"Everything Changes" first brings to mind the title of our dear friend Marie Bellet's new album title. If you happen to be a mom, especially of multiple kids..I promise you will relate to her lyrics which she writes all herself of course. Go over and check out her site to hear or order some of her cds. http://www.mariebellet.com/
We met the whole Bellet family, convienently located in Nashville and now our adopted local family, through Ben Bellet who was classmates with Tom at West Point. Ben and Tom were a little too similar in their backgrounds...sons of devoted Catholic families who both owned a St.Bernard! It was friendship at first sight.
Over the four years of Tom and I dating long distance, we got to know Ben and his family of 11 pretty well. But it was fate that brought us to Ft.Campbell as our first Army post and closer to this amazing family. Marie even offered that I live with her sister Marcia in Nashville, as Tom and I were in limbo waiting to get married. They have really served as additional role models for family life as we begin to traverse marriage, kids, and all things in between.
We have even had some interesting exchanges of talents with the Bellet family- although I admit with a family so musically inclined I feel a little inadequate at times. But when Marie started talking about starting to design her new album, I thought- "hey I could probably design a cd album..." And so began that...and we did finish it with a few bumps along the way. Then her son, Luke Bellet wanted to get a small started CD together and I was able to do the graphic design layout for his CD as well. It was all a great learning experience and I was glad I could help. Here is Luke's website: http://lukebellet.com/
Then there was our wedding, the Bellets all came down in true Bellet fashion arriving in a large carrier van a couple hours before the ceremony ready to go and be our vocals for the ceremony. We even got some special performances of Marie and Luke at our reception and captured them all on film, which was very cool. And of course, it can't be forgotten that Ben went out of his way in Afghanistan to record a brief shout out to Tom and I for our wedding day that we were able to play on a projector the night of.
So that being the saga of "so how do you know this Bellet family?" I will get back to my point...everything changes. Such a simple line, but I thought the photo above was fitting... :) The left side taken May of 2010 at Tom's graduation, and the right March of 2012. Just two short years, and everything has changed, dramatically- and not only the additional 20 lbs I have put on.
I really don't mind the extra 20 pounds I am carrying around, and I like to think that too will change after Baby M makes their appearance. But aside from physical changes, I constantly day dream about what else will change. I am so eager to know what the love will feel like when I see the face of our child.
I am positive it is like nothing else I have felt at this point in my life. I feel hints of it at this point, but they are distant and mysterious still without the physical presence of baby M here and without living a more sacrificial life that will come with being a parent. At this point, I realize I don't know what is about to hit me...and how could I? But I look forward to the change...I am,after all, an Army Wife- I am forced to adapt to change. I think about this part of Marie Bellet's lyrics that gives me hope for what's to come...
"I found myself the day I lost my looks, it was a pretty good trade / It’s really true that you just can’t be you until you can give it away / Now I don’t hold on and I don’t keep track / I try not to worry and I don’t look back / The fun doesn’t start till you give up your heart / And everything changes / Everything changes / You’ve got your reasons for making the seasons / Everything changes"
If you read this far, and you have a child- I am curious what changed the most for you?
