Abel is 6 months old

I'm amazed that it's only been six short months, half a year, since this little one has graced us with his presence.

Today, this delightful, chaotic, beautiful, weird, pleasant, crazy, normal Christmas day...was Abel's half year mark.

This day comes when his electric smile shows up just for all his family as they walk into view. This smile sends jolts of electricity through the bodies of his family causing them to leap over whatever objects are between them to swipe him up and draw him close in their arms. There will come a day when we won't be able to stare at his pouty lips while he sleeps, when our hearts won't try to leap outside of itself when he takes a break from our special happy hour to look up at us with those round liquid center eyes and smile a crooked smile.

But today, the little guy's half birthday, is not that day.

Today we are celebrating the gift of life, Abel and a special miracle baby, Jesus!

As you see, having children is nothing you can explain to someone who doesn't. It is more than you could ever dream of, so we can't let a half birthday go unnoticed. These six months seemed to escape our grasp so quickly and we hardly remember life before Abel. The daily changes remind us to take our time and walk a little slower because childhood is seeping through the cracks. Looking at my little man, Ayden, it is a huge reminder that it all goes too quickly!!

It's not unlike trying to hold water in your hands...it trickles and seeps no matter how tight our grip, no matter how hard we try and hold on.........they trickle!

So today...we should hold on tight and embrace the ride until childhood trickles through our fingers and we have a new stage of life to enjoy. But no matter the age or stage of life we're in....we will always love our children!