...And Then They Were Seven.

Every year brings with it a certain newness.  A plethora of firsts.  I've found myself a bit melancholy as of late thinking about days gone by.  I don't have babies anymore.  I still call them "my littles" because, well, they are my littles; my little miracles.  After having Christian and after several miscarriages I wasn't sure I would ever have another baby.  I am so thankful God had other plans.

First moments of life outside the womb.

First bites of a whole apple.               

First time climbing the stairs.

First time you held hands on purpose.

Your first birthday!

First time with finger paints!

First day of pre-k.

First candy apple!

First time getting down in the rare Georgia snow.

First field day.

First time climbing a tree and realizing that coming down is a lot harder than going up.

A glimpse of beauty in your carefree joy.

First time finding Gam's glasses.

First boo-boo from riding a bike without training wheels.

First time visiting a water park!

First time riding the bus.

First race!

First time taking swimming lessons.

First time seeing Disney on Ice.

...and then they were seven.

Happiest of Birthdays my sweet girls.

Numbers, Naps, and Comfy Socks

There was a point in time, not so very long ago, when my focus was learning the lyrics to new songs, cheerleading, and boys.  Now-a-days I'm more concerned with cutting coupons, making lists, and watching my kiddos grow up.   What was once deciding on what to wear for my first day of school w has morphed into which pair of comfy socks would be the warmest.  Those are just a few noteworthy differences in being a teen and being an adult...in my 30's.

That's right, I'm officially in my mid-thirties.  According to one study, many people believe that youth ends at 35!  So now that I've turned 36 I'm old??  Good grief...that is 100% depressing.  I don't always feel young, but I definitely don't want a survey telling me how I should be feeling.  Regardless, 35 has revealed more about the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of life.

1.  Gone are the days I stay up late and just hang out.  These days I punch my time card at 9:00 and am usually asleep by 10:00.  More times than not I am indeed a party pooper.

2.  The mirror has now become my enemy.  Every. Single. Time I take a peek at myself another gray hair appears.  To make it worse...those said hairs seem to multiply throughout the day!

3.  Naps have now become a part of my life.  It's true.  Not very long ago I was a firm believer that by taking naps I was actually sleeping my life away.  It was the number one indicator that my age was creeping up and I was indeed slowing down.  The truth hurts.

4.  Now for the cruelest part of being in my 30's...the difficulty of losing weight and the unfortunate pull of gravity!!  Why did I think I would be exempt from these vicious changes?  I have absolutely no idea.  But as my daughter would say, the struggle is real.

5.  Turns out I'm really not going to live forever.  I don't think I ever actually believed I was never going to die, but I definitely remember feeling invincible to anything bad.  I was always going to be healthy...I could eat what I want...pass me another soda please.  Was I ever wrong.

However, there is some beauty to becoming older and wiser.

1.  Yes, I do go to bed much earlier, but I sure feel rested and happy to see my kiddos in the morning!  (coffee first, smiles second)  If I was constantly running on fumes, I would never appreciate all the cuddles, the hugs, and the love around me!  My heart is so full and I am confident it's because I am listening to my body now.

2.  Hmmm, as for the ever-changing reflection in the mirror.  I'm all for being natural, but there's something extra special and crazy exciting to be able to pamper myself at the hair salon routinely!  *Poof!  Gray's be gone*  Paying for it makes me cringe just a little, but being able to switch things up is pretty fun!

3.  Naps.  I was pleasantly surprised to read that a short, 20 minute nap would enhance alertness, concentration, and elevate your mood!  Boom!  What once felt like a complete waste of time have become my very best friend.  The very best times to rest are Sunday afternoons.  I do believe God makes those extra special since we are honoring his day of rest.


4.  The changes in my body are tough to swallow.  Which is originally why running was thrown into my mix..  It originated with wanting to burn calories, but has now taken on a life of its own.  I LOVE TO RUN!!!  Talk about a mid-life awakening!  The challenges, the discomfort, the sweat have all become things I love about it!  In fact, I'm running my first half in January and I am so stoked!!  Although it does not completely stop the gravitational pull, building muscle sure makes a difference.

5.  Statistics say that 1:1 person dies.  Depressing?  Possibly.  But knowing that, is what makes me run toward the healthy stuff.  I want to take care of myself so I can be here to watch everything that my children are going to accomplish.  I want to spend every day that I possibly can with my Mike.  I want to be physically ready for anything!  Of course I have a way to go, but I'm feeling pretty good about the journey!    So, gone are the days of ordering greasy, fried  mystery meat on a bun and hello to grilled chicken salads with the dressing on the side.  

