Lady and the Belch

I grew up in a family where the girls outnumbered the boys 3 to 2. I was brought up to be a "lady." My mother is very much a lady and her mother was the epitome of a lady in all her splendor! Grandma wore gloves in the evening, crossed her legs just so, folded her hands in her lap elegantly, and waved like the Queen of England. And, my daddy, well, he is very much a gentleman. All this to say, sounds such as burping and expelling gas were not heard in our household except on occasion and by accident.

When I married my dear husband, my eyes were opened slightly to the world of boys/men. You see, my husband was raised in a family where the boys outnumbered the girls 3 to 1. So, burping and expelling gas were sounds heard more frequently and with much less embarrasment in his home. As in most marriages, he gave a little and I gave a little. Compromise.

But, with children compromise is a bit more difficult especially when I am the one outnumbered. If you count my dog, (and you should because he burps and expels gas without discretion) I am outnumbered 4 (possibly 5 since the heartbeat in my belly is, according to my doctor, a "boy heartbeat") to 1.

The other night, after bathtime, I was sitting with my legs in a V-shape. Joshua was sitting on one of my thighs and JCT on the other. I was focused intently on the task at hand - trimming Joshua's fingernails. As I was trimming along, JCT burped loudly. Joshua, as usual, erupted into laughter. I shrugged, said, "Say Excuse me," and continued trimming. A few seconds later JCT burped again, followed by Joshua's laughter. JCT was enjoying the attention. A few seconds later out of my precious 22 month old baby came yet another loud belch followed by lots of laughter. At this point, much to my own shugrin, I couldn't help laughing. After the 6th burp, it dawned on me (I am slow and naive) that he had taught himself how to burp on command.

Okay, now I am 31 years old, and I still do not know how to make myself burp on command - mostly, this is by choice. But still, the fact that my 22 month old has already taught himself how to burp on command frightens me just a little. My future appears a little scary at present. No doubt, these little guys are changing me, loosening me up a bit. And, mostly this is a good thing. I am quite certain that you will never hear me belch loudly on purpose mid conversation - they will never change me that much! But, I am thankful for the color they add to my life. I was always more of a taupe and off-white kind of girl, and they have brought primary color to my somewhat subtle and bland life.

A happy renunion!!!

Rain and silky made it safely home from Nana and Poppy's today - thanks to UPS!!! It was a happy reuniting for my sweet boy and his two most prized possessions!! He immediately put his nose up to Rain and said, "He smells like Nana's house!" Then, he took his silky into his room and layed it on his pillow "just so" like he always does. This is when I took the opportunity to photograph his excitement! Nana has been so worried about him being sad. . . no more worries, Nana!! He is a happy boy now! It took Rain a little time, but I think he has successfully high-fived and kissed every other stuffed animal in our home (with a little help from Joshua)! Welcome home, little dog. We have missed you and silky, too.

A few memories and thoughts from our weekend

This is a good morning. . . there is nothing we have to leave the house for right away, Fernando Ortega is singing hymns to me, a hot cup of coffee is sitting beside me, and my sons are playing together (for the moment) in Joshua's room (which means I am alone in the kitchen - for the moment). So, here I sit with my heart pondering memories and thoughts of the past few days - happy and sad. If only Erik could be off for another week!! But, I take what I can get of him, and I am thankful for every moment!!

We spent Thanksgiving at my parent's home in Arkansas. Something about that flat farm land does something to me. You can see for miles on end. To most who pass through the state, it is quite boring, but to me it is rich with memories. Nothing is quite as beautiful as watching the sun set over one of those flat fields of grain. The longer I go between trips home, the more the landscape moves something deep inside me. Wide open spaces, God bless them!

I got to spend some time with my mom, who I love and admire so much that I would have to write 5,000 posts to give her due credit. I realized as I discussed our renovation plans with her that her opinion means more to me than probably anybody's - except maybe Erik's. And, though I did not get as much time with her as I would have liked, it was still rich and good time. And, my daddy, I always love to get to see him, too. And, as usual, my boys fought over who got to sit in Poppy's (my daddy) big brown chair with him.

My parents gave Kelly, Cecilia, Erik, and I a night out without children!! Very fun! Kelly's hair is beginning to grow back in, and Cecilia looked RADIANT. I can't emphasize that enough. She is so beautiful, and her face was glowing. She looked adorable, complete with bandana on head!

