Another Day In The Life. . . . .

It has been a rough couple of weeks for me. I feel like I shouldn't complain because I have it so much better than so many others, but life has been very overwhelming for me the last month or so. I have been overwhelmed with being a wife, a Mom, keeping up on housework, earning extra money. . . . the usual. This morning was no different. I have a vinyl order that I have to get finished today. There is a small window from about 9:00 to 10:30 in the morning that both of my kids are usually happy and playing, the boy I tend is at kindergarten, and it's not quite time to start lunch. That is the only time I have to get extra things done during the day.

Today was no different so I headed back to get started. The program I use has an external hardware key that has to be plugged in to the computer for it to work. (It looks like a little thumb drive.) It is always in the same spot on my desk, but it wasn't there. I knew I had used it on Monday, so I began the search of all of the places it could've been. I even called Spencer at work to see if he'd seen it. He asked if I had said a prayer and I told him not really. (Who prays about a dumb thing like a missing hardware key?) I kept looking and finally at about 11:00 Carter could NOT wait any longer to be fed and put to sleep. I finally got him to sleep and was feeling really frustrated. I went back into the office and not knowing what else to do knelt down and told my Heavenly Father I really needed to find that key. I kept looking for a few seconds and Mason came in.

Mason: Mom, where is Carter?
Me: He's asleep.
Mason: So he can't mess up my trains?
Me: Nope.
Mason: Oh thanks Mom! You are the best Mom in the world! (Gives me the BIGGEST hug ever! Love him!)
Me: Mason, you know that little purple thing Mommy plugs into the computer sometimes? Have you seen it?
Mason: No Mom.

He goes off to play in the next room. He was in there for a few minutes and I hear him gasp and whisper, "The purple thing!" I went in to see and sure enough, he had found it. Two and a half hours after the search began. I had gotten it yesterday to work and on my way to the computer the kids were fighting in the toy room and I set it down in there.

Carter only slept for about 15 minutes and now he's eating crayons. I'll have to get him BACK to sleep now. The boy I tend just came home from school. I have to feed kids lunch, get Mason down for a nap too and teach piano lessons, so no time for finishing the vinyl. I'll just have to hurry and get it done tonight after dinner, but at least I found the key so I won't be stressing about it all day!

It makes me stop and think. I know the Lord isn't really concerned about my dumb hardware key, but He IS concerned about me. He watches out for me and I need to rely on Him more. He is always there and wants to help us we just have to ask Him to. So here is my new resolve: To rely on the Lord and let Him help me do the things I need to do and feel okay about not getting everything else done. I am so grateful to have someone I can go to ANY time of the day, ANY place I happen to be, with ANY problem I'm facing, and he will ALWAYS be there. He ALWAYS knows what I need and how to help. Sorry for the churchified post. I promise we will be back to our regular programing soon. ;)

What Love Is.

A good friend of mine. . .(Who doesn't read this, but "Thanks Caroline!") sent me this link the other day. It talks about what love is and ways we can show it. Reading it got me thinking about what love is to me. Read on if you wish.

Love is holding hands across a king sized bed under the pillows so that the two children in the middle don't know. (They wouldn't have it!)

It is dropping by someone's house just to chat for no reason, talking about nothing, and leaving that person feeling rejuvenated and ready to face the day.

Love is leaving money under the milk in the fridge and a dollar bill on a little boys pillow. Even more, it is the screech that escapes that little boy when he finds the dollar bill on his pillow.

Love is holding someone while they cry even though you can't fix it.

It is a boy with 4 little teeth grinning up at you immediately after he sprays you with the bite of strained peas you just fed him.

Love is spending your birthday money on dinner and a movie for your family instead of on things you need yourself.

It is looking at someone with an unshaven face, just-woke-up hair style, worn out jammies and stinky morning breath and STILL getting butterflies.

It's a phone call, a thank you, a nice note, and a smile.

It is seeing Mason get so excited when Carter wakes up and hearing him say, "Hey Carter! You're my best friend! How was your nap?" when he doesn't know I'm listening.

