Can't get enough.

Of these precious littles.

Best Summer of My Life.

This summer was the best summer of my life.

I spent it with these three guys and we just had a ball.

We played, we laughed, we swam, we ate and we played some more.

We spent almost every weekend at our lake house. We spent almost every moment outside swimming and playing basketball and baseball, chatting with our friends, watching outdoor movies, making smores and taking naps.

But what I loved most about this summer, was watching these two strengthen their bond as brothers and actually become friends. They adore eachother. 

This family we have created....these people....make my world go round and I am so thankful for each of them and I look forward to many more summers spent just like this one.

My letter to Jackson on his 7th birthday.

My precious Jackson is 7 years old! 7! That's like...really really really old sounding. And he is in First Grade. "The Grades" as he calls it. OH. MY. LORD. How did this happen so fast???

Here is my letter to Jackson on his 7th Birthday:

Dear Jackson:

As I write this letter to you, you are either (a) running up and down the hallway yelling and not wearing a shirt showing your muscles and/or (b) running laps in our cul de sac because you "wants to work on your fitness for when you are drafted number one pick in the first round of the NBA." and/or (c) persuading your little brother to play whatever game you want to play at the time, all the while wrestling him to the ground or letting him win sometimes. Either way, just know I am happily rolling my eyes and grinning from ear to ear at you.

Let me tell you just a little bit about what you mean to me.

You continue to hold my heart in the palm of your hand. You challenge me daily. You bring such joy to my face and joy to my heart. You wear me the freak out. I would do anything and everything for you.

When you were born, I remember holding you and praying over you. Praying that I "wouldn't screw this up," that I "would be the mom God wanted me to be." I had no idea what I was doing, yet I felt like I knew everything. And then we left the hospital. Ha!

I love this verse: "Make him a man among men. A leader among leaders. Make him strong, resilient, brave, loving and humble. Make him a good man in a storm."

My responsibility as a mom is to show and teach my sons a life filled with the Gospel. A life filled abundantly with the Lord. I need to teach them to stand on their own two feet, but make sure they know that they are never alone in anything they do because God is with them always.

I want you to know Jackson that you are gentle, yet firm. Kind, yet full of leadership. And empathetic beyond all comprehension. You just KNOW people. You just understand feelings. And you just KNOW how to interact and teach people and love people and bring people together...you are just so amazing.

I just know, Jackson, that you are a game changer. You will do great things. You will move mountains. You will lead others to greatness through your ability to adapt and really SEE the world around you. My heart bursts with pride every time I see your face. No matter what you choose to do in life, just know that I will always be there to cheer you along. 

Your dad and I went to a Nickel Creek concert a few weeks ago. When he and I were dating he used to play their music for me all of the time. What's funny is there is this one song that I always thought of as a "relationship" song...but as I heard the band sing it at the concert it hit me that the song had evolved into a song about my children. Here are some of the lyrics:

"When You Come Back Down"

-When you're soaring through the air

I'll be your solid ground.

Take every chance you dare

I'll still be there

When you come back down.

When you come back down.

-And I'll be on the other end, To hear you when you call

Angel, you were born to fly If you get too high

I'll catch you when you fall

I'll catch you when you fall.

My sweet buddy. I love you so! And I wish you the Happiest of Birthdays. 

With all of my love,

Mommy

Walker's First Day of Preschool!

After almost 7 years of having my kiddos at the same Mother's Day Out (and driving ridiculous amounts of miles and spending too much time carpooling everyone to their schools and trying to get to my office in between there), I decided to move Walker to a different school for Preschool which is closer to Jackson's school and my office. He started at Erna Crouch yesterday and it was so stinking cute!

 We talked up the new school and his backpack for a long time leading up to this day. Jackson has always been my independent, "peace out mom," kiddo. Never crying when I left him anywhere, always happy to be social and meet new people. Walker, on the other hand, is a bit more cautious when it comes to these things so I have learned to prepare him a bit more for new people and things. Needless to say, he was PUMPED about his new school.

 All four of us rode together to go and drop Walker off for his first day. I mean...pull at my heartstrings they are all so cute.

