Splash in the Rain Puddles

My baby turned 5.  He absolutely cannot handle it when I call him my baby.  As he moves through milestones and continues to grow, it's bittersweet as I know he's the last.  My baby he will always be.   a look back at 5 years that at moments, felt like the longest ever....and at the same time have flown by faster than I can handle.... Luke, you bring so much laughter, joy, and energy to our days.  You are a handful, a charmer, with a tender heart and a love for life that I just cannot get enough of.   Happy birthday my littlest love!! 

11 years.  11 years ago (yesterday) I became a mom for the very first time and began the most humbling and exciting journey called motherhood.   You, my first born son, were a force to be reckoned with in your early years.   You pushed and challenged and introduced me to the term "strong-willed child."  :)    But with lots of prayer and perseverance we watched you come around  and start to find your way. ...deciding to live your life for Jesus and  striving to be the young man he desires you to be.   You make your momma's heart so proud as I watch the way you work at everything with all your heart...as you learn and desire to know as many new things as you possibly can....as you quietly lead friends and teammates without even realize you're doing so....as I see your tender heart and the way you care about others...and as I watch you choose to do the...

Kids are so perceptive.  In these young years they are like sponges.  Learning meanings of new words and concepts just through listening to grown ups speak.  Yikes.  Filing away how to respond to situations just by watching how their parents react to things on a daily basis.  double yikes.  But what has really gotten me lately is how my boys watch my face.  Not only my words.  Not only my reactions.  But the look I have on my face....they read it like a book.  "Mom, you have your worried face on...what's wrong?"  "Mom, are you upset? you have that look on your face."  "Mom, did we do something wrong?"  whoa.  they notice.  They will even comment about our puppy....."oh Buckeye has his sad face on..."  Their comments about facial expressions have been going on for awhile now and then yesterday morning I read this in my morning devotions... When I pass the reflective surface of a microwave or window, I’m of...

A bunch of firsts over this last month for my littlest man.  First day of Pre-K. First soccer practice First soccer game First time packing his lunch for school....for a special picnic with stuffed animal friends :) This guy has been trying to get to the farm as much as possible to help with the corn harvest...but school is really getting in his way :) Love watching the Buckeye's with this guy    It's a crazy busy time with school, sports schedules, farm work, and living life in general.  But it really is one of my favorites.  I wish I could tell you I'm enjoying mums, pansies and pumpkins around the outside of the house as I usually do...but due to our certifiably insane dog, there are none of those things this year.  He would destroy them all.  In a matter of minutes.  Thus continuing his mission to be the world's worst dog ever.  lol!  in my attempt for an updated picture to share.... thi...

And they are off...with not a hesitation in the world...ready for 5th and 3rd grade and leaving mom feeling weepy.  At some point, the start of school has gone from a rescue from the constant care of meeting each child's every need...to an achiness in my heart that they are going to be away from me for so many hours of the day.  Obviously I'm all for learning and education and of course I love that my kids love going to school, but the older they get the more I just truly love hanging with them....doing chores with them...playing with them...being. with. them.  They really are three of the coolest kids ever....said mom, with no bias at all.  :)  sure they fight, they argue, they give me occasional attitude.  but they are my imperfect works-in-progress and I am theirs.  All to say....I miss them already. But I still have this guy for another week, until half days of Pre-K start next week. And now more than ever, I am certain that the...