I was reading Cathy's blog and she posted a photo of a slice of life from a few years back and i guess it got me thinking. Hm. I wonder what the oldest digital photos I have on my computer are. And that set off this whole trainwreck down memory lane. Because...a lot can happen in five years!
Five years ago...
My kids were little bits. I have to admit, I don't even really remember Ethan at this stage. I think it was a combination of me being absent-minded and trying to do too much. I've since learned it's more important to take care of your family than to make other people happy. I have a new revelation that my family is my #1 priority (right after God and my husband, that is.) :)
Five years ago...
Adam, still the music pastor at our church, helped coordinate a Rockford Mass Choir. He called a few of the other churches in town and four music pastors worked together. Their endgame? A concert at Summerwood with Geron Davis and Kindred Souls. Geron Davis is the guy who wrote "Holy Ground." If you've spent any time in church, you probably know it or would recognize it. It's an amazing song.
This is us with the group. They are all amazing. The concert was a huge success and people still remember Adam from that event. (Just last month I met a woman who told me how much fun it was working with him. I believed her.)
Five years ago...
Adam and I looked younger. I thought we looked the same until I found this picture. Oh, and I loved that outfit I was wearing. It's from the Limited. Sigh. Be still my ever lovin' heart. The Limited.
My sister had just had twins...
...and I think that might've been the year they moved back to Rockford... it was so good having her close. We hung out often, but in hindsight, not enough. I should've let other stuff go to hang out with her more...
Five years ago...
Ethan turned two. We did a dinosaur party. I made dino-cakes.
See that massive boo-boo in the middle of his chest? Both of my kids had something called molluscum contagiosum. I know. It sounds icky. And it was. These weird, wart-like, pimple-like bumps that would pop up. Ethan's here is infected. We tried everything to get them to disappear. The doctor said leave them alone and they'd go away--never leave a scar.
Well, we started having the kids pray for them. Within a week (I am not kidding) they were gone, and the weird thing is, they both have scars...almost like they were pulled up by the root and thrown away. It was pretty stinking cool.
Yeah, I said stinking.
I did a layout about it in my first book:
Five years ago...
I snapped the shadow picture. As I looked at it, I started to realize our family wasn't complete. Did a layout about this too...
Five years ago...
My best friend, Mindy lived around the corner. Here is her daughter meeting Sophia for a birthday party...
This is one of my all-time favorite pictures because I can hear them giggling and I remember how excited they were. I think Ethan was trailing behind and I think Sophia was shouting out what the present was inside the bag, but still...it was such a great childhood moment.
Five years ago...
I snapped this picture of Elsie. Which later became this layout:
which later became this magazine cover...
...which wasn't my first cover (I'd had a layout on a Memory Makers book, I think) but it was my first magazine cover...it was pretty exciting, actually. :)
Five years ago...
My grandma was still alive. She was always so happy to be with our kids. This is another one of those moments when I wish I'd spent more time...
...is there ever enough time?
Five years ago...
...we discovered Hannah Andersson.
...and I fell in love...
I mean how could you not?
I did this layout for Creating Keepsakes, I was so inspired by this dress...
Five years ago...
Adam was asked to chime in for a special production of What Not to Wear. He had already moved to the children's department, but one of his former choir members was up for the title of "Worst Dressed Teacher in Chicago."
Stacy London is just as beautiful in real life...
...and all business...
...and Clinton Kelly, well, I just love him.
Robin won the coveted title and got to go to NYC for her makeover. She's still rockin' her new look.
Five years ago...
My niece had surgery to remove a mass on her back. They said she may never walk.
They were wrong.
Five years ago...
We took my favorite family photo. It still hangs in my entryway. And I think it might be the last family photo we ever took!
Five years ago...
...ok, some things are the same. I still love to tickle Ethan. And I still have those pajamas...though they have a few paint splotches on them now...
Five years ago...
...Christmas outfits were Hannah Andersson. My kids loved each other. Ethan had crazy hair.
Five years ago...
I loved being a mommy. Thankfully, that hasn't changed.
A lot has happened in five years. A lot is different now.
And it makes me wonder...When I look back on this year...what will surprise me? What will make me smile? What will I see as a life-changing event? What will I most remember? What will I most treasure?
...what will the next five years bring?