To me the very best part of the holiday season is getting to watch family interact. My brother always lays on the floor and plays with my boys, and they adore him for it. He had JCT laughing so hard, that it brought tears to my eyes! Peyton and Avery (Kelly and Cecilia's girls) stole my sons' hearts once again. My boys love them so much!! Yesterday over and over Joshua would say sadly, "I want my Peyton."

I'll never forget how hard Peyton and Avery laughed when my boys streaked through the kitchen after bathtime. Or, how hard I laughed when Joshua looked seriously at my mom, who normally wears contacts, and said, "Nana, you look kind of dangerous in your glasses."

And, for the most sad memory of the weekend. . . We left Joshua's favorite stuffed animal (a stuffed dog named Rain) and his silky (his blanket) at Nana and Poppy's house. You must realize that he has never (to his memory) slept a night without these two. So, there were some genuine tears at bedtime Saturday night, and that nearly broke his mama's heart. But, baby bear and a silky shirt of mine stepped in and attempted to fill silky and Rain's spot. No tears were shed last night, so I think we will make it until the mailman brings them safely home to us.

All in all, the little trip was a much needed vacation from our present state of craziness. Yesterday morning Erik and I slept in - well kind of. . . Our bed (here at the rent house) is a matress on the floor. So, we stayed in bed, drifting in and out of sleep, while the boys played all around us. . . and on us. . . but, it was rest all the same. And, I was able to lay there, basking in the morning sun, feeling the sweet one inside me toss and turn, listening to the laughter of my boys, and holding the hand of the one that my soul loves! I am so thankful for the break Thanksgiving gave to my family. I feel refreshed and ready to get back at it! Concrete floors, mantles, and columns - here I come!!!

My thankful heart. . .

My heart is so full. I am going to give it a chance to overflow, if you don't mind. . . This year has brought us many blessings. Here is a short little list. . .

* I am thankful for the sweet life of my sister in love, Cecilia. I am thankful for the strength of spirit that God has graced her with. I am thankful that He allowed her to reach up and feel that knot hiding deep under her arm - a knot that even the nurses couldn't find until Cecilia raised her arm up just so and pointed it out to them. I know it was God who allowed Cecilia to find that lymphnode full of Cancer before it had a chance to spread to any other place in her body. I am thankful that even though chemo is rough and practically poisoning this friend I love so much, it is healing her. It is killing the cancer. And, she will walk away from this and grow old with my big brother who loves her so much - not to mention two beautiful little girls who need their sweet mama.

* I am thankful that home is not a physical building. Home is wherever Erik, me, and our children reside. We can be at home anywhere we are - even this little 2 bedroom rent house with ants, rolly pollies, and mold in the bathroom. Home is wherever God places us - as long as we are together, we are home.

* I am thankful for a precious husband who at this very moment has both our boys at a basketball game so that I can have the "night off." I am thankful that I am married to a man who is truly the most selfless human I have ever come across. I am thankful that he loves me so much more than I deserve. I am thankful that I have learned more about Christ's love through being married to him than I have any other way. He points me to Christ through his life every day, and for that I am eternally grateful.

* I am thankful for cute baby boys who grow into sweet little men. I am thankful for the two that God allows me to call my own. The fact that God chose to bless me with them is overwhelming, and I will never take it for granted. I am thankful for their joy which is contagious, for their hugs and kisses, and for the privilege it is to parent them.

* I am thankful for this amazing little life within me. I am thankful for the thought that God's own hand is at work in my womb knitting together a life.

* I am thankful for my little namesake born Nov. 4th in Orlando, FL. I haven't gotten to meet her yet, but I am so thankful that God has blessed our family with her. And, I am thankful for her sweet mama who I love dearly.

* I am thankful for my parents and Erik's parents. They are wonderful parents, always pointing us to Jesus. And, they are awesome grandparents!! I am thankful that my boys are so blessed to have 2 sets of grandparents who love them tremendously and pray for them daily.

* I am thankful for good, solid, loyal, sweet, trustworthy, and funny friends. I am thankful for the vast variety of types of friends that God has blessed me with over the years. They are a variety personalities, but they all show me Jesus - just in different lights. I love that.

* But, most of all I am thankful for another year to walk with Jesus. Another year on this journey. I am thankful that He is patient with me, never giving up on me. And, I am thankful that He loves me more than I can imagine.

