Waterfront Park.

It's one of our places we love to go for a good stroll.  The long pier stretches out underneath the Ravenel bridge and into the Charleston Harbor.  Sunsets here are amazing over the water.  The boys love to run wild through the park.  We often meet Chad here after a long day at work for a picnic dinner.  Some weekends if we are really adventurous, we walk the bridge and look for dolphins.  The bridge itself is sort of famous, says my structural-engineer-brother-in-law.  For me, this is the kind of place I can come and just be still.  The kind of place where I can take a minute to breathe and listen.  I remember distinctly a certain day in November, the first year we lived here, Griff and I went for a sunset walk along the pier.  Chad was at home studying for finals and I was about 37 weeks pregnant, about to go into labor any second with Avett.  I remember relishing that walk, thinking about how this would be the last time I would have just one baby with me.  We watched the orange and red sun go down over the harbor as I waddled along half way chasing, half way carrying 18 month old Griff.  We have come here many times since then and every time I feel lucky.  Lucky that this is the place where we get to live, if only for a short time.  Charleston, I really love you.

Boys Room.

I want them to have memories of their first room shared together.  I want them to see where they slept, where they laughed and where they played.  I want Griff to have memories of where he and daddy cuddled in their rocking chair and sang wonderful world every night before bed.  I want them to remember the books we read and they toys we played with.  Their room is simple, humble and full of treasures that hold meaning to us.  I love all of the beautiful warm woods in this room.  Chad handmade the dream catchers that hang over their cribs.  The rocking horse my grandpa made for me when I was a baby.  The rocking chair Chad and I found while living in Ogden at my favorite thrift shop- when griffin was just a few weeks old.  Avett's stuffed bunny was handmade and given to us at his baby shower by a dear friend.  Curious Georgie and froggie have been with Griff since he was 18 months old, given to him by his aunt, uncle and cousins on Christmas eve in Georgia.  He will not sleep without them.  The blankets are handmade by my mom and grandma.  The dresser is a vintage hand me down from Chad's parents.  They used it when Chad was a boy and I love that we now use it for our boys.  When Avett turned 6 months old, we transitioned them to sleep in the same room together.  Now, one will not go to sleep until his brother is laying in the crib beside him.