Life and Times of the Sharp Family

Today my fabulous former college roommate, soccer teammate, and amazing friend Jessica Roberts turns 31.  It's her golden birthday! She is one of those people who make you feel totally special and 100% loved every time you talk to them.  She is strong, talented, and hilarious.  She is a wonderful, loving mom. She is a caring, creative teacher. We have so many memories together, most of which involve a LOT of laughter. I admire her thoroughly and feel so thankful to call her my friend.  Thank God for J Ro!  I love you #19! Dear God, thank you for Jessica.  Thank you for her friendship and for the memories we have shared together.  Please bless her today on her special day.  In your name I pray, Amen.

I was home alone today for a little while, so for once I got to pick what was on the TV while I rode my bike.  I love hanging out with my kids while I am working out on the bike, but I really hate having to watch their choice of television.  What did I choose?  Friends , of course.  I don't think I've ever laughed so hard on a bike ride. Friends is my favorite show.  Ever.  Period.  I can quote almost every episode verbatim and I find the same jokes and situations hilarious time and time again. I don't have all of the opportunities I'd like to watch it.  There's too much Yo Gabba Gabba! and Busytown Mysteries in my life to have room for much else on the tube.  Needless to say, I'm grateful for any Friends I can get. So, tonight I was thankful to be able to watch my favorite show of all time while also getting my workout in.  My ride seemed amazingly short and fun. Thank God for Friends on a bike! Lo...

Tonight, for the first time in his short life, Breslin was very curious about what he was like when he was younger. He kept making us tell him stories about when he was zero years old. He thought it was really funny that he used to sleep in his car seat. Lord, thank you for our little man, and the memories we have to share with him.

My kids helped me make some homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch when we got home from school today.  They added carrots, chicken, onions, and noodles.  They helped me stir.  There really wasn't a lot more to it than that.  Chicken noodle soup isn't really too tough to make, I guess. But, as thankful as I was that it was something we got to do together, I am more grateful for the outpouring of compliments I received from them when we sat down to eat the soup.  Here are some unadulterated quotes from my children at the dinner table tonight: Breslin: "Mom, this is so yummy." Dharia: "Mommy, this is the best food you have ever made.  It's the best food in the world." AJ: "It's delicious, momma.  It's delicious." I know that someday my kids will turn up their noses at whatever I make, but tonight I was thankful for their low-maintenance style and for their gratitude.  It made me feel like a good cook and a good mom.  That...

AJ wanted to take a bath tonight, which was lovely considering that it was also necessary for her to take a bath after her encounter with chili at dinner.  Anyhoo, the older two children now like to take showers instead of baths, so it was just AJ hanging out in the tubby with her rubber duckies and tea set.  As a treat, after I scrubbed her down, I added some bubble bath to the water, which delighted her immeasurably .  She kept saying, "Look at all the bubbles, momma!" over and over.  Then she would scoop up as many as she could in her little hands and laugh as they popped in her face.  This seemingly insignificant detail  made her so happy that tonight I can't help but be thankful for the tiny joys I see in the eyes of daughter.  I feel blessed to be a part of their discovery. Thank God for bubbles! Dear God, thank you for a fun time with AJ in the bath tonight.  Thank you for her curiosity and amusement at little things I t...

I grew up at 9720 King Rd.  From 4th grade through college, I occupied a massive bedroom on the second floor of the sprawling old farmhouse set on four acres.  I loved that house.  It had so much character, and it was amazing to see it progress over the years.  From its sad, dilapidated state when we first moved in, my parents patiently loved and nursed it into a comfortable, clean home. One of my favorite things about the house was the "secret" staircase in our kitchen.  It looked like a plain old built in pantry, but when you opened it up, it was actually a set of stairs that led to the second floor from the other end of the house.  You can imagine as a fourth grader how I loved that feature of the house.  I also loved it when I was older, because it meant that I didn't have to walk past the creaky floors near my parents' bedroom late at night getting home. I also loved to mow the lawn with my dad.  As you are well aware, mowing th...

I got to visit my niece today.  Sweet little Harper is now about 2 and a half weeks old.  She was awake and alert when I showed up at Evan and Laura's today to bring them some dinner.  After Dharia Lou helped me to get the chili together and simmering, I took a turn holding this beautiful baby.  She was fussy and had kept her parents up all night.  As I bounced and sang to her, I looked down to see her little head on my chest -- eyes closed, mouth wide open.  I breathed in her soft baby scent and was thankful to have my sleeping niece in my arms. Thank God for sleepy Harper! Lord, thank you so much for my niece.  Thank you for the nice moment I got to spend with her today.  Please help her parents to get some rest.  In your name I pray, Amen.

