12 years in the making...

I always laugh when people ask where I grew up, because my normal answer isn't my hometown, but rather...marriage. I'm so blessed to have grown together with such an amazing man. For our anniversary this year, we took a drive down memory lane - this is us on the bridge at the ampitheater where we had our first date and where Greg proposed. I love you sweetheart!

Meet Emily...

Many of you have met or at least heard mention of a girl named Emily, but I would like to try to introduce you (via blog post) to her. You are more than welcome to visit almost anytime and meet her for real, but until then...

Last fall, Greg and I were asked railroaded volunteered to help with the youth group on Wednesday nights at our church. Both of the boys are involved in activities on Wednesday night at church, so we thought it would be perfect. After prayerful consideration, we decided to jump in. In doing so, we have met a lot of awesome students and amazing adult and college leaders. There is a lot of crossover with our church and Texas State University's BSM and we have many college students from that organization that help. One of the adult leaders we became friends with is Emily. Emily is a graduate of Texas State who was very involved with the BSM during her college years and for the last school year has been the campus missionary through Go Now Missions for the BSM at TxState. Emily also served as an intern at our church for the youth group the last two summers - it's kinda crazy how we've been in the same room multiple times over the last two summers and never met before this last fall.

Over the last several months, our family has become very close to Emily; adopting her into the family. She is returning to our church this summer to intern with the youth, and we are SUPER excited that she is going to be living here with us. A few months ago, Greg and I found out that the church finds the interns homes to live in for the summer and, after discussing it, Greg and I asked if she would like to live here - we have the room, the boys love her, and we both enjoy having her around. She's extremely helpful and we appreciate her SOOO much!! Emily is an amazing servant of God and her love for Jesus is infectious! (i feel like maybe i should have led off with that)

Sorry, Emily, I don't feel like this introduction does you justice. And, everyone else, we'd love to have you visit and see us and meet her.

And, while she's been staying here a while, as of Wednesday, we truly have a house of 5.

As a side note, too, she hates having her picture taken, but I have included a couple...

An afternoon at the riverpark

Before an event she had to attend - sorry Em's hair looks crazy big in this one due to the shadowing - she will love this!

Making a pie with Cameron - I don't what used more flour - the crust or their faces

Emily's birthday

Dying Easter eggs with the fam

We are all looking forward to this adventure. Thanks for joining our crazy house - we love you!!

Produce

I wish I would have taken a "before" picture this year. It never ceases to amaze me how the addition of some seeds to a plot of dirt coupled with water, fertilizer and God's sun can make vegetables. But, what do you know - it does!! If you stop by to visit, it might be one of the first things I make you take a look at. This year, again with our sweet neighbors, we have bell peppers, jalapenos, yellow squash, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes. We have about 40-50 tomatoes growing, and we've already had fresh green beans a couple of times with dinner. Also, our all natural plant - the dewberry that appeared out of nowhere and has grown exponentially this year - is going crazy. Last year we got about 20 dewberries off the whole season. So far, we picked about 2 quarts and already had a YUMMY cobbler. Closer to the house, Emily and I planted some strawberries which is going slowly, but we have harvested a handful of fruit there too. Now, all we need is some bees to come pollinate the huge flowers on the other plants in the garden and we might need a stand at the farmer's market.

Happy Mother's Day

I started this post on Saturday and had every intention of finishing it yesterday. Alas, it did not happen. But, yesterday was really emotional for me. I loved hearing sweet little voices tell me over and over again "Happy Mother's Day," but I was overwhelmed with emotions for others. I thought about and prayed all day for those moms serving in our military half a world away and unable to see their children, those moms who are very much still moms but their babies are being held by Jesus, those that long to be mommies and are unable to have children, those children who hurt because they just want to call, hug, sit next to their moms and can't, those moms who would give anything for more time with their children, but they can't. My heart broke. Many of my sweet family and friends endure some of these situations, and I know Mother's Day isn't any different than any other day of the year for them except the huge reminder.

