Days 16-21!!!

We have had so much going on lately it has been insane. I am thankful for children who for THE MOST part...go with the flow.

Nolan had to have hernia surgery on the 18th. I am thankful we had a wonderful Christian doctor who prayed for Nolan (and for his momma) before his surgery. I am thankful Josh was able to be off work and able to take care of Hudson. I am thankful the surgeon (I have an amazing pediatric surgeon if anyone needs a recommendation) was able to fix my boy up and help him.

I am thankful to have my happy go lucky baby dude back! I missed his face! His smiles and his giggles!

I am thankful that he was doing so well after surgery that I was able to take the older two to go and see an amazing play put on by Northwest Highschool Students. They did such a great job.

I am thankful for a 4 year old boy, who normally can't sit still to save his life, that was so enthralled with the show he sat perfectly still the whole time. He loved it!

I am thankful for a 6 year old girl, who is on such a routine for bedtime and school, that she fell asleep against me during the slower ending part. She was so tired.

I am thankful that we had another restful weekend (so many of those are far and few between) and also to be able to spend some time sewing with a friend from church. I love learning new things from Ms. Margaret and she is so talented and just fun to spend time with.

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

P.S. Sorry for the lack of pictures they will return tomorrow!

Days 10-15???

What can I say? I am thankful for life happening. Things got crazy! They got crazy quick. I have lots to be thankful about the crazy that has happened in the last 13 days though!

We started off with my girl getting an ear infection! It was very sad it is the first one she has had since she had tubes put in her ears at 11 months old. She was miserable. So to the doctor we went. And for that I am thankful that we have a pediatrician that loves my children. She is amazing with them! Also thankful for antibiotics to help my girl feel better quickly!

NOT thankful that we caught the 24 hour bug while we were at the doctor's office waiting room though... Yeah you heard me right. From Wednesday morning to Saturday (EARLY) morning I was thankful for every vomiter that made it to the bathroom or trashcan... I know it was BAD! I am also thankful for a washer and dryer... if this had been the olden days I am not quite sure WHAT I would have done!

I was thankful for a restful weekend. I also was INCREDIBLY thankful for a routine to return to on Monday. It was so nice!

Some summer fun so far...

It has been CRAZY busy with things going on lately. I can't believe how swamped and busy it is! This week is no better. Hopefully I will be blogging some fun stuff as catch up in the next few weeks. But for now...

Some pictures of our summer fun so far....
Our very own Crocodile Dundee ladies and gentlemen!

Some cute girls who were traumatized because I asked them to stop and smile for just one second!

Hudson and his friend Allyson isn't she cute?

Leanna and Madelaine.

Leanna dumping ice cold hose water on her brother and his reaction :)

Lots of fun stuff has been going on. Just not so much down time to get it posted here. But I will! Promise!

Upcoming awesomeness? The Muny with friends to see Beauty and the Beast, a Dance Recital, MOPS KICK OFF and a post about my new Sign Language Class I am taking. Sheer craziness!

Happy Monday!

Momma to 3... The one the only the CRAZY,

*Shay B*

When God says "Hey what's up"

I am always asking God to help me understand to... "Show me the bigger picture".

I don't think I can handle the bigger picture. He knows that because, I think the small piece he is showing me right now feels like more than I can handle sometimes.

I love my life I do. There isn't to much about it (okay nothing actually) that I would change except for perhaps an extra hour or two in my day. But here lately the "EXTRA" has been HARD.

I cried into my pillow about all the "EXTRA".

I know I know... "God never gives us more than we can handle". Or "If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it", or a thousand other cliche crazy things we say to someone when we just don't know any other way to help them cope.

I know this is just a season and that things will get calmer and more normal and back to a "reasonable" level.

But I can't help but feel like God is saying to me right now in this season of my life... (I hate that phrase and term "season" but it fits and my brain can't make a better word right now and I have been using it a lot lately sorry) God is saying to me, "Hey what's up? Oh that is a lot I know... lean on me. Let me walk in front of you. Let me carry that." I feel him tugging at my soul, "Shay let it go, let me control that, let me do it..." and I am fighting him and telling him I got it and then my day gets crazy or my week gets hectic or the "EXTRA" starts to overwhelm my world.

God is there he wants me to let it go. He loves me and all of that "EXTRA". God's saying, "Hey What's up? Want some help?" and starting today... my answer? "Yep I sure do. Thanks!"

