Simply Craig

Sometimes you don't realize how much noise fills your home until, suddenly, it's gone. With five kids, I've learned that when even one child leaves the house, things get noticeably quieter. So when my nephew pleaded with his mom (my sister) to let my  three boys  come stay for a sleepover since there was no school for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, she agreed. How nice! I mean, after all... three less children in the house? Can you imagine the peace and quiet? Within minutes, though, I got a phone call from my mother-in-law. I held my breath. Could it be? Was she calling to ask if my  two daughters  could spend the night too? There was no school tomorrow after all... Sure enough! She was on her way, and the girls were already packed and excited before I even had time to process it. Did I mention how much I love Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Within minutes, our house was completely quiet, the sun was still shining, and I was convinced a miracle had occurred. Did I call my ...

In some parts of the world, people talk about  dancing in the rain . But here in Arizona... we dance in the sun.   As the sun began to set, I watched Breeley twirl and dance in her little tutu, completely lost in the moment. With the golden light behind her, she became the sweetest little silhouette against the Arizona sky. There was no stage, no audience, and no music playing...just a little girl with a big imagination, dancing simply because she could. Those are the moments I love capturing the most. The ones where childhood is completely carefree. Where a sunset becomes a spotlight, a backyard becomes a stage, and a little girl becomes a beautiful reminder to slow down and enjoy the simple joys around us. Her tiny steps, her spinning skirt, and her free spirit captured a season of life that passes far too quickly. My little dancing beauty... Keep dancing in the sunshine.

After spending several hours past midnight in a nearby ER room, suffering from a UTI  again , I came home feeling completely exhausted and miserable. I was uncomfortable, tired, and ready to finally get some rest. When I arrived home, I took my medication and tried to sleep. But between the constant trips to the bathroom and what felt like hours of nausea, sleep was hard to come by. By morning, the news had quickly spread... MOM WASN’T FEELING WELL. And my sweet little troops immediately went into action. When I finally walked out of my bedroom, I was met with the sweetest surprise. My oldest son Nathan had made pancakes for the family The girls were in the middle of washing the breakfast dishes Wesley had already folded all the laundry And my wonderful husband had just returned from getting my prescriptions filled. How lucky I am to have six special someones in my life. A husband who takes care of me, and five children who know that love is shown through kindness, service, ...