A Few of My Favorite New Things. . .

I am not a spontaneous type of girl. I am much more of a planning, checking, double checking, triple checking, etc. type of girl. But, last Friday I decided at the very last minute to drive to New Orleans.


6 hours.

By myself.

With four children.


Don't let your mind wander to how I handled potty breaks. Let's just say I had my hands full. And, I obviously didn't think ahead because I wore drawstring yoga pants. Have you ever tried to tie drawstrings with a twenty-something pound wiggle worm on your hip? It was an experience! :-) But, we made it, and I got to see my sweet husband who had been in New Orleans with his parents all week, and that is all that really matters!!!

Jen and Jason were there, as well, and Jen gave me this awesome Mother's Day gift. . .








She knows me well.

I mean, seriously, how cute!! "Mommy's Sippy Cup!" I love it, love it, love it! I have used it the last two days straight! And, I begin my mornings sipping it and holding cute little red-headed boys. But, once they begin to get up and play, I grab my Bible and this workbook. . . .




and head to my favorite chair at the bar. I sip my coffee and do this wonderful study! I love it because I like to talk a lot, and I don't mean just to others. I do a whole lot of talking to myself. And, I don't talk quite as kindly to myself as I do to my friends. So, I am in desperate need of a thought closet makeover!

And, when I glance up from my Bible study, I see this new frame that I bought with a picture of four of my favorite little people!

And, speaking of those four little people. . .
I have a new favorite book to read to them!


It is a take-off of Goodnight Moon. And, it is perfect for our family because the Big Easy will always have a very special place in our hearts.

And, these are a few of my new favorite things!

Picking up the Pace. . .

Life has seriously picked up the pace on our family lately. Most of this is due to the Easter Musical at our church ~ lots of practices, lots and lots of practices. And, since Erik, Erik Daniel and I are all in the musical, the entire family goes to every rehearsal. Every year follows the same pattern beginning in the fall. Fall is Erik's most busy season ~ football games on some Thursday nights (Jr. College) and every Friday night (High school). Then, Basketball season hits, and it is less busy because there are far less injuries on the basketball court than on the football field. Then after basketball season is the Easter musical, and after the Easter musical, it is time to rest easy for a few months!! Yay!!! I can't wait! We are almost there!

Here are a few snapshots from our weekend. . .

Does Erik look like Jesus? He has been growing his beard and hair for several months now!

Joshua dressed himself like his Daddy on his own. It only took me like 2 hours to notice that he had changed his clothes to be twinkies with Daddy. I'm seriously not observant. Anyway, they are cute with their little Carolina shirts and Hoosier shorts. Some might not appreciate the combination, but I rather like it ~ my heritage meets my man. A marriage made in heaven!

And, speaking of basketball. . .

It is almost time for Final Four Weekend!!! Woo hoo! I cannot tell you how hard I cheered for MSU ~ almost as hard as I did for UNC. Except I didn't really cheer for UNC because we were in Easter Musical practice. :-( So, my sweet mommy kept me posted on the game by texting me every few minutes with updates. My heart raced every single time I felt my cell phone vibrate! I like Izzo, and I had to route for the Big 10! Yay, for them! But, honestly I hate to see anybody lose this late in the dance. I felt especially sorry for Louisville because I really thought they were going to win it all, and I know that they did, too.

Enough already. . .

Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE little boys!!!! I do! I absolutely adore them!!!! And, here is one reason why. . .

I mean, really, Superman in a diaper on a tractor in red cowboy boots! It just doesn't get anymore little boy than that! And, I LOVE little boys!!!!!!

I picked up these pjs for Lijah at Wally world the other day, and he, of course, wanted to put them on immediately! They even have a velcro-on cape! How adorable! I think his big brothers were jealous, but it didn't come in their sizes!!!!

Oh, and this week Erik's brother's family is coming to visit! So, I'll be back next week sometime! I will have 8 children and 4 adults under my roof this week!! Crazy fun! But, shhhhh, don't tell my boys! I'm surprising them! I can't wait to see their faces when that their sweet cousins have come for a visit!!!!!!!!!!

And, I'll end with a picture of JCT. . .

This Afternoon

Life is oddly calm this week. As I type my sweet JCT is napping on the sofa behind me and Erik Daniel and Elijah are napping in their cribs. It is a sunny, quiet day around here. I am sipping a mid afternoon cup of coffee since I had to forgo my morning cups in order to do our weekly grocery shopping trip.

Life is so daily, so busy, so full, so wonderfully full. But, some days it is so nice when everything and everyone stops for a moment. It is quiet. At present I hear my peaceful CD, the hum of the baby monitors, and the soft clicking of my fingers on the keyboard. It is almost time to fill juice cups and prep the diaper bag to go get my sweet Joshua. I'll have to wake my three sleeping angels and gently strap them in their car seats. We'll drive across town and wait for that sweet smiling face to come running to the van with his backpack and lunchbox in hand. And, when he gets into the van, he will smile at me and ask, "Are we going straight home?"~ he always asks this. And, I will say, "Yes." And, he will strap himself in, and we will drive back across town. We will pull into the garage, and one by one, they will file into the house ~ Joshua, then JCT, then Elijah who still needs help with the big brick step up into our home, and lastly Erik Daniel and I will make our way inside. Then, once again my house will be full of noise and laughter, snacks and stories.

But, for now the house is quiet. And, I can feel myself relaxing, gearing up for a busy afternoon and a full evening of activities at church.

I have never appreciated a minute or two to myself as much as I have during this stage in my life. And, one day, I will have lots of down-time again, lots of minutes here and there to sit still in a quiet house. But, those quiet moments won't be nearly as sweet as they are now because I appreciate them so much more now then I ever have before or ever will again. . .

