The kids & I spent Thanksgiving with my family this year.  We went to my uncle’s  home in Indiana & had a great time.  My mom & Uncle Bob cooked up quite the feast!!

Adam has been battling kidney stones, so he decided it would be best to stay home.  The last thing you want to do is be “up” when you’re hurting.  I’ve heard that kidney stones are worse than labor – poor guy!!  He felt a lot better today, so hopefully the stone will pass soon.

Since Adam missed out on turkey dinner, I made him a belated Thanksgiving dinner last night.  I prepared my very first turkey.  I have to say…pulling out the bird’s innards & neck was completely disgusting & goes to show you how far I’ll go for my man!  The dinner was supposed to be a surprise, but when the turkey aroma began filling the house, Adam became suspicious.  I made all his favorite sides – we had WAY too much food for just the five of us.

We also decked the house out with our Christmas decorations.  I put up four trees this weekend!  We have our main tree in our living room & the kids each have a tree for their bedroom.  Suddenly, they’re looking forward to bedtime.  They love falling asleep looking at the colorful lights.  I’m almost finished decorating – I just have to put out a few more knick knacks.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

When I think about all I have to be thankful for, I am truly overwhelmed.  My husband, my children, our family, friends, health, home, church, jobs, food – I could go on & on!  The prayer that is on my heart this morning is inspired by our latest series at church…”A Life on Loan.”

Lord, thank you for everything.  For all the joy, laughter & love in my life – it does my soul wonders.  For all the trials – I know you are refining me to make me more like You.  For dying for me, so I may one day share eternity with You – even though I don’t deserve it.  Help me to be a good steward with all the things You have loaned me in this life.  And may I live in such a way, to bring honor to Your Name.  Amen.

I hope you have a wonderful day.  Love to you all!!

Grady loves picture books.

I’ll point at a picture & he’ll gleefully yell out what it is.

He’s got down the basics…apple, ball, truck, baby, strawberry (his favorite!).

It’s funny to hear him say the ones he doesn’t know.  He just goes “naaa.”

Last night, he was looking through one of Ava’s Disney Princess coloring books.

He came running over, pointed to this picture of Princess Jasmine & said,

“Ma Ma!”

So, you took the risk & said the hard thing to a friend or loved one.  They didn’t take it too well & now you have a strained relationship.

Now what?

I got an email the other day from a person where the above scenario happened & they asked:

“So, I guess my question is what happens next or what’s the next step?  I’m really becoming guarded on sharing anything or saying the hard thing.“

I shared a few of my thoughts in a response by email & asked their permission to post their question.  I bet this has happened before to other people & I’m hoping we’ll be able to grow with each other.

First of all, as scary as saying the hard thing can be, I wouldn’t let your fear deter you from speaking what’s right.  Check your motives. Remember, saying the hard thing comes from an outpouring of love, not from a desire to control or manipulate.  Pray about it & if you feel convicted to share what’s on your heart, then follow through.

If you’re debating on saying the “hard thing,” I’d encourage you to consider a few circumstances:

Was it a one time occurance?

We all slip up from time to time & say things we shouldn’t have or do things against our better judgment.  If you think the person probably had a bad moment then I would encourage you to extend some grace there & let it go.

However, if you notice a pattern of behavior that is harmful or hurtful to themselves or others, then you’re going to need to go down that road with them.

Did they ask your opinion?

If they did, then you need to be honest with them.  If they are asking you in the first place then there is a level of trust & respect that you should honor.  It can be tempting to just tell someone what they want to hear.  I’ve done this before & I regret some of the times I did.  If you’re just responding so they’ll feel good about themselves then you really haven’t helped them.  In fact, you probably only validated or justified (in their eyes) their harmful behavior.

If you said the hard thing & now have a broken relationship, then I’d encourage you to reach out.  If you were willing to take the chance to say it in the first place, then the relationship should be worth it.

Ask them was it what you said or how you said it.

If it was what you said, then talk with them more.  Do they disagree with you?  If yes, then use examples to explain the behavior you’ve noticed.  Be specific.  But be gentle.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

I shared before that I used to get defensive (and still do sometimes) when I hear the hard thing.  It’s hard!  There is a part of me that is ashamed when someone else points out something ugly about me that deep down I knew about myself.  It’s embarrassing when you realize that someone else sees it too.

So, give them a little time & a little space.  You reached out.  They may need to do some wrestling with themselves about what you said.

If it was how you said it, then let them explain their position & encourage them to share their feelings.  Be sure to do a lot of listening & less talking here.  We take things wrong all the time & sometimes our message gets lost in translation.  You may have said the hard thing as kindly as you could & they may tell you, you sounded like a self-righteous know-it-all.  I wouldn’t advise getting all tangled up with this.  There is no point in getting into an argument over how a person should feel.  Assure them that you love them.  That’s why you said the hard thing in the first place! Remind them of the lovable things about them.  Hopefully, you’ll be able to restore your relationship.

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

Grady & I are headed to the doctor’s office this afternoon.

Why???

