Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Why I'm the Lucky One - Happy Seven Years!


Matt and I met almost 10 years ago.  We were both freshmen in college and lived in the same dorm.  He was a basketball player on a full-ride scholarship and I was immediately attracted to the 6’7” blue-eyed Texan.  As luck would have it, we even had a class together! A 400-student freshman seminar class. I didn’t think he knew I was alive.  Sometimes it’s good to be wrong.  A few weeks into the class he came up to my dorm room one night needing “help” in the class.  Sadly I was out with friends and missed seeing him.  I went down to his room the next day to talk to him but he was out.  We never talked in the dorms again. 

Fast forward a year and a half and my roommate was dating his.  They were a very volatile couple who often had huge blowout screaming fights.  The one night I tagged along with her at his house they had one of these fights and left Matt and I sitting alone in his living room for almost an hour. We immediately hit it off and the rest is history… we had both just broken up with our significant others and it didn’t take us long to admit our mutual crushes freshman year in the dorm.  Honestly, he was too shy and I was too wild and it probably would have never worked if we’d dated freshman year.  Things really do happen for a reason.

We were pretty much inseparable the last two years of college.  He proposed In April of our senior year and we got married that summer.  We spent two years living in Europe, bought our first house in August 2009, found out I was pregnant a month later, started to get the hang of this parenting thing and decided to do it again in 2011.

Here we are, almost a decade later, a family of five, still learning about each other, still growing, still smiling, still loving, still excited about what the future holds.  I cannot imagine my life without this man.  He is my rock, my friend, my everything. Sure, life isn’t always perfect and there have been times that have taught us about patience, compassion, forgiveness, and grace.

He’s seen me at my best and at my worst and loves me anyway.  When I’m an emotional mess he’s a calming force.  When the tears won’t stop he can always make me laugh. I love that after a decade our love has only gotten stronger.  Sure, it’s not the same jittery new love filled with romantic walks and flowers but it’s deeper than that. It’s rooted in our friendship, our children, our history and our future.

He’s not perfect but hey, neither am I.  I know we’re perfect for each other.

Seven years ago today I pledged to love him for better for worse, in sickness and in health, to love him forever. Happy seven years babe! 

Here are a few lot of pictures from the last seven years.  

Engagement picture

Married!

June 16th 

First Anniversary


Europe! Rome

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Paris

Our first house!

Expecting our first little baby

Proud parents

Fifth anniversary

First family pictures

Kenny Chesney / Zac Brown Band concert

Sixth Anniversary



Expecting baby Asher. In Austin for Rachel's wedding. 

 Proud parents (again!)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.- 1 Corinthians 13: 1-4













Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Just a few pictures

My little rock star

Tummy time with Asher.

Kisses for brother

Oh the silliness.  Avery is always making goofy faces and Asher looks terrified.  Typical :)

Cheeeeessseee!!!!

Trying to get Ashe used to the bumbo!

Love.him.

Dancing with baby Emma

Monday, July 16, 2012

Some Days


Some days getting up early and leaving for work before my kiddos are even up is hard.  But some days it feels almost impossible.  My heart aches as I walk out the door without even a goodbye hug.  They are still fast asleep and I have to be out the door by 7:00 to even have a chance of making it to work on time.

It’s been almost two months since my first day back and yes we have a routine down, yes I’ve “gotten used to it” but no, it really doesn’t get any easier.

I still have days where I sit in the bathroom crying.  Wishing I was at home playing dolls with Avery or rocking Asher.  It’s not fair that someone else is getting to do that.  I know, I know.  Life isn’t fair.  Knowing that doesn’t make it any easier.

I’m not writing this for sympathy or to complain.  I simply want them to know one day that I never wanted to leave them.  Being a working mom was not my choice, it is just what I have to do.  Every single day I wish I was home and I don’t want either one of them to ever wonder if I chose my career over being at home. 


I’m still hopeful that at some point in the future I will be able to stay home.  That there will come a day when Matt and I feel like we can survive on one income.  Because I don’t know how much longer I can do this. 

Friday, July 13, 2012

GOING PRIVATE



My Facebook account is set to private. Same with Instagram.  If you don’t know me you don’t get to see my pictures or read anything about me or my family.  It dawned on me a few weeks ago how silly it is to have these security settings when my blog is completely open. 