And, Now I'm Off!

I will leave tomorrow morning for a long weekend with a very good friend/sister-in-love, my Jen. I will wake up early and kiss my darling boys and wonderful man goodbye. Then, I will drive several hours and pick Jen up at the Nashville airport. She has already made reservations for us to stay at a quaint little B & B in the area! Our room is complete with two twin beds!! How fun and like college is that!!!

I just finished packing my bags, and I laughed as I did it. There was a time when we traveled to see each other and our bags held very different items. In college our bags may have held nursing school books, a bag of jelly beans, diet coke, Extra Sugar-free gum peppermint flavor, Bride magazines, a disposable camera for fun road-trip pics, a picture or two of the precious brothers that we were in love with, our calendars, and our Bibles.

Today, my packed bags hold some different items. . . A sound machine (I simply can't sleep w/o the sound I hear every night on the monitor that sits by my bed. And, Jen uses the same sound machine with her children, so I know that the noise will make her feel right at home, too. :-)), Bifferdoodle coffee, a cookbook, my control journal, a book about home scheduling and routines, a couple parenting books, a real camera, a picture of my boys (Erik included), my calendar, and my Bible.

So, if we step back and analyze these two lists, we will find that three things haven't changed - our love for Erik & Jason, our love of all things order (calendars), and our love of the Word of God! Our love for Jesus is by far the the chain that binds our hearts. It is what initially drew us to each other when we met in college, it is what has kept us united though miles separate us, and it is why we come away from time together feeling refreshed, revived, and ready to go back to our families with a renewed sense of purpose and a renewed passion for the calling God has placed on our hearts!!

Now, after all those blissful thoughts, let me be real with you.

Yesterday was terrible. Oh, yes, yesterday my life was a miserable tragedy, or at least, it felt that way. Let's see if I can recap. . .

My garage door broke and locked my van in the garage. I was stuck at home all day. Good, we'll make it a swim day - life gives you lemons - make lemonade, right? So, we swam, and I had to jump in the pool and literally save JCT's life when he came out of his floaty by accident. The funny part is that Joshua had been begging me to jump in the pool, but I kept refusing! When I saw JCT start to flail, I jumped in without a second thought! So, the first thing Joshua said after I had JCT safely in my arms was, "Hey! You jumped in!!!" And, the second thing Joshua said was, "Next time, wait and let me save him, okay?" Yes, okay, I'll just sit back and watch. . . Umm. . . No.

Anyway, we recouped and kept on going. . . Then, after dinner JCT began throwing up, and throwing up, and throwing up - that's 3 times. Makes me nauseated just thinking about it. Erik and I just looked at each other like - "You're kidding, right? He didn't just throw up, did he?" So, now there is the possibility that Erik will be left at home with 3 sick children while I am in Nashville, and there is the possibility that I will be as sick as a dog on my highly anticipated getaway! Ugggh.

So, yesterday was terrible, but tomorrow will be wonderful. I am counting on it, claiming it! And, hey, even if I am running to the bathroom every five minutes, I'll have a fun friend to hang out with in between trips!

Today, I am simply enjoying my boys. I am kissing foreheads and cheeks and thinking about how I won't be able to do this again for a few days. I better go! Gotta get some more sugar from the baby cheeks that just waddled over to see me! That reminds me, grandparents, Elijah has officially joined the ranks of the walking! He is officially on two legs now!!! Yay, for him! And, he is doing the cutest thing! We sing the song "Elijah Rock" to him, and he says the "Shout! Shout! Shout!" part!!!!! Too cute! Can't wait for you to see and hear him! He is a handful of joy, that little man! I'm going to miss him, his big brothers, and his Daddy, too!!!!

Later, sweet friends!

A Full Swingset and a Good Picture of JCT

HE IS SO STINKIN' CUTE THAT I COULD EAT HIM SLAP UP!!

Well, folks, the swinset is officially full!! I have a man at every station, well, almost. . .

As I stood back admiring my sweet boys, all three swinging side by side, the thought occured to me that all three swings were full of little boy goodness! My heart swelled with pride and love. I tilted my head to the side and let out a satisfied sigh. And, then I made this statement to my boys. . .

"Well, boys the swingset is full. All the swings are taken. Isn't that great!"

No one really seemed as overwhelmingly moved by this fact as I did. They all just continued to swing. Then, JCT motioned over to the little red disc thingy that hangs from a long yellow rope on the very end of the swingset and said. . .

"Nope. Not full yet. We gotta wait for MOSES. He can swing on da rope."

"Moses?" I asked. "Who is Moses?"

"He's really little right now, but when he gets bigger he can swing on da rope!"

Just checking, I asked, "So, who is Moses' mama?"

"YOU!" JCT answered.

That is what I was afraid of.

Which made me wonder if it has occured to JCT that he is our only son not named after an Old Testament hero. Whenever it does occur to him, I will remind him that James is his Daddy's favorite book of the Bible. And, hopefully, that, along with the fact that he was named after his grandfathers, will satisfy him.

OH, ME, I LOVE MY BOYS!!!!

Three

The Three.

My three.

Everywhere we go I hear, "Boy, you have your hand's full," and, sometimes, "Three boys, bless your heart."

Oh, yes, my heart is blessed, blessed indeed.

They are busy, curious, and rambunctious. I often do my best to temper all of that, but I always fail. You can't keep a little boy contained. You simply can't. There is life welling up inside of them that cannot be contained. They are little overflowing cups of joy and boundless energy. And, I love them for it!