Because last Thursday we spent the entire afternoon in the ER while he got stitches in his leg.  I don’t get.  I don’t get it.  I don’t get it. I can’t figure out if he’s just incredibly accident prone, clumsy, oblivious or what.  He is constantly running into things!  Adam has now nicknamed our boy “Bruiser.”

(which is better than Scooter.  Have I told you the Scooter story yet? )

Anyway…

I took off last Thursday, so I could get all my errands done for the boys’ birthday party.  I was getting ready in our bedroom while Grady was playing in the sitting room attached to our bedroom.  All of a sudden, he came running over crying, “oww-eeee!  oww-eee!”  I picked him up & when I looked down there was blood all over the floor.  I discovered a cut on his shin that was split wide open.  Ava & Garrett were already at school & Adam was in a meeting, so it was just us.  I knew there was no way I could pull the wound together with a bandaid.  So, I cut up some rags to tie around his leg in hopes of controlling the bleeding & we made our way to the hospital.

On the way, I tried calling Adam.  I knew we wouldn’t be home in time to get Garrett off the bus, so I needed him to come home.  We have a rule where if it’s an emergency, I’m supposed to call & then text so he know’s to interrupt his meeting.  Well, he got notification of my calls, but the text didn’t go through right away.  In fact, he joked with his clients that he knows it’s only serious when I text.  No sooner had he said that when my text came through & he called right away.

We were in the ER for a few hours & Grady howled the entire time.  I swear, he must have some vocal cords of steel because I’m floored he didn’t go hoarse.  And he’s strong!  It took four of us to told him down while the doctor stitched his leg – and he was papoosed.  He screamed & writhed every time she inserted the hook.  She only used a topical to numb him instead of an actual injection.  Looking back, I wish I would have questioned her & asked if there was something more they could do to try to settle him down.  The stitching went fairly quickly though & thankfully, he only needed 6 stitches.

I will never get used to hearing my kids cry in pain.  I had to literally lay over Grady to hold him down when they cleaned his wound, took x-rays & stitched him up.  And he doesn’t understand, you know?  He’s probably wondering why I am holding him down instead of picking him up & holding him close.  It doesn’t matter how much I try to soothe him with my voice; when he is hurting nothing helps.  And it’s so frustrating when I know I can’t help my hurting child.  I feel so powerless in those situations & just wish I could do something more to make them feel better.

So, today he gets his stitches removed.

How about it Grady?  Let’s see if we can make it through the rest of the year accident free!

Last year Garrett howled when we all sang “Happy Birthday.”

Just check him out this year…

He loved it!

We celebrated the boys’ birthday this past weekend & had a great time.  They loved having family around, opening presents & eating cake.  We also shared the day with our cousin, Breanna, who celebrated her birthday last week too!

We went with a Scooby-Doo theme this year.  It’s one of their favorite cartoons, so they got a kick out of having Scooby balloons & decoration.

The boys’ received such nice gifts & even Ava had a few special things to open.  They got new clothes, trains, lots of fun toys, Wall-E, Bionicles & a little power motorcycle (they’ve been driving that all over the main floor!).

And speaking of birthdays…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT MARY!!!!

You are such a dear aunt & we love you so much.  I hope you have a wonderful day!!!

Happy Birthday Garrett Adam David!!

Today, Garrett turns 4 years old.  I can’t believe it!  I was buying a card for him last night & the number 4 just looked so wrong.  I kept thinking, “Really? 4 years old?”

Garrett was born on a Sunday afternoon at 2:14 pm.  His middle names are in honor of his daddy & my dad, Dave.  I wanted to name him Christopher Robin.  My middle name is Christine & I’ve always loved Classic Pooh.  Adam overruled that one…which was probably a good thing.  Funny, what pregnancy will do to one’s judgment.  As it would turn out though, Garrett’s most treasured item is his Pooh Bear & he’s always has him by his side.

Garrett has been telling people that his birthday is “on Tuesday” since September.  I don’t know what the fascination with Tuesday is, especially since his birthday falls on a Friday.  It’s been so much fun counting down the days with him.  He’s really getting into the whole birthday thing this year.  He has been telling Adam & I that he wants the “green bionicorns (bionicles)” for quite a while now.  In fact, it’s the only thing he asked for!  I was having visions of the stores running out of the green ones (a la “Jingle All the Way”), so we bought them almost a month ago.

Garrett is my happy-go-lucky boy.  He has a sweetness about him that makes you just want to hug him.  Garrett is also quite the determined little fellow.  He knows what he wants & he’ll do what he can to get it.  He also has a mischievous streak in him.  Not quite as much as his brother, but it’s there.  I get nervous when I think about the two of them teaming up sometimes!

Garrett, my prayer for you is that you’ll always be tenderhearted.  You are such a lovable little boy & have been a cuddle bug since you were a baby.  You are so sweet to other people.  God’s love shines through you especially when you are kind to others.  Your daddy & I are so proud of you & we love you very much!

