No Title, Just Enjoy

A friend from church has come over a couple of days this week to hang out. My kids enjoy having company. I love it too, because they can stay busy all day playing and hardly ask me for a thing.

Audrey and her art work. She made this during midweek service this week. She loves arts and crafts, and they would be plastered all over the house if I would let her.

Josiah is often found playing with some sort of characters at the book shelf. He'll stand there for up to an hour sometimes just playing by himself.

Titus getting on the couch the only way he knows how, by crawling over the arm.

Ruie is chillin'

The hard life of swinging.

Throwing in the Towel

Today is one of those days. I'm sure you know the kind. You feel like giving up, going to bed, not sure if you even want to attempt life again in the morning. In fact, you would be perfectly fine with the Lord coming back...RIGHT NOW!!

Yep, that's me right now. Church was great. I even enjoyed helping in the 2-3 year old class, endured a leadership meeting and came home expecting us just to relax and have fun.

Well, Titus and Josiah made that idea absolutely impossible. Josiah was going on his second day with no nap and, boy, was he sassy and testing my every command to see if I would make him follow through. So my plan of relaxing on the couch turned into spending much time in the bathroom correcting his behavior.

Titus was into EVERYTHING!!! Let's see he destroyed two pages out of a Bible and wrote inside of the cover. After being disciplined, he turns around and finds a sharpie marker only to graffiti our paper shredder. Then to top it off he tears off the cover of a book I borrowed and proceeded to write all over it. (Okay, I know that you are thinking that I should have all writing utensils under lock and key at this point, but I think he could make one appear out of thin air. Where does that boy stash them anyways??)

So, yes, I gladly put all my kids to bed early and turn here to vent my feelings and post this picture....Because just when I feel like turning in the towel I'm reminded at how much I really do love my children.

Yesterday, the same boy who was being absolutely defiant today, picked me a "flower" and put it in a "vase" for me.

Yes, I am loved! And, yes, I do love them!!

However, Lord, you are still more than welcome to return, NOW!

Around the House

Titus eating popcorn, Josiah eating and playing

Audrey stiring caramel for the popcorn

LJ cutting his sandwich
Audrey stacking cups

Josiah asked me to take a picture of him pretending to sleep

LJ wanted his picture, too

Titus seeing what he can get into

LJ playing with his magnets

He's very creative

Titus enjoying some popcorn

Josiah playing with my phone

He said, "mom, look, band aids!"

yes, my life exciting! or at least it keeps me busy and my days fly by fast.

courtesy of LJ and Audrey

LJ took one of the girls

Audrey trying to capture Ruie's smile

she had more success while Ruie was swinging

Doing What I Do Best.

SLEEPING

I would say, 75 % of the time Kevin holds Ruie this is what they end up doing.

I guess some would consider it bonding.

She looks so big on the couch. I know in about 13 years she'll be spending her time napping on the couch and her head will be kinked for different reasons.

My Alarm Clock

Here she is, my newest alarm clock. I guess when you have a newborn you don't really have a need for alarm clock. She is good at getting me up nice and early. It's our time to hang out, just the two of us, uninterrupted.

She was very content after getting fed, here are some of her many faces.

Smiles!! She has been doing this for a while, but rather than grabbing my camera to catch it on film, I find myself just simply enjoying. Perhaps, I'm becoming to realize that this stage will pass quickly.

Getting sleepy, I've been up for about an hour at this point.

Since I'm up early and it's quiet, I try to read my Bible and hang out with God...may not be quite alone, but hanging out with a happy, quiet baby is about as alone as I get during the day.

Okay, so Ruie can be a little distracting while I try to focus on the reading, but she's worth the distraction.

PS We challenged the youth kids this school year to read through the Bible in a year. I'm on track and will be finished at the end of July...Sad to say, but this will be my first complete reading of the Bible. Certainly don't plan on it being the last.

Some from Kev's Camera

Newly out and being weighed in.

I get to meet her for the first time.

Welcome, Ruie!
Kevin and my friend, Amy, waiting to accompany me in the operating room.

The new Johnson 7