* And, on a lighter note, I am thankful for coffee with Peppermint Mocha Creamer, Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Greeen Tea, and Popeye's Red Beans and Rice.

* Oh, and one more. . . I am thankful for the men who come to our house to work everyday. I am thankful for Mr. Cole and his smile that sets me at ease when I start to get frazzled (which happens almost daily). I am thankful for Homeboy or as Joshua calls him "Home-Boa." He is the best trimmer, excellent at finishing work, and is such a hardworker. I am even thankful for Flat and Gerald. Flat has a great smile, and today he showed up at work with a dead coyote in the back of his pick-up. He went hunting for deer, but returned with a coyote. I didn't ask. Gerald seems lonely, and I like to smile at him to see if I can get him to smile back. He, too, is a hard-worker. I am thankful for this little band of men that have become our friends through this endeavor.

Missing the way things used to be. . .

Ahhhh, the good old days when we were in our home - simply living a "normal" life.

I had a bit of break down yesterday. Just a little one. I sat down in the middle of the living room floor (at the rent house) and cried. This was not a good idea because it made my 21 month old cry, too. All I could think was, "I just want to go home. I miss Rain (our weimeraner) and our old calm life." So, I had to pull myself together, gather juice, snacks, a good DVD, my keys, my cell phone, and put the boys in the car for a little ride to clear my head. I called Jen and vented a little. Then, I got drive-thru dinner for the family. We ate and went to church.

Before church I attempted venting to my ever-optimistic husband. "It is so hard meeting with carpet, tile, and cabinet men while trying to contain 2 little ones. Not to mention, picking out light fixtures, paint colors, molding, etc. I feel like I am failing as a mom, etc." and on and on I vented to him. And, he just looked at me with a blank expression that said, "Of course it is hard. We knew it would be, but it'll be worth it. Just keep going. One more month, you can make it. No biggie. . ."

Uggh. I know he's right, but still. . .

And, as this long day came to a close, I got a magazine and began doing my homework - looking at mantles and shutters. I was still missing home and feeling just a bit sorry for myself.

And, this is when it happened.

I felt it.

Just barely a little something in my lower tummy.

Could it be?

After all, I am almost 16 weeks pregnant. I think it was. That little tickle reminded me that there is something alive in there. And, as vital as this renovation seems at present, something much more vital resides within me. I said a little prayer of thanks for this little life. And, the reminder that it is of good - no great - things to come.

Brotherly Love. . .

at its very finest was displayed on my living room floor last night. Oh, me. . .

The little guy to the left may look sweet, but don't be fooled!! He is quite dangerous. . .

When I found out that JCT was a boy, I promised myself that our home would not be a typical "boy" home. My boys would be under control and kind to one another. We would not have fighting and wild indians running and jumping on furniture.

I had one thing going for me. . . My oldest, the leader of my children, is sweet, loving, and, for the most part, very gentle. When we brought JCT home from the hospital, Joshua adored him, kissed him, patted him, loved on him. The kind of sweetness that warms a mother's heart to the very core. Somewhere along the line, Joshua may have hit JCT. I don't remember the incident, but if it did happen, I am certain that I nipped it in the bud. And, Joshua is quite compliant, so if he hit JCT, it most likely happened only once.

Well. . .that was very nice while it lasted. There was a first in our household last night - our first fight. And, it wasn't at all what I expected. We had just come home from church. Joshua had a small part in the Operation Christmas Child children's musical at church. He did great up on stage, and his mama was so proud. Erik had a deacon's meeting, so I brought the boys home from church by myself. I let them play alone in the living room while I went to the bathroom to wash my face. This all seemed very routine - until I turned the water off and heard some commotion coming from the the other room. So, I followed the noise. And, what did I find. . .

My 21 month old was straddling my 3 year old hitting him over and over in the face, hard.

Shock. Horror. In one instant my home had changed. I had not seen this side of JCT. He was quite angry. In a cloud of disbelief, I crossed the living room to rescue my 3 year old. JCT was still sitting on Joshua's stomach, and as I got closer, he stopped hitting Joshua for a second. But, before I could get to him, JCT grabbed Joshua's nose between his thumb and his pointer finger and pinched it as hard as he could. Ouch.

