The Great Outdoors

We are so thankful for the absolutely gorgeous weather we have had!  Mason and Ruby can't get enough of being outside.

King of the Mountain

Ruby setting out on her expedition

For Mother's Day, the kids got me this adorable book, and Adam let me pick out some new plants for our garden.  We also are trying one of those upside down tomato planters.  Mason helped me plant it and asks to water it every day.  He is very excited about it, it is the cutest thing!

The impatiens, dianthus, and fern are new

Although Mason and Ruby loved to play in the nasty birdbath water, I am happy that it found a new home in our neighbor's garden :)

Adam's 32nd Birthday

Saturday was Adam's birthday! We started off the day with birthday doughnuts, then w
e had a fun evening celebrating with Pizza King pizza and his favorite desserts, Oreo pudding (recipe courtesy of Jevne) and Snicker doodles.

Our family is so blessed to have Adam. He is a loving, gracious husband, and a wonderful and fun daddy.

Mother's Day

I failed, big time, at ending the day well. Mason had not napped, was really on my nerves with his behavior toward Ruby, and his taking all the popcorn and pushing Ruby away from it was the last straw. I took his arm and swiftly walked him to the kitchen to get his spanking. 

Then I rushed him upstairs where I gruffly told him of my disappointment. Between his little sobs, he kept saying, "Mommy happy, Mommy happy," with a big grin.

I couldn't even lighten up from that! I thought I had so much to be upset about and was holding it all against Mason.

We made amends, and I prayed and asked for forgiveness for losing my temper, and even cried a bit, but I still went downstairs with a chip on my shoulder.

I spent the rest of the night slumped on the couch thinking about how exhausted I was and feeling guilty about what happened and what I should be doing instead. But still, I thought I was entitled to wallow.

I finally decided I should head to bed. I got myself ready and then went to take Mason to the bathroom. 

I gently started to take his covers off and make sure he was dry when he stirred and sat up, reaching for me. I picked him up, took him in the bathroom and sat him on the potty. Without even opening his eyes, he began saying, "Mommy happy, Mommy happy."

I stroked  his hair and cheeks and told him I was very happy and that I loved him very much. When he was done on the potty, he said, "Give Mommy hug." All of this taking place without him ever opening his eyes. I hugged him and held him until he reached for his bed, crying and thinking about what I had done and said right before he went to sleep. How he must have felt!

And all of this on the eve of Mother's Day. How self-focused I am! Thinking of all the things I deserve for being a mom, tallying all the meals, messes, whining, fighting, not getting to do what I want when I want.

Mason's little pleas for his mommy to be happy were a wake up call, to say the least.

I don't deserve anything except a slap in the face. I have been so ungrateful! God has given me a gift far greater than anything I deserve: motherhood. He has entrusted His precious treasures to me, and so far, I feel like a big failure. I know that is not what I need to focus on because that keeps my eyes on myself. Instead, Lord, thank you for your grace and mercy that are new each day. I will fix my eyes on You, because You are where joy is found, and I want Mason and Ruby to know that more than anything!

Mother's Day is not about getting the recognition and gratitude I deserve, but rather to give thanks for the gift of being a mom and for the amazing mom I was given.

Lord, help me be the mom You want me to be!

A Very Happy Mother's Day to all!

Ordinary Days

A few things happened yesterday that I don't want to forget because they were so cute!

Lately, Mason has been having some really sweet moments with Ruby.  They still have their moments, but I am seeing more and more kind behavior between the two of them.  Yesterday afternoon, Mom was visiting and the kids were doing their own thing playing with different toys across the room from each other.  Ruby, being the drama queen that she is, was getting frustrated with her toy, and making it known.  Mason, without even looking up from his trains, says, "I commin' Ooby, I commin'."  Mom and I cracked up!

That night, while Mason was going potty for the 12th time before bed, we were having our usual conversation while he sat there.  He almost always requests to, "Talk trains?!" Well, we had just finished reading Little Boy Blue, and at the end it says, "Will you wake him? No, not I! For if I do, he's sure to cry." Anyway, Mason and I were thinking of animals with sharp teeth, and he says, "Shark! Saw sharks under water!" I asked if he saw the sharks at the zoo and he said, "No......not I!"  The look on his face was priceless.  It was like he knew he made a joke!  We both just started giggling and giggling.  He said it over and over, getting a bigger kick out of himself each time.  I just love seeing him discover new things!  Can't wait to hear what other jokes are to come.

First time with watercolors

Helping mama make a special treat

Tradition passed on from Grandma

He liked making them, but refused to eat them

picnic lunch

She loves the slide!  You have to be quick because she takes a running leap to go down it!

17 months later...

Well, once again, I failed.  Obviously blogging is not my gift.  Oh well, I don't think the world will suffer from one less blogger.  However, it is fun to look back on the memories I recorded so far, so for that reason, I will try again (even if it only happens once every few months).

I have been reading a couple of books lately (trying to, anyway).  One is called, Loving the Little Years : Motherhood in the Trenches, by Rachel Jankovic.  The other is One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp.  Both books have brought to my attention my huge lack of a thankful heart.  Every day, I focus on what I wish I had, or how things would be so much better if I only had this room organized, or I'll have time for reading God's word only after I fix everything else myself.   WRONG!!!

God has given me so many gifts, so much to be thankful for, and He is the only One who can give me the ability to live each day well.  I am praying and working to change my attitude and my thinking.  I intend to use this blog as a part of my "joy dare," to record the gifts God has given me.

So here are some pictures, in random order, from the last few months, just to kind of fill in from the last post.

My big helper at the grocery

Learning new skills

Beautiful weather to play at the park

Getting to watch Amy's and my kids play together!

Fun at the farm

Discovered his pneumonia early on so it did not get too serious

Even though we dealt with a lot of sickness this winter, it could have been a lot worse

They make me laugh daily!

Snuggles with Grammie

The BEST daddy EVER!

Popple = Papa Merle

The BEST husband EVER!

Nonna & Papa!

Out of control cuteness!