COUNTING DOWN

We are counting down to the arrival of sweet Melanie.  The boys are getting excited.  Andrew is making sure he is ready to jump in and help his little sister.  He helped Mark put the stroller together and made sure he read all the instructions so we knew how to safely take care of his sister.  It was so cute.  He practiced pushing it all around the house and clicking the infant carrier in the stroller as well as removing it from the stroller.  He informed us we could not put the baby in the bottom basket.  It is for carrying stuff, not the baby.

Mason keeps telling me he is ready for her to get here.  He is helping me with everything these days.  If he sees me carrying anything or trying to sweep the floor he jumps up and says, "I'll get that mom".  I am getting spoiled!  He is going to be such a blessing to his wife someday. 

Melanie is going to be so blessed with two big brothers that love her so much.  I know we will have plenty of fun together and she will love her brothers just as much in return.  I pray they will all be close in spite of the age differences.  This household is about to get even more active and exciting...if that is possible!

The Mommy Society

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's and mommies to be. It is by far the greatest club I have ever joined. I always knew I would be a mom. I am the youngest in a very large family so I wasn't very familiar with taking care of younger ones...I was the one with big brothers and sisters taking care of me. So needless to say, when our first little man was born I was smitten with him but also taken aback by the unrelenting demands of motherhood. People had told me it was hard, but I was so blissful about having a baby that I just looked at it all through rose colored glasses. The first few weeks filled with
breast feeding - the first days were BRUTAL. Nursing bras, breast pumps, worrying if he was getting enough.
diapers - counting diapers each day to see if he was eating enough, washing at least one load of baby stuff each day to wash the spit up covered bibs or clothes covered in baby poo or pee...these were my clothes many days ;-)
colic - I am so thankful this only lasted a few weeks. No words can describe how awful this was for him and for me!
Sleep Deprivation - no more words needed.

If I was lucky I got a shower and was able to do it all again the next day...RINSE AND REPEAT! HAHA.

Eventually I found my groove in this mommy gig and I have to say it was with the help of so many other moms I know. Moms in the trenches with me with babies of their own helped me to know I was not alone having all of these mixed emotions. Moms with kiddos just a bit older than mine had great how to advice since they had just made it across this part of their journeys. Older moms with grown children gave the the vision that many of these challenges will pass and I will strangely miss them when they are gone...they were right! I don't know how I would make it through this journey without the other mommies encouraging me along the way. Now that I am a mom, i find myself trying to pass on the encouragement to others because boy do we need it! When I see a mom shopping with little ones and she is obviously been battling with the demands of the job, I always try to extend a smile her way and compliment or encourage her. I know some days the kindness and encouragement of a stranger meant the world to me.

So ladies, here's to motherhood...raising the next generation to know the Lord and live according to his purposes is a huge task we take on every day. These little people begin to see the heart of the Lord through us. We are their first loves and we hope through that love they learn to find an even deeper love with the Lord. This job requires a minimum of 16 hours each day and you are on call 24/7. It can be back breaking and will be heartbreaking. Good thing it pays better than any other job on the planet. The paycheck isn't dollars, mine have consisted of:
backyard flowers
pretty rocks
bugs in jars
a piece of gum...saved just for me
drawings
Lego creations
my favorite are the things that last forever...in my heart
hugs & kisses
happy smiles
snuggles & giggles
memories branded in my soul forever.

Happy Mother's Day to fellow society members :-)

Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend. It went by so fast, but good times always do :-) We went to a WONDERFUL Good Friday service at our Methodist church in town. The youth did the service and it was phenomenal! It provoked very good questions from both of our boys and opened the opportunity for conversation about the sacrifice Christ made for us all.

We went "Easter Eggin" (as my friend April's little boy calls it...I love that too much not to say it here!) at our town Easter in the Park festivities. My kiddos love the sack races and Mason took second place this year. My camera died so I only have the one shot of Mason in action.

You gotta hold your tongue just right to win a sack race.

On Sunday morning we went to church for another wonderful service.

Don't these little guys look so handsome!

Our music minister always sings He's Alive on Easter Sunday. It makes me cry EVERY TIME! I guess I can just relate to Peter in the gospels, always wanting to put his whole heart into everything for the Lord but failing miserably sometimes. We had a nice lunch at home and hunted eggs again in the backyard, this time with money inside. It was fierce competition but once it was all done I was happy to see that both shared with each other nicely. We didn't ask them to so that made it even sweeter!

