Greatest Mommy Moment EVER

Mother's Day is right around the corner, and in honor of that day, I thought I would post what I think will always be the greatest Mothers Day ever!
During our church service in Pennsylvania, they showed a video clip of various children saying why they loved their Moms so much! Imagine my surprise when BOTH of my children were on the big screen!! The only thing sweeter than the words they said, were their precious faces!!

Happy Birthday!!

Happy 5th birthday to the sweetest, most compassionate little girl I have ever known. The only thing that is bigger than your hugs is your precious smile! Thank you for truly lighting up my life! You are everything I could have wished for and soo much more.

Prayers for Our Sweet Mare

Dear Friends,
 
Many of you know that when we lived in Dallas while I worked we had a full time nanny for the kids. Mary Virginia, AKA Mare entered our lives and quickly became part of our family. Throughout the years we have remained great friends. We were all thrilled when we found out that our sweet Mare was expecting quads and to make it even more exciting they were all girls!  What was going along as a normal multiple pregnancy turned into a very complicated situation quickly. Because of reasons we will never understand in this lifetime, My sweet Mare had to say goodbye to three of her babies (Catherine, Madelyn, and Mary Grace) at three different times. 
 To explain the  last couple of weeks as trying would be a huge understatement. It is a pain beyond measure  and something that most could never comprehend. When many many would choose to stray away from God, she amazingly  finds the strength and the will to draw closer to Him, even in her darkest hour.
 Because she has and will always hold such a special place in my heart I am asking my good friends and family to please  join me in praying for her and her family. I know we serve a God of miracles and I would very much appreciate if you would take a few extra minutes a day to lift up her family and more specifically her precious daughter Olivia as she continues to fight and defy all odds in the NICU.  

 
Thank you in advance and God Bless,
 

April 1, 2012- Update April 4, 2012

April 1, 2012..My baby boy is beyond excited... he has a loose tooth. Sometimes I wish I could bottle up his six year old smile and laugh forever! Mom and Dad are both a little sad, it is just another reminder that he really does have to grow up.
UPDATE: April 4, 2012 Luke finally lost his first tooth at school. My oh my was he a proud boy! I don't think he could have smiled wider if I paid him.

Amen!

Perfectly said.

Life is NOT fair

I cannot tell you how many times I have said this or it has been said to me and yet today, for the first time in really long time I feel it. I feel the pain of knowing how unfair life can be. How hard this world is and how trying this journey can be. My heart literally hurts for my friend. I have cried just thinking about her and what she must be going through. But I know that still even after all this, she will be thankful, and praise Him.

I know we all have our share of battles and issues we face, but sometimes others burdens seem so much heavier than our own. Today, Lenny and I truly feel abunduntly blessed and so very thankful. We are not promised anything in this life, but in the midst of all that we know that He is good ALL the time.

Sadly,
Jennifer

Something Similar?

Sweet Nana let me borrow this special dress to wear on our 10th anniversary dinner. The story behind the dress is that Papa bought it for her to wear on their first wedding anniversary FORTY years ago! I was thrilled to be able to wear something that had such a special meaning! Lenny and I thought we would try to re-create the photograph with a little modern twist! I think it turned out pretty cute, don't you?

Who Could Ever Love You More?

The nearest thing to heaven, you are my angel from above. Only God creates such perfect love.

There is nothing you can ever do, to make me stop loving you, and every breath I take is only for your sake. You sleep inside my dreams and know for sure, Who could ever love you more?

Herringbone Pattern

This summer, even though I had been to NYC many times, and lived there as a child I had never been to Ellis Island. It was sort of surreal being there because Lenny and I both know that is how our ancestors came into this country and we were standing in many of the same rooms they did decades before. They were all coming for a better life and here we both were sort of the evolution of their hard work and sacrifices. While listening to the audio tour, they described how people were literally shuffled from one room to another, that often the process could take days. Many of the people spent many hours in the main "holding"room. The view in the room was really beautiful. There were gorgeous arches and columns and lots of ornate woodwork. But the one thing that truly stood out was the ceiling, my gosh it was stunning! The entire ceiling was covered with gorgeous white bricked herringbone pattern. I can't even begin to imagine how long it took to do, or the amount of tedious effort that went into putting such a pattern on a non flat ceiling.  I elbowed Lenny and told him that in our next house I wanted to somehow include that pattern for many reasons. One that it was stunning and the second was that it would mean something to our family. He smiled and agreed just like the sweet husband he is, and we went  continued on our trip.
 It was during that trip that Lenny told me that we would be moving again and would be transferred back to Texas in January. My mind began swarming, my "to do" list growing by the minute.

