Featured Friend: Friday

1. Tell us about yourself and your family. 

Our little family started just 3 years ago in 2010 when Nick and I got married.  Then a year ago, Judah was born and has added the most incredible dynamic to who we are.  Nick works at Premier Marketing and is a photo wizard.  Seriously incredible.  He also has a photo company called SCOUT visual, so he stays busy with that as well.  I am an art teacher at an urban school that is grades K-5.  Judah stays with family and good friends while we work and saves lots of energy for fun with us at night and on the weekends!

2. You are the coolest art teacher, but what else do you do? 

Along with teaching art, I stay busy with a few little "hobbies".  I sell vintage clothing and other little treasures at a place called 600 Central here in Kansas City.  It's such a cool store with 4 floors of incredible vintage furniture and goodies.  Judah has gotten really great at helping me explore the city for great vintage finds.

I also do hair for weddings and other special events on the weekends (mostly in the Summer when I'm on Summer break.  (www.loveyourbobbypins.wordpress.com).  I enjoy getting to know all the sweet brides and being a part of such a special day in their lives.  I love having several artistic outlets to keep me busy!

3. Will you share some stories from the classroom? (Katie does THE best impressions.)

I love getting to be a part of my students lives on a daily basis.  It's so amazing to be a part of encouraging them and growing them into the incredible people they will be.  They already possess so many qualities that I am constantly envious of.  They are alive, free and unbelievably creative.  They are amazing.

 

I absolutely love hearing my kids talk about life and such.... They say hilarious things.  A few of my favorites off the top of my head:

"Mrs. Welch, all deez people be coffin (copying) offa me cuz minez be lookin crispy." (crispy means good)

"Welch, I straight up saw yo double ganger dis mornin.  Seriously. Same face. Same body." (doppleganger)

"Mrs. Welch, I wish I was deaf or Austin was mute because I am SO sick of hearing him talk.  Like...I seriously feel ill!"

"I done dug deep in ma heart for dis drawin, Ms. Welch.  I be rockin too thick here on dis drawin like da dude on Twilight.  Ya know?  He a'int got no shirt on cuz he a star.  Den down here I drew a buncha top hearts with top hats on"

I mean... they're brilliant, right?  Seriously.  They are hilarious and their creative minds constantly give me ideas and challenge me, and they're hearts do as well.  I am so blessed to get to do life with them everyday.

I do however, keep a stash of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Dr. Pepper for rough days. Most days are prefaced with prayer and asking God to make me like Him in His grace and love, because lets be honest... after about 145 questions about....nothing... I start to lose my mind. :)

4. Why is being a wife to Nick and a mom to Judah so awesome?

 Being a wife to Nick is the best.  He is the most laid back, patient man I've ever met. He loves well and is constantly serving me and teaching me how to be a better person.  He loves God with his whole heart and just lives it so humbly.  Watching him be a dad to Jude has been one of my favorite things about our marriage... it's such an amazing connection.  Judah has both of our hearts entirely.  He is just the epitome of life and joy.  I am constantly thanking God for who Judah is and that I get to be his mommy.... I can't even believe it. I have wanted to be a mom since I was about 5 years old.  I seriously carried around a life size doll until I was 12... ha!  Judah is everything I've ever dreamed of in a son.  I couldn't be more in love with him.  

5. Thinking of adding on to your family?

When we got pregnant with Judah we were sort of in the process of finding out about adoption.  We felt doors closing in a lot of different directions with adoption and when we found out we had a little nugget growing in my belly, we decided to put adoption on hold.  One of our first conversations when Nick and I met was about adoption and how it was a make or break deal with whoever we married because adoption was so heavy on both of our hearts.  We are thinking one more biological babe then adoption after that.  My heart beats a little faster even thinking about it.

6. Describe your dream house? 

Oh dream house, when will we ever find you?  We like a good mix of old and modern.  Nick loves clean lines and white everything and my heart falls for the history of a place and the stories that happened there.  I think the dream home would be an old fire house or building turned into a modern mix.  High ceilings, lots of brick, wood floors and white walls.  It would have to have a big back yard for our 120 lb. Weimaraner, Moses.  Maybe someday the dream home will come along, but our tiny bungalow is the place for now. :)

7. Judah Bear is just over one. What are some of your best moments with him so far?

I have life changing moments with Judah everyday, it seems. He teaches me so much about life and my own heart.  I would say some of my best moments with him have actually just been normal times at home, talking.  When he said, "MaMa" for the first time, I melted straight onto the floor and cried.  It was the best.  Also, bedtime every night is so sweet.  I love reading to him and when Nick and I surround him and kiss his head a million times before he goes to sleep, it's just one of those life moments where you feel like everything is right with the world.  I'm so grateful that I get to have that moment every night.  He's  a blessing.

 

Tegegne: Conversations

Scout Photo. Nick Welch.

Tegegne,


I love it that you are three, because you say things that are funny, or that don't make any sense.  I love it that I can still pick you up and it sometimes feels easier than carrying your sister. (that is probably because of how you wrap your legs and arms so tight around me when I carry you these days.) 


T: "Mommy, don't say umhum...say yes. Do you know what umhum means? It's not a story but yes is a story."
M: (Wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I just said, "Okay, I meant yes.")


T: "Mommyeh, let's snuggle!"
M: "Really?" (You said this with that melt-my-heart smile while sitting in the car. Too bad we didn't end up snuggling when we got inside. You forgot all about it, and I guess I did too.)


T: (Yelling from the bathroom while I was in your sisters room changing her clothes.) "Mooommmyyy, tell my sister I'm going poop! Say Siiiister, your brother's going poop." 
M: "Siiiister, your brother's going poop." 
T: "Mommy, I neeeed help."
M: "Okay, wait just a minute and I'll help you."


