I Hope...

I hope for so much these days. I hope that when these sweet faces grow older that they know how much I love them. I hope they learn that I spent each day being thankful to have time with them. You want to freeze time when you have children. People tell you that kids grow up fast. You don't really get it until you have your own. These babies, that I waited for, that I waddled around carrying while complaining about my poor feet, are now children. Children that can give me kisses and tell me they love me. K always tells me I am the best Mommy ever. Oh...I adore her. I don't want to forget a thing. I think that is why I love this blog so much. It makes me reflect. It makes me live in THIS moment. Whit's new thing is saying "Yep" to everything. Yes has never been part of his vocabulary. He now replies "Rep" which means "yep" and it is hilarious. I always correct him to say yes mam, but it sounds like rep mam. I think we laugh about this at least 10 times a day. I have lots of favorite times of year. I love the fall, although we don't really have fall here. I absolutely love Christmas time. It is one of my favorites. Summer is my happy place though. It's the time I get to find myself again. I get to sit down and rest. I get to go to my absolute favorite places on earth, the pool and the beach, anytime I want. And best of all, I get to be home with my kids. They get just me and this summer they are loving it. I can see how good it is for them to have me home for a while. Kennedy wakes up in the morning and says, "well, let's go to the pool today because it's SUMMER!" I smile because I can say yes to that. :) Being a working mom is hard at times, but teaching gives me the best of both worlds. I get that outlet to work outside my home, but I get a few months each year to be a stay at home mom. I love this.

Oh, and guess who is swimming now? That's right, my Kennedy is now on the move in the water, swimmies free! This picture was taken last weekend. One day in swim lessons and she got rid of those bad boys! Hahaha! She can jump in and swim to the steps safely and that makes me proud. :) A little 3 year old waterbug....takes after her Mommy. :) I'll post pics soon!

FYI: 70 SPF can still make you tan

It is only the 3rd day in a row that we have gone to the pool. We go for about 2 hours each day. I have always put at least 50 SPF sunscreen on my kids. I went to walgreen's at the beginning of the year and they had 70 for kids. I snatched it right up. This is the result of 70 SPF. It just goes to show that you can still tan through the sunscreen. I reapply if we are out for a while and they still get so tan! Crazy! Brown as berries, MeMe would say....

Here they are today before we went to the pool!

The shirt that Whit turned allergic too. He started screaming. I thought he was just fussy. Then he started pulling at his skin. I took the shirt off and dunked him in the pool and he was better. Sooooo weird!

Praying!

I haven't posted about Tonya lately. She went for her second round of chemo today. I would just like to ask for continued prayer for her. It is crazy what chemo does to people and it is what also makes them beat this awful disease. She is really on my heart tonight. I wish we could pass ourselves around and go through this for her but we can't. She's teaching me a lot and she doesn't even know it. She's still appreciating life so I will continue to do the same. And while I do that, I am praying for her every minute I enjoy it.

Me and the Hubs

Never do I post pictures of myself so in case you have forgotten me, here I am! :)

WE LOVE SUMMER!

Summer is in full swing around here! Day after day at the pool, mornings spent playing at home, LONG naps every afternoon....now this is the life!

JOY! JOY! JOY!

Nope, it's not Christmas. :) About a year ago I posted about our friends Sommer and Joseph. They went through the horrible loss of their daughter Ella who was born at around 24 weeks of pregnancy. I know many of you prayed and prayed for them. Today, they welcomed their son into this world. Joseph Tate Shuford was born healthy and strong weighing in at 6 lbs 10 ounces. I cried. What an answered prayer. What a testimony of the love of our Lord! I am truly in awe today. This is a day I prayed for them for a long time. I've prayed for this baby for a very long time too. We all know our children are gifts. We all know how special they are. But for some, the walk to meet them is long and hard. It only makes us stronger. It only gives us greater love than before. I'm full of JOY today for our friends. They've taught me a lot over the past year about faith. They've always had peace in knowing their daughter is with the Lord. I think little Ella Faith is smiling today knowing her brother is in her Mommy and Daddy's arms.

Father,

Thank you for the gift of children. Each moment that we have with them is precious. I know that each moment of my life is not spent saying thank you. I wish I would stop more and be thankful. I'm truly joyful today. Your blessings on the Shuford's are more than I can ever put in words. Each of us are a witness to the love you have for us. May you bless sweet little Tate as he grows. May you watch over his sweet family all the days that are ahead. In your name I pray.

Amen

Dearest Whitfield....

Dear Whit,

Tonight is a big night for you. You don't know or really don't care but I do. You have tried to fling yourself out of your crib one too many times and today we decided that was it. You are moving to your big bed. So, tonight, I read you a book in your new big boy bed. You liked that part. Your Daddy laid down with you for a while and then kissed you goodnight. You cried for a few minutes. You always cry when we leave you. I am usually about to throw up thinking you are going to fly out of your crib. Tonight I knew you were safe. You chose to stay put and fell asleep. I just went in and peeked at you and you were sound asleep. My BABY in a big boy bed. I guess it's time to take the crib down. Mommy is a little bit sad about all of this. It is super cute to have both my babies in their little twin beds tonight though. I can get used to this. :) Mommy loves you sweet Whitfield. What a BIG boy!

A few weeks and we get to potty train! I am sure that is going to be a breeze. :) hahaha!