Last night, as I lay in bed completely exhausted, I tried to remember what it was that I did all day. Why was I so incredibly tired? I couldn't remember anything monumental that I had done during the day. All I could remember was changing laundry, folding laundry, fixing snacks and meals, nursing, changing diapers, taking JCT to the potty, pushing little ones on the swings, sitting in a lawn chair watching two little boys play some form of a football-like game, breaking up a few squabbles, taking the dog out, and attempting to muster up the energy to happily welcome Erik home at the end of the day - instead of collapsing and letting him take over - which is what I'd like to do - but that wouldn't be fair or right, and I know it. But, I did nothing extraordinary, and honestly other than a few baskets of folded laundry and a mediocre meal, I have nothing to show for all of my efforts.



But, I am amazingly satisfied.

Content.



And, three smiling, laughing, clean, lavender smelling boys are all the reward I need. Well, almost. . . The stalling at bedtime, the one more book, the one more hug, JCT's kisses through the crib rails, Joshua's "scratch my tummy a little longer," and Elijah's head nestled under my chin. . . that is my reward, and it is sweet. Little do they know that I am soaking up their smells and love like a sponge soaks up water. And, once again, I am thankful for another day with my three, my precious three.

In case anyone was worried. . .

She is in there, I promise, you just can't see her! It is time to change the water again!!

Dora has been moved to her very own bowl. By the time Erik came home Saturday morning, Zack had made multiple attempts to scare Dora to death, literally. I think she was sure to have had a heart-attack had we forced her to share a bowl with Zack the fish tank killer much longer.

I met Erik at the door asking him to move Dora to her own bowl. He suggested that we give them more time to get used to eachother, but I wasn't sure she would live another hour with Zack attacking her. I was feeling a sense of urgency about the whole ordeal.

Erik was not.

He suggested that we look it up on the internet. He said he would look for an informative website about Bettas and read about whether we could keep two in the same bowl. He then proceeded to sit down at the computer. . . I paced in the kitchen while keeping my eye on sweet Dora. After about 15 minutes, Zack began terrorizing Dora again. So, I came running over to the computer to see what Erik had found out. . . Dora's life was in danger! We had to save her! What had Erik found out?

Nothing.

Nothing at all.

And, do you want to know why?

Because ( big surprise) Dan Patrick's website doesn't offer vast quantities of information on Betta fish. In fact, I'm quite certain that the word Betta does not appear anywhere on his site. But, he is a great reporter, and I wish him the best on all his future endeavors.

After I, once again, expressed the urgency of Dora's situation to Erik, he left Dan Patrick's website and searched for information that would save Dora's life. The information we read agreed with the instructions I read on the way home from the pet store. Due to the aggressive nature of the male betta only one Betta should be in a bowl.

And, in case you were wondering about the mating habits of the Betta fish, the male and female should only be put in a bowl together for an hour and a half to two hours at a time to mate. I cringe to think Dora was left alone with Zack in a small bowl for over 12 hours. Too bad there aren't therapists for fish. Surely, she could use one. I am just praying over her bowl daily.

JCT and I took a special trip to Wal-Mart and picked out a new bowl and some colorful decor fit for a lady. And, she likes it in her new trendy home. She is thriving. At least I think she is - the best I can tell. She is eating her food, and I think that is a good indication. Zack on the other hand is not eating. Bless his heart, maybe he misses her. He ate when she was in his bowl. I'm a bit concerned about him. But, I'm not losing any sleep over it.

Oh, and a note about fish to those who don't have them. I don't necessarily recommend fish if you are a neat and clean person. No one warned me about how dirty these creatures are. We have had them for 3 days, and I have changed their water like 5 times. It gets all cloudy, and it smells nasty when you dump it in the sink. They aren't the clean little pet I thought they would be. Big Mama was right - the honeymoon phase is short lived. Oh, and the food smells, too.

But, I still say it was worth it just to hear Joshua gasp when he saw his fish for the first time!

Trip to Nana and Poppy's

Yesterday, we got home from a wonderful trip to visit my parents. We had such a restful, peaceful time. The boys had a blast playing with Nana and Poppy, while Erik and I got to spend a lot of time alone - which was such a blessing!!

This small town girl got to eat at Moe's, Krispy Kreme, and Bonefish Grill. And I got to shop at Williams-Sonoma, J. Jill, Pottery Barn, Lewis and Clark, and, of course, Target. Oh, it was a fun-filled trip!

But, all good things must come to an end, and so our trip did much to my Joshua's displeasure. As per usual, he remained composed until we got into "Vannie" and began to drive away. The tears appeared as they always do when we leave anyone that my sweet boy loves. His heart is a beautiful thing, I tell you. Sweet tears rolled down his cheeks until I finally called my mom so that she could console him. She promised to come visit him sometime soon, and the tears shut off like a switch.

Then, last night when he was asked to bless the food at dinner, his prayer went something like this. . .

"Dear God, I miss my Nana a whole bunch and a lot. Will you please make her come to my house? Will you please make her drive a long day and come see me? Amen."

Then, he looked up and asked me, "Do you miss your mommy and daddy when we leave them?" I assured him that I did miss them very much. And, I made sure he knew that it was very normal to miss those we love when we have to leave them.

Since I mentioned the sweetness of Joshua's heart, I must mention the happiness of JCT's heart! JCT is so fun right now!! Watch out world, the LIFE of the party has arrived!! He has the JOY, JOY, JOY down in his happy little heart!!! He made the trip a lot of fun by keeping us in stitches most of the time! He is his own little person. And, I love that about him!!

Here are a few pics from our trip. . .

Two Fun Little Ideas. . .