I love this picture of Andrew pulling his pants up as he runs to get some eggs! Excuse they yard...it looks like a plowed field since Mark is workingto level it out before we landscape.

Andrew was posing with his BIG Easter bunny.

The boys were so sweet they gave me an Easter bunny too. They know momma loves her chocolate...but what is wrong with this picture? (Beside the fact that I look like a line backer...what is with my GIGANTIC neck) My bunny must have shrunk! ;-)

We had a great weekend together. We hope you did too.

LITTLE BOY LINGO...

Every day there is something funny, sweet or just downright memorable my boys say or do and I always say I'm going to write that down. Most of the time I don't and find myself trying to remember. So here I go with my list of "little boy lingo" that I just have to document to remember these days filled with sweetness.

ANDREW: While fighting the bad guys as the Princess character on his Star Wars Lego game on his DS, "Don't be so rough with a ladaaaay" He said it in such a funny way, it was the cutest. I guess he has heard me tell him such things when we play around and wrestle. I always tell them I'm a lover not a fighter ;-)

Before we moved into the house and I was still spending the weekends painting, painting, and painting. It got quite tedious for me and especially so for Andrew. He would bring toys and play in the new game room but a little guy gets bored after hours and hours. During these long days Andrew would pop his head in the room I was painting to tell me something or ask a random question. I just had to document what some of the random thoughts go through the mind of this little 6 year old cutie.

What was your favorite toy when you were a little girl?

I built a new floor (out of leftover hardwood pieces) in my house (a large cardboard box).

What is an eyeball made of? Is it squishy?

______ is my favorite girl at school because she laughs at all my jokes.

What is 125 plus 9?

Sometimes I would just laugh out loud at the randomness of these things!

MASON: He is growing up and the conversations with him are getting so much more grown up. Mark has been reading Proverbs with him so he is learning a lot. One day as they were reading the subject was wicked women. The next day Mason told me that the bible says to run from bad girls. I said, "what is a bad girl?" He said, you know, the kind that want to kiss on boys a lot. I just nodded my head and said, "yeah, run fast!" I got so tickled but I am glad he is learning about God's word on subjects that will quickly be part of his life.

He has always had quite the insight on women. One day years ago when he was only 2 or 3 years old we had hired one of they boys from our church youth department, Hayden, to help Mark work to clean up an area we were about to build an addition onto our old house (yes, there is a pattern to our home remodel sickness) so we were having lunch together before they went back out to work. I asked Mark if he wanted me to come out and rake leaves to help them get finished before dark. Mason interrupted and said, "Girls don't rake leaves". I was a little indignant and said, "Oh, really? Why not?" He said that boys do that work and girls cook dinner. I was taken aback by his already accepted gender roles that he had seen in our home. Mark & Hayden thought it was funny and asked what else girls did. Mason said, "They wash dishes." Mark was just laughing and asked again, "what else". He quickly said, "They put band-aids in their underwear." It took me a minute but once I realized what he was referring to my jaw dropped & Mark was speechless (that says a lot since that almost never happens...he always has a witty comeback). Hayden either didn't understand Mason's baby talk enough to know what he said or was polite enough to pretend he didn't. Needless to say, privacy in the bathroom became a bigger priority after that conversation but how can you avoid taking your toddler in the bathroom stall with you at Wal-mart? This story will make us laugh for years!

Settling into Home...

Well we are working to settle into the new house but I have decided it will take a while. I couldn't really describe my decor style...old world with a splash of whimsy and contemporary. Is that really a style? All I know is I know what I like when I see it. Also, I only want something if the price is more than right. Mark and I went to an antique auction a few weeks ago and had a blast. We picked up so many things for a song! I don't really care if things are in perfect condition. In fact, I prefer something that has lived a life and shows it. In the picture of the living room below you can see a bit of the 9' by 12' very worn wool rug we purchased at the auction for $30! The old rug looks right at home on my old wood floors. I still need to find the right piece of artwork for above the mantle. I tried a big mirror and I didn't like it at all. Suggestions...?Here are a few more of my bargain finds that I have or will scatter throughout the house.

These old pickle jars with lids painted black make great containers for my little baking station! I think I paid $5 for all three of them.
This matted great black and white photo: $1.99 at Goodwill
I scattered my fiesta in with these ADORABLE hand painted dishes I found on clearance at Target for a SONG!
More of my fiesta dishes I have collected over the years.
This is the best find BY FAR...this old SPECTACULAR desk chair for $15 at that little country Flea Market. Just gotta clean off that white paint splatter and hit the wheels with a little WD40 and it is PERFECT for our office.
My last find that I will share is probably my favorite simply because my Hubby and boys LOVED IT. My Steeler fans in Cowboy country loved my $5 Goodwill find. Who would have ever dreamed I would find such a thing? I will paint the frame black and hang it in Mason's room or the game room.

