sweet reunion

We made the move to camp! It has been a fairly easy transition from the city to the mountains. We are getting used to being dirty and hot all the time. Last weekend, I took a trip to the beach for a womens retreat w our church back in charlotte. it was an amazing weekend, great time to relax and hang out w friends. It was also alot of driving for me, two hours from camp to charlotte then four hours from charlotte to kiawah. Needless to say, on sunday, i was VERY ready to see my boys. As I was driving into the mountains, i was picturing in my head what our reunion would be like. I knew I would be arriving around dinner time, so i planned on going straight to the dining hall where the camp staff and my family would be. I imagined sweet keller, running across the cafeteria yelling "mommmy, mommy, i missed you and i love you!" coleman (who is more of a momma's boy) would likely due something to the tune of "mommy mommmy mommy" and run and want me to hold him and never let go...ahhh parting is such sweet sorrow....but the reunion sweeter still...

reality:
i pull up to the dining hall and keller is outside w jeremy w a water hose in his hand. I get out of the car.
"Keller-oh I missed you" (advancing toward him)

Keller...blank stare (hello, does he not at least recognize me???)
"keller, come give me a hug"
jeremy: "Keller, give mommy a hug"

slow slow steps, then w a huge wave of emotion shouts " i habe (have) a gun, i habe a gun"

excuse me??? the water-hose-turned-gun was apparently much more exciting than the womans who birthed him arrival.

ok, perhaps i can get a bit more from coleman. I walk into the cafeteria and there is my precious boy sitting in his high chair, we immediately make eye contact and he starts screaming (keep in mind too that this is in front of an audience...50 new camp staff had arrived since i left on friday). I run to him, unstrap him and start hugging him. He in turn squirms out of my arms and yells "daddy daddy daddy" as he starts running around the dining hall....

this sweet reunion is likely bringing tears to your eyes, so i'll stop now...
maybe next time, I'll stay two extra days....and WHY was i in such a rush to get home????

Coleman is talking non-stop, i think he is just trying to catch up w his big brother. About a month ago, i looked over and saw him standing on the table in the den. I told him "coleman, get down." He looked at me with those big eyes and said "why?" I was so stunned that he knew that word that I was speechless. Since then that question seems to follow everything I tell him to do. Initially I started to try to explain "why" to him, then I decided that he is 15mos old and does not need an explanation.

although he knows i am mommy, for some reason he has taken to calling me daddy. when i leave the room, he'll yell "daddy are dooo?" (translation "mommy where are you?") i have told him again and again that i am mommy and he'll say "mommy" until a demand needs to be met, or we are in public...so everyone thinks he is very attached to daddy.

Keller has taken up "construction" in the form of the tape measure. He LOVES it and measures the house, his toys, himself...the other day i was standing in the spot where i spend 90%of my life (in front of the kitchen sink) and i look over my shoulder and see a tape measure spreading the width of my bottom....keller looks up and declares "mommy, that's too big..."....thanks keller, perhaps i should start doing some squats while washing dishes....

More pictures w our personal photographer Hope

Good people to know on a personal level: a pediatrician, an OBGYN, a massage therapist, and a photographer. I was zero for zero until my good friend Hope, decided that she wanted to pursue her photography passion...and here are some of the results of that. We had a great time w her. She took 150 pics so it's hard to narrow down my favorites but here are a few....

there but for the grace of Him

i am aware. aware of my own mess. aware that i will not be the perfect parent. aware that there is no perfect parent and perfection should not be a goal. aware that there will be issues that i will instill in my children that will cause them pain. who can save me from this wretchedness? praise be to God!...i had a friend who is pregnant w her first child ask me to jot down tips or any advice i could give her about parenting. the only thing that i could think of was that having children is like having a mirror lifted up and constantly exposing parts of you that were previously dormant. children will bring out both your best and your worst. revealing the amazing capacity you have for love and the amazing capacity you have for sin. children (like marriage) are a vehicle of redemption. i did not know i was angry until i had kids. It was revealed in my "mirror". I know that God can redeem this in me but man, being exposed hurts. it is much easier to continue to live in the denial of our own sinfulness and hurt in this world. but freedom does not exist there. redemption does not exist there and relationship as we long for does not exist there. i believe one of the best gifts i can give my children is my own sense of self. That ultimately i am more sinful than i dared believed, yet more loved than i dared hope and we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves. so why am i writing this for anyone and everyone to read? honestly, i dont know. it is just one of those thoughtful days....

i'll try for a funny story later on :) or at least some cute pics of the boys

More spring pics...

