Tuesday Blessings

I'm obviously the worst blogger on earth. Harrison became a toddler one day and that was that. haha! I haven't given up on it completely though. This blog is a way for me to document precious memories and I've already wished I had written down some of the sweet moments that I can't remember every detail of already. So, my plan is to make an effort to post more often, even if they are short and sweet. These posts are really just for me to be able to look back and read one day anyway and for our family to enjoy hearing about the boys. :) 

Today, I took the boys with me to run errands. I have been pinning and brainstorming like crazy and could not wait any longer to get some things for my classroom. I am so excited about my purchases!! Eek!! 😊 Any place that has stationary, office supplies, and craft stuff is heavenly to me. I love Learning Oasis and the boys love the Toy Zone in there so it's a win, win. Then we went to Hobby Lobby.. One of my favorite places ever. I probably did way too much damage for one day so maybe the husband won't look at the checking account. If he does, who could get mad about me wanting to create the best learning environment possible for my kids?! 😉👍 I'm sure he will just be happy to see that I'm doing something with the crazy amount of hours that I spend on Pinterest each night. 

Adorable chalkboard.. I'm a sucker for pennants. 

I'm obsessed with the fabric I got to put together. I'm going to give this whole sewing thing a go... It could be interesting but I'm determined. A couple of table skirts and a curtain shouldn't be too complicated, right?? 😁 I'll be calling on my mom for back up. 

This cross is also a chalkboard.. Love. 

Cute new frames that may or may not make it to my classroom.. I love them lots for the house, too! 💛 Corey says we are at maximum chevron capacity though. 

I have big, exciting plans for this metallic gold paint...

And I bought this picture because it looks good with the black and white striped, gold polka dot fabric. It also has the perfect saying for my classroom.

I get so excited to decorate my room each year and more excited to meet all my new kiddos!! #lovemyjob I'm pretty sure hashtags do not belong in the blog world but I like them. And this is my blog. 

Anyway, on our way in to Hobby Lobby, I was holding Harrison on my hip and holding Christian's hand. He looked up at me and said, "We are all connected.... except daddy, he is at work." I thought it was the sweetest thing. I have no idea where that even came from because I've never said it. And the fact that he included daddy was pretty sweet too, because he was thinking how we are all connected. ❤️ That little boy has such a sweet heart. Then, while we were shopping, he starts singing "Hey, hey, dear Jesus.. Hey, hey, He is risen!" Which is a mix of a song from VBS and one that he's made up.. lol I didn't even know he knew that song at all. A couple that was close by thought it was so cute and thanked me for raising him to know Jesus. They were an older couple and so so sweet. All the while, Harrison is trying his best to sing along and definitely making up his own version. He was so good the entire time we were out, like usual. That kid hardly makes a peep.. He just strolls around, smiling, like he's the happiest thing in the world. I sure am proud of those babies. I spend a lot of time praying about this parenting thing, doubting myself, and asking the Lord for guidance to raise them in His word... And it's days like today that I feel like He shines a little light down to say, "you're doing alright, my child." 

C is THREE!

My precious little boy is three and I'm loving every minute of this age!! He is so much fun now... Despite the fact that I hate how fast they grow, I really feel like every stage gets more and more fun! His birthday party this year was completely special to him... His favorite thing to watch on the iPad is Hickory Dickory Dock but instead of the mouse ran up the clock it is the "big blue elephant." So, I decided a while ago I wanted to incorporate that into his small family party. It's the first year I didn't go over board and have a house full of people and it was one of his best birthdays yet. It was still super cute and the cake turned out perfect!

