Oh hello, Blog

Alright I felt in the bloggy mood today, and I figured it was time for an update. It's almost been a year (yikes). We have been living in Chesapeake, VA for about 8 months. Had a crazy weird transition as we waited for our house to be finished last summer, and moved in a couple of weeks prior to school starting. It was a pretty good situation considering it could have been much worse! We did have to wait a few extra days to get into our house due to some errors on the part of our lender, ahem...but it all worked out! We love our new home. We love our quiet neighborhood and kind neighbors. We love our school. As with all moves and transitions, it's not been an easy one for all of us: I think Ellie took it the hardest followed by me. Kids internalize things so much differently than we do, in fact, just when I think everything is on track, a conversation will happen with one of the kids and I realize just how much my children miss their friends and life in MD. Gradon even asks us when we get to go back to the 'blue house'. He remembers things too!

We have been attending a dance studio thirty minutes away that has been a bit of a disappointment. I had high hopes in the beginning, but so far it's not lived up to my expectations. We'll be trying a different one this summer for a program for Ellie and see how she likes it. We have also not had much luck finding a swim program for Sophia, which is annoying, she really loves it. I think we are also going to get her back into gymnastics. She has been taking tap this year and has been loving it! It really suits her energy. I'm really pleased she's been enjoying it. Ellie misses competitions...a lot. I've got to find something else for her, and another outlet for her to meet some friends. It's hard to come into a new school in third grade, the 'mean girl' attitude seems to already have found it's way into some of the girls at school and I can't believe how unkind nine year olds can be to each other. I think she's doing ok, but it's been a rough year.

Our ward is fine. There are a lot of great people in it, but so far we've yet to build any real friendships. LOTS of military, in all fields. Lots of doctors, lawyers, dentists, engineers, etc.  Lots of kids, lots of young people. I feel like we are all in our own little pool trying to keep a float. It's a different ward, one unlike I've ever been in, but we're still new, and again, it takes about a year to transition, so I'm going to keep my chin up. Our ward hasn't been as welcoming as I would have hoped. I also have two callings, weird, but that's just how this ward works. Not a lot of people accept callings, so many of us have more than one.

Chris has been doing well this year, I can't believe how well he's navigated intern year. He's done really well taking care of us and finding time to spend with us. We've even had the chance to have some fun date nights...it's been good. Next year will be a different story entirely I think, but I'm hoping it won't be as bad as some people say.

In September we'll be welcoming on last little person to our family. Our little 'caboose'. I'm 18 weeks along this week, and I've held this pregnancy close to me this time and not shared the way I normally would due to a few factors, we miscarried when we first moved here last fall and it really affected me, and I'm a little overwhelmed by the idea of this fourth baby. Next year for Chris is going to be nuts, and I hope I can manage four all by myself. I don't have that community of good friends like I did in MD to help me out like I would have if we were there, which is hard. I know all will be well, I've felt for a while there was one last little person to join our family, I just was nervous to go forward with it. But I'm not getting any younger, so here we go! I'm getting more excited about the baby, we find out on the 15th the gender, and all three kids have strong opinions. Gradon wants a brother, Sophia wants a sister and Ellie changes her mind. She's overwhelmed too by it, she sighs and says 'I'm going to be a big sister to three, it's going to be so much work' toooo funny. She sees the time involved with all these little people.

As for other projects, I'm getting ready to start Gradon's baby book. Yes I know, I'm totally behind! But I think I need to get it done before the last baby comes! I've been going through pictures enjoying his growth over the last few years. He's such a sweet, charming, smart little man. My photography work is very slow. The market here is flooded and I just don't have the energy to fight to stand out. At least not right now. I offer a good product and I'm reasonably priced, but I have three kids and a busy husband and that's just my priority. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm meant to pursue this, sometimes I feel like no matter what I do I can't seem to make any headway, but I know I love it and hopefully at some point I'll be able to put more time and energy into the business.

So that's us right now. Growing our family and staying a float! Looking forward to what the next few months will bring.

Hello Summer

Hello Summer, nice to see you. Hello blog, nice to see you again too. So, here's the Cochran update: We sold our house in four days back in May, right before Chris' graduation, the house went under contract the day before my parents came into town. We were very grateful it sold so quickly, we felt like it was a huge blessing to be in contract before the families came into town. The graduation ceremony was wonderful. We had a great big BBQ at our house with all of our friends. I still can't believe that my husband is a doctor, or that we are now starting residency! We had a great time with both my family and Chris' family. We are so glad they came to share this momentous occasion with us.

