"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands" Prov. 14:1

The mother's of our church all received a booklet for mother's day entitled "A Safe Haven. Construction Materials for the Christian Home" by Francie Taylor and just the introduction made me stop and think by simply asking me two simple questions:

1. Would you consider yourself to be a wise "homebuilder"?

2. Have you ever considered making a concentrated effort to slow down life in your home?

BAM. What a slap in the face. I'm not sure if I am a "wise homebuilder" and "what? slow down....who has time to slow down"?????? WHEN do I have time to slow down.

Then I realized I did make a point to SLOW DOWN about a month ago.

I do have the time...I was just filling it up with something else!

I used to be SO obsessed with keeping my house spotless. Every night it was the same routine: get off work, go pick up Camden in Lindale, drive home to Chandler, start preparing dinner, start more laundry/finish laundry, vacuum the floors, mop the floors, eat dinner, bath Camden, feed Camden, put Camden to bed, sweep and mop again (dinner somehow always found it's way to the floor) finish up the remaining laundry, shower and then it was bed time.

REPEAT.

Then I realized...where in the world in all of that time did I spend time with my family? That's when it hit me. THIS is OUR time together. I was so stuck in "this needs to be done, the floors need to be mopped, the kitchen counter is dirty, the laundry isn't finished" that I didn't stop to look at the BIG picture. My little boy is literally growing up in front of my eyes and I'm wasting my time doing mundane tasks that don't mean anything the next day because I simply just start all over as if it had never been done. I didn't sit down and relax with my husband because I was always too busy doing everything else that the only time I slowed down was when it was bed time and we were sleeping. Life is about those precious moments spent with the ones you love the most and I was missing out and I hated that.

So guess what. I still have a clean house....but I don't mop and vacuum EVERY SINGLE DAY. We still have clean laundry but I don't do it everyday, the kitchen is clean but I don't always put up my dishes right away, sometimes I let Camden stay up a little later than usual (if he's having a good day) just so we can spend those extra moments with him.

That time is now well spent on filling our house with laughter as we play on the floor with Camden, dozing off on the couch and watching "our shows" with my precious husband, and my new found favorite, sitting on the floor folding laundry with Camden simply to watch him unfold it right behind me...I can't help but laugh at him because he just giggles and thinks he's the funniest thing ever.

This tiny little book has definitely caught my attention and I am so thankful for the sweet little gift from our church. Question #2 = continuous work in progress. I still haven't quite answered the first question yet, but i'll be working on that with the help of this "gift" from God :)

There's a 'nake in the wake!

A couple weekends ago Tony and I kept my niece and nephew overnight along with our son Camden. Let me just tell you.....it was interesting. Rylan is 3, Cason is 11 months and Camden is 7 months. AM I CRAZY? Maybe a little...but we had fun!

Rylan sometimes has a "listening problem" and I'm not quite sure if she is ignoring you on purpose or if sometimes she just goes off into la la land. I'm really starting to think it's the latter because she has such an imagination that I think it just runs wild sometimes!

Cason is so laid back it's unbelievable. He just sort of sits there and minds his own business, plays well by himself and is generally a happy baby considering all he has been through in such a short lifetime- acid reflux, severe eczema flair ups, countless ear infections and a not so fun hospital stay...it really is amazing that he is SO happy all the time.

Then there's Camden. Our busy body, into everything, babbling, stubborn, active little boy. He's a happy little boy but that little attitude of his can turn on a dime- I try and say he gets it from his daddy but I know that's just not true haha. I told my sister before she left that her children would be the easy ones ;)

So we ate dinner. The boys ate in shifts (only one booster chair!) but they didn't seem to mind. We had toys strung all over the house, countless easter eggs were scattered in the living room, it looked like a tornado had hit, but they were enjoying themselves. Rylan was so excited about going down to the "wake" to catch the fish with her red cup! The "wake" (Lake) is actually our pond. I told her she probably wouldn't catch very many fish with her little red cup and told her she needed a fishing pole. That's when I was volunteered to buy her a "pishin' pole so she can catch the pish for Poppy". I told her to ask her daddy ;) (you're welcome, Daniel!) Uncle Tony spotted a baby snake in the pond (eeeeeek!) so we then had to really keep an eye on the kids and how close they were to the water and the surrounding area. Rylan then proceeded to talk about the " 'nake in the wake. " all evening. She makes me laugh....when you say it out loud it sounds like you're speaking a different language.

Saturday consisted of morning cartoons, playing outside, Rylan and Uncle Tony washing my car, me and the boys playing with a ball in the grass and laughing, laughing, laughing. We had such a great time. All the kids left around noon (including Camden) to head to my sisters for ANOTHER slumber party.

Yes, it was her turn to enjoy the luxury of 3 children. Tony and I were headed to Arlington with our friend Brynne and my parents to go to a ball game and watch the TIGERS play the Rangers (we...as in detroit, won!)

All in all it was a GREAT weekend. Personally, I can't see myself having 3 children that close in age. I'm not sure how people do it! Pretty sure I wanna stick with the magic number 2 ;)

Family

The love I feel for my little family is indescribable. I always knew I was a family person but never really knew how much "FAMILY" meant to me until I actually had one of my own. I get that "wow" factor every time I think of those two perfect men in my life.

I say "perfect" because Tony is PERFECT for ME. I believe God chose him especially for me, to be my partner, my one true love, to counteract my personality and mold us together as one. I can't get over the love that I feel for that man.....

Love is always being able to love that person, no matter their flaws.

Love is knowing that no matter how bad a day I'm having, HE is there for me when I get home.

Love is having patience in dealing with difficulty and trials that come our way.

Love is that sweet feeling and peace I get when I'm with him.

Love is being able to sit in silence and have the best conversation ever.

Love is worth the waiting for.

Love is US.

I say "perfect" about Camden because he is TRULY perfect in every possible way. I love him more than I could have ever thought possible. HE is me and Tony wrapped up in one. God couldn't have blessed us with a more amazing little boy and I make sure and thank him each and every night for that special gift.

I love the sound of him and his daddy playing.

I love that sweet "belly laughs" he gives as his daddy is tickling him.

I love the little babbling he does has he is playing with his toys, the doors, or the cabinets.

I love that he cries "ma-ma" when he is sad.

I love that no matter how bad of a day I'm having, one smile and it all washes away.

I love that when I pick him up from my Aunts, he lets out this excited laugh and crawls to me.

I love our bed time routine where he falls asleep on me each night.

I love laying on the floor and becoming a personal jungle gym.

I love that when he gets excited he starts kicking his legs and flapping his arms.

I know he has to grow up but I wish it could stay like this forever. It makes me so sad that one chapter is already coming to a close....the "toothless smile" chapter. My baby is now about to be sporting two pearly white bottom teeth. It is bittersweet and makes me cherish each and every moment with him, be it BIG or small.

He was dedicated to the Lord this past Sunday and it was such a humbling experience for us as parents. It is up to US to guide him in the right direction. It is up to US to provide the lessons he needs to know about God and life. It is up to US to be Christ-like examples so that one day our son will come to know God when he is ready. I continuously pray that God shows our little family the way. That he continuously teaches Tony and I how to be that great example that Camden deserves. I pray that our little boy grows up in a loving, compassionate, devout Christian home. He deserves nothing less than that and I am prepared to dive head first into this next chapter of our sweet little life.