Little Hearts and Jesus (and also, I'm back)

I'm writing today because I'm exhausted of not writing.  I'm tired of going to bed at night thinking "Hmm, I should write about that".  I have a really long list of great reasons that have kept me from writing, but maybe Jen Hatmaker dished out some serious truths that made me realize my list is only going to get longer, and I'm tired of stuffing all the words in a box for a later.

So I'm back, and I'm not sure how often I'll be back, but let's just hope its not another nine months before I post again. ;)

For those of you who haven't heard from me in a month, here's my neck of the woods in a nutshell: The Hubs is still a stud. Newbie is going to turn five in a couple months, loves sharks, and will start kindergarten next year.  (I can't even talk about it.)  Miss Mowgli radiates joy and spunk, loves baby dolls, and hasn't slept in 18 months. (I. am. so. tired.) I am six months pregnant with a baby boy who we can't wait to snuggle at the end of May. (I. am. so. tired.)  We are so thankful for where we are and where we've been, and we are looking forward to seeing where we're going!

How's that for a fast forward?  =)

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I've had a couple friends recently ask me what I do to teach my kids about God. Its a big question in a messy broken world where God whispers and people yell.

This week I was writing to a friend to answer that question when I realized emails shouldn't be like, 20 paragraphs long.  That is what blogs are for.  So instead of sending a novel to her, I decided to download my thoughts here in hopes of sharing some ideas with other mamas and hopefully mining for some new ideas too.

If there's one thing that's for sure, I don't have this parenting thing all figured out (don't tell my kids.) But I do really love Jesus and one of the deepest desires of my heart is to see my children know and follow hard after Him.  It is such an honor to "tell the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord" (Psalm 78:4) and I've spent a lot of time in the last five years praying for my kids and searching for ways to help them get to know Jesus in the game-changing, life-giving way that I do. After years of blog-reading and seeking out ideas and insight into tending to their little hearts, God has lead me to a few resources and things I really love.  Maybe you do all of these.  Maybe you do some of them.  Maybe you do none of them.  Maybe you do all of them plus seven others I haven't thought of.  I'd love to hear you holler in the comments if there's something you do to make Jesus real and a part of your kids' every day routine.  These are to pick and choose from, to leave or take, and I'd love to hear your ideas too!

Here are some of my favorite ways to bring Jesus into our home:

1) I use the She Reads Truth app or shereadstruth.com 

I truly believe our kids will learn more by what we do than by what we say, so I think when it comes to sharing Jesus with them, the most important thing we can do is be actively pursuing Christ and engaging in our own relationship with Him.

I think if we have a heart that is tuned into Christ and is mindful of the Holy Spirit, then God will make all the parenting pieces fall into place. (hallelujah!) The way I do that is by reading His Word, engaging in a small group Bible study with other women, and by going to church.  It all helps me grow, but I have always always struggled with making time to get into my Bible each day, even though I know God uses His Word to lead us, encourage us, and love us through this beautiful broken life.  The She Reads Truth app has been a game changer for me because it makes getting into my Bible super easy- I don't ever have a lot of time or quiet(!) to read, but this app makes it easy to get a little bit of Scripture reading in when I can (or a lot, depending on the day and the diaper status). The entire Bible is on the app, but they also have devotional plans you can go through that have a bit of scripture to read and then an encouraging note from one of the sites' authors.  I love these!  And the app is super cute, which is fun too. =)  

I like to read out of my own Bible, so I often have my Bible and my phone with me so I can look up the reading for the day, read it in my Bible, then go back to my phone to scroll through and read the devotional piece for that reading. I am doing the Esther study right now, but they start a Lent study on February 18 that I am super excited about! 

When I'm digging into God's Word by reading it each day and learning through Bible study, I find that I examine my heart more and grow so much more than when I don't.  And I feel a lot better about teaching my kiddos about Jesus when I am consistently seeking to know Him better myself. The bottom line is, it has to begin with our hearts, and tending to our hearts begins with getting into God's Word.  I think that is the best thing we can do as parents- take care of our hearts so we can take care of theirs. 

