Have I ever said that I have the most amazing husband in the world! 

These flowers were delivered to our house today. He just hoped I was having a great day.

Side note: He sent me flowers on the Friday before I had Jake. It makes me a little nervous getting flowers on a Friday again so close to my due date.:-)

This is a picture of the projects Jake and I complete the week of Easter. Judd did make one of the palm branches at the top. It was hard to get him to stop eating the tissue paper, but he had fun. 

We started on Palm Sunday and did various activities throughout the week. We also read Benjamin’s Box and hunted the Resurrection Eggs throughout the week. He loved finding the eggs and discussing what was in each one. Then on Sunday morning we made Resurrection rolls. They were yummy!

Here are a few of the questions Jake asked me while we were making the cross picture:

Mommy, why did that man on the other cross make a bad decision and not want to go to heaven with Jesus? 

Mommy, if those men beside Jesus had to die because they did bad things then why did Jesus have to die if He never did anything bad? 

This one will make you laugh:

“Mommy, does Jesus and Baby Trey live in your heart?”

“No sir, just Jesus lives in my heart. Baby Trey is in my belly.”

“Oh!”

This week we have been celebrating Easter and teaching Jake why this day is so important. I will post pictures of our projects a little later, but here are some pictures of the boys in their Easter outfits.

Today is a very special day. It’s my birthday and I am also 36 weeks. I had a great birthday. Jim surprised me with an awesome birthday present. He bought me a new camera. He bought me a Nikon D40. It is really great, but I have a lot to learn in order to use it the way I would like. I have a great husband!

I also had a doctors appointment today. He said that Baby Girl is in position and that I am 1 cm and 50%. She is progressing, but not too fast which is fine with us.

These are a few test pictures taken today with my new camera. I am excited! It just so happens that Jim took all of these. Maybe he is the photographer in the family?!?!

Here are a few of the boys silly faces. Jake started making us laugh last night at dinner so that explains the blueberry and spaghetti faces.


Are we really adding a girl to this wild world of boys!

It has been 75 degrees here the past few days so I wanted to get some outside pictures of the boys. We have been sick all Winter so we have very few pictures of the last few months.

We went to the playground at the church today and that is where most of them were taken. The others were taken at our house.
Enjoy!

The past few months I have caught myself being a mom that is frustrating and raising my voice at the boys to get them to obey. We spend a lot of time trying to train them to “obey the first time with a happy heart” and it is very frustrating when Jake obeys in action but then proceeds to whine or cry while “obeying.” You see we define obedience as the complete act “obey the first time with a happy heart” not just action. Life has also gotten interested as Judd is really starting to test us and we are training him to obey also. Yes, many days I feel like I am correcting them all day whether it is their actions or their attitude, (their heart).

I have prayed that God would show me areas specifically how I can be a better mom. He has been answering my prayers more than I would like in one specific area, speaking with grace. The Holy Spirit has convicting me as I yell, fuss, whine, or beg my boys to listen and obey. So yesterday I was praying that my speech would be pleasing to Him and then I read this verse:

Let your speech always be seasoned with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Col 4:6

I find that I try VERY hard to speak with grace to Jim and even others, but so many times I “lose it” with the boys. I know that more hurtful words are spoken when I am angry or frustrated than at any other time. I don’t feel that my words are nearly as hurtful as the tone in which I speak. Many times see my tone and reactions imitated through Jake when he is trying to communicate with Judd. This is when the Holy Spirit gently nudges my heart and reminds me that if I want my children to know Jesus, I must be Jesus to them. I must speak gently to them, but in order to do that I need to spend more time with Him. I need to be closer to Him so that I will know how He would respond.
As a child of God and a mother to two precious boys (soon to be girl), I want this verse to represent me and the way I speak to our children:
“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:26
Here are a few things to remember when I feel frustrated:
1. wait. Cool off before I speak. This will give me time to think rather than react. I must remember that I will most often react with words that are from my old nature than my new life in Christ.
2. speak softly. Frustration and anger is fed by an increase in volume. I want to speak softly and take down barriers.
3. Ask God to help when the temperature begins to rise. He alone can change me.

I pray that He will keep me sensitive in this area. I want our home to be a haven for our children as well as my husband.

I found this quote and I thought I would share it:
In every conversation we choose whether we are going to

• affirm the positive or dwell on the negative
• spotlight the growth or the weakness
• celebrate the victories or rehash the failures
• encourage (give courage to another) or discourage (take courage from another)
• think the worst or assume the best
• draw them to Christ or push them away
• And what we choose will make a difference in someone’s life. . . . one way or another.

I want to begin now setting healthy patterns of communication children. If I am not their primary source of encouragement to, who is going to encourage them?

We only have a few more weeks before Baby Girl joins us. I want to cherish each day since these are the last days that I will have with just “the boys.”

This morning we got up and went outside to play in the snow. Jake was so excited to go outside and run through the yard. Judd still didn’t find must interest in the snow. He just wanted us to hold him the whole time. We tried to build a snowman, but it didn’t work. I guess building snowmen are not skills that are developed when you live in the south your whole life.

Jake was so excited that they were all wearing Carhart Overalls.

Can’t you tell just how excited Judd was to be standing in the snow? He was watching Jim make the snowman. 

It is snowing! When the boys woke up from their naps we took them outside to experience the snow. They were not as impressed as I thought they would be. I guess they are still a little young. They were freezing and I was being a good mom and taking pictures for them. 🙂

This post is for my sweet husband:

This is a list of the 100 reasons why I love you…