T-Minus

86 days until we move out of our house...
96 days until we leave Houston to visit family and friends on our way to Miami...
110 days until we leave Miami for Peru...

This my friends is what life in fast forward feels like...So much to do so little time

Happy Birthday Logan!

Yesterday was my oldest son's 5th birthday. His birthday was more emotional for me then any of my own birthday's. I'm not sure why but I have few ideas. One of them being that he is growing up and it makes me kind of sad. I remember being in the hospital with him like it was yesterday. I thought jaundice was the end of the world and nothing could be worse than leaving him in the hospital for 2 extra days (in retrospect I really wish I had slept more during that time) Little did I know he would have 3 seperate trips to the ER from the ages 2 to 4...boys will be boys

I heard somewhere that having children is like giving your heart legs and letting it walk around outside your body. I would definitely have to agree with that.

So now my little man is 5 and I'm already about to lock him up from all the girls  

family pictures

These are mostly from our spring break trip to San Antonio. I just finished sorting and editing them *this is my first time editing photo's and I just used picasa nothing fancy so bear with me.

I love this one of me and Timothy

Timothy smiled! yay! Logan on the other hand was annoyed with some noise he heard?

My 3 favorite guys!

Cuties!

Monkey was upset so Timothy was giving him a kiss

My little gangsta...and idk what Timothy is doing but it looks like he's throwing up

Look at those eyes!

    

Loves!

I was apparently going for the "That 70's show" look

Self portrait

 

Our Family

Logan and his best friend Alexis

I love how Logan and Alexis are sitting really close to each other and Timothy is looking at the space 

Logan Cheesin'

Fave!

Mama love part 3

Every morning I am strangled awake. It may sound horrifying but it's actually quite sweet because the strangling is meant to be a hug from him

I mean who wouldn't wanted to be strangled awake by this little cutie!?

Timothy is my cuddle bug. he loves to be near me and is usually found in the same room as me. We have 20 minute's a day of just him sitting in my lap with his head on my shoulder. It's become a daily requirement for both of us much like veggies and vitamins.

 He's the child I mentioned before that is so enamored with cookies that he growls "coo-kee mon-so"  (He's fond of cookies. Not cookie monster. He just found out that Mommy is way more likley to cave and give cookie's when he immitates the monster...stop frowning Jami! He doesn't get cookie's that often ;)

I'm a sucker for sesame street characters\

He also calls me daddy and daddy, mommy. Not because he is confused but because he thinks it's funny to call us each others names...pray for me!

The thing Timothy loves to help me with is laundry...good thing too because I *hate* laundry. He makes it fun (until he knocks over the piles of neatly folded clothes...but that is a different post :p)

he likes to move stuff from the washer to the dryer. If I don't ask him to help me he will restart the washer on his own when it finishes...making sure our clothes are extra clean and our water bill is roughly 20% higher than it would be without his help Yay! lol 

When he eat's drinks somethig he shouldn't (which is anytime I turn my back) he smiles and says mmm hnnn A combination of mmm mmm and uhh unn. 

I think God gives mother's a special kind of love for kids like Timothy. He keeps me on my toes way more than Logan but in a way the things that drive me crazy are also things that make me love him more. Jose say's he's just like me...I wonder if that's why?  

I love you TD bear!

Mama love part 2

It's amazing how much my little boys make me laugh. I mean really, who knew you can be angry at someone because they just smashed an entire roll of oreo cookies into the carpet that you just vacuumed (thank God for multi color carpet that does not look nasty) one moment and then laughing at them the next because of the growly voiced "cookie monso!" with oreo's coming out of their mouth just like the real cookie monster.
Some days I really think I'm not cut out for this "mom thing" but then I cuddle one of my beautiful boys. Wipe away a tear. Listen to them playing them together (or alone) and I'm reminded why I do this. Why I clean up mess after mess after mess...I can't imagine a better life without them. My house might be cleaner...no it would definitely be cleaner. I would probably have more time to do the things I want to, and I would probably still have some of the brain cells I seem to have misplaced. But I would miss out on the "mommy, blow me a kiss, now throw me a kiss! I caught it! Catch my kiss mommy!" the climbing on me while I'm trying to fold laundry, or use the computer. The feeling of their little hands in mine, and best of all the laughter!

I'm trying to hold on to these things. Trying to remember the important things. I don't ever want to look back on this time and think. If only I had enjoyed them. If only I had sat down and watched that movie with them or pretended to be the monster or the princess that needed saving from the monster. If only I had read one more book to them. I'm learning a part of living life to the fullest involves doing things you really don't *want* to do but will regret later if you don't. Now I need to go, there are two little boys that need to hear a story and get a hug and blow me a kiss then throw me a kiss before they go to bed :)

Rhema

I love it when the word of God speaks directly to me. As if this portion of scripture was written directly to and for me like a private letter. I bolded certain parts for emphasis of what God is showing me. I hope it ministers to you

2 Timothy 2
A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.3 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. 6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. 9 And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. 10 So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
11 This is a trustworthy saying:
If we die with him,
we will also live with him.
12 If we endure hardship,
we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
he will deny us.
13 If we are unfaithful,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny who he is.

14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. 18 They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”

20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

Mama love

I am typing this with my oldest son sitting in my lap. His feet hang down on one side of me and he is doing his best to keep his head on my shoulder but let's face it. He is huge! As much as he tries to scrunch on my lap it isn't working. He keeps asking me to sing the "dumbo mommy song" so I pause and sing "Baby Mine" from dumbo. It's hard to believe he will be 5 in a couple weeks. I remember being painfully pregnant with people joking they were going to wheel a stretcher up to me because I was leaning so far back to balance myself and the enormous belly I was carrying. I remember having to go into surgery because he wouldn't come out and when they held up my 9 lb 11oz baby boy at 21 1/2 inches and all the nurses said "no wonder he got stuck he's bigger than you!" and I thought he looked like a toddler. In fact in my drugged post surgery state I recall saying something to that effect. I should have known he would be a big boy.

(Logan holding his little friend Addison. He loves having her over and sings to her almost the whole time she's here)

Last night Timothy went with Jose to do something while I made dinner. Logan wanted to help. He brought in a chair and helped me "squash the lemons" (juice the limes lol) he would put the lime on the juicer until he thought it was done. Then he put it in a bowl so I could "squash them more" If you ever hear me say squash the lemons just know that I may never get that phrase out of my head. It's one of the remnant's of Logan's babyhood that I'm going to hold on to. I stood next to him for a minute to slice some more limes in half then walked over to my bowl of shrimp and continued my job of peeling them. (I was making ceviche...lot's of lime juice and raw shrimp required) Logan said "Mom, I can call you mom now. Come here for a minute and stand by me again" so I did and he leaned over and kissed my shoulder. Then he said "ok, you can go back now" Little moments like that make me happy for the big boy he's becoming. The one who wants to buy my lunch, get me flowers, open the door for me and carry my bag. I don't know what we did to get such an amazingly sweet little boy but whatever it is I thank God for my baby. He won't let me call him that anymore but that is what he will always be to me. I love you Shalomey I hope you always know that