Yesterday, Josiah turned 11 months old. I’m not sure where the days have gone, but somehow the calendar has continued to turn and we are one month away from celebrating his first year! Tell me it isn’t so, because I still want to hold on to these moments and his cuddly little self. The ever ending mommy struggle of wanting to see your children grow, but also freeze time to enjoy their baby-ness a little bit longer At 11 months, Josiah is doing everything but walking. He can stand, cruise around, climb on things and push his walker (and kitchen chairs!) all around our house.  He wants so badly to catch up…

There’s a new ornament on our Christmas tree this year.  It’s on the kid’s tree in the playroom, and it’s different than all the rest. It’s a scented pinecone with a beautifully scripted tag adorning it.  Under any other occasion, it would bring sheer joy.  But currently, looking at this pinecone brings sentiments of both joy and sadness.  Joy because it represents a truly bright soul, and sadness because it honors a soul that the world has lost.  Eliza Hope Darby was 4-years-old when she completed her journey on this earth just weeks ago.  Eliza is the beautiful daughter of two truly amazing, self-sacrificing, and magnanimous people who have overcame several trials…