Living in the moment

A couple of nights ago at church I found out that a friend is joining the ranks of those who bravely and proudly bear the title SAHM (stay at home mom).  I'm thrilled for her.  I know she and her husband have made many sacrifices for her to make this transition home to raise their precious daughter and baby on the way.   I loved watching her face beam with delight and hearing the anticipation and excitement in her voice, no doubt dreaming of all the exciting adventures of mommy and me time ahead.

This morning as I began my morning trek, I kept thinking back to the conversation I had with my friend; what a sweet reminder of dreams coming true and blessings abounding.  As I walked I began praying and evaluating my role as a SAHM.  By nature, I am a task oriented person.  I love to-do lists. I thrive being able to check something off.   I began to wonder...do my lists override me sometimes living and being in the moment with my toddler?  As Titus and I  neared the park, I couldn't help but take in the beauty of autumn:  the colors, the crisp cool air, and the peaceful anticipation of a day just beginning.  As the wind blew and leaves tumbled to the ground, I found myself looking up and admiring the beautiful canopy of trees over the path.  I even stopped a few times to take in the sweet beauty of the sun shinning through the leaves. Gorgeous!  Had it not been for the colors of the season, the light shinning through the leaves, and the sweet reminder of a friend's dream come true, I probably would have just kept walking to cross another task off my to-do list.  But, not today!

 Far too often my days become ordinary.  I lose the excitement, anticipation, blessing and vision Kevin and I share of me staying at home with our child(ren).  However, in that moment,  I quickly pulled the stroller off the path and decided to take in the moment and put aside my to do list.  The list of daily tasks waiting to be checked off could wait.  This moment with my toddler could not.

Ahhhh....leaf love!  We ran. We threw.  We piled high.  We jumped.  We watched leaves dance and twirl to the ground. We experienced pure joy.

  Thank you, Father for the precious reminder of true blessings, 

of living in the moments,

and looking beyond the ordinary!

Unsent Letter

Dear Mr. Garbage Truck Driver,

I am writing to say thank you for the 10 minutes you buy me every Tuesday between 8:15 and 9:00 am. If you look closely, you'll see an adorable little boy- not quite two and half feet tall, fascinated by the mechanical arm on your garbage truck. 

He listens intently for you.  

 He watches in wonder as you pull up in front of our home with your engine revving and pistons pumping. He stares in awe as you and your truck lift all four trash dumpsters into your big truck.

And this, Mr. Garbage Man, is why I like you so.

For 10ish minutes every Tuesday, 
my busy bee, 

my tornado of activity, 

my dumper of all things dumpable...

He stays in one place. 

Suddenly, the dishwasher gets unloaded without toy cars flying and blocks banging.  The bed gets made and the breakfast mess gets cleaned up.  Before you know it, this mama has her morning chores done and can sit on the floor next to her little man soaking up the moment...you know, the moment where the biggest thing in his world is how cool your truck is.  It's the moment where this mama remembers "people over projects" and thinks about how next week when you come, maybe little mister man and I will just stand and watch your truck together! 

 Until next week-same time, same place,

Your biggest fan's happy mama

Staycations are for:

Discovering tunnels at the park

Enjoying the outdoors and the colors of the season

Playing in the autumn leaves

Learning and mastering the game of golf

Becoming a skilled fisherman

But most of all spending lots of quality time together 

and creating lasting memories.

Daddy's Shoes

I love to wear my daddy's shoes though my feet are small
When they're in my daddy's shoes, I feel so very tall
Someday I'll grow to fill them, I only hope to be
As fine a man and great a dad, as my daddy is to me.

Author unknown

Welcome Fall!

We were so excited that Auntie C and Cousins H&B were here to celebrate the first weekend of autumn.  We love when they come to visit us and always plan special things to do.  

 Roasting hot dogs, marshmallows and sipping apple cider...the perfect way to begin the autumn season!

Our day for pumpkins began with some delicious pumpkin waffles and then we were off to the pumpkin patch for some autumn fun.  

Three kiddos excited for some pumpkin fun

 We were excited that the farm we visited didn't just have a pumpkin patch, but a large open area filled with fun activities for all ages.  The kids were thrilled too!  They had a small feeding and petting zoo with goats, chickens, pigs, and rabbits.  There were also rubber ducky races, a large playground, a wooden fort, a ginormous slide, tricycle track, a corn maze and the list could go on and on.  

 "Pumpkins in the cornfields

Gold among the brown,

Leaves of rust and scarlet

Trembling slowly down.

Birds that travel southward

Lovely time to play,

Nothing is as pleasant

As an autumn day!"

~Author Unknown

Ahhh...life in the country!

Look Who's Five!

  Happy 5th Birthday, Cousin  B!!!  We enjoyed celebrating your special day with you.

August Mini Get-Away

Since Daddy had a busy work week, Titus and I decided to join Papa, Grammy, and Cousins Hadley and Braxton for a mini get-away in Branson.  Our original plan had been to take the kids to Silver Dollar City for some fun.  Unfortunately, they were closed for the week so we had to come up with other alternatives to keep three kiddos entertained.

One of our alternatives consisted of a visit to College of the Ozarks.  I love the idea of this college!  It is a non-denominational Christian college where students work their way through college with zero tuition costs and when they finish zero debt.  The students work hard and earn their degrees.  What a concept in today's society!  ;)   On their campus they have many things to see and do.

Our first stop was to the Ralph Foster Museum.  It contains the original clunker car from the show The Beverly Hillbillies, a huge weapons display, Native American artifacts, many taxidermy wild animals, a collection of Kewpie dolls, musical instruments, and historical pieces from around the Ozarks.

They also have a beautiful chapel on their campus.  I love looking at old churches, what a spiritual history they hold within their walls. 

The next stop was Point Look Out.  The highest point in Taney County.  What an incredible view!

Branson in the distance

College of the Ozarks also is home to a mill, a basket weaving shop, a jam and jelly kitchen, a dairy farm, and a tractor museum.  

A grave reminder of Matt 18: 5-6: "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.  But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."

A Walk in the Park

After months (literally) of daily high temperatures being in the 100 degrees, this week was a very nice reprieve.   It has been in the low 60's each morning this week and the afternoons have been in the 70's and 80's.  Ahhhh, autumn...we are so ready to welcome you!

The heat has kept us from taking walks and playing in the park, and we have been missing it a lot.

18 month pictures