The definition of Southern charm

Today was a good day. Just a typical day basking in Southern charm!  Reba and David are visiting from Paris, France and I have been dying to tour the Latta plantation just minutes from our doorstep. It was the perfect excuse to head to Latta with our Frenchies in tow.

While touring the plantation I took a minute to soak up the beauty around me. It honestly just dawned on me that I live in CHARLOTTE, North Carloina. I grew up in sunny, dry California and all of sudden I was in a lush green and vibrant city in the South where plantations are right around the corner. When and how did this happen?! 

More than anything, I enjoyed every minute being with family. Whenever I get together with Charlie's family, I know it will be a good time full of laughs and even more laughs. Put that together with a French accent and I give you Reba and David! Hopefully we can visit them in the near future, except we will be touring old castles and the Eiffel Tower!

Little fish

We put Charlie in private swim lessons and we are going on week two. It's so different when swim season is only 4 months long in the South compared to where I grew up in California and we swam just about year round.  So, the fact my son isn't swimming on his own at almost 5 worries me! 

Charlie is very confident in doing anything physical...running, baseball, soccer, wrestling and he's fairly good at doing all of them. Everything except swimming!

He has a huge fear of putting his head underwater.  He hasn't had any terrible experience that would make him fear going underwater, so it's hard to help him.  

His instructor is SO patient with him and she's 6 months pregnant! I think it's hard for Charlie to not excel at this sport like he is with every other. Especially when he notices younger kids swimming better than him.  Let's hope he swims on his own by the end of the summer!

Laundry confessions

Since our townhome has ZERO storage we currently use our laundry closet as a storage closet. It has been bittersweet each week lugging our laundry to the laundromat. We have always had a washer/dryer in every rental we've had so when we moved to Charlotte we didn't think about it. Silly us!

 

The couple who own the laundromat love, love, LOVE Charlie and always spoil him and sometimes me with treats and drinks.  They offered me an ice cold diet coke as soon as I walked in with my arms full of clothes.  I happily accepted, of course.

I always use unstoppables, especially with detergent that has a bland smell. It actually makes me smile while doing laundry!

I like to think I get better and better each week as I brave the laundromat. Well, last week I forgot our hangers and had to lay out 25+ shirts on the cart. While transporting the clothes from the cart to the car all of the clothes fell over on the ground and I about flipped!  It was OH SO HOT and I was already sweating from folding the clothes and it was my last straw. Little Charlie helped pick the clothes up and decided that we needed to go swimming to get happy.  He knows me too well, that boy of mine and we did just that. 

Weekend photos

Yes, along with everyone else on Friday.

Looking/driving by homes is a normal occurrence around here. Although, I'm having a hard time deciding on newbuild or older home with character. Any tips would be appreciated...

Would love a white kitchen, not too keen on this dark look.  

C H I L D R E N

I think about children every single day. My children. The one child I have here on Earth and the others still in the loving care of our Heavenly Father.

I have had dreams, one in particular of kneeling in a circle with my husband and children.  Looking around the circle seeing all our children and being so happy that these little souls were mine. This dream is what gives me hope and assurance that more are coming. 

Before my family moved to Charlotte my husband and I saw an infertility specialist in Atlanta.  We thought our prayers would finally be answered and with a few thousand dollars we would have what we were seeking.  In our first visit our doctor said we were an easy case... We were young, already had a child and we didn't smoke or drink!  We took every test imagineable and to my surprise, and I really mean surprise, nothing was wrong with me or my hubby! I was positive I had pcos or blocked tubes or even hormonal imbalances. nope. Nada.  Nothing!! 

Right when we were ready for some treatment, perhaps IUI, my husband accepted a job offer in Charlotte that he couldn't pass up.  So, after all the tests and waiting we were going to put plan baby on hold. 

After moving to Charlotte, for some reason I didn't want to pursue a specialist just yet and my husband felt the same way. We knew we would be lead to the right doctor at the right time. I didn't feel rushed or on a timeline anymore or the anticipation of who was getting pregnant next. Mind you, all of my friends or family members who had infertility issues were already pregnant or had their hoped for child and as happy as I was for them, I had a hard time being the last one to bear this trial. 

I think our move to Charlotte has been the best remedy for my infertility.  I needed space and a fresh place to learn and grow. 

I was introduced by my neighbor, Laura to an obgyn office that did a more natural approach to infertility, pregnancy and birth. I made an appointment right away and haven't looked back.  The staff already feels like family to me and I have the best doctor in the world. The office is a fully functioning obgyn and birthing center and it's a special place.  I feel peace, hope and assurance that things will work out.  

I know my trial with infertilty will pass someday and life will unfold new challenges and hurdles.  I am, however, grateful for the aspects of my life that are not struggles or trials.  Like my marriage.  I married a good man, honest and loving and we have a wonderful family life with our son.  Our home is full of love and laughter and that right there is heaven on earth.  

  

July 4th in Savannah

Savannah was pure magic for the 4th of July! We tend to vacation here a lot and the city never gets old. We kept things low-key with a trip to south beach on Tybee Island, fireworks on the front porch, Forsyth park and family walks downtown. We did manage to get family pictures done with Ernesto's brother, Eric as photographer. Mind you, it was raining, humidity levels were high and it was oh so HOT!! My hair was uncurling and turning to frizz every minute we spent outside! I think our session lasted 15 minutes or so! 

We always love meeting up with my sister's family and so glad our kids play well together! Us adults really did have a "vacation" while the kids played all day, everyday with each other! Cheers to another great trip to Savannah!