Happy February. It is so strange to think that back home they have multiple feet or snow while we here in Virginia had sunny skies and warm breezes today. I definitely don't mind the change. My eldest sister turned thirty-five yesterday. That seems so far away from where I am now, at twenty-one. I am so thankful to have older sisters who have experienced so much of life. I can pick their brains whenever I want or need. I truly have some of the best sisters in the world. I am only nmow beginning to relate to them on an adult level. I was always always the baby of the family. Now it's time for me to finally grow up. It's a good feeling. In talking with my mom today she was saying how when she was Lisa's age Lisa was fiftenn years old already! Seeing how Noah is just six that's quite the age difference! I think I was supposed to live when people married young and had babies right away. Of course, I'll be having children younger than either of my two sisters if I get my way. It is a great fear of mine that for some reason my womb will be closed. I am very open to adoption and would like to adopt even if we are able to birth our own children, but it would be a great tragedy for me if I was unable to be pregnant. I would get over it and delight in the children God blessed me with through adoption, but I would feel the loss. Of course, being adopted myself and seeing my sister's family grow through adoption has helped prepare me for this possibility. I pray God will prepare my heart in any case. I have always been a planner and my plan does not include a mourning period for my infertility and the time for the adoption process which can be several years. Ah the twists and turns of life. But what would life be if everything worked perfectly? I know it would be far better, but it is hard to imagine, is it not?

I feel un-American. I don't care at all about the Superbowl. There it is. Oh well. I look forward to the World Cup when it comes around and I feel like that is much more impressive than the Superbowl. I just have never been much interested in football. But I do like tossing around a football for fun. I just don't much care for the actual sport, and plays, and the different teams on each team confuse me. And to think I used to dream of being a Cowboys cheerleader. Never equalled.

It is the start of another work week. I have a few late nights this week. It will be nice when I am a parent to be able to stay at home with the children. That is something Matt and I feel very strongly about. It seems like such a shame when parents are rarely home to be with their children. It is important to their development and growth that they have strong parental figures in their life. I was talking with Mabsy about the importance fathers play in their childrens lives. Some fathers think they are just to provide for their family. In their minds, it is the wife's responsibility to house keep and rear the children. Oh but how important it is for fathers to play with their children, to talk with their children, to teach their children, to love their children. It is important for children to grow up with strong mothers and fathers, both working together. Thankfully, Matthew and I both had strong family structures growing up and spent a lot of personal time with our parents. We were given extremely good role models for husbands, wives, and parents. I knew what I wanted in a husband by watching my dad. Matthew reminds me so much of my dad it's almost a little freaky. Even the things that annoy me about Matthew remind me often of things my Dad does. I hope to be as good a wife and mother as his mom too. I'm not sure if he sees any parallels to her in me, but I hope to get there someday. We have been so blessed and I hope we can pass on the legacy of our families to our children.

Ugh. I am extremely tired for some reason. I didn't wake up super early as I go to an eleven o'clock church service. But it is definitely time for bed now. Happy February once again. Happy work week.