When I finally got to them (all of this was happening in slow motion - at least it felt that way), I pryed JCT off his brother, spanked his "hitting and pinching" hand, and sent him to time-out. Then, I helped Joshua up off the floor - only to find that he was bleeding. JCT, with all his hits, had burst his big brother's lip! So, I took Joshua to the bathroom and sat him on the counter. I put a cool rag on his lip and had a little talk with him.

It seems that Joshua was trying to put the Little People farm on top of JCT, and JCT didn't like that idea. . . obviously. I explained to Joshua that if JCT ever did this again he should get up off the floor. "You are bigger than he is. You were right to not hit him back. Hitting is wrong. But, baby, get up off the floor. You don't have to lay there and let him hurt you." Now, truth be told, Joshua never cried. And, to be quite honest, I think he enjoyed the whole thing - even getting hit. He certainly enjoyed watching his little brother get in trouble.

I had a little talk with JCT. Apologies and hugs were given and received. And, once again my house was in order, peace and love restored. After both boys were in bed, Erik called to let me know that he was on his way home. I gave him a play by play of the evening's events. This may or may not surprise you. . . he loved it, savoring every detail, asking a multitude of questions. The pride was quite evident in his voice. I believe his exact words were, "That is AWESOME!!! I've GOT to call my brother." I hung up the phone stunned not only by my husband's response, but I was still feeling a little shell-shocked by the events of the evening. I am just glad that it was JCT hitting Joshua instead of some other child. Because had it been any other little boy straddling and hitting my son in the face, mama bear would have come out in full force with great vengence (scary). Thankfully, as I watched my youngest son release his anger on my eldest, I did not forget who he is. I remembered that he is the adorable little boy who runs at me from across the room to give me a huge bear hug. He is the little guy who smiles brightly in his highchair while eating his banana like the rest of the world eats corn on the cob. I love him so much that I didn't freak out and unleash my mama bear vengence on him!

Another lesson for me. . . a wake up call in raising boys. . . they will be boys no matter what I do. Their aggressiveness is innate, God-given, and, though it must be channeled, it is not necessarily wrong. And, so this girly girl's journey in raising little boys and learning something new from them each day continues. . .

Taking a picture of Joshua's lip was his father's idea. I would prefer to forget the entire episode, but Erik insisted that I write this post and have a picture to go with it.

The pictures of them hugging. . . now that was my idea.

Somebody tagged me!!

I received my first ever tag today!! Momrn2 from My Quiet Corner (I'm sorry I don't know how to link - I need to learn :-) tagged me to list 9 weird things about myself. I love visiting My Quiet Corner, so I was very excited to be tagged by her!! So, here goes. . .

#1 I love to drink milk, organic 2% milk (the kind with the cute cow on it), with 2 ice cubes in it. There have to be exactly 2 ice cubes in order to keep my milk the correct temperature as I drink it. One is too few, and any more than 2 is much too much. 2 is perfect - for me anyway.

#2 When I go into a creepy and empty bathroom at a gas station or park, I have to look in all the stalls before I will actually go in one and shut the door. I have this odd fear that some crazy man is hiding in one of the stalls. I don't really know where that fear came from. . . weird, I know.

#3 I have to eat something sweet after every meal. Even if it is simply a peppermint or a chai latte, I cannot walk away from a meal without a leaving a sweet taste in my mouth to linger. . .

#4 Now I never do this one in public, and I actually have not done it since I had kids. It wouldn't exactly set the best example. But, the desire is still there. . . When I eat pizza, I like to dissect it. I take all the toppings off and set them to the side. Then, I take the top layer of bread off the crust and eat it, then I eat the bottom layer of crust, and lastly the toppings. Yum! That is how I like to eat pizza. It works best with deep dish (pan) pizza hut pizza.

#5 I LOVE to drink - all day. I drink coffee, water, tea, dr. pepper, green tea, etc. I have a drink in my hand at all times. Now for the weird part. . . I never actually finish a drink. Somehow a Dr. Pepper, once 3/4 of it is gone, just doesn't taste good to me anymore. I even throw out the last little bit of every cup of coffee I drink. At any given time, there are at least 5 drinks half to 3/4 empty waiting for me in my refridgerator. But, I never finish them, never.

#6 When I find out that I am pregnant, I begin praying that God will give me multiples. This is my third pregnancy, and there is still only one sweet baby in there. When I go to my first ultrasound, I always hold my breath as she puts the dealie (for lack of a better word) on my tummy - hoping that there will be more than one in there! Even this pregnancy, I already have 2 children, but I still hoped for twins!

