Kelli Trontel

I have always loved the 4th of July. I love this time of year with family and friends….and look forward to it every year. This year was really special for us because we got to experience our first 4th of July as a family- with Ezra! The weather is perfection right now…so we pretty much try and spend as much time outside as possible.

We kicked off our 4th at the lake so we packed up our towels, umbrella and cooler…and our adventure began! We actually did the same thing last year, but I was suuuper pregnant and felt like everyone was staring at me. It was fun to have our sweet baby boy along with us this time around. Ezra loves the sand….he played forever and had us laughing so much. Oh how I love him. Such a sweet spirit.

We ended our night with dear friends who invited us up to their place for some pool time and a BBQ! Ezra experienced corn on the cob for the very first time- so American! A perfect way to celebrate your first 4th of July, right?!

All in all…we had a fantastic 4th of July weekend! Hope you all did too!

This year has gone by extremely fast…..every mother, including my own, warned me about this. It’s almost impossible to fully understand this until you walk through it yourself. And goodness….this first year of Ezras life has flown by.

A friend of mine from Nashville emailed me during the first week of Ezra’s life [sorry Dena….I owe you a reply]. Yep, and just like that…..I became really bad at replying back to emails and text messages. Her email was so powerful….there hasn’t been a day that passes by that I don’t think of a point that she mentioned.

“THE DAYS ARE LONG, BUT THE YEARS ARE SHORT.”

This resonated with my soul in such a deep way. It still does.

One this eve of Ezra’s 1st birthday, I can’t help but replay the moments leading up to his birth. My water broke on the 4th of July [you know that firecracker post from a few days ago….yea, thats what set it all off!], but nothing progressed. We went to the hospital, where my sweet friend Carrie met me….and we stayed up all night talking….as Reed got a bit of sleep on the window couch/bed thing. I don’t regret talking all night long, but I could have used a bit more energy 36 hours later….when Ezra decided to make his debut! Full birth story here.

MOTHERHOOD. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. So much has happened in just one year. I remember the first few weeks vividly, but at some point they become a blur. I remember the late nights with a crying baby and not quite sure what to do. I was never great at swaddling….he ended up looking more like a messy burrito. I remember feeling overwhelmed by how many times a day I would nurse this baby of mine…..I started to keep a feeding log one day and I was nursing up to 14 times a day! I stopped logging this information- it was obvious that my son ate all day long.

God is so good. He walked me through my valley of fear. I never thought I could go through a pregnancy, let alone labor and delivery. He met me at every step of the way….He was there. He is real.

We definitely had some long days…and some long nights, but Reed and I both agree that this year has flashed before out eyes. How is it possible that our sweet baby boy is ONE already?

As I laid Ezra down tonight, I sat on the floor next to his crib…I put my hands on him and just let love and praise flow freely from my lips. Ezra is a gift. Ezra belongs to the Lord. Reed and I have been given the honor and the opportunity to raise this little arrow up….to teach, to love, to lead. To show him Jesus. To direct him to the target- towards Heaven. What a huge responsibility! We don’t take this lightly.

Sweet Ezra, we’ve enjoyed documenting your first year of life. All of your milestones are so special to write about. You bring so much JOY to our life….and you have helped shaped me into a better person. We pray for you daily. You are loved. As much as you make our hearts burst at the seams….our Heavenly Father loves you with a greater love. You are a perfect gift. You were created for a purpose and mighty things are in store for your life. As your name means “Gods Help”….we believe that for your life. You are already a lover of people, who makes even the grumpiest of men- crack a smile. We love you, sweet little one. Happy Birthday!

xoxo,
momma & daddy