The boys playing in a box on a rainy day in April
coleman LOVES keller's bike
i caved....note the monogram. no one will wonder whose outfit it is :)

spring pictures

Daddy and the boys. K loves his "army pants"
"where's keller?"

Keller at the lazy 5 ranch, feeding pigs

 

Will...I mean, Coleman

I often wonder if perhaps we should have named Coleman "Will," as he seems to have located and put into use his willful spirit. I also will note, that this could be due to where he falls in the family line...second child. Why would he, for example, be expected to drink from a sippee cup when everyone else uses something different.
I had to laugh the other morning when I caught him in the playroom trying to "put on" his shoes (w footed PJ's). He managed to find his shoes then was stepping on the tops of them simultaneously verbalizing "ahhh ahhhh ahhhh ahhh" which I quickly interpreted as "mom, i need these shoes on or this morning will be a disaster!" So, we put them on, strap him in his highchair then I give him his meal. When he was about 11months old, Coleman decided that this being fed by mom thing was just not working so well for him. So he took over. Usually armed w spoons in both hands, the child will ONLY eat if he can feed himself. If I try to feed him (to speed along the process) he will start shaking his head and repeat "no, no no no no".....sorry for offending you Coleman. So needless to say, meals are so very messy. I give up trying to really clean until after dinner, however by then i am scraping off dried food w my fingernails...nice huh. I have tried to feed him more fingerfoods, however he really is not much into those...i guess they are too clean. Not the sensory experience that yogart and oatmeal are. So here is a typical morning picture of my sweet second son, geared up in his shoes in case he has to dart out of the highchair for an outdoor playing emergency; yogart just beginning to coat him, his pj's and the nasty chair. I remind myself that this child wont go to college wearing his pureed food...as with everything this is a stage to be enjoyed

dallas trip

 
 
 
 

we had a great trip to dallas visiting jeremy's parents and our good friends the ryans. Keller loved the backhoe and thought the helmet was a great addition!
Dan and Linda heated the pool, so the boys were able to spend alot of time in there...which meant less days they were actually bathed in the tub...

cute egocentric world

keller has swim lessons every tuesday at 730PM. why, you may be wondering, does a 2yr old have lessons at that time...well, that would be because his mother forgot to sign him up until past the last minute, and that was the last spot available. It actually has worked out quite nicely, because jeremy takes him while i am home w sleeping coleman. Last night, Keller runs into the house screaming "i'm ober (over) her, i'm ober here!"

me "keller,how was swim lessons?"
keller "i'm ober here, i'm ober here!!!" simultaneously waving his arm frantically.

I looked to jeremy in confusion, awaiting the explanation. Apparantly, Keller has become fascinated with the lacross players that they pass while going to swim lessons. Jeremy told him, they would stop and see them on the way home. After his lesson, Jeremy pulls the car over so they are facing the back of the goal and rolls down the windows to hear the action. The players start to yell "yellow yellow yellow!"- which must be some type of play. Well, Keller looks up in suprise bc he hears "keller, keller , keller!" and tells jeremy "they call for me....I'M OBER HERE! I'M OBER HERE! I'M OBER HERE!" and starts waving his arm to get their attention.

I had to laugh and think how sweet life is when it really could be a reality that an entire lacross team would be shouting your name and this would be totally appropriate and possibly expected:)

Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday. After church, we went to friends' house for brunch. Four families with two children each. Needless to say, deep meaningful conversation was not the dialogue but we had a great time all the same. I insisted on getting pictures in our "easter best" and this is pretty much what I spent most of the morning saying...

"coleman,look at mommy...coleman, look at mommy, coleman, stop sucking on your arm

and look at mommy.....JEREMY can you stand behind me and do something funny!"

"Keller, do NOT hit your brother, keller i
am serious (me still smiling) coleman laugh

"chaaaaase, keeeeeeller look at mommy (chase chase chase-this is hope,his mom chanting w me), boys,boys,boys look here, boys boys boys...."

