Happy Mother's Day!

I love Mother's Day because it is the perfect day to celebrate the greatest gift God has ever given me: motherhood.

I also love it because I can count on the boys to tell me what they really think about me. This is how Baby answered the annual Mother's Day questionnaire at preschool:

My mom's name is Allyson.

She is one years old,

and weighs ten pounds.

Her eyes are blue,

and her hair is brown.

Her favorite color is purple.

She loves to eat!

While I'm at school, she messes around,

and she just loves to eat macaroni.

Little Middle dictated this to his teacher:

My mom is good at dancing!

I love my mom because she is so nice.

She rests so she can play with us.

My mom loves me because we are nice to her and she loves all of us.

She plays games with me and takes me to the park.

I love my mom!

Of course, not every day is a good day. There are a lot of days I feel like I'm just barely surviving, and none of us are thriving.

Goliath drew this picture to hang on his door on one such day.

But every single night, the last thing I do before I go to bed is check on my sons. I make sure they are breathing just like I did when they were infants. (Will I ever stop doing that?) I tuck the covers in around them, gently touch their little foreheads, and whisper a prayer of thanksgiving that somehow, God saw fit to allow me to be their mom.

Does Stuff Like This Only Happen to Me?

Here's how it went down at my house this morning:

My husband....traveling.

My schedule....tight.

My kids....cute.

My self....tired, yet determined.

Got Goliath off to school. Had a follow-up appointment with the surgeon for a post-op exam, then I was supposed to meet my friend Hope and her boys in Frisco for lunch and playtime. By 8:45, I had everything together for my 9:00 appointment and we were out the door. The little boys were getting in the car and I pushed the button to open the garage door. Sounded like this:

WWWWWHHHHHIIIIIRRRRR

UUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHH

THUD.

The kids are freaking out (it was a LOUD noise), the door is dead, my car is stuck in the garage, and I am stranded. I call Hubs in St. Louis. He tells me to pull on the red string, which I do, and nothing happens. He can't help. I call the doctor's office, and they laugh at me and reschedule. I call the landlord, who says he'll be right over. I wait 30 minutes. He comes over, diagnoses a broken spring, manages to manually open the door, and we are free.

I am only a little late for the playdate, and the repairman has come and gone by the time I get back home.

But now my 2 little boys are terrified to go into the garage, so maybe I should just start parking in front of the house anyway.

Does stuff like this only happen to me?!?!?!?

Controlled Chaos

Well, we are off on a whirlwind weekend. My sweet sister arrived last night because this is Birthday Party Weekend. Jenny prides herself on being present for every single birthday celebration for the boys, and they adore her. The fun begins later this morning when I go to the hospital for my pre-op appointment. Aunt Jenny is in charge of the boys--who's the school board genius who decided on a 4-day weekend 2 weeks after Christmas break?!?!? We will spend the rest of the day shopping for groceries and party stuff, and wrap it up when Howie (The Boyfriend) arrives later tonight. Tomorrow, the bounce house will be delivered and set up at 10 am. My in-laws are coming to town. We are having Goliath's birthday party at 1:00. (One of the sad realities of having your birthday the week after Christmas is that you don't get to have a party until later in January.) Our backyard will be filled with bouncing boys! On Sunday, we will go to church, and then my mom will arrive to help with the boys. Monday is Surgery Day. If all goes as planned, I will be able to come home the same day and recovery will be quick. I will post pics of the party as soon as I can come up for air....:)

Before I go, a funny story: Last weekend I took Goliath for a routine eye exam. Here's how the conversation went:

Doctor: Goliath, do you feel like you are able to see pretty well?

Goliath: Yes.

Doctor: Do your eyes ever hurt or feel tired when you read?

Goliath: I've only read 3 books in my life.

Because he's six.

On My Heart

Just a few Scriptures that have been on my heart lately...

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me... Psalm 86:11-13

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Isaiah 49:16

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6