Bathing Adelyn...

is a family adventure! The boys LOVE to pull the kitchen chairs over to the sink, hop up next to me, and "watch" Adelyn get her bath.



Can you even fathom 23 month old boys NOT playing in the water when it is right there in front of them? It just seems like they are drawn to it!



By the time bath time was over yesterday the boys needed to be changed entirely, the kitchen floor needed to be mopped, and I wiped water off all the cupboard doors in a 6 foot radius!

(Ethan)

Thanksgiving Day 2010

The day that we stop our hustle and bustle.

The day that we meditate on all that we are surrounded by and have been blessed with.

I am overwhelmed today as I do that.

I am undeserving. So completely undeserving of every.single.thing that I am grateful for.

My husband.

My children.

My family.

My friends.

My home.

Our possessions.

Our health.

Food in our cupboards.

Some friends of ours from church lost their 21 year old son in a hiking accident this past Monday. I have been in tears so frequently these past couple of days as I think about his parents and his brother who now have to cope with this new world without him.

It has made me once again realize the frailty of life, and once again gain a new perspective about what is really important and what really matters in this life that we've been given.

I hug my children tighter today. I kiss them often. I sit and hold them instead of tackling the list of chores that sits on my counter. I rejoice in their smiles, giggles, and kisses.

I savor the long hugs from my husband and enjoy the warmth of his arms and the gift of his companionship.

I think about all of the people in my life that I am blessed to know. People to love. People that love me.

Blessed.

Blessed.

Blessed.

Thank you Jesus for all that you have given to me. Completely undeserving am I, but I thank you.

Psalm 145

I will exalt you, my God the King;I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty — and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They tell of the power of your awesome works — and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate,slow to anger and rich in love.

The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All your works praise you, LORD; your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.

Day 23: I'm Thankful For...

...Chris's parents.

Doug and Linda (Pop and MawMaw) are such incredible people.

I am blessed to call them my second mom and dad, and grandparents to our three children.

They are so good to us, to Ethan, Grayson, and Adelyn, and to so many others that surround them and are blessed to know them.

I have truly been so fortunate to have them be a part of my life.

Day 22: I'm Thankful For...

...my daughter (who I can dress up in outfits her Mama wore!)

Adelyn at 2 months

Me at 2 months

Me at 3 months

Adelyn at nearly 3 months

Day 21: I'm Thankful For...

...incredible parents.

I have seriously been blessed with two of the most incredible people to call Mom and Dad and I am so thankful for them, their guidance, and their love in my life.

Day 20: I'm Thankful For...

...quiet Saturdays spent at home together.

I love days where there is no agenda, no where we have to be, no where we have to go.

Often times growing up we had completely quiet Saturdays spent at home together with my parents and brothers. I grew to love being home with my family on the weekends, just playing, relaxing, and spending quality time together.

It remains true to this day. I love being home and truly just soaking up this time. I hope to pass those same feelings on to my children.

Day 19: I'm Thankful For...

(whoops! Late on this one!)

...this time of year.

I love Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the time in between!

There is just something about this time of year that is so cozy and comforting. I love transforming our home, playing Christmas music, do some Christmas baking, and just enjoy making memories with my family and friends.

Day 18: I'm Thankful For...

life itself!

Day 17: I'm Thankful For...

...my friendships.

When I think back over the years of my life and the people I have met - I have been so very blessed. I have had many friendships that have come and gone. Some that have lasted just for a season, and looking back now I realize what a gift they were to me during that time.

I think back to some of my very first friends (besides my brothers of course!). I truly had my first best friend in 1st grade. Her name was April. We became fast friends and loved spending time together. It was hard on both of us when I moved away after third grade. We kept in touch for a couple years after I moved, but eventually lost touch. We, in just the past few years, have reconnected over Facebook again!

My cousins Ann and Lia were also two of my very best friends growing up. They were, and still are, very very special people in my life. We were inseparable and I have so many incredible memories of our lives together. They both shared the role of maid-of-honor in our wedding.

And since that time of childhood I have made and kept some pretty awesome friendships from college, and now many dear people through my work, church, and just life!

There was a time in my life where I really struggled with wanting every single friendship of mine to be a deep and meaningful friendship. I wanted everyone to be my very best friend and put all that I had in to trying to make sure everyone was! Whew! It was exhausting....and completely impossible!

A couple of years ago I read the book "Captivating" and I remember the author talking about how friendships were like a target. The center of the target is very small - this is like your very dear and best friendships. She said that it is truly not even possible to have more than 1, 2, or at the most 3 extremely close friendships. From there the levels of friendships continue to go out. You have some friendships that are close, but perhaps just not on that extremely deep level. At the largest point on the target you have friendships that are more like acquaintances. You may be pretty comfortable with them. They may know about your family, your hobbies, your personality, you may laugh with them...but they may not really know you, or you them, at that deep level.

This was so freeing for me to read! I felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders when I could just rest and enjoy where my friendships were. I didn't have to try so hard to have 535 best friends! :) I have always said that the friendships that I love are those that don't require a lot of work. By that I mean those people that you don't talk to for a few days, weeks, or months at a time - but yet when you do reconnect it's like no time was ever lost. You don't feel this pressure of having to call daily or the friendship will waiver. That has been a blessing with so many in my life.

As a mother now I just don't have the time either to invest in friendships like I used to. I'm not able to go out for lunch, dinner, or a movie as frequently as I once was. However, I am thankful for those in my life that understand that and those that are in the same boat as me! I am also so thankful for those opportunities that do arise now when I do get to sneak out of the house and have that time for myself. It is so good for me!

