The Strecker Family

I have known Lindsey since I was a freshmen in highschool. She was a senior, and we were on the basketball team together for one year. But besides going back that far, her brother also married my best friend. It's funny to think back to when you first knew someone. When you're young and naive and you have no idea how life will turn out. Lindsey has definitely not had an easy path to walk in life. The past few years have been full of hardships, more than most have to walk out in an entire lifetime. But to see her strength, resilience, and determination through it all has been amazing. It makes my heart SO happy to see her with her husband Rob, and sweet son Mason. To see how they have become a family, their interaction, and their love for each other. Like I said, you never know your where your path in life is going... and just when it seems you can't handle anymore there might be a blessing you never dreamed of. It was an honor to do their family photos for them. Enjoy! [And please prepare for a VERY picture-full post!!]

When these were some of my first few frames I knew it was going to be a good day! (despite the cloudy weather, and the sun even came out for us eventually!) 

Lindsey and Rob are about to celebrate their first anniversary together. :)

Love Mason's ten-year-old-boy candidness... too perfect! I couldn't agree more, Mason! They are great together!

 MR. & MRS. 

 The sun came out... and,very appropriately, we had some sunflowers along... LOVED all of these! 

More family photos: 

I clearly had a very difficult time only choosing a few favorites... there were so many good ones from the day! Thanks again, Lindsey, Rob & Mason! You made my job easy and fun!! 

My best friend

I was sixteen the first time I saw Shaun. My family took a summer to try out different churches and see if God was calling us somewhere else. A beautiful white church, a hot summer day, a friendly welcome, a sense that God was indeed calling us to this place. And my first glimpse of the man that would one day be my husband. He was playing the drums on the worship team. I was in a relationship at the time that I knew wasn't good for me. I remember thinking "If there's someone like that out there how can I be settling for this?" I had no idea I would one day be blessed enough to date him, I just knew that he gave me hope that there really were guys out there who loved Jesus with their whole heart. And that's what I knew I wanted. The previous relationship was ended within a week of our first visit to that church, even though I wouldn't begin to date Shaun for another 9 months.

Seventeen, a missions trip to Honduras, a last minute decision that Shaun would go too, a dock, hammocks, moonlight over a lagoon, the night he told me he liked me. My world was forever changed. I recently read back over my journal entries from that time in my life. I was SOO content in who Jesus was making me into, so full of peace, so trusting that He knew the plans He had for me, the whole thing was just a beautiful trust fall into God's will for my life. I had been in so much inner turmoil the year leading up to that moment. It is so cool to see how as I surrendered to Him, it was like He gently removed a blindfold that had been over my eyes to all my life could be in Him. I have never looked back. To be who and where God wants me is all I will ever ask for.

I had so much fun dating Shaun. So. Much. Fun. We dated for three years and three months before we said "I Do." And now we've been married for almost five years. We have both grown and changed so much since we've been married. We've started to really become who we need to be for each other, not just for ourselves. We've learned about parenting together, running our own businesses together, making a home together. (Next season: learning about being in church leadership together.) Marriage will change you. It requires compromise, selflessness, putting someone else's needs of equal importance with your own. I love feeling like a team with this man.

I won't say this is always easy. We don't get to go on dates just the two of us very often. Sometimes we spend so much of our time just on the day to day basics, who's changing this diaper? did Drew eat all his dinner? What time will you be home from work? do i need to go to the post office or are you? did you let your mom know what time we'd be over for dinner? can you brush Drew's teeth tonight? here, hold Isaiah while I do the dishes.... We focus on so many other things, tasks, raising our kids, and fall into bed exhausted at the end of the day. Well, last Friday, we went on a date. And it was the best night I've had in a LONG time. I felt like I spent the night with my best friend who I haven't seen in a while. This might sound silly, but I really like my husband! We spent several hours just focused on each other. No distractions, carefree, playing, flirting, acting like when we were teenagers again. No babies to take care of for a few hours. It was so, so good. I don't know why we waited so long to do it. I'm still feeling all up on cloud 9 from it. If you are married, and the routine of life has sucked some of the romance out of your relationship, go on a date!!! It's so good to remove all the responsibilities for a little bit and just see their heart! So simple, and so profoundly good.

