It's a Golden Life

Mother’s Day has come and gone. We got up again today. We choose daily to pour ourselves out and into our children. As we drink our reheated coffee and wait for the clothes to run through another re-fluff cycle, (because maybe we will fold them this time when they’re done...) our minds drift to thoughts about motherhood- Motherhood is thinking you’ll never sleep again, but you’d do it 4 times over in a heartbeat. Motherhood is folding a fresh pile of laundry and finding it hidden under a bed after they’ve “put it away”.  Motherhood is 4am wake up calls with requests for you to turn on the light so they can use the bathroom, or get a drink of water, or help them find a missing blankie.  Motherhood is wondering if the sibling rivalry will ever stop-he looked out MY window, she touched MY spot on the floor, they won’t stop breathing in my space... Motherhood is your adventurous two year old letting himself outside and uprooting the fresh flowers you just planted-only ...

The idiom “quiet as a church mouse” definitely gives off some negative connotations. First thoughts are-why would a mouse be lurking in a church? The short answer to that is definitely goldfish crackers and warmth. Another is -Eww. Rodents. They’re so...rodent like. My nick name is Meg-a-moo, or Moo for short. This was lovingly assigned to me from origins unknown. No, My cries did not imitate that of a cow when I was a baby-It just seemed like a fitting name. In researching the starting point from hence “quiet as a church mouse”-it is clear that this, much like my nick name, has no definite origin. It is a well known fact, however, that mice are meek. They make little noise on their own and scavenge for food and a place to make their home. In the 16th century, churches did not store food-whereas, here in 2018, the kids literally CANNOT go more than an hour without sustience. Enter Goldfish crackers. Cue mice. I am a Children’s Minister at a church here in Fayetteville. The job desc...

10 years ago I was staring into the face of my first baby boy. He was a little over 2 months old. He had learned to smile and roll over. I thought I couldn’t love him more than I did at that moment. As the years have passed (so quickly, too quickly) I realize that my love for him-and his siblings- grows leaps and bounds each day. The hustle of every day is sometimes too much. It leaves me feeling so bogged down. I make check lists of what chores or tasks I want to accomplish, but at the end of each day, the truth is-I have never crossed everything off of that list. The issue probably lies in the fact that I have lofty goals and not enough time or energy to accomplish them. I have been guilty of making lists of things I’ve already accomplished, just to trick my brain into feeling better about my time spent. Time seems to move so quickly, but slow-in unison. I’m sitting here with my 4th baby (who really isn’t a baby anymore) staring in the rear view mirror. Sometimes I look back and ...

Paxton, You’re 6 today! It kind of snuck up on me. I feel like I say that about every birthday of yours. You started Kindergarten this fall. Would you believe it- you got an award for never clipping down on the behavior chart! Your teacher tells us how you are an example in the classroom and a kind friend. I love that about you. You have one of the kindest hearts. Playing Barbies with your sister is never below you- Interests include Minecraft, Lego’s, and anything your big bro Malachi is interested in.  You love to make pictures that tell a story. I have saved so many! You love making books. I know my birthday letters have gone from focusing on your  height & weight, and which milestones you are crossing off the list-  to discovering more of  your heart and what makes you, you. You are growing up so.fast. You are an amazing big brother. Even when you don’t think I’m looking. Now that will tell a whole lot about a person right there. Huxley fell and bopped...

Huxley Thane. Today at 11:29 a.m., you officially turned 2. Quite honestly, this year has been a whirlwind. Between sports, school activities, and church-It seems life is on fast forward. Being your mom is...the wildest ride. You are so full of life and passion. I’m in love with how wild and free your personality is. Strangely, when you are in a room with a lot of people or loud noises, you tend to withdraw. This does not bother me one little bit-because I am your safe place. You return to me and nuzzle your face into my neck, warm arms wrapped tightly around me. You communicate so clearly-making sure it is known exactly what you need. Some of our favorite words that you say: Moon- “mewn” Tractor-“Mama, dat tractor.” (Was your first sentence) Milk- you call your milk “Foffee”-like mamas coffee. Shoes and socks-“shews and sox” Cup-you call it your “bottle”-even though we never have. Stubborn? Haly-Hayee Malachi- Chi Chi Paxton-Bubba. You started calling him this all on your ow...

