Friday, November 11, 2011

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Twelve

My Tommy and I have been married for twelve years today.  So, in honor of our anniversary, here are the top twelve reasons I love him.

1.  The way he makes me laugh even when laughing is the last thing I want to do.
2.  That he still loves me even though he knows my faults more than anyone else in the world.
3.  The way his hazel eyes look at me,  speaking thousands of silents words only I can hear no matter how many people are around.
4.  For the person he is when nobody is looking.
5.  For all of the cries he has hushed, all of the fears he has calmed, all of the celebrations he has rejoiced with and for our children.
6.  For the dreams we share together.
7.  Because he trusts me with his heart, his thoughts, and his fears.
8.  Because he yells at me- when everyone else he turns off, tunes out, and ignores.
9.  The way he leads his family in devotions (almost) nightly, the way he and our children sing praises to our Lord together.
10.  That he goes to work to provide for us even when he doesn't want to.
11.  That he needs me to wash his socks.
12.  For the memories from the past 12 years, the hopes for the future, and the now that we have together.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Sweet, Salty Air

We went over to my mom's house this past weekend to celebrate Ian's birthday (again!  that blessed kiddo!) after we opened presents and enjoyed some brownies with ice cream and hot fudge we went on a boat ride.  It was an absolutely beautiful day to be on the water.


Abigail has never been afraid in the boat before, however when we started up there was some trouble with one of the engines so she was a little hesitant.  It just took some reassuring from her Daddy to make her feel safe again so she could enjoy the salty air, the crisp river soaked breeze that swirls all of your cares away if even for just a moment.


Aunt Kim and Uncle Nathan were with us and they held Jonathan for a minute so I could take some pictures.


We stopped so the children could hop up top for a while and the baby could nurse.


On the way back Jonathan gave into the rhythm of the water and fell asleep.


Once back at Grandma's house the children chased butterflies and even caught a few.

Friday, October 7, 2011

It is Fall ...

I have so terribly neglected my little ole' blog.   Fall is here- that means walks to the library, nature scavenger hunts, and lots of baking.

We took a walk to the library the other day and Mr. Ian was the main photographer.  Ahem.  217 pictures later and I think I may have a few to post.


Can you see how cute that adorable little man is?  Man, he just melts my heart in incredible ways.  That beautiful little girl in the bottom corner?  She is helping a friend fix her shoe.  That is what she does best, help.  She is a helper at heart and is such a blessing to me.


If I didn't know any better, I would think that he was trying to point out that his sister got paint on her dress.







Of course, what walk would be complete without a picture of heavy equipment?

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Ian is EIGHT!!

Ian's first minute as an 8 year old.  Please ignore the caseless pillow behind him. 


I spent the entire day in bed in incredible pain.  It was major gall bladder type pain that took up most of my trunk, but I don't have a gall bladder!  I told Ian that I really didn't feel like I could go the baseball game that was to be his present but that they should all go without me.  He said that he didn't want to go if I wasn't going and that we could just order dinner in so I could stay in bed.  For a while I was going to do that, but Emily brought me up some vitamin C to see if it could help me so we could go for Ian's game, breaking my heart even further. 

I did start to feel better just had an all over exhausted feeling.  Just two birthdays ago I was having a miscarriage on his birthday, and was able to participate so I knew that I could do it if I really tried.  I put my favorite outfit on and pulled my hair back to help me suck it up and go.  I'm so glad we did because my boy had the time of his life.

When we got there, Tommy went to go pay for our lawn seats and a gentleman stopped me and asked if we had tickets yet.  He said he had been looking for a family to give his tickets to but there just weren't any families.  We very thankfully took the tickets that happened to be right on the first baseline, where Tommy caught 4 foul balls (we gave two away to the only other two children around us), a friend from church brought Ian a ball and yelled for the team to come sign it for his birthday and they did, then another gentleman gave us a ball, and when they were playing in the sand pit they got a home run ball!


I stayed until they put his name in lights then Jonathan and I went to the car to sleep.


After I left, Pinch (the mascot) came with the Tie Dye Guy and our whole section sang happy birthday, they gave him a bag of m&ms and they all signed all of their balls.

He had a great day!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Dirt is FUN!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Jonathan is ONE!!






Jonathan's first minute as a one year old.  As always, I treasure our midnight picture.  The first minute of their new age.  Well, Mr.  Jonathan had other plans at midnight.  He really, really thought it was a good time to nurse.  This is the first midnight picture I didn't take, but Daddy did a great job. 




He didn't know quite what to think of all of the hoopla.  Though he did know just what to do with the candle!



He didn't have any problems figuring out what to do with the cake, either!









Then it was time to get all cleaned up to open presents.  Being his first birthday, he didn't really anticipate the present thing and really thought that it was time for a nap.





