Mother's Day and 5K's--they go hand in hand. Right?

Happy Mother's Day to everyone! It has been a long time since I've posted. I have been pretty busy since getting to play around in the Caribbean. Friday was my last day teaching my students, and this week will be my last week of work. There are TONS of paper work to catch up on. I am very excited to not be going back to work and enjoying the summer with my three beautiful, funny, and smart kiddos. Which is why I'm posting today. Another friend made a post about Mother's Day and helped me think about all those women who do not look fondly on this day for one reason or another. I did take time to think of some of those women in my life. It also made me think how I for one should not take this day for granted. God has truly blessed me with my kids. I feel like Hannah when she prayed in 1 Samuel "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him." I too struggled trying to have that first kid and it took a long time, so I just have to remind myself not to take this job for granted.
So today and yesterday were such great days. I chose my own mother's day gift which was a really cute running outfit. I'm positive it helped me run faster for my first ever 5K. (Hopefully you know I'm joking). But I felt cute and that was fun. I ran the 5K in 32:04, which involved a lot of walking. So in spite of my self, I think I'm going to sign up for another, because I am too competitive and think I can knock some time off of that time immediately. I just need to strengthen my legs---they were what gave up first, not my heart (the cardio part). It is kind of weird, because I was just positive it was going to be my first and last 5K. But it was a lot of fun after the fact and my running friends were very supportive and so encouraging. So.....Anyways it is appropriate to go ahead and combine the 5K and mother's day into the same post, since my gift had to do with running and us mothers have to run after our kids all year long, right?
Well on the acutal day of mother's day I got a break from running after my kids. So, since Chris is always gone very early on Sunday morning my kiddos gave me my card yesterday with their recorded voices and a coupon good for 1 breakfast in bed to be saved for next Saturday when I can sleep in a little and really use a good breakfast in bed. Eden has been dying to do this. She also made a flower with coupon petals for help around the house. It was very cute. Eli's sunday school class gave me a spoonful of kisses, but was upset when I wanted to actually eat the kisses and not give them to him. Tobe was just cute all day and is wanting to say so much. I had a lovely day today, worshiping the Lord, a wonderful lunch (with soda!) and then a GIANT nap. All in all I was spoiled. The last few days have been fun as a mama (and dada) because we are watching all three of our kids play together. It is fun watching them giggle and chase each other. They sometimes drive Chris and I crazy and the house is so loud, but the three of them are loud together. I love it. Thanks to my family and God for such a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.

My wonderful cruise

OK---I know all the facebookers had an opportunity to read this already. But...my AZ friends won't get on FB. So in order to share with them I am posting my note on my blog..... We had so much fun on our crusie to celebrate 10 years of marriage (March 26th). I highly recommend it. First of all for those who did not know, we DID NOT take our kids. I was so thankful through out the week that we did not have our kids, although I missed them, it was so great to just focus on Chris and I as well as relax a little. If our kids were there, I would have been working and who wants to do that on a crusie?
So it was a 7 day cruise, with 2 days at sea, then we ported at Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, and then one more day at sea. We took an awesome river raft ride on a bamboo raft for two in Jamaica (similar to a gondola). Then in Grand Cayman we got to swim in the ocean and tour the island. In Cozumel we got to swim with a dolphin and ride on the belly of a dolphin. Of course lots of shopping, a little too much Bingo, some amazing food (did I mention the lobster bisque?) and some soaking up the sun. Each island had its own personality and my anal brain thought too much about that. So we got a souvenir for a different child at each island. Jamaica, was the laid back island "no problem mon" and I got something for my very laid back Tobe, Grand Cayman had tons of pirates and was the adventurous island, so of course that reminded me of Eli and finally Cozumel was the most beautiful island we visited and that reminded me of my Eden. For specifics on the ship, activities, etc. you are going to have to ask me personally. Again too much to say. PHOTO 1: Chris and me and the gorgeous ocean in Grand Cayman. PHOTO 2: Elegant Dress Night on the Ship.These are our friends, Andy & Christina from AZ, who we went with, who also celebrated their 10 year anniversary on Feb. 28th. Photo 3: The view from the tubs at the Three Amigo Cantina in Cozumel. PHOTO 4:The sunrise, Saturday March 7th. Might be the first sunrise I've been up for....very beautiful....very early.



Just know that Chris and I want to do it again, but will probably have to wait 5-10 more years. There was one person on the crusie that had cruised 37 times. Isn't that crazy? I think I would love to be old and cruise the rest of my life. So all that to say we had a blast, yada, yada, yada, oh yeah did I mention the bisque?