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Just some updates...

So it has been a minute and I thought I would run through some updates of things going on in our lives....

Clear out the clutter.... Still working on it :) Pictures will happen. I need to find ten (cotton pickin') minutes that I don't have kids diggin' things out of the trash pile saying, "but momma I love this scribbled on piece of paper that I haven't touched in one whole year" and hiding it back away!!!

Leanna needs to see an optometrist to register for Kindergarten apparently that is a new state law. Who knew? Well not me obviously so I am working on that and a few other things to get her registered.

Hudson, well one day he makes me sad and the next he makes my heart smile. I love him! He also has recently learned how to spell his name. He can tell you it and will several times over know if I could only get him to try to write it :)

Nolan is having surgery on Friday to have tubes put into his ears. To help alleviate some negative pressure in his ears. Not to mention to drain the fluid that is ever present and is further hampering his already hampered hearing abilities :) He is honestly one of the happiest kids I have ever met. He smiles and laughs and is just a joy to be around.

Josh had a birthday on the 18th. His 27th to be exact. We had a nice time. He got a new BBQ grill and a couple of new movies. Some yummy poke cake and a good old fashioned game of freeze tag while Nolan was napping in the play pen. He is also testing for a promotion tomorrow or today depending on when I finish writing this post. So hopefully (and praying) that it goes well.

I am sleepy :) Okay... when am I not sleepy? I am trying to keep things together and not lose my sanity. However I don't know any other moms that aren't trying to do the same things :) It is going. We are looking at trying to get that house (mentioned in post below), get things organized, clear things out, get a camping trip in here somewhere and enjoy the gorgeous weather.
We have been outside A LOT! Bike rides, walks and trips to the park. Anything to be moving and exerting our energies outside. The sad part is that the inside of my house... well... with the next 4 days consisting of pretty much rain, I will hopefully get things done! Hahaha or string up the small people who will be bouncing off the walls. Shockingly I actually have some projects to hopefully keep them busy the next couple of days while I work. We will see how that goes.

So basically we are well.... living life. It is crazy, it is chaotic and yet some where in there with the grace of God, love for each other and love for Jesus we manage to hang in there, love one another through the faults and find contentment in the chaos (or at least try to) and the majesty in the mundane.

May God continue to help me see the beauty in the beast, the creation in the crazy, the love in the small things, the good in the bad and may He continue to forgive this momma who just doesn't seem to always be able to pull it all off. Thank you for your son and the grace you give me even when I don't deserve it!

Momma to 3
*Shay B*

Has it seriously been a week already?

Okay so the title here will give you some idea of how crazy our household has been here lately.

A good crazy I suppose but a BUSY crazy!

We have had birthday parties and events. Not just for Leanna and Hudson but the rest of the universe as well. Not to mention just in this little month of September we have 9 more events to attend that include birthday parties, weddings, BBQ's etc. You get the idea.

I have pictures from the birthday party that was a lot of fun for the kids. I will try and get those posted in the next day or so.

We have moved rooms around which was a feat to begin with because Leanna's bed broke and so a new one had to be gotten. (Good bye daybed from mommy's teenage years *sniff sniff*). Leanna's old bedroom is now a playroom for the kids. Which I think will be perfect for us seeing as how the rainy/cold season is already or will soon be upon us.

All of this crazy living reminds me that as a momma I am pulled in so many directions. Don't get me wrong sometimes those directions are fun and exciting and hilarious and other times they are serious, busy, sad and anger filled to...but I need to remember to find a time to be still. To not be a momma or a wife or a friend or a member of some team, committee, or even a worker. But to sit and be still and read and pray and sing and worship and have my own moments of quietness and remembering who really is in control of my days. Because I can promise you it isn't me. It isn't my kids or my husband or my job or my family. It is God and I think here lately I am not hearing him clearly enough because I am letting the craziness well up in my ears and drown out his quiet words and reminders "Hey I am here...are you listening...", "What are you getting angry for?", "Take a breath and stop cleaning and go enjoy a walk in My goodness", "That butterfly that your kids are so excited about isn't a science lesson it is a lesson in My goodness and kindness and worthiness".

Too often us mommas forget some of the important things. (Not pointing fingers here unless you count myself). I need to slow down and remember God is good and so is life and yeah it is crazy but it doesn't have to be that way sometimes. Sometimes I make it crazy all by myself.