I still have a ton of stuff to do but I like doing it slowly and layering the house with great finds with character at a bargain. And just think...it is spring and neither of my boys wanted to play baseball this year. I can spend my Saturday mornings hunting Garage sales ;-)

YEAH SPRING BREAK!

I am taking the week off...with a few project to work on from home while the boys veg out. Just like last year, we are staying home and enjoying some down time. Mason and I spent this past weekend at home while Mark and Andrew went up to see Grandma and Grandpa in Kansas. Mason spent Sunday afternoon playing at a friend's house so I had the house to myself for a few hours. I really didn't know what to do with myself! I worked on bank statements and retirement accounts. I know I am a NERD! When I went to pick Mason up he said he felt lightheaded. He has a fever but no other symptoms. I hope a day of rest and jello will make everything better.

The weather here is beautiful and makes me ready to get to work in the yard! It looks awful since it is still dirt & ruts from construction. Mark will probably start next weekend with equipment to level out the yard and work on the fence in the backyard.These bulbs blooming in all the mess give me hope!

I will see if I can recruit Andrew to help me wash my car today. The weather is too nice to stay indoors but with Mason not feeling well we better stay home. Happy Spring everyone!

THE BIG REVEAL

I AM SO LATE ON THIS UPDATE BECAUSE OUR LIFE HAS BEEN PRETTY BUSY AS A RESULT OF THIS BIG REVEAL...

MASON'S CAST IS OFF!

HE IS SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT THING OFF. IT WAS REALLY BEGINNING TO CRAMP HIS STYLE. HE DID HAVE TO WEAR A BRACE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS JUST AFTER IT WAS REMOVED BUT COULD TAKE IT OFF FOR THERAPY. NOW WE ARE JUST TAPING HIS FINGER TO HIS MIDDLE FINGER FOR SUPPORT. HE HAS BEEN SEEING A HAND THERAPIST IN DALLAS TWICE A WEEK AND IS MAKING GREAT PROGRESS. I AM SO PROUD OF HOW HARD HE IS WORKING. IT ISN'T EASY WHEN IT HURTS BUT HE PRESSES ON. HIS THERAPIST, ANN AT CHILDREN'S IS WONDERFUL! SHE MAKES IT FUN EVEN WHEN IT IS HARD. MASON HAS REALLY CONNECTED WITH HER AND DOESN'T WANT TO LET HER DOWN SO THAT IS GREAT. YESTERDAY HE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO BEND THAT FINGER FAR ENOUGH TO TOUCH THE BOTTOM OF HIS PALM. THAT IS A HUGE MILESTONE FOR HIM AND REALLY ENCOURAGED HIM TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO MAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. I CAN SEE GREAT CHARACTER THE LORD IS MOLDING IN MASON THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE. I CAN PRAISE HIM IN THIS STORM!

THE "BUZZ SAW" COMES OUT AND OFF IT GOES!
MASON THOUGHT IT WAS SO WEIRD THAT HIS HAND WAS WRINKLY. HE SAID, "IT LOOKS LIKE AN OLD LADY'S HAND". SO FUNNY. WE COVERED THE FINGER SINCE WE THOUGHT NO ONE WOULD WANT TO SEE THE PINS STICKING OUT. MASON WASN'T TOO CRAZY ABOUT THAT SIGHT.

WE SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER BIG REVEAL NEXT WEEK. WE ARE GETTING SO MUCH CLOSER ON THE HOUSE. CABINETS THAT ARE STAINED WILL BE FINISHED, COUNTER TOPS, TILE AND FLOORS...THAT WILL MAKE THINGS LOOK MORE LIKE A HOME.

I CAN'T WAIT!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

FLU...I loathe you!

This is what the last 4 days has consisted of in our home...(from top to bottom)
-Sanitize every surface in our home, especially the rooms that Mark & Andrew have been quarantined. I forgot the hand sanitizer but that goes without saying. This also includes washing all of the bed linens since I am trying hard to keep Mason and myself from becoming the next victims of this villain.
-Medication administration...between the flu meds for Mark & Andrew and Mason's meds after his surgery, I almost need to set the schedules in Outlook for reminders. The Stress Formula with Zinc is for me ;-)
-Breathing treatments. I thought we were past those days since the boys are older. Washing out the little canisters endlessly throughout the day...blah.