Joshua and I made our first "hand"made pot as a Mother's Day gift for my mom when Joshua was one year old. It was a hit with Nana, so we made one for Erik's mom, too. Joshua, JCT, and I painted the pot in this picture for Afton, the boys favorite "girl"friend. I love gifts with things like the boy's hand or footprints on them. I am all about heartfelt, sentimental gifts. And, this is one of my favorites, so I thought I'd share it. We use acrylic paints and then spray a layer of clear acrylic sealer after the paint has dried. It is easy to do and the boys have so much fun getting their hands all messy with paint! You are sure to get a smile from the recipient of this sweet gift!!

Wendy saw the paper on my table in the picture of Joshua from the post below. She asked about it, so I thought I'd share this with ya'll, too. I actually saw this idea in Rachael Ray's magazine a month or so ago. I use the brown paper that comes in a roll at Wal-Mart in the section with all the mail/packaging things. I place the paper across my table and tape it down on the sides, so it won't move while they draw. Then, I get crayons and put them in containers in the middle of the table. This is a great idea for times when company is coming over - company with young kids, of course. We use one side and then flip it over and use the other side. It is fun for the kids, and if you get really creative, it can make a really cute table when playgroup is at your home!!!

For the Love of Cheese Dip

We are all about manners at el casa de erin!

There is just something irresistibly good about white cheese dip from our local authentic Mexican restaurant! I'd lick my plate too - if I weren't thirty something and supposed to be setting the example. . . It is that good.

Guess Where We Are?

Scroll down to the bottom to find out where we are. . .

Just for the record, there are a few things that I hope I don't soon forget. So, I am going to record them here. . .

About Imagination. . . Joshua is naming everything right now, everything. And, while at first this seemed a bit strange to me, it later occured to me that when I was in 2nd grade I gave all of my facial features names. All that I can remember is the names of my eyes - "Pinky" and "Inky." So, maybe I passed this gene down to him? Who knows? But, he has been doing it for months. . . Our house is Frankie. The last curve in the highway before you get to the road that takes us to our house is Curvey. Our mini-van is Vannie. The tires are called Tire Bire. The pond is Water Pauter. The vent in his room is Barker, not to be confused with his bunk bed which is named Venti. The list goes on and on and it grows daily.

About Nursing. . . Joshua declared that I AM A SUPER-HERO because I FEED ELIJAH!!! He also declared when he accidently walked in on me pumping one morning that I am "a lot like a cow." Oh, me. JCT sits two inches from me at all times when I am holding Elijah. So, we are a threesome at feeding time. JCT kisses and talks to Elijah while I feed him. It usually goes something like this. . . "Hi Lijah! I love you. Mommy, I love da baby. Da baby loves me. Are you eating, Lijah? Lijah eats milk. God made Lijah, Mommy. God made Lijah for YOU and ME!!! I love my little Lijah. . ." JCT also informed me the other day during a feeding that one side was milk and the other side was juice. Funny, I never knew that! He keeps me smiling, that JCT, my sunshiny happy boy!

About Music. . . Our boys love the song, "Life is a Highway" from the movie Cars. They love it so much that they absolutely go nuts when it comes on! They run in circles and throw themselves on the couch and chair! They dance like crazy men!! And, it makes me laugh every time they do it!

Don't we all feel a little like this when we hear our favorite song?

And, notice that Rain, our dog, is not at all surprised by there behavior. He is quite used to it by now.

Okay, and now the answer to the original question. . .





If you guessed that we are in our driveway, then you are correct! Yes, the brick layers left a huge present for my boys this past January when they did their work on the back of our house. Most people might be a little irritated when they drive up and see a literal mountain of sand in the middle of their driveway after the brick layers were long gone - not even offering to move it, but, no, not us. We rejoiced!! It was quite possibly the largest domestic sandbox in the southeastern US, and my boys have loved it! Due to the spring rains, it is almost gone now, but there is still enough sand left to "play beach."

Lessons from Flying Solo

When my mom and I first saw this picture, we laughed and decided that it should be labeled, "And, reality sets in." The reality that I am the mother of 3 boys! The reality that my house will be filled with cowboys running wild! No doubt, my journey will be one filled to the brim with constant motion, curiosity, noise, and general chaos. But, fear not, I am 100% on board and excited about the road ahead! Little cowboys, take me away!!!!!

This was my first week alone with the boys. My mom stayed with me the week Elijah was born, Erik the week after, and his mother the week after that. And, though some (a.k.a. Joshua) doubted me, we have made it quite well. One day last week while Erik's mother was with us, I was tucking Joshua in bed, and he asked, "Mommy, how will you do it?" Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?" To which he answered, "What will you do when Grandma leaves? How will you do it all?" Beginning to feel a little insecure, I asked, "How will I do what all? What do you mean?" He answered, "Like washing the dryer and all that. How will you do it all?" I reminded him that I had a very special helper boy that would help me, and I assured him that we would make it just fine.

And, so we have. I have even "washed the dryer" - 8+ loads of laundry have been done this week alone! I have come to the realization that even my 2 year old can be a great little helper! And, they both love to be helpers, so I have allowed them the privilege. Who knows how long it will last, but I am enjoying the aid!

I tend to over do it the month or so before a baby comes. I work so hard to get our entire life in order so that when the baby comes I can simply rest and focus on our family alone. And, even though I drive myself and my husband crazy in the last months of each pregnancy, the reward is sweet. When the baby comes, a peace comes over our home, and I am feeling that peace right now. Like a soft sweet breath of fresh air blowing through the house, the baby brings in a time of tranquility. We lay low for 2 months after having a baby. Erik doesn't let me take the baby to public places, etc., so we are virtually homebound for 8 weeks. And, though that sounds boring to most, to someone who has been running nonstop for the past 10 months, it is heaven on earth.