We closed on the house, on June 18th, packed it up, and now we are living with friends until our house closes. I am very grateful to these wonderful people who have opened their home to us. So far it's been pretty smooth sailing, I'm trying very hard to help around the house, cook, and keep our trash and noise to a minimum. My kids are loving playing with the boys who live here, and so far we are enjoying it.  Sophia started swim team again, and she is doing so well! She has been shaving off time her two events, freestyle and backstroke every week! I am so impressed with her tenacity.

summer time play in the backyard where we are staying. lovely, right?

The past few days I have been feeling very melancholy. I could NOT put my finger on why, sure my husband is living in another state while we wait for our house to be built, sure I'm homeless living on the hospitality of others with three children, we are leaving a good school and neighborhood that my kids love, we have been saying goodbye to dear friends, leaving our dance studio, and our ward, and the list goes on....

However, I couldn't put my finger on WHY I have been feeling so blue, until tonight. Tonight I picked up Ellie and her little friend Natalia from one of their dance classes. They have been dancing together for three years. Ellie and Talia are best friends. Talia's mother has become one of my best friends in the universe. I dropped off Talia and was driving back towards our old neighborhood, and then it hit me, nothing is going to be the same. I am still in this town, still taking my girls to dance, going through some of the regular motions of my life, but the entire dynamic of my world has changed and it's still changing.  I feel like I am desperately trying to hold on so tightly to my old life, but that time is over. I have to start looking forward and thinking differently about where I fit in, about building a new life. My heart is a little broken and I am trying hard not to be too sad.

Ellie and her dear dance friends.

So now I have a label for all my emotions and an explanation for all these difficult feelings. Hopefully now I can move forward and figure out how to have a fun meaningful summer. I want to enjoy our last bit of time here before we move to VA in August. I've decided I need to make a list of things I want to see (and photograph) before we go. I think that will help me close the chapter on our time here, and help me hold onto the good memories.

Our new house being built in Chesapeake, VA!! 

*all photos taken with an iphone 4s or ipad*

Today

Is for mothers. Happy Mother's Day to my dear mother, who raised me with high expectations and strong values. Who sought the very best education for me, and persevered to help all of her children achieve their potential. I admire my mother for her strength of character and her knowledge of right. My mother is the queen of art and culture, she taught me to revere beautiful things and to seek after them. She is a cultivator and nurturer. My mother is unwavering, kind, loving, talented, silly, funny and wonderful. There is no one like her in the world. I'm so glad she's mine. Happy Mother's Day Mom, you are simply fabulous. I love you!

May Musings

It's May and we've been a busy crowd here. I have been so busy lately my head is swimming. We have 24 something days left of school left. What????! I don't understand that. Ellie has her last dance competition for the season this weekend in Chesapeake Beach. Sophia's last month of preschool is counting down. The girls have their dance recital the second weekend of June. Chris is in the thick of surgery rotations. I think we have both discovered the inevitable, he is going to be a surgeon. He really is. I think this is very wonderful and exciting and terrifying! My expectations for medical school have been fulfilled in a way, its been a whirlwind of intensity for us, I knew it would be hard, but I didn't know how fast it would fly by, I didn't realize just how quickly we would need to start thinking about the next step. Can I just say I am so PROUD of my husband. I know we aren't supposed to say that we are proud, but I am. I don't know if you know our story and why we are doing this so late in life, but if you knew our story you would be proud of him too. We have a little while before we know for sure what we will be doing in the medical world, but I am pretty positive this is the path we will be taking. 

I have an exciting announcement. I created my photography webpage this week. It's pretty. It's simple. I am really excited about it. Its a little pebble that I have thrown into the huge ocean of photographers in the world, but I am pleased with it and pleased with where I am headed. I must say that learning the 'business' side of this is enough to discourage anyone...especially someone like me who just wants to take pretty pictures for people. I've got to be smart and practical as well. If you have a minute check it out.  

http://maggiecochranphotography.com/

Here a couple of pictures we took at Brookside Gardens when my parents were here. I love that place. I think every time I discover something else that is a treasure.

My Dad had a birthday yesterday. I love my dad. He is the greatest. Happy Birthday Dad! We sent him a little treat to his work. I know he loves his birthday.

Outer Banks

 For a long time I have seen pictures and heard about this amazing magical place called the Outer Banks. Once we moved here to Maryland I knew that we had to try to get there for a trip before we moved away. Last year I started scheming on how I was going to get there, and finally a situation presented itself, my parents were coming for a spring visit and I talked them into joining us for the trip. With Chris' schedule being so crazy and him really unable to take time off to travel with us, it was a great idea. The six hour drive back and forth would have been painful without them, and it was great to have them along to share the experience.