 The ceiling of Ellis Island

 The ceiling up close

The outside of our house

We planned our house hunting trip the first weekend we could make it work. Our house hunting trip was less than desirable. To say that houses move fast  in that particular area of Texas was a complete understatement. We went from having 10-12 choices basically down to 4 in a matter of a weekend. I arrived in Texas feeling very overwhelmed and stressed.  The house that would end up being the "one" was not even on our radar.  In fact, we didn't see it until the very day we were flying out. We pulled up and I instantly smiled! There right in front of me was that herringbone pattern I had talked about just months before.  I signed and went inside knowing beyond a doubt that this was going to be the house for our little family, and it was, it definitely was!

Dinner Prayer

Tonight was Emme's turn to pray at the dinner table, I was so touched by what she said I had to write it down... it went something like this:

"Heavenly Father, Thank you for this day and my dinner. Thank you for my family, I want to live with them forever. I love my Mommy, Daddy and my brother. I love you and I love your son. I pray all this in your precious name, Amen."

Rather profound for a four year old! I am so glad she gets it!

Have a blessed and wonderful evening, I know I did!
Jennifer

The Swing

Part of one of the garages has been turned into a mini-batting cage. Luke and Daddy go out there and practice a few times a week, and then work on catching and throwing in the backyard. I recorded this video of Luke's swing. We...really Daddy has been working with him on the fundamentals, standing, and foot positioning, but mostly rotating his hips so that he gets power from them to drive the ball. Here is a video of the little slugger!

10 Things I Want My Children to Know.. I am sure many more will come...

1. Life is all about your attitude. The glass is ALWAYS half full as long as you see it that way. Happiness is a conscious choice you make and when you decide to just be happy then ccontentment will always follow. Contentment is the spirit of gratitude. It's the choice you make to either be thankful for the things you do have, or to whine about the things you don't have. Being content and grateful leads to consistent joy and that is something truly worth having.
2. You are loved more than you will ever know by someone who died to know you. Romans 5:8  Really think about that... Jesus died for all of our sins. Every single one of us! And of course that includes both of you. In return all that he asks is that you  take the time to get to know him on a personal basis. Seems rather simple, doesn't it?  Going forward, trust Him and communicate with Him always. Ask Him to guide you and bless your life. He has an amazing plan for you that is far beyond anything you can even imagine.  I promise it will all come together beautifully and exceed every expectation you have if you will just let it unfold. 
3. Enjoy the innocence of your childhood: Since when did society say that kids had to grow up so fast? Being a child is amazing and such a special time. It is truly the only time in your life where you are absolutely care free. You have your whole life to be an adult and make major decisions. So for now, please stay little as long as you possibly can. I promise I won't ever rush you.
 Billy Dean's Song "Let Them Be Little," says it perfectly,
"Let them be little, cause they're only that way for a while. Give them hope, give them praise, Give them love every day, let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle. Oh Lord, just let them be little."

