Yay!

So thankful that we got to play with the Honeycutt kids last week :)  What joy to watch them all together!

Dancing!

Poor Luke had just been in tears, otherwise I love this picture!

Who doesn't love graham cracker gingerbread houses?!

Helps to have an 8 year old around who can do story time!

Presence

I had a beautiful moment with Amelia yesterday.  Actually it was a lot of beautiful moments which added up to a beautiful hour (during Luke's nap) spent on the couch snuggling and reading books.  Both of the kids have become fascinated with letters and words and the sounds that they make and I love watching their minds fit the pieces together.  Amelia had been "reading" to me (telling me the letters she sees) and then I read them back to her.  She reached out and lovingly stroked my hair and my face and said, "Mama -- I'm just so proud of you.  That is beautiful reading.  I love you."  Followed by a kiss.  If you know my active, ever-moving, dancing Amelia Jane ... you understand how special these moments are.  And I hoped that what she was saying to me are the words she's heard us say again and again.  You are doing a good job.  We are proud of you.  You are loved.  The world can be painful and I know I can not shelter her from all that will come in her life.  But I hope that her almost-three-year old mind feels at peace when she is snuggled up next to her mama on the couch.  Knowing that she is safe and forever loved.  I've made it a goal to try to have beautiful moments with both of the kids every day.  Three years of motherhood has taught me that it's not realistic to wish for whole days that are amazing -- kids (and people) are unpredictable and often sick and grumpy because they were up in the night and throwing tantrums just because.   But beautiful moments?  We can do that.  In the midst of the chaos, to-do lists, preschool planning, dinner making ... we can make sure there are plenty of moments that make us pause and be thankful.  The more I talk to other mamas the more I realize that we all struggle with this:  the doing and the being.  There are just so.many.things.to.do when you're a parent and 24/7 caregiver.  Balancing careers and family and household and friendships and church ... But I never ever want to get so caught up in my busyness that I forget to just be.  Just be present with the little people I love.  One friend recommended setting a timer for 20 minutes and just playing with your kids -- not answering the phone or doing any of the million "mom" things that are spinning in your head ... just being.  Maybe I'm feeling nostalgic tonight because my babies are getting ready to turn THREE.  Or maybe 3 years of parenting has taught me a bit about what matters and what can wait.  Or maybe God is constantly growing and stretching and teaching us through the relationships in our lives ... and parenting is one relationship that will lead to a hell of a lot of refining.  My soul has grown in the hard and painful places over these last three years -- because it hurts to love someone as deeply as we love our children -- but as our hearts stretch -- their ability to appreciate joy also increases.  And I've never known deeper joy than these last three years.  It is such a privilege to be called mama by two wild, hilarious, amazing little people.

A few pictures

It was a bit of a crazy week with Caroline breaking her thumb (in two places!) -- maybe taking three toddlers bowling wasn't our best idea?!  Poor girl.  Amelia then took down most of the family with a bad stomach bug.  Ugh.  Those kids have definitely given our immune systems a run for their money!  Here are a few recent pictures ...

Playing with Aven and Henri -- how many kids can fit on a stroller?!

Holiday Express!!!

Just lounging ... with cocoa :)

They loved the leaves this year!!

Post-bath snuggles and books.  Love those two little ones.

Amelia Jane -- She will only wear her "red jacket" and "tap shoes" (black dress
shoes) out of the house.  Love it!

Had to share ...

This video has been circulating around the internet and I had to share it because it's so beautifully done!  As a nurse and a mama of NICU babies (although ours were much older than this little guy) - this is just so touching.

Squishy for dinner?!

Anyone want some squishy (Luke's way of saying "sushi") for dinner?  This kid has been absolutely cracking us up lately with his stories and word choices!  At co-op this morning Luke was really emotional -- in tears so.many.times -- (my best guess -- since he's usually an even tempered kid -- is that he's going through a crazy growth spurt.  He's been napping for 2-3 hours in the afternoons and ASKING to go to bed at 630pm.) anyway -- at lunch time at co-op a mom went to comfort Luke (in tears for who know what reason?) and she picked him up and told him to hold his arms out and fly like a bird (yay for distraction techniques) -- Luke just kept crying and said, "But Liz!  I'm just such a very sad bird!"  Here is is at dinner tonight ...

Thankful.

I'm amazed at how much Luke and Amelia comprehend these days.  They tell stories.  They act out together different roles and scenes from their favorite books and shows.  They remember things we said days (or weeks!) ago.  They ask very specific questions.  And then ask "why" ... Today I ran some things to Goodwill.  Luke asked, "Where are we going?" to which I said, "Just on a quick trip to drop off a few things."  A few weeks ago that answer would have been good enough.  But today Luke wanted more, "But where?"  Me: "Well, when we're done using things we take them somewhere to share them with other people who may use them more than we do.  Today I'm bringing some of your clothes that don't fit you now so that other kids can use them."  Luke, "The kids are going to take my clothes?!  But mom, I don't want to be naked!"  He didn't understand why I laughed so hard I was crying!  

Many of my friends make lists of the things they're thankful for in the month of November.  Either as status updates on Facebook or Instagram or in their journals.  I was curious to see if the kids would understand the concept so we've each been saying one thing we're thankful for while we eat dinner every night.  Tonight Amelia was thankful for "the park" (I too was thankful for a break in the rain today to get them out to the park to burn off some energy!) and Luke was "thankful for Sissy" which made my heart glad (especially after a week where it seemed like one of my children was in timeout constantly for hitting/biting/hair pulling/you-name-it-and-it-happens-at-our-house-these-days).  Here are a few Instagram pictures of things that I'm thankful for in the last few weeks ... The reality of parenting is that it is just plain hard.  It is beautiful.  It is purposeful.  It is amazing.  It is a privilege.  But it can be pure chaos (just ask anyone who was around last week to witness the beautiful disaster that is reality when you have 4 kids under 3 together for the week!)  I think that's why I love the pictures I get of beautiful moments with my children.  They remind me of the amazing things that occur every day while I'm caught up in the "Oh crap!" moments (like tonight when one of my children is peeing everywhere and one of them has "helped" me dump out the entire silverware drawer.  Meanwhile the phone is ringing, the dog needs to go out out I have no idea what's for dinner.  It's official: I sound like a country song).  I'm thankful for these moments ...

Thankful for beautiful moments in the midst of chaos.

Thankful for new life and the joy all over Luke's face

Thankful for these three monkeys.

Thankful that the babies that started at 3 and 4 pounds are now the "big kids"

Thankful for snuggle time!

Just look at those faces.  Enough said.

Thankful for hide-and-go-seek and other childhood games.

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween from the three little pigs, little red riding hood and the big bad wolf!!  What a fun day with these four littles!