We headed down for spring break, and we were only there for three days. Looking back on it now, one more day would have been really nice, driving back so soon was kind of torture. My kids cried when they got in the van, 'can't we just stay one more day'? I wish we could. Our full beach day there, day two was heaven. The weather could not have been better, light breeze, warm, sunny in the afternoon, perfect. My girls and little boy had a blast. Ellie is my shell seeker. She spends her time searching for beautiful treasures. Sophia is my socialite, making new friends and planning adventures. Gradon, was my little satellite, roaming just so far away so that he could see me, and then run back for a hug. Grandpa snoozed and read the paper. Grandma popped in for a visit later in the afternoon. *sigh* I sat and watched and walked the beach a little. It was amazing. 

We arrived early evening on Tuesday. We went right to the beach. The next morning we had a lovely breakfast and headed out again!

In the later part of the afternoon my kids headed to the indoor pool with the grandparents and I took the baby up for a nap. Our first evening we ate at this fantastic local eatery: The Kill Devil Grill where we ate the best crab cakes of our lives. Really. The best. We all agreed. We liked it so much we went back for lunch before we left. Everything was tasty on their menu, and their service was great. If you are ever in Outer Banks, you must try it! 

                                           Ellie leaping in the afternoon sun.

          The morning we left the hotel was sooo cold and stormy. The kids begged to go down to the beach one last time. 

On our way out of town, we stopped at the Wright Brother's National Park. Now, you know our family, we are an aviation family, so we had to stop for a visit. I didn't realize just how much the story of Orville and Wilbur would impact me. These men were in love with the dream of flying. They were determined and committed to their dream. The Wright Brothers were originally from Ohio, and traveled to the Outer Banks because of the weather and empty beaches.One of the stories that I liked the most about the Wright Brothers was their commitment to their family and religious values. The day before their successful flight was a picture perfect day for flying, the weather conditions were perfect! But it was a Sunday. They promised their father they would never fly on a Sunday. So they didn't fly. The next day Monday December 17, 1903 was not a beautiful day. It was windy and colder, but still a day to attempt their flight. They were successful that day, and that made an impression on me.

We had a wonderful trip! There is something ridiculously calming about the ocean and the beach. I hope we can get back to the beaches of North Carolina again. I don't know that we will, but my kids had an amazing time. It was wonderful to share these moments with my parents.

Getting so big

I am finally getting caught up with some of the posts on my blog, and I must mention my little boy who is now 20 months old. I can't believe this summer I will have a two year old. Actually already he is turning into a fabulous two year old. His favorite word is 'NO'. He is very emphatic about voicing his opinion about everything. He is still particular about who he prefers, (me mostly) but he loves his daddy and sisters too. Still in a constant state of motion, he runs everywhere he goes. I have tried my best to get some decent pictures of him but mostly what I see is this:

He has discovered throwing and hitting and pushing and jumping, and besides his shoe and hat fetish, he is pretty much all boy. He loves to play outside and I can tell this spring and summer we will be enjoying a lot of time out there together. I love this little man. I love that he climbs on my lap with a book and turns on my radio to rock it out. He is such a funny little man.

Cherry Blossoms in DC

We've had an usually warm and early spring. I am sure you are having the same experience this year. I kind of wanted a little more winter, even a snow storm, but I am happy that spring is here, and the blossoms are amazing. I have had more daffodils then ever this year in my yard every day new ones bloomed. I loved driving around everyday looking for new trees that had opened. It seemed like this year it was a bit of an explosion, one two, then everything was blooming.
At the end of March a few of my favorite friends and I drove down to DC to the Tidal Basin to enjoy the early cherry blossoms. It was a very cool overcast morning. We struggled to find parking but finally found a great spot. We walked around for a while and then enjoyed a picnic on the grass. All of our kids had fun. Sophia did NOT want me to take her picture at all, but luckily I convinced her to take a few. It was a lovely day. I love this time of year.

Half Marathon Take 2

March 17th was my most recent race, the USA Rock N Roll Half Marathon. I was really excited about this race when I signed up for it, and then winter happened and my training got all messed up. I had been so sick this winter. I was constantly fighting illnesses. Luckily, I had just ran a 1/2 back in November, so I wasn't starting from scratch, I just wasn't able to work on my speed as much as I would have liked, and I was, at the end, behind on my long runs. I would have liked to have one more week under my belt, but that's the way it goes.
I was so excited the night before the race I couldn't sleep. I was exhausted, but my mind was going crazy. I was talking to my friend who ran the full marathon that day and he said that is typical for runners. Race day was a beautiful day, clear sunny, and a bit cold. 36,000 runners turned out that day for the race. I was doing pretty well on my over all time, in fact, until mile 11 I was set to beat my current race time, but I hit a wall and I lost a lot of time over the next two miles. I think this was due to my lack of training this time. I finished strong, but I finished slightly behind my 2:30 time. I wasn't disappointed, I was happy I finished and realized more than ever that no matter what, I can accomplish something I put my mind to, even with being so sick all winter. My friend Jodie also ran the half, she was a friend of mine from Naples. It was fun to meet up with her after the race and re connect. Chris and the kids were there to support me and cheer me on. It's a pretty amazing feeling to greet your family after a long race. My girls are pretty awesome and think it's amazing that I run so far in these races.

