Happy Birthday Aubri!

I can not believe it! My little girl is one! This last year has certainly gone by more quickly than all the others. I have to say...having 3 kids under the age of 5 can really keep a person busy. Most of the time it's a good kind of busy. I could do without the laundry and dishes, but other than that...the kind of busy I am is good. I would not want to be the kind of busy where you have to go to an office and then come home to kids, laundry, and dishes. That's great for some moms...but it is not for me. I told a friend the other day..."there are some days that I don't know if we will all survive til daddy walks through the door. But, there is no amount of money that would woo me into doing something different with my days."

Yesterday was the kind of day that really made me think about how grateful I am to be able to be a stay at home mom. Sure, we have had to make a lot of sacrifices...youth pastors don't rake in the big bucks! But it has been worth it. I was with this little princess almost every day of her life so far (she stayed with grammy and grandad for two weeks during camp and mission trip).

Aubri has been one of my greatest joys in life. She is so calm and laid back. She loves to laugh. She is always tuned in to what her big brothers are doing....which is a full time job...I should know! She steals everyones heart with her great big blue eyes and her toothy grin. She is simply precious.

Today I am praising God and thanking Him that as He searched all over the world for the perfect mommy for this little angel He had the grace and mercy to make His eyes stop on me. It humbles me and leaves me in awe that He would trust Rayden and I with all 3 of our treasures. But it assures me over and over again that God certainly does delight in giving good gifts to His children.

My sweet Aubri...you most definetly are a good gift!

My new pink chair

This weekend my PawPaw came to visit. We had so much fun. We went out to dinner at a great Memphis BBQ place, we went to the playground at the mall, and he rocked me to sleep. I sure do love my PawPaw. This visit was a special one because it was 6 months after his seizure so he was finally able to drive again. My mommy was nervous while he was here because sometimes it's hard for her to stop replaying that day in her head. But, praise God! This was a medically uneventful trip! Also, this trip was special because we were celebrating my brithday! On Friday I am going to be one! My mommy and daddy keep saying, "how can she be a year old already!" I got my first present from PawPaw...my new pink chair. I LOVE IT! Aren't I cute in it? I know you can't resist me in this beautiful chair. My brothers love my chair too. They keep fighting over it until mommy reminds them that it is MY chair and not theirs. I know Kaleb and Nathan really want one of their own! Maybe someday! I also got a fun pull toy from my uncle Joshie! He was so sweet to send that to me. I love it. Uncle Joshie actually sent me 2 presents! But my mommy is making me wait until my party on Friday to open the other one. I will tell my mommy to post lots of pictures of my party and all my new fun toys. Wait til you see me in my birthday dress (thanks mimi!). I love you all!

Love, Aubri (can you tell by my language and typing skills that I am very advanced for my age!)



Chillin out and eating some Nilla wafers
Do I know how to nestle in and be comfy or what!?

Surprise!

Rayden pulled it off! He threw a huge surprise birthday party for me on Wednesday night. While I was on the first floor of church running an AWANA training meeting (we start next week!) He was upstairs decorating and gathering people into this room. Ms. Nikki, our AWANA commander, said that she had a few parting thoughts she wanted to share so we should all he upstairs and have a seat. Well, when I opened the door...




What goobers they are...mouths full of cheetos...what could be better in life, right?
My sweet friend Christi and I.

KDO

First Day of Preschool!




The wonderful staff at Kids Day Out!

Pribacy

The other day we were in the gym at church with several of the teenagers. Nathan approached one of our good friends, Erin, and asked her if she knew where "catty nye tails" live. She looked a bit stumped until I translated for her...cattails or cat o nine tails. She guessed in the water. Nathan told her very matter-of-factly that she was wrong. He followed his judgement with, "they live in ponds in case the ducks need pribacy." How cute is that?

Wacky Wednesday

This week the boys are attending a music camp at church. Each day they go to church from 10-noon and sing songs, learn motions, have a snack, and hear a Bible story. They will put on a show tomorrow morning. (pictures will be posted). Wednesday the story was about Joseph and his coat of many colors...told by none other than yours truly. So, to make it a bit more interesting they had the kids dress all crazy. The boys were totally into it. Nathan wanted what we call "fishy hair" which the rest of the world refers to as a mohawk. Kaleb announced that he wanted dinosaur horns...you can see my interpretation of that below. They were so cute and they had a blast. In fact, this morning Kaleb asked if it could be wacky day again...he really thought it was hilarious to wear two different shoes. I told him he could be wacky at home, but when it was time to leave we needed to be presentable. He said that was fine and proceeded to eat his breakfast in one croc and one flipflop. He traded the croc for the other flipflop as we headed out the door. I can't wait to see the program tomorrow!

My new "nephew"

Hudson Zachary Hayes was born on August 2nd at 4:24 am...and boy is he a cutie! I wasn't able to make it in time for his arrival, but I did get to see him when he was just 10 hours old...I guess that will have to do. It was so fun to get to hold a newborn again. As I held Hudson a strange thing happened. I was instantly transported to the moment of each of my children's birth. I remember seeing Kaleb for the first time and being amazed that I was actually a mommy. It felt so surreal. I also remember Rayden standing over his little warmer and blocking my view...I made him move of course. I needed a clear view of the angel God had sent me. Then, 10 months later God sent another precious gift...Nathan. I remember struggling to push out that 9lb 9oz bundle of love. Then, when I saw him I burst into tears thinking two things, #1 Praise God...it's over. and #2 I can not believe God would choose to bless me again. And then there is my little princess. I wasn't awake for Aubri's birth so that makes this story a bit more strange. When I held her for the first time I felt oddly disconnected from her. I didn't get to deliver her and I didn't get to see her for 6 hours after my c-section. It was all very strange. After two days at home and praying that God would help me to bond with her it happened. In the middle of the night, tears streaming down my face, God spoke to me. In that moment I realized that this was all real. I guess I was afraid to admit that I wanted a little girl so badly for fear that God wouldn't give it what I was praying for. But in the quiet moments of cuddling her close, I sensed God whispering in my ear, "she is your answered prayer. I love you and I hear you. I love giving you good gifts." All three of my babies are truly "good gifts." Being a mommy has been so much harder than I ever dreamed, but I wouldn't trade it in for anything in the world. I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I know Tom and Katie feel the same way about their new little "gift". I pray that through the exhausting days to come they will gather their strength from the Lord and each other. What an exciting adventure parenting is.


Baby Huddy
Finally... I am not the one in the bed! Best "aunt" ever!
Such a terrific mom already!

Bucking Bronco

Today we took advantage of tax free weekend and went to the mall for some new jeans (I could make the boys wear the ones from last year, but capris on boys are not a good look!). At the end of the night for a well-earned treat the kids got to ride the carousel. It was Aubri's first ride and, as you can see, she is a BIG fan. That was a buck well spent!