2) We talk about Jesus A LOT! 

I really try and be vocal about what's going on in my heart, so my kids can learn what it looks like to have a heart that longs to love God and love people.  If we hear sirens while we're driving, my heart hurts for the people in the midst of an emergency, and we pray for the people who need those sirens right in the car as we are going down the road. My son is so used to it now that he asks to do it anytime he even sees a firetruck- ha!  We also pray before each meal, and throughout the day if he is worried about something or bops his sister for taking something that isn't hers.  We just do a lot of heart talk around here.   

I also talk a lot about their sisters.  Eden and Jubilee are often a daily part of our vocabulary around here.  A lost sibling isn't something that every family can relate to, and it's probably a post in and of itself, but the short version is that I use their sisters as a link to talk about God's goodness.  We talk about Heaven and what God did for us when He sent Jesus to come and rescue us and wash our hearts so we could live with Him in Heaven forever, like Eden and Jubilee do.  Oh, how I treasure the gift God gave me in taking my girls Home so I can share the anticipation of seeing them again and God's greatness when I talk to my kids about Heaven.

In addition to little prayers throughout the day, I pray with my kiddos before bed at night.  That's when I try to really slow down with them and process what we are talking to God about-  we praise God, then tell Him we're sorry for any mistakes we made that day, and then ask Him for different things.  We pray for sick friends, we pray to be brave, we pray God will help my son be a kind friend at school and listen to his teachers.  We pray about a lot because I want them to know they can talk to God about anything! (Disclaimer: not every bedtime is a great conversation about what/who we should pray for, what mistakes we made, what we are thankful for. Mostly because REAL LIFE happens and Mom is tired and letsjustgettothelightsoutpartalready. We do pray each night, and I do try and incorporate all of the above as the evening allows, but just keepin' it real- it ain't always the full blown end of day quiet time and closure.  Sometimes its just Momma prays and now stop talking and GO TO SLEEP.)

Outside of praying, we just talk about Jesus a lot- I try and bring Him into any and everything. We talk about the creatures God made and how we SO WISH God would bring spring SOON!  We talk about how God is making their baby brother in my belly, we talk about how God gave Daddy a job so he can make money and pay for our house and our food and toys (Newbie's favorite- he's convinced the Hubs only works so he can have fun toys- ha!) So praying often, talking about Jesus and being intentional about pointing Him out in our every day is something else I do.

3) I pray Scripture over my babies

This is something I've done for a long time, and I really love it.  I just have a few verses memorized that I read out load and pray for my littles so they hear God's Word often.  One of my favorites is Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you, and He is mighty to save.  He takes great delight in you, He quiets you with His love, and He rejoices over you with singing.  The Lord your God is with you." That's my bedtime go-to, and there are several others I toss around throughout the week.

My kids have little memory verses they work on memorizing each month at church too, so we practice those- they are short and sweet and simple so Newbie understands them, and I love that he has some of God's words hidden in his little heart.  When he was two he had each verse memorized every month...back when I had only one little and a lot of time to focus- ha! I've fallen off that bandwagon in the past year or so, and we are more hit and miss with our memory verses, but I do try and make a point of working on them with him.  We're just not as good as we were at 24 months- ha! 

I also just got these pretty little verse cards and I'm working on memorizing these myself and praying them for my kids too- They are so cute and fun! 

4) We read a Bible story each day

I'm just super big into my kids and myself being in God's Word because I think its so important that we know what Jesus said and how God's story unfolds! I used to kick booty and bust out our Bible reading together each morning, but preschool schedule makes it tough to do much other than eat and get everybody dressed and out the door in the morning!  So we started moving up Newbie's bedtime routine to build in time to read a Bible story together each night.  Sometimes we miss it, but most nights we read and talk about the story a little bit.  I love The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones for this, and Newbie has learned so much about God's love for him by just reading about God's story each night.  Here's a link to the another Bible we use on Amazon- its actual Scripture (not paraphrased) and it has some questions after each story as well as some action/games/activities- its really preschool friendly. 

