Thursday, September 24, 2015

Fall Blues

For the past 3 years, the first day of Fall has been bittersweet. It's that day where I sigh, "Finally, we'll get some relief from the hot humid weather." But it's also the day where I really start missing home as Fall has always been my favorite time of year. Someone posted something on FB about the book club I was a part of and then I saw that the lows temps will be in the 30s next week and that sent me into a "I miss..." tailspin. As I fell asleep last night here are some of the things I realized I miss:
* My friends and family (of course!!)
* The mountains (preferably when they're snowcapped)
* Wearing my UGGs for months (instead of a few days)
* Not having to deal with allergies
* Hearing the coyotes at night (because it's cool enough to open the windows)
* Craft fairs with my mom
* Being close to Apple Hill
* Road infrastructure
* Open land (Sometimes I feel so claustrophobic here)
* Small town parades
* My parents coming to visit for the weekend so Rob and I can go to a concert or just on a date
* Peg's Eggs
* Seeing large wild life (mustangs, deer, bears), not just snakes, lizards and love bugs
* Not having to use mosquito repellent or check for ticks
* Driving in the snow (Who would've ever thought I'd miss that?)
* Holiday parties with friends

The list is endless and this time of year, as much as I appreciate the cooler temps and the sprinkling of local craft fairs and the influx of my photography business, it takes effort not to slip into a funk. With Rob gone every weekend to deer camp, it gets lonely. And that loneliness leads to homesickness and that leads to a funk. But, alas, this too shall pass and one day I won't have to miss those things anymore!

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Grandparents' Day

Although I didn't blog about Grandparents' Day a couple days ago, I promise you that the boys' grandparents were not overlooked. I know people say it's just another Hallmark holiday but I am so thankful for a day to acknowledge my parents and in-laws as awesome grandparents.
They say it takes a village to raise kids and I'm thankful for the village the good Lord has blessed us with. There's not a day that goes by where the boys don't know how loved they are. Each grandparent has their own special way of letting the boys know how much they mean to them.
When the boys go to their grandparents' houses they know fun times are in store....trips to the donut shop, bike rides, swim time, playing at the local parks, fishing, special bonding time, nightly family devotions. Neither of them groan when they're told they get to visit their grandparents and for that I'm thankful. I'm also thankful that the boys are surrounded with prayer as they go through life. That is the most important role as a grandparent, in my opinion.
My parents and in-laws shower the boys with unconditional love. Not too many kids in this day and age can say that their grandparents are an active part of their lives. But my boys can. They are blessed beyond measure and so, on Grandparents' Day and every other day, I am thankful for the 4 people who are our boys' grandparents!





Monday, September 14, 2015

Childlike Faith

Do you ever have those parenting moments where you are so happy with your child that you seriously think you'll burst with pride? Well, that's been the past 24 hours with me. It started yesterday when we were leaving church. Rob had taken E so I went to get P from children's church. In his hand he clutched a beautifully drawn picture that he had made for missionaries who were visiting our church from Ireland. After dropping it off at the missions table, he showed me the postcard he had been given, which told about the missionary family and their ministry. It gave me a great opportunity to share with him about missionaries and their importance in God's kingdom.
When we got home, P proceeded to tell me that he and his friend, Paisley, had gotten into an argument the night before when she and her family had come over for dinner. He told me that they had gotten mad at each other about what to play. Then he said, "But, you know what Mom? We realized it was just the devil trying to get in our heart. So we told the devil to get away and we prayed together. Then we were happy and played again." Talk about a proud mama moment!!!!! I was smiling ear to ear while we talked about the situation and how Satan tries to attack us every day but God is stronger.
Fast forward to last night. As I went to tuck the boys into bed I saw P's missionary card on the dresser. Sadly, I didn't think much about this because he's a "collector" (aka hoarder) and can't throw anything away. But as he kneeled at the side of his bed for his bedtime prayers he grabbed the card and looked intently at the missionaries. He then prayed for each one by name and prayed for their ministry in Ireland, that they would bring more people to the Lord through their work. After his prayers he told me he'd like to be a missionary in the desert, telling cowboys about God.
This morning he was getting his backpack ready for school. He grabbed the missionary card and said he wanted that to be his show n tell item. He wanted to use it to tell the kids about Jesus. My heart about burst with pride!!! We talked about how to witness to others and how to help kids learn about Jesus.
I am not naïve enough to think that he won't face adversity. He goes to a public school where he can shine his Light. But that doesn't mean he won't face the devil in doing so. But, just thinking about how on fire he is for the Lord right now in his young life makes me prouder than any straight A report card that he can bring home. I pray every day that his love for the Lord will grow stronger and that he won't be afraid to stand up for his faith. I love his childlike faith and have learned so much from him in it!

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Little Moments

I'm wearing many hats at the moment so to speak: wife, mom, teacher, photographer/small business owner, choir member, marathon trainer. Needless to say, my plate is a little full at the moment. So, when E came up to me and said, "Up peaze Mom." my first thought, sadly enough, was  "I don't have the time to hold you.". But I pushed the thought away and picked him up, sitting down in the recliner to rock him. As he put his little head against my chest, I thought, "I wish I would've grabbed my phone before sitting down so I could return some work emails." Then I stopped. Really stopped. I basked in the moment. Without modern technology in hand or a glaring "To Do" list I held my baby and rocked him. I lived in the moment. I prayed for my baby and his future. I reminisced on how hard it was to conceive him and how thankful I was when he was born. I thanked the Lord for how much he makes me laugh and for the joy he brings to all of us. I even thanked the Lord for the challenges he brings to my life on a daily basis. I rubbed his back, held my hand against his cheek and just enjoyed the cuddles.
I know all the clichés about housework waiting and kids growing up too fast and cherishing the moments. But knowing it in my head and actually following through is completely different. I NEED to enjoy the little moments with my boys more. I need that FOR me and they need that FROM me. I need their comfort as much as they need their security from me. So I won't apologize if I don't answer my phone or can't respond to your email right away. I'm taking time to cherish the little moments with my boys....before they're grown and it's too late.