Happy Mother's Day...to me...and a few others!! :)

I can't believe I'm a mom. I know... after 14 months, you would think it would sink in already. Brooklyn is growing up so fast, and there are still days when I look at her and wonder where she came from, and wonder when her real parents are going to come and pick her up. :) I am so blessed to be the mother of such a sweet little girl. Today was very nice. Darren and Brooklyn got me some beautiful flowers and a very funny card - I just loved the picture. We went to church and then to Bordine's to look at flowers, and then out to lunch. It was a very nice and relaxing day. I even got to take a nap!!! I can't remember the last time I did that!

Darren loves to flower shop - can't you tell?

The longer I'm a mom, the more I realize that deciding what qualifies you to be a good mom is drawn from many different experiences and environments. Some qualities you are born with, and others you learn from the examples around you. Fortunately, throughout my life I have had the opportunity to live along side wonderful women that have shown me what a good mother looks like. I love and respect all of these women so much, and am impressed daily with the "fruits of their labor". I hope Brooklyn grows up to be just as lovely as my sister and my cousins. I want to wish a happy Mother's Day to my mom - the strongest woman I have ever known - my Mamaw, and my aunt Michele, and aunt Suzette. You are amazing women and I hope that someday I am able to be half the mom you all are!

I also want to wish a happy Mother's Day to the other "moms" of our family - Nana, Nani, Kathy, and Mrs. Mary. Thank you for being such a special part of our lives, and for taking me in as one of your own!

Goodbye Buster Dog :(.....Hello Tulips!! :)

Yesterday was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Darren and I said goodbye to our first-born, our German Shepherd, Buster. He became a part of our family almost 4 years ago, the day we moved into our house. He is such a sweet dog, but quite a handful. Darren and I tried to work with him as best we could, but after having a baby, it just became a little too much to handle. We gave him over to a trainer that is going to work with him (as he has 2 German Shepherds of his own that sleep on his bed!), and then he will adopt him out to a good family. We sure are going to miss that goofy furball!!!!

On our way to drop Buster off, we stopped at Nana's house for lunch. This could have been Darren's favorite lunch - Volcano pizza and homemade cinnamon rolls!

Brooklyn enjoyed her first pizza....

...and Nana's special cinnamon rolls!

The next half of day was much more enjoyable. We went to the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan. Nana, Nani, Darren, Brooklyn, and I met up with Chad, Darnell, and Logan. We enjoyed wondering around Windmill Island and the tulip fields. Here were a few of my favorite pictures of the day.

Brooklyn and her cousin, Logan.

Brooklyn really doesn't know what to do in the texture of the grass, so she just sits there and asks to be picked up. This is her little sign for us to pick her up. So sweet!

The windmill is an actual working windmill that was brought over from the Netherlands.

Poor little thing - it was such a big day!