All of these wonderful questions take some time and serious consideration to answer – I feel stumped half the time. You’re all awesome.

When do you feel most yourself in your motherhood, your marriage & your home?

In Motherhood – I feel most myself when I’m holding or cradling one of my children. When I know no one else but me is taking of their needs. Like in a bandaid situation, or just after the nap. Those cozy in between moments of sleep and wakeful happiness.

In my marriage – all the time, really. Is that cheesy? I love how “myself” I always feel with Aaron – I never felt that way with any previous boyfriend, was always afraid to actually be myself and I’ve never felt that with him. That, and, early on we had naked nights to ensure the good natured (non sexual) comfort level. (Hi mom!!) Too much? Oh well.

In my home – When my kitchen is clean and I can breathe. Or in my kitchen making a royal mess.

What do you most look forward to in your children’s lives?

This is a tough one because I don’t often look forward. I’ve really had to teach myself how to be happy with what is, right now. Not tomorrow, not in a year. Not in twenty years. So I don’t know, would be the simple answer. I think the whole friends coming over to the house thing when Jessica is in highschool will be a blast and soccer games or sports with the kids will be a lot of fun. Prom. Dating. Etc. I don’t know. It all sounds great. My favorite thing SO FAR, though – I can answer that … with Jessica it keeps happening over and over again, but when this glimpse of a little girl comes out of her toddler shell, or her preschool shell – when something mature and unexpected happens within her and she shares it with me. With Oliver – the connection we’ve had since he was born is out of this world – I look at him from across the room and he could be doing something else, but he’ll see me too – and the world stops. A mama’s boy is a special thing. I’m so glad I got one.

If you were to write and illustrate a children’s book for your kids, what would the story be about and what medium would you use to create the illustations?

I have written a children’s book! It’s sitting in my hard drive just … waiting. It’s a rhyming little thing about the morning and it’s routine. And I’d love to use painting as the medium to illustrate it. That, or some kind of drawing/chalk/pen style. Not sure.

what is your favorite thing to do when you are snowed in?

IT! (haha, who got that one??) Well, kidding aside (or am I?) curling up and watching a movie or catching up on a tv show from dvd with tea. Still in my pj’s and wrapped in a blanket and probably eating some devil chocolate.

What’s the one thing (family and religion aside) that you most absolutely, positively could never ever, in a million years, see your life without? and why?

Another stumper. First thing that came to my mind was underwear because I don’t think I’d ever be comfortable bearing it for the rest of my life, if you know what I mean. Eve ruined that one for me. But after thinking about it and forcing myself to really figure this out – I still don’t know. I think I’d have to say my hearing though. Sight is something wonderful – but I think I cherish hearing more. Hearing my daughters first words and my son’s cry of life. Those are things I’ll never forget. Ever. And to not have the ability to know the milky, husky voice that is Jessica Ranae I wouldn’t be whole. Just wouldn’t.