Playing in the rain!

Yes, the rain after school made his day better!  You should have seen us walking from school to the car.  Jack was SOOO excited that we could use the umbrella (his new favorite thing.  He begged me to leave it in his book bag at school!), and he REALLY wanted to be the one to hold it over our heads.  So, I was holding Sam, squatting down to Jack’s level, and trying to avoid the puddles in my heels.  I got a great leg workout, Jack was thrilled, and we were all kind of dry!  And all Jack wanted to do when we got home was put on his boots, with no concern for them being on the correct feet!, and go outside.  I love, LOVE that simple things like this make him so happy!  SPLASH!

An interview with our three-year-old

You’ve seen these Mother’s Day interviews, and if you have school-aged kids, you probably have your own!  The answers are always great, so I thought I’d try it with Jack! M: How old am I?
J:  31.  (He got that right because we had just talked about it.  He’s three and I’m three with a one beside it, and you say that like 31.)

M: How tall am I?
J:  Tell me.  Wait, I’ll go get my measure and measure you.  Gets it, measures me, and says, You’re 14.

M: What color is my hair?
J:  I don’t know.  But I’ll pretend it’s pink.  Ask me that again.
M:  What color is my hair?
J: It’s pink.  Hahahahaha!

M:  What’s your favorite thing to do with mommy?
J:  Go on adventures.  That’s cool, right?

M:  What makes me laugh?
J:  I smell hamburgers!  (His go-to joke!!)

M:  What makes me upset?
J:  Whispering-Stupid.  We don’t say that word, mommy.  I put all my stupids in the attic.  And we don’t say poop, either.

M:  What do you love about me?
J:  I love that you’re married.

M:  How do you know I love you?
J:  You cuddle me.

M: What is your favorite thing that I tell you?
J:  Well, I really like daddy’s stories.

M:  What’s your favorite thing I make for you?
J:  Dessert

M:  I love you SO, SO much, buddy!
J:  I love you, too, mommy!  hugs me BIG! I give the best hugs, right?
M:  Right, my sweet, sweet boy!!

M:  Who loves you the most?
J:  Jesus

I’m totally doing more interviews like this.  I just love what he has to say.  I want to follow him with a tape recorder, but writing it on the blog with suffice-as long as I write it!

Bath time!

These two LOVE bath time!  They could play in there forever.  And Jack could definitely stay in there long enough to watch all of Toy Story 2!  (Yes, we let him stay in there that long, and he loved every minute of that treat!  He had quite the pruney hands when he got out!) Yes, even with Jack spitting water on Sam, they still love bath time!

And who doesn’t love a squeaky clean babe all snuggly, smellin’ good, and ready for stories?!?!  Bath time’s fun!

Mother’s Day and a VERY SPECIAL birthday!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear mamma!  Happy birthday to you!!!!  I hope your 60th birthday is one of the best yet!  And a very happy Mother’s Day to you, too!  You’re such an example to me and I’m so thankful for that!

making my 3rd birthday cake with my beautiful mama!

After church, the Thomases joined us for a yummy lunch and then came back to the house to play for a short bit.  Happy Mother’s Day, Mrs. Thomas!! It’s Rebecca’s birthday today, too!  She shares a birthday with my mamma-I knew I liked her!  We’re so glad that you spent some of your special day with us and hope you have a great week at the beach!  Happy birthday, Rebecca! These little boys and their daddy gave me the BEST Mother’s Day cards-exactly what I wanted!  I’m such a card person (and Mark’s not, so it’s even more special to me when I get FOUR for one occasion!  He knows how to make me feel loved!), and they were all so sweet and fun!  Jack liked one of the cards from him and Sam so much that he took it and is keeping it in his tool box-along with a few of his other current favorite toys!  My heart bursts each time he takes it out to look at it!  Maybe he’ll be a card person, too?!

It was the perfect Mother’s Day.  I’m so blessed.

On being their mom

I get all mushy when I think about being able to celebrate Mother’s Day as a mamma.  Wow-what a blessing our children are!  I learn so much from them and am so thankful for this calling unlike any other!  My boys-all three of them!-make me want to be more intentional, more present, more loving, more patient, just a better me for them.  I love them so much. One of my favorite bloggers wrote about motherhood here, and I just love everything she had to say.  She said, “I have discovered that motherhood joy is most often found in the small moments. Not the monumental ones.”  Boys, I love all the small moments with you.  You bring me a joy I can’t put into words. She also mentioned this quote, and I LOVE it.  I’m so blessed by the interruptions these boys bring.

INTERRUPTIONS
"When you are exasperated by interruptions, try to remember that their very frequency may indicate the value of your life. Only people who are full of help and strength are burdened by other persons' needs. The interruptions which we chafe at are the credentials of our indispensability. The greatest condemnation that anybody could incur - and it is a danger to guard against - is to be so independent, so unhelpful, that nobody ever interrupts us, and we are left comfortably alone."
-Anonymous
from The Anglican Digest

And because Shawni really does say it best and writes so beautifully exactly what I’d like to say, “In my mind there is nothing quite so good as to be a Mother…the one who is interrupted the most. And I must cherish those moments of interruptions while they last. Because before I know it these children will grow up and leave off to create their own stories, and I'll be left with just the memories of all those life-enriching interruptions echoing through my house.”

Jack and Sam, and all my babies-I love you, I love you, I love you.  Being your mamma fills my heart in amazing ways.  Of course at times it’s a hard job, but it’s the best job in the world and I’m beyond grateful that God chose me for you!

Sweet Cousins!

The best one of the four of them- and here’s what most of them looked like! Our sweet boys!

Sunday supper

Mark cooked up a yummy Low Country Boil for supper, but before he could do that, Jack had to clean the new pot.  That face looks like he’s protesting, but any reason to turn on the hose, and he’s in! Sam kept an eye on Jack’s work, but was happier to play on the John Deere than with the water. While daddy was busy manning the boil, our two Yankee Doodle Dandies marched around waving the Grand Ole Flag! Uncle Doug and Miss Rebecca came for dinner, and they’re always fun!Sam gave daddy some pointers, Jack played with the water, and then it was time to eat!  This was Jack’s first time eating shrimp.  Once Mark taught him to pull off the tails, they clinked shrimp, and he loved them! We had a great night!