Stuff and things...

First thing's first.

Stop everything you're doing right this second, go to my Instagram (@mrshargrave), and watch the video I posted of Grace last night.  It's the cutest thing you'll see all day, I promise.  (And if it's not, you're maybe a little dead inside.)

We spent this past weekend driving down to Houston (well, the Woodlands, really) for my friend's sweet boy's first birthday party.  It was our first road trip with Grace, and it went about as well as could have been expected.

She slept a good chunk of the way there and back, and she dropped her paci and screamed bloody murder a few times.  And of course we had to stop to change a dirty diaper.

But it was a fun, little getaway, and it was so wonderful to see Jennifer and celebrate Niko's special day.

Also, I accidentally opened a birthday present from Micah.  (I turn 29 tomorrow.  What a strange, sort of nothing age it seems to be.  Not yet thirty, but squarely outside the realm of my mid-twenties.  Weird.)  I had seen these mugs on Pinterest and emailed the link to him awhile back as a joke (he does not share my love for all things HP), and lo and behold, the man bought them for me!

I guess it's official.  I'm a keeper.

After bath time last night, we all snuggled up in Grace's room and read books until it was just absolutely time for bed.  These days, I can't get enough of these two.  Grace is at this stage where every freaking thing she does is adorable (except when she's screaming about something... not so adorable).  And Micah is as wonderful as ever.

And, look, I realize that I sound like I'm shooting unicorns and rainbows out of my rear all the time.  Believe me, there are hard days.  Days when I want to pull my hair out, days when bedtime can't come fast enough, days when I ache for the chance to sleep in -- even if only until 7:30.  But those very same days are still filled to the brim with happy.  With the most incredible, exquisite, heart-filling happy I've ever experienced.  And for me, that tends to overshadow the struggles.  I focus on the joy because I think life's just better that way.  That has always been who I am at my core.

So understand that I'd never attempt to paint you a picture that isn't the truth.  You're just seeing my own perspective reflected back here, with the blessings spotlighted... just as they are in my heart.

If you've got stuff and/or things you'd like to share today, you should absolutely link up with Kristin.  She's the bomb.com.