Mind you this weekend those moments were mostly breathed with the smell of spray painting fumes, but they were still there.
We knew that God was having us make some big transitions at the beginning of the year, but I don't think we quite knew what we were signing up for. Story of our lives : )
In the past 4 or so months we have:
- started our oldest in kindergarten and dealt with all the crazy transitioning that involves
- Chris has started a new position as a supervisor within his company which requires more work time and mental focus
- Committed to be involved in an Acts 29 church plant
- Chris started leading worship for the church plant (which involves practice once a week, picking out songs and planning another night and then showing up early on Sundays and playing)
- Had our second baseball season of which Chris helped coach
- Day time potty trained Jack (at not even 2 1/2 I'm not pushing nights)
- Did 3 weddings with CupKates (one of which was in Hilton Head), and then started saying no a lot
- Transitioned both of the boys into sleeping in the same room
- Almost completely painted baby girl's room
- I committed to writing or organizing the curriculum for our children's ministry each week
- Sorted out and in the process of getting rid of all our baby boy clothes
- Are mid way through the process of refinishing the dresser, crib and chair for baby girl's room.
And I think I'm forgetting a few things. It's been crazy and exhausting and fabulous all at the same time.
However there is only so long you can go so hard without eventually burning out. And we were pretty dang close. All right I won't lie, with all the pregnancy hormones, I was totally there.
And then there was Thanksgiving. Josh had the week off and Chris took two days off so we had 5 wonderful days together to rest and get some things done. We had probably one of the most laid back Thanksgiving days I remember ever having. It was just our family and there was no schedule or pressure. I still cooked a meal big enough for 10 (and didn't cook again that weekend!) but it wasn't stressful at all.
Even though life is still kind of crazy we are both getting used to the craziness and figuring out how to have even better boundaries with our time (and say no!). We try to make the most of our down time and are learning to let some things slide.
The boys have done amazingly well amidst all the transition. Josh finally found a routine with school about October. He reads like a champ and is doing well with his writing. We still have some rough days here and there but it's usually linked to lack of sleep and the fact that he is too social for his own good! Seriously, just about every where we go Josh knows someone. He's enjoyed mom going through what he'll learn on Sunday with him ahead of time, and has been memorizing the scripture to go along with it without any problem. He has John 17:17 down.
We were in baby girls room and I was painting while he was playing with Iron Man. I had on a Matt Chandler podcast and pause it for some reason. He told me "don't turn it off, I want to learn more about God". Love it.
Jack has amazed me. He's been doing wonderfully with potty training. I was some what dreading putting both of them in the same room. I had in my mind that it would be bad and they would keep each other up and neither one of them would get enough sleep, and neither would Chris or I. I've been amazed at what a smooth transition it has been. What a blessing. And much of it is because of little man's easy going personality, and his adoration for his older brother.
I love that God is so much smarter than I am. I thought it would be perfect to have a girl in the middle of two boys. I'm glad He knew better! I'm so grateful for the special relationship those two have. Josh calls Jack his "best brother", a combination of brother and best friend.
Hopefully I'll have more moments for this. I miss blogging, the outlet it provides and the record I have of where we are in life. I hate the feeling that life is flying by and I'm not getting enough time with my boys at this very brief stage with them. At the same time I know we are called to much of what we're involved in and can't say no to much else either. Maybe this is just the classic strain of early parenthood.
Praying for more moments.