The friendships I have are so refreshing to my soul. Friendships that help me to clear my head and keep me focused on the things that really matter.

I am so thankful for all of you in my life dear friends!

Day 16: I'm Thankful For...

...our church and church family.

We have been members for over five years now and we l.o.v.e. our church. It is sad that we will soon be moving away from here and will need to find a new place to call our church home. I truly hope and pray that we can find a place that is so full of life and love as this one.

We have met many amazing people over these past few years - many that will be friends for life.

We have changed and grown a lot since first stepping through those doors.

I do regret that since having children our involvement has cut back significantly, but physically it is just hard to do much more with three small children and living a half hour away.

I know that whenever we come back and visit this area we will be visitors back there again.

Day 15: I'm Thankful For...

...the fact that a month from today our little miracle babies will be turning 2!

I find it so astonishing to see them already at this age. Growing, changing, forming right before our eyes.

Our lives will never be the same after these two precious little boys came in to our world.

I am over the moon, completely crazy, enamoured, astounded, in awe, and smitten with my two little mini men.

Thankful just doesn't even describe it.

Day 14: I'm Thankful For...

...a mother who is still alive!

Yesterday my Mom called me and told me that she and my aunt had nearly been in a head-on-collision just minutes earlier.

It was a rainy, foggy day in Minnesota and the two of them were out shopping together. On their way home they came up on a semi that was moving too slowly for their crazy women tastes, so they decided to pass it.

They were right beside the semi when out of the fog appeared a car, about 50 feet away, headed straight for my Mom and Aunt Melody. There was nothing that they could do. They were completely trapped.

They both yelled the name of Jesus out loud, and somehow, only by a miracle, did they make it through untouched!

They looked in their rear view mirror and saw that the car had stayed on the road as well and had not gone in the ditch. Somehow the semi and two vehicles all shared that road at the same time and no car was hit!

I am SO thankful that my Mom was able to call me (as she was driving home! Get your hands on the wheel Mother :)!) just a few minutes later and tell me this story herself. I am SO thankful that it wasn't her time to go.

Day 13: I'm Thankful For...

this little puppy dog of mine, also known as Ethan who loves to run up to me, hold his arms up, and say "Hold you Mommy. Hold you!"

Day 12: I'm Thankful For...

an impromptu afternoon nap with my little girl on my chest.

Before we drifted off to sleep together my mind thought through the list of things I should be checking off instead. But I just closed my eyes and enjoyed that special time that passes all too quickly.

A Fall Day With My Brother...

Grayson

Ethan

A big kiss! I asked them to do this and they obliged! I love how Grayson is eyeing the camera!

Ethan

Grayson

Grayson left, Ethan right

Day 11: I'm Thankful For...

My Family!

(There are SO many more people than this in my extended family - but these are all the pics I could scrounge up for this post! You know you're loved!)

Day 10: I'm Thankful For...

...the stupid sense of humor I have that makes movies like the following hilarious!

But Jack Handey quotes are the best of them all! A few of my favorites:

"Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny." — Jack Handey (Deep Thoughts)

"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kinda scary. I've wondered where this started, and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my dad." — Jack Handey (Deep Thoughts)

"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes." — Jack Handey

"A funny thing is if you're out hiking and your friend gets bit by a poisonous snake, tell him you're going for help, then go about ten feet and pretend YOU got bit by a snake. Then start an argument about who's going to get help. A lot of guys will start crying. That's why it makes you feel good when you tell them it was just a joke." — Jack Handey (Deep Thoughts)

"If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is ‘God is crying’. And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is ‘Probably because of something you did’." — Jack Handey

"If I was being executed by injection, I'd clean up my cell real neat. hen, when they came to get me, I'd say, "Injection? I thought you said 'inspection.'" They'd probably feel real bad, and maybe I could get out of it." — Jack Handey

"If you're in a war, instead of throwing a hand grenade at the enemy, throw one of those small pumpkins. Maybe it'll make everyone think how stupid war is...and while they are thinking, you can throw a real grenade at them." — Jack Handey

Okay - I'm done. I promise! I could go all day with those! Hahahahahaha!!!

They Fought The Law...

and we all know who won that battle!

The update when it comes to Operation BeddyBye is this...

nothing!

Ever since the one episode when Grayson made the great escape from his crib, it has not happened again (yet!). After that day I spoke with both boys and they haven't attempted it again yet. We too are firm believers in asking something just one time and expecting the boys to listen (This is definitely something we are working on a lot right now as they are exploring their boundaries and testing out their independence a little bit).

Part of me is really excited and ready to break them out in to big boy beds. I want to take them out shopping when the day does come to have them help pick out their bedding and make it a big deal and let them be a part of it.

However...we have decided to let the sleeping giant (s!) lie! As long as they are still zonking out at 7 and waking up at 7 without a cry or a battle - we are going to keep it that way for as long as possible!

We'll see how it all plays out. We are entering a new phase where Ethan and Grayson are really passing in to little boyhood. The baby days are leaving them behind and it is an exciting (yet sad!) ride.

We do however want to move them in to beds either here before we move, or wait awhile after we get settled somewhere. I had originally thought we would just start them out in beds when we moved to our new home - but I think that may be change overload and be too hard on the boys (and me!).

Day 9: I'm Thankful For...

an evening out to get refreshed. Visiting with friends, playing games, and cuddling my daughter for a few hours straight. Exactly what I needed.