It didn't take long, watching his brother and sisters, to realize just how fun opening presents really was.


Then, it was nap time ... for Momma!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Keeping Cool

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

To Train or Not to Train.

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Invariably, the answer should always be to train.

Do you see that adorable little boy ... OK, big boy standing beside me? He has come such a long way in the self control department. I really am very proud of him. However. Yes, there is often a however.  However, the other day while we were in a store we don't frequent often his excitement very nearly completely robbed him of his self control and ability to act as a gentleman.  In momentary lapse of sanity he got so excited to see a giant M&M bowl that he shoved into me and the cart that contained his little brother (the other cutie up there).

I cleared my throat, which normally would have been enough to reel him back in, however in his state of high excitement he kept going,  I finally got his attention enough that his trance was broken from the colorful stand and he returned to me. 

Since I could tell that the apology mumbled out of his mouth wasn't exactly heartfelt, I decided that some practice time was needed.  He first practiced speaking politely with a nice tone of voice because Momma isn't fluent in Whinese or Mumblish.  Then, he practiced the gentlemanly art of yielding right of way with a gentlemanly heart.  I don't think it has ever taken me ten minutes to proceed down one aisle at a store without even looking at a single product before.  The ten minutes were definitely worth it, though.  If not just for me and my gentleman in training, for the little encouragement from the lady at the end of the aisle who offered a thumbs up and a wink. 

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Two Years

Time is such a fickle thing.  It hardly seems like it has been two years since my body released the tiny body not yet knitted fully- it barely seems possible that it could have been two years since we as a family stood on that breezy, salty beach to release balloons to our precious Benjamin who was fully completed far before we.  In those two years my heart and head have had some pretty serious quarrels.

Since we said goodbye to the one that only I got to meet we've said goodbye to two other precious lives that only lasted barely a blink, so briefly that we didn't even get to name.  My heart cries out to remember- to honor these tiny little lives that never breathed this air yet were still created by our awesome God- still knit by the thread from within me and from within my Tommy- still had life course through them with the beat of a heart.  Parts of us they are, yet they they are whole and complete while we are still struggling to allow ourselves to be formed and molded awaiting our own completion.

Since those three goodbyes, we've had an amazing hello.  This little hello will be turning one in less than a month.  My mind grapples with this reality.  Maybe it was an emotional defense?  Maybe it was sinful untrust?  I'm not sure what it was but all through Jonathan's pregnancy I had myself convinced that I had been in sin to mourn our Anna and Benjamin so deeply.  I had convinced myself God had chosen for them to go Home so I was allowing myself to have temper tantrums by not fully accepting His decision. 

Maybe it was fear?  I was so afraid of losing yet another baby that I could not hold anywhere but within my womb that I convinced myself that if it were to happen again, that I would merely accept God's decision and not allow myself to act like an untrained toddler ...

I cannot believe that I let those thoughts course through my head and pull at my heart.  I still want to remember those precious lives- to celebrate them, even if that means allowing myself to cry, maybe even to allow myself to throw a dish or two.  I don't question God, for I know that He knows best and His will is far better than I could ever imagine.  I still thank Him from my very core for allowing me the chance to cradle those precious little lives if only it was from within.  I am so blessed that He chose me and me alone to hold them on this side of Heaven.

So, yes, last year this time I made myself completely ignore this day- this anniversary- out of fear that my temper tantrum would cause God to take Jonathan from me too.  Oh, how untrusting we can be.  I am ashamed to admit that, ashamed to admit that I would not remember a life God gave us just in hopes of selfishly clutching another life.  God is sovereign and He is perfect, but even Jesus wept so I guess He won't mind if I do too.

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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Monday, June 6, 2011

Inspiration and Completion!

Well, I guess it won't really be complete until I print them out and actually put them in the frame, huh?

Angel posted this link about a month ago.  It inspired me then to add something to my to do list that I've just now gotten around to.  You see, I have a giant frame that has two 8x10 slots, then 10-15 4x6 and 5x7 slots. I couldn't ever decide what to put in the two big slots. I didn't want it to be a frame with pro pictures, but our every day shots, ya know?


My rendition?

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Saturday, May 14, 2011

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Probably Even The Kitchen Sink

It's been awhile since I've actually sat down to write the many blog posts flowing through my mind.  Many, many!  They will have to wait, because though I'm sure my thoughts on packaged cookie dough, couponing, and purple argyle socks will absolutely blow your mind (insert tongue in cheek here) I have some precious little people running around that say the funniest things. Funny little people sayings trump brilliant ramblings about how purple argyle socks make me happy.   It seems that living life has been getting in the way of writing about it ... which is OK! I am still desperate, though, to record all of the tiny moments that make up our days. Maybe more desperate than ever before, even.

