Hey Jude

Hey Jude,

Aunt Brynne sent you a belated birthday card all the way from her mission in California! Jude, let me just tell you, you are in for the time of your life when she gets back in just a few short months. She loves you to pieces and is riot to be around. 
Here's her letter to you:

Jude Dude!

Happy birthday, Mr. Fart Face!
I can't believe you are two years old!
When did that happen? 
I'm hearing that you got a brand new car for your birthday!
Lucky duck! I had a hair brush and some diapers to play with when I was your age..be grateful. 
I'm super bummed I was not able to come to your party, but I will make it up to you for the next visit we have together. I can't wait to play with you when I get back. I've got to make up for 18-months worth of wedgies I've missed out on. Hopefully you'll be potty trained by then so you'll be wearing big boy underwear...they wedge up much easier than diapers :). So hurry up! 
You have turned into such a good-looking young man. I always show pictures of you off to people and they just can't resist your charm :). 
I hope your birthday was everything you hoped for and that when I see you again you won't be too creeped out. But even if you are, that's okay, that won't stop me! 
Make sure to be good for your mom and dad and say your prayers EVERY morning and night. God loves you, little man and so do I! Take care and I'll see you in a couple months.

I love you!
Sister (Aunt) Brynne Burwell

---
She's the best, isn't she? I've been experiencing equal parts of excitement and terror for when she returns. Those wedgies have no age limit...

The best weeks

This week has been a chill, uneventful one for our little family. And honestly, these weeks are my favorite. Just me and Jude, playing all day and waiting for daddy to come home. It's fun because once daddy steps through the door Jude and I exchange mutual looks where we both understand that it's time to pretend that there's no way we ate cookies all day or just changed into normal clothes 10-minutes ago. So yeah sure, we totally read books for 5 hours, went to the park and got discovered for our superior slide skills, Jude learned Chinese and that's why he's taking so long to blurt out anything English, and he's also in the top 100 percentile for fingernail growth and belly button perfection. 
Either way, in whomever's eyes, it was a perfect day :). 
Here's more pics from our astonishing Myra Merrill. 

Being a Mom

It's honestly so euphoric, me and my little dude every day. He's constantly running over and hugging and kissing me; playing and laughing with me. It's seriously a dream and I know all-too-well that I'll wake up in 20 years and he'll be off and married and forgotten all about how he completely stole my heart. 
It all seems so tragic, in a way, that from day one we form this pure, profound, concrete bond of complete love, friendship, and loyalty, knowing from the beginning that the day will come when he wakes up and forgets all about it. Forgets the sweet words I whispered while rocking him to sleep, how my kiss was the only one in the world that could whisk away the pain of a skinned knee, and how I read his favorite book over and over again just so he could laugh at his favorite part. 
And we all know it's going to happen. Yet we do it every time--love completely unconditionally, put everything we have into it, give everything we can and our hearts are left inevitably broken. 
Well, not broken, I suppose. Just left missing a part of itself that was given away to a perfect little boy. 
So why do we do it?
Because it's worth it. And it's worth doing over and over and over again. To be part of this boy's life in some way is my greatest honor and my highest purpose, and it's worth every tragedy and every inevitability. 
Every day with him is counted and every day with him is the best day of my life. 
What a privilege it is to be called "Mom." 

Photo credit to Myra Merrill! 

Last Month in Powells

Last month, Myra and Kenneth came to visit us and she was nice enough to pull out one of her 50 cameras and take some gorgeous pictures of us while in Portland--this day was in Powell's Books :). Thank you so much, Myra! Move in with us already!!
Gosh, Adam and I LOVE having talented friends. 

Hey, if any of you friends out there need an IV or an enema, I'm here for ya.

Gross. Just kidding. 

Oh, Jude. We love Portland, don't we? :) 

Uncle Bryon and Aunt Courtney

Last month, my brother, Bryon, and good friend Courtney--who just-so-happen to be marrying each other in August :)--were kind enough to drive from Rexburg to spend their Spring break with us!
Oh goodness, a whole week of girl time, dance parties, Jude and Uncle Bryon, Portland-exploring, eating way too much, and laughing our butts off made for an incredibly memorable visit.
We love you two and can't wait until Aunt Courtney is "officially" Aunt Courtney! 
So many pictures...sooooo many pictures...

We sure do love visitors :). Now if we could just get them all to stop leaving us and move out here already...