Our Week

I am interrupting this month of blogging about love ones to write a little bit about Jeremy and I's past week.

Thursday, Jeremy took the day off to spend it with me. It was our late Valentine's date. Our morning started with a photo shoot with Amber V. Who, by the way is AWESOME!! She got some great photos of Blake and Ayden. Midday was spent mostly buying stuff for Kylie's birthday party. The Valentine's date was to be Thursday night. We were going to the Winter Jam, a christian concert featuring 10 different artists/bands. We got to the concert early, since it was general admission and we wanted good seats. We stood in line for about 15 minutes when a man walks up to us. He explains that some of the volunteers for the concert did not show up and they needed extra help. He wanted to know if we could help. Of course, Jeremy and I said yes. We understood that we would miss some of the concert, well it ended up being most of the concert. We stood at the door taking admissions money for most of the night and then helped with the love offering the rest. Our date night turned into a work night. I did get to see Francesca Battisteli (who is my favorite) and Jeremy got to see Kutless ( who is one of his favorites) but it was definitely not the night we were looking forward too.

The next two days (Friday and Saturday morning) was dedicated to Kylie's birthday party. She is turning 7 on Tuesday and wanted an Alice in Wonderland Tea Party. I think I did pretty good considering we started everything Wednesday. We had about 10 kids show up and they had a blast! I have to admit Jeremy and I had a blast too.

Kylie in her dress



The Cake Table




The Table




Two Views of the Cake






Jeremy and I are so tired but it was all worth it!!!

Jeremy

Since yesterday was Valentine's Day, I figured I would write about my one true love. And that of course, would be Jeremy. There is not much to say that I haven't said before about how we met and fell in love. So I decided to write about the man he is today.

He is a wonderful father. He plays with our kids and tucks them in at night. He cleans puke and dirty diapers. He helps with homework and listens when one of them has a problem. He cooks dinner, washes dishes, and clothes. He helps me in whatever or whenever I need help. He is also the spiritual leader of our house and keeps God at the center of our marriage and family.

People joke about how much I enjoy our quiet time together at night. They say things like "that's why you have 5 kids" or "uh oh, here comes another baby". The funny thing is that our quiet times don't involve that part of our relationship. Sometimes, they are long serious chats and others all we do is laugh and giggle at our own silliness. We are not only husband and wife but best friends. Now of course we fight. There are times when I wonder how I could love and hate someone so much at one time. But when we fight, I never worry that he will leave and not come back. I know that he will love me no matter how many times we argue. He is the first person I have shown every side of me and yet, he still loves me. And of course, I love him more than any words on this blog could ever describe.

Thatcher

I remember every time my mom was pregnant for one of my little sisters, I prayed and prayed for God to send me a little brother. Then for both Caroline and Kylie's pregnancies, I was sure each one was a boy. I wanted a boy so badly. Then God sent us Thatcher, and all I can say is that he is well worth the wait. He was a very laidback baby, who slept alot. Little did I know, he would become the sweetest little boy. I know all mothers think thier little boys are the sweetest but I don't think all little boys act like Thatch. He always says "thanks you" and "please" with out prompting. He sits by me and say " I wuv you, Mommy. " for no reason than just to say it. When Jeremy is away for work, Thatcher automatically steps into Daddy's place. He sleeps with me to make sure I am not lonely and makes sure all day long that I don't need any help.
Lately, he has started helping me bake and he loves it. He loves to beat box and dance. He also loves superheros. He is always saving someone or something. He is very comical and is always doing something to make us laugh. Anytime we go to the park or McDonald's to play he makes a dozen friends.

He really is my sweet little boy.

Pud and JC

The next two people I love are not exactly family. Well, that is, if you consider blood relations family. So no, that are not related to me but they are more apart of my family than some people that are actually related.
Before I was born, my mom became friends with JC and his wife, Pud (and yes, that is thier nicknames) at the place where she worked. Pud and my mom became best friends. After I was born, and then my sister, my parents divorced. We had no place to go and they took us in. Not for a week or a couple of days but for 6 or 7 years. They became our surrogate grandparents. We stayed with them when my mom went to college and after she graduated they helped us get our own house. Even after we moved into our own house, we would spend weekends at thier house while my mom worked.
Some of my favorite memories as a child involve Pud and JC. Pud use to go outside in thier driveway and play one on one basketball with me, coaching me the whole time. JC use to read to us and he taught us how to change the oil in a car. Even now, they are a part of my children's lives. My kids don't understand why every one doesn't have a Pud and JC.
One of the most important things they taught me was unconditional love. They have loved me through my mistakes and triumphs. Even today, we butt heads but I know they still love me no matter what. They gave up thier home and thier lives to help us. I know Christ as my Savior because they taught me about Him. There is no way I could ever repay them for all they have given me. All I can do is hope that one day, when God calls me give, I can give as unconditionally and lovingly as they did for us.