Oh, and I am trying to get work done from home in the midst of all of this. After almost two weeks with only a few hours spent in my office I am VERY BEHIND. I wonder if they make Extra Strength Stress Formula? Yeah, they do...I think the generic name for it is whiskey...LOL.

UPDATE ON MASON

MASON IS NOW ON HIS LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY. WE SAW THE HAND SURGEON (DR. HO) ON MONDAY AND SHE DECIDED TO DO SURGERY THE NEXT DAY. WE DROVE BACK IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING AND SENT OUR BABY BACK FOR HER TO FIX UP THAT FINGER. SHE SPOKE TO US AFTER THE SURGERY AND INDICATED THAT THE FINGER WAS ACTUALLY WORSE THAN SHE INITIALLY THOUGHT. THE BRANCH TRIMMERS CUT THROUGH THE BONE AND SLICED OFF A PART OF THE CARTILAGE IN THE KNUCKLE AS WELL AS CUT THROUGH THE TENDON. SHE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW HOW THE BONE WAS SLICED THROUGH AND THE NERVE AND ARTERY STAYED INTACT". I SNICKERED AND THOUGHT...I DO. :-) OUR GOD IS A GOD OF MIRACLES AND PROTECTION. I DON'T KNOW WHY IT HAD TO HAPPEN BUT I AM SO THANKFUL THE LORD WAS PROTECTING HIM AND HIS FINGER STAYED INTACT. SHE WAS ABLE TO REPAIR EVERYTHING, NOW WE WAIT AND SEE HIS HEALING PROGRESS, THERAPY AND GROWTH OF THAT BONE SINCE THE GROWTH PLATE WAS CUT THROUGH, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK THAT IT MAY SHUT DOWN.
FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS IT MEANS HE IS ON EXTREMELY LIMITED ACTIVITY. HE CANNOT STRAIN THAT ARM. SHE SAID HE CAN'T EVEN PICK UP HIS BACKPACK WITH THAT ARM. THE PIN IN HIS FINGER CANNOT BE DISTURBED. THE INCISION IS CLOSED UP IN THE CAST SO WE CANNOT CLEAN IT. HE CANNOT EVEN GIT A BIT SWEATY INSIDE THERE FOR RISK OF INFECTION SO HE CAN'T EVEN GET OUT IN THE SUN. I AM THANKFUL IT IS OCTOBER AND COOLER WEATHER IS HERE FOR NOW. ONCE WE MAKE IT THROUGH THE NEXT 4 WEEKS AND THE CAST IS REMOVED, THERAPY WILL BEGIN. HIS ENTIRE HAND WILL BE STIFF SINCE ALL FOUR FINGERS ARE ENCASED IN THE CAST TO ENSURE THAT FINGER HEALS PROPERLY. HE WILL BE VERY STIFF AND WE WILL HAVE THE "NO PAIN, NO GAIN" ATTITUDE AROUND HERE. DR. HO WILL THEN MONITOR THE GROWTH OF THAT FINGER FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO SEE IF THE BONE GROWS NORMALLY OR ADDITIONAL SURGERY WILL BE REQUIRED.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS. WE HAVE FELT THEM AND KNOW THE LORD HAS HEARD THEM. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT HIS RECOVER STAYS ON TRACK AND WE DON'T EXPERIENCE ANY SETBACKS. WE WILL NEED TO BE STRUCTURED, OBEDIENT AND DISCIPLINED TO GET THE BEST RESULTS SO PLEASE PRAY THE LORD WILL GIVE US ALL WE NEED IN THESE AREAS.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE, MASON GETS TO SIT AND WATCH TV MOST OF THE DAY, NOT SOMETHING BY BOYS GET TO DO FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF HOURS ON SATURDAYS AND MAYBE AN HOUR DURING THE WEEK. MASON ALREADY WANTS SOME SORT OF ABDOMINAL BELT THAT WORKS YOUR ABS WHILE YOU JUST SIT THERE. I GUESS HE IS A PRIME TARGET FOR INFOMERCIALS RIGHT NOW. I'LL MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO MY DEBIT CARD ;-)

IN THE HEART OF A MOTHER.

