Playtime with PA

I love watching videos of my boys playing. Here is some footage of playtime with Pa. These boys love their Pa, and Brady always wants to go to Pa's house. The funniest thing is that my dad is always teaching him new stuff. The other day he was trying to teach him the phrase "Okie Dokie" and every time Brady says "Donkey Donkey" -- it is so funny. That is typical of what he does, when he learns new words he substitutes words he already knows. Tonight he met a boy named Dougy and he called him Duckie - easy mistake.

Awesome or Scary

Here is one of the many street performers we saw in New York. This guy was giving it his all and I couldn't decide whether it was awesome or scary! This is for peoples cash - what would God want us to do for people's souls?

NYC

I heart NY for sure. Tony and I had a quick trip to the big apple to do some missionary stuff and to spend some time with some people we love (mostly each other). While we were there we were able to run into his youth pastor and one of our heros Doug Reed. We always try to do something we've never done before, unfortuneatly this time Tony wanted to go to a Yankees game -- ug that is all I have to say. I grew up a Baltimore fan and have therefore HATED the Yankees but I like to do things Tony wants. They were playing the Orioles so I was hoping for an Os win but not this time. Before the game we ate at this Greek diner and had great Gyros. The next day we got to do things for me. First we met up with some of him high school youth group friends and saw a part of their city. Jeremy and Ritt are working so hard to do something significant in Forest Hills and peoples lives are being changed. I have so much respect for them and what they are doing. It made my heart was so happy to see my pal SHmal and her boy Judah who was one of Brady's first pals. It was the only time I was sad my boys weren't there with us, they would have loved playing with Judah and Carter. Afterward we headed back to Manhattan. We had dinner at Carmines as recommended by P.Dan and then saw the musical Hairspray. We had great tix and enjoyed it very much. It was a great time. We even got to stay in the city in a fantastic hotel right across from Madison Square Garden. Getaways are the best and Saturday morning I was so excited to hang out with my boys.

Brady and his Bwankie

For our Montana shower one of Tony's best friends growing up, Lisa, gave Brady a nice soft blanket that is tan and white. It quickly became his most treasured possession. For a while he called it his Nigha Night. It is very common for boys to clinge to some form of security, whether it be a blanket or a pacifier or a stuffed animal. They say it helps them learn to cope with emotions because it can be a constant in an ever changing world. Mac also has a blanket that is soft and blue and Brady often times steals it to make him cry. Recently Brady has developed the perfect way to hold his blanket. He wraps it around his pointer finger. Sometimes he makes a loop for his finger. The cutest thing is that the other day he and Mac were sitting together and Brady made Mac a loop for his finger - sharing his blankie. If that isn't true love, I don't know what is. Today I asked him who his best friend was and without delay he said MAC - I asked "what about me?" and he reassured me that he loved me by gently stroking my checks but that Mac was his best friend. It is so precious when the are good to each other.

The Roller Coaster Ride of Motherhood

Since Mother's Day I've been processing all that it is for me to be a mom personally. It is something I've always wanted to be and something that I love very much. In fact I wouldn't trade it for anything. However, I also feel like it is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. The title of this blog happens to be the theme for my MOPS (mothers of pre schoolers) group next semester and I can not think of a better way to describe it. The thing I love most about it is the opportunity to be there for my boys almost all the time. It is such a precious feeling knowing that I make them feel better, I set everything right in their little world and if I can't fix it, no one can. I love being their world and making their life happy. I love calming fears and kissing tears. I love picking them up each day and telling them how much I love them and how glad I am to have them a part of my life. They bring me joy and laughter every day. They love me and listen to me every day. I am their mom, and I am so proud to be so.

