Thankful

As I reflect on the past year, the word thankful doesn't seem to cut it. I am filled with an overwhelming feeling of joy.
My life feels full and complete. And I am grateful for all of it - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Thankful for my husband who my heart still goes pitter-patter for after all these years.

Thankful for Jacob's long-awaited presence in our life and all of the many firsts we enjoyed together, as a family of three.

Thankful to my family, friends and soul-cysters who are a never-ending source of support and encouragement.

It's one thing to brave the journey alone but to be able to share that journey with other women who are dealing with the very same obstacles, frustration and grief. It is nothing short of a gift.

If you happen upon this blog and you are searching for answers and support surrounding infertility, miscarriage or infant loss, I urge you to reach out to us. Even those of us, who have been able to conceive and give birth to our miracle babies. We will keep you focused, determined and supported. More importantly, we'll help you see that miracles DO happen. Every day.

Just this morning, I received the amazing news that my good friend over at Punch Today in the Face is pregnant with her third miracle baby - Congratulations my friend!

This year has had its ups and downs. In the Spring, my little sister went in to have a lump removed from her breast. It was cancer. The good news is, it hadn't spread and they caught it early so she didn't have to endure chemotherapy. Instead, she was instructed to take a low grade radiation pill for a year. I pray that she is cured completely and that this is the last instance of  cancer for our family.

We endured but we also prevailed as a family. We fought hard and sometimes lost our minds alittle, but overall when I look back at 2012, I see lots and lots of things to be thankful for. Big things, like our little Jacob Mario and little things, like enjoying lunch at our favorite mexican restaurant in Ontario together, as a family.

Last night I found this free download via Dear Lizzy. It's a "Twelve Things We're Grateful for in 2012" list that I thought would be a perfect activity for the whole family before or after dinner. Check it out here.

I recently caught a glimpse of one of many neighborhoods in Staten Island who are still struggling to get back to normal life. It really puts things into perspective. Regardless of our individual situations, our past hurts and our current struggles, we all have something to be thankful for. Whether it's our health, the roof over our heads or the food on our tables, it's important to recognize what we do have and more importantly, to be genuinely thankful.

THANK YOU, for being a part of my journey!

Enjoy the Day!
Malissa

One For the Books

It's been a great fall season - one for the books, for sure.

I think it is safe to say that we are no longer a co-sleeping family. (Not that I am against it...) Jacob has been sleeping in his crib for about a month now and I can't begin to tell you how nice it has been to have our nights back. I am happily back to reading books, blogging and getting my general craftiness groove back, among other things. (hee-hee)

In early October, Jacob and I visited the Santa Ana Zoo with my little sister and her two daughters. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it. We enjoyed our lunch under a blanket of trees that overlooked a perfectly placed playground and it was relaxing to be able to just sit and talk.

Then we hit the ground running, starting off our little adventure in the rain forest aviary where they had the most beautiful waterfall. There were so many lush green trees and bushes - it was easy to forget that we were in Orange County.

We were able to see several types of monkeys - about fifty in total, plus an array of farm animals and birds. It was great because we were able to walk the entire park and pretty much see everything there was to see within just a couple of hours. I definitely plan on visiting again in the near future. Oh and did I happen to mention that admission was only $10 for adults and Jacob was free?

He attended his very first Homecoming Weekend in mid October. Leo brought him for a couple of hours so we were able to enjoy lunch together before we watched the football game from a park bench. As you can see, Jake sported a University of La Verne onesie that I picked up from the bookstore the day before. It was nice to have them both there to enjoy the festivities.

A few days later the three of us visited the Cal Poly Pumpkin Festival - his first trip to a pumpkin patch. It was very crowded and a bit warm, but we still managed to get our family photo taken as well as a ton of shots of him amidst the pumpkins. Jacob seemed to have a good time - he kept hitting the pumpkins and then flashing us with one of his huge grins. It was hilarious.

We also had three very special first birthdays to attend in October. About two weeks after having Jacob, I started going to a (new) Mom's Group that was led by our lamaze instructor. I am really glad I did because the group has helped me in so many ways and I've made some really great friends in the process. We try to meet up every few months and this December we plan to get together to have the boys photos taken together. Wouldn't it be cool if they all ended up being great friends for years and years to come?

But I digress. It was just really nice to be able to celebrate this very special milestone together. The birthday parties were adorable and lots of fun. It's interesting to see how the boys are developing in different ways and to see them go from tiny babies to one-year olds is just amazing to watch.

Although Jacob's birthday was on October 17th, we decided to celebrate it two weeks later because it fell on the week of Homecoming Weekend. It was a great day but I will gush over the details in a separate post so I can include lots and lots of photos. 

So that has been our Fall so far. I hope you are enjoying your fall season - isn't it magical? There is something about it that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I'm so grateful for the blessings that my little family has been given, but I am also always praying for those of you who are still hoping and praying for your miracle babies to arrive. I know it can be a difficult road, but I promise it will all be worth it in the end.

In fact, I believe it makes every single, silly moment even sweeter.

Enjoy the day!
Missy