Last night Mason had a Cub Scout camp out. The boys and I went and had a bond fire and cook out in the evening and Andrew and I left leaving Mason with his leader and 4 other boys to spend the night in tents and begin a cleanup of the brush on the park trails in the morning. At 8:20am the phone rang and I heard those dreaded words. "There's been an accident and Mason's finger is cut pretty bad." The boys were using landscaping shears and another boy accidentally caught Mason's finger when attempting to cut a branch.

I met the cub scout leaders at the local ER with Mark and Andrew to follow behind. When I arrived, he was pale and afraid. He asked me, "Mom, why did this have to happen?" I told him we don't always know why things happen, we just have to trust that God is in control and pray to him for strength and comfort so we did so together right there together. My heart broke into pieces on the inside while I put on a strong face for my frightened little boy. I prayed silently for the Lord to hold me together through this. Daddy arrived soon after and Mason was even more comforted with his presence. The finger looked bad...cut to the bone with the knuckle and tendons damaged. We had to see a children's orthopedic surgeon and we knew that would mean heading to Dallas or Tyler. Dallas it was, Children's Medical Center was the place we needed to go. Andrew was safely left with our dear friends, Kim & Paul as we dashed to Dallas. It is a good 100 miles from us so Mark was driving "quickly" with his flashers on to get him there in good time. A hundred miles is a lot of time for thinking...to much...even when you are speeding. Why did I let him stay without me? Should I have kept him home? Should I have waited one more year to begin scouting when Mark could have been more involved? He's getting older and I have to let him have some independence...but at what cost? If I had been there could I have stopped this accident? Probably not, accidents happen fast and we can't be everywhere. Is he going to be able to use this finger? Is the damage too bad to repair? The unknowns are just unbearable but my God is bigger than all my doubts and fears.

At Children's the ER triage nurse was just doing her job and sent us to their ER waiting room...I waited for about 5 minutes before I went back over to her and told her our local ER physician called to tell them we were coming and felt time was of the essence with his injury. She told me she had done all she could do by making us a high priority. I respectfully told her I needed to speak to her supervisor because I knew she was doing all she could but I refused to wait an hour or more for a room and another hour or more for an orthopedic consultation when the doctor called ahead to avoid that wait in the best interest of my son. This mama bear was not just going to sit down and shut up. Another nurse walked by and heard my discussion with the triage nurse and stepped in and expedited everything by confirming our local ER physician called ahead and planned our transfer.
Now we began the process of unwrapping and reopening the wound multiple times for multiple doctors, med students & orthopedic surgeons to take a look and wait to decide what to do. We put in an IV after two sticks...the first blew the vein...and then finally decided to have the orthopedic surgeons clean the wound and get a better look then decide what to do. Mason was very upset when he heard that Dad and I would have to leave while they did this. We explained we would be right outside, they gave him some morphine, we kissed him goodbye and I turned and cried as I left the room. Mark didn't say a word, he just held my hand. What can you say in those moments? His quiet resolve was such a comfort to me. I later noticed how many moms were in the waiting area with injured kids & their siblings but no dad. I was so grateful to have Mark there with us. Mark's Uncle Sam and Aunt Margaret came and waited in the waiting room to see if we needed anything. They couldn't even see Mason but waited for hours just to be there for us. Sam was such a comfort to me when I told him the doctors plans to delay any further exploration of surgery. He is a retired sports medicine physician so he is very familiar with joint and tendon injuries. Just his acceptance of their decisions calmed my fears.
Mason was brave and did great. The entire day he reminded me of my mother. He was so sweet and kind to his doctors and nurses even when he was very uncomfortable. I routinely sit in awe of the heart God has given that boy. The nurses and doctors were so comforting to him and for that I am so grateful. The surgeon consulted with the hand specialist and they made the decision to close the wound and schedule an appointment Monday for the hand surgeon to look and assess the need for surgery to repair the tendon. The major veins and arteries in that finger were intact as well as the nerves. The joint was indeed cut into with the blade but not crushed by force with the shears. These confirmations were such a blessing because had those areas been damaged we may have lost that finger. His range of motion is what we are questioning now and if surgery would give him a better recovery or potentially further trauma. I am praising God for his protection in these critical areas and asking him to guide or doctors and our decisions as we move forward.
On our way home at about 6:00pm we stopped to eat at Schlotzky's (one of Mason's favorites since he was so little he called it "fartcheese") since none of us had eaten anything the entire day. We settled back into the truck to finish the long trek home. We called the little boy who accidentally cut Mason's finger to make sure he and his mom knew Mason was OK. Mason was worried that his buddy was feeling bad about this accident. We later joked about Mason having a "cool" story to tell his buddies and he said, "When I tell the story I will not say B's name because I don't want it to make him feel bad, I'll just say my finger got cut when we were cutting branches." I teared up again and told him I thought that was a fabulous idea. We arrived at Kim & Paul's to big hugs from Andrew. He couldn't wait to see his big brother and told him he hoped his finger felt better. There is nothing like brotherly love...I teared up again.