I can see my child glaring at me in my peripheral- A stare with storming eyes and pursed lips. I'm not looking in that direction on purpose because of the tears that are welling in my eyes. Continuing in the busyness of cleaning the bathroom makes it appear that the words being expressed don't sting like a hornet, piercing my heart. Something along the lines of, "You're the meanest mom ever. You don't love me. You don't want me to have anything I want..."  Ironic that these words are expressed as I am literally elbow deep in a toilet. Cleaning urine up is the last thing on my list of what I had planned to do with my Sunday evening. Yet, I do this out of love. As my heart is hurting, my mind began to wonder. Is this how I make Jesus feel? I quickly transform into a duck- growing waxy feathers and let the splenetic banter roll down my back. While I truly believe that there is a time for our children to see the real effects of how hurtful their words ...

On November 9th, Huxley Thane turned 1! I can't believe it's been a whole 12 months with this guy. He is: --> 23 lbs, 30.5 inches --> Wearing size 5 diaper, size 6 shoe, and 18-24 month clothes (more so 24 months) --> Sleeps from 7-7ish. Cut down from 2 naps to one long nap 10-1:30ish. One of the biggest things I have learned from this fourth child is that just because a method worked well for the other three, he will not be tamed. He marches to the beat of his own drum and we have had to go with the flow and adapt to how he operates. Once I was more flexible with his sleeping habits and stuck with "sleep training", he has slept much better. I didn't think I was ever going to sleep again. Never took a pacifier, but does love his "night night", so he calls his blanket. --> His best friend & first little girlfriend is Coco Knapp. He loves to give her hugs when he hasn't seen her for a few days. He has also had quite an excit...

Sister friend, is seven. That's a crazy sentence to write! 7 whole years old. She is about to be in the 2nd grade and I can hardly believe it!  She is hilarious. I love it. On a daily basis, she has some funny comment and makes me laugh so much. She is my identical twin to when I was a little girl. Even down to the facial expressions. I have her number.  All she wanted for her birthday was to milk a cow, ride a horse, and have breakfast in bed. We settled for a farm themed birthday and breakfast in bed.  Complete with a cow girl outfit. She is 43 lbs and 3'9".  Chicken worm cupcakes were her idea. She even decorated them.  Festive farm foods like Hay Bales, Cow Patties, Tractor tires.. Chicken feed, a garden of fruits and veggies... Pigs in a blanket, corn on the cob, and Mac and cheese.  Some burlap, cow print, and paisley bunting.  And decor for the foods.  We had a fun time celebrating her birthday! 

Huxley is 8 (1/2) months old?!  -20lbs 29 inches -sleeping (usually) well 7:30-5 (eat), 7:30/8.  -LOVE all the foods. Avocados and bananas are your jam now. Baby food is for babies, apparently, because you want to chew (with your gums).  -bath time is the highlight of your day. -weaned from nursing this week (on your own terms) -crawling on all fours and pulling up. Working on cruising.  -love your walker and ramming it into people with your arms open wide so they will pick you up.  -say "haiii" and "buhyyy" with a very southern accent, while waving with your whole arm. Sometimes both. Say "mama, dada, papa" and make a "mmmmm" sound when hungry.  -claps and says "yay!" -gives the best hugs and says "awwww" -loves to screech like a pterodactyl.  -this guy is personality plus. He is so sweet, funny, and determined.  We celebrated Haly turning 7 and took Chi to camp this month! 

Huxley! You turned 7 months old on June 9. I may be just a few weeks late posting your update. Life with 4 kiddos is on lightening speed.  You are 18lbs (36%tile) and 27 inches (50%tile). You started sleeping through the night, but had a double ear infection, so that is hit or miss right now. Still taking 2 long naps during the day and one 30 minute dinner time snooze. Food is your favorite. Green beans and any cut up fruit are your jam. You are still refusing a bottle, but nurse every 2-3 hours. You are a tough one, my friend. I didn't nurse on demand with your siblings-but you really demand it. You say dada, mama, papa, and make a baba noise. You can wave and love making eye contact and waving while we are cruising through the grocery store. You are army crawling and going from a crawl to a sit.  You love to pull hair. Which is very discouraged, but that doesn't phase you.  You moved up to a rear facing big boy seat since you were about our grow your infant carrier....

