What Fun at 30 feels like the next day....

So This is what 30 feels like….

Ever done something that when you awoke the next day it made muscles hurt that you didn’t even know you had? We attended a very fun birthday party over the weekend. Much to Colby’s excitement there was a water slide …..

 Looks fun right

 The 3 Amigos

Happy Birthday Aidyn!

With the resilience of a 5 year old, he began to climb the slide over, and over and over again to slide down. I watched him having so much fun and thought to myself “man I sure wish I could do that!”

 Brantlee very proud of herself for sliding down!

 Here are the kids going at it for all the candy from the pinata

 Presleigh trying to figure out all these kids....

After some of the party started to die down and there were fewer kids on the slide, a few of the adults, including my husband decided to get on and “show out.” I was convinced that one of us was about to be calling 911.

 If you can zoom in on her face it is priceless

Jason

Then the peer pressure started….. I was relentlessly pleaded with to come slide; Mind you I did not have a change of clothes or a bathing suit. If I had to be honest, 75% of me was DYING to get on the slide. The other 25% was hesitant because I had just witnessed a lady climb up the stairs only to slip and wipe three kids out with her. I just KNEW that would happen to me. After much persuasion and a donated t shirt, I bit the bullet and got on the slide. Upon first glance, the stairs didn’t look so hard. I had people chanting me on so the pressure was on. I took the first step….hey this isn’t so bad. Then the next one, the next one… by about the fourth step I realized I have zero upper body strength. The stairs were about an inch thick…..I was literally hanging on by my big toe. I was almost to the top, when I realized the support rope on the side ended before the last step and I would have to make it on my own. Right as I went to make the very last step, my big toe lost its fight with gravity and all the way down I went…..taking a couple of kids including my own with me.  My child was so worried about me and was furious for the rupture of laughter that took place at my expense. Once I gained my composure from laughing myself and consoled him that I was ok, I knew I had to try again. All the kids were instructed to “stay out of the way” till I made it to the top. This time I was determined. I finally made it to the top! There is rumor that there is a video of this. If it ever surfaces I think I may die.  The slide down was a breeze except for the massive amount of water you take up your nose and the uncontrollable back flip you take at the bottom. After I got the first one under my belt it became easier and easier. I didn’t fell any pain while climbing or sliding. Two other people ended up falling down the stairs and knocking some folks out with them so my pride was building back up, even though every time I climbed the stairs I would hear someone direct the children to “be careful.”  We played for hours. That night we went out with some friends to eat, check out the new go cart track and play laser tag.

 He was completely skeptical that I knew what I was doing. He kept telling me to watch where I was going....

I think he had a lot more fun riding with his daddy

The next morning I woke up feeling pretty stiff. It wasn’t unmanageable but a little sore. After church, Melanie called to say they got to keep the slide an extra day and for us to come back and play again. Did I dare do this to myself again? How could I say no to Colby right? So off we went. We slid backwards, frontward, people (not I) were doing front and back flips. Every time someone would do something daring Colby would come begging me not to try it. I think my little fall down the stairs the day before made him think I was a complete moron and should not be trusted with any risk taking. He was probably correct so I pretty much stuck to the basics. We spent a few more hours playing on Sunday.

Almost immediately that evening I began to ache. By bedtime it hurt to move. This morning when I woke up I felt as though I had been run over by a Mack truck. I cautiously rolled to get out of bed….. It hurt to even move. Brushing my teeth, brushing my hair, putting on my shirt over my head….everything hurt. It suddenly hit me….it’s because I am 30 (by no means is it that I am overweight and out of shape)! This must be what fun feels like at 30. I have rubber burns and bruises on my knees, my shoulder blades ache in places I never knew existed, and I moan at the slightest movement.  Although I am paying the price today, I had so much fun I would do it again.

This past week was also VBS. This year I taught a rowdy group of  1^st graders. Although I had to remind myself that children are a blessing from God several times a day, I really enjoyed my class. They were silly, hyper, loud, and full of energy but they were also some of the sweetest kids I have had the pleasure of teaching. Colby had a great time too. He was a certified PROFESSIONAL at music. He was pretty proud of his “smooth moves!”

 Learning how God is in control of everything

 Practice the last day of VBS

It was  an eventful tiring week to say the least. I don't remember 29 feeling like this.

Our purple for a purpose! My heart hurts for Tasha and her family as well as Annalyn and hers. My prayers have been with you everyday. It is such a peaceful reminder that we serve the GREAT PHYSICIAN and only He has the power to heal her body. I am thankful for their faith and for the example they are setting by relying on God to help them through this. It has been such a witness to many and an inspiration to me.

Captured!

Thank goodness for a camera phone right!?! Here are a few pictures from lately.

 Boys and their toys....

 He is getting very brave! This was just one of the many stunts he has under his belt now.

