The week of tough LOVE

What a month it's been...

I feel like I have done a lot of soul searching, thinking and growing in the past two weeks. And I've figured some things out...

First, I can take A LOT. Sometimes you stress out over little things and you think "I can't take one more thing going wrong because I'm going to have a nervous breakdown." But, then ten more things go wrong and I'm still standing. These weeks have shown me - there can be lots of stresses and lots of things that go wrong, but there are still so many things to be happy about and to be thankful for.

So, here are some of those things...

I'm glad I got to know Firoze's cousin Azmath, his wife Julie and their cute little boy Rami. They came to visit and to stay with someone they've never met and we all got to know each other. Sometimes family means you stand at the airport looking for someone who looks Sri-Lankan in a sea of 200 people all waiting at the same baggage carousel. :)



I got to see that Sri-Lankans and Americans create the most beautiful babies!



I found out that when it's 1 adult vs. 3 babies, the babies win! Good job Azmath, for trying to wrangle them all into one photo!



Another major thing I have learned is LOVE. I have felt very overwhelmed and grateful for the friends and family I have in my life. When things are rough, sometimes you can't do it all. You can't make it through rough times alone. God gives us so many blessings, but one of the most precious gifts is family and friends.

LOVE is...
My Mom's constant prayers,
Court's calls and emails to make sure I haven't lost my mind,
Debbie's never ending supply of homecooked dinners and care for Devon & Dean,
Annie's willingness to stay overnight with Devon & Dean and to make sure they were taken care of in every possible way,
and Bethany, who let me escape to Memphis for some fabulous food and hours of girl talk.

LOVE is...
the best lobster sandwich ever!
Ok, maybe that's just love in the mind of a foodie!



If taking a bite of this doesn't make you forget your problems, then I don't know what will!

Oh, and then there was the kobe beef short ribs... heavenly!



True friends think "this is what my friend would have ordered if he were here." So, Aaron ordered the duck entree in tribute to Firoze. Perfectly cooked duck in a ginger and lemongrass broth - Firoze, are you hungry yet?



But, true friends know that Firoze would have loved the duck, but he would have LOVED this more... and so Aaron drank it all...



Restaurant Iris in Memphis... go there for a dinner with friends. Say "Cheers" and eat amazing food - you'll be so happy you did. Bethany and Aaron, that food was LOVE.

And LOVE is expensive! :)



Last but not least, this week has shown me that love is also celebrating the miracle of a baby. I've gotten to experience the overwhelming love of my two babies, Devon and Dean. They were worth the 10 months (not 9!) of pure torture for the two best gifts in my whole life. And now I get to see Bethany getting ready for her best gift ever and I know she's gonna know what LOVE is too.








For all the pregnant ladies, if only for one moment, you should feel that you're the star in the most glamorous Italian film. You should flaunt your baby bump and get ready to experience LOVE in all it's sweeping, cinematic glory.





LOVE is the voice of your husband on the phone from all the way across the world, the hug from a friend, the encouragement of a sister, a homecooked meal, the grasp of your child so tightly around your neck, the happy smile of your baby and a little one, still with God, waiting to make his debut into this crazy, colorful, hectic, delicious world!