Jaxbro Band...

A little Pandora on the computer and we have a band! I love Matthew's coffee can bongo drum! He was really "Gettin Down!" Joe is a mad guitar strummer too! Good times!

Learning what is ours is always His...and to bless others.

After church today, the boys and I were picking up a birthday present for a party we were attending for one of Joe's classmates.

 

As we were leaving, a lady approached me to ask for money. Now, I had just made Joe be very choosey with the gift because "we're working on a budget and God will bless us when we make the right choices."... (Go Dave Ramsey! lol)... Then, she approached me. I had the boys get in the car and get buckled up while I spoke with her a minute and gave her some of our cash. (Yes, I had just used some to pay in the store instead of just swiping my card... Go Dave Ramsey! lol)...

 

When I got in the car, it was a great lesson for my boys. Joe said, "Mama, God needs to bless us for saving our money....".... I asked him, "Joe, who provides money for our family?" He said, "God and Dada." (collective: Awwww)... I explained to him that Dada works very hard, but he wouldn't have any work if it weren't for God's blessings on our lives and that God provides for us all the time. I then said, "If I were Jesus and the lady asked me for help, what would I do?" Joe said, "Jesus would help."

 

I said, "Well, then, don't you think He'll be pleased that we've helped someone he loves and He'll continue to provide for our needs plus help us to have enough to give to others?"..... "Yes Mama." :) It was a special moment.

 

These are the moments I am SO thankful for, and treasure as a Mom. I'm getting to sow the seeds of godly character into their hearts and I pray the Lord waters those seeds and raises them to be excellent men after His heart.

Funny Convo with Big Mac...

Matthew: Why do cats always hunt?
Mama: Because they are hungry.
Matthew: By why don't they just go eat their catfood instead of blood inside of animals, that is SO gross!
It's the little moments and conversations like that, which make me heart smile. He said it so seriously, but his little voice still says, "I'm a child!" :)

What He's Lookin At...

I was just standing at the laundry machines switching from washer to dryer, while Matthew sat and looked at me. I used his favorite saying on him and said, "What are YOU lookin at?" He smiled and said, "Just your head." (I'm still in my robe with bed head and all... not feeling so hot this morning, but trying to do some cleaning before Dada gets home too!)... I said, "What about my head?" He says, "Well, it's just so puffy." Ha ha ha I love this boy.

"Soon anybody won't recognize me and joe."

The last time we went to "Great Clips" for a haircut, the boys were each given their own comb. Joe has been enjoying using his comb to do his own hair (Side note: he has experimented with room spray as "gel."... He sprayed it on his head a bunch of times and then combed it... can I tell you... HE REAKED!)

 

Today, Joe went to comb his hair and Matthew asked if he could as well. I informed him that he does not ever have to ask for permission to comb his hair, and to go have fun... just don't get water all over the bathroom.

 

When he was done, Matthew came to me and said, "Soon anybody wont recognize me and joe." He thought, since he had combed his hair like Joe, that nobody would be able to tell them apart. :) So cute!

 

The only problem is (besides the fact they look different and we can obviously tell them apart)... is their hair is completely different. Joe's will easily comb to the side where Matthew's is like a brillo pad and only likes to go forward. He wants it to be "soft like Joe's." :)

"I Miss That Lil Face..."

While working on a picture project, I ran across this old shot. I sat here and looked at it and thought, "Man, I miss that lil face." It hit me like a ton of bricks that, in two more years, I'll look back on today's pictures and say, "Man I miss that little face." So, I thought I'd post the picture and send out a little reminder to the Mama's out there.... "Mama" is a super tough job, and I'll admit to sometimes letting the "tough" part of it take control in my mind instead of the blessing that it is. Today, this picture is my reminder (and you can borrow it if you need to) to ENJOY the day. Love these kiddos and make the most of "this face" today because it doesn't last. ;)

My heart...a moment of vulnerable struggle.

I've come to a decision. The saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is not true for me anymore. There is that moment when Aaron first gets home from a business trip where we are all excited to see him, there are hugs and kisses and watching my boys jump all over their Dada and ask him to "watch this" and "Push me on the swing." That moment, or those few moments, could never lose their specialness (is that a word?). My heart will always be excited to see him walk through the door, and I will always want to hug that man and kiss his face. :)

Tonight, my heart is struggling to feel any bit of any "fonder" in this absense. I couldn't love him more and missing him just hurts. You'd think, after almost 9 years of marriage and him almost always having a travelling job, that I'd be used to it. I'm not.  I don't know why my heart has struggled more today, but it has and sometimes I just have to express my struggle.

I'm strong and God made me to be who I am in this moment, the wife that I am to the husband that I have, and the mom that I am to the boys that I have. I always look to Him and tell Him that I trust His decision and I know He loves me and will make me able to fulfill what He's called me to.  I've been brought to tears tonight with a heart that has to pour out, I've had to come before the Lord and just tell Him, "I've come up empty tonight Lord, and if you want me to be able to fulfill what You have for me, I've got to feel you pour into my hurt and comfort me with the hope you offer our lives."

Earlier today I took a turn down a random road, because I had never driven it before, but I had seen it my whole life. I was actually feeling "at peace" and oddly joyful for no good reason except that I'm blessed. :) I know that tonight also, I'm blessed. I could list so many ways that I'm blessed and I do not want to downplay my thankfulness for all of the great things in my life. God is good to me, but sometimes an honest moment, no matter how blessed we are, to be able to say, "I NEED YOU LORD," even if it's just because I'm a whinny baby with my arms held high with no apparent injury or problem other than I just want to say...."Hold me." (Or, as Matthew used to throw up his arms and say, "Hold You.")