The reason for this whole entry is that tomorrow Shaun will be twenty seven. He was eighteen when I started dating him. We're coming up on a decade of years that my heart has belonged to him. And not only do I love him more and more and more, but I like him too! Happy birthday, love!!

Just push "publish"

I've started about 4 or 5 blog posts over the past few days and none of them have seen the other side yet... Not sure what my deal is but I just can't seem to complete a thought on here.

So instead of writing some themed, planned, coherent post I'm just gonna write some life and hit publish at the end and see where it takes me.

We have one more trip left this summer, and I'm thankful, because if it weren't for that upcoming beach trip summer would be starting to feel over for me. It's only the beginning of August, but despite the heat  and my desire that summer last just a bit longer, I'm starting to look ahead to the fall. Anyone else feeling that way? I'm definitely savoring the last of grilling season, and pool days, and the light lasting long enough for walks after dinner.

(I think I could seriously eat skewer after skewer of grilled pineapple.... so so good.) 

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The olympics. Oh, the olympics. I think I've enjoyed the 2012 olympics more than any other olympics in my life. This summer has been busy for us, but not nearly as busy as last summer. I think I feel that way partly because I am a stay at home mom now (aside from photography) and so I can enjoy the days and the spontaneity of summer a bit more. But we have had a lovely stretch of free evenings and the beginning of the olympics just happened to coincide with us putting a tv in our living room. It has been so incredibly cozy every night... We finish dinner, I do the dishes, the boys play, I sometimes fix a sweet treat and we turn on the lamps and feel like we are sitting in America's living room... watching and rooting for our country and feeling so proud of everything they've won. Seeing people not only hold up under unbelievable pressure but perform their best, breaking world records, overcoming huge difficulties... Getting to know the stories behind the athletes and feeling like you know them a bit. Having Isaiah fall asleep in my arms most nights, and Drew eventually leaving his toys and snuggling up next to one of us too. The quiet, the restfulness, the lovely of staying home, enjoying each other, relaxing in the comfort of our own home. I have loved it so SO much. The two photos below are not being posted because they are glamorous in any way, but because they are accurate representations of how these nights have looked for us. Sleepy, cozy, restfulness. :)

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I've been getting out creative energy planning and making decorations for Isaiah's first birthday party. We don't do big parties every year, and I wouldn't even say the first party is "big" because our house can't hold that many people, but I do like to do something extra special for the first birthday. :) I'm sure I'll be posting photos of it after we have it.

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Organization. How can it be that I've been married almost 5 years and I have never truly appreciated this skill before. It's like a new dream of mine to have a place for everything (and everything in its place.) But more than that, to have the place where each thing is kept make sense. Sometimes in life we just start putting something in a certain place and then that's where it goes... forever... even if it would be more practical or efficient for it to be somewhere else. So I've started challenging the status quo on my thinking. So far this has led to some re-organization of our bedroom (specifically bedside tables and closet), emptying out and re-organizing my buffet, creating a specific space to store all of our games, switching things around on the shelves in my pantry, and dreaming up some ideas for organization in our laundry room and basement office. Once I get going I can hardly stop myself. The getting-going part is the hardest.... But the end result is such a hugely rewarding feeling!!! One of the things I hate the most in life is needing something and not being able to find it. If I can make my dream come true hopefully that will not happen very often anymore! I read a post on de-cluttering that was pretty inspiring too. Here's the link.

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Isaiah is taking a few more baby steps each day now for the past three days. He starts out all slow and cautious and the steps get faster and faster until he can't keep his balance anymore and falls down laughing. It's adorable.

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Drew "ikes watching the impics too..." He repeats every phrase I say back to me at random times. I try not to smile at him too much when he is attempting something new or he gets embarrassed... He's such a sweet heart.

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My man is working so hard this summer. In addition to all the things he usually does we just bought a rental property with good friends and he is trying to fit in time to do renovations on the house too. Last friday he had twenty one yards to do in a day and didn't get home til 9:30 at night.