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I belong to a message board along with a young military wife. Watching her grow and love and live over the past two years has been like watching the me from ten years ago. She is enjoying their first child; a daughter. To read her posts is like an instant flash back. Those flash backs are involuntary and I've no control over them. When I try to make myself remember things, there seems to be nothing there. I try so hard to remember tiny details from when Abigail was a baby and only fleeting moments dance by. Every moment is precious, so I'm really going to try better to write more often. I want my children to know that I cherish every day I have with them ... it is hard to convey that if I can't remember the contents of which those days were filled!



Preparation makes life run so much more smoothly! With my Tommy going back to school full time, his hours away from home are very consistent which is not something we are used to enjoying. Oh, how it has helped with planning and living life! I've always made a menu, that isn't what I'm talking about.  I've recently scheduled days to have each child as a kitchen helper.  I still enjoy all of the kids helping out on the weekends, by Monday through Thursday there is only one child allowed in the kitchen.

What is funny is that I started off by deciding who was going to be my helper by pairing them with their favorite meal. For instance, here is this weeks' menu:

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Monday
Emily- Oatmeal with blueberries
        Roasted Chicken and Veggies, broccoli
Tuesday
Ian- Eggs and cantaloupe
      Tacos, Rice, and Nachos
Wednesday
Abigail- Hard Boiled Eggs and Muffins
         Stuffed Shells, Garlic bread, and Green Beans
Thursday

Katherine- Baked Oatmeal and apples
            Burgers, Macaroni and Cheese, Baked beans, and salad

Now, know what is funny about this?  We haven't stuck with the actual menu at all.  I was running a little behind on Monday so didn't get the vegetables chopped and peeled to go into the oven with the chicken in time, so on Monday Emily and I made burgers- not her favorite, but she was still thrilled to be working with just me in the kitchen.  So, what will we have on Thursday?  I guess Katherine and I will do the roasted chicken.

I have so enjoyed our one on one time together.

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My Tommy does bedtime with the kids on Saturday and Sunday.  Well, I was in the kitchen freezing muffins, making his lunches for the week, and cleaning up.

Katherine came in and said, "Daddy tell me lay down 'side you."

I said, "Why did-" and before I could finish asking why he told her that she said,

"Momma, whatchoo doin'?  What have you?  Why is this dirty?  How come dishes is here?  Is that bacon?  Me like bacon.  Momma, whatchoo doin'?" 

I'm telling you, all of those questions plus some I can't remember were asked in rapid succession with in 20 seconds.  I suddenly knew why Daddy sent her down and didn't have to ask.

I finished getting that batch of of muffin batter in their papers and in the freezer, then went to cuddle with her on the couch.  She asked me to read  her a little board book, by the time I was done with the first page -which was a grand total of four words- she was fast asleep. 

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While I'm talking about Katherine, one day during school we were going through the calendar and she went and grabbed the "Special Event" square and plopped on a day.  (A day that was actually in the next month, but we won't tell her that.)

I said, "Katherine, what is special about that day."
She pondered for a second with her finger touching her lip, then she proclaimed with arms spread wide, "It is KATHERINE DAY!"

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Let's see, Emily.  The other day Miss Emily brought me a paper she had colored and proclaimed, "Happy Birthday to you!" as she handed it to me with a beaming smile.

"I tried to make a rainbow."

"I see that rainbow, very good! What are these? Clouds?"

"Mhmm!"

"And what about this down here?"

"A pot hole."
I love her creativity.  I don't think I would have ever thought about drawing a pot hole to go along with a rainbow.

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Mr.  Jonathan is nine months old.  Wow!  How is that possible?  He is currently jumping up and down in his "boingaboing" while chewing on the play carrot and apple. Okay, well, that currently was written  45 minutes ago.  This currently, he is crawling on the floor being stopped by the human barrier named Emily.  Emily is keeping him safe from Ian's lego pile and out from under the feet of Abigail who is practicing piano.

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Speaking of Abigail, what would I ever do without her?  She amazes me daily with her caring heart and desire to nurture others.  Yesterday I mused that coffee cups should be self refilling and she informed me that is what nine year old little girls are for.

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Now, Ian.  Ian is reveling in looking like a beaver, thanks to the two teeth that decided to fall out last week.  He has informed us that eating is much more fun without those two teeth.

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Ian's reading is coming along very well.  He is thoroughly enjoying his current Explode the Code book.  I love watching him learn, even more, I love watching him love to learn.

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My Tommy is doing so well with his school.  This time next year he will be graduating.  I can't believe he finally decided to use his Montgomery G.I. Bill, but am so thankful that he has the opportunity to  do so and that he is taking advantage of it!

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Overall, life is good.  We have a Savior who loves us and blesses us so dearly.  What can I say?  We are blessed.

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**Disclaimer**
     Pictures in this post have nothing to do with the post itself ... other than being just as discombobulated as the post itself.  :)


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