This weekend was...hard. There are honestly no words to describe how hard. This weekend we had to watch our dearest, best friends lay there sweet baby girl, Adalyn to rest. They aren't blood family to us, but family none the less, and our hearts still feel unbelievably broken. We attached ourselves and our hearts to those three and this has just been a really hard pill for us to swallow.

We are so unbelievably blessed to have been able to know Adalyn while she was here. To spend Fourth of July with her and my birthday weekend with her was an extreme blessing and ones we will forever cherish. She taught us so much and made such a gigantic impact in our lives. Adalyn was all strength, courage, and love bundled into an extremely adorable chunky little babe. Her fight constantly reminded me to cherish every single moment we have- the bad and the good- to always have faith, and that even in the darkest of moments if you look hard enough you will see the ray of light.

Our lasting friendship with her parents is even more of a blessing.
For one, they willingly shared their miracle daughter with us. They opened up their home and allowed us to fall in love with her. They seem to think they aren't that great of friends and we give too much, but they gave us the greatest gift of all- friendship and knowing Adalyn.
And on a lighter note- they make the best pizza and love Harry Potter... and The Office.

They have also given us some major life lessons. Lessons I think should be passed on to every parent as a reminder of the great gifts we have.

Sacrifice is a great thing.
As mothers we think we know the meaning of sacrifice, right? We sacrifice our time, sleep, hot coffee, meals, our beauty, and our bodies. When we think of these things normally we long to have them back.

Sacrifice - an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy.

How beautiful is that? Why do we long for those things back when we have given them up for something far more important? Because we think the word is so negative- when it really isn't.
Amanda said during her talk that sacrifice, when given out of pure love, is not a sacrifice at all - it is an opportunity. 
Our sacrifices are so important, they have given us something far more worthy of those things we now lack- they have given us our children. And I will continue to always sacrifice myself willingly for them.

I encourage you to say this definition in your head the next time you think about complaining that you are exhausted or how much you miss certain things.
Even in the late/ early hours of the night and morning when your young one is screaming or won't sleep. You may be sacrificing your time for sleep, but you are gaining a moment you will never have again as soon as it passes.


To live purposefully.
If we want our life to be meaningful, we have to make it so.
Are you living in your life or are you just going through the motions until another day arrives? 
Are you soaking up these moments? 
Are you overloading your child with love? 
Are you enjoying being a parent?
Are you using your full potential to help mold your young ones into our next leaders of our world? Are you making sure your little ones are enjoying their life?

I want to always live in the moments we have. I personally don't want to look back and think "Man, I wish we could redo this memory so I can be more present." I want to look back and think wow this was so amazing and remember how I felt that day. I want to give Brynlee every ounce of love I possibly have to give and then some. I want to give Brynlee the best life possible and I want to make sure she enjoys every second of it.

It is these things.. these intangible things, the Browns have giving us that we can never repay. Their strength, love, and wisdom beyond their years make us want to be better people.
I hope you find strength in these words like I have.

Our Little Moments
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