Where Was I...

I’m just going to jump right in and pretend that it hasn’t been nearly a year since I posted anything.  Humor me and pretend that the only things of note in the last 10 months or so were that Jameson turned 2 (He’ll be 3 in 15 days) and that we moved. 

If that were really the case, then I wouldn’t be so overwhelmed by even starting down this road.  Truth is, I feel like we have lived through enough stuff in the last 10 months to spread out over a decade and still feel like life was full.  So, I’ll start fresh, and work my way back.  I can’t say that I , personally, would hate to forget any of it (some of it, I definitely would) but its important for my kids to realize what absolute rock stars there parents are so bit by bit I’ll get to it.



It was 8 years ago that Josh and our friend Sean drove from Utah to Wisconsin (I flew with a nearly 2 year old Will and a 2 month old Isaac) to begin our time at MCW.  Sean drove Josh’s Maxima (which we don’t have anymore) and Josh drove our 4-Runner (which we also don’t have anymore) with a little U-Haul trailer attached to it.  Fast forward 8 years, and we managed to acquire a lot more junk, and even a couple more kids.  So after 8 long years in Wisconsin we loaded up this moving truck with Josh’s new car being towed on the back on a trailer, and I drove the kids in the minivan as we set out on our two day drive to our new home in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina!



(our rental house)

I think I’ll do better to not forget anything important if I actually catch up the blog by going back to just after Jameson’s birthday and filling in the details from there.  I’d like to say that life has settled and calmed down now that the move is behind us and Josh has started in the hospital, but that just so not true.  If you’re dying to know how we got from Jameson turning to, Charleston, stay tuned!

Home Sweet Home

Early this morning I drove Josh to the airport.  He is going to watch his sister get married in Belize.  If all goes well, he’ll get to spend a few days relaxing at the beach on a tropical island.  I thought I would feel jealous as I pulled away, and he walked through the doors.  Instead though, I felt grateful to be heading back to my life.  My kids.  My home.  As hard as some days, weeks, months, even years have been in motherhood, I cannot deny the fact that there is nothing I’d rather be doing, and nowhere else I’d rather be than right where my kids are.  Would a break every now and then be nice…absolutely!  but it was an awesome feeling to know that where I am and what I am doing is exactly what is supposed to be happening.  That is peace.

Jameson Turns 2, in Pictures

 

Jameson’s favorite dinner is definitely pizza, so of course, for his birthday, we had pizza.

Here, he looks pretty happy about me lighting the candle

Here he appears to be thinking, “What the crap, lady?!  Get your own candle!”  This happened months ago, so I can’t be certain, but I’m pretty sure I had a good reason for stealing his birthday thunder by blowing out his candles.  Hmm…or I’m a terrible mother, but definitely one of those two things

The candle debacle was a distant memory when he ate his cupcake

Has anyone else noticed that it becomes nearly impossible to get a decent picture of kids when they pass the age of 5?

Presents! (a.k.a terror in a neatly wrapped package for unsuspecting family members)

It all started innocent (and safe) enough.  Jameson loves balls right now, so he got a lot of them for his birthday.   

I saved the best gift for last, or at least I thought so.  Look how ridiculously excited I was for him to open his tee ball set.

It started out fine.  Here he is, eye on the ball, ready to swing…

Then things take a turn.  His testosterone surges with all of this manly ball playing, causing Josie and I to cower in the corner as he begins pounding that bat around King Kong style

Will does his best to protect Josie from his crazy

but survival instincts kick in…Nowhere safe.  Scatter!

Happy birthday, J-Man!  We love you with the same passion and fervor that you terrorize us with! 

*A few words about my two year old little guy.  As a mom you tend to inwardly compare your experiences with your kids.  i.e.: this one looks like this one at this stage, or this one sleeps like this one, etc.  Jameson is a lot like Will at this age.  Will was not exactly easy as a toddler, likewise, neither is Jameson.  Will and I went on a journey together, and I know a journey waits for me and J.  Interestingly, he and Will share a very special bond.  Will has told me numerous times on days that he is struggling or having a hard time, that he needs to see Jameson, because J always makes him happy.  When Will walks in the door from school Jay stops anything he is doing to give Will a hug.  They just get each other.  Jameson is my most outwardly loving kid of them all.  This boy loves to give long, lingering snuggles, and kisses to his family.  He always runs up and greets you with complete excitement when he sees you.  He is smart.  He is active. He climbs, oh how he climbs!  He loves Curious George, and Mickey Mouse.  He is silly.  He is pure.  He is a blessing, and I love him with my whole heart.

Football!

Will had his first game of the season today.  This is his second year playing, and it is amazing the difference a year can make. Last year he was one of the youngest on the team, and didn’t see that much playing time.  Today, he played both sides of the ball, nearly the whole game.  Even when he was supposed to be on the sidelines while another group was out, the head coach would yell for Brown to come in, because he is such an awesome blocker, and tackler.  On offense he plays center, not really the position you think of when you see Will, but he is the only kid who isn’t scared of the line men and can hold his blocks in order to keep his QB safe.  The best part is seeing him give everything out there and then get to reap the rewards of performing well.

