Mendel Family: Happy Birthday Miles!

Over the past year I've continually learned more things about life, being a parent, patience, happiness, and personal growth than I have in any other thing I've experienced and I can attribute it all to Miles. As I write this the day before he was born a year ago I can't help but recall the intermittent contractions I was breathing through and the excitement Pat and I were experiencing. I couldn't wait to hold Miles, to see what he looked like, to hear what he sounded like, and to get to know him. I knew my life would change the moment I held him and I had heard from everyone that it indeed would change forever but to actually experience that change is beyond words.

I get what it's like to be a parent now. Without children one can only fantasize about what it is like but when a child enters their life the realization of that fantasy is blown away. I understand even the little things that parents do because of their children. For instance, going to bed at 8:30. As a person without kids I wondered how late I could stay up and how late I could sleep in the next day and not worry about getting anything accomplished but getting myself ready for work. As a parent I ask myself 'Do I want to be a zombie all day tomorrow and not have enough energy and patience to take care of my son, feed, change, play with him, and get dinner prepared for my hard-working husband or do I want to get that extra two hours of sleep and feel like I can conquer the world tomorrow?' Even the simple task of getting ready. It used to be a two hour production including shower, makeup, curling hair, trying on different outfits. Now it's take a long enough shower to get clean while Miles is pulling things out of my cupboard, 5 minutes of makeup if I'm going out of the house (yes! all time record!) and brush my hair if it's not being thrown into a pony tail. The list just goes on and on and on. (you parents sure know what I'm talking about!)

It's amazing how those little things used to be such a big deal without kids, and now my focus has completely changed. It's veered off in a direction that was hard to fathom without Miles. But I'm okay with that. Miles has helped me realize that there is more to life than the 3rd outfit that I try on, or sleeping in until 10:30, or curled hair and painted nails. He's taught me to put things into perspective. Life is short so why not get all you can out of it by enjoying it with friends, family, and children who will most likely teach you more than you teach them.

Miles has truly been one of our biggest blessings and we're looking forward to completing the reception of another great blessing by holding our next little one in our arms in 14 weeks. Oh the infinite things we'll learn with each addition to our family! Here's a good chunk of pictures. I'll be adding more when I get the ones that Grandpa David took.