And, since I have had some time to be still and listen, I have heard God whispering sweetness to my heart. And, there is nothing more wonderful than that! I have finally slowed down enough to see that in my busyness, I was missing so much. . .

I'm not sure whether it is because Elijah looks so much like Joshua or what it is, but I have been awestruck by how big Joshua is getting. It is as if I have completely missed the last 4 years. Where did they go? Just yesterday I was holding his little newborn body, and now he is 4 years old, long and lean and growing like a weed. There is nothing baby about him. He is all little boy now. Erik and I are praying about whether or not to homeschool our boys. If we do send them to school, then I only have one more year at home with my Joshua. One more year, to be with him during all those wonderful morning and afternoon hours. One more year, to make him PB&J's and to sit down and enjoy them with him. One more year to spend the afternoons blowing bubbles, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and reading books to him before naptime. Where, oh, where has the time gone?

So, slowing down has reminded me that I need to live each moment to fullest with my children because these moments will soon be memories. Just like all the older ladies at the grocery store stop and tell me when I am about to pull my hair out because my boys are being disobedient and hyper, and I just want to. be. done. shopping. . . "Enjoy these days, they don't last forever. . . They'll grow up before you know it. . . Enjoy them while you have them. . . You'll just turn around one day and they'll be all grown up. . . Enjoy them. . ." They are growing fast. . . And, the last thing I want to do is miss it, or should I say to miss enjoying it.

So, in this, my first week flying solo with 3 little ones, I have been challenged once again to "stop and smell the roses." For years, I have said with all confidence, "I can have a clean house later, I want to focus on my children now." But, just as soon as I said it, I would bury myself again in organizing, cleaning, and list making. Because I am type A, it is so incredibly hard for me to let go and play when there are clothes sitting in the dryer getting all wrinkly or when there are dishes sitting in the sink waiting to be washed. Not only that, but I tend to find myself sitting in one of our Adirondack chairs by the swing set making to do lists (one of my favorite past-times), instead of joining my sons in their games. And, I, also, tend to put a movie on in the car so that I can call my friends and talk while we run errands. You know it is bad when you hear your two year old say, "Get dat phone off yo ear, Mama." Conviction.

It is an honor and a privilege to be able to stay at home with my children, but if I am constantly trying to engage them in activities so that I can do what I want to do. . . What is the point of that? Now, I am not saying that I should drop everything and play with my children all day. That would not be right at all. There would be no dinner, no clean clothes, and scary things would be growing in our toilets and showers. And, to be quite honest, right or wrong, I am a better mother, wife, friend, and person when there is less clutter on my counters. That is just a fact. If there is a phobia of clutter, I have it. So, I guess what I am saying is that slowing down has made me realize the value of these days. It has made me realize that the balance between doing what I want to do and playing with my children has been off in my life. The scales were tipping toward my own selfishness, and I had not realized it. I have been a different mama this week, and I pray that this new mama remains.

Now, my house is cluttered. And, no doubt, there is little boy tinkle around the rim of the toilet seats that needs to be Clorox wiped (a daily chore for a mama with little boys). But, I am satisfied. I am satisfied with this week. It was truly a week well spent.

Hide and Seek Gone All Wrong. . .

This may be humorous now, but I assure you it was not at the time!!

It was naptime in our household, and I went upstairs to put JCT down. Elijah was already asleep, and Joshua was playing quietly downstairs. I use this time each day for a little alone time with my middle child. We talk about the morning, read a book or two, and sing a song or two. I was probably upstairs 15-20 minutes.

When I came down, Joshua was no where to be found. Now, sometimes he likes to hide from me, so this wasn't such a surprise to me. I played along, "Where, Oh, Where is my Joshua? I can't find him!" I looked in the usual places - no Joshua. I looked in some new places - no Joshua. I scaled every square centimeter of the downstairs - no Joshua. I started to get a little nervous, but I held it together. "Joshua, Joshua come out. . ." Nothing. Silence. I listened for laughter, movement, anything - and heard nothing but my heart beating wildly. I checked the back door - locked - whew! I checked the back porch door because we ate lunch out on the back porch - unlocked - sheer panic! We have a pond in our backyard! The doors are always, always bolted! How could I leave the door unlocked??? I looked outside, scanned the backyard - no Joshua. You can imagine the thoughts going through my head at this moment. . . What do I do? Call Erik? Call 911? I envisioned having the pond drained. . . Or, what if he ran around to the front of the house? He could have gotten hit by a car. . . Or, he could be wondering through the woods. . . lost. . . There could be snakes, poison ivy, or worse. . . I couldn't even go there, so I went back inside. I walked into the kitchen and decided to give it one more try except this time the sound of a frightened mother bear was evident in my voice, "JOSHUA, JOSHUA, IF YOU ARE IN HERE COME OUT RIGHT NOW!!!"

The door to the powder bath flung open. . . I literally fell to the ground. Slowly, ever so slowly, my little red-headed darling crawled out of the doorway. I think I scared him as much as he scared me. I'm certain he has never heard that kind of panic in my voice. At this point I was sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, and he crawled slowly toward me one baby step at a time. Like any scared half to death post-partally hormonal woman (don't you just love how I always have an excuse for my over-exaggerated emotions?), I had tears chasing each other down my cheeks. I grabbed Joshua and hugged him tightly. And, what proceeded could seriously have won an Oscar. If not an Oscar, it would have been the perfect ending to a Lifetime Original Drama or a Hallmark Special. It was high drama at its finest. I said something like this, "Do you see these tears? Look at me! Do you know why Mama is crying? Because I love you, Joshua. I. love. you. And, for a few minutes, I thought that I had lost you. I don't ever want to lose you, baby. Mama loves you! So much! So much! If I ever lost you, I would be sad forever. You could never be replaced. I love you, my Joshua, my baby!" As you can imagine, now he was in tears, too. The two most dramatic members of the family playing off one another. Mush.