"Keller,coleman smile for mommy
c'mon guys one smile, look here
look here, look here,look here"

and this is about as good as it gets.......

back on the ranch....

air conditioner. washing machines. dish washers. flip flops.

these are some of the modern amenities that separate 21st century women from our foremothers back in the 1800's. however, there is one area that seems to have maintained its archaic status.

that would be cutting fat off of meat. no amount of moderism can make this task easier and less....well disgusting. really, the best thing to have going for you is a good sharp knife, just like the 'ol days.

our community group had our monthly dinner, and in honor of jeremy's birthday, i decided to let the texan in me take over and make brisket. buy it, bring it home, unwrap it. what lies before me is, what my friends alison and claire call- a "hunka meat" (say in deep southern accent for full effect). it is everything gross about animals on one piece of bloody styrofoam. how, i ask myself, is it possible that I live in a day and age where I can text someone in china, buy a house and car online, see upclose pictures of the moon and still am handling raw meat w nothing but a knife and a cutting board. As i cut fat after fat after fat I am trying to decide exactly why i am not a vegetarian. I dont think cutting up beans would be this gross. i keep reminding myself of my wonderful husband and how this is his favorite meal. plus, i am sure caroline ingells never complained about cutting fat off meat, and she had to pluck chickens as well. after 8hrs elbow-deep in raw beef, i stick the "hunka meat" in the oven to do its thing.

days later, once cooked it seemed to have the culinary pleasure that jeremy was hoping for as he ate probably half of it. I, on the otherhand, went heavy on the potatoes and salad....

Endless fun in the backyard...we LOVE outside!

Blessing St Francis

the green

"bucket" is

actually Keller's head

The Theory of Simplicity

Now, I am not sure if such a theory exists, perhaps one should research, publish and state it as so. Once children enter the picture, simple in all it's various forms, becomes nothing except theoritical. For example, a simple tasks, such as unloading the dishwasher, can easily turn into an all morning affair w various little bodies practicing climbing skills and fine motor skills while grabbing spoons and forks, and pushing buttons. Moms, using all extremities to avoid fingers getting smashed and knives getting found. simple, yes....in theory....

thus, our sunday evening. Jeremy and I had just returned from a wonderful trip to camp with

our community group....food,fun, fellowship, and free....kid free that is. We all enjoyed a day away from children and having uninterrupted conversations. Very blessed time.

So we arrive home late Sunday morning and Jeremy tells me we need to drive across town to retrieve a car from a friend which he will then drive to Ashboro tomorrow (for the regional camping conference) meet her there, then drive back with other Camp Lurecrest folks.

So he just needs me to drop him off at her house, then we all drive home,him in her honda, me w the kids. We decide the best time to do this is after the boys arise from their afternoon naps. Simple enough...in theory.

The boys wake up, we drive across town (we were giving the errand an hour TOPS total). Jeremy gets her keys, starts the car....dead....tries again...dead. Luckily, I married (and incidentally was also raised by) Mr. Prepared. So Jeremy gets our jumper cables, I get the blanket we always have in the back of the car (for emergencies such as this) place it under a tree get the boys out (they had been making it very clear they wanted no part of carseats during this adventure) and make the most out of watching daddy jump start a car. Keep in mind as well, that I was not planning on my childrens feet touching soil, so keller is shoeless, jacketless. i have both boys in my lap, wide-eyed w the wonder of modern mechanics, when suddenly I noticed smoke coming from our car.

"jeremy, there is smoke coming from our car."

Jeremy, quick on the drawl, removes in amazing speed the jumpers from our car, at the same time muttering under his breath about how cheap these cables are, and he has never seen this happen. Apparently, the heat from our battery, had melted the rubber part of our jumper cables making them useless.

ok, plan B. Get the boys back in the car, buy some cables, somewhere, come back to the house and try again. As we were driving toward the store, I had the insight to inquire whether or not her car would have cables in them...you know me, I always think like a mechanic.

So we turn around, Jeremy hops out to check. As he is looking in her trunk w a flashlight, a neighbor happens to come upon us. We look innocent enough, however some criminals do.

I am in the car at this point with the boys. Keller begins to asks "who is that mommy, who is that mommy??"

"a man"

"what's his name?"

"mr. walker." Now, this man was not Mr. Walker,nor do I personally know a Mr. Walker, however Keller is going through a phase of insisting on knowing everyones name, so i always have about 10 in the forefront of my brain, handy for situations such as this.

So "Mr. Walker," determining we are not America's Most Wanted, graciously loans us his jumper cables. I unload the boys again, to be mesmerized by mechanics. At this point it is cold (at least by southern standards)and dark.

The process is too short for the boys, so they fight getting back in the car. This is the point where Keller discovers the bowl I forgot to take inside from a party we went to on friday...sorry, did i say a bowl? I meant to say an astronauts' helmet.

Luckily this kept him preoccupied for most of our return trip. He would place the helmet on his head, countdown and blast off. Once he got bored with this, he noticed a lady in the car next to us.

