Highlights

During all the stress of deciding where to go on moving day, we have gotten to enjoy some highlight moments. Today is my little brother's highschool graduation!! Where has the time gone! It really does feel a little surreal, but I am so excited to see him grow up and become the man God created him to be. Last week was Grady's preschool "graduation" program and it was too cute. He has been so blessed this year to have our family friend as his teacher. He will miss Isle of Hope next year but is looking forward to being an SCPS Raider like his mama and Uncle William!!

 Grady walking in and sitting with his adorable little friends!!

The boys sang the famous "Peanut Butter & Jelly" song and this was them chewing! Hilarious!

Grady and Mrs. Powers :)

 The next day, Davis had his mothers day program and it was absolutely precious. His little buddy from church is also in his class. It was fun to watch them sing their songs. Davis sang Old McDonald to all the moms solo style before the program even started, and at the end, let's just say his focus had moved on to the cookies we were having as a snack instead of the music. As I sat and watched him, I realized how much we had both grown over the past year. He has gained so much self confidence, sleeps in a big boy bed, wears big boy underwear and absolutely loves carrying on conversations with adults. I on the other hand have stopped trying to fit him into my mold and learned to love him for EXACTLY who he is, quirks and all! I just finished a book about a boy with sensory processing disorder who when he was 16 had a skateboarding accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. This quote is form his mother who grew so much through his miraculous recovery.
"Motherhood is about raising - and celebrating - the child you have, not the child you thought you would have. It's about understanding that he is exactly the person he is supposed to be. And that, if you're lucky, he just might be the teacher who turns you into the person you are supposed to be."
I feel so grateful for Davis and all that we have gone through and will go through because he truly is the greatest teacher I could have ever asked for and I thank God for giving him to me and supplying me daily with the strength and patience I need to raise him!

Davis and his buddy during the program

Davis and Mommy

 Enjoy your Sunday!

The Plan...for now anyway!

Well, it's been quite a week around here! Last Thursday, Chris and I both "hit a wall" and basically came to the end our our own strength. We were so confused and broken over what should be the joyful sale of our home being completely overshadowed by having no where to move our family. This wouldn't be such a huge issue if baby Gwyn wasn't due to enter our family in 11 weeks, but thankfully she is, so it definitely adds pressure to the already stressful situation! That same day, I got an email from a friend about a furnished rental cottage on Isle of Hope that the owners rent weekly/monthly. I immediately followed up on the lead because every rental property we had found was a 6 month-1 year lease with either no early out or severe penalties for breaking the lease. This to us seemed like it didn't make any sense because then we are locked in and can't move on a house if one should come on the market that suits our family. Our plan is to move our entire house into pods and then take clothes and the bare minimum to the cottage, which we've never seen by the way, on May 30th.  :) There are 3 bedrooms and 2 baths with a tiny kitchen and no dishwasher but hey at least there is a washer and dryer! It will be such an adventure and we are up for it! I truly feel like God provided just when He knew we couldn't take it anymore. I can't wait to see when and where this home search ends, but God is using it to draw our family closer to Him and for that I am forever grateful!!

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 "We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life...but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God!"

Miracles everywhere!

Well, my 31st birthday came and went and I can honestly say it was probably the most relaxing birthday I have ever had. No fuss over what to do or how to celebrate. Just fun time spent with family. Davis woke up that morning with strep throat which you may think sounds awful, but when that means constant love and snuggles from one of the sweetest little boys I know, it made for an even better birthday. Thankfully, he is feeling much better now and I might should mention is attempting to potty training himself. He has only had about 4 accidents in the past week and one night even slept in underwear (because Daddy forgot to switch him to a diaper, oops!), but no worries because he was dry in the morning and got up and used the potty all by himself!!
I wanted to take a minute this morning to let you all know that truly miracles do happen! I have had the most uplifting few months and in this world filled with so much heart ache and pain, I wanted to take the time to share these wonderful miracles with all of you. I have been praying for some people I know for a couple of years and recently they have turned back to the Lord and truly turned their lives around. I can honestly say, I didn't think this was possible. I had given up hope in a lot of ways, but the Lord had His own timing and it is amazing to watch. I also have been praying about our house for a year and a half. As I told you, we have a contract on it which so far seems will go through. The inspection went well Tuesday and the appraisal seemed good to go yesterday. It looks like the Lord is leading us to rent a house so I will continue to pray for his guidance as to where He wants us to be while we look for our permanent home, but I know He will show us. Lastly, I have been dreading potty training Davis like the black plague. I have worried and angst-ed over it, even though I know I shouldn't have. Well, I am sure God is getting a good ole laugh because Davis just decided last Wednesday to be a "big boy" and relatively speaking it has been a pretty easy transition so far. Keeping my fingers crossed for when the "newness" rubs off.  I am truly humbled and amazed as always though by the Lord and His blessings!
Wanted to share a funny story with you that happened a couple of weeks ago as well. On my way to BSF I was talking to my mom having a mother/daughter vent session as I like to call them. I pretty much was going off about the house situation and being tired of waiting and just that I was ready to see some answers to all my pleadings with God. I walked in, and was not shocked to find that the lecture was on James 3-5 which in a nutshell talks about taming the tongue and the importance of patience. Our first principle was the most eye opening of all...
"How I talk to others reveals my relationship with God."
Wowzers! If we really stop and think about that, I think we might all have some adjusting to do, but I sure as heck know I do! She asked the question, "How are the people around us being affected by the way we talk?"
She also gave these awesome points on how a true friend of God lives:
1. submitting to God daily
2. resisting the devil - life is a battlefield
3. seeks God with passion - desires to communicate with the Lord
4. wants to pursue what is good and put to death the bad
5. treats God seriously knowing that God hates sin
6. trusts God completely - if we humble ourselves, He will work in us!
The last principle we learned that day was "Patience and prayer are necessary for spiritual growth!"
This was one of those days where I just knew God had sent that message for me that day to open my eyes and refocus my heart. I really do feel like this next month is going to be emotionally and physically draining but it is my choice to make it spiritually filling and that is what I am going to attempt to do! Happy weekend!