5) We listen to worship and praise music

Listen.  Country is fun and Billie Holiday is the best way to end a Monday, but I have our local Christian radio station playing in the morning and in the car, and my kids pick up on the songs and I love hearing them sing along.  Newbie often asks questions about the songs, which I dig, because you know I love to talk about some Jesus. =)  

"Seeds Family Worship Music" is the sweet spot though-  kid worship music that won't make you want to rip your ears off.  I ADORE this music, and I thought they were out of print, but Amazon has them!  There are some that are priced crazy high, so you might have to hunt a little for the $13 deals, but I found several tonight. My littles are gonna find them in their Easter baskets this year because I have always wanted a few more, and I'm so excited you can still buy them!  The neat thing is that all the song lyrics are verses of Scripture, so you learn Bible verses while listening, and get to hear God's Word through some catchy music written by some Nashville studs.  Here's the link to one of them and you can scroll down to find others.  We have Seeds of Praise and Seeds of Encouragement, and both are good!

6) We take 'em to church

Sometimes its hard to rally the troops, and maybe Miss Mowgli cries for the last twenty minutes of her nursery experience, but it is so important to me that our kids see and experience the importance of connecting with God's people and growing through the church community.  There are so many awesome children's programs available, if you haven't already, I'd encourage you to get plugged into a church where the kids' ministry team loves kids and is passionate about teaching children about who God is.  Even if you have to bribe them with a cookie from the refreshment table afterwards, get your littles to church- it takes a village, folks.  And a loving church home can be a fabulous village to come alongside you to guide and encourage you as you raise your babies. 

7) We need to DO.

Ah, the doing.  Its the hardest part because its the part that takes us outside of ourselves and our little families. Numbers one through six have been a lot of heart work and conversation, but I think the most important thing is in the DOing.  Its all well and good if we tell our kids we love Jesus and that He is good and wants us to love God and love others, but it won't mean much to those little hearts if their eyes don't see us DOing.  

I want my kids to see my love for Christ in action. I have many friends who do the DOing so well.  Whether its a family that moved to Africa to follow God's direction (hi, Gretchen!) or a family who is constantly offering to cook a meal or take a kiddo, there are people in my life who have set a really good example of what it looks like to work out their faith in action, and I'm convinced their children are learning all kinds of things about Jesus as they watch their parents and love and serve others as a family.  It has really been on my heart lately to get more involved in reaching out to my neighbors and community.  We talk a lot about loving our friends and our neighbors, but I want to get better at actually DOING that instead of just talking about it.  My hope is that as a family we will get the kids involved in service projects and in just loving our neighbors well.  In doing that, we will be obeying Jesus, and our kids will learn firsthand what it looks like to step out of our comfort zone and help someone else in big and small ways.  I've got to get better at this, but its on my radar as another way I can really help my kids understand who Jesus is.  I want to start DO-ing. =) 

I look forward to growing as a mama and learning more about how I can train my children up to know the Lord.  In the meantime, I'm going to stay on my knees, asking God to guide my steps and theirs as we seek to love Him and others well.  And I'm going to keep plugging away with the things I've listed above, and swipe some of your ideas as well if you're willing to share. ;) 

Happy Monday, friends

Brittany

Still Shouting for JOY!

Today is Jubilee's 2nd Birthday, and we are still shouting for joy!

If you're new, HI(!), and you can read more about Jubilee's story here. =)

Will you join us in giving thanks and shouting for joy?  Take a photo of something that is filling your heart with gratitude today and shout for joy to the Lord with us!  Tag your shout at #shoutforjoy2014 and join in our joyful noise!  We would be so blessed to see hearts join with us as we continue to make it a Jubilee day and shout for joy! 

