Yesterday??

Wasn't it just yesterday I took this picture?



Last night after hearing of a tragic accident taking the life of a young, young boy, I went in and laid with each of my boys while they slept, held them and prayed over them. Oh, how I prayed. I prayed for protection over our household but more than anything I prayed that God would use this inadequate girl to help those sweet things fulfill their God-given destiny.

I hope the next 2 years doesn't go as fast as the last 2...

Parenting 101

Parenting is not for the weak...well or should I say, attempting to parent intentionally and positively is not for the weak. It is *WAY* harder than I ever imagined to see consequences all the way through. We try but dang it when they return from slightly-possessed-tantrum-throwing-heathens to those sweet yet slightly ornery little boys we love minutes later, it's not easy.

Yet, tonight, one of our boys is sleeping in his room with no sheets of any sort, no blanket, no pillow, no pillow pet, no lovey, no special lovey, no NOTHING. He's got a mattress protector. He had an exponentially better evening so he was allowed to choose one item, his horsey, to go to bed. Blech...it stunk to walk out of that room tonight to a little boy who was all smiles, blowing kisses and telling us he loved us to the moon and back all the while missing all his normal "comforts".

BUT, I guess we've been entrusted with this privilege...even when it's tough. *sigh* Parenting was SO MUCH EASIER before I had kids!!

A belated summer post

Boys doing their first pedal-pull competition...I think their daddy might've been more excited than they were!!









Please note Jorden's safety glasses and koozie "protection" on his arm...you just never know when they might come in handy, right?

Random Thoughts from the KSU game

*A W is a W. Amen?
*Nothing screams "we are here to parrrrr-tay" like rolling into the stadium/parking lot with windows rolled down and a Veggie Tales CD blaring!
*I love that my husband said in response to the above comment, "I wouldn't want to be here any other way!"
*I love old men that wear shorty shorts. And, I mean SHORTY shorts.
*Speaking of shorts, girls, if the lining from your front pockets sticks out below your jean short hem, then your SHORTS ARE TOO SHORT!
*No words can quite explain that feeling of the first game, stadium packed, pregame fanfare going on...it just feels like home.
*By the grace of God, we made it through our first full KSU game with 3 kids...and no meltdowns (parents included!).
*I love looking down our bleachers seeing our sweet friends from Pratt and college friends with 3 young kids, too...makes me smile to see the next generation of Wildcats!! "Loyal to thee thy children will swell thy cry...hail, hail, hail Alma Mater" takes on a whole new meaning!
*What is up with inflated prices at the concession this year? Seriously, $4 for a bottle of Gatorade??? That's 400% mark-up! C'mon, I thought this was a 'family reunion'!!
*Nothing confirms how far away from our college days we are like walking past the grassy area just beyond the East parking lot. Am I right fellow K-Staters??

GO CATS!!

Wow...

The boys have been fighting with each other a LOT...especially over toys. At the peak of it a few days ago, Jereme and I decided that perhaps the boys needed to feel the sting of giving away some toys. We didn't ask them to give away new toys or special toys but go through ALL of our stuff and decide on what things really don't get played with (AKA thrown across the room, used as weapons, etc) and give them to someone who needs them.

Um, so two days later, we have filled 4 diaper boxes of toys. We also filled a trash sack with broken toys, ripped pages/books, etc. Then, we put all the Lincoln Logs (minus a "gun" or two for Isaac as some of you know!) and small farm stuff in their own boxes to get out and play with as quiet activities. You got all that?? Again, 4 boxes, 1 trash sack and 2 boxes set aside for special play time. You.can.not.tell.one.bit.of.difference.

Incredible. I'm embarrassed about how much 'stuff' our kids have! And, their parents, too.

And, another wow...tomorrow marks the start of our 11th season as ALUMNI (alumnus?) season ticket holders for KSU. That truly doesn't seem possible either. Funny how previously, we'd get there AS SOON as the gates opened so we could maximize our tailgating time. 11 years and 3 kids later, we try to time it to the second...how long prior to the game can we be there that will allow for a little fun but not too much fun so we can make it through most of the game with the least amount of meltdowns by the little people?? Wouldn't have it any other way!! GO CATS!

A few things to remember...

**Side note...my niece, Taylor, decorated Luke's b-day cake...didn't she do a great job?**

All the kiddos had check-ups last Monday. Everyone also got shots. Needless to say I think it was most traumatizing for Isaac and Momma. Isaac does *NOT* do well with shots. It.Was.Ugly. And, let me assure you, his daddy will accompany him to the next doctor's appt that requires shots.

All the boys are healthy!! Here are their stats:
Isaac: 40 lbs (65th), 3'7" (85th)
Jorden: 39 lbs (61st), 3' 7" (85th)
**Isn't it nuts that after 4.5 years, they are still within a pound of each other and the exact same height?? I don't think they have varied much beyond that ever!**

Luke: 30 lbs (72nd), 3' (81st)

And, just so I will remember someday laughing hysterically over this little ditty Isaac told me after his nap today.
"You know momma, sometimes I just chew my toenails off instead of having you clip them. Do you wanna know what I do with the toenails? (Not really!!!) I just put them in my mouth and chew on them for awhile and then either I swallow them or throw them in the trash."
Okkkkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, then.

Luke

Sweet Luke,

Happy 2nd Birthday!! I am continually humbled by the privilege we have in being your parents. And, thankful. Thankful that we serve a God whose plans are so much greater than mine. The day I found out I was pregnant with you...well, it was certainly tainted by my fears of 3 little ones so close in age. Your brothers were not quite 20 months old and I couldn't fathom another little one. And, here we are, celebrating your 2nd birthday and I marvel at how one little person can bring so much joy, laughter, love and completeness to our family. *YOU*, sweet boy, are what we were missing all along!!

Even though I've missed a lot of sleep these past two years, I have enjoyed almost every minute of getting up with you in the night. There were times when I was frustrated but that was just the tiredness talking. Usually within a minute of putting you in my arms, I was grateful to have one more night of rocking with you. As I look at your older brothers and how quickly life changes, I realize my days of rocking in the middle of the night with you are almost over.

You love everything truck, tractor, construction related. You watch the road everywhere we go for "truck-trucks, lo-los (loaders), 'bines and tats (tractors)". Quite certain that you can do anything the big boys do, we see you jumping off the furniture, walking around drinking full bottles of Gatorade (without hardly spilling a drop) and climbing on their bikes. One thing you especially love is reading books. We will often find you sitting in your room or the boys' room, looking through books for long periods of time. In fact, you refuse to go to bed at night now without a couple books in your crib. I love that you want to be anywhere your daddy is...I pray you and your brothers always look to your daddy the way you do now.

We love you more than words could say, sweet boy. Praise God that His ways are always better than ours!!