Mason said last week that he can't believe how quickly the month of April is flying by. And I do believe he's on to something there. Next week we have a little spring break. And then there are only three weeks left in this school year. Three. I'm not quite sure how that happened. I feel like it's sort of snuck up on me. So I'm soon to have a 7th grader, 4th grader and kindergartener. Let that sink in. Because I'm not sure how that happened either! But here they are last Sunday before we went to church.
So can we talk about Mason for just a minute? That kid could care less about what he wears. He could care less about what his hair looks like. He could care less about wearing shoes or not. Does. not. care. I had to take him shopping last week because he's grown so much over the past year that it's hard to keep him in clothes that fit for any amount of time. We were specifically looking for church duds. I already had in my mind what I wanted for him, but I also wanted him to at least think he had some input. So I let him browse the shorts and shirts to see what kind of reaction I'd get out of him. The first thing he told me was that he thought he wanted some colored shorts. I was totally fine with that so I told him to pick out the color. They had orange, coral and that green pair he's wearing. So then the discussion turned into, "Well, that's definitely something Avery would wear. Yeah, Avery would wear that. Now that looks just like Avery." I also must say here that my nephew is a rather snazzy dresser. He has quite a collection of bow ties. If only I could get my guys into bow ties . . . but one step at a time, right? Anyway, Mason made several smart choices that day all based on what he thought Avery would do. Now if only he could hang out with Avery a little more often . . .
Remember last fall when I planted 24 strawberry plants, and I was so excited about them? Until two days later when I came home and all of them were GONE?! And my broccoli, cauliflower and kale all GONE. The deer got every last one of them. My father-in-law told me there might be enough left that they would come up again. But I didn't even walk back out there for the next five months. I wasn't even going to plant a spring garden. But about a month ago I decided to give it a go. I went out there to pull the weeds up and get the beds ready for planting. I found three little strawberry plants that had popped up. Last week I picked and ate this little guy right here. It was my one and only strawberry, but it was a beauty.
Grandmother's lilies finally realized it's now spring, too. They're blooming. Last week it was almost like Grandmother was smiling at me. Or, at least, her lilies were.
Speaking of Grandmother . . . last week my sweet sister-in-law sent me this picture she found of MeMama and Grandmother.
I can honestly say that, right now, not a day goes by that I don't think about these two ladies and miss them dearly. I told Kristi that, and she reminded me of Hebrews 12:1. I mean, I know the verse. But it just took on such a new meaning that day. And then, two days later, another friend sent me that exact same verse, only she had no idea what I'd been thinking or feeling or that Kristi had sent it to me. So when the going gets hard, as it often does, I think of these two ladies, and I think of that verse, and I dig my heels in and keep on going. Because I'm pretty sure they're cheering me on.
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." ~Hebrews 12:1
So on Saturday we had to take Seth shopping. I try so hard to not have to take the kids shopping on Saturdays or any other time that isn't absolutely necessary because, as homeschool kids, they always have to go to the grocery store with me and to any other little errand that needs to be taken care of. I try to do as much online shopping as I possibly can, and I have drastically reduced the number of errands I used to do. But still. They are so good to not complain (most of the time), but I know it's just not their favorite. Anyway, we were back at it on Saturday. They really didn't want to be, but they were troopers. And they were also a bit silly.
I don't even know why we were in this store, and we certainly bought nothing here. But these goofballs were going crazy.
This girl right here has so much personality that's mostly reserved for just us. But she was in rare form on Saturday.
And then . . . I was sitting down on one of the displays (because I was honestly so tired and ready to go home) while Seth was taking forever browsing through clothes when I looked up and saw this:
It took me a minute to realize they were making faces into the mirrored trophy on the display.
Sometimes I feel like I can't take them anywhere! But, it'd been a long day.
Today we had a baby in the house! It's such an honor when a friend needs a little help, and we get to babysit. The kids LOVE it! This sweet little guy right here was just a talking to us this morning. It was the usual "baby talk" . . . bah bah bah bah bah bah bah bah bah bah buh buh buh bah bah bah . . . just over and over and over. Finally I heard Ellie tell him (so seriously!), "Now you need to learn C and D!"
Spoken like homeschool kid who's spent the last six months studying letters and phonics! Next thing I know, she's pulled her alphabet flash cards out.
There's just something about Mason. If Ellie was upset as a baby, he could hold her, and she'd be just fine. He loves holding babies, and babies seem to love being held by him.
And, I mean, Ellie just couldn't keep her hands off of him! Poor thing, I'm sure he was on sensory overload today, but he was just the sweetest, calmest, best little guy for us all day long!
Did I mention Ellie was constantly up in his face the whole time?!
One last thing. This guy, y'all. Almost a 7th grader. Almost a 12 year old. That means I've been a Momma for nearly 12 years now. This kid made me a Momma all those years ago, and he's stuck by my side ever since. Of course, it's not like he had a choice, I guess! I know kids are going to grow up. I know they aren't going to be little forever. But sometimes, during the little years, it does seem like FOR EV ER! You Mommas of little ones know what I'm talking about. The whole "the days are long but the years are short" thing. So let me tell you. The years . . . are short.
And this guy isn't so short anymore. He's growing up. And fast! He's counting the days until he's taller than I am. But I always remind him that I will ALWAYS be his Momma. I love wearing heels and wedges, mainly because they add a couple of inches or four. But when the wedges come off, he's just about there.
Really and truly (even though it seems like a LIFETIME ago sometimes), it wasn't so long ago that I had to stoop way down low to be eye-to-eye with him. The years are short indeed.
Remember last fall when I planted 24 strawberry plants, and I was so excited about them? Until two days later when I came home and all of them were GONE?! And my broccoli, cauliflower and kale all GONE. The deer got every last one of them. My father-in-law told me there might be enough left that they would come up again. But I didn't even walk back out there for the next five months. I wasn't even going to plant a spring garden. But about a month ago I decided to give it a go. I went out there to pull the weeds up and get the beds ready for planting. I found three little strawberry plants that had popped up. Last week I picked and ate this little guy right here. It was my one and only strawberry, but it was a beauty.
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." ~Hebrews 12:1
So on Saturday we had to take Seth shopping. I try so hard to not have to take the kids shopping on Saturdays or any other time that isn't absolutely necessary because, as homeschool kids, they always have to go to the grocery store with me and to any other little errand that needs to be taken care of. I try to do as much online shopping as I possibly can, and I have drastically reduced the number of errands I used to do. But still. They are so good to not complain (most of the time), but I know it's just not their favorite. Anyway, we were back at it on Saturday. They really didn't want to be, but they were troopers. And they were also a bit silly.
Spoken like homeschool kid who's spent the last six months studying letters and phonics! Next thing I know, she's pulled her alphabet flash cards out.