(And since its been foreverrrr since I've posted, for those of you who may be wondering, Jubilee's little sister Miss Mowgli is every bit as sweet and joy-filled as her big sister. We are doing well, and God is good all the time! =) )

"One day there will be no more pain, and we will finally see Jesus' face, but until then I'm gonna try to brave the dark and let my little light shine"

Much love to you, friends.  

Lets brave the dark and let our little lights shine?

xoxo,

Brittany

[happy birthday, sweet Jubilee...we are still braving the dark and shouting for JOY, baby girl! xoxo, Momma] 

First Day of School! First Day of School!

Hi.

Lets pretend like it hasn't been three weeks since I've posted and just keep on keepin' on, yeah?

So.  TODAY.

Today was THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

The first EVER day of school.

And while I have all these grand ambitions of homeschooling some day and being this have-it-all-together mom with tons of activities and enriching explorations planned for my preschooler, this is what's up: I'm not. that. mom. ...this year, anyway.

Last January when the preschool enrollment began for Fall 2013 I was all roses and unicorns and "my kid's not going to preschool when he's only three years old.  I will tutor him here myself and he will thrive on all of my education pursuits and hands-on happenings."  Yeah, whatever man.  Little Miss Mowgli showed up, and I quickly realized I can't keep up with Newbie's bright little brain and still nurse and change diapers all day too.  So it was a preschool scramble this summer.  And we got him in.

Newbie was psyched out for school a month ago.  Like, can't tie this man down, let me at 'em, bring me that snack in a Dixie cup psyched. out.  A month ago.

The past month has been all "I don't want to go to school" "don't leave me there" and a handful of other sentiments that make it really hard for a mama to pry herself away from that classroom door on the first day.  "Oh sweetie, you don't want to go?  No problem.  Lets just stay in our pajamas like we have for the last three years."  I'm just saying.  It was tempting.

But we rallied.  We swapped kissing hands last night, read The Kissing Hand again this morning over breakfast (if you have a little going to school- get this book!  It is precious times infinity.), prayed together, took the obligatory first day pictures, and scurried out the door.  I don't want to brag, but I also fed the baby and brushed Newbie's teeth and hair before we left.  We were feeling on top of the world, man.

There was a serious run-down in the car on the way to school:

"Remember to keep the sand in the sand table."

"Lets be sure and be a kind and loving friend today."

"Listen to your teacher and when she asks you to clean up, PLEASE HELP CLEAN UP."

"If you have to go potty, just hold it until you get home."  ...that's a lie.  I didn't say that.  What I said was something about telling your teacher and stopping to go right away, but it was all in faux confidence because just this morning it dawned on me that he would be in shoes all day at school, and I'll spare you the details, but shoes just add a whole new world of bathroom drama, and I wasn't convinced we would survive. I was wholeheartedly hoping he would just hold it until we were home so we could practice some bathroom shoe strategies.  (Life with littles is very glamorous.  Nose-blowing instead of nose-picking drills were to follow our bathroom strategy practice.)

When we got to school, he was nothing but brave.  He waltzed right up to the attendance board and found his picture.  After asking me if it was his, he walked through the door.  That's when I had to make the big decision whether to follow him in or not.  I looked around and saw several parents in the room, so I crossed the threshold.  A mom can't just leave a child to fend for himself when it comes to locating a new cubby and hanging up a backpack.  We found the cubby, hung the backpack, and then I kneeled down in front of him.  I asked for a big hug and kiss, then I told him to have a great day and I high-tailed it outta there while he walked confidently over to the slide because I knew we'd both be in trouble if I stayed.

Last I saw, he was having a ball on the slide, and I made a bee-line for some Starbucks pumpkin spice latte therapy because there are some things only over priced coffee can cure.  Like dropping your first born off at school for the first time.