Even though our hearts break into a million pieces on days like today, Mother's hearts are so beautiful because they are sometimes broken. Like a mosaic, they are pieced together with random shards to reveal something strikingly beautiful. I continue to pray for our Lord to create his masterpiece in me.

Life with boys...

This is what I found on my bed this morning just before we jumped in the car to head off to school. Maybe Andrew was doing his best to try to replace the little blue throw pillow I let him take to school for nap time (how could I resist when he asked for it because it smelled like me). This new look could grow on me...GO STEELERS ;)

HOMEBODY

FOR THE FIRST WEEKEND IN 3 WEEKS, I WILL BE STAYING AT HOME. MASON HAS A WAX MUSEUM PROJECT DUE NEXT WEEK THAT WE HAVE TO FINISH UP. THE CHAOS OF THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS HAS PUT US BEHIND ON THE PROGRESS THERE. WE WILL BE BUILDING THE BACKBOARD THIS WEEKEND AND MASON WILL FILL IT WITH PICTURES AND INFORMATION ABOUT HIS CHARACTER . HE HAS TO GIVE A PRESENTATION NEXT WEEK DRESSED AS HIS HISTORICAL FIGURE. HE WILL MAKE QUITE A DASHING THOMAS EDISON IN HIS 3 PIECE SUIT!

WE WILL ALSO TACKLE SOME YUCKY HOUSE WORK AND HUNT EASTER EGGS. OUR PRIZE EGG WILL BE EMPTY SO THE KIDS REMEMBER THE EMPTY TOMB IS WHY WE CELEBRATE.

MY FAVORITE SIGN OF SPRING...

NO CRYSTAL VASE WITH LONG STEM ROSES.

JUST A CRAZY MONKEY CUP WITH BLOOMING PURPLE WEEDS TO ADORN OUR DINING ROOM TABLE.

A GIFT FOR MOMMY FROM LITTLE MISTER ROO.

That Lovin' Feeling.

My husband lovingly jokes with me about being the most unromantic woman in the world. It's not that I don't enjoy the sweetness of romance, I'm just not one to be caught up in the whirlwind of that loving feeling. It's not that I am "above" all of that, it really is that I am much simpler than all that stuff.

Love to me, is not shown with a dozen roses in a fancy package but the yard full of beautiful blooms he works so hard throughout the year to cultivate for spring.

Love is not a dinner at a gourmet restaurant (although I do enjoy my food!), it is the pancake and sausage dinner that my boys and I look forward to him cooking for us.

Love isn't a romantic weekend getaway, it is when he meets me at the car after I have been away on a business trip and he hugs & kisses me and carries in my bags.

Love isn't an expensive and beautifully wrapped present, it is the daffodil he picked for me and brought to me while I slept in this valentines morning...the chocolate donut kicked it up a notch!

Love is not in a fancy new home, but in the old "yucky house" that he works tirelessly to make into our home.

Love does not come from my man telling me "you are so beautiful", it comes from us growing together in the Lord and him encouraging me to reveal the beauty of the Lord within me.

Happy Valentine's Day to the best husband this woman could ever have asked for. I was richly blessed when the Lord gave you to me.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BABIES!

Last night I was reading to Andrew before bed and we started working on sounding out words. He was reading to me! As if that were not enough, Mason then came home from basketball practice and sat next to me. I couldn't help but notice his sweaty odor. It was not that little sweaty boy smell that reminds you of a wet dog...it was real big man BO smell. I don't think I can take another "there growing up" moment for a few weeks!

SADIE AND ME

We went to see Marley and Me tonight. It was a very cute movie. It would have been even better had they excluded a few bouts of bad language. If you've ever loved a dog with all of the mess, stress and joy they bring, you'll love this movie. We came home to find Sadie...

NO, I DID NOT DO ANY FANCY MANIPULATION TO THE COLORS IN THIS PHOTO.

