a pencil

So,I was trying to organize my desk somewhat and came across some notes I'd jotted down on what I intended to blog a WHILE ago... This is why I do this, I had already forgotten these stories and it's only been a month or two... I never want to forget, it just happens... That's why I'm so glad I can look back at these stories so that even as they grow, I can remember the sweetest stories of when they little!

This one was back when school was in... embarrassingly...Bear with me as this is a long story but something that I feel God would want me to share so maybe it can help someone else... Jayce had seen me crying one day, one of those days... I had been struggling with a really bad pulled hamstring that I've now had for almost 5 months... although it is HOPEFULLY on it's way back to normal after much therapy!!! I was in that poor me stage where I was asking why why why... I can't chase my 2 year old around and he's a runner...it was frankly dangerous... I can't run races with the kids and jump on the trampoline with them, I can't even go for a walk around the block or keep up with them as they ride their bikes... the grocery store was way too much walking for me, as was church...I can't work out which is what I love to do not to mention my stress relief and my outlet... why why why Lord??? One day at my breaking point, I opened my Bible just searching for some comfort. The Lord led me directly to these verses... "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 28-30
At this moment, I gave this burden to the Lord and started asking, "Ok, WHAT Lord, do you want me to take from this?" That Sunday, one of my very best friends and SS teachers shared an acrostic that followed right up on this. "JOYFUL"
J-Jeddesin (which I'd never heard of) but it means to get rid of (my burdens, negative thinking, problems, to give them to God)
O-Omit (my worries by replacing them with God's word and choosing to say scripture verses when I worry)
Y-YIELD TO GOD's HAND (this was key, this is HOW I said, ok God, you are in control and I don't really like these circumstances but I CHOOSE to acknowledge your hand and that you have something for me to learn through this)
F-Focus on what's good (OH how many blessings I have and I was not even thanking the Lord for the ways he's blessed me)
U-Use your life as an encouragement
L-Let God be God

SO, Jayce was later asking me what was wrong and I explained to him that I'd had a problem I was very upset about but that I had given my burden to the Lord. He said, "burden, what's a burden????" It just so happens that we were in Gabe's room and he has circus animals on his curtains and I saw a cart with a mule pulling it behind him, I showed him that is his burden he's carrying and that when ours is too heavy, the Lord will help us carry it. Perfect analogy at a perfect time! So, the next day, he goes to school and comes home with a frown on his face. I said, Jayce what is wrong? He said, "mom, I asked God to help me carry a burden today and he didn't and I don't understand why not??" I asked what his burden was and he said, "my pencil was too heavy and I asked God to carry it for me, but he didn't." OK, so maybe my analogy was not so good :)

In any case, I LOVED this acrostic and hope some of you can use it if you've got anything weighing YOU down!

BTW, it is on the mend, not there yet, but it's ok now. God has truly done some amazing work in me through this, as ya'll know on my own I'd be looney by now for sure! I spent 3 months with mono and now 5 months with this..not the course I'd have chosen for myself. BUT, He's helped me focus on the positive and remember what's MOST important in my life!

bedtime prayer

The other night Gabe was praying and he bowed his little head, clasped his hands and said "Dear God, thank you for me, thank you for my mommy, thank you for my daddy, thank you for Jayce, but most of all thank you for Gabe. Amen!"

Father's Day

We had a fantastic Father's Day! Church, lunch with Jay's family, and their daddy actually gave them their baths and wanted to put them both to bed on Father's Day...that is what makes him a great father! I thought that was pretty sweet! He never reads this so there's no point in going to many details but Jay really is an amazing dad to our boys. I've told him many times that he is one of those dads it just comes so naturally to. It is not something he has to work at, he loves it and it shows! I am so thankful to have him as a husband and even more as father to my children.

Tonight when he was putting Gabe down, Gabe told him "I love my family with all my sweet heart." The boy melts my heart each time he says to me "mommy, I love you with all my sweet heart" but the whole family thing, unprompted... pure sweetness!

"Jonup" and the Whale

Gabe is finally at the point that he likes to sit still through stories, and especially when they are in his Bible. He loves to read from his kids Bible and especially likes to look at the pictures! Last time we were reading about Jonah, or "Jonup" in his words, he said, "Mommy that big fish ate Jonup?" I said yes Gabe and he said "Why, because he was yummy?" in the most adorable way!

Gabe's First Haircut :(

This was Gabe's first REAL haircut... as in more than just a snip here and there by me...Unfortunately these pictures are going backwards in sequence, didn't think about it until I'd already uploaded them all... so look from the bottom up!
I've included morning of and after pictures of these major haircuts for both boys! I wanted you all to be able to appreciate the hair face each morning when they come downstairs! I'm convinced I could handle a girl after working with their do's all this time!

I would have been balling if I had the time to! I was trying to manage both boys by myself getting haircuts so needless to say I did not have time. I told the lady a half inch to an inch on both, and I"m not sure where she was when I told her but she surely did not pay me much attention! Both of them just look SO old with shorter hair... And Jayce's only has curls now when it's long, I really prefer it longer and thinned out. But, he was ready for a short cut. Every day when I was fixing his hair, he would say "Mom, I don't want curlies, they are so Bor-ring!" (that's just how he says it). I tried to tell him curls are fun and NOT boring! But he persisted and I knew he was hot... The first thing he told mimi about his haircut is that it only took mommy a minute to fix it! He was all about that!

Gabe did really well and looked super cute in the zebra print smock! He was impressed by the cool chairs and kept asking me to bounce him more on it. They both had a special ice cream treat afterwards though from their clothes it looks like most of that chocolate ice cream ended up on their outfits!

This was a big day for me. It all happened so quick and then that night in bed I was lying there, so sad. Did I really just cut my baby's hair? He is almost 3, I realize this, but he is so still my baby. I cannot believe that was his little baby hair and it is gone! I guess it's got to happen some time, I am just realizing all too quickly he is growing up and I am not ready!

more beach pics

Beach for Memorial Day

We went to Hilton Head for Memorial Day weekend. Other than a little stomach bug, we had a great time! Funny story about Gabe getting sick... He was throwing up in the middle of the night, about the 3rd time, and Jay and I were making sure he was ok . Jay said, "What's your name buddy?" He looked at Jay with the most serious look and said in the scratchiest voice, "You know what my name is!" That little personality is always shining through, even at his worst!

The boys were very into "surfing" this year like they have seen on the wonderpets. I'm including a few pics of them doing the "funkadelly" as wp call it! Jayce LOVED collecting sea shells and Gabe loved chasing birds on the beach! We enoyed a family bike ride, swimming and the pool and hanging out at the beach for hours!