kids lately

I can't believe how much my kids have grown since my last post about them in June. I have mixed feelings about my children growing up! :) fun to watch them learn, sad they aren't babies anymore!

Jack is almost 4 1/2 years old. WHAT??? He is 34 lbs & 41 inches tall. He's so much fun. so creative, independent, smart, tender hearted & funny. he loves learning and I'm so excited to begin the homeschool process with him next fall. for now, we are working on the basics. he's got his colors, letters, animals, shapes & most numbers. He can draw pretty well and he can write several letters. he loves tracing and he's great at memorizing. so proud of him! He's all boy: rough, rowdy, messy, loud & silly. he loves with his whole heart. he's doing a great job learning manners, helping around the house and he's very interested in spiritual things. what a blessing to my heart. He loves Jovie and Judah. he enjoys irritating Jovie. Ha! so thankful for how The Lord knew I needed him first!

Jovie turned 3 in January. she is 30 lbs & 39 inches tall. she is ALL girl. sassy, spunky, sweet, DRAMATIC, emotional, sensitive & nurturing. she has taught me so much lately. I adore her. The Lord is using her in a huge way in my life. I'm excited to teach her about biblical marriage & motherhood. She is so attached to me & she copies almost everything I do. she takes care of Judah and bosses Jack. Haha! and she just adores her daddy. everyday with her is hilarious and such a blessing.

Judah is 10 months old. He's 19 lbs & 29 inches tall. he is an absolute dream baby. I'm really not exaggerating here at all. He is so laid back, adjusts perfectly to everything, not demanding, sleeps like a boss (12+ hrs every night) plus 2 naps a day. he eats anything I give him, smiles every waking moment, plays contently, travels easily, loves his car seat, giggles all day and loves all of us so much. Ben and I can not get over how well he has done. We praise The Lord DAILY for our baby. I know he has a sin nature so he can't be perfect. but he's amazing. what a gift he has been to us. he has the most loving, cheerful spirit. we just feel so blessed.

I'm absolutely loving being mom to 3. It's really so much fun. we have crazy days and I'm never caught up on housework but everyday is a blessing. children really do make life sweeter. I love that The Lord knew I would need them and He has used them to teach me so much.

June 1-14

so far we have had a really fun month. we are trying to stay busy and play outside when we can. i have been working really hard to get Judah on a schedule. well, as much of a schedule we can do with 2 toddlers and a busy life. 

one fun thing about June is that it is full of fun memories for our family. the FedEx St Jude golf tournament is every year, around the first week of June at Southwind, where Ben's parents live. Ben and I started dating at this tournament on June 10, 2001. we have been together ever since.

on June 8, 2006 Ben and I got engaged.

on June 27, 2008 we found out that we were having our first little BOY, Jack!

on June 12, 2009 we found out we were pregnant with baby #2.

its fun for me to recall these dates each June. mainly b/c now we have 3 sweet kids and we can be so thankful for all the Lord has done over the last 11 years of our relationship. 

anywho. here are some fun pictures from our past 2 weeks!

sleeping sitting straight up while i'm trying to burp him. funny boy.

watching Star Wars. Episode 4. Jack has really gotten into those old movies. he loves Darth Vader!

swinging at the park. she wanted to wear her sunglasses b/c i was wearing mine. and i realize it looks like she is wearing lipstick or lipgloss but she is not. ha!

beautiful girl in her sweet little skirt from Aunt Lindsay

me and my sweet Judah bug.

Jack really enjoys Strawberry Crystal Light!

first time on his play mat. he loved it.

we spent a lot of time at Mamie and Deda's house during the golf tournament. Jack and Jovie did a lot of swimming. we had to stop for a few cheeto breaks!

Judah took great naps on the porch

Galatians 5:13-14. through love, serve one another. the Lord is using this to teach me to always serve my sweet family, with love. and not obligation or grumbling.

sleeping on my lap

my dad gave us this water slide! my brother set it up at my parents house one night and Jack and Jovie got to test it out! they had a blast.

Psalm 116:7. i can rest because the Lord has always been good to me. i read this on my cousin's blog and it blessed my heart so much. SUCH a sweet reminder.

i gave Jovie a mani/pedi on a rainy afternoon. she got to pick the colors and she is so proud.

Jack and Jovie helped me make some cookies

sweet kiddos tried to sneak some cookie dough!

me and my sweet baby. Judah turned 7 weeks old on June 13

we got a hand me down bike from Ben's cousin. Jack is obsessed with it. he asks to ride it every day. he hasn't quite gotten the concept yet. but he looks like such a big boy and it makes me so sad to know he is growing up!

we decided to redeem an offer i got from Living Social for some cupcakes! they are pretty yummy!

Jovie and Ben had Daddy/Daughter Date Night tonight at Chick-Fil-A. she was so excited. she got a rose, got to do a craft, they had their own waitress and they even got to ride in a pink stretch limo! such a sweet memory for them.

i'm so thankful for the Lord's faithfulness to my family. He has been so gracious and i'm truly overwhelmed by his goodness to us. 

pictures from May

i can't believe that it is already June. where has the time gone?! i'm really looking forward to the rest of the year. we are going on vacation with Ben's family in just a few weeks and we are so ready for a break. we are also hoping to plan a family vacation for just us for later this year. we know where we want to go, we just need to book it. i'm excited.