T: "Ababayeh, what is that hair in your nose?"
A: "Adults just have hair in their nose?"
T: "Will I have hair in my nose when I'm an adult?"


T: "Mommyeh, I want to shave like Ababayeh."


T: During a big thunder storm, you were wide-eyed and innocent, "Mommy, what are the lights that keep coming on in the sky?"


One of the highlights of my week was this: 


We were just arriving home Wed evening and it was pouring down rain. Ababayeh ran from the car to the house to prop the door open for us to make a run for it. I yelled to him to grab an umbrella, but then remembered that he probably didn't know that I had just put three of them in our lockers by the back door. He comes running to us with a big blue tarp overhead. I held you and the three of us ran to the house under the tarp, getting way soaked on the way. We were all laughing so hard...it was awesome. One of those stop-me-in-this-moment-so-I-can-hold-onto-this-feeling-forever! (Hensley was still in the car but Ababayeh ran right back to get her. He tried to hold the tarp over her on the way in, but it didn't work and she got the wettest of us all!) 


And that's it. It's the little things in life that really make life worthwhile. Can't believe you are going to Big Sky for 4 days. We'll miss you Little-Big Guy! Don't grow while you're gone.

Thanks: Nick and Katie

Scout Photo.

Dear Nick and Katie,

Thanks for taking care of us last night so our parents could go out on the town. It was really nice of you to offer. We love you so much!

Thanks for giving me a bath after my blowout. I was quite embarrassed that I caused such a mess. Thanks for rocking me, feeding me, and talking to me. I really had a great night. Love, Hensley

Thanks for taking us on a walk, reading me books, wrestling around, and helping me brush my teeth. Can't wait to hang out again. Love, Tegegne

Day to Day: Kids & Neighbors

Scout Photo. Nick Welch. 

A Poem to Our Kids


You turn our gray skies blue.
You give us an excuse to go to the zoo.
Oh, what would we do without you.


Life is exciting, life is new.
You'll soon be off to college and we'll want to come too.
Oh, what would we do without you.




So one thing that made this mama's day so great--besides loving you two in spite of a couple of stinky diapers and some 3 year old let's-humiliate-mom-in-public time--was time spent with neighbors, one old, one new. Old neighbor Phil (better known as Philvis, the professional Elvis impersonator) took us to lunch and the Dollar Tree. You see, Phil used to spoil Owen with gourmet dog treats, then you (Tegegne) came along and he'd bring you toys. And today, of course we pick him up and he's got treats for Owen and both of you! 


When we moved to our new neighborhood we knew we would miss Phil a ton. Then we met Louise. I said that like we replaced Phil. We did not replace Phil, but I sure am enjoying Little 'ol Louise! She also shows up at our door with gifts of a different sort! Most of them family heirlooms...tea towels that her mother embroidered for her wedding gift, an embroidered wall hanging of the Lord's Prayer, the most beautiful tablecloth and napkins that I may use for Easter. She keeps bringing bags of linens...plus Star Wars toys for Tegegne from her sons collection! This afternoon she told me the story of her handsome Italian husband, how they met, and funny details of their Italian wedding in the 1930's. ("Oh you know those cobblestone streets...well, a layer of our wedding cake fell off...and we had lots of people to feed." "People say my husband looked like Elvis...") I cannot wait for more afternoons with Louise! 

Family: Photoshoot

Scout Photo.

The best thing about the shot on the stairs, is that we made no real effort to get Owen (the big yellow lab) in the photo. He just wanted to represent himself as a part of the family, I guess.

Kids: Photoshoot

Scout Photo.

Hensley: Falling Slowly

Scout Photo

Hi sweet cheeks! I love the sequence of these photos. The first shows your cross-eyed look, then the second you are on the verge of falling and your hands are reaching towards something secure (aka "Mom or dad, help please...don't you see I'm falling?"), and lastly you slid all the way down. You lie there helpless, and soon started to cry, which was really you saying, "Guys it's not funny anymore, or cute...pick me up now, please?" 


Since I told Tegegne that your cry is your way of talking, he asks me what you are saying each time you cry. It doesn't bother me, but really makes me realize that I do know what cry means what. Or I think I know. One cry means "please feed me," one means "put me to bed please," one means "hold me please," one means "I pooped and am uncomfortable," and one means "it's evening and I would like to express myself for a bit." I think that's about all you "say" for now. 


You are starting to smile and look us in the eyes, and it's pretty great. Your torso is already longer than mine and I'm quite sure you will be taller than me. Just please don't get taller than your brother, okay?


XOXO,
Mom

Father & Son: Big Hands, Little Hands

Scout Photo.

You still prefer to imitate everything Ababayeh does. You always want to pick out a shirt that looks the same as his, or you ask him to wear his Chuck Taylors when you have yours on. Besides me, I'd say you are his biggest fan. He loves it. He will be so glad when you can ride your bike and run your legs alongside him. Oh what fun Hensley and I will have cheering you two on in your first race!

Hensley: One Month

Scout Photo . Nick Welch

Hensley Ruth,

You are one month old and you are changing so much! We started using cloth diapers yesterday and as your dad said, the diaper looks like a large marsh mellow on a toothpick...you being the toothpick! You slept in your own bed in your room last night rather than the bassinet in our room. You are taking good naps in your bed and giving mommy a little more free time. We are learning more about you and love you so much. You have grown out of some of your newborn clothes and make the best little coos. I love your little toes.


Love,


Mom

**I love having talented friends with photography businesses. Nick Welch (with his lovely wife, Katie) recently did a photo shoot for us and we love the way he captured our family. Nick is a part of Scout Photo in Kansas City and we highly recommend them to you! (More photos to come!)