BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY II

The boys with my sister... Aunt Jen

It was a peaceful day;)

BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY

They made this plate for the Easter Bunny... Christopher picked the eggs while Nate held the plate... this pic was right before they went to bed... We woke up & Coop was clapping his hands for the first time and did it all day... this was truly just sweet; our King is alive and this baby's joy... I have no words.

Their faith was so beautiful to watch this week and such an example. They didn't find it hard to believe at all this miracle; it took me back to when I was 4. I accepted Christ and I remember my own understanding at that age~ anything was truly possible with my God. A good reminder to me not to get bogged down by my brain. I have so much useless info running around in there and the scientific studies to back it up. My God is bigger than science. Science tries to explain my God. This was a really special week for me as a Mom; I saw seeds that were planted years ago bloom so innocently and so fresh.

Yesterday we spent with my Mom & Mike... When it started to get dark Chris, my Mom, me and all the boys went in her front living room to read the Easter story. As we sat there I thought of my Mom so faithful every morning when I lived at home. In her strawberry kitchen she would be found sitting at the table with her coffee & Bible. Now we were all together, my hubby, my children & my Mom~ the Matriarch was reading aloud. It smelled sweet in the room...

EGGS!

Yesterday I realized I had left my camera with my fresh battery at home as I was backing out of the driveway for "the hunt"... However, I did have all 3 kids, the stroller, jackets, baskets, and the video camera ~ that's success! I thought with it starting at 9 we had until about 9:05 until it was over and we were pulling out of the driveway at 9... we made it! So, after the hunt was over and we had visited a little I ran home, got the camera, and went back up to the park... what I will do to get "the shot"!!

They hunted true to their little selves; Christopher RAN when they said go. He gave the man an egg that gave us the donuts and juice... I watched him walk over to him so big and looking up so high as he offered his gift. Giving has been something he's been making a new effort at... and he's even sweeter than I thought.

Nate said afterwards his favorite part was watching the girls find eggs. The other day Nate asked me if God had made his wife yet... I have been praying for his wife since he was in my belly. Then he told me that he prays for her too; I got a glimpse of him as a man and his sweet wife... if you know Nate you know she will be sweet.

LUCKY LADYBUGS

My transition to Mom was not an easy one. I had Christopher and then turned 30... I had done the "college thing" and the "career thing" and was amazed at the prospect of even wanting a family. I thought it was going to be like the diaper commercials... I would be in all my natural glory with no makeup on, flawless skin and undoubtedly smell like a gardenia. After all I will have just given birth and be in la la breastfeeding land! Don't get me wrong... after preterm labor and a lot of bed rest I was absolutely a changed woman after giving birth; I just had no idea what this "change" would mean.

There was a plan for me the whole time. I had to learn to play again; this is still something I struggle with but once I let go of the fact that my house will not be perfect so that I can play a game of hopscotch I am much happier. Now I just face the useless guilt of "my house is messy and I am playing". I'm at peace with the fact that I am not innately "domestic"... without my gloves I would be puking at the wet hair I just picked up. More about my mighty gloves in a later post... I have 3 different kinds and no matter what budget crisis comes they are staying!

So yesterday after gym we sat in the parking lot with the lucky little ladybugs that found themselves at the mercy of little Lee hands. And they were "gentle" until Nate loved his a little too much... I just sat and watched. These are the moments that I really live for; the confirmation that all the gagging is so worth it. How fragile like the ladybug their spirits are and how blessed I am to love them.

YUM!

Even though the mess is no fun, this face is!

Serious party of 1 please!

This blog has gotten way too serious; I'm starting to journal more and this needs to be a place of more simplicity and a dash of me at my best! ... Life is too short... I'm not sure where this whole blog thing is going but I can tell she hasn't found her niche...

THE GRASSHOPPER

The biggest little guy came over saturday...

I think he had a play date with the boys...