We attempted a "no electronics" morning with the kids, setting out to go the entire morning without any iPad, computer, or TV.  We weren't ultimately successful, but we did have a lot of fun trying.  My favorite part of the morning was when all three kids were doing puzzles on the kitchen floor with my husband.  It turns out that Dharia is quite the puzzle-worker, which I never would have guessed.  All Breslin wanted to do was to hold the last piece and wait until the whole thing was almost done to make his contribution, which I thought was terribly funny and clever.  I was so thankful to be able to watch my kids working together and to learn new things about them.  It was a wonderful way to spend a rainy morning. Thank God for puzzle time! Dear God, thank you for our nice morning together.  Thank you for my cool kids and the chance to learn more about them while they their puzzles.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Tonight we got a new book in the mail: Boy + Bot. Breslin is completely in love with this book. He has carried it around all night, and we've probably read it to him close to 20 times. Lord, thank for our amazing boy and his love for robots.

With State showing us a disappointing effort in tonight's Sweet Sixteen game, Colby and I desperately needed something to take our minds off of the devastating blow. The answer?  How I Met Your Mother .  We both love this show that we can watch as much as we want on Netflix because it doesn't take a lot of brain power to watch and it's really, really funny.  At the end of a long day, there's nothing much better than a snack and an episode of HIMYM. Even with the bitter loss tonight, we still had fun. Thank God for HIMYM! Dear Lord, thank you for the chance to relax and unwind tonight even thought State lost.  Thank you for a show that makes us laugh.  Amen.

Tonight, my husband brought home a Shamrock Shake for me, because I was afraid that McDonald's would stop offering them before I was able to have one.  Dharia announced that we were sharing, so we sat on the porch together taking turns drinking the thick green treat.  I wouldn't just share my shake with any one, you know.  With Dharia, I didn't mind too much because she was so persuasive and because in between my turns I got to reminisce.  Dharia has a long-standing passion for McDonald's Shamrock Shakes, as evidenced by this video, taken when she was about 20 months old. So, I'm happy that I got to have a sweet little moment with my daughter and the opportunity to remember fun and happy memories. Thank God for sharing a Shamrock Shake! God, thank you for giving me the chance to hang out with my daughter today.  Thank you for her confidence and sweetness.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to remember her as a baby, which made me smile.  In...

Look at this picture carefully.  How could it not perk up your day? It is so quintessentially Dharia , that I can't help but burst out in laughter every time I see it. Thank God for this picture! God, thank you for my Dharia and for her funniness.  Thank you for helping me to catch her peronsality through this hilarious picture.  In your name I pray, Amen. 

Tonight, I am thankful for YOKUM. Our little Adelai works very hard to always say please and thank you.  The last few days she has been saying, "You're welcome", a lot. It comes out "YOKUM!". It is the cutest thing, and we laugh every time. Lord, thanks for our wonderful little polite daughter, and the way that she manages to make us laugh.

It was a spectacular day and we had nothing on the calendar.  There was time to clean, time to drink multiple cups of coffee on the porch, and time to swing while watching my kids jump on the trampoline, go down the slide, and throw stuff into the river.  While doing some outside cleaning, Dharia spied her bike and wanted to go for a ride.  Since Colby and Breslin were set to make a run to take in some recycling, I appeased my oldest daughter and agreed to let her ride her bike for a while.  AJ sat in the pink push car/stroller, I donned my lawn-mowing shoes, and away we went. It was an unexpected, beautiful thing.  Dharia pedaled like a maniac all over Albion in her Michigan State sundress while AJ and I followed behind, half speed-walking, half jogging to keep up.  AJ honked her fake horn and yelled at Dharia to watch out for real cars.  It was warm enough to feel free and alive, but not so hot that I broke out sweating (at least not too muc...

Today was the 4th Annual Yeti 5K in beautiful downtown Parma.  As a proud coach of one of Western's running teams, I always attend to run or help or both.  I ran the 5K, and as my training has consisted mostly of long runs at a slower pace, I had no idea what to expect.  I was astounded to see the clock say 20:31 when I crossed the finish line!  I was extremely happy with my race, but the highlight of my day was watching my Dharia Lou run the kids' 1/2 mile fun run.  She work up ready to race, donned her Minnie Mouse shoes (because "those are my fast shoes, mom"), and was waiting at the door for me by 7:45 am.  Now, a half mile is a long way for a three year-old to run, but she ran with gusto, completing the entire course in just over 6 minutes -- no walking.  The entire men's track team spread themselves out along the course, clapping for her (and the other kids) as she ran by.  It was terribly cute, and I am disproportionately proud of ...

