It's easy when you're a mom of 2 toddlers to get lost in the monotony of the ordinary and routine - wake up before you want to get out of bed, change diapers, make breakfast, gulp down coffee as fast as possible so you don't have to microwave it again, hope the kids play so you can clean up the kitchen or check email or make a phone call, put Baby #2 down for a nap, guiltily put on Yo Gabba Gabba so you can get more work done, get Baby #2 up from nap, make lunch...

Serving 2 little ones in the small things has been one of the best things for my soul and one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I've joked that I would crave a complex leadership problem, strategic planning issue, or relational issue to solve OVER changing yet another poopie diaper.

It's been remarkably easy for me to become Judah and Addise's mom. Maybe too easy. It's easy to forget about the 3.5 years that we YEARNED for them. It's easy to forget the number of tears that were poured out as we pleaded for God to work miracles in 2 governments, provide finances, and transform our lives to bring our family together. It's easy to forget about the number of transitions, amount of loss and change our kids have gone through in their short lives. It's easy to forget that we are still learning how to be a family and we're still getting to know each other.

There have been moments in the monotony of the ordinary that I've received glimpses of the miracle that are Judah Abebayehu and Addise Aster Tarike Diaz. In those moments, I've had to choke back tears as I've wiped a butt, massaged shampoo into their scalp, or scooped another bite of applesauce into their mount. Those are the moment when I remember the miracle that is my everyday. The miracle that is my son and daughter.

Here are some snapshots [mainly off my iPhone] of the past several weeks. BTW: it's hard to get 2 toddlers to be still long enough to get a crisp shot. I hope you can see a wee bit into their personalities. They are beautifully and wonderfully made...

Playing on a car at Disney in Toon Town.

Addise's first time on "It's a Small World" at Disney.
She doesn't seem too impressed.

Judah's cashed out after a fun first day at Disney!

There are really no words to adequately communicate how funny this picture is to me.
Brian found our daughter sleeping like this one morning.
I'd like to point out that Addise has ALL those stuffed animals in her crib because she likes to shove her limbs into the crib slats. She's that kind of girl.

Playing with Momma's hand. She laughs and giggles and talks ALL day.
She brings enormous joy to our lives!

We went to the high school retreat for an afternoon and somehow returned with these sunglasses. He LOVES them.

On Addise's first birthday.
My maiden name is "Getz" and I wore this very shirt when I was Addise's age.
Funny thing is, she totally has "Getz" qualities: boisterous, fun, social, and strong willed.