Friends & Cousins

Liam and Nolen are exactly two and half months apart in age. Nolen's mommy and I are two years apart in age but have always been pretty close cousins.

I thought I would share the bond between two little boys! Here we go:

This is Liam and Nolen one day after Nolen was born.  How cute my little guy is in this picture. He was SOO little.

The bond between two little boys is the most precious thing to watch. They play so well together and even share there cookies with each other. I love my son!

Zayne Allen Lee

My sister had her baby!!!!!

This is her being induced on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 7:30 AM. She even has make-up on- you go girl!

Zayne Allen Lee- 7lbs, 1oz. Born at 6:42PM, October 21, 2010.

Christmas

This is #2 (Hobo Bag) on my Christmas wish list! Just in case my wonderful husband or mom decide to read this blog they know what my #2 is. Number 1 is this. A girl can dream... right?

Guess what??? My sister is being induced as I type this... I will blog next about her!

Rules

Rules from God for 2010

1. Wake Up !! Decide to have a good day.

"Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it"

Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart."

I Samuel 16:7

3

. Shut Up!! Say nice things and learn to listen.. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!.....

For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as w e have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!... To the Lord.

"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!... For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, And He will direct your path."

Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!... Your Prayers.

"Do not worry about anything;

Instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."

Philippians 4:6

Today Is His Birthday!

Today is his birthday! And I have to admit- I am jealous. I am jealous because he is up in heaven celebrating it with the Lord. Oh how my husband and I miss this man. He was a wonderful man. He had a HUGE caring heart. He always offered advice when I needed it. He also opened his door whenever I needed to come inside. He was one of the best Chiropractor's out there. He is truly missed. How I SO badly wish I was celebrating with him up there.

 HAPPY 58TH BIRTHDAY BRUCE!

The Joy Of Having A Boy

Lord knows I hate bugs. Lord knows I hate spiders. I am terrified of both. Donovan is the one who kills these little creatures if they are anywhere near me.

Every morning before I take Liam to the baby-sitters house we walk out into the garage so that I can load everything up, including him, into the car. As I was putting my purse, his diaper bag, my lunch and everything else into the car he was wondering through the garage. I was not paying attention to him. My hands were full. As a mother I always feel like my hands are full.

Just as I put everything, except my wonderful son, into the car I turned around to get him. He was walking towards me with something in his hand. As any mother would do, I put my hand out to grab whatever he was trying to hand me. He put it into my hand and the first thing he says is "bug momma". Sure enough, I had the most ugliest dead bug in my hand. I gasped and threw it down. Before I could stop him from picking it up again he beat me to the punch and put it right back into his hand. He insisted I hold the dang thing. He kept saying over and over "bug, bug, bug, bug". Yes Liam, I see the bug. "Hode it mama". "No Liam, mommy doesn't like bugs". "Pweeeese". So just to appease him I prayed to the Lord to give me the strength to grab this darn thing. So I did. He smiled and as soon as he turned his head I threw it. After he was buckled in and we were ready to go, I ran inside and washed my hands.

I can only imagine what he is going to want me to hold next. Ahhhhhhhh.

Still Learning...

Even though this cute little boy of mine is 19 months old, I am still learning how to be a mommy. As Liam grows and discovers new things so do I. Being a mommy to a 19 month old is MUCH different then being a mommy to a newborn. I am slowly learning this. I have now realized that I need to check the trash can before I dump something new in there (every time). Because, every time I check it there is something in there that should be in there- for example, brand new socks I just bought him, his good shoes, a toy, balls etc. We have now had to install locks on the cabinets in the kitchen, door handles and toilet seats. It is not fun having to dig your brush out of the toilet.

The best thing I have learned to do to keep my son busy so he doesn't get into trouble is to actually keep him busy. So, this weekend, we decided to go to McCall's Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty, New Mexico. We usually go every couple of years, and it is always fun (One piece of advice- always go in the early weeks of October, because pumpkins are slim pickings towards the end and the crowds are always larger). They have so much to do there for the little ones, and Liam was entertained all day. See...


On the hayride to the patch

In the patch, touching every pumpkin in sight



On the hayride returning from the patch. He picked these to "baby" ones out himself



They even have a petting zoo. Liam was in Heaven!

If I keep him busy and entertained he stops opening drawers he shouldn't be in, eating dirt, going down his slide head first, playing with the toilet water, and picking up dog poo with his bare hands!

What a great life I have raising a toddler! On top of all this I need to go buy him more winter clothes.

What Are The Qualifications For Motherhood?

Am I qualified? This is the question I have been asking myself lately. I am qualified to be a mother? My friend Andrea wrote a blog post about this recently and I could not believe that another mother was wondering the same thing I was. To be honest, I would have never admitted the fact that I was questioning whether or not I am qualified. But her post gave me inspiration on writing my own post.

I have been thinking about this for a while. What qualifications is there that make a person a mom? Is giving birth the only thing you need in order to be a mom? Or is there a difference between being a mom and a mother?  I am a mom. I am a mother.  I question if there is qualifications to motherhood. I carried him for nine months; I gave birth to him; I change his diapers; I make sure he eats his vegetables; I buy him his favorite snacks; I comfort him when he has a nightmare (yes 18 month olds have nightmares). I am there for his sniffles, tummy aches and fevers. I read with him and play with him. I love him unconditionally. The love I feel for my little boy is immense. I would throw myself off of a cliff so he wouldn’t have to feel any sadness.  

Andrea shared in her post a quote from Lysa TerKeurst “God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called”. I have posted this quote on my computer. This quote has made me realize that I just need to depend on Him to be the best mother I can be. He will show me the way. It is up to Him to tell me when it is time to have another child. He qualifies me to be a mother.

Just like Andrea, I too have had numerous meltdowns- more so since my son is getting closer to the terrible twos. Just like Andreas daughter Lila, Liam also hates having his diaper changed, he spills food all over the couches and floor, he screams and throws a fit every time I don’t give him what he wants exactly when he wants it. Yesterday Liam asked me for a cookie. He didn’t really eat his dinner and so I told him that he could not have a cookie until he ate more chicken. He then raised his hand in the air, said “spank” and hit me. Times like that make me question if I am qualified or not. Then I remember “He qualifies the called” and that is all I need to know.

I am the best mother I know how to be. My child is loved, taken care of and cared for like no other. Every child (and yes that means yours, all you soon-to-be mommies out there) will throw a fit, act up in public, scream, make messes and sometimes you will melt down. I remember before I was ever called to be a mother there was a child in the grocery store throwing the biggest fit because his mom would not buy him what he wanted. And I remember telling Donovan “I will NEVER let me kid get away with that. If he was my son I would spank his little but”. Well, I am now that Mom. And spanking isn’t always the answer. Sometimes it just makes them scream and cry even louder.

I love my son to death, and He qualifies the called. If you are a mother you know exactly how I feel. Thank you Andrea for your post!

Are you qualified if you let your son drag his blanket through the mud and water? I think so.