Time Continues to Fly

So I kind of bypassed Tobe's 1st bday. It was on the 8th of February. We had a small party for him on the 7th and then had a Baby Dedication on his actual birthday at church. It was funny, because at Eden's baby dedication she was only 3 weeks old. Eli was 7 months on his dedication. And I finally fit Tobe in at 1 year, when hopefully it would still be considered a "baby" dedication. Anyways time flies.

Tobe still is my baby. He mumbles two words "mama" and "dada". Although he can wave, give kisses, and say gentle and more with his hands, we don't get much out of the guy. He is cruising and crawling, but I don't think he is anywhere near walking. Although I probably forget how fast they go from one stage to another. Anyways, I said that is OK, he doesn't have to walk until he is 3 since he is my last baby. Either I truly have babied him and Eli at the time, or there is such a HUGE difference between boys and girls. Now Eden walked at about 9/10 months and Eli walked the week of his first bday. But we were just thinking (and I guess comparing) what Eden was doing when she turned one: she was already sleeping in a toddler bed, she would dance to Dragon Tales on the TV, she would sit and listen/read a book, she was talking in paragraphs, and running! It is such a vast difference. Now Eli is VERY verbal as well, although it just came all of a sudden like at the end of 2--beginning of 3. I was worried for a while, only because I only had Eden to compare him too. (I know, I know, You are not suppose to compare). And now Tobe is on the same track. I only hope he doesn't decide to walk when I am out of the country and on my cruise (in 10 days!!Yeah!). Anyways each phase has it's own blessings and curses. I am enjoying Darius Rucker's new song "It won't be like this for long" and really trying to soak it in. I just cried in the car, on a long road trip listening to that song, looking back at Eden sleeping and thinking I'm not sure I will be able to let her go. It seems so far away and yet time continues to fly.

The Luckiest Girl in the World

So today during our MOPS meeting, we had a husband panel to share some secrets of marriage and get some guys perspective on some items that can often cause tension in a marriage. Well overall it went great. All of the husbands were great and very vulnerable to speaking to a whole room of ladies...however, my hubby was on the panel as well and anyways........I totally take Chris for granted. I am so lucky to be his wife. He is not your stereotypical man (OK---he does still leave his socks and clothes in the middle of the floor), he is quite the opposite. One of the more lighthearted questions was: "What is the one housekeeping task that you have not admitted to your wife that you would actually not mind doing if she could not?" Chris really could not answer this question. Why? Because there is not a housekeeping task he hasn't done. OK, he is not great at cleaning the bathroom and he HATES doing laundry, but he daily cleans dishes, cooks, sweeps, mops, vacuums, still takes out the trash, grills, mows the lawn, etc. In other words, he does the "normal" guy things and a lot of what would be normally the "woman's" thing. He also feeds our kids, changes as many diapers as I do, and puts gas in my car. It kind of makes you wonder what I do, doesn't it? I feel like I am always doing stuff or trying to force naps during the day that by evening it wears me out. Chris is a wonderful partner, I couldn't ask for more. So if your man is anything like mine, please don't take him for granted. I have already done it enough for all of us.

Which came first?

Because of You, God

Because of You
I have life.
I am a princess and part
of the bride of Christ.

Because of You
I have a song.
You gave me a Godly man
whose love is strong.

Because of You
I am warmed.
You gave me Delight,
my lucky charm.

Because of You
I can smile.
You gave me my Sunshine,
whose joy lasts for miles.

Because of You
I am amazed.
You gave me my sweet Valentine
to cherish and raise.

Because of You
I am blessed:
-with life,
-with song,
-with happiness.


I am not much of a poet, however, this came to me the other night at 1 am when I was up with sick kids and then laying wide awake (anyone ever experince that?) So I got up and penned this poem. At the time, I was trying to find some inspiration for a tatoo that I plan on getting in the near future, but could not decide what I wanted to do. So I don't even know if the tatoo or the poem came first, kind of like the chicken and the egg. But here is the result, this poem is sort of a testimonial to the blessings God has given me. So I plan on getting an ankle charm bracelet and each charm will mean something significant: a small tiara showing that I am a daughter of the King of Kings (i.e. princess), a cross explaining what Jesus did for me which allows me to be part of his bride and join him in heaven some day, a treble clef which represents Chris "my song", a shamrock because Eden was born on St. Patrick's Day "my luck charm", a sunshine because Eli was born in the heat of the summer and his favorite lullaby is "You are my Sunshine", and a heart because Tobe came a little earlier than his Feb. 14th due date so he's my favorite Valentine. So now I am really excited and passionate about my future tatoo and believe that this passion will hopefully diminish some of the pain. Wishful thinking, right? Anyways, God's blessings are good.