SADIE'S FEET ARE INDEED GREEN AFTER SHE CHEWED UP A MARKER IN ANDREW'S ROOM AND LICKED HER FEET. GOOD THING THEY ARE WASHABLE. I'M OFF TO GO GIVE SADIE A BATH. :-)

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas...

and I am ready! We put up our Christmas tree while Nanny and Poppy were visiting. I just love getting out the boys ornaments and unwrapping the memories each year. They love to hear me tell them the special memory that goes along with each ornament. I took the boys last night to purchase their ornament for this year. Andrew picked a Walle ornament since that has been this year's obsession for him. Mason picked out a cordless drill ornament. I thought that was very fitting considering what he has been doing this year with his daddy at the "Yucky House". I just love the thought they now put into their ornament selection. It is so cute to see them trying to decide on one when there are so many fun things to choose from.

After our ornament shopping we decided to go to Chili's for a quick dinner before we had to be home for basketball practice. I was just reveling in the moment and loving our jump into the Christmas season. I was ready to bask in the joy, laughter, peace on earth...when the boys started arguing over who was hungriest. WHAT! Who would even argue about such a ridiculous thing? Brothers that have officially found their competitive spirit and now wield it in every area of our lives, that's who! Don't get me wrong, I love competition...just not over EVERYTHING! I pray that Mark and I can help the boys channel this competitive drive to constructive areas of their lives. I definitely need to pray for guidance in this area since Mark and I are both very competitive individuals. Oh the stories I could tell...like the Monopoly game that was thrown into the trash one Christmas eve night long ago. I bet Santa did not know what to think of the Monopoly money blowing out of the trash can outside our home as he flew over. Thank goodness we had no children yet. Santa may have thought they were being naughty. Neither one of us like to loose, especially not to each other. We have come a long way since those days. Let's just say we don't tempt our pride...we still don't play Monopoly.;-) Now let's see if we can teach the boys to be good sports...even with each other...even when they are hungry or playing Monopoly.

MURPHY'S LAWS OF MOTHERHOOD

AS EVERY MOTHER KNOWS THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE JUST GOING TO BE OUT OF OUR CONTROL SO WE MAY AS WELL SURRENDER YOUR CONTROL FREAK NATURE (I AM DEFINITELY INCLUDING MYSELF IN THIS CATEGORY) AND FIND THE IRONY AND HUMOR IN EACH SITUATION THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO BANG YOUR HEAD ON THE WALL. HERE ARE A FEW SITUATIONS THAT FIT THIS DESCRIPTION FROM MY HOUSE:

1. WHEN YOU DO BEND THE RULES AND ALLOW CHILDREN TO EAT IN THE DEN IN FRONT OF THE TV FOR MOVIE NIGHT, SOMETHING WILL INDEED BE SPILLED ON THE CARPET.
2. THE ONE TIME YOU ALLOW YOUR 4 YEAR OLD TO RIDE HIS BIKE WITHOUT A HELMET HE WILL LOOSE HIS BALANCE , FALL AND SPLIT HIS EYE BROW REQUIRING AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT. IT DOES NOT MATTER THAT YOU WERE ONLY LETTING HIM TRY OUT HIS NEW BIKE BY RIDING TO THE END OF THE STREET WITH HIS DAD RIDING RIGHT BESIDE HIM ON HIS BIKE. WE LEARNED THIS LAW WITH THE FIRST CHILD. POOR THING, HE HAD TO BE OUR TEST CHILD FOR EVERYTHING!
3. IF YOU TELL YOUR 4 YEAR OLD TO GET DRESSED BEFORE HIS DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT BUT DO NOT SPECIFICALLY SAY, "PUT ON UNDERWEAR", DON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN THE NURSE PULLS DOWN HIS SHORTS TO GIVE HIM A VACCINATION AND DISCOVERS THAT HE LIKES TO GO COMMANDO!
4. IF YOU FINALLY TAKE YOUR BEAUTIFUL WHITE DOWN COMFORTER OFF OF YOUR BED, TAKE IT TO THE LAUNDRY MAT TO USE THE BIG COMMERCIAL FRONT LOAD WASHER AND LARGE DRYER TO CARE FOR IT PROPERLY, THEN PLACE IT BACK ON YOUR BED AND ENJOY THAT CLEAN FRESH SMELL, A CHILD WILL COME IN YOUR ROOM TO TELL YOU THAT THEY WANT TO LAY WITH YOU BECAUSE THEIR TUMMY HURTS. THEN A FEW HOURS LATER THEY WILL WAKE YOU AND TELL YOU, "MOM, I HAD A LITTLE POO POO ACCIDENT BUT I CHANGED MY UNDERWEAR MYSELF". NEEDLESS TO SAY, YOUR COMFORTER IS NOT SO FRESH ANYMORE!
5. NOW ONE FOR THE DAD'S. IF YOU ARE INDEED THE PARENT THAT HAS TO TAKE A SICK 2 YEAR OLD TO THE DOCTOR, DO NOT WEAR ELASTIC WASTE SWEAT PANTS WITHOUT SECURING THE DRAW STRING. WHILE YOU ARE STANDING AT THE OFFICE WINDOW GIVING INSURANCE INFORMATION, YOUR SICK AND CRANKY CHILD WILL WANT TO BE HELD AND WILL PULL AT YOUR PANTS. YOU WILL MOON ALL THE MOTHERS SITTING IN THE WAITING AREA. IF THIS DOES HAPPEN TO YOU, DON'T TELL YOUR WIFE. SHE WILL LAUGH ABOUT IT FOREVER AND POST IT ON THE FAMILY BLOG. WE ALL KNOW IF THIS HAD HAPPENED TO HER, THE SICK CHILD WOULD NEVER HAVE SEEN THE DOCTOR THAT DAY AND WE WOULD HAVE CHANGED PEDIATRICIANS IMMEDIATELY!