#7 I don't like to shop for clothes. . . or shoes, for that matter. Oh, dear, did someone faint. Seriously, I don't. I never have. No explantation.

#8 I love being pregnant. If I didn't have vein problems, I would honestly love to be 2nd trimester pregnant for the rest of my life. No kidding! When I was pregnant with my first, I found out at my 37 week visit that I was 3 cm dialated. My doctor told me it would only be a matter of days. I cried the whole way home from the appointment. I wasn't ready to not be pregnant anymore. I wasn't ready to not feel him kicking inside me. I love being pregnant. That whole big belly thing is so fun!!!

#9 Sensitive is an understatement when it comes to me. I am SENSITIVE. I don't cry at movies, take for example Facing the Giants, I sob, sob, sob. Going to a sad movie with me can be a bit embarrasing. Sometimes, I even cry for a good while after the movie is over. I always like to discuss the movie afterward, and the tears keep flowing. . . If someone so much as mentions an abused child, or a parent who lost a child, etc., I'll lose it right there.

Daddy hears. . .

I often feel that my children teach me more about God than any preacher, teacher, or theologian ever could. They are my tiny walking examples of myself, a child of God. And, as a parent I am allowed to feel to some degree what my Father feels. I get to walk in His shoes, if you will. . . In a very small way, I get to feel how much He loves His children, to know the lengths that He would go to for them, to understand that kind of sacrificial love as best I can as a human being. The story that follows is just another way that God has used an everyday occurence to teach me something about Himself.

James Christofer (21 months) is sick. Awful. He has a sore throat and ulcers in his little mouth and on his throat. He can't even take a sip of water or a bite of bread without crying out in pain. My heart breaks. . . The only thing that has been able to make him smile over the past few days is a post by Renovating my Heart. Calissa did a post that was a series of 3 mini movies. The first is a baby panda bear sneezing. This is JCT's favorite. Over and over he says, "I wanna see the bear again. Bear again." So, we sit down and watch that silly baby panda sneeze and scare his mama over and over and over and again. Thanks for making my little boy smile, Calissa.

I digress. . . So, last night JCT wakes up (he is in a pack and play in our closet at the rent house). He cries and cries. So, my sweet, lovely, wonderful husband gets out of bed to go hold him for a minute. Immediately the crying stops. I hear Erik singing sweetly over him. Then, Erik lays him down. . . silence. . . he closes the closet door. . .crying begins again. . . So, he comes back to bed and sits down. I roll over making eye contact with him. We just look at eachother and listen. He continues to cry softly. But, then he does it. . . In the sweetest little voice you could ever imagine, he says, "My Daddy, my Daddy, come my Daddy." And, over and over again he repeats it with intermitent wimpers and cries. "Come, my Daddy, my Daddy, come." And, I smile because I know my husband. He is a softy when it comes to his boys. I even giggled a bit because I knew he couldn't resist the call. But, before Erik got up, he looked at me and very profoundly said, "You know what is amazing? That is what God hears when we cry out to Him. This is how He feels when He hears us cry out to Him." My expression turned thoughtful and tears began to fill my eyes as I pondered his words.

Yes, God does love us. His love is real, it hurts, it feels, He is not above that, He is that. He is love, and love hurts for the ones it loves. No one knows that better than a parent. He longs to come near us, to sing over us, to comfort and hold us. Isn't that beautiful and wonderful. Warms me to my toes.

What a wonderful reminder that when we cry out to God in our helpless state, in our dark night He hears us. And, not only does He hear our cry, but to the very core of His heart, He feels our cry. It penetrates. Our cry does not bounce off the ceiling as it sometimes feels. No, it penetrates the heart of a loving God, and He is moved. Thank You, Lord.

And, as you well know, Erik got out of bed, scooped our little man up, and then layed back down in our bed with JCT on His chest. And, I couldn't help staring at them. The light from the window shone down on them. There was little JCT resting peacefully on His Daddy's chest, rising and falling with each of His Daddy's breaths. And, something in me was moved as I watched them laying there. So, much love was displayed in that few minutes, and yet it is a mere shadow of the Real thing. Amazing Love.

A very sweet reunion. . .