 I had a sweet lunch date this week with this adorable munchkin! She is beautiful just like her mommy.

 "Look Mom, I am a monkey!"

 Dear husband, we have a walk in closet with a large shoe shelf. Please utilize it. This is unnecessary!

 Our first swim of the year. We still have the floaties :( Amazing that a child who will stand on the seat of a four wheeler while driving is terrified to swim. I am hoping swimming lessons will conquer this fear this summer.

So a few months ago we had water leak that just so happened to occur RIGHT above my desk at work. We ended up having to strip the walls and while we are waiting on the new wallpaper we decided to have a little fun with the walls......with the bosses permission of course. This is sidewalk chalk and three women acting like 5 year olds

 

 She was the MOST excited. She is responsible for most of the wall art.

Look how big my Cami is! She is the sweetest cat.

Lastly as most of you know the world lost a precious angel last week. I never had the opportunity to meet sweet Ava but I have followed her story for over a year and like most of you we feel as though we have been on this journey with her. I can't and won't even try to begin to know what it must feel like to lose a child. I hope I never have to know that feeling. It is amazing how a child you never met can make such an impact on your life and steal a piece of your heart. The moment I learned of her passing, I wept for a while. I then went and got Colby out of his bed and put him into mine and held him till I found rest. Thank you God for sharing such a precious gift with us, even if it was just for a little while. She changed my outlook on life forever and I will never be the same. Wrap your arms around her family and give them the peace and comfort that only you can. We often want to ask why. It is our nature and we know that you understand that. What I do know is that there is a reason and purpose for everything that happens even if it isn't to our own understanding. Just the impact that she has made on so many lives is evidence that her life served a purpose. Thank you Paige for sharing Ava's life so openly with us these past few years. May we not fail you to pray for you and your family each and every day.

Such a beautiful blessing.



A mothers love

I can't imagine life without my mother. Although I am thankful for her every single day, around mothers day I often reflect on how much she means to me. My mother is a Godly woman who raised me to know right from wrong and never compromised on her definition of right and wrong. She was always a shoulder when I needed to cry, she was there on several occasions to pick up the pieces of what was left of me and help me put them back together and she has been patient with me even when I made life decisions that she wouldn't have made herself. I can only pray that I will one day be as good a mother as she has been to me. When I am sick, she is still the one person I want to come take care of me. When something exciting happens, I call her immediately to tell her. She is who I go to for comfort, guidance, a laugh and sometimes just to vent. Although I soley blame her for Colby being rotten to the core (because there is no one there to spank nana), she has been an awesome grandmother to my child. So mom, from me to you, a VERY Happy Mothers Day. I hope I have made you proud in life and lived up to your expectations. Thank you doesn't even seem like an appropriate word.

A little bit of this and that....

We have had an exciting and busy last few weeks. Here are a few highlights:

 Our soccer season ended :( It really didn't last long enough. Colby has missed it so much in the last few weeks. We had the kids a party and took some group pictures. These kids had the best time and it has really helped Colby learn how to channel some of that energy that he has an ABUNDANCE of.

 The dreaded day finally came......we registered Colby for kindergarten. I made it through the event without a tear although I would be lying if I said I didn't fight them back. After what felt like a complete background check we got him registered (Cue the eye roll). If you have ever registered a child for school I am sure you understand. He was taken to the back for an "assessment" to test his skills and level of comprehension. When it was over, the teacher who conducted his came out to meet "Colby's parents!" Needless to say he gave her plenty to laugh and talk about. Her assessment is that Colby will talk plenty and will have NO problems making friends. There isn't a shy bone in his body. I don't know if I will be as strong come August when he actually starts but I am very excited for him to finally get to go to big school.

 Jones Co Relay for Life was a blast. Our company goes above and beyond for this worthy cause. Seeing the survivors do their victory lap will make the hardest heart soften. I am so thankful to work for a company who sees the value and importance in Relay. We had a mardi gras theme this year which made for some memorable times to say the least. I tried to get Jason in a pimp hat and beads but he wasn't quite game for it. I can't say enough how much these two gals mean to me. It is so nice to work with your best friends. We may not always see eye to eye but at the end of the day we all know we love each other.

 Now that the weather is nicer, it was time to break the four wheeler back out. Colby had to get adjusted to it again and oh the difference a year makes! After a few slow practice laps he started doing "tricks!" If you can't tell he is laying on the seat.

 In this shot he came by me and I snapped at just the right time. I think it is safe to assume we have our hands full in the near future.

 Colby loves any kind of super hero so when you put a bunch of them into one movie you could not even begin to contain his excitement. The Avengers was a great movie. I was actually surprised that he got some of the comedy and laughed on cue. I guess it shows just how much he has grown. The last movie experience with Colby was ......for lack of a better word miserable. I was apprehensive to do this on my own but he was a total angel this time around.