BUT NOW WE MOVE ON TO THE LAWS OF MOTHERHOOD THAT WE THANK GOD FOR EVERYDAY...

1. WHEN YOU HAVE A LONG, HARD DAY AND FEEL UNAPPRECIATED FOR ALL YOU DO, YOUR LITTLE BOY WILL HUG YOU SO TIGHT WHEN YOU PICK HIM UP FROM PRE-SCHOOL AND GIVE YOU A HANDFUL OF ROCKS HE PICKED OUT FOR YOU ON THE PLAYGROUND BECAUSE HE THOUGHT YOU WOULD THINK THEY WERE PRETTY.
2. WHEN YOU WATCH YOUR CHILD IN A SCHOOL PERFORMANCE THAT YOU WERE SURPRISED HE TRIED OUT FOR BECAUSE HE CAN TEND TO BE SHY SOMETIMES, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP SMILING EVEN IF YOU TRIED. YOU'LL LOOK OVER AT DAD HOLDING THE VIDEO CAMERA AND SEE THAT SAME SMILE ON HIS FACE.
3. IF YOU HAVE A HEADACHE AND ARE TRYING TO LAY DOWN FOR A BIT TO SEE IF A LITTLE NAP WILL CLEAR IT UP, YOUR CHILDREN WILL BRING YOU THINGS TO HELP YOU FEEL BETTER. THINGS LIKE A GLASS OF WATER, A PIECE OF HARD CANDY THAT IS GREEN AND "TASTE LIKE A LEAF SO IT MUST BE MEDICINE", THEIR FAVORITE BLANKET OR STUFFED ANIMAL. THESE THINGS DO MORE TO HELP YOUR HEADACHE THAN THE IBUPROFEN DID!
4. THOSE HOMEMADE CARDS YOU GET FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY ARE YOUR FAVORITES AND YOU WILL SAVE THEM FOREVER.
5. AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN YOU ARE SPENT AND ARE TUCKING YOUR BABIES IN BED JUST WAITING FOR A MINUTE TO SIT DOWN AND RELAX, YOUR CHILD WILL ASK FOR ONE MORE STORY. YOU REALLY WANT SOME DOWN TIME BUT YOU DECIDE TO BEND THE RULES AND READ ONE MORE WHEN THE BOOK HE ASKS FOR IS RUNAWAY BUNNY. WHAT MOM DOES NOT LOVE TO READ THAT ONE WITH HER BABY OVER AND OVER!

This was me last week, NO KIDDING! I was covered from head to toe with hives. I broke out on Wednesday and by Friday I woke up trying to hold back the tears. When I finally went to the doctor it hurt to wear flip flops. I looked ridiculous. My doctor shares an office with her husband who is an OBGYN. You should have seen the looks on the faces of the poor expecting mothers when they got a glimpse of me! I looked like I was being eaten alive by a flesh eating bacteria. My doctor gave me a shot of cortisone and I was halfway to normal within 3 hours. My boys thought I took off my halloween costume!HEHE. I felt like a new woman. OH I thank God for modern medicine. I could not imagine trying to bear through that allergic reaction without medication. I still don't know for sure what caused the reaction. I am hoping it was an a Sulfa medicine I was taking. I pray I NEVER have to go though that again.