I am absolutely giddy right now.

It’s one of those moments; the kind that makes you realize you just turned a corner. Life ahead is good. This is happiness, love, and all things wonderful.

I’m Laura. I’m a wife, and a mother of four. That’s what matters above all else. I am passionate about writing, web design, and photography. You’re here, so you probably already know all of that.

Years ago, I received the first of many emails asking why I have this site. It all started as a hobby when I was 16, back in 1996. I didn’t know what I was doing, or that I would still be working on it all these years later. I posted advice columns, programs, and sound files. It was a collection of things I loved, and the feedback was positive. Then, I met Micah, and my site took a more personal turn. We shared our wedding plans, our struggle to start a family, and our first home. This home means so much more to us than a financial investment. It is a reflection of our lifestyle, our taste, and above all, Micah’s hard work. Our kids photograph beautifully, but we never look at them without thinking of how blessed we are to have them. This is what makes us real. I choose to share my life with the world – the good, and the bad – because one little AOL homepage evolved into what this site is today. I will never never apologize for who I am!

I have met so many great people online because of this experience, and I’m thankful for that! Thank you for visiting and sending kind comments over the years. It means so much to us!

I recently started a Day Zero Project blog. The concept behind this is to create a list of 101 challenging things to do in 1001 days. I will share this as I get further into it, but I view this as an opportunity to change my life. It has already helped me to be a more patient mother (especially with the twins, as they can be very challenging). It has helped me to grow spiritually. I feel so peaceful, humbled, and grateful.

I enjoy working on WavGirl.Com in my free time, and I look forward to seeing where life leads us in the years to come!

This week, I love you even more, because:

You’re truly sleeping through the night.

You laughed at me. Twice.

Your stork bite makes it look like you have a unibrow in pictures.

You smile when the wind blows through your hair.

The last few weeks have been lovely. Fall is here, the leaves are turning orange, and I am spending weekdays alone with William. He loves being the center of attention for a few hours every day.

The house becomes quiet, he climbs into my lap, and we read together. He loves to go online and look at pictures of farm animals and trucks. When the bus pulls up and the girls come home, there is such a sense of excitement. The art board in their room is covered in paint and construction paper creations. I am so happy that they love school.

It doesn’t take much to make me happy. Micah and I spent hours clearing part of the yard so we could plant grass, and it’s sprouting. I scraped my elbow while playing with the kids and chasing them around. We had so much fun, even though we had nowhere special to go. It can be so nice to just spend a day at home.

My certificate from OCC finally arrived this week. There’s a wall in our office that reminds me of my accomplishments.

Left: Curriculum Honor award, Onondaga Community College. Top: B.A. English, Salem State College (cum laude). Bottom: Certificate of Web Technology. Onondaga Community College (summa cum laude).

Does anyone want to hire me yet?

Today was fantastic. The kids played in their wading pool and ran around until they were tired. We just sat and watched. After the kids were asleep, I fired up the grill and made a quiet dinner for the two of us.

The cats were relaxing, too.

I have been trying to look at everything from a different perspective. It’s very simple, but focusing more on the good than the bad makes everything so much easier. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how good things are. I wish Micah worked set hours. I wish someone would call and offer me a job (or at least an interview… something). I wish I lived closer to my family. If that’s the worst I can think of, I am lucky.