Our Happy (And Kinda Crazy) March

March always holds a lot for our little family.  We celebrate love, life and encourage others to get colonoscopies.  In other words, it's a real party.

March 3rd marked nine whole years of wedded bliss to that boyfriend of mine.  Together we have done so much, been blessed beyond measure, and continue to find lots of happiness within the walls of our own home.  Each day I am doing my best to not take our love for granted.

March also brought the newest addition to the Hansen posterity with the birth of baby Lucy.  We are so happy that she is here healthy and safe.  We happened to be in Utah for my cousin's homecoming the day she was born, so it was fun to hop in the car with Jace and Ashley and go meet the new babe in person just a few hours after she was born.  Nana Joni couldn't wait for the rest of us, and drove through the night to be there as soon as Miss Lucy was born.

The month of March always reminds me of my dad, as we spend a special day dressing in blue to remember those affected by colon cancer.  We have so many wonderful people in our lives who continue to support us on the is never ending journey without dad.  Every year they post their pictures, send messages and make me cry.  March also brings his birthday, and while it can often be a difficult reminder of the life that we are no longer sharing with him, it is also a happy day full of his favorite Jimmy John's and special memories shared with his granddaughters.

The biggest event of March (and one of the most exciting of our young lives) was the purchase of our first home!  We spent many an evening wandering Lowe's and making the short drive to check the progress on the house.  The girls were always helping, whether it was choosing the fridge, organizing the pantry, or Stella's self-appointed duty of labeling every box with her artistic rendition of a house.  Our amazing families helped us move and get settled, and the older girls even got to spend a few days in Utah to allow me to get a bit more organizing done without their "help."

As for the five of us, we spent March doing what we all do best.  Ryan spent his days pulling teeth and writing prescriptions with a pink pen, and his evenings entertaining the girls or serving with the youth in our ward.  I spent my days living the mom life, which basically means cleaning up a lot of bodily fluids thanks to three little people; and my nights trying to catch up on rest, which basically means I was (and am) a little bit tired.  I am taking a long break from my nutrition class at the YMCA, and while I love what I do, working even part-time is an interesting battle that I fight with myself.  I feel the need to do something for me, but sometimes in the middle of it I let it cause me more stress than it's worth.  All of that being said, my last class was held March 12th and we were able to close and move into our house the following week, so just like my session in the fall (that miraculously ended four days before Ivy's surprise arrival) the timing was impeccable.  A tender mercy, indeed.  For now I am enjoying writing articles every other week, and spending more time focusing on my little ladies.  

And while March felt like a whirlwind for the grown-ups, I love looking at these pictures and realizing that for the girls, March was just another month full of the stuff kids love: cousins, cookies, field trips, and friends.  That's the way it should be for them, enjoying life and not having to experience the stresses of grown-up life just yet.  These girlies always put it all into perspective.