Being a Mom

Mother's Day. What a glorious day. :) All my boys worked hard to make me feel special today, thanks to some prompting from their dad. Speaking of my amazing husband, he blessed me with a day to myself while enabling me to enjoy my family at the same time. Just what I wanted. A yummy take-out Chinese lunch, time to plant my flowers with Aaron, a visit from some special friends, pizza for supper and a blizzard from DQ. He also made me some coffee this morning--shocking, I know! :) I blessed him right back by "allowing" him to take his much-loved Sunday afternoon nap.

Aaron planted a petunia plant for me in preschool and a begonia plant for me in Sunday school. Kaleb made me a paper flower with reasons why he loves me written on the petals. He also wrote an acrostic with the word "mother." My favorite, out of this world, tough, humerous, energetic, and rambunctios. How flattering! Kaleb acted as my waiter at breakfast this morning by pouring my cereal and juice for me. He stood by my side and asked me if I needed anything else, saying with a bow, "Welcome to The Egg & I...at home." (The Egg & I is one of our favorite restaurants.) Braylen made me a card this afternoon and sent me an email. :) Besides everything else he did for me, Derek got me a gift card to my favorite coffee shop. He knows coffee is one of my cravings.

I felt honored and valued on this Mother's Day. I still did the laundry and some of the dishes, lost my patience with the dog and later with the kids. No day is perfect. But when I think back to what's mattered to me lately, I think of these things. Aaron running towards me in a full sprint, jumping into my arms and wrapping his little arms around me as tightly as he can. Playing catch with Kaleb and hearing him tell me I'm actually pretty good at baseball. "You can't do a lay-up in basketball Mom, but you're really good at baseball." Pitching buckets of baseballs to Braylen who told me he was worried he'd hit me with a line drive, and then ducking several times to relieve him of his worries--and mine! :) Time with my kids is something I can never get back. I'd better make the most of it while I can.

Kaleb really wanted to wear this hat in our picture today, and I think it's too cute not to post!

Other things that have been happening around here lately...

We took a trip to a favorite park where Braylen promptly got his football stuck in a tree. A very tall tree. It took us a while to even see it.

Here they are looking at it...

...and here's Daddy to the rescue!

Who knew Derek was such a tree-climber? We had fun with frisbee and football--away from the trees. Before going home, we walked on a nature trail and spotted several dozen deer and some turkeys. I resisted telling Derek I saw plenty of wildlife without waking up before sunrise! :) It sure was hard to hold that in.

Braylen put on a rock museum with the rest of his classmates at school this week. Aaron and I met Grandma at the school to tour the "museum." Truly one of the highlights of my week! With 50 displays and wall-to-wall people, there sure was lots to see. This picture of Braylen doesn't show all of that!



Some funnies before I go...

Looking around as he buckled his seat belt in the church parking lot, Aaron says, "Look Mom, we're white-trapped!" The two cars surrounding us were white. I heard him wrong and thought he said, "Look Mom, we're white trash!"

"Church" is still "turch" for Aaron. Braylen and Kaleb have been trying to teach Aaron how to say it right, and he says turch every time. :) I like it.

Putting on my favorite lotion from Hawaii, I thought I sure smelled good for Mother's Day! Aaron gave me a hug and said, "You smell stinky!" Nothing like the honesty of a 6 year old.

Aaron: Mom, do you know what the S-word is?
Me: Umm, stupid? (I really hoped it wasn't something worse)
Aaron: No, but I'll give you a hint. Sp-sp-sp
Me: (remembering a quote from a movie of his) Sportsmanship!
Aaron: Yes!
I wish my son would always think the S-word is sportsmanship.

Braylen ran through the alfalfa the other day and said, "It feels like I'm running through towels fresh out of the dryer! Sometimes it feels like running through wet towels." I would think it would feel scratchy, but Braylen has other ideas.


Enjoying some snuggle time with our "lap dog." Ginger is 13 months now and 67 pounds. She's heavier than Kaleb and Aaron and acting very much like a teenager. But we love her anyway. I had to sneak her in here on my mother's day post, even if she is a dog! :)