Let it rain...

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

~Langston Hughes

I woke to the sound of rain pounding on the roof.

To flashes of lightening and the boom of thunder.

I snuggled deeper into my bed and sighed at the beauty of it all.

And when I finally climbed out of bed,

I raced to open the window-

to see it, to smell it, and to feel it splashing on my skin.

I love the rain.

Laughter

The best way to start any day.

Singing Along

I love music. It is the background to my life and to my day.
Lately my music mostly consists of children's songs and silly little made-up songs that Weston asks me to sing.
I am so glad that both of my boys absolutely love music.
Tave will dance and bounce along to the songs he likes. He'll even try to sing them in his little babble and humming.
Weston, well, he has started remembering the words. And it is so dang cute.
I love hearing him singing at the top of his voice to his favorite song. (The Imagine Island theme song aka the Jack song)
Both boys also love the Tarzan song (You'll be in my heart). I have sung it to Weston since he was a baby.
Now he sings along with me and it makes me cry almost every single night.
I love these boys. I love sharing something so happy and fun and uplifting together.
I am so glad that music will always be a part of our home.

Tonight

Staying up late putting together kits for Super Saturday can be a lot of fun.
You just need good friends to talk to and laugh with.
That makes all the difference.
Thanks, friends. I needed that time.

Missionary

Today is my little brother's birthday.
He turned the big 2-0 which means that for this year only all 5 of us kids will be in our twenties.
That was just a random thing I realized as I wrote him a letter.
He's in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) and is heading out to Portugal in a week and a half.
I love him and miss him.
The boys and I had so much fun putting together the package we sent him. It's exciting to know that what I wrote and made him this morning is in his hands tonight. My mom put together a tape of everyone talking and singing and just being us. I think that will be his favorite part.
He is an amazing missionary already, picking up on the language and growing so much. I love reading his letters and seeing the change, the strength and power that comes from diligence, prayer, and faith.
Heavenly Father can make so much more of us when we turn our lives over to him.
Mckenon, thank you for your example. Happy Birthday, bud. You couldn't be in a better place.

Walking

The boys and I went on a walk tonight.
It was just to the mailbox - a good distance for Tave.
I found myself hurrying them along until I realized we really didn't have anything else to do. Jeff wouldn't get home for a few more hours, dinner was done. We had all the time in the world.
So I let the kiddos set the pace.
At first it was hard to slow down. To not try to get where I needed to be and then right back.
But once I decided to just enjoy the moment, I started finding those little wonders that fascinate them, were fascinating me too.
We looked at leaves, stomped on the water covers, picked up bugs (ew ew ew ew ew) poked around the fire hydrant, and found lots of sticks.
A walk that normally takes 1 minute took at least 15.
They loved it and I did too.
I am determined to 'slow down' with my kids some part of every day. To let them lead and see where they take us.
To enjoy this walk together.

Goodbye

We said goodbye to my parents today.
And while that definitely wasn't the happiest moment of my day,
the time we have spent with them was.
Games, movies, talking, shopping, girls day, welcoming a sweet baby into the world, road trip, saying goodbye to my little bro for 2 years, row boat-ing, shooting, 4-wheeling, puppy playing, laughing, eating, and playing have filled our last month and a half.
It has been wonderful.
When I got the boys up from their naps, both of them kept looking around for Nonny & Papa. Tave was squealing for the faces he thought he would see as we came down the stairs. His look of confusion at finding an empty house almost broke my heart. And cute little Weston kept saying he wanted Nonny & Grandpa to sit by him at dinner.

I miss them already.

But we have Thanksgiving to look forward to, and all the phone calls, emails, chats, letters, and good stuff in between.
We love you, Mom & Dad.

Curious

As I type this I am wearing my glasses.
Glasses that used to be super cute. Glasses that I loved. Glasses that were not broken.
Now there is a lovely, ever so fashionable piece of masking tape holding them together. Masking tape- I know, I know- I look darling, really.
And even though it was quite painful and sad the moment it happened, I can't help but shake my head and chuckle when I picture the demise of my poor, unsuspecting (did I mention very cute) glasses.

Tave's curious little fingers just couldn't help picking up the one item mommy never, ever lets him touch.
I can still hear his adorable squeal at having escaped my view long enough to wrap his hands around them.
And those sweet, little curious fingers just had to see how much pushing and pulling the glasses could take.
It only took a minute. Well, really about 10 seconds to tweak them just right.
I held my breath for the next 3 days, hoping they would hang on and miraculously not have to be replaced.
But nope. They're done for.

And as sad as I am (I really did cry- new glasses simply are not in the budget) this lame-o piece of masking tape continually reminds me of Tave's curiosity and his excitement over any new discovery.

Even if it includes seeing how far mom's glasses can bend.