"mommy, is that lady praying" (coleman crying...getting close to his bedtime)

"of course she is"

"i want to see her aGAIN"

The next five minutes (no lie) (coleman still crying. closer to bedtime)

"mommy,where is dat lady paying (praying), is dat her car, is dat her car is dat her car..."

once we got out of traffic "is dat her house, is dat where de paying lady lives? is dat her house, is dat her house...i want to see dat paying lady aGAIN." (coleman still crying, past bedtime)

what can I do but put on my favorite Curious George song, and wonder what Jeremy is doing solo in the jumped Honda in front of us.

Simple errand, yes .....in theory.

Coleman's 1st birthday, Baptism sunday best

To smock or not to smock...

that is the question...at least in the heart of South Charlotte. As the mother of two boys, every Sunday, I inwardly laugh, as I see young boys smocked and frocked and looking like they are heading to English Boarding School. Don't get me wrong...my boys dont wear camo or cargo pants to church (at least not under one:) but I have congratulated myself on finding a happy medium, making it clear what gender my children are, and having both my husband and myself content w the boys outfits....

enter Hope. A great friend who has a son Chase, who is Keller's age (2 1/2). Now Hope is the girl who would have Chase wear smocked Pj's if she could:) when we first started hanging out and would have play group together...There was not doubt as to Chase's initials...for if he was not smocked, he was monogrammed....

so as Hope and I become closer, her ways began to rub off on me. Of course, I am way too practical to every buy an outfit that cost more than $20 and assuming I will continue to produce boys, monogramming is out of the question due to hand me downs. However we have had very generous friends give us darling "smocked" outfits and john johns.

Jump to Coleman's baptism. Suddenly my question becomes not "do i smock?" but "which smock should he wear?" So i head to Hope's, who generously loans us all of Chase's 18mos clothes. sunday morning Coleman is dressed just like his other British classmates and.... i LOVE it. He looks so precious....

so in conclusion, i have determined that the more boys we have, the more "girly" they will be dressing on Sunday morning. I have not completely flipped the switch to monday-friday smocking but perhaps coleman may find himself in something monogrammed one of these

days....

coleman in paradise...he LOVES balls!

pink eye...for the little guy

last wed coleman arose from his nap, and it looked like he participated in a wrestling match...and lost. his left eye was swollen, he could hardly open it. after contacting a few of my mom friends (who needs the MD) i determined it was likely pink eye. got some ointment, easy fix.

one week later, keller wakes up with gunk all over his eyes. both eyes continue to produce matter(for lack of a better word) in "a becoming shade of green" (quote from our babar book)
for three days. i give him the same ointment, nothing changes. when i try to clean his eyes out, he squeezes them tights and screams "i wanna get outa here!" warms my heart, as you can imagine....so onto the doctor for our weekly winter visit. at this point, poor keller has green ooze from both eyes, red puffy cheeks, and a thick runny nose...poor guy. there is no way i can justify staying on the "well" side....so more eye drops and hopefully clear eyes soon....oh and they both have ear infections....

there is always something going on at this stage in life, and as frustrating or annoying as it can be, i was thinking today how i am thankful that it is just the normal childhood illnesses we are dealing with, nothing more. i deeply admire moms who have really sick kids, apart from the grace of the Lord, i dont know how they do it...

niagra falls

yes, i have now entered the world of blogging...or should i say "re-entered." Apparantly two years ago, when my friend emily encouraged me to get a blog, i did then completely forgot about it. you can imagine my suprise when i began to create my blog, only to find one i already created... nothing for two years....and now i am back more tech savy than ever:)

i am a bit tired today due to the weariness of cleaning up toys, dishes and about two gallons of vomit. that's right, two gallons. coleman, sitting ever so innocently in his booster seat, not showing too much interest in food, but eating none the less. suddenly it was like niagra falls coming out of his mouth. unbelievable. jeremy undresses him and takes him immediately to the bath. i stare at the kitchen thinking "WWTSJD"....what would the school janitor do?

i got the kitchen faucet hose as far as it would go and literally soaked the kitchen. there was no wall left untouched....let me also remind you that he has had cheese overload today so you can imagine how ripe the smell was....keller was fascinated...initially by the throw up (pow up) the bright orange color it was and me hosing down the kitchen. of course, since there was water up to my ankles, i had to pull my pants up to my thighs, at which point keller begins to perseverate "mommy has legs! mommy has legs, mommy who gave you legs?"

"God" (hold nose dont puke, dont look at what you are doing....i am thinking)

"why, why do God give mommy legs?"

so i can bend down and clean up carrot/cheese throw up...obviously

i am still in post-traumtic-vomit shock....melissa-this would send you back ten years...