Huxley is 6 months old today!  -around 17lbs and 27 inches. Official 6 month check up is on May 18th.  -sitting up and trying to crawl. Learned to sit by yourself in the bath and love to splash splash! -loves food-especially vegetables (peas, squash, sweet potatoes, and green beans!) -ate a banana in the mesh teething pouch.  -discovered an opinion. If someone takes something from you and you aren't finished playing with it (aka-putting it in your mouth), you have a certain annoyed cry.  -very social! Love to talk and smile at anyone who will look into your blue eyes.  -you enjoy chewing on your feet whenever you can grab a hold of them.  -you love being outside! Grass is your salad.  -if one of your siblings is close enough, you take pleasure in grabbing a huge fistful of their hair. You usually have a big smile on your face when you do.  -you had a double ear infection again this month! You have an appointment with the ear, nose, and throat doct...

4 months old!  -15.2 lbs -25 inches -size 3 diaper -6-9, 6-12, or 6 month clothes (long legs!) -had a double ear infection after getting over 2 months of bronchitis!  -still waking up to nurse through out the night because of not feeling well!  -tried rice cereal and ate it like a snapping turtle. 

How? 5 months? Crazy!  -17.3 pounds 26.25 inches. -6-9, 6-12 month clothes -size 4 diaper -tried food this month!     *rice and oatmeal    *pears, bananas, apples    *carrots, green beans (his favorite), sweet potatoes -2 long naps (usually), 1 short nap -still waking up at night 2ish times. Sleep 7:30-2 or 3, eat, sleep until 6 or so.  -learned how to sit up and roll around.  -fake coughs for attention. -sweet as sweet can be! 

Rolling!  Sitting up! All in one week. You also only woke up once from 7:30-6:30 last night!! 

It seems the family blog has been taken over by our smallest member. Since he still does not have a baby book AND is growing so incredibly fast, I will just keep jotting down his tidbits right here.  He laughed out loud a bunch last night on 2/24/2016. Deep belly laughs that were SO cute.  He is also rolling from side to side. His legs are super powerful. It must be those thunder thighs?  He also met this really handsome baby in the mirror and thought he was just awesome! He smiled and tried to touch him.  Praise the Lord! He slept in his crib for the first time today! If naps are possible, I can't wait to see if night time is!  The doctor also encouraged us to give him some rice cereal to help with his reflux. It really seems to of helped! His spit up is more watery now than chunky, so I'll call that a win.  Speaking of milestones. Paxton can start preschool in August and I have many mixed feelings about that! How is he not the little baby in the picture a...

Hux is 3 months old today! (Well the day j started writing the update)  He is: -Weighing 14lbs8oz and 24 inches long.  -still sleeping 7:30-3 (sometimes 4) and going back to sleep until 6:30-8ish. -taking 2-3 naps a day. Still unpredictable.  -wearing size 3-6 month clothes (closer to the 6 month size), and size 2 diaper.  - NOT taking a pacifier or bottle. He acts like they taste disgusting Favorites: -bath time. That's his favorite time of day. He pushes his strong legs against the side of his tub and is so proud.  -chewing on his hands. He has started sucking his first two fingers and thumb .  -loves playing in the jumperoo-although he doesn't know to jump yet-he just enjoys looking around at everything. -enjoys laying on his playmat at looking at himself in the mirror. -laughing.  -"talking" up a storm.  -being swaddled in the rock and play with white noise cranked! 

For about a year, I have felt God working and moving. At first I was excited about what that could look like, but it quickly became clear that He was rearranging my life in ways I could not see beneficial. That happens so often-I think I know what I need, but like a child of God, our Father knows better. I can understand clearly now what T.D. Jakes means in saying, "When God removes something he will replace it or become it in our lives".  I dug my heels in deep and tried to be unmoved, but when he continued stripping away the layers-the more exposed I was-raw and broken. I had been exposed for the hypocrite I had been and am-not putting my hope in Christ only.  Psalm 146:3 is a gentle reminder not to put our hope in the people of this world, yet so often I have looked to others to fill me up. While they bring happiness to my heart, they (and I) are capable of causing unimaginable depths of hurt and disappointment too. Slowly, but surely people were absent in my lif...