4. Being Smart is Cool:  Never ever be ashamed of being smart or nerdy. Or embarrassed because you wear glasses or appear different. It is totally cool to love and excel at  Math and Science.  You both have an incredible urge to learn things,  never let that urge subside. Challenge yourself daily by trying to learn something new every day. You will be amazed how much you really can do! And  by the way, being smart  never goes out of style.
5. Dream... And DREAM BIG! Please don't EVER let anyone tell you your goals and dreams are unattainable or outlandish! You were given those thoughts for a reason. Trust that instinct and follow your  passion! Big or small, allow those things to turn into reality. Your job is to just dream. It is my job to worry about the How's or What Ifs. Anything my precious children is possible! Don't ever forget that!
6. Firm Handshakes  and eye contact ALWAYS: Firm handshakes exudes ambition and confidence. While your at it, please look people in the eye. It is a form of respect.  And since we are on the topic on respect. Manners matter. Very few things frustrate me more than children without manners. Please and Thank You always. And you are both Texan and so that needs to be followed with Sir or Mam basically for the rest of your life.  Smile too! Thank you.
7. Choose Your Role Models and friends Carefully: I am beyond thrilled that I have gotten you both to the sweet ages of six and four and neither of you have a clue who Hannah Montana or Justin Beiber is.  I know for a fact if either of those two people knocked on our door, you would be clueless and that means I have been somewhat successful. One of our favorite pastors, Ed Young once said in a sermon something I will never forget. When he was younger he did a lot of outreach programs to Prison Inmates. He was always curious to where the "wheels came off" in their lives. His answer shocked me... consistently FOURwords were said over and over again from one cell block to another......."I HAD THESE FRIENDS." Friends can be your greatest asset of your greatest liability. Please choose wisely, and until you can choose on your own, we will be more than happy to make those small decisions for you. Wink!
8. Proper English please. Since you have to grow up in the fast pace world of technology,  where most of the conversations are done via texting. And it seems that everyone has an iphone, ipad, etc. I have to point out the horrendous lack of writing skills being used by the youth of America.  Your Dad calls it the death of the English language.  Hence, your private school Christian education.  Enjoy it and appreciate it, because it is a huge sacrifice on our part to make it happen.
 9. Take care of your body: You only have one. I would highly recommend you treat it with some respect. One of my favorite sayings in life is "Your body is a temple not a carnival ride."  You are only going to get out of it what you put in, so please make smart choices.
 10. Love each other. Nothing makes me happier than to see you both playing together or snuggled up close on the couch! Hearing you both laughing could possibly be the greatest sound in the world!  No one in the world will have had as much history together as you both do. You  are both woven so deeply into each others lives now, that it would be a travesty if that did not continue. I know it is going to involve some work, but all relationships involve work and effort and  yours will be no different. The work will always be worth the reward. 
I love you both with every beat of my heart!
Mommy

Luke

This morning Luke came into my room before school to snuggle under the covers with me. We always have sweet conversations in those wee hours of the morning. Anyway, he was asking me all sorts of questions about being married, getting married, etc.. He quickly sat up and said " Mom, I have a great idea, how about if when I get married, I tell my wife that we need to live by you?" I smiled and responded, "yes, Luke that would be wonderful, but maybe you should see if that is something your future wife would want." He response was classic  "well, Mom, if she doesn't want to live by you and Dad, then I won't marry her!"

Life is soo simple when you are six, sometimes I wonder if by growing up we simply complicate it.

Have a blessed day! I know I will! After all, my son basically told me that he always wants to be near me. Glad I am blogging about it, so that one day I can prove how devoted he was to his mother.

4 Baby GIRLS just typing that makes me giddy!

Many of you know that when I was working full time, we had someone come in and help us with the kids. During that process she became so much more than just our Nanny. She and her family will always be a lifelong friend to our family as well!
After many months of prayer and effort, I am thrilled to report that our sweet Mary Virginia AKA Mare, is going to be the Mommy of Quads! Yes, 4 babies at once!! Trying to explain that to Emme was a bit challenging. Of course, she wants to know when her Mommy is having 4 babies....uhhhhh.... probably not going to happen sweet angel!
That  being said, I am more than excited for her, and know that if anyone in the world could handle four babies with grace and patience, Mare is that person! Many congrats and blessings to you both!

We love you and can't wait to meet and hold ALL of them!

What a Guy!

I adore this picture, this was taken this Christmas during our ski trip! Doesn't Luke look like quite the ladies man? What makes it easier is that he is surrounded by three lovely little ladies!

My Best Friend

My sweet angel is 4! And time seems to just be flying, I knew the moment I found out I was having a baby girl that I truly was creating my future very best friend! What an amazing concept that is!  This little being that I carried in my tummy will one day grow up to be my very best friend! How awesome is a God that can miraculously make something like that a reality?
 One of my sweet friends took this picture of Emme and I one evening, and it made my heart smile. Emme, my prayer is that no matter where in the world you roam, that you always know you are loved and can always find your way back home.  So here's to my future spin class partner sushi eating, shopping, forever friend! I love you more than words could ever say!