I had the very great privilege of reuniting with one of my very best friends who until this past Thursday, I had not seen in 7 years!! Sarah and I (and our children) got to hang out for most of the day on Thursday. Isn't she cute??!! You would never know that she had only gotten one hour of sleep the night before (traveling). She seemed fresh as a daisy to me!

Sarah is a doll, and being around her made me miss her all the more!! She is unique, one of kind, absolutely precious. Her voice is so sweet, and for me hearing it brings back a ton of memories. A few months ago I got to eat lunch with Boomama's friend, Emma Kate. (So much fun!!) But, one of the first questions EK asked me was, "So, what is Sarah like? Tell me about her." I had no idea what to say. Sarah is unique. I guess the best word to describe her would be "cute" or "precious." In college the 2 phrases I heard her use over and over to me in the most endearing tone were: "Hi, sweet little friend." and "I love you to pieces." Oh, and to hear her tell a story. . . She would always have me on the edge of my seat as she recounted to me the details of her day. She could somehow make her walk to history class sound both exciting and funny. She is quite entertaining and exceedingly abundantly eloquent. Her vocabulary is extraordinary and cute - if a vocabulary can be cute - hers is. I love her. She has taken residence in a special place in my heart, and she will live there forever. And, as long as we are miles apart, I will miss her, miss her, miss her.

Is this picture not sweet, ya'll? Both of my sons absolutely adored baby Addie. This looks a little like love to me. . . (I just wish I had gotten a picture of James Christofer kissing Addie over and over again when we were saying goodbye.) And, let's just say that as I was leaving, some sort of agreement pertaining to the future of our children was made between Sarah and I - - and it was sealed with a hug.

I want to add a little something about Addie. . . I can't tell you how amazing it was for me to hold this child who I have so fervently prayed for. I got to hold her, kiss her, touch her soft hair, and run my finger over her already fading scar from open heart surgery. She is a miracle. She is beautiful and sweet, but she is strong, very strong. You can see it in her sweet little determined eyes. May God bless her and her sweet family. She is truly amazing, and I feel so blessed to know her. I love you, sweet Addie.

I felt like I had just seen Sarah yesterday. The seven years since we saw eachother last vanished into thin air the second that we started talking. It was as if no time had gone by at all - except for the fact that there were some wild monkeys running around!! Very, very fun - I highly recommend reunions like this. So, if you have a great friend that you haven't seen in oh, say 7 years, pay her a visit. You won't be sorry!!

Mommy is out. . .

and Daddy is in! What is up with that?? Who I ask you. . . Who stays home with them all day - looking after their every need? Who carried them for 9 months, then gave birth to them - feeling every contraction, pushing them out with her own strength. Yes, Erik stood at the end of the bed cheering me on, and yes, he did actually deliver them with his hands - but still - my job was slightly more difficult. . .

But, after all this both my boys are choosing Daddy right now. I had to listen to Joshua cry for several blocks last night because he wanted Daddy to drive him - not Mommy. (Erik was following us in his vehicle.) Then, when we got to the rent house, I didn't dare get Joshua out of his carseat - I knew better. I let his Daddy get him out. I went to James Christofer, my baby, and offered my arms as an alternative to his very confining carseat. His response - "NO, Daddy get me! Daddy get me! NO, Mommy." So, I put my tail between my legs, grabbed the diaper bag, and walked the lonely walk from the mini-van to the back door. Every step, I grumbled beneath my breath all of the sacrifices I make each day for these two boys - only to be cast aside at 5:30 when Daddy comes home. True martyrdom, or so it felt at the time.

Ohhhhh, I jest, a little. . . I am truly glad that my boys have a father who turns his complete attention to them when he comes home. A father who loves to wrestle, play, and cuddle with them. . . And, I am assuming that this is all normal, well, and good considering that they are males and their father is a male, too. I think I recall Dr. Dobson saying that this is the natural progression of things. We should want our boys to be drawn to their daddys. And, mine are, so all is well. I do, however wish that someone ( For some odd reason, the name Sarah just came to mind. . .) would write a glorious book on the role of mothers in raising boys. I truly find this all quite humurous, and I am very thankful that my boys love their sweet Daddy. And, I am even more thankful that they have a Daddy who sets a wonderful example of a godly man for them to follow.

But, I must add this. . . At bedtime last night, they both cried because they both wanted Mommy to hold them during prayers and singing. So, maybe I haven't fallen too far from glory. . .