The Burkett Bundle

One year ago:

Last year, the only Christmas lights I saw were a Christmas tree on top of the First Baptist Church downtown that I could see from my hospital window and the reflection of our neighbor's reindeer that I could see in our sliding glass door in the kitchen.

After the babies were born, I also saw the lights on our way home from the hospital each night.

This year:

Christmas lights are everywhere! And I love them!

Countdown to Kyran and Karyssa's first birthday - 10 days!!!

While this blog is about the babies, I'd like to tell you about some accomplishments of mine and difficult things I've done in my life. They don't compare to what I did yesterday.

I grew up in a house with six people and 1.5 bathrooms. I only missed two days of school from kindergarten through 12th grade, and that's when I got bronchitis in the third grade. I graduated high school with a 3.9 GPA. I marched two summers of drum corps. I earned my Master's degree. I worked 70 hour weeks for two professional sports teams. I spent five weeks on strict bed rest to try to ensure a safe delivery and healthy children. I spent the first eight weeks of my children's lives visiting them in the hospital every spare minute I had. I performed CPR on my son just two weeks after he finally came home. I've created a schedule to manage the needs of my preemie twins, keeping them healthy and happy and have even taught my mother a few things along the way.

I've done all of these things through the grace of God, and yesterday I needed his grace for my hardest task yet.

I think I've mentioned before that I've been working on the babies' table manners since they started eating solid foods. We say our blessing and then their hands go under or on the tray, unless I give them a chance to try to handle the spoon. This usually works pretty well, but as the babies get older, they like to try to get away with things.

For instance, Kyran thinks if he looks to the side, I can't see when his fingers go in his mouth and he gets his food everywhere.

Well, yesterday, he decided he wanted to make a mess by putting his fingers in his mouth and then banging on the tray and flinging food everywhere. I took his hand firmly and said "Don't do that, Kyran" with my most serious face...and he smiled the cutest smile ever.

I truly think that the hardest thing I've ever done was to keep my straight face and not smile back at him. It's going to be a long 18 years (I hope)!

Here are a some recent photos, and I hope you enjoyed our Christmas elves!