Januaryyyyy

Wow, the rhythm of writing has left my senses. I love this chance to walk back through, peeking around corners of my mind that have long fell into shadow and dust. I don't have the best memory, but taking pictures has become for me my way to document and recall so many more detail than I would remember without them. I don't have a 'genius' level photographic memory, but I do have one. The kind where you can pull up an image and read off of it or recall details from a page based on location in the book or text surrounding. Changing to digital pages is a difficult adjustment for those us who are tactile learners in many ways.

But I digress: today it is April 9, 2020. I have let these memories sit&wait to be collected into a volume because life became hectic and there was less time to concentrate on it. Also, Apple did me the 'favor' of no longer needing to upload my photos- one day y'all will be reading this and laugh that we had to connect our cameras to our computers to upload our data. It just floats there on the inter webs or clouds or whatever. So now, I don't have a hard stop to go through my photos. They just appear, and I have yet to learn how to stop and go back through them for my blog.

Boys, my apologies. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to keep up more closely with documenting our lives because I think (I hope) you'll love it one day. I know I will; especially when I can remember even less than I do now. I know you will love it, because you grab these volumes of our family books, claim different ones as 'your own' and flip the pages, laughing those deep happy laughs of contentment. I hope you get a little taste for how much I absolutely love you by reading these in years to come, and I hope you hear how much the Lord did for us. He has truly given us all we have, and brought us through. Remember your story, son. It matters & you get to tell it one day. I hope you remember the faithfulness of our God.

Without further ado, January 2019!

We set up a tv for the boys video games in our sunroom. Things are growing up around here, & I kinda love it. Despite how much I loved the 'train table' ages.

January 1 - New Years' day we spent together eating ham & collard greens & black eyed peas. I got to use my new instapot from Christmas, and it was delicious. We invited one of Matt's young life guys over to celebrate, and he spent the day. We took our new jeep to the beach and drove down to where we were just about the only people. 5 boys in this picture & no better way to start the year.

Winter beak from school & my young life girls & I spending time together! We went roller skating & spent an evening at a trampoline park. Honestly so much fun! I love getting to spend time with them; they are a huge blessing to me.

Play ground hang outs with our buddies are the best.

St. Augustine riding the tourist trolley! haha, the boys were dying to do this forever, and so we went when the night of lights was still up! It is one of my favorite times of year to visit downtown. David & his favorite movie quote, "I love superhero- the power, the costumes, the mythic struggle!" I hope I never forget his sweet little voice!! The.best.

James asked for a Pokemon party, and we had a blast! He had a ton of friends come over, and he got to play the pokemon card game with them. Luckily, my sis's boyfriend Brennan taught us how to play the card game over the holidays when they visited, or I would have been lost! It was great- he made the 'game decks' of cards for us and James got to teach his friends. Honestly, he is such a lucky kid to have friends celebrate with him! and of course Mimi's cake... That always makes the day!!

A pokeball number '9' on his birthday shirt and a pokeball fruit tray. We have toned down our themed party things, but it is still fun!

Mimi made the top of the cake into a pokeball, and then, when James cut it, IT WAS A POKEBALL INSIDE! I don't know how she did it, but we will never forget it!

The boys played a season of upward basketball (that left Matt&I scarred for life), and they had a great time. They had never played basketball before, but loved it. Hayden lost both of his front teeth during this season, and I love that toothless smile!!

Our birthday boy. So grown up!

2019 was the year we bought all you boys nice bikes! James wanted a black bike, so we were more motivated by color than any other criteria. We found a great bike at REI for him, and a black helmet to top it off. James says his favorite color is black; I blame lego batman. To take the bike out on its first ride, they rode up to dairy queen to pick out his ice cream cake!

We took the boys to Topgolf on James actual birthday. It was a blast & started one of their favorite traditions. They love going for their daddy's birthday too!

David on James' shoulder: adorable. He wasn't bothered, he was being the DJ.

I absolutely love the joy in these pictures. We love you so much James!!

Being a stay at home mom is great because you get to chaperone field trips! Making these memories with my boys never ceases to humble me.

Climbing a tree & some basketball season pics.

Hayden lost these two front teeth in such a hurry- I love doing this side-by-side of his single tooth and then double loss!

I started the year off with two really great books- I highly recommend both! 'The Mystery of Catastrophe' really set me straight on some misplaced ideas I had about the Lord. I have to submit myself to his ultimate authority & sovereignty. And the mystery is that somewhere in submission to His will, you find the peace to sustain in any catastrophe. The second book, 'You Who - Why you matter and how to deal with it' was also incredibly timely. The Lord really used it to point out to me some areas of my life where I wasn't aware that I had let culture dictate my philosophy on my self, as opposed to what the Bible says about the self. I am thankful that I can navigate and recognize when the lie of the enemy sneaks into the messages of 'christian women's authors' who don't actually write biblical truth. Keep searching hard for truth boys.

The annual YL Dodgeball tournament! Our Orange Park team + our older boys.

My sweet little David, just couple of days before his 3rd birthday. I adore all my boys, but seeing them sleeping when they are little like this is one of my favorites. You look like a little angel, but in waking moments you are anything but, ha!

Lord, thank you for time&space to recount these gifts. They come from you. amen.