My First 29th Birthday....

My 29th birthday was this past week! I really thought it would be ultra low key considering Matt would be out of town all week! However, after taking dinner to one of my best friends who just had a baby, I walked through my door only to be pushed out (or whisked away) while leaving my kids in my dad (& I later found out Jimmy's) care! Where were we going? Nobody would tell me! However, I quickly realized that I looked quite dreadful and nobody was making a big deal about that! A few other things started clicking and before you know it, I knew we were going to a place I had been wanting to go called Sips N Strokes! Who would be there waiting for me was still a suprise! Turned out it was almost all of my favorite girls! Despite the fact that I"m no artist, this was a fun relaxing night! They give you a little guidance and you begin to paint, socialize, eat, sip, socialize, eat, sip, oh and paint!



The evening was a GREAT surprise (which really says something because I hate suprises)! Now I haven't hung up my painting because I still think it looks too terrible to pass as art but perhaps time will change my perspective! Thanks to all my friends & family who made my 29th birthday a special treat!

Zing, Zang, Zoom....

For Valentines Day Gigi & Grandaddy man got all of tickets to the cirus! Unfortunately, Matt couldn't make it due to business travel but my bestfriend, Rosie & her daughter Avery were able to go with us instead! The worlds greatest show on earth was... ok! I think the kids enjoyed it but probably would have gotten more enjoyment out of it at an older age! Davis enjoyed the elephants & the clowns weren't nearly as scary as Matt made them out to be! The highlight of the show was when Granddaddy man (thats what davis calls my dad) bought the kids "wands" as souvenirs! My personal highlight was when Davis told me he had to go potty during the middle of the show & then went on the public toilet like a pro! It's the little things that count to this mommy!

Kids Grow Up So Fast These Days...

Let it Snow!!!

The weather this year has been crazy for out part of the country! I love being able to experience all seasons so I was thrilled when we got a good snow recently rather than a typical dusting! Davis wasn't as thrilled though! He likes to look at the white fluffy goodness but isn't going to be making snow angels anytime soon!

Here he is getting ready to go outside...

Playing on our back deck....

View from said deck...

On Sunday, we went over to Aunt Jennifer's for some soup & grilled cheese sandwiches!

By then most of the snow had melted but the kids still managed to have fun (Jennifer and Jimmy included)! What did Noah do while all this was going on? Well he stayed warm inside....

cutting some teeth and reading the all time classic Green Eggs & Ham on my kindle!

Running In the Classroom....

A little story from last week….

On Tuesday I picked Davis up from “school” and his teachers mentioned that he got sent to “time out” for the first time all year long! I wasn’t even aware they did “time outs” at school but fully support the idea. Apparently, he had been running in the classroom after being told twice to walk. When he got sent to time out his teachers said he was sooo upset. I’m sure he was because it’s the same thing at home. He HATES timeout! Fortunately, for that reason alone- we don’t really have to do them that much. Just the mention of "time out" typically stops the negative behavior. But I guess on that day he was testing his limits- as we all do at some point. His teacher laughed as she told me that as the time out ended, he gained composure & he looked up at her with swollen eyes and said “I’m fine now”.

I struggled with how much to bring this up with him because time out is so effective with him and he tends to be hard on himself. So we briefly talked it about it that afternoon, casually mentioned it later on & talked about the importance of listening to our teachers.

Which leads me to the funny instance that I keep laughing about it my head…

So the other day he was playing in the den with his dinosaurs. You know these dinosaurs! No worries, on this day they were not eating any wise men, just simply running after each other. Not thinking about recent events, I said something like “Are your dinosaurs running after each other?” To which he looked up and replied “yes, mommy but NOT in the classroom”!

Well- that's good buddy... that’s very, very good!

Not A Slave To My Fears....

Recently, it seems that I’m hearing countless stories about friends and family whose lives are falling apart. Painful, heartbreaking stories. Some are casual acquaintances and others are ones I dearly love. It is a season of life when stories of adulthood leave you wondering if things have always been like this but childhood innocence shielded you, or if Satan himself has started a new revolution. Countless times I’m left not only heartbroken but feeling guilty. Why guilty? Because inside my home things are good. Really good actually. If I’m honest with myself it’s a wonderful season of life. I’ve not done anything to deserve all this goodness. Simply put- its God’s grace. In weak moments I also become fearful. Fearful that life will not always be this simple or easy for the 4 of us. Many of the hardships I speak of are uncontrollable. Some are not, but many are. What if that is us one day? In these fear stricken moments- I’m reminded of Roman 8:15 “

15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.[g] And by him we cry, "Abba,[h] Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I do not want to be a slave to fear. I don’t want to miss His glory in my ordinary days. I won’t do it…

Therefore….

I will sing “C is for Cookie” with my 2 year old in my best cookie monster voice with passion & gusto….

Do a happy dance every single time Davis succeeds on the potty…

Not push my husband away when he is pestering me while making dinner…

Hold Noah a little bit longer even though I know I might be spoiling him….

When Davis wraps his arms around my neck and says “I love you Mommy… Merry Christmas” I won’t focus on the fact that it’s almost Valentines day and my son is still wishing people Merry Christmas! Instead I will focus on the sweet, sweet sentiment behind that voice….

Instead of focusing on my to do list perhaps I will think of all the awful things I don’t have to do.

When we notice things about how our new house is settling and small issues that come up instead of wondering "what next?"… I will thank God for the blessing of a roof over my head.

When I cringe at the baby weight I still have to lose I will try to remind myself of the miracle of life I’ve been able to partake in twice now. Some women would give anything for the scar and ….let’s call it “fluff”… I bear.

When Davis is taking forever to say his nighttime prayers, instead of being rushed I will thank God that He hears our prayers and rejoice in the childlike innocence so candidly displayed.

When I can’t find the right words to say to a friend, I will remember the power of a listening ear.

When I feel like there are so many things beyond my control, I will remind myself of the power of prayer & not discredit it.

And on those days when I fail to do the things mentioned above, I will thank God that his mercies are new every morning.

I will not let guilt or fear of the unknown paralyze me.

I. Will. Not. Let. Satan. Steal. My. Joy.

I would miss way too much of the good stuff!