I have just been grateful to people in my life that help me get from one day to the next. Thank you to my sweet husband who I love more than ANYTHING and to all of the great people who make me feel loved.

"It is something we all know when we feel it, but words simply are not adequate enough to define it. Love is so many things, a feeling, an intention and a thank you. It is compassionate, it is generous, it is funny, it is serious, it breaks our hearts and yet it heals all things. Love is expressed in a trillion ways, it is found in a smile, blowing a kiss, a wink, a song, a poem, a word or even a batch of chocolate chip cookies. There is so much to say about love, but the heart of the matter is, we all want to be loved and we all want to love."

One.

Carter is such a good baby! Ever since he was born he has been very happy and easy going. He hardly ever cries and he's content to just hang out in the same room as everyone else. He is very busy and loves getting in to things. He puts everything in his mouth and has eaten at least 3 bugs that I know of. He LOVES his big brother. When Mason walks into a room Carter laughs and gets so excited! He loves to play with whatever toys Mason is playing with and loves to copy whatever he does. He loves to wrinkle up his nose and snort! It is the funniest thing with his little teeth poking out. I think he likes it so much because he gets so much attention when he does it. Carter loves to be outside. He loves to ride in the baby carrier and go hiking with the family and he loves hanging out in the pack-and-play when we are camping. He has the curliest hair! Especially when he gets sweaty it goes into little ringlets!
Carter has just barely started to eat baby food. He wouldn't eat it for the longest time and is still a little on the picky side. He hasn't started walking yet, although he totally could! He is just not interested. I think one of these days he will just decide he's ready and take off! He LOVES music! Whenever the radio or a song on TV he dances and really gets into it. He also loves to play the piano and gets so mad when I'm teaching piano lessons and I won't let him join us. He is a great singer and sings himself to sleep sometimes. He sings really load in church and it cracks everyone up. When Spencer gets home from work, Carter gets so excited and says, "Hi Dada!" It melts my heart! He can say hi, Dada, Mama, and Bubba. Carter is so loving. He loves giving his toys "loves." He has even been spotted hugging a toy hamburger patty. When he gives hugs, he pats the person on the back because that's what people do to him! ;)
Carter loves to laugh and play and is a JOY to have in our home. I honestly don't remember what our life was like without him.
We love you Carter Bug!!! Happy Birthday!!!

Four.

Mason at 4 days old.
Mason at 4 years old.

My little boy is four years old today! He is the light of my life. Seriously. I can't imagine being without him. He has learned and grown so much in the past four years. Here are a few things I love about Mason:

-He can play by himself for hours with his great imagination.
-He has so many "friends" no one else can see. The girls, the football guys, and Hunny just to name a few.
-He loves watching the Food Network. Ever since he was just little he has watched "Good Eats" before bed. He loves "Iron Chef," "Diners Drive-Ins and Dives," and "Chopped."
-He is so happy all of the time.
-He is very caring and loving to his family and everyone around him.
-He loves Las Vegas more than any little kid should! He loves seeing the lions, going to the M&M store, and playing ski-ball.
-He doesn't know all of his numbers quite yet, but he does know 3, 7, 8, 9. Why? Food network is channel 39 and Nick is channel 78. He can turn on the TV and go to those channels all by himself.
-He loves his little brother and is so good to help take care of him, play with him, and he always watches out for him. When other people are holding Carter, Mason gets really nervous and upset. He doesn't want anyone to take him.
-He always wants to help.
-He loves cars. He loves trains.
-He is all boy.
-Mason LOVES classic rock and can sing the words to many songs I don't even know! You can often find him in the back seat dancing and singing to the radio. When he gets excited about something he says, "Rock and Roll Coochie Coo."
-He has so much personality! You never know what he is going to come up with next.
-He loves orange. Everything he colors is orange and a lor of his clothes are orange.
I could go on and on there are so many neat things about this little boy. I am so lucky to be his Mom and watch him grow and learn. He is a great kid and I love him so so much!

Happy Birthday Monkey!