Luke and Baseball

Well Luke had his official first "tryout" and all at the tender age of six! My sweet son, he loves baseball! Not surprising because his Daddy and my Dad (Luke's Grandpa) also truly love the game. Once we knew we were moving, Lenny was all over finding a baseball team that Luke could be a part in the area. As things would go the rules in every city are different. In Houston,  six year olds are still playing t-ball which was not sitting well with Luke. After all, last year he played coach pitch in PA and he felt like playing t-ball was somewhat behind him. Our only option was to let him try out to play with the 7-8 year old league. We talked to the coaches at registration who kindly told us that only TWO 6 year old boys were drafted last year of the hundreds that tried out.
 Lenny was a little nervous about subjecting Luke to so much pressure, but Luke pressed on insisting that he wanted to at least try. To make this even more challenging, he didn't just have to make the 7 year old team, he had to make the TRIPLE A  team.  Because they have soo many players, the league is divided into A, AA, and AAA. Triple A being the best of the bunch. The coach said that if we were trying to play up he had to have the abilty to play with the best kids in the league and because he was six he would need to be drafted in the first 6 rounds, meaning top 48 kids in the entire league. We had two weeks to prepare, and one of those weeks Lenny was traveling! (or course, right?) Nana was in town to keep me company and Lenny had given me specific instructions on what I was to do while he was gone. So like a good Mommy, I took him to the batting cages and worked on his stance, making sure he was paying attention to all the little things I was instructed to do.
 Luke's tryout time was 3:00 on Saturday. Lenny took Luke to the batting cages that morning for one last practice and then treated him to Smoothie King which is a family favorite in this house!
3:00 arrived and we waited anxiously as we watched him go through all the drills. My gosh he looked so small up against all those older kiddos! Assuming his chances were slim I made sure to tell him that regardless of the outcome he should be so proud of himself for having the courage to simply try and when he was there to make sure he gave it all to God. I whispered our special scripture in his ear, and with that, my precious boy was off on the ball field. I was a nervous wreck, I joked with Lenny that I was caught somewhere on the verge of vomiting because I was so nervous and crying because I was soo very proud! It was soo hard just sitting there watching him, knowing that there was nothing I could do to help him out there. He had a small moment to shine, and everything for the first time was truly out of my control.

 Luke was the first in line of his group of 15. The drills consisted of:
1. Ground balls to shortstop then a throw to first base.
2. Fly balls in outfield with throws to the second base.
3. Batting  ( machine pitched balls at 40 mph) He was given 3 balls.
4. A  timed run from home to second base. 
Luke did awesome!!  I could not believe how well he was handling the pressure, and how good he looked out there! Watching him that afternoon was one of the greatest Mommy moments ever!  Once tryouts were over, we were told that we would be contacted Thursday evening after the final draft took place and then be notified what team, if any he was selected to be a part of.
Just as expected we got a call Thursday evening at 8:30 from Luke's new coach letting us know that Luke did indeed make the AAA team! Lenny and I were beside ourselves excited for him, we quickly went to his room to tell him but angel boy was already fast asleep. As we stood there watching our little man sleep, Lenny and I laughed because we both know this is just the beginning of the many things our children will do that will inspire us and remind us of just how truly blessed we are!
 We are so excited for the season to begin, and practice started today!

Thank you Lord, for trusting us with this precious child! He is and will always be our greatest gift!

January 7, 2012 BIG DAY!!

I feel like I just did this- maybe because I did exactly eighteen months ago. To say, that this season in our life has gone fast would be a complete understatement. I honesty think it has been the best 18 months of our lives as a family! And so much of that is because of the wonderful people we met and all the fun things we did while we were here.
I remember leaving Dallas thinking that I could not wait to get my feet back on Texas soil, and now that the moment is hours away I am really very sad. But at the same time so grateful that I was given this amazing opportunity to spend part of my life living here. I truly know why God lead us down this path, and I thank Him daily for the gift of "Pennsylvania" and all that it contained! Moving here really tested my faith- but in doing this I really witnessed first hand that His plan for your life really does exceed yours. That seems to make this next move easier mentally as far as trusting Him, but it still does not make it easy to say goodbye to people whose paths have crossed yours-