On the flip side:
The hardest part about being a mom (for me) is the range of emotions I feel every day. It is so exhausting. There is a lot of work but everyone works - it is the emotional highs and lows that I find the most difficult. At some point every day my boys push me to the point of frustration, even to the point of anger. Every day I exercise extreme patience, I would even say supernatural patience (because I know it's not in me). In some instances I feel like I am faking it, that I am just faking being patient to keep things from getting worse. However, some days I don't make it - I can't fake it and I loose it. I yell. I get angry. I over react. It is in these moments that I feel so disappointed in myself and that is a hard thing to deal with. Thankfully I have never said anything that I regret. I've never said anything mean to my boys or husband, but I've acted in ways that I am ashamed of. It just can be so difficult correcting the same things over and over, especially when Brady hurts Mac. Before I had kids I hardly ever got angry, I would go days even weeks without getting worked up and now every day I am confronted with some form of this emotion, it is difficult to process. It is hard not to be upset with myself for feeling it too, so for me this is the hardest, it is this that makes me so thankful for the Lord's grace and I pray that he helps me to be more like him everyday.
This video was taken on Sunday. Tony had to leave for a service early and Mac didn't get to see him before he left. While we were getting ready for church he went to our glass door and was calling "Da Da" 20 times or so. I tried to grab the camera to film it for Tony but got there too late and got a video of what we call "Mackie Do meltdown" - it's so precious how a little love makes him feel so much better - uh the power of mommy's love. He's so precious, despite the cryfest. Please don't think I'm cruel for filming this, it happens all day long and I think makes an unplanned illustration of my point.

Cola Champagne

I found something I haven't tasted in a decade -- a delightful Latin American drink known as Cola Champagne. It is an orange cream soda that I was introduced to while working with Castillo del Rey in El Salvador. It imprinted a fantastic memory of one of my early missions trips with the Triplets. Now thanks to Goya, I can purchase it in Wal Mart. Put it in plastic bag and we have a real Latin American moment right here in central PA. (pictures 1995 me, Pastor Jamie&Kim, Don Champion, Allie Weaver/Parker, Christine Rittner/Sweeten, Jeremy George Krebs, El Salvador)

My Kids and their funny words

Okay so every time my boys say a funny word I want to write it down and share it with the world but goodness I am so busy/tired I forget. So here are some so I can remind them of these funny moments when the are teenagers. Some of Brady's words have replaced the real word in our family vocabulary.
Brady's Funny words
Sandwich = hamwich
remote = mamote
legs = wegs
yellow = yeyo
blankie = bwankie
sleep = sweep
think = sink
i love you = i wuv you
i don't know = i'ont know (always accompanied by a shoulder shrug)
ice cream = ikream
M&Ms = m's
music = muskick
crocodile = coo coo greyu
Frosted mini wheats used to have Shrek on them so now they are forever called Shreks
It's really funny when he recreates my pep talks that I give him for me - like when I use the bathroom and he encourages me and cheers when I am done - using the same words and phrases
Mac is saying a lot of words lately. My favorites are
balloon = boon
bull (they live across the street)
ball
book
snack
milk = muck
juice = juc
Julia = jew
bed
bye bye
dog
go
no no - which he always says when he is doing something wrong
spoon = poon and applies to all utensils or straight items you can hold
bo-bos - which are the monkey brothers on Go Diego Go who are always causing trouble (fitting for my boys)
bubbles
belly button
Brady = be de
cow
moo
uh oh

I know I am missing some but perhaps I'll add them later :)

Oh Happy Day

For Mother's Day, Tony got me my very own MAC - oh happy day! today I type on my ibook - oh happy day. There is something magical about this computer and I love it. But the thing i love most is my cute pink case - oh happy mother's day to me!!! Here are some pics of us playing with the photo booth!

Bitter Sweet

I have been working this week on consigning a lot of my baby stuff. In a way it is so nice to get rid of all this stuff because it takes up so much space but in another way it was sad to see it leave in the hands of someone else. I chose to sell a lot of my stuff at Just Like New Kids Consignment Sale in Carlise and it was a good move. After only the preview sale I made almost $300. The thing is that I won't be able to take all my stuff to Greece and I don't want to pay to store it all either. It is one of those moments when I am griped with the reality of moving and having to purge my stuff. Bitter Sweet.