I think after my two experiences I like the smaller races better, they aren't so crowded. I am thinking more about a full marathon soon. I never said I would do it, but I am feeling like I should...I think. =) I am taking a break right now from training and enjoying spring with the family. I am not worried about my workouts and the next race. I think that will change soon, but right now I am enjoying some down time and no stress about thinking about training. Tomorrow we are heading to North Carolina and the Outer Banks. I am so excited!! I have been wanting to take a trip here for a while now. My folks are going with the kids and I, should be a great trip.

March Birthday Girls

Do you know March is almost halfway over? I know because my little Sophia turned five yesterday. FIVE! What is going on??! She is totally five, and so amazing. I can't believe how grown up and funny she is, and so sweet and sensitive and so intuitive and aware. We have lots of fun together. I must tell you about the surprise birthday party that my oh so amazing friend and I threw for our girls. Thursday afternoon my oh so amazing friend calls me up on the phone and asks me, 'what are your plans for Sophia's birthday?' I basically told her we had nothing planned, no party, just cake and ice cream with family on Monday. We began talking and finally concocted the most brilliant plan, a joint birthday party to be held in 36 hours. And so it began, crazy planning for a 4 year old and 5 year old to be's birthday. It was so fun. We came up with a fun and sweet rainbow theme. The girl's loved it, and also, it was a surprise for the girls. Sophia was so surprised. Do you see her coming up the hill with her polka dot coat?

So surprised!

                   Hunting for magical rainbow gems.

                                 Cupcake time! Do you see our little friend next to Sophia? She was the other birthday girl. We love her. =)

We make these crazy cute rainbow cupcakes, painted rainbow manicures for the girls, had a gem treasure hunt, awesome goody bags, and other good things. I was pleased with our efforts for putting it together in 36 hours. She came home after the party and hopped on her scooter and brought the balloons along on top of her handle bars. Crazy funny.

Monday  her birthday day, we had a busy day. I was the co op parent at preschool, and we had a fun time learning about dinosaur fossils. We took a special treat to her school, ice cream sandwiches- which Sophia loved sharing with everyone, all the parents, anyone we saw after school... I think we fed 30 people ice cream sandwiches. I love her giving heart. Monday night she requested lasagna for dinner, and I made this crazy blue swirly cake a spin on an idea found on Pinterest. It reminded Chris and I of Van Gogh's Starry Night, and so it was named. It was pretty, the swirls almost looked like glass. I hated to cut it! =)

Great weekend of birthday celebrations. Here are some of birthday pictures I took of Sophia. As usual she wouldn't let me take very many, she was in a big hurry to play outside. What a silly girl. "Love that pirate smile."

Next up, my half marathon on the 17th, and Chris starts his surgery rotation at the end of the month. Ellie has another dance competition coming up and my parents are coming out for a visit. We have some excellent plans in the works. We are going to visit DC and Baltimore and something I have been dying for: we are going take a beach trip to the Outer Banks in NC for Spring Break. I can't wait. Lots of great stuff coming around the corner...

Love Day

Valentine's Day. Such a wonderful day! Even when I was single I loved Valentine's Day. Tuesday was awesome. I woke up, dropped Sophia off with our friend to go to dance, had a fantastic work out (I hadn't been to the gym in a few days due to ANOTHER bout of strep throat), went to the grocery store, the dollar store, and Wal-Mart. Sophia and I made a fun lunch together after dance class. I prepped one of our favorite meals: lasagna for dinner. When Ellie came home from school we made a fun candy card for Daddy, made his favorite cherry chocolate cake (his mom's recipe) and looked forward to his arrival home. Ellie also had dance that night and she loved making a card for her dance teacher. Both the girls had parties at school, and brought home a bounty of cards and sweets. The girls got treats and balloons and all kinds of goodness from Chris and I. 

Fun day. I have a new present that Chris gave me, it's pretty awesome. It's gonna make editing photos so much faster and better. Now if I can just convince him to get me a new camera... ;). 

We had a great day. Hope you did too!