Success

You hope and you teach and you pray that your children will love... You try your very best to just show them how it's done - to love with all they have. Love each other, love other people, love...even when someone isn't very nice. It's hard to do sometimes...love isn't always easy. I for one, want my children to be sensitive...even if that means wearing their heart on their little, tiny sleeves. I believe in finding the good in everyone you encounter, crying at movies that make you sad, making people happy, having fun together, spending as much time with the ones you love the most, relating the words of a song to the people in your lives...it all feels so very wonderful on the inside. My heart swells. I like it.

I love the constant reminder that I have been given more than just happiness...I have been given EVERYTHING that I will ever need. I also love the constant reminder that I have succeeded in raising a beautiful, loving, and oh so sensitive daughter. She loves like no other. As I try my best to console her after a tearful ending to Miley Cyrus' "The Climb", I hold back my own tears. She is so sensitive. I love that. When a little baby brother gets himself into trouble (frequently), we have to talk to her about not babying him when he is suppose to be "in trouble." She just can't do it though...every time he gets in trouble, we hear her say "oh bubbas, sweet baby sugies...it's okay". How can you not just let her do it. :) As I talk to her about other people who need a lot of help...they don't have food or water...they don't have any money. She replies as she runs to her room, "I have money!". She tries to hand me her piggy bank...and I want to cry. Thank you Lord...for this sweet, sweet child. I love success. I love her.

Gavin was in the middle of a fit...Bella was making it all better...

"It's okay baby bubbas...goodness gracious"

We think Gavin is going to be just like his big sis...he sure LOVES this girl. :)

Random Things

1. Chris stained our patio concrete yesterday. It is very nice. Take a look.



2. We went and bought all of Bella's School supplies yesterday. She was excited. She calls them her "school surprise". haha! I didn't cry. This is good.

3. The kids have a ton of play dishes for their little kitchen in the playroom. I just happen to actually read what one of them said on the bottom of the dish...and well...I laughed out loud.

The plastic dish

The warning on the bottom of the dish."CAUTION This is a TOY DO NOT place on oven RANGE." haha

Really? Who would actually put this on an oven range? Seriously...I'm being serious. Who? HAHA!

Belly Button

Here is a very fuzzy (don't know why) video of Gavin showing his belly button. I sure wish it wasn't so blurry. He is still cute nonetheless. :)

Vacation Bible School

We had Bible School at our church last week. I helped teach the 2 and 3 year old class, and I volunteered to take two of the boys from my daycare. They were so sweet and precious. I loved it! Bella had a wonderful time learning, doing crafts, and singing, but Gavin hated it. He has become very attached to us and hates to be left anywhere. The nursery must hate us for that. haha. Here is a video of the end of week ceremony. Bella is actually more concerned with "bubbas" than with her singing. I'm okay with that. :)

On the go

I can hardly ever get a good enough picture of Gavin anymore...he is ALWAYS moving! He runs pretty much everywhere he goes, and he knows exactly when I want to take his picture... haha. Bella even tries to help me hold him still. :) Here are some okay pictures of him I suppose.

Wow...what a big boy I have! He looks too old in this picture. :(

Gavin LOVES his daddy. Whenever Chris goes anywhere in the house, Gavin follows. They are precious together. He especially loves when he gets to help mow the yard.

I am so thankful to be able to stay home with my babies. What an amazing gift. :) I love my "job".

Favorite Place

School is starting soon for my first love. She is an official big girl now, and there is no turning back. I am planning her "back to school" clothes shopping trip to ensure my sassy frass of a daughter has all she needs for a successful start in Kindergarten. All summer I have been buying her 5t clothing..."t" meaning "toddler". I can't do that anymore. You have no idea how heavy my heart is now. I don't want to leave the "t" behind. I'm not ready. :( I am honestly not sure I can do it.

I want to be past this all so I can stop crying...what a maniac I have become. haha. I cry over a school supplies list, clothing, a "back to school" sign at stores...it's a nightmare. I will not be able to make it through the day on August 19th (First Day of School). :( I have so much worry and anxiety for her. Will she make friends? What if someone is mean to her? What if she gets hungry or cold or scared or...? I wish I could be there, tucked inside her backpack...to protect her. This is hard.

I have been spending a lot of time in one of my favorite places here lately - Bella's room. I sneak in there after everyone has gone to bed and catch her awake. We spend precious moments just laughing and snuggling. I hide my face as she asks many inappropriate questions that I'm not ready to answer, and I laugh at her way of looking at things. I love her. Although I will miss her "toddler years"...oh how I will miss it - I am looking forward to her "big girl years". She is amazing.

My flash is sooo bright! We had the hardest times keeping our eyes open and ended up exploding with laughter afterward.

Change

Standing in line at Wal-mart with 2 anxious and tired children can sure put a damper on the trip all together. We had just filled our buggy with groceries and a little nonsense, so we knew it would be a while before we were all checked out. I had my debit card ready to pay without even questioning if I could afford it or not. What a luxury huh? I was able to buy food for my children without a second thought. Bella wanted cookies, and Gavin wanted bananas. I could give them those things. As I stood in line, completely tuning the kids out, I noticed a man. He was a simple looking man who didn't seem to ask for much. He held a ten dollar bill clutched tightly in his hand while he watched as his items were being rung up. He bought hamburger meat, a loaf of bread, and 3 candy bars. He seemed tired because he was slumped against the checkout counter like he just couldn't hold himself up very much longer. As I tried not to make eye contact, I noticed his shoes. They were black sneakers and completely worn out. I watched him anxiously await the total as he switched the money from hand to hand. My kids were loud, but he gave them a shy smile anyway. It melted my heart, and my eyes filled up with tears. I began to imagine what kind of life this man may live - He was hardworking, but under appreciated. He didn't have much money, but he made sure to surprise his family members with a candy bar each. He would give up everything he had just to make sure his family had everything they wanted. Would he? I don't know this man...maybe he isn't any of the things I made him out to be. I hadn't even met this man. He is just a man... Right? Sometimes I wonder what difference I could actually make...and why place so much worry on a person that I have never met. A person at Wal-mart...or a person standing on a street corner holding a sign "will work for food". FOOD...not money. Can I do something to change that. Can you?

Maybe I am too sensitive, maybe I over think things, maybe that man wasn't any of those things. Maybe... But maybe he was, and maybe I CAN change the world. I wanted to give that man my groceries...a hug....some shoes. He needed a kind word in his life. I wanted to give that to him and tell him "everything's going to be okay". I wasn't able to do those things for that man for I will think of him often, but I am able to pray for him. God has blessed our family. We don't have to spend our last $10 on 3 items just to make it through the week. I will pray for that simple man with worn out shoes. I will pray that my children always feel the need to pray for people they have never met. I will pray that I can make a difference in the world somehow. I will pray and give thanks. Thank you God for my family, Thank you.

I am glad I went to Wal-Mart today.

Fourth of July

We celebrated Fourth of July gathering with family members at Cane Creek in Southeast AR. We have a tradition every year of burgers, dogs, and a round of disc golf. For those of you who aren't familiar with disc golf, you can read about it here. The kids ran around and played their hearts out and immediately fell asleep on the way home. Once we got home, Jessica and I went to see Eclipse! WONDERFUL...that's the only word that comes to mind. :) I made it out of the movie just in time to enjoy fireworks with my family at Tindel Park in Benton. It was beautiful.