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Christian Michael, you are such a blessing. You have the sweetest and biggest heart that makes mommy so proud. The way you already care so deeply for people and hurt for them is amazing. Sometimes I worry that your big heart for people may hurt you but I know it's going to take you very far in life... and I think and pray your heart for the Lord will be on fire. You are an incredibly smart little boy... you learn so easily and pick up on things very fast. Your vocabulary is awesome and you are very very serious about any kind of work you do. It has to be just perfect and you are very precise... another one of momma's characteristics that is good and bad. lol You are so handsome just like your daddy... it freaks me out how much you look like him at times. You're the best big brother ever and Harrison is so very lucky to have you. He looks up to you SO much and tries to do every thing you do. You teach him a lot and I'm thankful that he has such a wonderful little boy to look up to. You moved up to the pre-k class in Sunday School and church and you go to the kids service on Wednesday nights now... You are loving it and having so much fun! I look forward to you learning more and more about Jesus. We are thinking about enrolling you for preschool in August. You've been blessed with a Nana that is able to stay home with you and teach you your whole life and we are so thankful for that but I think you're ready to go have some social time with other kids, other than at church. It will be good for you and I think you'll have so much fun!! We are praying very hard that KBC is able to open up a preschool soon... That would be such a blessing!!! I could honestly go on and on about all the cute things you do now and how much you know but it would be forever long. I have so many "favorites" with you but I think my fav thing right now is our bedtime routine. I love it.  We read, you let me rock you every night and we sing all of your songs (Jesus Loves Me, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, ABC's, Hickory Dickory Dock, and London Bridges), then you decide what animal you want to be and we crawl to your room and make animal sounds.. haha, this sounds ridiculous but you love it, and then we pray beside your bed on our knees, and I tuck you in but most nights you want me to lay in bed with you for a little bit and you wrap both arms around me. You will never understand how that makes me feel. I have tears in my eyes right now just writing this.... it's the most precious time I have all day. I love you so much Christian Michael... You are my little angel. 

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Stats: I need to measure his height this week. He weighs 32 lbs. Wears 3T in most but still some 2T (pants are a hard one because he's too long for 2T but to slim for 3T), size 9-10 shoe (big foot), and completely out of diapers (has been for a while now, PTL!!). We are working on holding the pencil the correct way and writing, letter/number recognition, and cutting shapes out. He loves using scissors! He does know his moon phases already.. priorities of a science teacher. ;) He can count to atleast 20, knows his abc's, all shapes, and colors, loves challenging puzzles, and really likes to build things and put stuff together. One of his favorite things to do is help me cook. We got a few preschool work books for his birthday that we are going to start on. Of course I will save all of his work like a crazy person. :) I can't wait to see how much he learns and grows over the next year.... Love being his mommy!!

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I was blessed with a snow day on his actual birthday and got to spend the day with him. I made him birthday pancakes and he loved them! :)

Where Feet May Fail

So tonight in class we were asked to think of a song that has meaning to us and then reflect on why it's meaningful. I thought of the obvious childhood songs that I remember my mom singing to me. Although, one song came to mind immediately that explains where I'm at in my life right now. I'm halfway through my dual Master's degree in School Counseling and Marriage/Family Therapy. I'm not going to lie, it's tough. It was a definite calling that I felt led to do or else I can't say I would have taken it on right now while the boys are so little and life is already crazy enough. I love my job and I'm not getting this degree as a way out of teaching. However, I truly believe in listening to that little voice, which I know is God... I know His purpose and plans for my life are far greater than what my plans are. I have felt completely at ease with the decision ever since I started and deciding to go to JBU was the best decision I've ever made. I have grown spiritually so much just through these classes.. Our classes are more like bible study/small group and they are purely amazing! My professors have challenged me beyond my comfort zone and it's made me do a lot of soul searching and I've spent a lot of time in my bible. I know there is a reason for this season of life I'm in and that's just an awesome feeling.

So onto this song... I chose Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong. This song is about having complete faith in God... stepping out into the unknown and just following the Lord with all your heart. Trusting that God knows the plans for my life makes me feel completely safe. 

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior"

This is my exact prayer for my life right now. I want to go wherever he will call me. I want my faith to be stronger than ever before and my relationship with the Lord to be greater than it ever has. I'm immediately filled with the Holy Spirit when I listen to this song and praise Him. I don't know what I will end up doing with this degree when I finally get it one day but what I do know is that I want to use it for the benefit of the Kingdom of God. Whether it be helping children, families, or marriages (one day) I hope that I'm able to show others the Lord.

"Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now"

And in case you haven't heard this awesome song:

https://www.google.com/search?q=oceans+hillsong&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Baby Room Goodbyes

So, we have decided it's finally time (maybe a little over due) to transition Christian into a big boy bed... and of course a new room comes with it! ;)  Let me first say, that kid LOVES his crib!! He has been the best sleeper ever from the beginning and we have been a tad bit worried to mess that up. But... he's going to be 3 in a few weeks and it's time. He's also not wanting to sleep in a diaper any more so the only way to let him sleep in undies and not have to wake up to him screaming to go to the bathroom over the monitor is to give him a big boy bed.. (and yes, we still have a monitor in his room and probably will until he's at least 16.. don't judge.. hahaha!) His baby room was done in jungle animals and I have the best memories creating the perfect room with Corey during my pregnancy. I remember how exciting it was for us and how much time we spent in there to make it perfect. I hand painted all of the animals and a palm tree on his wall so it's really sentimental for me. Also, he loved those animals on his wall. He started saying goodnight to them when he was one and every night he would have to kiss them goodnight or pet them before going to sleep. So after two years of these animals being apart of our bed time routine, you can completely understand just how hard it was to say goodbye. :(

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We painted over the animals and tree a few nights ago... We literally had to go through saying our "goodbyes" to each one of them. It was for sure the most emotional thing for me since having the boys. We got him a stuffed animal of each animal on his wall and he sleeps with them so he was fine with it and is so excited about his new room!! I, however, spent the night crying on and off... just when I thought I was good, something else would trigger the tears. Every memory of painting it, being pregnant with him, him growing up way too fast, and now starting a whole new chapter with him just got the best of me. I made Corey listen to all the stories I had to share about when I was pregnant with him, crying through them all, and he listened... and probably thought I was a lunatic. haha! After they were all painted over, him and Christian were in there talking and suddenly Christian ran out to me and said, "Mommy... I am SO excited about my new room!!" and then he ran back in to Corey and I heard him say, "okay daddy, I told her!" LOL! I laughed but seriously was thinking what a great husband I have for trying to make me feel better. 

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The room is now repainted and is looking GREAT! Corey got a new paint sprayer and was excited to use it for the first time so this project didn't take any convincing. We went with the same dark gray color that we used in Harrison's room because we are in love with it. Christian is over the top excited about it now and I'm sure he's also loving the fact that he's got to sleep with us this week during the whole process. I'm hoping tonight we make a little more progress and hopefully get his bed converted into a toddler bed. His bedding came in this week and it's perfect! I have been buying things here and there for his new room for a while now and I'm so excited to get it all decorated and see the finished product!

 

Back to work....

It's back to work for me today and I'm struggling.... I don't normally have a terrible time going back after long breaks, not even summer, but this morning has been pretty rough. I've already cried twice, called my mom to cry, and called Corey to cry. They are with Corey today so I'm making him send me pics through out the day to get me by. I know they are home with either their daddy or nana but it doesn't make it easier for some reason. I want to be the one they wake up to and fix them breakfast and lunch.. and put them down for their nap.. and get them up to play. It's just breaking my heart today. I absolutely love my career and I really like having my own thing outside of the home. I never thought I would be the type to stay at home permanently. Teaching is perfect for me because I have my career I love, teaching/ministering to these kids is my passion, and all the time we get off is perfect for having a family. Maybe I'm just in a funk today... Praying it gets easier!

A few pics over the break...

 Are they not the cutest?! Love those baby boys!!

This is how I know it's nap time... haha!

 At the doctor's office for his booster shot.

 This precious baby boy snuggled up to mommy every night daddy had to work... He's my angel baby!

 Not in the mood for a NYE kiss.. hehe

 We had some really pretty weather on a few days and took advantage of it!

Morning work out with momma! haha