JC holding Blake


Pud holding Blake

The ones I love...Blake

February is the month that we celebrate love. I figured I would dedicate my blog posts to the people I love in my life this month. Hopefully, by the end of February, I will have had a blog on everyone. The first up is the newest member of our family, Blake.

Blake stole my heart the moment she was born. I know I cried when I found out I was pregnant for her and it was so not worth it. She has been a joy from day one. A happy baby, that is always smiling and being silly. She has these HUGE blue eyes (that we are still trying to figure out where they came from) that light up when she sees me. When she smiles, she squinches up her nose, which makes her so much cuter. She is rolling over and cooing. She adores her older siblings and loves to be apart. I can not seem to hug or kiss her enough. I also can't wait to see the little person she will become. God has blessed me beyond measure by giving me my Blake.

Coming out of the fog

Well, hopefully life has calmed down enough for me to get back to blogging more frequently. Blake turns 6 months on Saturday and it feels like I am finally coming out of the fog. Jeremy and I are both basically getting full nights sleep and this is making a world of a difference on our attitudes throughout the day.

I find myself having a little bit of free time during the day and I am rediscovering me. For the past 9 years, I basically have been a mom. I have had no time for anything else. Now, with no more pregnancies and no more infants, I am starting to remember those things I use to love dearly. I am starting to want to make friends and actually feel like I could be a decent friend now. I have been drawing again and remembering how much I loved it. Shooting basketball with Caroline has made me realize how much I miss those pick up games I use to play. Jeremy and I both miss playing volleyball and softball. All of these things and more are starting to pop back into our minds and some back into our lives.

I was 20 when I found out I was pregnant for Caroline, 21 when I had her. I had barely started to figure out the person I was to become. Now I am 30, and all I have done for the last 9 years is be a mom and a wife. Even though, I love those two parts of me, I don't want to be defined by just that. I also want to be me. Now, I guess is the time to figure out who me is.

Most years, I LOVE the holidays. I like to cook Thanksgiving dinner and have everyone over at my house. I love decorating the tree and doing our Christmas traditions with the kids. I usually always send out Christmas cards and prepare for Christmas day all of December. This year, it just wasn't there. I was avoiding the holiday season like the plague. All I could think about was trying to afford all the Christmas gifts for my kids on our salary or disappointing/upsetting someone when we chose when/where we were spending Christmas. I spend most of my days very tired and all the extra work did not sound fun to me this year. My idea of a good Christmas, was my warm bed and a good book. I basically had turned into a Grinch. Well, obviously God had other plans for me.

It began with a Christmas concert Jeremy and I had bought tickets to about 2 months before. It was a Chris Tomlin concert with Christy Nockels and Louie Giglio (sp?) was speaking. We almost didn't make the concert, Caroline came home from school that day with strep. The music was wonderful and it helped me remember how much I love teaching my children all of the Christmas carols. Then Louie stood up and spoke. He basically hit home. He spoke of the true meaning of Christmas in a way I had never heard it presented. He spoke about the verse in Luke that talks about God's word becoming flesh. I immediately felt humble, realizing how many things I should be grateful far and how my complaints had little to do with the actual meaning of Christmas. I went home from that concert with a more open feeling about Christmas and a desire to make sure my kids understood the true meaning.

To be honest, I would have been good with just that kind of reminder, but there was more. A few days later, I find out that an internet buddy, with whom I had met while pregnant with Thatcher, little boy (who is the same age as Thatch) was diganosed with leukemia. Now, I am watching through Facebook this family battle this news so bravely. They seem to be taking it all in stride and all I could feel at first was guilt. My problems with Christmas seemed to be so insignificant now.

The last thing that happened was so heart wrenching that I still tear up thinking about it. I grew up with a couple who were not family by blood but helped my mother raise me. Pud and JC were like a second set of parents for me and I always knew that they love me like one of thier own. Because we were so close to Pud and JC, we were also close to thier relatives. Last Saturday, Pud's brother Pat was in a hunting accident. Pat was not injured but he accidentally shot his 42 yr old son, Kyle. Kyle died leaving a wife and 2 sons.

All of these events, have affected me in so many ways but most of all I am no longer a Grinch. I look around my house, with the Christmas tree and stockings hung from my fireplace, and I have so many things to be grateful for. I have a husband who is so wonderful and loves me unconditionally. I have five healthy, sweet, beautiful children who think I am the greatest mom in the world. But most of all, I have a God that sent his only Son as an infant into a world full of sin. This Son, Jesus, gave his life as the ultimate sacrifice for my sins, so that I could live an eternity with God.

Life is too short for us to spend the holiday stressing about buying the "perfect" gifts, what parties to go too or how much we will get from everyone. We should spend our holidays, enjoying family traditions, making strangers smile and most of all spreading the love that Christ brought to earth for all of us.
So from my family to yours

MERRY CHRISTMAS!