Who Dat?

I know I have so many other things to blog about but this just has to be said.....

I cannot believe that the New Orleans Saints are going to the Superbowl!!!!

Can you even believe it??? As a southerner, I am so dang proud.

Bless their football-lovin' hearts :)

Syrup and such

Well, I haven't posted in a while because we have been super busy the past few months. At some point, I suppose I will blog about all of that, but for now my heart is aching and I just want to tell you about today.
At 12:30 p.m., Finley Paul will start preschool. Sigh. I knew this was coming. When he turns three (double sigh) he no longer qualifies for therapy services at home and must get them through the school district. So we picked out a backpack, HE picked out a motorcycle backpack, packed it with some extra clothes, all of his paperwork, emergency medication, etc. and at noon I will load him up in the car and try to drop him off. Try. Really hard. Maybe tomorrow?
As this day has been approaching, I can't help but catch myself thinking about the day he was born. I keep thinking about how he smelled and felt and made those sweet grunt-y noises that babies make. I'll skip all of the in between, but here we are almost three years later and I still think about how he feels and smells often.
When the boys are running through the house, I will often grab one of them up and hold them as long as they will let me. I smell their hair and their cheeks and try to hold onto it for the days I will no longer be able to.
Which brings me to the syrup. Finley, inevitably, always smells like syrup to me. I don't know why... he just does. This morning he smells like syrup and blueberries (probably from the blueberry pancakes we had for dinner). But other days he smells like syrup and playdoh, or syrup and a diaper (gross, I know). So, this morning as I was holding him and smelling his hair, J.T. asked me what I was doing to Finley. I told him I was just holding my baby and smelling his hair and he said, "What does he smell like mom?". I said, "Oh, you know, syrup and such" as the tears filled my eyes. J.T., being the super-sensitive child that he is, came and gave me a hug as well, and then said to me, with a straight face, "don't worry mom, I DO NOT smell like syrup-n-uch."

So, will you pray for me today? I know it seems so small to some people, but I feel like this is a big step for our family and is one of the final steps to no longer having babies in the house. I feel like I am closing the door on a huge part of my life and the ache it is leaving is painful right now....

What's in a picture?

Last week my sister-in-law had us meet her in Parker to do a photo shoot with all of our kiddos. I have to warn you that she has mad photography skills and can capture some pretty wicked photos. :) Take these for instance, I'm sure I'm biased but I think my boys are so beautiful, it takes my breath away.....











I can't wait to have these somewhere in my house. Want some of your own?

( Your family silly, not mine!)

Contact her here.
Smiles,
Meredith

Meet Tough, Muff and Max... our 3 Butterflies

A few weeks ago, I won a blog contest from this little guy, who had a stroke just like Finley! We won a butterfly garden and were so excited to send off for our caterpillars the day our habitat arrived. We checked the mail every day anxiously awaiting their arrival. Finally, they came and I can't even describe how amazing it was to watch their transformation! I am obviously not the best with words, but I do take a lot of pictures....













During this process, which takes about 3 weeks, we also read the book Hermie... this is a book written by Max Lucado and is a "just like Jesus story." I am not sure how much the boys understood, but it is a start. I have recently gone part-time at work AND took the boys out of daycare.... and we are having such a great time! This was definitely a great way to start our new routine of spending more time together.


....and Ellen, you will be glad to know we DID NOT let the caterpillars drink and drive!!!

What exciting things have you been up to?

Sailing

This past Saturday, the boys and I went to the Aurora Reservoir to go for a sail with some great friends. The day was gorgeous and the kids had a blast playing in the sand and water... just what we needed before our fast-approaching winter!











We also released our butterflies!

What did you do this weekend?

Smiles,
Meredith

Dear Walmart,

I don't even know where to begin. I have loved you for so many years that I can't remember when it all started. I do, however, know that our relationship ended abruptly this past week and will never be repaired. I have, for at least 5 years now, walked through your doors once, if not twice or three times, each week and spent our family's hard-earned money. I have bought groceries, baby clothes, diapers and wipes, toys, plants, tires and oil-changes, fabric, stamps, rented the rug-doctor, and browsed through your clearance (your very messy clearance aisles I might add) and for what? For your customer service manager to be a raging and, in my opinion, very hormonal b*&$#! I don't think so. You have pissed off the wrong woman. Not only am I going to upper management, but I will tell EVERY SINGLE PERSON I encounter for the rest of my life how much I despise Walmart. Before this past week, I would daydream about my next trip to Walmart... what I would buy, which greeter I would have the pleasure of talking to upon entering, taking the boys down the fish aisle... Now, I loathe the thought of you. You have squished my hopes and dreams like a big, fat jellybean and I will never be the same.
The End,
Meredith

Sacred Marriage

"What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?"

About a year ago, I was introduced to this book by a sweet friend of mine. I started it, then stopped, then started again.... and so on and so forth. Have you ever read a book that was so deep, so seriously important, that sometimes you just had to walk away and re-evaluate your life? Then, you re-read a chapter to make sure you fully understood what it was saying? Captivating anyone? (that is one of those books for women if you can get through it... definitely worth it) This is soooo one of those books. It has taken me almost a year to finish it! I think part of it is that I have been so busy with, well, life. But if I am honest with you all and myself, a big part of the problem was me. I will spare you all of the details, but John and I have decided to read through this book together over the next few weeks. I love my husband, more than words can say, and I feel that we have a good marriage, possibly even great most days. However, I have felt the Lord tugging at my heart over the past few weeks to seek Him wholeheartedly and I feel that this is an amazing opportunity for the two of us to experience together.

Have any of you read this book? What did you think? Any advice for us????

Smiles,
Meredith