I bought these earrings at an art fair in Marquette, Michigan from a very nice girl who took real plant life and dipped it in a colorful resin to create beautiful, yet funky and earthy jewelry. I wore them constantly until one day a leaf fell off of the hook.  I was devastated.  That's not an exaggeration.  Ask Colby. That is, until I found the artist on Etsy.  I emailed her directly and asked if she happened to have any earrings like the ones I loved so much. When she responded, I found that the leaves were from Australia, and she didn't have any more of the exact same ones, but she did have a similar pair in an alternate color. I bought the new earrings that are a delightful variation of the previous pair.  It was like getting a new pair of earrings, even though I am just replacing my old ones.  Now, I feel complete again.  I wore them tonight.  Every girl should have a piece of jewelry (or multiple pieces of jewelry) that just mak...

Today's weather was so weird that I felt sompelled to write a haiku in its honor: Booming, dark, and warm, Rain falls in reluctant drops, Thunderstorm in March. Thank God for our "summer" storm! Dear God, thank you for the weird and cool weather that showcases your awesome power and creativity.  Thank you for keeping us safe as it passed.  In your name I pray, Amen.

This morning, when I walked out to my van, I was irritated, grumpy, and tired.  We got up obscenely late this morning and were rushing even more than usual to get the kids dressed and loaded.  I'd had zero cups of coffee and my hair was soaking wet. And then...I heard birds.  And even though it didn't make the morning much better, hearing them sing helped me to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.  I say this because it was still as black as night.  But, I could sense that spring and the beautiful season that comes with it, summer, were just on the doorstep -- days that do not require alarm clocks or driving to work in the depths of darkness. It gave my crummy morning hope. Thank God for the birds! God, thank you for giving me a small boost this morning.  I seriously believe it made the entire day better.  Thank you that we are finally starting to see that this school year does indeed have a finish line that is getting clos...

Disclaimer: This post was written by my husband, who offered to write it for me so that I could go to bed. Is there anything more excited than filling out an NCAA tournament bracket? Probably not, especially when the Spartans are a #1 seed.

Today was a miraculous half day Monday at Western High School.  Why?  I'm not sure why we had the half day, exactly, but I know it was miraculous because after this crazy weekend, it was a God-send to only have to face 25 minute classes today. It was also a blessing to have a long lunch.  Not because I wanted to sit and leisurely eat, but because it gave me the opportunity to get in my training.  I had a 90 minute run to do today.  Instead of having it hang over my head until after school, at which point I would be exhausted, I headed out at 11:20 and was back in time for my 1:00 meeting.  Instead of leaving school at 4:45 pm or later covered in sweat, I will head out here in the next 5 minutes or so in dry, comfy clothes to spend a relaxing evening with my family. Thank God for a long lunch! Dear God, thank you for the chance to get my work out in today because of the half day.  Thank you for the opportunity to hang out with my family tonight wi...

There are actually TWO things I am super extra thankful for today.  Any day that you can't decide what to be thankful for because there is so much is a good day.  First, Breslin, Dharia, AJ and I got to meet Harper Marie Stuart for the first time this afternoon.  She was born on Wednesday night, and even though I rushed to the hospital to see the new Stuart family of three, she was in the NICU and I couldn't see her sweet little face in person.  Then, being gone all weekend, I was dying to hold her and kiss her.  Today, my dad helped me load up all the kids and make the trip to north Jackson to meet Miss Harper for the first time.  I fell in love at first sight with my beautiful niece.  The kids, however, were not as excited as I had hoped.  Eventually the girls came around and each gave the baby a kiss, but poor Breslin didn't know what to think of the tiny little creature. Then, on a totally separate note, I am thankful that today marks...

I found myself pleasantly surprised by lots of things today, which is always nice. 1) I woke up and had a GREAT, long swim at the Y of Grand Rapids.  I was kind of expecting for it to be terrible, if I even managed to wake up in time at all.  But I did, and the swim was delightful.  I left feeling refreshed and accomplished. 2) I had an amazing breakfast in the very questionable hotel restaurant, which I was not expecting based on the general appearance of the place.  They even took the $10 in gold dollars I got from the parking garage change dispenser last night.  I say this because I swear that stuff looks like play money. 3) I was dreading my assignment on vault for the division 2 individual championships, mostly because of all the events, vault is undoubtedly what I would consider myself to be the least confident in judging.  With four judges, I was certain that my scores would be way out of range of the panel and the others would wonder what the ...