I took my coffee over to a friend's house and chatted for two hours, then headed back to school to pick up my little Einstein. He was all business walking in from recess and into his classroom, then he slowly walked out to meet me as his teacher called his name.  He officially did it.  I was so proud.

On the way home I asked him if he liked school.  "No I didn't. Well, I did NOT yike da singing."

Well, what did he learn? "I yearned about yight and dark."  (True dat.  First day curriculum was the first day of Creation- light and dark. Maybe we were getting some where.)

Was he sure he didn't like school?  Could he name just one good thing he liked? "No, nuffin.  I yiked zero fings."

....[crickets]....

So clearly we have some warming up to do.  Not even the new John Deere backpack could save us in the post-school morale department today, folks.  But I have high hopes for Thursday because this team does not give up that easily. And also, I'm getting the backpack monogrammed, so BAM preschool awesomeness restored.

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In other news, Miss Mowgli has some HAIR people.

And with that, these children are boycotting nap time with a vengeance. Over and out.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Summering 2013

If you're here and reading then it means that you haven't given up on me even though I haven't blogged in years.  Thank you for your patience while I summer with my people. =)

I turn the big two-eight today, and for a birthday present to myself, I'm sneaking in an hour this morning to update my blog.  How's that for commandeering the birthday agenda? =)

This summer has been a blur of snuggles and fun.  Somehow my baby girl has gone from a five day old to a one month old to a two month old, and we've got the two-month well child appointment this morning to prove it.

We've spent the summer with family and friends, soaking up the sun on our warm days and snuggling up on the couch on our (surprisingly numerous!) chilly days.  Newbie is absolutely in love with Miss Mowgli, and the feeling is mutual judging by the coos and smiles he renders when he gets up in her face to sing her a classic Newbie mash-up which always includes a few praise and worship songs, row your boat, and a little free-styling.  She's his biggest fan right now, and we love watching them together.

I have gobs of pictures of our summer, but we just got back from a nice long vacation, so I'm going to take a pass on trying to play catch up and just pick up where we're at right now. The time in between was filled with lots of diapers and family walks and a neighborhood block party, blueberry and strawberry picking, the sweetest visit from my grandparents and uncle, and a trip to the pool with my MIL in which Newbie JUMPED OFF THE DIVING BOARD like a boss.  Also, he's going to start preschool this year so pretty much WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BALD-HEADED BABY?!?  Thanking the Lord that we have another little roly poly to snuggle on while her big brother stretches his wings.  I can't believe how fast time sneaks by when you're raising littles.  It makes me all the more grateful for weeks like last week when we just SLOW this circus down.

We hit the beach house with my family and had a blast.  I have spent four summers at this cottage, and I'm struck by all the life that has happened in that short amount of time.  One thing I can say is true for that passage of time: I have fallen deeper in love with my Lord and deeper in gratitude for the gift that is now.  We were so blessed to soak up some seriously awesome now last week.

Now presenting our little slice of Heaven on earth:

(if you're out of state, please come visit.  our summers are all kinds of beautiful.)

Speaking of beautiful:

(Wanna know a secret?  I can't believe she's mine.)

And then there's this little rockstar who stole my heart three years and five months ago:

(I'm not opposed to arranged marriages.  I have a few ladies in mind already. Family friends- so if it works out, I'll be scoring him an awesome MIL.)

Mornings with my people are my favorite.  He is so sweet and snuggly with her in the morning, and she just beams back at him.  I think having a big brother must be the funnest thing in the world.

So thankful these people are such a big part of my story...

(Uncles are good for shadin' it)

(Kayak date with my man that lasted about 10 minutes because that little guy kept chasing us and I am powerless to resist his request that we stay and play.)

(He was so scared to try the boat, but I was so proud of him for being brave and giving it a whirl!  He gets his guts from his daddy.)

Beach bonfires = the BEST.

(That girl right there? Yeah, she's PREGNANT! We. are. so. excited.)

(that hat?!  delicious.)

