tales from a far-land

Happy Birthday, Mom and Grandma!  We wanted to make sure you knew we are all thinking about you even though we could not celebrate with you on your special day.  Sending you *big* hugs and kisses!  We love you! Madi wanted to sing  the "birthday song" to you.  Forgive the video quality.  I recorded this on the road via my mobile phone.  It looks like she has officially named you "Grandma" now.

Here are the portraits from our family photo shoot back in May when Aiden turned nine months old.  A *huge* thank you to Anna Christy of [a]photographie .  We really enjoy our photo time with you, even if our children were not being very cooperative that day.  You would never even know how challenging this morning was for our family by looking at the pictures.  At different moments during the photo shoot, Madi was in tears, Aiden was in tears, and Josh and I were near tears due to the frustration of it all.  I am so impressed with the images she was able to capture despite all of the craziness.  

Whether your holiday was spent with family and friends, grilling on the barbeque or watching fireworks in the sky, I hope you took time to remember why we celebrate this holiday.  There are so many things that I am grateful for, but the right to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" is one that I must constantly remind myself not to take for granted.  Freedom is not easy, nor is it simple.  It has had it trials and tribulations in the last 236 years.  However, our Founders believed in this great nation and so many more men and women have died defending it.  Because of all of this, I am proud to be an American.  Happy 4th of July from my family to yours!