Never fear...we're still here!

The last you heard from us we were melting.  Since then we froze, we melted, we froze, we got rained on, then we froze, then more rain, now we are melting (and are very muddy) again.  But, lest we become too comfortable, come Thursday we will be freezing again.  This state is just plain crazy.  Even though I can feel the house heating up, I am refusing to turn on the AC, because I know the heater will be kicking on again in a few days.  Let's see how long we can hold out!! Chant with me (while holding fists high in the air): "No AC! No AC!"

Now that we got that out of the way...(you can put your fists down now)...

Life has been good.  Busy. After my last post we went down South, ya'll, to see some super dear friends of ours who live in Texas.  We loved every minute that we were able to spend with them.  There is nothing quite like being with friends who know you.  You know? We stayed up too late, laughed hard and reminded ourselves why we will be friends for a very long time.  After all, it isn't with everyone that you can laugh about "#hashtag" and watch videos of screaming goats. They make Our Plain Life just a bit less plain, and we so love them for it!!

Then we came back to snow, lots of it...and my mom came to visit.  Because she can't come and visit when we are having beautiful Spring weather.  It's like it's against the rules or something.  Whenever she comes to visit we are having extremely cold or extremely hot weather.  Really. Every time. Not kidding. However, I was reminded why she is a pretty spectacular grandma...because, even though her thin SoCal blood was almost to the point of freezing, she donned on snow boots, built a snow "fort" (or wall) and even pulled/pushed the kids on the sled.  I was impressed.

After the end of her 10 day visit, we dropped my mom off at the airport on our way up north to visit Dan's family for the weekend.  The kids love going up to see their cousins, and we like to see family too :).  We barely saw the older three because Annika and Taryn were chasing the poor farm cats with their cousins and Landon was just being Landon. Two words: tractors and pay-loaders  Need I say more?   And then there's this video, that is, in my view, just plain awesome and a reminder of why cousins are pretty cool to have.

As I write what we have been up to since March 14th (since I last posted!), I feel like these past few weeks or even months have been like the weather.  At one moment, I am wallowing in my self-pity.  Feeling lonely. Feeling "left out." Feeling like motherhood ain't all it cracked up to be. Feeling like wishing away this season of life. Then, the next moment, I am surrounded by friends and family who love me for who I am. Who don't judge my parenting, who give me a little "I've been there, done that, hang in there" pat on the back.  Who make me laugh to the point of tears.  Who call...just because. Who say "I Love you mommy." Who say "Thanks, babe, for all you do." I bitch and moan about the cold season, then the next day I get a glimpse of spring.  The warmth of loved ones breaks through the wind chill and all I can do is sit back and relish in God's goodness to me.

The sun is shining.  The trees are blooming. The grass is green. The mud is everywhere. And it's all good.

Really good.