Taking another leap

Here I go again, taking another leap. Moving from Md to Pa was a huge step for me....I thought I would never adjust, miss my family and friends, feel alone, get lost everywhere I went, not know the local hot spots, experience things that I never had, be afraid of what my son would encounter, not like the school, be trapped by snow, not understand some of the laws (especially the whole state store and liquor store thing)....and guess what? ALL of these things happened. But, I still love the area. I love the passion that the people that grew up in this area have. Thorndale is basically Coatesville...and I'm not going to lie because we all know, Coatesville gets a bad rap, but if you talk to someone that was born and raised there, you will hear so much passion in their voice that you just HAVE to love it as if you were born and raised here as well. The beauty that is Caln Township has captured me too...hell, we live on a golf course full of gorgeous, landscaped, winding trails, enough said. The baseball league is like none I have ever experienced. I have only experienced two, the one I grew up with, MSA, and where Josh started out, SAC. But, Caln is more than a league, it is a family. Maybe I feel this way because Josh has had so much success? I don't know, but we have made so many baseball friends and that is why we will continue to stay with Caln over the next baseball season. Funny, huh? I can see us living somewhere else, but playing for another league almost feels like we are cheating on our baseball family. And if Josh were to make All-Stars with the new league we would actually play against our former family? No way.
Now this leap I'm talking about...Nottingham, Pa. Ever heard of the Herrs factory? (remember this?? http://minivanmamamadness.blogspot.com/2011/06/herrs-zoo-day.html ...yay!) We will be a couple minutes from there....close enough for the aroma of chips to fill our nose every morning! Or manure.....yeah, we will pretty much be in the country. But, it is beautiful out there as well. A different kind of beautiful....where  houses are not on top of each other, there are no crowded shopping centers, stars will fill the night sky as darkness is taken to a whole other level, we will be an HOUR away from my family!!!, we will have an acre of property that I have already planned to fill with a playground, picnic tables, water tables, a pool, gardens (we'll be living off the land, y'all! *wink*) and a fire pit for my husband. WOW. I just got excited about that! I think I have not been able to get excited because I am constantly stressed over something...right now, it is the packing. We have an unrealistic amount of shit.seriously.it is unreal. But, *deep breath* I CAN DO THIS,I can get rid of things and pack up and be on my way to this bright, new beginning!

Heeelllloooo... remember this....http://minivanmamamadness.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-not-gonna-lie.html ...I will not have to have white walls anymore!! WOOT! There is carpet at the front door, but I plan on changing that immediately. But, there are also multiple entrances, so maybe not!
Oh, here it is...

This is when it was first built. I will have to take an updated picture once we are in. The previous owners have landscaped and it looks a lot different. I cannot wait to get in and snap some pictures! I brought my camera on our walk through, but I was too in the zone at that point to take pictures.
Cute facts: This will be the first single home Anthony has ever lived in.
                  I am going to have to school Josh on the ways of a riding mower!
                  My husband has not been informed of all the projects I have planned.

I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. I will be wonderful, I just know it. I just have to finish packing, then I will be ready for our new journey!

You had me at hello, little mama.

Where have I been? In shock. I have a ONE year old! Not an infant, a toddler. A single digit. 1.
This has been such an amazing year.

Madeline,


"Before you were conceived
I wanted you
Before you were born
I loved you
Before you were here an hour
I would give my life for you
This is the miracle of life."

We wished for a baby the day we were married and were blessed with you shortly after. June 10th was our first glimpse of the dot that was you and the flicker of your beautiful beating heart. That is the day we fell in love. It is amazing how this can fill your heart with love......

Being pregnant was wonderful. Sure there were aches and pains....but then there were kicks and hiccups, reminders of the beautiful life inside me that made it all worth it. We looked forward to feeling you move so much...it did take Daddy a while to feel the kicks, elbows and hiccups though! But, every night we would lay and watch my belly move.such an amazing sight. Oh, before that, I should mention, crazy Mommy bought a fetal doppler so we could hear your heartbeat several times each day. And belly memories.....

 You were a spider on your 1st Halloween ;)

and our present at Christmas......

It feels like yesterday, with Daddy, Josh, Me-mom and Nan, enjoying a delicious meal at Buca di beppo, snow was coming down hard and we were trying to imagine what it would be like to meet this little girl in the morning.

The snow continued to fall and when we got up in the morning there was a winter wonderland of 16 inches outside! Daddy went in to wake Joshua and he was nowhere to be found. He looked outside and there was your brother, shoveling the snow so we could make our way to the hospital...to meet you!

My surgery anxiety quickly disappeared because for one, we had a video camera that occupied me for a majority of the time and two, Nan and Me-mom were so giddy when we picked them up that I couldn't help but giggle with them.

Everything after that felt like an eternity, until I was walking into the operating room with the Dr.

After I was prepped for your arrival, Daddy was able to come in and stay by my side....he tried to hide it, but I could tell he was nervous...an operating room isn't the most relaxing place. But, it soon became the most wonderful and only place we wanted to be when Dr. M held you up and we saw your beauty....an almost unexplainable feeling. That is why I am so glad we have it on video. You can hear the instant love and amazement  in our voices.

Wow. What an amazing moment. And surprisingly enough, Daddy was able to take pictures too.

 

Time stood still the first time I held you in my arms....

((not so flattering of my swollen face from all the IV fluid and for some reason I look toothless.haha!, but this was the first moment I held you, so I'll share anyway))

You had me at hello, little mama, that's what it comes down to. I have experienced what it is like to stay home and enjoy every second of your baby days. I have watched you grow into this adorable, fun personality that makes me laugh the day away. I enjoy our daily "conversations", the way you are truly interested in Good Morning America, impressed at the way you entertain yourself for hours with your toys, the affection you give when you lay your head on me and say "ahhhh", your amazement with the kitchen cabinets, your unconditional love makes me feel complete. I have done what I thought would never be possible and nursed you for a year. I have been in awe of how much joy you bring to everyone.
Your first year has been one of the best years of my life.
You have touched all of our lives, Madeline.












Unedited except for last one......