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Besides all of those interesting things listed above I had quite a day yesterday. The experience that made it so unique only lasted a few minutes, but the implications were big enough to leave me thinking about it all day and craving a bit of small town normalcy by the evening. We had a nice dose of it in a cookout and wiffle ball at Shaun's parents house last night. Just what we needed. Not gonna lie though, although the experience was scary, it was a bit exciting too... Too bad I can't share more ;)

On another note, one of the things I enjoyed most about last night's cookout was that I got to spend a good amount of time talking to a mother of 12 about her thoughts on motherhood. Her family is so sweet and soft-spoken and loving. I love to hear the input and perspective of moms who are older than me and just enjoy being a mom. Key thought that stuck out to me: there are no cookie cutter methods to raising children aside from this: listen to the voice of the Lord. She also said that God knows what you need, and what each of your children need, and he put you together in the same family for a reason. Love that. She said she didn't necessarily do things the same with each child, she kind of did what worked for her and that child at that time. My theory on motherhood: we all have ways of doing things that come naturally to us. If what you are doing is working for you, working for your baby, and not putting anyone in danger, then do that. Who cares if it's not what others believe to be the "best" method, or the most scientific, or the most up to date.... where they specifically researching you and your child when they came out with those studies? Nope. So you do what works, and don't stress, and don't compare. I think I do a lot of things a little differently than most. For example, our kids sleep in our bed with us. We get a lot of strange looks on that one. But you know what? The majority of the world sleeps with their babies in their beds. And it works for us. We actually had Drew sleeping in his own room and his own bed on a fairly consistent basis when we had Isaiah. But when we brought Isaiah home from the hospital and he was in his bassinette in our room, and Drew was down the hall by himself, Shaun looked at me, said he missed Drew, and carried him into our room. It was so sweet. We are just getting to the point where we are feeling ready to have Drew back in his own room at night, and are working on Isaiah sleeping in his crib at least the majority of the night. But I can tell you one thing, I don't believe in the "cry it out" method. I can't stand the sound of my babies crying in another room and feeling like I can't do anything about it. It accomplishes nothing for us other than stress and everyone being upset to try to force them into sleeping a certain place. This is not to say that everyone should let their babies sleep in their beds, or that you are not a good mom if you use the "cry it out" method. Remember that part up there where I said find what works for you and do that? I meant it. If you or your husband can't sleep with a kid in bed with you or it affects your relationship in any way, than respect that and don't do it. You will find absolutely no condemnation from me.  I'm just giving examples here.
Potty training was another fun subject to talk about.... Drew is going to be three in october, and although we've had lots of talks on potty training we have not actually attempted it more than one day. Drew being my little perfectionist/neat freak that he is, he got so upset and discouraged with himself when he would have an accident that it was incredibly traumatic for us both. I was still full time nursing Isaiah and couldn't always drop everything to rush him to the bathroom, and we had a puppy we were trying to house train. I am fine with waiting til Drew's ready to try again and not forcing the issue. I don't know any one who graduated from highschool that was not potty trained.... It's going to happen, I just don't care about getting first place for having my baby trained the earliest. It's not about me, it's about him. The mom that I was talking to pointed out to me that if you do begin training super early, a lot of times it's more about training yourself to read the signs, figure out the timing, and keep on top of taking them to the potty than it is about training them to go the potty when they need to. Had never thought of it that way before. Again, I'm not knocking anyone who potty trains early. If that's what comes naturally to you to do, then do it! (and have fun spending that extra money you no longer have to spend on diapers!!!) I'm just saying my thoughts on the subject. Drew told me that when he turns three, he will go in the potty. If he holds up his end of that deal I am excited for October!!!

Wow... that was quite the ramble on motherhood! (Apparently a subject I care about very much!) I hope that if you take one thing from that, you feel encouraged to be the mom God has called YOU to be for YOUR babies and to not ever feel discouraged or compare yourselves to others.

And now, without proof-reading or editing, I am going to hit "publish."