My mommy and my daddy

Maybe I am feeling nostalgic as we decorate the house for Christmas, but I just want to freeze my babies in time and stop life from going so fast. We ordered a new tv stand for Christmas and it arrived yesterday. It had 14 million pieces and I offered to hand Steven the pieces as he was assembling the furniture.

We were sitting on the floor and Patrick and Maggie were on the sofa. He looked down at us and smiled. He said,"my mommy and my daddy."

It caught me off guard. He is just so content and happy. I think about what his life could be like right now. I think about how I longed for a baby and how we prayed for him before we met him. And he is our family.

He drives me crazy every day. He is loud and crazy and doesn't listen and kicks things. And he is our family. I don't ever want to take that simple fact for granted,

Sick

Maggie brought the flu home the weekend before veterans's day. She was really sick for about four days and lethargic for a few more days. She was fine by last Monday.

On Monday night, my throat started hurting and I was super tired. I was cutting 350 pieces of paper for leaves for her class party and I started to notice how heavy scissors were in my hands. I went to bed early determined not to be sick.

I woke up with a fever the next morning. I was panicked. Kirsten and I were in charge of the class party. I cried and asked Steven to take over for me and felt guilty. He took over for me and I thought I would be fine y the next day.

Thus, began the pattern that is still continuing seven days later. I wake up and feel okay and am determined to be better that day. I take medicine and start to feel better and over do it. And am reduced to a lethargic, guilt filled mess by the end of the day.

I hate disappointing people, especially my kids and it is the week of thanksgiving and decorating. Oh yeah, and we are painting the house and moving around bedrooms, too. So there are boxes of Christmas and stuff to be put up from thanksgiving and my house is chaotic. So, everyday, I think I will tackle the house and I just can't do it.

Steven has done so much. He cooked thanksgiving lunch and set up Christmas and painted,etc. I have laid here on the sofa.

It reminds me of the last time that I was this sick. Steven and I were newly engaged and we went to visit his parents the week before Christmas. I caught some awful cold and I couldn't shake it.I laid on the sofa and watched western shows with steven's dad. That was the last time I remember feeling like this. I guess once every 12 years really isn't that bad. I really need to relax and just get better. My plan tomorrow is to just relax and get over this flu. Maybe that is what I need to be determined to accomplish tomorrow.

A year ago...

This is a repost from last year. Happy anniversary, copper!

Thankful Thanksgiving #25

Today, we surprised Maggie and Patrick with a puppy. Patrick is in love with the "baby woo woo" and I've never seen anyone more in love with Maggie before. They are stuck like glue and she wants to sleep in her room tonight (shockingly) so the puppy won't be lonely in his cage in her room.

I'm thankful for this little guy. Any name suggestions?

(No need for name suggestions..he is copper or toothless)

Jingle bells

Yesterday, the kids and I braved raley's to get a few last minute things. Patrick was so excited to see all of the Christmas decorations in the store. The line was long. While I was checking out,he begged me to go to the front of the store and see the Christmas tree set up next to the food bank donations.

He went up to it and saw a fat, red jingle bell on the tree. After getting permission, he started ringing the bell and singing (loudly) "jingle bells". For some reason, he had sort of a southern accent, so it was like,"jingle bawells".

I was watching him and trying to type in my something extra card number and glanced at the older lady in the next line. She was smiling sweetly at him and it was a sweet reminder to me to cherish these chaotic moments.

On the way home, Patrick sang out more Christmas hits. Maggie and I laughed and sang along to "jingle bells" and "we wish you a merry Christmas". That song went:

We wish you merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
And happy new year.

I wish I could have recorded this moment since it was stinking adorable. But, I have it etched in my memory instead.

Toothless

Patrick has a way of renaming our family pets. He calls Mickey, our orange cat, Boots. Last night, he was watching a "how to tame your dragon" Christmas show. There is a big, black dragon named Toothless in the show.

Patrick has renamed Copper, "toothless". Guess what? He responds to it.

What do you think?

Do you think they look similar?

Sweet

A few months ago, I was texting back and forth with Jonathan. I got a crazy idea and texted it to Jonathan. I suggested we go visit my dad. We haven't spent any time with hiking while. I always have kids with me and Jonathan is always playing gigs and it just hasn't happened in a while. Jonathan immediately agreed to it.

We spent six days together and it was just good. Good. Relaxing time together.

I am sitting at the gate about to head back to my crazy, loud life. My dad and brother have both called to check on me. They are such sweet guys and I am so grateful for the pause in life that allowed us to get together and just spend time together.

We went to our home town and saw some sweet, dear friends. But, we really just hung out and watched episodes of duck dynasty and ate good food. I am so thankful for this time together. It was good.