Now, somehow I had forgotten during this whole ordeal that Joshua recently learned to switch hiding places when the seeker isn't looking. Sneaky little guy, scared his mama half to death!

But, the funny ending to this little tale happened about an hour later. . . Joshua comes running up to me. "Mommy, I gotta go to the bathroom." I said, "Okay, go ahead," wondering why in the world he was telling me this. He answered that question without my asking, "Now, if I go to the bathroom, promise you won't start crying again. Because I'll be right back. I'm just going to the bathroom. Don't be sad and cry."

Sweet Tea and Other Southern Goodness. . .

I was raised in the South by Midwestern born and bred parents. Though Dixieland surrounded me, my home was still very much a product of my parents' heritage though I did not realize this until years later. I grew up cheering for Bobby Knight's Hoosiers, and eating my veggies steamed. Butter beans? What are those? I grew up calling them lima beans. And, Mom was always called "Mom" or "Mommy" but never "Mama." Yes, we drank tea. I can still see my mom's jars of tea sitting in the backyard sunshine. We drank tea, but it was lacking a key ingredient found in Southern tea - sugar. We drank unsweet tea, and, believe it or not, we liked it, a lot.

Enter Erik.

I fell head over heels for this New Orleans boy, pure Southern goodness. He had a drawl, bears a strikingly similar resemblance to Harry Connick, Jr., and I think if one were to look up the word gentleman in the dictionary, there just might be a picture of him next to the definition. To say that I was taken by this Southern boy is an understatement. But, I'm going to try not to get sidetracked. Moving on. . .

I always thought adding sugar to tea was an unecessary addition of calories. But, for the first time in my life, I liked sweet tea, I really liked it. Something about sitting next to Erik on a porch swing sipping sweet tea seemed to be just about the sweetest thing I'd ever done. Erik used to tell me that good sweet tea is like the stuff they pour over snow cones - syrup.

I learned that there is a monumental difference between tomatoes purchased in the grocery store and the ones grown in his parent's garden. I had my first tomato sandwich with him - whoever heard of such! His absolute favorite meal is Cornbread (and don't insult him by making Jiffy - cornbread should not be sweet!) with all kinds of vegetables piled on top of it - butter beans, black-eyed peas, green beans, cream corn, etc. You can always throw a tomato in - he loves those. Oh, and then for dessert - Mississippi Mud Pie, Chess Pie, or simply a slice of watermelon with salt sprinkled on it will do just fine. And, molasses, he loves thick, sticky, ooey, gooey molasses on a biscuit. I don't care how adorably cute he is, I still can't stomach that one - not even after 8 years of marriage and 3 children.

When I finally had the awesome privilege of becoming his wife, I had to learn to cook all over again. Vegetables are to be cooked for hours, never steamed, never crunchy, always tender. They are best either from a can or bought fresh in a farmers market and cooked slowly, very slowly. And, gravy, I have yet to master this one. We didn't make gravy often at my house growing up. So, this has become Erik's job. Now when we visit my home for Christmas or Thanksgiving, my mom calls Erik into the kitchen to make the gravy. She has given him the illustrious title of "The Roux Master." Between Erik and Cecilia (my brother's wife) my family has truly changed. We even had Cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving this year. I had no idea what I was missing all those years! Southerners know how to cook. I didn't say it was healthy, but it is good.

And, Southern boys. . . I love them. Gentlemen. And, every now and then I see a glimpse of the South in one of my sons. Joshua will say something with a very evident drawl, and I will smile to myself. "Mama, I bumped my he-ead." He loves cornbread and homemade biscuits with strawberry perserves on them. I think the first two words he put together were, "Yes, Ma'am." And, just yesterday he held the door open for a complete stranger at Wal-Mart. (The only problem was that it was the bathroom door, and I was gagging as I watched his freshly cleaned hands touch the door. But, in the name of good manners, I kept my mouth shut and let him do the polite thing.) I am raising myself a little Southern gentleman. And, I love it. There really is no place on earth that I would rather raise my boys.

And, now the little story that made me sit and contemplate all this. . . As we walked our daily walk around the neighborhood the other day, Joshua said, "Mama, I want to name the horses." (There is a family that lives down the road from us that has 8 horses roaming their land. 4 of the horses are brown and 4 are white.) I said, "Sure, honey, go ahead and name them." He thought for a moment, and then very confidently declared, "The white ones are named Sugar. And, the brown ones are named Sweet Tea." I smiled to myself as I looked down at my little Southern Sweetheart. And, I felt my heart swell with a little good old Southern pride.

The picture above is of the land that the Sweet teas and Sugars usually roam, but unfortunately they were in the barn today. I don't blame them. I am not sure what happened to spring, but it is feeling a bit like winter around here lately. . .

Stuff-Mart a.k.a. Target

We live in a town so small that the height of our shopping experience is Wal-Mart. So, for several weeks I have had a trip planned to the city for me and the boys. We drove an hour and a half for the great privilege of shopping at a Target. It is the little things you know?

Well, let's just say I went a little crazy. . . I began in the Maternity section, then moved to the sleepwear, then to children's clothing, then to houseware, and on and on I went. . . I began with Joshua in the back of one of the carts, but quickly needed more space, so he had to walk. . . Let's just say that I ended the shopping spree pushing one cart full and pulling another cart behind me. Yes, I did. And, this is not like me at all. I am really quite frugal. My father raised me to be very careful with money. I count every penny and pinch them for all they are worth!! So, I'm not sure what came over me when I saw all those pillows and bed linens, vases and boxes. Most of the things I bought were on sale - great deals, but I learned that great deals tend to add up - even if each individual item is only like $10. I was like a crazed woman throwing things in my cart with both hands!!

