lots of love to go around

well it's 9:00pm and I'm home free..literally at home and the kids are sleeping and Zach is at work (bless his heart ;) so here I am thinking how I can't wait to have my own classroom again as I search for Spring Crafts.. for really no reason other than I have to let Josiah try them and maybe I will bring some to church :D I just can't help myself, I really miss teaching Kindergarten..I still look for ideas and scour the internet for the perfect Springy crafts..
I actually have tears in my eyes right now as I remember all the precious little faces from last year buzzing around the classroom as they painted flowers and made coffee filter butterflies..
just not the same without it.. maybe I could hang butterflies from my ceiling at home
I just can't help but think of apples melting into sauce as we read Apples Apples in the fall or glitter showering the floor as we decorate ornaments for the School Tree as we read When You Take Your Mouse to the Movies and the chocolatey smell of hot cocoa as we await Mrs. Claus' storytelling in the winter or the caterpillars and butterflies that overcrowd my walls as we enter into spring with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Grouchy Ladybug and the hatching of ducklings that fill our hearts with wonder for Make Way for Ducklings and 10 Little Rubber Ducks or the goofy relay races and tearful goodbyes and picture frames for our summer beginnings.. What I Did on My Summer Vacation.. books like those echo in my heart and their memories flood my mind.....

... it is these memories that causes me to hope that I will be able to return to work next year and still be able to balance my own three at home. I know that it could be a bit topsy-turvy at first, but then again you have to understand the level of commitment I have for each of my loves.. Zach, JoJo, Josh... and teaching..to be continued

Josh..just another word for cute!

Josh at three months just blows me away with each smile and noise that he creates when he is enjoying life at it's best ..eating and sleeping each day away! He is an absolute joy to care for.. he already sleeps through the night and at 13 lbs and 22 inches he is a big boy! One of my favorite moments with him so far was the other morning.. he had just slept through the nite ( 5 hour stretch) for about the third time and when he awoke.. he didn't scream or whine.. he began to coo and laugh with most precious spirit .. what a joy to wake up too! the sounds of sweetness!

I have been so blessed to have such happy babies.. I owe it all to the priority of the presence of God in my home and my precious husband Zach! He makes us all smile and laugh and enjoy everyday together.. what a fun time to be a mom :)

i love my boys

Zach, Jo Jo, and Josh take up most of my days .. I spend almost every waking hour tending to or thinking of these three guys.. they are the most precious comodity I have.. they are my favorite three people.. they are my hope for the future and my salvation each day. they are helping me become a more loving wife and nuturing mom. I owe them my happiness and content heart.

so many people search for fulfillment in this life and I am satistified to meet the needs of my little family.. I recently made the decision to return to work next year.. so I am cherishing every moment I can spend loving on and growing with my three boys.. I hope that each day we spend together we don't take for granted and count priceless the love that we share with one another

A Grateful Heart

Truly the best things in life are free and noticing them becomes a necessity when life throws you curveballs. Sacrificing any sort of resource for your family is never a choice made for a hero worship or a parade in the center of town, but rather a storing up for the future sort of choice. A harvest of love, respect, and change await those ready to lay down their lives as they lay up treasures in heaven. There are so many reasons not to and yet the path less chosen influences each day with a sweet savor. A fragrance rising from an obedient heart open to the miraculous possibilities brokeness can bring. This obedience, the choices, the path, the doing without brings me my "best life" possible. I see the fruit now in little ways, stronger marriage, children who feel loved, family curiosity, and life changing decisions are made. I may not be in the seat of the honored or stand in the way of the glamorous, but my backseat driving accomplishes one thing, it pleases Him.

The Waiting Room

I've been meaning to mention this to you, it just seemed so hiliarious at the time. I had an entire dialogue with myself in a waiting room that looks like Avonlea's tea parlor. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the time being toddler-less, sitting back in a Pottery Barn chair usually browsing through their magazine or any other one that is available, but my recent time there (similar to some sort of sentence) inspired the following piece of irony. I suppose you can say that this is my disclaimer.

~the shere irony of waiting in a room surrounded by hormones, for the appearance of one person, "the name-caller".~

You would almost liken it to waiting in line for take-out at lunchtime; everyone has their game face on with the "I got here first look in there eyes". Some more discreetly than others, I always sport the "given-in and taking a nap look". The whole scene reminds me of the "soup guy" from Senfield. Everyone is on edge waiting for their name to be called and "Lord have mercy" if you have the same name as someone else. I have started to bring my own pregnancy tailgating supplies, pillow and refreshments hehe j/k. Each of us have our own reasons to wait for an hour to be proded and poked. One, we get to hear our little one's heartbeat (no sound is sweeter to a momma), two, sometimes it is for a sneak peek at the little guy/gal (which truly is the best reason I think), and three, the routine (you gotta do what you gotta do).

I hate to say, this week I actually starting feeling guilty for enjoying this waiting room drama, but you have to experience it for yourself to really get tickled. What happens when you put pregnant women in a room and ask them to wait for an hour? Let your imagination take over... some of the most humorous for people watchers like myself is the duo, trio, or family occasion participants.
-Duo: These participants usually consist of the anxious spouse and the calm spouse, the blissful parents, and/or the ride and the patient.
-Trio: The happy couple with baby number one, toddler/little one number one, and/or any combo of family.
-Family occasion: This is perhaps my favorite of waiting room combinations, the excitement is truly contagious. It is usually for the gender viewing or the first sonogram.. Ahhh grandbaby heaven..
I don't just watch to pass the time, I also love to hear/share stories, cry with those that cry and laugh with those that laugh :).
All in all I love all my friends at the waiting room and any enjoyment I get from watching and talking with them is merely for my own sanity (You'll find me there one weekly to bi-weekly schedule) hehe.

The Zoo

We headed toward the Jacksonville Zoo early this morning with high expectations. Josiah has many new found loves and they are all animals. Seeing as the majority of the communication we have daily may sound like noise or animal noise, we thought it quite appropriate to introduce him to the real thing. Startled by the actual sizes of the animals, Josiah was entranced by the creatures we observed. Taking on the role of a true safari guide, Josiah lead the way with his "light-up" shoes and frolicking pace. Truly an animal lover, he talked to, clapped for, petted, and fed the animals that we saw. His favorites were the goat, giraffe, cheetahs, spider monkeys, fish, and the various birds (able to chase).

The human company was also grand, we were joined by Grandad, Aunts Hosanna, Jubalee, and Melody, as well as Melody's boyfriend, Bruce. We all got a taste of childhood as we experienced the zoo anew through Josiah's excited eyes, suprised faces, and gleeful responses to each new exhibit.

At the end of our venture, Zach bought Josiah a little memory book to keep his zoo pictures in. My heart began to feel warm as I thought of all the nights, Josiah and I will look at the animals from the zoo before drifting off to sleep.

Josiah and Daddy: Two of a Kind :P