I confess. I snapped this picture with my phone in HEB the other day while I was shopping.
A lady caught my eye. She was zipping around the store on an electric cart. Judging by the size of the cart, she had been there awhile. Then, I noticed a baby in her lap. No way, I thought. I looked closer. Yes. She was breastfeeding her baby while she shopped.
Washing dishes and playing words with friends? Sure.
Texting and driving? Well, maybe at a stoplight.
Breastfeeding and shopping? You decide.
Since marrying J, I have always hoped that we would be one of those couples that looks more and more like one another as we ‘grow up’. I think of an 85 year old man and woman I used to watch dance when I would go to small town country dances with my Grandpa. She was always in the same freshly ironed cotton dress and he was wearing his overalls over a white starched stiff shirt. They had seemingly shrunk with age and were both small, thin and somehow just went together. They matched. You could pick them out of a lineup as husband and wife, no doubt. They would steal the show, spinning around that floor, loving the chance to be in one another’s arms, yet again. They danced in tribute to a long life well lived.
I hope that J and I too will one day be a cute old couple that has begun to even look like one another after the many years spent in each others company. I hope that if we were in a lineup, anyone could easily pick us out as husband and wife for no other reason than we just ‘go together’. Someone once said that in marriage, joys are doubled and burdens are halved. As this math equation repeats throughout our life together, I hope that we too will one day be spinning across the figurative dance floor together celebrating the joys and burdens of a life well lived.
At Christmas, I was at a party when a man walked into the room. He was dressed in a festive manner that caught my eye. And, I immediately knew who his wife was. He walked across the room and took his place beside her, as she offered him some food. I had to smile. I also had to sneak an incognito picture so you too could appreciate this couple who has surely grown to look alike.
Here’s to long marriage…(and flashy Christmas outfits)
Sure wouldn’t want her to wake up on the ‘wrong side of the stairs!’
One afternoon, J and N were coloring with markers. I was surprised when SK walked around the corner looking like this:
I fully expected the culprit to deny any involvement but instead, J was quite proud of her work!
I’m sure it won’t be ther first time SK is the subject of sister torture!
The other day, I lost my shoe. We have a shoe cabinet which makes it somewhat hard to loose a shoe. You come home, take your shoes off, and put them in the cabinet. Simple. This is why it drove me absolutely crazy to not be able to find the shoe I wanted to wear. But, when I found it, my frustration melted in an instant. All I could do was smile and thank God for my children!
Back in May, we went to Yogi Bear Park for J’s birthday. We went the week before she turned 4, upon learning that 3 and under were free. Turning 4 meant paying fees at other places as well, such as Cici’s pizza. Why would anyone eat at Cici’s pizza anyway? I think it is dirty and they skimp on the cheese. The concept of sweet pizzas make my stomach churn. But, the rest of my family seems to LOVE it. So, we find ourselves there more often than I’d like to admit. Now, paying for 4 lovely buffets instead of 3!
Back to Yogi Bear Park….This is a campground/waterpark. They have locations all over the US, or at least Texas. It is kind of a ‘poor man’s vacation’. Or, at least that is their marketing strategy. Lets just say the kids got a good tatoo education that day because we certianly saw a few! They also weren’t quite as safety concious as one would think a water park would be. J wasn’t quite tall enough for the big slides but nonetheless, they let her go as long as an adult was with her. I’m not complaining. This was all fine by us. We slid and played all day long and had a blast!
The park is ideal for kids the ages of ours. They could do everything- all two ‘big’ slides and yet they were still young enough to love the mini slides and water play area also!
I sure was proud of the not-yet-4 birthday girl for going down this big one!
In case you are considering a trip of your own to Yogi Bear Park, I’ll also say that I’m not sure it would have been worth the trip on a weekend. During the week, while school was still in session, we never had to wait in line. I hear that the weekend is a different story. And that’s lots more tattoos to explain too!
really, I’m not. Lately, I’ve been telling people J and I have been married 10 years. I brought my wedding pictures to a party where we all looked at old pictures this week and let everyone know, this is year number 10. I have been thinking about how we should celebrate the big 10 this December. It has just flown by. In fact, it doesn’t seem like it has really been 10 years at all.
Last night, I was telling J quickly the years have flown. I always tell him how I pray that the Lord will give us the privilege of being married for 50 years. I want us to know every thought, spend every moment together and even start looking like each other as some cute old couples do.
I was going on about how the first 10 years hasn’t felt like 10 years at all when he interrupted to say….
“We’ve only been married 8 years.”
The things kids come up with through imaginative play never cease to amaze me. This particular day, N and J were in some type of 20,000 leagues under the sea world of their own. I love blending into the background and watching what they come up with.
This particular day included:
Map of Waco (check.)
Small cooler (check.)
2 pairs of boots (check.)
One pink Barbie (check.)
A rather large bag of cheerios (check.)
A random pink shoe (check.)
Who knows where this adventure took them but I know that I choose to stay at home with my children for the joy of being a fly on the wall, along for the ride.
N wants a little brother more than anything. As you might remember, this was his reaction when he was in the ultrasound room and found out that SK was a girl:
Tears turned to sobs and J finally had to take him out of the room. The ultrasound tech couldn’t believe he was genuinely so upset. He frequently talks about names for his little brother, prays for him and saves things for him.
A few days ago, he took these two guys with him all day long.
Watching TV
Lunch- complete with real food.
Bedtime- with their baseball hats side by side.
I was surprised that it was N that played baby all day instead of J but then again, he’s the only one who has ever done this too!
N, you are an AMAZING big brother to your sisters. You are such a protector and friend for them. Keep praying for that brother. May the Lord bless your nurturing, loving and inclusive spirit!