 Jackson was so very encouraging to Walker and was so excited to get to go with us to take Walker to school. And Walker was super excited to have Jackson with us as well. Walker has a locker in his classroom and you are supposed to bring a family pic to put in the locker so they will know which one is their locker. Walker chose a pic of he and Jackson to put in his locker...it was really sweet.

 Off he goes! I mean...doesn't he look like he is off to kindergarten??????

 Jackson doesn't start school until this next Monday, so he and I had a morning together. I took Jackson to get his first pedicure...basically because I needed and wanted one so I convinced him he wanted one too.

 It was one of the most entertaining mornings ever. He chatted it up with all of the nail techs and when he couldn't understand what they were saying he just rolled with it and kept talking about basketball.

When we picked up Walker at 11:30 we peeked in his room and he was sitting on the carpet with his class and they were singing songs. I was awestruck staring at my baby boy and seeing how grown up he looked. I was also proud that he was actually sitting on the carpet and not running around the room like a wild banshee like he normally does all of the time at home! Ha! He said he had so much fun and said he can't wait to go back today. Yay!!! I took this pic last night as we were reading books in my bed. I just feel so grateful to get to spend my life with these boogers.

Monkey See Monkey Do

When I had Walker I worried that because Jackson and Walker were not super duper close in age that they might not have that "bond" I had hoped they would. Isaiah and Jackson were only 20 months apart and to go from having two kiddos that close in age to an age gap of 4 and a half years, I just hoped and prayed that Walker and Jackson would be buddies like I know Isaiah and Jackson were and would have continued to be. 

I can not even express how amazing Jackson and Walker's bond is. It's like they are just far enough apart that Jackson rarely gets annoyed with Walker, but just close enough in age that now they can actually play games together, have cute conversations with eachother, and hang together pretty darn well.

Walker will do WHATEVER Jackson tells him to do....and Jackson is TOTALLY aware of this, but....It's really cute to see them interact together. He copies basically everything Jackson says. He mimics his every move. And when Jackson is not with us there is the constant, "Where Jackson go? I want Jackson here. Where Jackson go Mommy? Where Jackson go Mommy?" Sometimes I respond with, "I don't know Walker, where is Jackson?" Which is met with the correct answer as to where Jackson is. I think Walker just likes saying Jackson's name.

I love watching Walker copy EVERYTHING Jackson says or does. (Yes, at times it is annoying! But it still makes me laugh!) He wants to be big so bad and Jackson reminds Walker on the daily that when he "gets big like Jackson, that Jackson will help show him how do play baseball, make friends, etc."

This summer has been one of the best summers of my entire life. I have loved having "adventures" with my boys and watching them grow, learn and interact. I love how even in pictures you can see how Walker wants to be just like his brother!

He even wants to dress just like Jackson. This was at the zoo last week and we looked over and Walker had taken Jackson's hat, turned it backwards and put Jackson's sunglasses on. Upside down. So stinking cute.

And then there was this....after a long morning and early afternoon of playing with friends at the downtown splash pad I looked back and I saw this. My heart melted into a puddle of mush. I am so thankful that we decided to try again after Isaiah died and have another baby. And I thank God for these precious moments between brothers!

Camp Bastone Pics

When we were at the lake in June for Camp Bastone we had a woman come and take photographs of us. I think they turned out so great! It was flipping hot as all get out and everyone (Walker) started having meltdowns super early on, but the pics all look great! Love these people and feel so blessed to be a part of this special family!

Road Trip!

My peeps and I are headed to Colorado soon and I had to look back on one of the first trips we took as a family to Colorado. Jackson was ALMOST one and we rented a house in Breckenridge and just had the best time as a family.

I look back at these pictures and I think of all that yet to come for our family. The love, the loss and the love...all with the ever faithful presence of God by our side. 

Even though we have been to Colorado numerous times since this first trip, I am looking forward to this particular trip with my boys because it is just the four of us. We are driving (13 hours, EEK!), and I feel like our kids are at the age where we can all enjoy eachother and explore and laugh and love and just have the best time.

Here is to many more vacations and many more Colorado trips as a family of four!