Crazy, exciting times!

Well, there is so much swarming around in this little brain of mine that I'm not quite sure where to begin. First off, I think we sold our house!!!!! The inspection is Tuesday and after that they still have about 5 days to back out like the peeps did last year but fingers crossed and prayers lifted that all will go well. Our closing date is May 31st which will make me about 31 weeks pregnant!! This should be interesting to say the least. Another little tidbit is we are not quite sure where we are going but I know God is using this time to teach me to lean on Him and know that He already has it all worked out. We are looking at what is on the market now in Isle of Hope and Dutch Island and if nothing fits us, we will rent and just be patient and wait for the right house. Now this of course is not ideal, but it is what it is and I am convinced it will be quite an adventure if I can just take a major chill pill and keep on trucking, which by the way is not very easy for a crazy hormonal pregnant girl. Oh, one more thing....did I mention Chris will be in China for the whole week before the closing??? Oh, yeah there is that too! :) Can't wait to see where this crazy train will take us!
I am so proud of Davis because he decided this week that he wants to learn to use the big boy potty!! Woohoo!! I think it will be so good to be able to work on that here in our house before the chaos of moving starts. Let's just hope he wants to keep it up because if there is one thing I've learned, it's that you can't make someone go to the bathroom, especially a strong-willed, stubborn as an ox little boy.
Good luck to us!!

Balls, balls, everywhere!

This past week Davis had his first soccer practice and Grady had his first Tball game.

This was the first time Davis had been able to do something like this without Grady, and boy was he excited to be big enough to do it. He talked to whole way there about how he remembered when Grady played soccer and now he was 3 and he could do it too! We pull up, walk out onto the field and he pretty much just froze. It was hilarious! First he did a little of this...

Yep that's him with his fingers in his mouth while everyone else sits on a ball. Then it moved to this...

Yep, that's him just staring at the ball while the coach gives directions for the next game they are going to all play. Then he started to warm up though and boy did he have FUN!!!

 Sitting with his team!!

Back home I asked him if I could get one picture in his shin guards and this was how he wanted to pose! Gotta love that little Davis bug!

Then Thursday was the Wolves first Tball game. Grady and Tate are on the same team and they posed for a "cousin pic" before they got started.

I got one of Grady before he headed out on the field too!

And then an action shot...oh no even better Grady posing while batting! Not sure this particular sport is gonna be his thing but hey at least he looks cute playing it. Haha!

Happy Monday!!

Kindness

About a week ago I started something I have never done before with Grady. We are calling it a "kindness journal." In mothering, there will always be things you really love and admire about your children and then there are those things that you so desperately want to change or take away completely. Grady is a precious boy...but he definitely struggles with an antagonistic spirit. Now, I won't mention where he might have gotten this but let's just say that my loving husband told me in college once, "I only make fun of people that I like." :) Anyway, back to the point...KINDNESS! I told him that for the next month, I want him to think each day about kind things he can do for others and we will write them down each night. I did a little studying of my own to find Bible stories and verses that will help me reiterate the point and teach this important value to him. As I read one definition given, I thought to myself, wow maybe I need a kindness journal too! It said, "To be kind means "having or showing a tender, considerate and helping nature." Thus, one who is kind is friendly, generous, warmhearted, sympathetic, considerate, gentle, and affectionate." In today's world, we are all so inwardly focused or "bubble focused," as I like to call it, that we don't really think outside of our box as to what kindness we can show each day to others. Watching Grady's little face light up as we think of the things he did out of the kindness of his heart has been so exciting! I am praying that the Lord will work in a mighty way in his little heart this month and that he will see the joy in putting others before himself. Who knows, maybe it will take a whole lot longer than a month, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, I am just praying and thanking God for putting it in my mind to make a real effort with him in this area of his life. He truly has a kind heart and I know he will love watching it shine more and more each day! And as usual, God loves to show me through my sons what I need to work on as well and I am thankful for that too even though I sure would like to ignore it sometimes. :) Hope everyone is having a great week!

Fun Family Day

Today was the best Saturday I have had in a long time! We decided on a whim to head to Hilton Head Island to the outlets and to play putt putt. The boys were great while we shopped for Daddy's new work clothes and then it was time for the "big event." Putt putt seems so basic to so many people, but to 5 and 3 year old boys, it is a BIG deal! Grady actually got a hole in one and Davis just mainly enjoyed wacking the ball a few times and then climbing around all the holes. It was so much fun! One of those days where you can just feel God's love pouring down! We have another showing on the house, different people, on Monday, so keep the prayers coming. Thanks so much!!

 

Oh and since I never got around to posting a pic from Easter Sunday, here it is. Truly a testament of the picture taking that day, hiked up dress and all! At least the moment is captured! :)

 

And one more, just for fun! My nephew Tate came over yesterday and the boys were playing fire/police rescue. It was hilarious. They are crazy little men, but they sure do make you laugh!!

Thankful for the mentally refreshing day God gave me today! Hope everyone has a great Lord's day tomorrow!