Memorial Weekend

We got to have some fun times with our cousins from the South! :) I'm just really bad at bringing out the camera when we are together. Barbeque, sprinklers, and swimming were highlights of this past weekend with Nate, Megan, and the girls.

 The kids always have such a great time with Grace, Ella and Molly, and look forward to the fun sleepovers and adventures they have when they are together.

Mates, Motors, and MUP!

Bryant calls his soccer teammates his, "soccer mates." Or when he is really in the middle of a story they become just his, "mates." I LOVE this.

Stuart has a favorite lego creation. It's his, "motor." I can't tell if it's a boat, as in, 'motor boat,' a vintage car, as in, 'motor car,' or some shortened version of motorcycle. But it's really cute. "Mom! I can't find my motor!"

Emmett likes to say, "UH-OH," with perfect clarity. Usually after he has 'accidentally' tossed something on the floor. And he also loves to say, "MUP!" as in, "I would like for you to pick me up!"

Some of my favorite phrases around here. I don't want to forget. Kind of like how Aubrey used to call asparagus, 'spagarius.' I still call it that because I liked it so much. I think I'll adopt, 'mate,' and, 'motor,' into everyday vocabulary as well. Possibly even, "MUP!"

Happy Mother's Day

She was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen and I often wondered why God didn't give me pretty dark hair like her. I remember that when I was young.

She knows how to make a home. She can turn neglected, beat up, dirty, and sad, into warm, inviting, cozy, and welcoming with what seems like a twitch of her wrist. But really she just knows how to dive in and give of herself until there is nothing left.

She doesn't know any other way to give. Always the first to see a need and do something about it, she pours herself into easing life's burdens for others. For me.

Some of my happiest memories of childhood is when I was old enough to pile into the front seat of the car with her, drive to Coffee's On, sit and really get to know each other's hearts. That's when our friendship began.

So much to say, so few words to adequately say it. This Mother's Day I am thankful for my mom, my friend.

Shoveling Snow and the Big Picture

I cleaned my bathrooms today. And then Stuart peed in the bathtub.

I thought about using that as my blog title, as a semi-metaphor for what life can feel like for me. When I count "life" as those minutes or hours in my day when I'm shoveling my sidewalk during a snow storm, that is completely how I feel. One step forward, two steps back...

I am not a gracious, warm, kind-hearted (or kind-speaking) mom in most of these moments. I set a rule for myself this past Sunday: If I don't have anything nice to say, I won't say anything at all. Yep, I've had to go back to my 6 year old self and re-learn that phrase.

So here is how the week has gone under that new commitment.

In the bad moments I have stayed very, very quiet. Not bad, considering I don't count myself as a quiet person when up against a wall.

In those God-is-giving-me-grace moments, I have been able to get a glimpse of the bigger picture. The fact that although I spend my days feeling like I'm not making much headway, I am. Or rather, God is. He is changing our family, growing our family, in how our hearts respond to Him and each other.

And I have found that I've been more able to laugh when my 17 month old doesn't nap, because I can listen to him jabber on and on about whatever subject is important to him. Usually having to do with cookies. I can read a story to Stuart as I lie next to him during nap time and listen to him finish the sentences of the book and giggle and discuss how many streets you could go down in, "Oh, the Places You'll Go." I can see my 5 year old torn between wanting to be a grown up young man, courageous and strong, and yet wanting to sit on my lap, bury his head in my shoulder and snuggle. I can listen to my 7 year old reading stories and I can almost watch her change minute-by-minute. And I know she won't be my little girl much longer.

As I study my sweet blessings I realize how fast life is really going. How I am not wading in a meaningless pool of laundry, snot bubbles, dishes in the sink, and dirty diapers. Those are what my moments consist of, but these, my Aubrey girl, Bryant boy, Stuart boy and Emmett boy, these are the hearts I get to invest in. These are my life's ministry. My purpose. And what a grand purpose it is.

I am so thankful. Even as I scrub down the tub.

Passing of the Baton

As we were heading to bed on Easter Sunday John told me that he really wasn't feeling very well. A week and 3 days later (not that I was counting) we celebrated him feeling better by me being up all night 'disliking' the spaghetti I had for dinner.

And the 'passing of the baton,' has continued with all of our kids, sans Bryant, who I'm thinking will be next. Emmett has even added the wonderful mucus coming out of the tear ducts routine, because this wasn't yucky enough.

So what am I doing about it? I'm making Boston Crème Whoopie Pies, as consolation.