While Will was fighting off this kid to reach the runner…

The rest of my crew were doing this.  I was grateful that we had a big thunderstorm roll through and gift us with these puddles, because I didn’t know how else to occupy them for two 40 minute halves.

Way to go #8!  You were awesome today!

Best Walk of the Summer

 

We took a lot of walks over the summer, but this one was probably the best.  The boys are back in school!  The first week went better than it usually does.  Their attitudes about it have been good, and even though they would deny this upside down and inside out, they seem to be happier now that they’ve gone back.  Overall, life got better around our house this week.  It may be better for some than others.

We may have lost the boys this week, but we gained our dad!  For two solid years Josh has had the pedal to the metal finishing his PhD, and now completing his 3rd year of medical school.  Finally, after all this time, some of the insane pressure he’s been under has been lifted, and he has more time to be at home.  I’m proud of him for getting through it, and accomplishing so much.  We welcome our daddy home!

It may sound crazy, but him being able to just sit and hold his sleeping daughter wouldn’t have been possible even a week ago, so it’s a real treat that he can now.  Even with all that time away, he hasn’t missed a beat. 

Here he is, running a baseball game in the front yard.  Never mind the rain, they were making up for lost time!

I, however, did mind the rain, so these pictures were snapped through the sliver between trees from the front door.  Don’t judge me for not jumping in—while he has been working for two straight years someone had to constantly be with these stinkin’ kids!  I’m happy to make room for him. 

So Much…Too Much = Too Long

 

Whew!  Between now and the last time I wrote, so much  has happened.  I suppose that is to be expected when you don’t write for months and months.  This post has been weighing on me for some time now.  It’s been like that feeling I get when I know I need to schedule a dentist appointment or it’s time to renew car registrations.  Just yucky.  Not because life is yucky, but because I know I’ve already missed too much and I won’t have the energy to actually write it all, so it’s yucky to know I’ll just gloss over things.  Too many things, big things, like:  Josie turned 3, and Isaac turned 7,  Josh became a real life brain scientist—Dr. Brown, it’s official, Jameson turned 2, and Will turned 9, and Josh turned 33.  It all just happened.  Boom!  Just like that.  My whole family got older…except for me (suckas )

How did it happen?  First, Josie left my camera on the ground.  I, not thinking for one second that it would be under my foot, stepped on it and broke it.  No pictures make for boring blogs.  Second, the boys were rough housing while watching football highlights on the computer, and yanked the whole darn thing to the ground.  Broken computer makes posting, umm, impossible.  Third, I’m too tired most nights to care.  That’s right, I said it, I know I should be all broken up about not keeping a better record for posterity sake, but on some days, my current posterity makes me feel like most of this is just best forgotten.  (I kid, kind of)

So, in order of occurrence:

Josie turned 3.  Her birthday was nearly 4 months ago, and I can’t even remember what we did yesterday, so the details may be sketchy.  I’m sure it was filled with fun, and laughter.  I guarantee she loved her presents, although I can’t remember even one thing we gave her so…Happy Birthday, Jo!

What I can say is that Josie is a little momma, through and through.  She follows me everywhere.  I try to sneak away, but she is quickly at my heels calling out, “Hey Mom! (all angry like) Where are you going?”  She bosses her brothers around all the time, and they are pretty good to just listen to her.  If you don’t, it can get ugly.  She spends her days riding her scooter, or her bike, and playing hopscotch outside.  She is definitely the princess and the diva in our house.  We love her!

Isaac turned 7.  I’m going to say ditto to what I wrote about Josie’s b-day to describe Isaac’s, only Isaac probably didn’t love all of his gifts.  I’m sure we disappointed him some how.  Comes with the territory when you have a 7 year old kid who includes a two-seater go-cart on his wish list.  I don’t even know where to start to describe Isaac right now.  He is smart as a whip.  Clever and quick.  All of which make him awesome and oh-so-rotten at the same time.  He is tenacious, and does everything full steam.  When Josh and I watch him play football, or hit a golf ball or swing a baseball bat he never ceases to amaze us with all the power he can put into it.  Best I can figure is it’s a middle child thing.  A lot of pent up aggression from not being heard or seen near as much as you want.  I can safely say that, I’m a middle child too.

As for the rest of the list, to be continued.  The worst part about this hiatus is not that I missed the big things.  One day, when Josie is 25, we will know that she turned 3 at the appropriate time in history.  So what if I don’t remember the presents she got!  The worst part is missing all of the small things in life that make you laugh, scream, cry, sigh, and feel grateful to be able to do it.  So, I leave tonight with one of those. 

The other day, I was in the bathroom getting ready, and Josh walked in to blow his nose.  He picked up a roll of toilet paper from the sink.  This particular role had obviously gotten wet and then dried at some point.  This conversation then followed:

Josh:  What happened to this toilet paper?

Me:  It got wet (with a devilish look flashing across my face)

Josh then proceeds to unravel some from the role, and then pauses…

Josh:  What kind of wet?

To which I answer with a smirk, raised eyebrows and a shrug of my shoulders, as a rambunctious two year old scurries under our feet.

I knew what kind of wet, and I love that we have been blessed to be in a position where our lives cause us to pause and wonder if we are blowing our noses on toilet water soaked toilet paper.  It’s exciting isn’t it?!