Today the Supreme Court of the United States decided that every person has the right to marry whomever they love.  I’m thrilled that family and friends now can have the right to legally marry their partner, whether they are gay, lesbian, or straight.

It’s nice to know that my kids won’t have to worry about being who they are if they are in love with someone who is of a different race or the same gender.  Just as marrying someone of a different race isn’t a big deal now, I think marrying someone of the same gender will not be a big deal in the very near future.

Let’s all celebrate rainbows and equality — every day.  Life is too short and too hard to have to fight about basic human rights.

We returned from vacation today with our five kids and all 28 limbs intact.  1500 miles round-trip — completed.  Whew.

On our trip, we discovered that our toddler gets carsick.  He confirmed it, too.  We were about 5 minutes from our cabin in the mountains when he threw up his dinner all over himself and the back of the van.  We wiped him down quickly and drove straight to the cabin, where I put him in the bathtub and he said, “this is the best vacation ever!”  Oh, to be three and appreciate everything, even after vomiting twice all over yourself.  It’s kind of like being drunk and in college, I guess.  I remember professing my love to a few people after throwing up, too.

We had no WiFi and very little data or cellular service at all on our vacation, and it was kind of nice.  We did a lot of hanging out together, playing games, and of course, taking care of babies.  I think the mountains and lack of WiFi forced me to be very contemplative. I was able to snuggle with the babies and just enjoy it.  They are so beautiful and amazing, and I felt bad for dragging them on the long trip, but in a few years, they’ll be running around (hopefully) and excited about sleeping in their own room.  Our toddler slept downstairs in the room with bunk beds with his brothers.  I was kind of sad.  I hoped that he’d want to stay upstairs in the room across from us, but he assured me he’d be fine.  I made him promise to wake up one of his brothers if he woke up in the middle of the night and needed me or daddy.  He was fine; every single night he was fine.  He’s just a little man.  A few years ago, he was the crying baby who went on vacation and got hot and  bothered being dragged to places outside.  Now, he’s sleeping with the big boys and going potty and getting carsick.

Speaking of carsick, we bought some kids’ Dramamine.  It worked really well…for 6 hours.  We were about 45 minutes from home when I looked in the rearview mirror and saw the toddler looking down, head bobbing a bit, with a sad look on his face.  I asked if he was ok, and he didn’t look up or say anything, so I immediately pulled over.  My husband raced to the back of the van, the younger of his older boys got out, whiled the oldest held a bowl in front of the toddler’s face so my husband could unbuckle him from his carseat.  Just in time.  The toddler threw up in the grass on the side of the road, saving us from hours of cleaning up him and his carseat.  I really feel like I deserve a gold star for that.

Of course, it was Father’s day yesterday, and I must say that my husband is the greatest father I ever imagined in my wildest dreams.  I can’t imagine sharing this parenting journey with anyone else.  He keeps me grounded and makes me happier than I ever thought possible.  I love you, my leopard.  Happy father’s day.  Thank you for giving me the best kids ever!

My nephew was born the day before my high school graduation.  I was not quite eighteen and not excited about having a nephew.  My sister was nineteen, and I was getting ready to head off to college, so I obviously had the world figured out (in my mind).  My sister’s pregnancy was a real drag on my senior year — her baby shower was the same night as my prom.  My mom constantly told me that if she went into labor during any of my important events (band awards, concerts, graduation), she would not be there.  I was so resentful.

But then…then I held that little baby boy with the cone-shaped head (from being stuck before the doctor decided a c-section was best), and I was in love.  I would come home from work at Chick-fil-A, grab him from his crib, hold him, and cry about how much I would miss him.  My dorm room walls were plastered with baby pictures.  I wanted to move home and attend the local community college because I missed him so much.

Once, when I came home for the weekend, I was so excited to see that sweet baby boy and hold him.  I immediately scooped him up when I came through the door, and he burst into tears, crying and reaching out for my mom.  I was devastated.  Although I didn’t leave the college I was attending, I came home at every opportunity and spent as much time as possible with him.

This sweet boy got a sister when he was about 2.5 years old, and I moved home the following year.  I loved bringing them to the movies, playing with them, picking them up from school, and just doing anything with them.  Even when I went back to school to get my Juris Doctorate, I came home at least one weekend every month and had them come to visit me during spring break.

Years passed, and this boy turned into a teenager.  He wasn’t as excited about hanging out or hugging, but he was still that sweet boy deep down.  He’s had a rough time the past few years, but who didn’t have a lot of drama in their lives as teenagers?   He likes to play video games…as much as possible.  While he isn’t big on social interaction with his family right now, it makes me so happy when he plays with my toddler or helps out with the babies.  I see him smile at them, and I can see that sweet little dimple-cheeked boy who stole my heart so many years ago.

Well, 18 years to the day that I graduated, I was privileged to watch this little boy, this man…an actual 18-year old adult, walk across the same stage at the same high school and graduate!  We weren’t sure he’d make it through, but he pulled it off!  I am so proud of him and the wonderful adult that he is going to be.  I know that he will do great things once he realizes that he can.

Based on how I feel now, I can’t even imagine how I’ll feel when my toddler and babies graduate.  It’s times like these when I really remind myself to cherish the moments (and take lots of pictures).