Good times were had by all, and now we're counting down to a long weekend vacation at Grandma and Grandpa's cottage before we step into a fall of big boy preschool and pumpkin everything.  

Cheers to the last couple weeks of summer!  

Like Honey

Y'all.  I am shuffling around in a cloud of complete bliss and exhaustion.

I just ate a brownie as a mid-morning snack, and I can hear Newbie climbing up to the counter to do the same and I don't even care.  I am mastering the art of picking my battles.  Brownie for breakfast?  No shame.  Shorty running around nakey while a friend stops by with dinner?  Put. your. pants. on.  With two littles, you can't win 'em all, so you've got to have your priorities straight.  =)

After three years, I had forgotten what its like to try and do life in a sleep-deprived state.  Every night the Hubs and I go to bed singing "Eye of the Tiger" because while the rest of the world might be winding down, with a newborn in the house, dusk is like the beginning of the playoffs.  High stakes, man...will she eat? will she sleep? is there enough coffee in the world? whats my name? Its intense.

I think I've called my mom every day asking her to come over so I can take a nap.

Despite all the sleepless nights, we are absolutely over the moon.  I am so thankful for perspective.  We've done this before, so we know we'll sleep again. (Sort of.)  And we've been so close to doing this and then not being able to that it makes each moment (even the sleepy ones) such a treasure.  We are drinking this girl up and loving every minute of it.

Most days (when I'm not wrangling her brother or playing explorers) I just stare at her, in awe that she's here and that she's mine.  We're not taking a single moment for granted, and the sweetness of these days drips thick and rich like honey.  We are so incredibly grateful for the generosity of her Maker!

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And now for a slew of pictures- I have a trillion more, but they're stuck on my phone until Newbie surrenders it, and right now the Wild Kratts on the PBS app are the only thing keeping me from having to ditch the blog update, so the phone pics will have to wait for another day. =)

Birth Day:

(That right there is a heart swelling with gratitude)

(His first words when he saw her: "Oh, how WONDERFUL!")

(Such a proud Big Brother...I am so blessed by that sweet boy!)

(One of our sweet nurses holding our girl while she hams it up- we were so blessed and well cared for by some very special ladies while we were at the hospital...hi, Sue!)

(Finally going home!!!)

*****
In an effort to combat feeling like a sleepy hermit, we've been out and about a little bit here and there.  We took the kiddos to the carnival last weekend and I felt really human.  Which was awesome after living in PJ's for a week. =)  Newbie was a big fan of the Hawaiian shaved ice and the Hubs got a twitch from all the fried food.  Word on the street is he's high-jacking the grocery list and throwing us on the Paleo band wagon.  Good thing he doesn't know where I've hidden the brownies.

(every last drop, baby)

(All dressed up in our carnival best...every color we could find)

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My goal with Sister this summer is to be sure and get outside every day.  Because eight months out of the year we live in a polar ice age and sunshine and summertime are to be enjoyed to the fullest at all costs. I'd be lying if I said I haven't forfeited a few outdoor play times for naps because both kids were feeling snoozy, but we have been out a lot and the sunshine can make such a difference on a sleepy afternoon!  Sister got her belly button about a week ago and was rockin' the sun bonnet.

(The best.  Probably ever.)

(Hi, Grandma!  Thank you and Grandpa for the new double stroller!!!)

*****
We are so tired.  And my hair is so messy.  And the Hubs drinks about a gallon of coffee every hour.  And Newbie knows it and has become a master brownie-sneaker and house messed-upper....but we're loving every minute.  Because theses sleepy, sloppy days are the most wonderful gift we've been given.

Shouting for joy and singing His praises from this sleepy corner of the world!

Happy happy Wednesday, friends!

(Father's Day pic with the littles...Blooper reel, anyone?)

***A big thank you to all of you who were praying us through the high blood pressure and biliruben/blood sugar issues we were combating last time I updated.  Miss Mowgli and I have both been completely cleared and given a double-thumbs up in the health department- praise the Lord!!!