He stuck around for a while & even took a break on the tree... He looks how I feel lately... confident that He is taking care of me but feeling kind of stuck out on the edge too. The reality is that I am giving worry over to Him all day long... Our family is really going through some times that have pushed me to learn to trust Him on a different level. I have good days and bad days & days when I start my day over after lunch. I am also excited for change to come; last week was a tough one... I had a fender bender that was my fault; my car also broke down and needed a repair. The warranty expired last month. After working with Central Market to solve the problem which could not be resolved, we now have to order Coop's formula on line by the case (long story). I accepted the fact that I am taking Coop to get his shots through the state; that was a big one for me! On the flip side, I am loving spending time with these boys...Coop is up on his knees rocking! Nate asked me the other day if Mimi's was open that night, and Christopher is showing so much responsibility doing his chores I am shocked! He has volunteered to take out the trash & put the new bag in. We also started our seeds outside and the boys are deliciously curious about every step... Nate loves the cute little "flower babies" he sees first when he walks out the front door! I don't know how far we will be stretched but I am still here at home with my boys and this trial has made me a better Mom. I have a new excitement about giving them the tools to make it through trying times and come out with a stronger faith, not just in themselves but in their Heavenly Father. I can see their spirits at rest and I see them watching me. We have a new sense of gratitude throughout the house and everyone and everything is just a little bit sweeter... thank you sisters for all your encouragement;)

BYE BYE WINTER!

The last few nights of the cold winter we did marshmallows & hot cocoa...

Can you see the cricket in there? Oh yes, we cremated him.

Personally I'm looking forward to cleaning the sticky off the fireplace... Ever wonder what these stone fireplaces can handle? We have roasted with our little sticks now for 2 winters and it still looks white after I get one of those great bleach erasers to it!

I love the changing seasons... it reminds me to grow into change... & do a little spring cleaning!

PEEK A BOO!

it's the little things... like new bike helmets & climbing up on your bumper!

MOM TALES

I don't know if you know that Christopher is a miracle; my doctor did not know if I could have kids. I don't know if you know that I asked God for a blue eyed baby... He gave me Nate.

I also don't know some days how Chris & I will ever find the strength and wisdom to raise them. It is so easy for me to feel the magnitude of being trusted with 3 little souls... I am only one person after all and I consider myself to have a lot to learn in this life. I can come up with the list of doubts, how I am not enough to do the job well. Then I see myself through His eyes. He knows what it means to grow up as a little boy even though I don't have brothers ~ He knows. He knows before I ask Him... He knows what I'm going to ask before I ask it.

There is a reason why I am coming across thousands of "Mom blogs" and they are all unique. We all want to tell our story in some form. The tale of how I became a woman... the tale of how I became a Mom and am still so amazed by the miracle of life I could just have a baby blog that was just gooey. The tale of how I never really knew what love was until I understood how my Mom loves me. Tales of seeing souls discover who they are and how this place works. Being a Mom is very demanding, hard, healing, and I always feel like I am learning more than I am teaching. What a beautiful design.

NATE'S POSSE

Every night for story time Nate gathers his "posse"... this usually includes the twin Eeyores (of course), kitty, Christopher's bunny and now the frog from Mimi...

Eeyore has been with Nate since the womb waiting for him on my nightstand and later into the delivery room; Christopher had Pooh and Coop has Tigger. Nate has always sucked his thumb with Eeyore's tag in his same hand. I have 3 now (as genius backups in case they quit making them) and they were in the closet but then I started to think that I would need to rotate these little guys or if we lost the "one", he would surly know. To make a long story longer they all ended up out... one lost his tail and Nate said "Mom, Eeyore's butt fell off!"... so now we have the "twins". In one of those "oh so cute" moments he says "look Mom I have twin Eeyores ~ there are 2!" I was so impressed that he knew what twins were that I just said oh my goodness you do!

As I was looking at Nate the other night walking down the hallway to bed barley able to carry everyone I remembered reading some dumb article in a waiting room talking about how it was not a good thing to still have their "blankies" when they were 3... it said something about examining why they may have feelings of fear and why they felt the need for "something". So as I looked at my secure little man gathering up his little friends for bed I was reminded by their designer that He has them in the palm of His hand always... and for me to always remember to ask for that discerning heart when it comes to things I read.

I could watch Chris with them for days... often my story time lasts 20 min... I'm tired. But Chris will go sometimes for an hour... they will look up something on the computer in the middle of it all or watch the discovery channel. We are big ocean fans around here... I always talk about how much I am alone taking care of the kids and I am but I have gently been nudged and my eyes are open to what a wonderful man I married and how much quality time he spends with them. Their new thing is showers with Dad in the morning... what a load off! What would I do without him? Love you baby if you happen to glance at this;)!