08/31/2026
As Teigan grows and her family celebrates each new milestone, I can't help by think back to those early years of our own family, three children under three. Our twin boys and our little girl.
There was so much happening. New words, first steps, new discoveries, little personalities emerging, and something new to celebrate what seemed like every single day.
And I was 'that' mom. The slightly neurotic photographer who took ALL the pictures I possibly could, especially when Dad was deployed, working long hours, or away on assignment with the military. I wanted him and our family back in Ohio to see everything. Every smile. Every milestone. Every little thing our babies were doing.
And now those babies are grown.
Two are married. All three are genuinely wonderful successful people, building lives and families of their own. And sometimes I go back through all those old photographs, and my heart just aches a little because I remember.
I remember the sleepless nights. The messes. The noise. The exhaustion. The chaos. I wouldn't trade those long days and nights for anything.
But I also remember the tiny hands, the sleepy cuddles, the giggles, the firsts, and the incredible privilege of watching three little people become who they were meant to be.
So, as I think about Teigan and her family entering this beautiful, exhausting, chaotic season, my hope and prayer for them is simple:
Cherish it.
Cherish the middle-of-the-night feedings. Cherish the toddler chaos. Cherish the messy house and the tired eyes. Cherish the milestones, but also the ordinary Tuesday mornings that don't seem important at the time.
Because one day, you'll look back and realize those ordinary days were actually some of the most extraordinary days of your life.
Take the pictures. Make the memories. Hold them a little longer. Put down the phone sometimes and just be there. Be actively present.
And through each season, remember that grace is new each morning, and every single day is a gift from God.
That is one of the things I love most about what we create at Scuffed Knuckles, Sawdust & Lasers. We get to make little pieces that become part of those memories, and hopefully, years from now, someone will look at one of our creations and remember not just what it looked like... but how much they were loved.
