Still Mine

It's deer season again. I've grown to love this time of year, maybe just as much as my hunter husband. Although my reasons are much different than his...obviously!

Derek took the entire week off from work this year. He hunts, yes, but he also takes the kids to school. He brings home donuts for just the two of us. He takes me out to lunch. We go for walks in the middle of the day. We even attended Braylen's afternoon Veteran's Day band concert together, without work getting in the way. It's just the greatest week, I'm telling you!

I have loved watching my husband and my boys prepare for these hunts together. Kaleb sure enjoyed spotting deer for Grandpa during the weekend hunts. So far Derek and his dad have one deer each. Hopefully by the end of the week Braylen will have a deer as well.

While all the hunters were out in the field this weekend, Aaron stayed with me. Someday he will join the hunting party. But for now, he is still mine. :) We had the sweetest day together on Saturday. It was one of those days that caught me off guard as I thought to myself, "Remember these moments. They are so very precious."

So I will remember.

• How we snuggled in the morning.
• That we made oatmeal for breakfast.
• That we put our flag up and talked about Veterans.
• That Grandma took Aaron to the parade while I cleaned out my garden.
• How Aaron came home with coat pockets full of candy.
• Our lunch at Arby's (his choice!) with Grandma, where Aaron heard all about his daddy drawing on walls with chalk at age 5. (He loved hearing this story.)
• The craft fair we attended with Grandma, where a balloon artist made him a palm tree with blue leaves and a brown monkey. Where Grandma bought kettle corn and shared it with Aaron. Where I bought Aaron a tomato splat ball. Who says craft fairs are for crafts, right?!
• How we watched college football, and I learned Aaron's second favorite team is Syracuse. He laughs and laughs at their mascot, telling me it looks like a big puffy orange marshmallow.
• That we put our turkey decorations up, and Aaron asked me to light 3 candles. I say yes of course!
• How he beat me at war while we watched more football.
• And while we sat at the table cutting out blockheads from the Froot Loops box, Aaron tells me he's had a lot of fun today. Then he says it was fun because, "It was just you and me Mom, like when I was little."

I melt at his words, and I praise God for my littlest son. He is fearfully and wonderfully made. At this time of year, the Lord likes to remind me of that. It's hard to believe that 9 Novembers ago I thought I had lost this child. I am beyond thankful for his life. And no matter how old he gets, he will still be mine. :)

Aaron with his balloon and his tomato splat ball

A friend sent me this quote today, so I put it on one of my favorite "Aaron+Mommy" pictures. Oh, how blessed I am by all three of my sons.

~still mine