I don't know what our future holds. I don't know how long I'll have to be creative in helping distance make my heart grow fonder instead of "sadder." I think it's a really treasured gift, atleast to me, to find a person; a friend, who is willing to "Keep it real." This post is me, keeping it real. I can do this, but I don't like it, but I'm blessed, but I miss him, but I'm thankful although whinny, and just the sheer fact that I've poured it all out... let my tears roll... and allowed myself to be vulnerable with my reality, I feel better. I know the Lord can handle all of me (it's a TALL order, I'm so thankful He is BIG enough!)... *sigh*

Here's a picture I snapped during my drive in Sonoma today. I've really been enjoying the clouds lately, I've ALWAYS enjoyed a good barn, and the grapevines are really growing on me these days. :) (the coloring isn't showing up fantastic on this page, there's a metal barn/farm in there) ;)

Parenting Advice: GIRLFRIENDS!! Ack!

I just sent an e-mail out to a group of people who I thought would give me fun, unique, and diverse answers to a question. I decided to post my e-mail here (because it's going to be a fun thing to look back on) and I'll be editing this post later to add in some of the responses I get! Here's the e-mail (Sorry for those of you who got it AND get my auto blog e-mails!) Blog responses are welcome too! :)

Hi...

Ok, so I'm sending this e-mail out to a group of people who I thought would give me a good response to a parenting question I have. :)

My sweet, wonderful and handsome Joe has come down with a disorder called: A GIRLFRIEND! lol

He is in 2nd grade, her name is Stella, and "He protects her." I started to hear about Stella just after school started. There was a day when Joe noticed a child who had nobody to play with, so he decided to go play with her. Stella, thought it was a great idea too, and came to help in Joe's cause for the good. It began there. I'll give it to him, that's a good reason to like a girl. :)

Since then, I've heard "Stella this" and "Stella that," and he even pointed her out to me as she danced down the street with her dad after school. He proudly wanted me to see her. This was before he mentioned any "girlfriend" business.

Yesterday, Rick picked the boys up from school for me and had some fun time with them. Joe informed Rick that he got a kiss from a girl that day, and that she "Like Likes" him... "Not just Likes, but more than that, Like Likes." :) He later told me about the "Like" part, but not the kiss! LOL (smart boy) He told me that he and Stella talked about it, and she informed him that she used to have a boyfriend, but now HE is her boyfriend and he let her know he "like likes" her too.

I started to talk to him about how I love to hear about him being kind to others, even making best friends and protecting girls... but that he's too young to have a "Girlfriend." Now, for any of you who have met Joe for 2 seconds, you know he was NOT going to have that response! lol So, with Aaron out of town until Thursday, I was able to say, "Well, we'll have to talk with Dada about that when he gets back."

Sooo... this leads me to ask for advice! This is the first time it hasn't been "fluffy"... meaning, they all say "Girlfriend" in kindergarten etc (Matthew has one too)... but Joe is now talking about kissing (which Rick said he demonstrated on the cheek!)... And he's talking about their discussing "the relationship." In Kindergarten they just have a girlfriend "from afar" and never TALK about it together! lol

My debate:

1. "Let it roll." How long can it really last any way, and they are young and innocent etc etc etc

2. Push the process of, "You're too young for a girlfriend."

At what point is it not "cute" anymore to have a "little girlfriend" and we need to teach them about the appropriate time for relationships and KISSING! :)

P.S. I found a note from ANOTHER GIRL in Joe's bag that said, "I love you Joe, I will miss you."... Apparently she is moving to another school. This boy tends to attract love notes and goo-goo eyes.

I know, when parents make a big deal of things, the kids tend to RUN in THAT direction... so I'm torn with WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO DO? :)

Any, all advice, funny thoughts, jokes, and "Glad it's YOU and not ME" comments are welcome! I'm just wanting to bounce thoughts around before I jump in on that conversation with him again.... Though, I'm sure I'll hear more about STELLA today after school. Joe told me she was going to be informing her parents about their relationship last night too... so I said, "Well, let's see what HER parents had to say about that!".... :)

Thanks Y'all... I appreciate it!

Nic

Thanks Uncle Ricky...

My brother Rick asked if he could pick the boys up from school today... He likes having time with them and I have come to enjoy time alone, so I gladly said: YES! :) Turns out, he picked them up, took them to the park, and then took them to an ice cream store where they got chocolate ice cream (see brown ring around his mouth?)... and this candy. This particular candy is a type that they have wanted for a LONG time, but I have said NO (emphatically) every single time.

HE SAID YES!

Guess who is their favorite Uncle right now? (Sorry Steve & Justin!)

 

So, they are now in the bath... Together, where I just overheard this conversation:

 

 Matthew: Something Stinks around here. Joe: it's your butt. (which "we say" bottom, but they always test out "words" when they think they are alone)... Matthew: "Oh Yeah!" Ha ha ha He does not deny his ability to STINK! :)

 

Oh the Joys of Bringing Up Boys!

Another Invention...

New use for an empty bread bowl:

Bike Helmet!!

Our Protector...

Meet "Boots," our fierce protector from baby snakes... This one is a good type, but I'm letting him practice, hoping he will save us from the dangerous type!

Our Heart from Heaven...

We just got back from a weekend at our family's cabin in the mountains. I have many pictures that I need to look through, and post more than this... BUT, I had to share this one. The boys and I had an adventure down to the river, and we were greeted by a heart from heaven. I didn't create this, I was just blessed by it.