Happy Birth Day, Miss Mowgli!

Last Wednesday we were pleasantly surprised (two and a half weeks early!) with a gift my heart doesn't have the words to describe...

On June 5 at 1:15 in the morning, Miss Mowgli was born weighing 8 pounds and stretching 21 inches.

She has the pinkest cheeks and the sweetest smile and her daddy, brother, and I can't stop looking at her and snuggling her and thanking God for her.

(Hello, Jubilee bunny)

We are soaking in every last drop of the Lord's goodness, and the Hubs and I are so, so grateful for the joy He has given us in these two.

My dear friend at http://www.trudyholtzphotography.com took these amazing images of our two loves yesterday afternoon.  I can't stop looking at the little blessings God has entrusted to us, and I can't believe they are mine.  What a gift!

Big Brother can't stop gushing over her "sweet little hands" and her "cute little feet".  He's thrilled to have her home and the first thing he said when he saw her at the hospital was, "oh, how wonderful!"  That boy is such a sweetheart- we just love him to pieces and think he's the very bravest for saying goodbye to two little sisters and embracing God's plan for this new little lady.  We learn things from that little man every day.

Miss Mowgli had some blood sugar issues and is still working through some bilirubin/jaundice, but the Lord has provided and she is a healthy girl!  Momma is tired =) and being monitored for high blood pressure...little details to work out in the midst of indescribable happiness, but we would appreciate the prayer in both the bilirubin and the high blood pressure departments.  =)  Thank you, friends.

And thank you for praying for our girl and encouraging our little family in this beautiful story the Lord has written for us.  The Author is oh, so good, all the time.

xoxo,

Brittany

Memorial Day

We spent yesterday reflecting and remembering and spending a lot of time being grateful for the freedoms we have and the brave men and women and their families who have sacrificed so much to protect them. Throughout the day our hearts were swelling with thanks, and we made a point of carving out time to remember and celebrate the members of our armed forces.  The Hubs has done a great job making things like Memorial Day a priority in our family, and he got us up bright and early to hit the Memorial Day parade in town.  We want our kiddos to know there are brave people who make our freedoms possible, and we want them to know days like Memorial Day are days to slow down and take a beat to remember those who have been lost and those who are currently serving.

Newbie was thrilled about the parade and was so excited when his daddy stopped at the store on the way to pick up a flag just his size to wave while the band and the firetruck went by.

(Hello, little family of four!)

When the soldiers walked by in the parade, Newbie asked: "Daddy, da soldiers beat da bad guys?" ...just about anything boils down to good guys and bad guys for him these days.  It was a neat opportunity to explain that the soldiers help keep us safe.  And he waved his flag even harder on his daddy's shoulders.

(36 weeks now, Miss Mowgli!)

Once the parade passed, we scrambled to the car to meet the crowd following the parade up at the cemetery where they held a Veteran memorial.  We parked and walked up to Jubilee's place just in time to watch the parade go by and the crowd that followed it up to the hill just beyond Jubilee's spot.

We stood for a while by our girl and watched, and though we couldn't hear anything, it was good to stand with our girl while the crowd walked by and gathered up on the hill.  Its usually just us there, and it warmed my heart to see the community gather in a place that is so close to my little family.  Newbie sensed the reflection of the moment and snuggled into his daddy's neck.  He may be three, but sometimes this kiddo really gets it.

And then he was ready to roll. =)  He played the drums for his sister with some sticks he found in the grass, and we sang her a song before heading back to the car while the ceremony on the hill continued.

We left with hearts full of gratitude.  Newbie left with a new found love for bands and parades.  He got Buzz and Baby Mickey in on the action as soon as we got home, and he directed a parade through the house for a good half an hour before lunchtime.

*****

An enormous and heartfelt thank you to the brave men and women of our armed forces and the families that support them.  We are so incredibly grateful for all you do and have done to protect our freedom.

Happy Tuesday, friends!