All these thoughts made me think about my kids alot too. I am incredibly thankful that I can hug them, hold them, and love on them whenever I want - I take that gift for granted sometimes. I'm thankful for those sweet boys that have given me millions of opportunities to learn as they teach me. I'm thankful for their sweet spirits, their passion and determination, their precious smiles, their kind words, and most of all their love for their Creator.

I'm thankful for an amazing husband who walks along side me in the journey called parenthood. I am eternally grateful for the person God blessed me with and the father he is to our kids.

And, not just today, but everyday I am hugely thankful for my mom. My mom is a giver. She has always given more of herself than she would ever think of taking. Over the years she has shown me how to love, how to serve, and how to be a mom. My mom is, by far, the strongest woman I know. She is an amazing example of Jesus in my life and I love her so much. Thank you seems so small.

About a year and a half ago, my mom and I went on a trip to New York City. A trip that had been planned in our hearts and minds for nearly twenty years. It was perfect. Amazing. These are pictures of the two of us on our trip...

"Her children arise and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28

I love you Mom!!

And I can't help but put a picture of my sweet boys - all three of them! I love you all so much and thank you for a wonderful Mother's Day.

Not Klutzy...but Kamikaze

Almost two weeks ago - the same day he learned to ride his bike - Cameron took a spill that landed us in the ER - and not from falling off his bike. After marking "learn to ride a bike" off his bucket list, we were back at home playing outside and voila, life happened. Greg and I had been doing some yard work and planting and the boys wandered over to Mr. Bud and Ms. Monica's house - our favorite next door neighbors and the best neighbors EVER. Bud and Monica have an antique metal tricycle and Cameron LOVES to ride around on it. The thing squeaks to all get out, but no problem, Mr. Bud helped out and after about ten minutes of hearing that thing squeak down his driveway, he greased the wheels. yay. So, this is how it went - Cameron on front, Caleb on back (of a tricycle!!) and down they go the neighbors driveway (that has a downhill slope). This was working just fine and they were having a great time, then they decided to take a short break and help Bud and Monica shovel mulch into flowerbeds. Well, the mulch got all in their shoes, so they discarded those and kept going. They soon grew weary of the work and decided to get back on the tricycle. Weeeelllll, the only brakes the boys had when previously on the tricycle were Cameron's feet dragging as they neared the end of the drive. Sooooo, this time around, they get on, and then, and only then, does Cameron realize his brakes have no shoes on them. uh oh. So, as they near the middle of the downhill slope, Cameron decides that he will take a sharp right turn up the sidewalk in order to abrupt the downhill ride and slow them down. This could have potentially worked marvelously except that the heavier kid sitting on the back of the trike had no idea and the weight shift as Cameron turned his body right and Caleb did not created a predictable problem. So topple they did. Lucky for Caleb, Cameron broke his fall. But, Cameron broke his own fall with his chin.

These pictures are a couple of days after the fact because a friend of mine was borrowing our camera for a project. Our ER visit glued Humpty Dumpty back together again. Hindsight 20/20, he should have had stitches but the unfair asking (in front of the child) of shots, needles and stitches vs. painless glue left the mom who didn't want to be the bad guy with only one choice. ugh.

Oh, and the nurse in the ER asked if Cameron was klutzy. I said, "absolutely not, he's kamikaze." Keep the bed ready for us - I'm sure we'll be back. again. and again.

On two wheels...

Last Saturday, Cameron accomplished a childhood milestone. It was bittersweet for this mama. I vividly remember the others - first smile, first steps, first words, etc. and they were all nothing less than perfect. This one took me by surprise, and while I am soooo excited for him, it's a little hard to take in the newfound independence.

Cameron went up to his Daddy and demanded the training wheels be taken off. Can you believe?! Greg acquiesced but we both had some reservations. We took him to the same place we had taught Caleb (in case you haven't seen it, our driveway is NOT the place to learn to ride a bike) and in less than five minutes, Cameron was riding his bike. Now, we ride everyday. Sometimes, we wear our helmet to the store and carry the bike in the car in the absolute off chance Mom might pull over somewhere and let him ride his bike (picking my battles).

The evidence

SO PROUD!!

Some of the sweetest and hardest words to hear "Daddy, let go...I can do it."

Mr. Independent himself