May was pretty much just a transitional time for us. and i have a feeling that June is going to be that way as well. i'm trying to learn how to have a "new normal" of balancing 3 kids and their schedules along with doing housework, cooking and activities outside the home. its been a little difficult for me b/c i hate feeling like i'm falling behind in something, not getting stuff done or feeling unsure about what i'm doing. and i have felt all of these things this month. but i am slowly learning that the housework will get done, when i can get to it. its ok to not do everything everyday. i need to cut myself a break. and its ok that i'm unsure about a few things concerning Judah and his schedule. he is a newborn and we are both learning. things DO get easier. it just takes time. 

i really do feel like that overall, we have all adjusted pretty well. Jack and Jovie have been spending a little more time at home or indoors just because we have a new baby. and Judah is learning how to go with the flow on the days that we know Jack and Jovie really need to get out and have some other activity. and i think Ben and I are learning how to juggle our family with church, extended family and friends. 

i really hope i don't sound like i'm complaining. because i don't want to do that. the Lord has been so faithful to convict me when i need it. and help me to keep perspective and focus on what is important. i am enjoying this time with my kids. we have had some really good, really fun days.

here are the rest of the pictures i have from May:

my sweet friend, Christen, gave me a Moby Wrap. Judah loves it and its very convenient for me!

Jovie at the Bobo rehearsal dinner. such a beautiful girlie.

exhausted after a day of swimming

first bath after his umbilical cord fell off. he loves it.

getting so big

the Lord has used this verse over and over to help me keep focus

wearing Jack's old outfit

we have spent many afternoons at the park

Hey Jude!

me and my sweet Judah

so thankful for these days

Mother's Day

this was my 4th Mother's Day. 5th if you count when i was pregnant with Jack. i'm always a little emotional around Mother's Day. i really do realize how blessed i am to be a mother. and recently the Lord is reminding me to soak in these little years. because while they can be hard, full of long days and sleepless nights; they are fleeting. one day my children will be middle schoolers and teenagers, college kids and then adults who are grown and out of my house. and i will long for the days of infancy, toddlerhood and preschool. i will long for the times that they want to snuggle with me, sit in my lap, listen to me sing to them or allow me to rock them to sleep. honestly, the thought of no longer having a baby or toddler in my house makes me want to cry. i just can't imagine it. i love these days so much. 

so on the days when i pity myself b/c i haven't showered or feel frustrated b/c i need a date night or a solo trip to Target or even just a private potty break i am convicted of my selfish spirit. i want to be sacrificial and available for my kids. outside of loving their daddy, i want to give to them first. even before i meet my next need. the Lord has given me a tremendous blessing in my kids. it truly is a JOY to raise them. and i need to remember that, every single day. 

this year for Mother's Day we went to church. it was Judah's first Sunday at church. and he did great. we had lunch with Ben's mom and dinner at my parents house. we came home exhausted but we had so much fun. Jack and Jovie love the days when they get to see both set of grandparents. they get doubly spoiled and doubly tired. ha!

some pictures from our day together:

my gift from Ben. i absolutely love it. its definitely my new favorite possession. 

me and my sweet, sweet Jovie Claire. i LOVE having a little girl.

Mother's Day picture. Take 1.

and take 2. i will take what i can get. ha!

thank you, Lord for motherhood. help me to never take it for granted. and help me to honor you with how i love my children.

May 1-12

we have spent the past 2 weeks just enjoying Judah. we haven't really gotten out of the house much just b/c i'm still recovering from surgery and pretty sore. not to mention really tired from getting up with a newborn all night and then up with 2 toddlers all day. but i must say, as tired as i feel, i seem to have more energy post baby than any of my other births. i really believe its just the Lord sustaining me. 

we have had a good time just being at home as a family. our sweet church family has been so generous to provide us with meals each night. it has been SUCH a blessing b/c there is just no way i feel like cooking right now. and we have loved having a visitor each night. it makes not getting out of the house a little easier. 

we are having so much fun as a family of 5. having 3 kids is a lot of work but i can tell that we are going to love it. i can't wait for Judah to interact with Jack and Jovie. and i am so thankful to have such a loving and helpful husband. i really couldn't survive right now without him!

a few pictures from this month, so far.

whenever Jack or Jovie want to hold Judah they say "i need to take care of him"

first nap at Mamie's house

1 week old

my goodness i love these 2 little boys. i'm praying they are best friends.

she calls Judah "my baby brudder"

we have watched lots of movies together

time for a sponge bath. that he did not love.

our sweet friends, Terry & Kayla, had baby Hudson less than 48 hours before we had Judah. i'm excited for them to grow up together!!

i can't believe i have 3 kids. i guess i am officially a grown up. wow.