LZ: my little shopping buddy! Only you get truly excited about the little things I do. I knew when we met at the office party that would end up being fast friends! You and your family have become so special to me and I cannot imagine this journey without you. You are an amazing person, and have a heart of gold. You think of all the little things and that is what makes you so special! Not to mention your amazing ability to randomly "fluff" a room!  Thank you for all the laughs, perking me up about the lack of sunshine and agreeing to go on random adventures with me around this town! You are my "_____"... Ha!! And I know that our paths will one day cross again! Maybe we can finally be the doubles tennis team we often joked about. And since we are both not good with goodbyes- I leave you with see you in April! Until then, my partner in crime, you will be missed! Thank God for cell phones!

Jd: notice my initials? They are correct! I thought about using a few other nicknames but I didn't think they would be too funny to anyone else but us! Who could have thought that one sticker could change my life? I honestly Thank God that you were crazy enough to put your A&M sticker on your car and I was desperate enough to track you down in the car pool lane.  Had you not had that I am not sure if we would have met and that would have been a travesty. Your family has become part of ours, and I know that it will always be that way. You are a true friend and often give freely of yourself and ask of nothing in return and I love that about you.  Thank you for always being there to chat even though you HATE the phone- just like LBL, but somehow that is not surprising to me! I know that no matter where our paths may lead us somehow they will always be connected. I am always here if you need me. Until we meet again my fellow Texan know that you are adored by many! BTW I think the Sanders luck officially changed with #3! Congrats on that little miracle, you have so much to be thankful for!

B.S.: my first PA friend! Although the big argument is who's friend are you really? I say mine and of course Lenny says his! Maybe we will meet in the middle and share you! You are like a magnet- people are just drawn to you- maybe it's because you sort of just tell it like it is. No fluff and ALWAYS with a Smile on your face and a laugh following closely behind! Your friendship has meant so much to me. You were always my go to when I didn't know where to go- I cannot thank you enough for answering all my silly questions. You have officially become the "PA expert" in my mind! Thank you does not even come close to the words and feeling of appreciation I have for you! You are such light in my life! And as Lenny seems to think a Pittsburgh mans dream simply because you love all sports, love Pittsburgh and drink beer! I think you are a dream because you simply have a heart of gold! Please come visit us soon- they do call Texas "God's Country" for a reason. I end this paragraph with the infamous words you often use to end yours~ CHEERS!

B.F.: you amaze me! The world needs more people in it just like you! You have been instrumental to me from a Christian perspective. You constantly (even if you don't know it) challenge me and inspire me with your deeds! God puts people in our lives for very specific reasons and there is no doubt why your path crossed mine! You are such an amazing representation of what a Christ follower is all about! There is such a kindness and gentleness to you and everything about you. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend!I loved being able to share our children's first year of school together and will always look back to that time and think of it fondly! I cannot wait to see what things God has in store for you and your family. I pray that somehow our paths will cross again, always know you have a place to stay in Texas!

Thank you Pittsburgh, I now know why people are so loyal to you! Your city is filled with amazingly kind wonderful people. Thank you for sharing them with our family. You will always have a fan in me! GO STEELERS!

Fondly- with a few tears-
Jennifer

Cute, but not that cute

This morning, instead of simply putting my hair in a ponytail, I decided to put on a hat. It was raining outside and since I was planning on going to the gym  after drop off I thought a hat would  be a quick solution and "socially  acceptable for car pool lane. And to be totally honest, I was just not in the mood to deal with the million strands of hair on my head!
On the way to school, Luke asked me why I was wearing a hat. I went into a long eloborate story about all the reasons why I thought the baseball hat was a smart move this particular morning. I babbled on about the weather and the gym and that it would keep my head dry walking them into school...blah, blah, blah. After I was done rambling there was nothing, silence and a  LONG LONG pause....hummm.... I wonder what he is thinking... so I smile, look into the rear view mirror  and say " Luke, why did you askme about my hat?"
My precious son, smiles and tilts his head, giggles for a minute and then says "well, I think you are cute Mom, but not THAT cute in baseball hats, I think you look much better when you are dressed up!"