At times, I felt like people were staring at me. And, I wanted to say, "Look people, I live in a really small town, and I don't get to do this often. And, I am about to have a baby. I really want to be ready, you know, and have all I need before he comes. So, please don't think I have a spending problem. I don't. I promise. And, I assure you I am not in denial. I've just been couped up in my little town too long. And, this is a really great store. And, this is my one chance to shop here before the baby comes. And, we just renovated. And, there is so much we need. Okay, so maybe we don't "need" all this stuff like we "need" water or shelter. But, it will sure help make my house feel like a home again. But, I know homes are made of love and family and not things. But, I am nesting right now - big-time. So, please don't think I have a problem. Because I don't, really, I promise. I don't." But, since that didn't sound too convincing, I just kept my mouth shut and continued shopping, with my head down, determined to finish quickly.

But, the part that I hope I never forget happened somewhere in the middle of my little escapade. The cart was so full that I was stuffing things beside JCT in the front. The pillows in the back were piled higher than little JCT's head, but still I was finding things and stuffing them in every little corner and crevice of the cart. . . Suddenly out of the nowhere, Joshua grabbed the side of the cart as I was attempting to balance yet another pillow on top of my towering, overstuffed cart and said, "Stop! Mommy, you have to stop! You can't keep doing this! You cannot put another thing in this cart! You are going to end up like Madame Blueberry!!!!!"

And, if you don't know the story of Madame Blueberry, you should really watch the movie. It is my all-time favorite Veggie-tales movie. Needless to say, it is about a blueberry that is very blue (unhappy because she does not have enough "stuff.") So, she goes to Stuff-Mart and stuffs many carts full of stuff. Ultimately, she realizes that "stuff" will never make her happy.

I will admit that I felt a smidge of conviction at Joshua's comment. I felt alot more conviction when the lady at the check-out handed me my receipt. . . I walked straight to the car pushing and pulling my carts and children. After changing a diaper and putting the boys in their carseats, I climbed into the driver's seat, took a deep breath, called my husband, and tearfully confessed my sins. Thankfully, I have a husband who is alot like God. His grace and mercy knows no bounds. Erik responded with laughter knowing that this little trip was not my norm. He knows how I hate to spend money. Ahhh, we live and learn. But, I have a feeling we will be making a trip back to the city in the next week or so to return a few things. . .

Good Things. . .

Today was, well, let's just say, not my finest day. I did not earn a nomination for mother of the year today. My children and I ate out for both lunch and dinner. I kinda lost my temper a little bit here and there. My darling JCT clawed my sweet Joshua's face, and then later hit my Joshua over the head 3 times in a row quite quickly. He then looked up and saw that I was watching and walked over to the corner by himself. What, I ask, am I to do with him? Midday, I looked up at heaven and asked God what He was thinking entrusting me with children. It was that kind of day.

So, I decided that I am going to write about good things that happened today. Because my first inclination is to focus on all the very trying things that took place, but in reality I know there are some good things that happened too. . . Now let me think. . .

Good Things by me. . .

The best thing that I can remember that happened today was when I looked in the rearview mirror and saw two sleeping angels in carseats behind me. No matter how they act when they are awake - they look like angels when they are asleep.

JCT grabbed my face with two hands and gave me a big wet kiss on the lips this evening.

When I put the boys to bed, Joshua and JCT both wanted to sit on my lap. They were trying to push eachother off - both wanting to be the only one on my lap. I said, "Just wait, in a few months Elijah will be here, and I will have to hold him, too." Joshua said smilinig, "Well, he'll just have to sit on your head!" The mental picture made me laugh out loud.

My husband, who over the past 3 days has proven himself once again to be the selfless member of our relationship, told me he loved me at least like 15 -20 times today. On days like today, it is so nice to know that I am loved deeply.

We took the boys to a basketball game tonight. An older lady from our church who recently lost her husband and has really been struggling was at the game. I was so glad to see that she was getting out and around again. JCT, who doesn't know her at all, walked right up to her seat and reached up for her with the biggest, sweetest grin on his face. And, then he climbed up in her lap and charmed her silly. . . And, that made my heart smile - Jesus loving on her through my son.

When Joshua saw the mascot of our local team at the game tonight, he leaned over and assured me, "Mommy, now don't just be scared of that tiger. He's a nice tiger. He has a smile, and he will give you five if you want him to. . ." Then, his little voice turned to a whisper, "And, Mommy, it's a man in there. It's just a man inside wearing that tiger. Don't just worry, Mommy. He's a nice tiger, I promise. He won't just eat you. I promise."

Oh, and another good thing. . . watching my two little guys sitting with their legs tucked behind them on the gym floor sharing a bag of popcorn. It was the only time they sat still the entire game! And, they looked super sweet sitting there together all red-headed and precious. . .

And, the perfect ending to the day. . . Chocolate cobbler, milk, and the best dog ever at my feet.

My Very Own Little Safety Patrol Man

Growing up we referred to my Dad as "Safety Patrol Man." And, I am not just talking about within the family - even my closest friends knew him by this name. He was/is serious about safety. Don't ask me how or why, but once the company he worked for gave him a jacket with a patch on the sleeve that said "Safety Patrol." It was an award of sorts received by the executive who turned off the most lights after leaving the room, locked the most doors behind him, or something of that nature. Seriously, my father traded futures for the commodity market, so I am not sure how the whole safety award thing actually came about. But, his company had an award for safety, and, rightly, he received it.