Happy Birthday Big Guy!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Yep, that’s right…Garrett & my mom share the same special day!  I constantly tease my siblings that I gave Mom the BEST 50th birthday present ever – her first grandson. Well, Lindsay gets the gold star this year.  Now that she lives in Texas, we don’t see her as much as we’d hope.  But, she flew in last night to surprise Mom for her birthday.  So, she’ll also get to be here for the boys’ family birthday party this weekend.  Way to go Aunt lele!!

I’ve had friends come & go in my life, but my mom has always stood by my side.  Which is why she stood next to me on Adam & my wedding day not only as my mom, but as my Matron of Honor.  And, she got to share that place with my sister, who was my Maid of Honor.

My mom is one of the most generous people you’ll ever meet.  She is constantly thinking about ways to help people & will bend over backwards for others, especially her family.  She is continually giving to my kids.  In fact, Ava has a closet full of frilly dresses thanks to Mom!

Lately, the boys have been fighting over who gets to call Grandma Bev.  Garrett asks to go to her house every day & Grady…well, Grady’s been known to leave her quite a few messages full of babble & peppered with lots of “Hi Hieeeee!”

Mom, you are such a blessing to all of us.  Adam & I constantly look to you & Dad as role models.  We appreciate your devotion to those you love & the way you live out the importance of family.

My mom is the picture-taker-extraordinaire.  She has captured so many wonderful moments with her camera, so I put in a few extra pics of her as a special tribute.

Happy Birthday!!

We love you!

Before going to bed last night, Ava said she & Garrett had a surprise for me in the morning.  I told her I couldn’t wait & kissed her goodnight.  As I was leaving, she said, “Garrett’s job is to wake you up.”

I thought that was odd.  I’m always downstairs before the kids get up.  So, I asked her, “What if I get up before you?”

Oh my goodness!  Tears filled her eyes quickly.  She had this perfect little plan all worked out, but realized she forgot one small (albeit important) detail.  I quickly reassured her, “Don’t worry, if I get up before you, I’ll make sure I stay in bed until you guys come get me.”

Yesterday, Ava slept until 10 am (I love afternoon kindergarten!).  So, I had no idea how long I’d be in our bedroom.  Today, my little munchkins were up at 6:30!!!

I could hear them rumaging around in the kitchen, & pulling chairs across the floor.  The kids eventually came to get us (Adam got to work from home this morning, so he got to share in the surprise) and we came down to…

They made breakfast!

At first, I was a little nervous because there were three salami sandwiches in the stack.  How was I going to tell them I couldn’t eat what they worked so hard to make?  But the bottom one was just cheese.  Got a few carrots too & a tall glass of good ol’ Sunny D.

It was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had.

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”

Henry Ward Beecher

Well, it’s started.

As soon as the weather turns colder, I start to move faster & before I know it, I get caught up in the “hustle & bustle” dance pretty quickly.

While running errands, we’ll trot from the parking lot to the store.  While in the store, we’ll dash around to quickly gather all we need before scurrying back to the car.

My thoughts start to race too.  I go over lists of things that need to be done at home or for work.  Birthday parties need to be planned, our Christmas budget needs to be figured out & I have a pile of the kids’ school papers to sort through.

Chores need to be done & I have this terrible habit of starting something, but then getting distracted by something else that needs to be done.  I can start out in the kitchen doing dishes.  Then I’ll think I should really start a load of laundry, so I can do other things while the washer is running.  So I’ll go upstairs to grab a load.  Then, I realize it’s time for the boys nebulizer treatment, so I leave the pile on the floor & go take care of them.  Oh yeah, and be sure to add to the mix the occasional Grady disaster…see yesterday’s post. 

So, I basically end up starting lots of things, with the intention of accomplishing much.  But, never quite getting there.  Seriously, there are times when I’ll look around & wonder where my day went.  I know I did a lot, but it never looks that way because nothing was ever fully completed.

This morning I was getting ready to toss in a load of laundry, when Garrett called out, “Mommy, will you sit with me?”

I responded with my typical, “Hold on a sec,” but then literally stopped mid-task.

He’s never asked me to sit with him before.

All of a sudden, it was like time stopped for a moment.  You see, this past Sunday, we learned that we need to pay attention at the various intersections of life & the choices we make. And in the midst of all the busyness that was my morning, I knew that in this particular moment, no task was more important then spending time sitting with my son.

Well, he wanted to show me the WalMart Christmas catalogue that recently came in the mail.  So, we flipped through the pages while he repeated, “Can I have this one for Christmas?” for practically every object (even things he had no idea what they were…).  But, regardless, we spent that moment together & I hope I was able to show him how important he is to me.

We finished looking at the pages & I went back to the laundry.  Actually, I got quite a few things accomplished this morning.  When I took the time to slow down, I found I could better organize my time.

It is so easy for me to brush over potentially priceless moments because of the distractions caused by busyness.  I need to do a better job slowing down.

Thank you God for this reminder today.

Kevin & Heather celebrate their 1st Anniversary today!!

Congrats you guys!

Lots of love to both of you!