My darling husband took me out to eat, just the two of us.

When we got home from out delicious dinner, I walked inside to be 

greeted/surprised/scared to death by some of my 

most favorite people for a surprise celebration!  

Apparently, while we were out eating dinner, my kiddos were at home 

putting up decorations, food on the table, and making everything look amazing!

I could. not. believe they were all able to pull this off without me having any idea.

After dabbling into the sport of running, I have now fallen in love.

When my husband brought out my cake he told me I was definitely now a "runner."

He will probably never know how much those words meant to me.

Nor will he ever really know how touched I was by his efforts to make this one of the 

most perfect birthdays I've ever had.

I am so happy to be 36 and I simply cannot wait to see what this new year holds!

Diggin Double Digits

525,9490 minutes; 87,658 hours; 3650 days...1 whole decade!!  

If you ask Christian, he would say he's been waiting forever.  If you talk to his Dad and myself, we would say it's happened in the blink of an eye.

That's right, our little buddy is officially in the double digit club.  This year, we wanted to do it up right.  We don't have friend parties every year, because well...we would be broke, crazy, and never get a break.  Besides, there's nothing wrong with a little family party.  Ask anyone, it's always a party around here!!  However, this was his year; his time to shine!  So we invited his closest friends over and had a Minecraft blowout!!

Boys can be so much louder and have so much energy, that just watching them exhausts me.  BUT...they are so much fun to watch!!

He was so happy to see all the effort that had gone into his big day.

 

Everyone had pitched in to make it perfect.

 

Gam even made the cake AFTER making the 4 hour drive to celebrate.

 

 

First we went "digging for diamonds".

 

Then we had to take down some creepers.

 

 

Next, we goaded the ghast...

 

and had to dance our way out.
Dear law, this was the funniest thing ever!

 

We finished up with a piñata handmade by my Momma (Gam).

She is so talented!

 

CANDY!!

 

The crew.

 

Judging by this face, I'd say the party was a success!

 

Let the Journey Begin.

My oldest son, Ethan, turned 13 a couple of weeks ago.  This. is. a. big. deal.  In our family, we have decided to make this particular birthday a big event.  We, of course, like to recognize all birthdays, but the 13th is a bit different.  This, is the beginning of Ethan's journey into manhood.

Many, many years back Mike and I studied the book Raising a Modern Day Knight.  This book talks about key developmental points in a young man's life, starting from birth.  Mike and I want to make sure that our sons are adequately equipped for the life ahead of them.  Becoming a "man" in this day in age is tough.  The lines have become blurry as to what a man's job is since we have become a general-neutral society.  There are more and more television shows in which the man/husband is emasculated within the family.  I realize these shows can be funny, but how confusing can they be to young boys who are trying to establish their place in the world? 

Thankfully, my Ethan has his Daddy, his Poppy, and many other Godly examples in our church to help show him the way.  He needs to see and hear how important it is to treat his future wife with love, honor, and respect.  He needs to know the value of work; whether it be side jobs, chores, or studying hard for a test.  He needs to learn the value of standing up for what's right and what it means to be "tough"; it's not all about physical effort, after all.

Right now, there is a plan that has been set in motion for Ethan's life.  Although we are not sure what it is, we know that God is in control of what's to come and we can take comfort in that.  Ethan is a good boy with a kind heart and a sense of humor that will leave you in stitches.  I love his attitude on life, his relationships with his siblings, and his deep desire to make good choices.  I am going to miss the carefree days when our biggest dilemma was how to celebrate the Super bowl and what we're going to have for dinner, but I am excited and hopeful about the adventures ahead. 

Ethan Roy, I am so happy to be your Momma!

We celebrated together as a family on the 29th.

Ethan is now old enough to have his own hunting rifle.

Thank you Gam and Poppy!

We also celebrated at the church with a lot of his friends.

 

 Gam and Poppy came down to love on our boy...AND to make his famous pork!

There has never been a better tastin BBQ.

 Massive games of dodge ball, basketball, and every other type of game involving pain.  Thankfully we only had a few injuries.

 

 

Love these boys.

 

 

 

 I couldn't resist including this one of Addie Pie just hanging out with the guys.