Return to the Blogging World

Once again, it's been a LOOONG time since I have shared a blog post. A lot has happened in this Beautiful Mess life of mine during that absence. I should have been blogging about all of the crazy, exciting changes taking place in our lives, but somehow life got busy, life got messy, life became a little less ordinary for us for a while. I am happy to say, we made it through...like we always do.

So, let's recap a few of the big things shall we?

Alexa, graduated high school! She went on to try her first semester of college. While she did great socially (never a problem) and academically, she decided not to go back. She is now in the process of trying to figure out what she is going to do with her grown-up life. That's a pretty daunting process for any 19-year old, I think. As a mother, sitting quietly on the sidelines during this "process" is not easy. If you know me at all, then you know why. I see her potential. I see her being good at so many things. But....she has to figure that out for herself, she has to find her passion, on her own terms and in her own time. That is how Alexa has, and probably always will, roll. This much I know, once she finds her passion, she will be going, going, gone. I am looking forward to that BIG day!

We sold our house and built a new house. Summer 2013 was exciting and house-building focused. We moved into our new home in November, just in time for the long, incredibly COLD Wisconsin winter. I have officially decided that Wisconsin is not an option for permanent residency upon retirement!

Goodbye lovely home.

Our new Home Sweet Home!

We celebrated our first Christmas in our new home with many friends and family. It was wonderful! This was Joni's second Christmas. She was our Christmas JOY this year. So much fun, so much love, so many presents!

The joy of Joni.

Our beautiful family will again be growing by another son-in-law. Eve and Shaw got engaged in November and will be getting married in Mexico this October 2014. And yep...we are going! 

Our fabulous family.

Chelsea turned 22 in December. How is that even possible?!? In 8 short months she will be graduating from UW-Platteville. After much hard work and determination, she made the Dean's List last semester. Woo hoo! She, too, is trying to figure out what to do with her grown-up life...after college. She has dreams. She has passions. She is already well on her way to a great life!

Chelsea turns 22!

And then there is Grace. Grace turned 8 last year. She continues to grow by leaps and bounds, blossoming into a young girl who is smart, funny, captivating, creative and just a joy to spend every day with. She is the youngest of our brood and thankfully, she keeps life from being boring and too predictable for Mom and Dad! 

Grace has dinner under control.

Of course, there were many more awesome highlights but these were some of the biggies. Finding delight in the little things, in those every day moments where you realize just how blessed you are, is the glue that makes this life and all of us stick together. I count my blessings each and every day for this extraordinary life I have been given. My happiest place of all...somewhere in the middle of ordinary and extraordinary. 

That is it for the update. It is Mothers' Day today so as I am off to embrace the day and all of awesomeness it is sure to bring! Wishing all of the mom's in this world a beautiful day.

Michelle