Granted, it’s not like tons of people I don’t know read my blog but every once in a while I look at my “traffic sources” or “audience locations” and I am seeing more and more hits from China or Russia and I don’t like it.  It makes me feel very uncomfortable.  I don’t even know how these people find my blog, let alone why they want to read about my boring life.  I don’t even want to think about it because unfortunately there are so many bad people out there and all it takes is one.  

So I’ve decided to make my blog private. 

I know there are currently some people who follow my blog that I don't know and I'd love for you to keep reading... I've met many awesome people through blogging!! 

That being said...let me know if you want to be added to the "you're okay to see my cute family" list. Please leave a comment with your email address or send me an email at linz.williams@yahoo.com.  

I’ll wait a couple weeks but starting around August 1st you will have to be an authorized user to continue reading about our little family. 

Thanks for understanding and I hope you continue to follow my blog!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Major Milestone


This handsome little devil has slept 11 hours straight the past two nights!!  Hallelujah! For the past week he's been falling asleep around 7:00 and I was waking him up around 10:00 before I went to bed for one last bottle hoping he'd have a full tummy and sleep longer.  He kept waking up around 5:00 so over the weekend I decided to just let him sleep because we were still getting up early with him.  Apparently he didn't appreciate being woken up because he slept from 7:30 pm to 6:00 and 8:00 to 7:00 last night!  I know we'll still have a few early morning feedings but it was so great to get a full night's sleep.  Finger's crossed that this becomes a normal behavior!



Friday, July 6, 2012

Independence Day and other Randoms

Super long catch up post. 

Last weekend Avery and Asher had their first sleepover!  They stayed the night with a lady Matt worked with at DBU, she has watched Avery before and I know they both had fun :).  Matt and I spent the night in Frisco with friends celebrating Will's 30th birthday.

Our hotel room, getting ready to go out.
 

Hanging with the Brimberrys.



 My little cutie pies ready to go to a birthday party!

Avery is such a little momma!! She loves mimicking everything I do with Asher with baby Emma but the other night her baby wasn't good enough... she wanted to be Asher's mommy :)  She insisted on pushing him in her baby stroller.   Oh the life of a boy with a big sister!

She needed a turn too

Feeding baby Emma.  She had to have a bib and her own milk. 

I've searched everywhere for a hat for Asher.  Apparently Target and I have different ideas on the definition of "infant".  I'd say their infant hat is just a tad bit too big.  He still looks cute though. 

We hung out at home on the 4th.  It was so weird having a day off in the middle of the week and I didn't want to take Asher out for the fireworks so Matt and Jason decided to finally build the gate between our yards that we've been talking about for almost a year!

Working hard :)

Once the guys finished up we got everything set up for a BBQ.  Four swimming pools, one water slide, about 10 kids and lots of food.  

This picture cracks me up.  Poor Payton, she doesn't look very happy 

The gate!! I'm so thankful to have such wonderful neighbors.  I love that our girls can now go back and forth between our houses and we don't have to worry about them!

Sweet friends :)

The two year old club.  Averie, Avery and Harper.  BFFs






Thursday, July 5, 2012

Wordless Wednesday


Three Months




Asher James, you are three months old today!  You have the sweetest smile and love to talk. You will coo and babble at me for as long as I’ll listen.  You love the sound of your voice!  You are starting to get on a routine (I use this term loosely) and still want to eat every 2-3 hours during the day.  You are getting so strong and can hold your head up really well.  You love watching Avery play and entertain you. 

You have slept through the night (10-6) three times so far.  A month ago I didn’t think we would hit this milestone by three months because you were always so hungry! It’s not an everyday thing just yet but you’re doing so much better!

You still take many naps throughout the day.  Usually two short naps in the morning, a long one (2-3 hours) around lunch time and a few more 30 minute to an hour long naps in the afternoon or evening.  Like I said, you’re starting to get on a schedule but we’re not there yet!  

You are still getting half breastmilk and half formula.  Usually 5 oz. every 2-3 hours. - about 7-8 bottles a day.

You wear 3-6 month or 6 month clothes and a size 2 diaper

You’ve rolled over from your tummy to back a handful of times because you can already hold your head up so high. 

You discovered your hands and love staring at them.  You hold them in front of your face with your fists clenched and look like a little boxer.  Makes me laugh every time.

You’ve sat in the bumbo seat a few times for a minute or so.  Your neck isn’t quite strong enough but you’re getting close!

You still smile all the time.  You make the silliest facial expressions and are so animated!

You laughed for the first time when we were in Colorado and Grandpa was sticking your feet in your mouth.

You are such a joy and bring so much happiness to our family!