He pushed safety big time in our home. I have so many memories of being scared half to pieces as he monthly checked our fire alarms. He checked the doors five or so times to make sure that they were locked before going to bed each night. The thermostat was strictly off limits. In the summer we were a bit on the warm side, and in the winter, we were a bit on the cold side - to save energy, of course. But, to touch the thermostat meant you might just lose a hand - or so we believed. And, as soon as the temperature dropped below 70, a coat was in order and a hat, too, of course. Everyone knows that "you lose a large perentage of heat from your head." And, when you are seventeen, you don't care one bit if you have hat hair when you get to school. You stayed warm and that is all that really matters to seventeen year old girls. Right? (Love you, Daddy!) And, the big joke was that the "Smith girls" could only drive in perfect weather. If it was too hot, the heat wasn't good for the car. If it was too cold, then, you better not drive because it just might start to sleet. And, you don't even want to think about driving in the rain because that is an accident waiting to happen, and you wouldn't want to have a head-on with a tornado.

Do you know how much I love this man? I think you can see how much he loved me! He did everything in his power to keep me safe.

After I married Erik, I became the safety patrol. Pulling out of the driveway - only to pull right back in - gotta double check to make sure that my curling iron is unplugged, or that the oven is off, or that all the lights are off, or all of the above. But, now I have my Joshua. And, he has usurped me of my safety patrol power. He has put me back in my place as the recipient of safety instruction. In his 3 year old mind, it is his job to take care of me and our home and our car, etc. Here are a few examples. You may think that I am exagerating or making this up, but I assure you that I am not. He is his Poppy's grandson. He gets it honest. Here goes. . .

* I tend to grip the steering wheel with one hand. I rest my right arm on my leg and steer from the bottom of the wheel. This bothers my sweet son who says to me, "Mommy, you need to put your hands on the steering wheel. The car will go off the road if you don't steer it. We don't want to have an axxident." I smile to myself, and reluctantly put both hands on the wheel, up high, so that he can see them and feel safe.

* When we park the car and begin walking into a store, he often says, "Mommy, you didn't lock the car." To which I assure him, "Yes, I did." Then, he responds, "Are you sure? I didn't hear it honk. Make it honk, Mommy, so that I know it is locked." Yes, he is 3, almost 4, but still much too young to worry about such.

* The other day I was on the cell phone when we came into the house from shopping. I had JCT, several bags, and a cell phone in my hand. I didn't shut the back door all the way when we came inside. So, for the next 15 minutes, as I tried to finish up my phone call, Joshua kept saying over and over, "You didn't shut the door, Mommy. Mommy, you didn't shut the door." Even after I carefully closed the back door, he kept on, "Mommy, you left the door open. Mommy, the door. You need to close it." I finally got off the phone, a bit exasperated, and inquired, "Joshua, the door is closed. I closed it. Why do you keep saying that?" He, very matter of factly, replied, "Not the house door, Mommy. You left the van door open, the door on my side. We need to shut it." I went outside, and he was right. There was the side door of the van - wide open, smiling at me.

* I tend to forget my sunglasses which are as vital an accessory to me as my wedding ring. After forgetting them several times and complaining about not having them, Joshua has decided he needs to step in and help me. So, when we get in the car, my little safety patrol man sweetly asks, "Mommy, did you remember your sunglasses? Just making sure. . ."

* I don't know why, but this one is my favorite. . . The other day as we were pulling out of the driveway, out of the blue and much to his mother's surprise, Joshua gasps and yells, "MOMMY! STOP THE CAR!!" I slammed on the brakes wondering if he saw an animal or a person that I was about to hit. I turned my head to face him, "What is it?" His response. . .

"I think you forgot to turn my sound machine off!!!!"

What, I ask, would I ever do without him?

* When I drive at night, I get to hear this common reminder from my sweet little man. . . "Mommy, do you have your front lights on? Because it is night, and at night you need your front lights on so that you can see."

* If I don't take the same roads as usual to certain places such as church, the library, Daddy's office, etc., I hear from my little backseat driver, "Mommy, this is not the way to Daddy's office. You need to just turn this car around and go back the other way."

* And, to the workers who tirelessly work on our home each day, Joshua says in a voice full of appreciation, "That is LOUD. You are being VERY LOUD. You are going to wake up James Crisper. You need to BE QUIET, please."

* Just today I overheard Joshua giving JCT this little lecture. . . "JCT, if you are not using the toy, you need to turn it off. That wastes badderies. You wouldn't want to waste the badderies, would you?"

Okay, already, I will quit. . . I could go on and on. . . Honestly, when Joshua makes one of these cautious little comments of his, I smile and remember the first man that I ever loved, my original safety patrol man, my Daddy. Thank You, God for sending these sweet men to take good care of me.

Reunited. . . and it feels so good!

We got our beloved pet back this weekend after a 3 month separation. I knew that Angie (a friend of ours who keeps him for us) would be bringing him to us sometime Saturday afternoon/evening. And, all I could think was, "Ugh, here we go - more added to my plate." I must admit I am feeling a bit overwhelmed at our present state of chaos. I am a little OCD about order in my home, and this move is making me crazy!! But, what I did not realize was how much joy having Rain back home would bring my boys! Joshua couldn't keep his hands off Rain all evening. He kept saying, "I love you, Rain. I love you! Thanks for coming home, Rain."

I must say that it is nice to hear those long ears flap when he shakes his head. And, it is nice to see that soft grey body laying around the house once again. But, the best part of it all is that now Erik and I get to take our little evening strolls back and forth in front of the house with Rain after the boys go to bed.