to his separation anxiety because it means he still needs me? Does he know that I see so much of myself in him? Does he know that when he gets upset because things aren't perfect I understand deep down in my soul? Does he know that I love when he holds my hand? Does he know that I love when he says to me "a mommy's job is never done" because I realize that on a six year old level he "gets" what I do for him? Does he know that I understand when he pretends not to need me but really does? Does he know that I love and hate how fiercely independent he is about his wardrobe? Does he know that I love how he looks forward to reading to me at night? Does he know how much I love his freckles? Does he know how badly I want everything wonderful and amazing in this world for him? Does he know how much I love that we count at night and tuck each other's kisses away to keep us safe in the night? Does he know how much I look forward to the planet that he will pick? I love you all the way to _______ and back? Does he know how much I love him? Does he know?

Dreams

"We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true." ~ Woodrow Wilson

Those times when you love being wrong

My sister always said he looked like me... And I'm not saying I wasn't always hopeful... But I'll admit to a bit of skepticism. However, Would you check out those eyes?! I'm thinking maybe...just maybe...she was on to something.

One day in his life

Who is this sly smooth cowboy you ask?

Why it's Duncan who is so TOTALLY proud of himself for graduating from Preschool! Of course I said the same thing last year when Cooper graduated, but, "wow! that went quick". Unlike his brother, Duncan never had a moment of fear or anxiety the first day I dropped him off at preschool. He simply walked in, gave me a hug and said "bye mom". So here we are 2 years later and on our way to kindergarten. I am just so totally proud of him. Proud of how smart he is, how friendly he is, how kind he is. And I am head over heals that I get to spend these "little days in his life" with him.

Focus

Sometimes when the world around me is nutty and crazy, I find it helps to focus on the good, simple, light things... *remembering how much I love taking (and looking at) photos of my boys *the smell of lavender soap in my bathroom *open windows, breeze *hummus with extra virgin olive oil *teaching Cooper ebay *sleeping with little boys that wear no shirts (they are soooo soft next to me) *sounds of nature on my iPod (totally dorky but very relaxing) *the smile that I know is on a friends face when we talk on the phone *wearing skirts and flip flops *giving Duncan a haircut...his face is way too cute to have hair all over it *clean sheets *reading Star Wars EVERY night to my boys

Things I Love

1.) The Weather Channel 2.) Pillow spray 3.) Pictures of Duncan in the homemade tree swing 4.) Carmel popcorn - PoppyCock with Cashews is killer 5.) A man who can dance - my dad is a perfect example 6.) Sleeping on hot nights with NO AIR CONDITIONING - just the fan 7.) Lip gloss (it had to be said) 8.) The space between Cooper's front teeth 9.) Croissants 10.) Flying - I really should have been a pilot (or a weathergirl)

Boootchie

Ten things you might not know: 1.) This is my brother, Ira Nathan aka Butchie 2.) He turned 36 yesterday 3.) He is single...(and looking :-)) 4.) Cooper thinks he WALKS ON WATER 5.) He thinks Coop (and Dunc) are pretty darn cool too 6.) He builds kick ass stone walls 7.) He loves to talk (it's an Adelson trait) 8.) He made the bracelet I wear everyday 9.) If you are lucky enough to be his friend/family he will do almost anything for you 10.) He is an awesome advertisement for our father...is that a killer smile or what?! Happy birthday dear brother...I love you.