Tiny Fish, Two Cakes, and a Mask

A week of mercy and glory, that's for sure.  We've seen some sadness and had some definite rejoicing.  God is good, friend.  All the time.  He soo knows what He's doing, and we trust in that.  I've seen joy come from ashes many times, and I'm heavily praying that God can turn what we see as sadness into dancing.

I've discovered (and ordered from!) this sweet lady I found on Pinterest.  Her story, her life, her art are amazing.  She gives a great description of her art, what tools she uses (watercolors, twistable crayons, Micron pens, Prisma gray marker, and Stabilo pens for color!), and how she came to margin-drawing and her ART.  She's really remarkable.  Check her out. : )

Amazing.  And gives glory to God.

So..my boy has taken up fishing in a serious way.  He bought a new rod and reel a few weeks ago with his money for grades (we seriously bribe them...talk behind my back if you want).  And then about a week ago he spent another $40 on a new reel (I think that's what you call it..the part that winds up the fishing line and turns with a handle?).  He is babysitting Carter more often (they make $1 for every 15 minutes they play/watch him!) to buy bait and hooks!  Whew.  This is one of the more adorable fish he's into now.  He's done big fish, but now he's buying teensy hooks, bait, and making me go all gushy.  Awwwww!!! :)

He walks to the creek/lake by himself, with a friend, or with Ethan.  It's almost daily if he can fit it in.  I like that he's into something other than a computer/game.  It's outdoors, and he's communing with nature.  He runs into friends down there, and it's just down the hill behind our house.  He doesn't have to have a license to fish until he's 16, but he releases them all anyway since I don't allow gutting near the house.  (..and I don't really want to cook/eat them!)  I only worry about his blood sugar dropping while he's away..I make him check before he leaves and take a snack and phone!

I have to give thanks for a sweet neighbor, Mary.  She lives next door in a house identical to the one we used to live in, near the front of our neighborhood!  It's a bit surreal to be there.  We call the rooms what we called them at our house, haha!  She sews in "Mary Claire's room" and has a beautiful blue and white bed in "Clay's room"!

She got Carter some jelly beans around Easter, so he wants to run over there to dig them out of the little glass bowl..and she refills them! ; )

How is it that this sweet boy is now three?  He had his birthday on April 9th.  I can't believe it's been three years since I had him!  He's been a true joy.  He chose Bubble Guppies for his cake.  (When you let a child choose their cake, they often get lots of gunky colored frosting that colors everyone's teeth, ha!)

I took him to the toy store to choose a gift-I've kinda learned after three other kids, that sometimes it's the shopping trip that can be part of the gift!  They love the time together.  We went slowly, aisle after aisle.  He looked at everything from baby dolls (they have some in blue and green now!) to chairs to pirate ships to trains.  He finally chose a Captain America costume.  He mainly wanted it because of the mask.  He pretends he's Professor Callahan (from Big Hero 6!).  The muscles were just a free gift with purchase. ; )

He wore it for five days straight.  Yes, to church too.  Communion was kinda embarrassing.  I'd kinda adjusted to seeing him in it..but the eucharistic minister was stifling laughter.  I felt awful.  He'd cried when I told him he had to take it off at the beginning of church (he told me his face was cold), so I said he could wear it if he was quiet.  Priorities, people.

Because you feel my pain when you see the entire roll of foil fall out of the box.  And you decide to make baked potatoes and corn on the cob on the grill.  ('cause have you ever tried to reroll foil?)

Another outing in which my Pottery Barn coupon was expiring.  And he rolled around to dust their floor in his navy shirt.  And these pillows were hung especially this way in accordance with the PB window layout they'd been sent.  (We had lots of time to watch the windows come together this day.)

And the MOST important this week?!  My adorable handsome little man made his First Communion!!  He's been excited, and a year ago it seemed decades away.  It finally came!  He's been practicing, and even though he got nervous...sooo ready.  We got to spend time together since we had two times for pictures (individuals and a large group), and then we went together early to church to save seats.  It's standing room only when we have an event or holiday!  (a good thing!)

Belk is the BEST for bow ties!  They must have had 75 choices, for real!

He was such a sweetie.  He wore the sports jacket that Clay wore (I'm kinda sentimental..all four of my kids wore the same baptismal gown!), but everything else new.  He wanted a bow tie, so the two of us went shopping, and I discovered Belk-it was everything prep and southern, I loved it!  How have I not been all up in there?!  Crazy good colors for spring.  

A sweet smile for Momma!  They were all so beautiful and well-behaved!

The boys at dinner afterward. : )  Do you see naked shoulders and tuxes?  Apparently Shogun was the pre-Prom dinner hot spot!  We had no idea.  My kids were entertained. : O

Soo..sometimes I get busy (no, really, I do).  I forgot to order him a cake.  I was so bow tie-focused, and we had to get him new shoes the week before, and he had a boy scout campout this weekend too, and Mary Claire had a sleepover birthday party (gotta have the perfect gift!) (and they stayed up till 4 watching movies, hell-o crazy mom worried about blood sugar going low!!) and Clay started baseball practice this week, and we had a mom's bible study birthday party for a friend, and it was Tax Day (and our accountant had to file an extension because of new software? and we had to get them a check by 4pm!), and other stuff that shall not be named.  Whew.  So no cake.  (I know..mom guilt.  What was I doing a month ago?!)

Five bakeries later, I found a sweet soul who'd get me a cake by five p.m.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.

He never knew (or cared!), and so we carried right on.  I was thankful my mom and dad got to join us for cake. : )  She's not great, but she's been doing so much better!

I told you Valerie Weiner was amazing.  I'm even in awe of her handwriting.  Inspiring is the bonus.

so.. I leave you with "keep fighting", "you are super beautiful", and "you are totally worthy" because you are.

I know the road gets tough, and you find your journey rough.  I've been there, and I am there.  In the trenches finding my way.  But we really are making this trip together, sharing this earthly time alongside one another.  Let's work to lift someone up this week and pray one another into Heaven.

When I'm at my saddest or most disappointed, I've learned (yes, by experience!) that the best thing I can do is find someone to help or serve.  Whether it be a small cheer-you-up gift (also called a Happy!), dinner, or just some time to listen, we all need to have connection, whether it's hands on us, eyes on us, or ears on us.  It always helps me find my joy.  (Especially when I can lay down my make up to play a game, leave dirty dishes to jump on the trampoline, or spend two hours shopping for the perfect birthday gift.)

ps-buttercream frosting will always make your kids go sky high..even if you double bolus.  It's just sneaky like that.  We shall only celebrate every other year then?  Ha!

Sending big Hugs your way,