And my little balloon was quickly deflated....Lovely... Happy Wednesday!
XOXO

Soul Surfer

Lenny and I rented Soul Surfer a few nights ago. We sat down to watch it after the kids had head off to bed. Anyone who has seen this movie, will understand what I mean when I say that when the movie was over, all I could think about was my little girl upstairs sleeping away. I wondered if we as a family could handle something with such grace and faith, was I doing everything I could to make sure that no matter what came her way my daughter would have the same strength and determination as Bethanny did in the movie. Would I raise her to passionately pursue whatever her heart desired no matter how hard the journey could possibly be. All of that being said, I decided to go into her room and just hold her while she was sleeping, whispering all the things I wanted her to know. After five minutes of my babbling, I kissed her cheek and said "I love you baby girl, up to the sky and as big as the sky, do you know that?" She in a total deep sleep nodded her head and then whispered, "I love you more, Mommy."  One of the simplest but greatest Mommy moments to date!

School Mothers Day Tea(s)

Both of the kids classes had special events for Mothers Day and both were extremely touching. I was soo excited to be able to spend a little time being just Luke's Mommy and then just Emme's. These were part of what contributed to what I consider the G.M.D.E. ( Greatest Mother's Day Ever) 

 Here are a couple of pictures from each special event.

Warning: Another posting about Mothers Day is on it's way!

Emme on her 4th birthday

Baby girl could barely see, but I got her cinnamon roll and candle out and began snapping pictures! Thank you Emme for simply being you! You are more than enough! I love you always!

Bedtime

Precious Emme and I were watching a movie tonight in my bed. Emme was tired and very restless. When I asked her why she said "Mommy, I need a cold pillow to rest my head on. Yours are not as cold as mine!" Quite the princess, even when she is going to bed.

My Love

I seriously think I am married to the greatest man I have ever met! I know I say that often, but I feel it even more. You are by far the best decision I have ever made. Thank you for being my Mr. Wonderful, you are simply awesome, and I am quite honestly the luckiest woman in the world!

Always yours,
Jennifer

June 2, 2011

Infamous?!, probably not. But in our little house and world it was a BIG BIG day! Today was Luke and Emme's last day of school! And oh how excited they were to be done for the summer! Mommy of course has some mixed emotions more because another year as passed and this is just a reminder that my precious angels are unfortuneately growing up!

Luke's reason for being excited about school being over was because he could "finally sleep in".... Seriously?? If anyone has ever spent just ONE night at our house in the past 5 years they would know how comical this sounds! That little boy wakes up (joyfully and singing mind you) at the crack of dawn if not sooner. I don't think I have ever known him to sleep past 7:00, or seven zero zero as it is said in our house!! Most mornings Luke is up at 6 AM! So I am anxious to see exactly what sleeping in he is planning on doing, because this could definitely benefit Mommy too!
Luke has had an amazing year! We have both been soo impressed with the curriculum at the school and how challenged the kids seem to be both academically and spiritually. Mid year Luke came home reciting Psalm 23 in it's entirety! He is ONLY 5!!! Anyway, fast forward ahead to the end of the year and my precious son can read, tell time, add, count money and sound out almost any word placed in front of him. On top of that he is crazy about God and His kingdom and knows more about the bible than most adults. Luke has really excelled this year and we are so thankful and blessed!

Emerson, oh Emme, everyone at school seems to know her, she has this way of casting you in her spell! I can fully attest to how spell bound one can be since I have been silly about her since she was about 2 seconds old. Emerson's morning consisted of hugging, first her teacher and then any of her friends or her friends mommies she saw on the way in. She is definitely a love bug and anyone who has been blessed enough to receive a hug from her will definitely comment that she is indeed one of the worlds best at it! She hugs you with all the love she has, and that is just a small part of what makes her awesome. Emme has learned all the basics one would expect to learn in a 2 day a week Pre-K 3 program, but more importantly than that she truly loves God. Nothing makes me happier to see her truly grasp the concept of Jesus and what his sacrifice truly did for all of us.  My job as her mommy is to make her world and her life far better than mine, and she is definitely well on her way.

Luke and Emme, I am crazy about both of you! I LOVE being your Mommy! Thank you for filling me up daily, for making me laugh out loud and constantly challenging me in every way. I cannot wait to spend my summer with my two of my very favorite people!

Always,
Mommy