For those of you who have know me a while, isn't it hard to imagine that she is about to be a Junior in High School? I remember when she was Colby's age and every other word out of her mouth was "But Why?"

"Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. TAKE DELIGHT IN THE LORD AND HE WILL GIVE YOU YOUR HEART'S DESIRES" Psalm 37: 1-4

Too often we delight in our own desires and still expect God to bless us. I heard these verses this week and thought I would pass them on. Have a great week!

The Windy City Lives Up To It's Name.....

Well I made it back safe and sound! We had such a great trip. Here are a few things I learned about Chicago:
1) I was completely under dressed....and not just for the cold! Every person who walked the streets in Chicago looked like a walking magazine cover. Apparently fashion is a must there. I am sure my tennis shoes and wind suit jacket offended most of the people that I passed on the street.
2) 50 degrees in Chicago is WAY different than 50 degrees here. The wind would almost blow you completely over.
3) No one believes in air conditioning. I know this sounds contradictory to point 2 but when you have 5 layers of clothes on to brave the weather outside and you walk in a store, you literally had to shed all your clothes so that you didn't sweat to death. It was unbearably hot in every store. The few taxi's that we rode in were so hot that the windows fogged up.
4) People LOVE to hear southerners talk. We were asked a bazillion times "Where are you from?" and told "I just LOVE your accent!" I had several people tell me they loved my hair too.... maybe no one gets highlights in Chicago....who knows.
5) No one speaks English. Every conversation I heard on the streets was in some other language. Surely not all of those people are tourists. It was neat to hear all the diversity there.
6) There are tulips everywhere. I wasn't aware that tulips could stand the cold but they were on every corner in every single color you could imagine. They were so beautiful.
7) They believe in Starbucks and Walgreen's! Both were on EVERY corner! Worked out great for us.
8) The pizza was unlike any pizza around here. Although it was kinda soupy it was still good.

One thing I can say is although we ate some GREAT food, we didn't gain an ounce on this trip. We walked everywhere we went. It was neat to walk all the streets and look up to see you had walked clear across town. Here are some pics to help give you the full tour!

 A very cold stroll through Magnificent Mile

 Mom and Dad at Navy Pier

 These 3 guys put on a great show for us at Rain forest Cafe

 Everyone told me to be sure to see the "bean" in Chicago. Here it is!

 On the flight to Chicago!

 Emeralds Loop for lunch!

 This was after a 45 minute walk (with luggage) from the train to the hotel. We were give out.

 Our first day on Magnificent Mile. Most of the stores we didn't even walk in because we knew we couldn't quite afford anything from Tiffany's. We found a Charming Charlies the last day and spent two hours shopping in there.

 We went everywhere together. Usually teenagers like to ditch their family to hang with their friends, but Paige stayed with us the entire time. It was so great to spend time all 4 of us.

 Wrigley Building

 This statue of Marilyn was in front of the NBC building. We had to pass by it several times daily. I kid you not, every single time we passed by her SOMEONE was looking up her dress to see if she had underwear on. They were usually snickering and laughing. It was humorous to me so you know we all had to go check it out ourselves. Rest assured Marilyn was fully dressed!

 Here are the tulips! Gorgeous!

 The Jersey Boys were playing.... I sure wish we could have seen them.

 An old cathedral downtown.

 Memorial park.

 Taking a quick break.

 Our whole reason for coming. So proud to be from SJH! These kids did an awesome job. Competition was STIFF but I think 9th in the ENTIRE NATION is still something to brag about.

 Rain forest Cafe

 Freezing but still having a blast.

 Waiting on our flight in Memphis.

 Isn't God's creation beautiful. It was simply amazing to look out the window and see what He has made. Although I will admit flying still isn't on my list of fun things to do, it was an awesome experience. Will I do it again.....possibly but I must admit the entire flight both times I was smiling on the outside and scared to death on the inside. It never got easier for me. Every noise, bump, or drop in altitude we had, I was positive we were about to die.

This little guy was SUPER stoked for his mommy to get home. He gave me one of the best hugs I have ever received and promptly asked what did I bring him. A true man!

With only 2 hours of sleep the night before we came home, once I got home and loved on my 2 guys, I crashed for 4 hours and awoke to Colby saying Mommy please feed me! I was thankful he let me catch a nap.

Highlight of the trip: While in Memorial Park, we saw a girl with a 1.5 foot Mohawk on her head that was blond on one side and black on the other. Instead of just giving her a once over and moving on, my dad....THE TOURIST....walks up to her and says "Can I please take your picture? I am from Mississippi and we have never seen anything like your hair!" Her reply was a hesitant "I guess so..." I quickly walked as fast as I could in the other direction.