Today I did two things I've never done before.  I presented at a professional conference.  I spoke at a MACUL breakout session and it was awesome.  I am thankful that it went so well. The second new thing I did was to judge the state gymnastics meet.  I judged the team competition on floor.  It was a huge honor to be there.  I enjoyed myself like crazy! I feel so blessed to have had two wonderful and defining experiences today! Thank God for two new things! Dear God, thank you for my big day and thank you for making it go smoothly.  Thank you for the successful presentataion and for the great meet.  In your name I pray, Amen .

Tonight, I am lonely.  I am all by myself, which rarely happens. But I am in a beautiful room at the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, overlooking the river with a magnificent view of the city.  I feel fortunate to be surrounded by such luxury and quiet.  Thank God for the Amway Grand! Lord, thank you for a night at an amazing hotel.  Thank you for the freedom and solitude it has provided.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Tonight I became an aunt when Evan and Laura had their baby. I'm getting home from the hospital kind of late, so more to another day. Lord, thank you for this new chapter in my life. Help little Harper to be healthy and happy, and help me to be the world's best aunt.

I think my mother-in-law is just plain awesome.  There are many reasons why, not all of which I could possibly list here.  But, I was especially thankful for her awesomeness today. She is almost always up for watching the kids.  She is our most often emergency childcare contact.  There have been so many times when Colby and I have both had to be in different places at the same time, and she never hesitates or complains to have kids dumped at her house until one of us is done.  That was the case tonight when I had parent-teacher conferences and Colby couldn't pick up the kids from daycare by our established time.  My kids LOVE their grandma and are so comfortable at her house, you'd think it was their own.  I think that's pretty cool. She always has great food, and plenty of it.  I eat to my heart's content when I'm over there, and I never have trouble finding something I like.  Today, I was starving because instead of eating lunch, I trie...

It turns out that I have quite the polite little girl.  I have been noticing that quite often when I get her something, she replies with a very cute, "Dunkoomummah", which I translate as "Thank you, momma." It melts my heart so completely that I find myself wanting to bring her things just so I can hear it over and over again. Tonight I managed to get a small clip of her saying it; although she is totally prompted, the Alphabeasts make a short cameo, so all-in-all, the video merits posting.  I love that Dharia has to have Colby remind her of her monster's name. Thank God for dunkoomummah! Lord, thank you for my sweet little girl.  Thank you that she has a sweet heart and is so polite.  Thank you for the chance we got to hang out tonight.  In your name I pray, Amen.

My uncle Mark surprised my kids with gift certificates to The Toy House in Jackson for no reason this weekend.  Aren't those the best kind of gifts, really? Well, they were so excited to get their gift certificates that we had to make a trip in to town today to let them pick out what they wanted to buy.  They were hilarious running around this most amazing of stores.  They all finally settled on a toy.  To be fair, it didn't take Breslin long, and as soon as he found what he wanted, the girls just wanted what he had: ALPHABEASTS!  These soft, fuzzy plush monsters are boldly embroidered with a capital letter on one side, and a lower case letter on the other.  There are 26 alphabeasts in all, each with its own characteristic letter and personality. Breslin already has "Alphie", because Santa apparently knew that a stuffed animal with an "A" on it would be something he would cherish.  When he saw that there was not just Alphie, but colorful...

Today I judged regionals at beam. It reminded me of spending regionals with friends, family, teammates, coaches. Lord, thank you for the wonderful memories I have from gymnastics regionals. Thanks for letting me continue to contribute to the sport I love.

Tonight I am thankful for a get-away.  Colby and I are kid-less at a hotel in Plymouth, Michigan, thanks to a certain fabulous Aunt and Uncle of mine.  We went out to eat, went shopping, and are not watching cartoons.  We are enjoying each other's company on an unexpected, lovely little get-away.Thank God for a get-away! God, thank you that Colby and I had a chance to get out of town today.  Thank you for the time we got to spend alone and for the special people who made it happen.  In your name I pray, Amen .

Tonight our family was sitting in the kitchen all eating dinner together when Breslin turned to me and said, "Mommy, I will love you forever." Lord, thank you for my sweet and loving Breslin.