A week of slowing, day 3, EFA 3.10

Family day is in a close running for the best day of the week, only competing with Monday date nights.  Usually we all wake up spend some extra time in our pj's while we sip coffee and eat cinnamon buns.  This week we all were wide awake by 6:30 some of us had been awake for at least an hour before that.  While the last thing either Strong man and I want to do is wake that early on our family days, we did see a great opportunity to go to our favorite breakfast place.  They have cozy booths, great food served in large quantities with fantastic prices.

We ran some errands catching up on just a wee bit of life and then enjoyed a night with friends.

Gifts:
~ Camp coffee made by our besties, may be the worlds best drink.
~ Little boys who drink the last few sips and a big boy who enjoys whole cups.
~ Friends who bring safety and rest.

~ Summer dinners out on the deck.
~ Friends to share it with.
~ Conversations of the heart and conversations of nothing.

~ Secretly listening into boy conversations.
~ The smell of campfires.
~ The oldest boy a fantastic role model to the younger ones.

~ Laughter's photo eye.
~ Sitting around the campfire.
~ Baby girl being passed around.

 

A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

~ Proverbs 18:24.

A four hour break

A little over a year in a half ago my then acquaintance, Military wife, and I had a burden to build into mother and daughter relationships and encourage the daughters to live pure lives.  Without question our church gave us the green light to make this conference happen.  As we began to plan and search out speakers it quickly became obvious that WE were the speakers God had picked out.  Feeling incredibly inadequate we did it.  (Here are two blog post you can read for a quick overview of our weekend and preparation: An overview and My other half)  That was a very good but VERY intense experience for the two of us.  While we began simply as acquaintances with a similar dream, we ended forever bonded.

Three nights ago we went out to "our" restaurant just because we could.  Lately life has been kind of heavy for both of us in different ways, I think.  That night we just let it all go and for four hours we talked everything and nothing.  Mostly we just simply were and sometimes simply being is what's needed most.

Gifts...
~ Friendships formed by God.
~ Walking life together even if not often.
~ Picking up where we left off.
~ Leaving refreshed.
~ Sushi.
~ Giant chocolate chip cookies and coffee.

Gifts of May.

I am deeply loved by the King of the heavens and the earth....

~ An unexpected date with Laughter, the best part though was when he whispered in my ear, "Tanks Momma for tanking God for our date. I love you."

~ Beautiful weather for the first fishing trip of the year.

~ An easy hike to a shallow stream where the boys can remember the flow of river water, the buzz of black flies, and fun of reeling in fish.

~ Laughter the son who truly loves to fish.

~ Crystal clear water.

~ Man of the woods who much prefers brook time as a time of searching for critters and bugs rather then actually fishing.

~ The rest that the sound of a brook brings.

~ One more year older, one more year braver.

~ The perfecting ending to a perfect fishing day; ice cream for dinner.

~ Fresh grown asparagus.

~ Dandelion yellow and a little boy who loves them so.

~ New life...

~ ...And best friends...

~...And a husband who offers to leave work early on an already chaotic day so I can see both.

 ~ Long car rides with my Sis.

 ~ Being asked to go on a fishing adventure with my Dad.

~ A Dad who knows the way to this girls heart by offering unlimited steak, and well, food in general.

 

~ Short get aways with my three men.

 

~ On the 10th becoming the Momma of a school aged boy.

 

~ Spiders and flowers.



A few gifts that come along with Spring:

Sun kissed shoulders and aloe vera.

 

Daily attire that consists of underwear and puddle jumpers for the hoolies and sleeveless shirts for the Momma.

Play dates that are extended simply because.

Iced coffee.

Always on the look out for worms.

Boys begging to go fishing and Momma saying wait just a little longer (mainly because she hates cold water).

Picnic lunches.

Dirt covered boys, only recognizable by there eyes.

Open windows.

Bug bites, and splinters.

Scrapes and bruises.

Running fingers through our hair in search of ticks.

Praying we will have just one more year poison ivy free, but having cream on hand just in case.

 

Allergy medicine before bed each night for my littlest and his Momma would do well to do the same.

Peaceful sleepiness that only fresh air and warm sunshine can bring.

The day it was me and five hoolies

"I need a favor" said my Bestie, "But it is huge so take some time to think about it."

I prepared myself for the worst.

She continued on, "Do you think you could watch the boys for me?"

I died laughing, was that all she was asking?  I know these boys. For the last four years we have walked life together every single week. Our youngest sons are two months apart. Both of our families have made major life changes and we share the same heart. The husbands spend there lunch breaks at Olive Garden talking of life, and us Mommas do the same over little boy chatter and reheated coffee. We love it. When life is hard we drop what we're doing and listen to the other in cozy pubs or over the phone while we hide in the bathroom...I love these boys. I love there parents.

"No seriously take time to think it over. You would have five boys." she warned.

I agreed with the condition that along with leaving me her boys she would also leave a piping hot cup of joe.

And so she did...At 7:30 in the morning.

The day went about like this:

2 batches of banana muffins gone in 30 seconds.
My son bullied her son.
I was mortified.
All the while in the other room, the two littles decided to "clean" the tub.
My youngest got soap in his eyes.
Tears were wiped.
Hearts were healed.
Eyes were rinsed.
I took a deep breath.
A whole bag of chicken nuggets devoured.
After lunch treats were enjoyed, because "Mith Thandy always has treats."
Nerf wars.
Rest time.
Hugs and kisses.

Nothing less then I expected.  A good day with my five favorite boys.

Snow days are for...

Warm cinnamon buns and coffee.

Spontaneous visits from friends.

Conversations of motherhood while babies play.

Nerf battles and homemade pizza.

Books to be read.

Both big hearts and little hearts filled.

EFA 3.5, I dare you

I loved every season as a child.

Mud season brought small lakes to our yard to which I would used an small old cement mixer as a boat and a stick as a paddle and sailed away dreaming of real boats and real adventures.

Spring brought frog eggs, tadpoles, and the wind on my face as I raced up and down the old courty road on my bike.

Summer brought camping, fire flies, beach time, and sun burns.

Fall brought branches cracking as I tromped through the woods to the little stream on which I was always trying to create a bridge that usually washed away prett quickly.

Even though those memories are dear it's Winter that beats them all.  Those cold months ment the swap was frozen which was perfect for a little slippin' and sliding.  The marsh just on the otherside of the trees made for a nice little snow field perfect for sitting in the quiet talking with God.  Every weekend I was on the slopes with my grandfather and at least one sibling or cousin.  After every storm a building of snow was constructed.  By the end of the year we had a complete town.  The first four storms were dedicated to building each of us our own house, from there we would build a hospital, school, store, and what ever else we could think of.  When we got tired of building we would go back to our houses to renivate.  Mom would kindly fill pitcher after pitcher of water that we could dump over the walls giving them a layer of ice to slow the melting process.

This weeks family day the four of us set out to make our first ever fort. Good days good memories.

When it was time to see if she was worthy of war I began to think of how much fun it would be if our besties were around.  To which I realized that we both love a bit of compitition, so why not compete in the ability to build a snow fort? Then I got to thinkin' maybe it would be fun for the rest of the winter to improve our fort and see if our friends can do the same posting pictures with each improvement.  And then I got to thinkin' maybe it would be fun if anybody and everybody, those with kids or without kids got in on the action..

So here's me saying to you, "I dare you"... (Assuming more snow comes of course)