I read this a long time ago, but I keep forgetting to make copies of it for my other mommy friends. So I thought I'd post it.

What Remains, by Joanne Heim

If I spend my days building skyscrapers with LEGOs and creating relationships with other moms at Starbucks, but have not love, I am only the siren of the kids' ride-on fire truck.

If I have the gift of knowing which child attempted to flush the Hot Wheels down the toilet and which one pushed her sister, and if I have faith that somehow we'll survive life's emergencies, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I save all my box tops for school and give outgrown clothing to the local shelter, and if I surrender my body to stretch marks and under-eye circles, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient when someone isn't ready to use the big-girl potty. It is kind when my husband has a hard day. It doesn't envy my neighbor who drives the new sport-utility vehicle I can't afford.

It is not rude, snapping at my spouse our children when things don't go my way. It is not easily angered at perceived or real injustices.

It always protects the smallest, sweetest family confidences; always trusts God to provide for my children's needs; always hopes in the freshness of tomorrow and the bright future of family; always perseveres amid hardship and doubt.

Where there are sleepless nights, they shall end. Where there are diapers, Little League, and dioramas built from shoe boxes, they will cease. Where there is knowledge of baby-care trends, discipline strategies, and boy-girl problems, it will pass away.

Now these three remain: faith, lived out in my daily circumstances and instilled in my children; hope, of one day rejoicing with my family in heaven; and love, which covers over a multitude of less-than-perfect moments.

But the greatest of these is love. It is what remains . . . long after I am gone.

This is Ada (our neice). Is she not uber-cute? Oh my word. For those of you who know our extended family, she's the youngest of Tim and Carissa's three kiddos.
We've only seen her once (at Christmas) and she's now 9 1/2 months old. But they're coming for a visit at the end of next week!

I stole this photo off of my husband's brother's wife's sister's facebook page. Come on people, it's really not that complicated.

Extra! Extra! Hair all about it!

We've got some seriously wacky hair going on in the Meehan household. Daddy is the only one who doesn't look completely disheveled. I have no idea how to get Renee's hair to stay down, Marie's hair is lovely on occasion (if I take the time to fix it - although she has this strange combination of straight on top and curly underneath), and Mommy hasn't gotten a haircut since April of 2007. Yes, Heidi, that's BEFORE you got married.

This is one of my favorite things...ever. The only way it could be better is if I was laying on Joel's lap and the girls were laying in mine. But that would entail smothering Daddy, which is not cool because he brings home the bacon. Oh, and we love him.


First time in the ole' exersaucerooni


She is the sweetest little thing - and so mellow. Sometimes I'll go up to check on her when I think she should be about ready to wake up, and she's just laying in her crib smiling at her hands, or her puppy, or her mirror - or who knows what. Either she's really chill, or she's not got her daddy's smarts :-) I think the former.

My husband cracks me up. I think I'm going to have to start posting Joel-isms on the blog. Maybe you had to be there. His comedic timing is just classic.

"Ya, because if Kerry had won the birds would be singing, and everyone in the Middle East would be holding hands and singing 'Kum Ba Yah'."
-Joel's response to a Kerry/Edwards '04 bumper sticker

"Where's the joy in my life? Look at her eye (pointing to Marie) and her hair (pointing to Renee)."
-Joel's comment (in jest) today at lunch. I was stealing his popcorn, Marie has a nasty case of pink eye, and Renee was being an adorably sweet baby with a head full of ridiculous hair.

Photos from Florida. I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to go. Dad and Carolyn came and stayed with us for a few days before we departed for Pensacola. They were here Friday through Tuesday, and then we all left for Florida together that morning. We had a wonderful wonderful time with Grandpa on Tuesday afternoon at his home. He got to meet some of his Great Grandchildren for the very first time, and was just gleaming with happiness and pride. I'll always remember him with Renee in his lap, holding her little fingers in his hand. He just loved it, and didn't want to give her up! Gramps unexpectedly died on Thursday at 10:05pm after suffering a bad fall on Wednesday which left him with three broken ribs and a punctured lung. It was wonderful that so many of us were there and able to spend time with him before he was injured, and also at the hospital with him on Thursday. Sarah (my cousin) and I visited with him from 5:00-5:30. Two of his three sons were with him just over an hour before he died.

This was in Cary. Nana and Grandpa Ben brought Marie a new book that came with a nifty glove. She loves it. Thanks!



Grandpa DeBord on Tuesday afternoon with Marie and Renee



Such a beautiful photo. He was loving holding her. It was just precious.



The hands of a Great Grandfather born in 1921 and the hands of his great granddaughter, born in 2008.



Gramps with his granddaughter, Sarah, and great grandson Sam.



Sarah and I with our eldest kiddos and Gramps on Tuesday afternoon.




Great-Uncle Ben with Gus. Or "Caesar" as Gramps affectionately referred to him. His full name is Jeremy Augustus Fisk.


Nana picking flowers with Marie and Sam.





Bathtime after they decided to rub dirt in each other's hair. This was a pattern of behavior all week. I think that they had 3 baths on Thursday :-) Oh well, kids will be kids.



Snuggles and movies. Sam was great about sharing and putting up with Marie wanting to be near him every single minute of the day.



Jammy time.

Great Uncle Robert got the kiddos new sunglasses for the beach.



Wow, we look really cool!



Heading to the beach for the first time.



There's the ocean, Mommy! There are mean sharks in there!



Woah, this is cool!






Gus and Renee enjoying some baby bonding time under the umbrella.



Learning that ocean water is not for drinking. Yucky!



Ben and Carolyn posing for a photo op.



This was Robert's idea. He let the kids jump around outside on his air mattress.

Warning: You are about to witness the antics of an incredibly obnoxious mother. I sound like a pirate/rabbid dog/sputtering old car/prop airplane. You'll have to forgive me. I was trying (as usual) to get a video of one of her giggle fits. She laughs whenever I undress her - except, of course, for when I undress her with the camera on. Her neck is super ticklish.

Don't you just want to kiss those sweet little cheeks (and put duct tape over my mouth?)
-M

Win an Ergo Baby Carrier here . I don't have one, but I have a friend who does and they're really neat. And if I put a link on our blog, I get my name entered twice in the drawing.

Here are a few of the girls that were taken this morning. Marie is at a friend's house playing, and Renee is napping. I'm eating oreos and updating the blog. I'll do some real work just as soon as I'm finished here :-)

My dad and his wife, Carolyn, are coming for a visit one week from tomorrow! We are very excited. They will be here from Friday through Tuesday. And on Tuesday we are ALL (minus Joel) flying to Pensacola, Florida together to see my Grandpa DeBord! I'm so excited! Haven't been there in 7 or 8 years, I think. And Marie will get to see the ocean for the first time. Yes, we live in NC and she has never seen the ocean. Sad, isn't it? Poor deprived child.

I'm not overly excited about traveling (with a connection in Atlanta) with a 2 year old and a newborn, but it will be worth it. Dad and Carolyn are on a different flight, but we're departing from Raleigh and arriving in Pensacola at about the same time.

Pretty in purple. As you can probably tell, this is my favorite outfit on Renee. I'm going to be so sad when she outgrows it.



Is she not the silliest, cutest little thing you've ever seen?




Aaaaahhhhh! So stinking cute. My word, I love this child.




Lifting her head up a bit better these days. She's still lazy, though, just like her big sister was. She's content to just sit there and stare most of the time.




Freshly bathed children smell delicious.