Sunshine: the baby edition

So it's Wednesday Sunshine, but I have a good excuse for my tardiness.

Allow me to introduce the Rice Family, featuring their newest addition, Andrew.

(Spencer, Brad, Carson, Tiffany, Andrew, Haley)

Tiffany is my sister's sister-in-law. I've known her and her family for 3 or 4 years now (I'm good at remembering dates, I'm horrible at properly counting years), and I love them to pieces. On 1/11/11 she had little Andrew, 4 weeks earlier than his due date. Her mother and sisters were all unavailable to fly out to Detroit to help with the other kiddos, so I was presented with a plane ticket and sent out to help. It was so much fun, I learned so much, and I grew to love these people more than I already did. (So don't be surprised that my sunshine for the week revolves mostly around this experience)

1. People watching in airports. I don't know if it's the excitement of going somewhere to visit, or returning home after a journey, but airports are always in a happy hustle and I love it! Also, it's amazing how nice people can be in airports. It's the little things like letting someone ahead of you in the line to get off the plane, or offering to help pick up someone's luggage that's fallen over. On both my flights people were incredibly nice and helpful. It was beautiful to see that the spirit of service hasn't died.

2. Andrew Clarke Rice is an angel. It's so crazy to think how recently he was in heaven, how perfect he is. It's just amazing. He also smells like heaven, seriously I could just hold and smell that kid all day long and be in complete bliss.

3. Motherhood. I have a new appreciation for it. Tiffany and I had a lot of time to talk about the subject and it's so amazing to think that Heavenly Father has trusted women to care for and nurture his children. I am so grateful to my mom and all the patience she exercised in raising me. I am grateful that she took the time to make sure I knew she loved me, and took the time to help me develop a testimony.

4. Peanut butter and honey toast, anywhere can be home as long as I have access to my comfort food.

5. Playing. Taekwondo. Zoo Keeper. Piggy back rides. Make up. Puppet Shows. Legos. Tangled for the 3rd time (still amazing!). Thank you Haley and Carson, I had a good time.

6. Spencer has one of the best baby laughs on the face of the planet. He also is a pretty hilarious character himself. Any time that things got a little stressful his laugh would clear the air and calm everyone down. Seriously I think baby laughs have magical powers.

7. Treating this whole endeavor as an "experience" and allowing myself treats pretty much every night. I'll pay for it this week, but oh it was so nice while it lasted.

There is plenty more I could add to this list, however it is 4:30 in the morning and I should probably be sleeping.

(adding more...)

8. Sweet friends. My dear friend Alexie paid me a beautiful compliment, and as much as I realize that I shouldn't base my happiness on what others think or say, it was really nice to hear. A splendid little pick me up, we need those now and again.

9. The unexpected. Generally I'm someone who likes to have my life planned out 9-18 months in advance. It's ridiculous and a problem, I know. Anyway, the last couple months and the rest of this year are kind of up in the air, and I'm learning to enjoy just going with the flow and just taking one day at a time. Speaking of which, if you haven't seen or heard this I highly recommend it.