Outplayed

On the day I married Michael, it was a package deal. I was blessed with finally having not just one but two sisters, and let me tell you, they are both pretty incredible by anyone's standards. They have hearts the size of Texas, and are constantly showering love on the kids and me.

We are at the beach with them right now, and Katie whipped out a blow-up Nemo swimming pool to put on the deck for the kids. You can only imagine the excitement level when Mae and Whitt saw it. We are talking eyes the size of saucers, mouths to the floor, arms waving wildly, legs jumping up and down excitement. Did I mention the pool has a blow-up slide with a little fountain at the top!?!!

Lauren admitted that she had gone all over the place looking for something that could top the Nemo pool, but to no avail.

Sorry, Lauren and Austin. Katie and David outplayed you this time.

Seriously, how blessed are my kids to have these guys!

Rainy Day Perfection

So, the kids and I are at the beach with my in-laws. Yesterday, after a full morning running all over the beach enjoying the sunshine. The rain came, just in time for lunch and naps. Is there anything better than a nice long nap on a rainy day at the beach !?!

The rain continued into the afternoon, but that didn't stop us. Randi, my mother-in-law's best friend, had brought Whitt bubble mix complete with a shark (yes, shark) wand. Now, a side note on Randi: she is one of those people with a sunny, peaceful, and naturally calming presence that is absolutely contagious to everyone around her. You can just feel yourself relax when you are with her, and I have a feeling that she and her husband Doug have never met a stranger. But back to the afternoon, Randi added water to the mix and we headed out to the deck where it was nice and windy. It was an explosion of bubbles and sheer joy! My heart swooned as I watched my little boy with his super long curls (I just can't bring myself to cut them) and sparkling clear blue eyes delight in each and every bubble. He had full on machine gun giggles (you know the fast high-pitched kind, one giggle right after the other). The kind of laughter you hear, and then you catch it and can't stop laughing either. It was one of those moments where I just wanted to push pause, where I selfishly wanted my boy to stay just like that forever. One of those moments of perfection that gives us a glimpse of what Heaven will be like.

Little Mommy

Here are a few Mae quotes just from the past two days: I missed a turn while driving. Mae from the backseat, "Oh, that is alright, Mommy! We all make mistakes, and that was really no big deal. I wouldn't even call it a mistake." Bruce had to get his twelve month shots yesterday. First shot (TB in the arm), Bruce didn't cry. Mae, "Wow, Brucie you are such a big, BRAVE boy!!! You make me so proud." Bruce then has to get two shots in his leg. Mae waving his bunny in his face wildly says, "It will just take a second. You will barely feel it, BIG guy! It will help you not get sick. Look at your bunny! I love you." Dr. Catherine, nurse Nikita, and I decided that I didn't even need to be there. Mae had it all under control. Enjoying watermelon juice at Los Tortugas as a post doctor office treat, Mae looks at Bruce, "You are such a cuddly munchkin! I could just eat you up!!!" On a walk around the block after dinner, Whitt races ahead wildly on his Lightning McQueen ride-on. Mae yells, "RED LIGHT!!! Whitt you need to STOP." When she catches up to him, she continues, "It isn't safe for you to be that far away from us. Please listen!" And for the grand finale: Tonight as JJ and Pops got up to leave after dinner, JJ says to Mae and Whitt, "I love you. Be good for Mommy, please." (Daddy was tied up at work) Mae looks back at JJ and says in her best little mommy voice, "JJ, be good to Popsy! And, be good to yourself, OK!?!" From the mouths of babes, I swear she is a better mommy than I am sometimes, and for the record, I could just eat her up!

Well worth the wait....

A little over a year ago, I had just completed five long weeks of being in the bed/ sofa/ chaise lounge making sure our precious baby boy stayed safely inside his home (ie: me) long enough. When the process first started unfolding and I was on moderate bedrest, I prayed continually for God to bring me peace, to take away my my constant worries and fears. I felt pulled in so many directions. On one hand, I wanted to and needed to do whatever it took to keep our unborn baby safe, but I also wanted to continue to be the mother I had been to Mae and Whitt. I remember looking at my mom during a meltdown, tears streaming down my face saying, "If I can't continue to take care of and be with Mae and Whitt, I just want this baby to go ahead and come." (I was only 32 weeks at the time). A couple of days later as I was driving myself home from the doctors office, I unleashed on my heavenly Father, asking Him where he was, yelling that I needed Him. I felt no peace; I couldn't feel Him; I felt abandoned. Then full bedrest came, and as He "knit" our baby boy's innermost being, He was also leading me and teaching me to be a different type of mother. I didn't cease to be Mae and Whitt's mother when my abilities to "move" and "do" were taken away like I feared. He was faithful to me, and strengthened those bonds. I saw Him at work in my man, guiding Michael as he took on the the extra strain of balancing work with a whole new load of responsibilities at home. As we leaned into the love and support that our friends and family showered us with, we saw our God in each of you. He carried my family and I the entire time (even when I acted like a petulant child shaking my fists at Him). And, one year ago today He delivered sweet Bruce into our hands. On that day as I looked at our new baby boy, I was overwhelmed by God's extravagant grace for us, His astonding provision. Earlier in the pregnancy when we found out we were having another boy, I wondered if I was going to be able to love this second boy as much as my first. I was never concerned with the first two, one was a girl and one was a boy. I knew the relationships would each be unique, but another boy. It didn't seem possible. Looking back now, I know how ridiculous that fear is. Somehow miraculously, your heart just grows to accomodate all that love. I don't know how, but it just does. And, let me tell you, this child of ours is ADDICTIVE!!! I look at him and I see complete perfection. He is joy and sweetness, everything that is good (and, with red-hair to boot). I am humbled to the point of tears when I think that God chose me to be his mother. Happy Birthday, beautiful, beautiful boy!!! What a wonderful year you have given us!