A Whole Lot Of Nothing!

Well, this week is off to a good start, a fast one at that. No news to report, just the same old same old! Which I am fine with, Usually we are running around like crazy and this week(until this weekend) I am able to relax and enjoy this amazing weather we have been experiencing!! Paul has been getting home early the past 2 days so we have enjoyed spending some extra time with him as well. This weekend we have lots of birthdays to celebrate so I am sure it will be tons of fun full of junk food and laughs!! I will post pictures!!

I leave you with this sweet face! Hope you all have a great week!!

dream...sweet baby...dream!

So, every now and then while my babies are asleep, I will go and sit in their room on the floor and just stare at them....sometimes I pray sometimes I just press my cheek against theirs, and other times I get in the bed and snuggle with them! This evening was no different. I always walk in and check on the boys before I go to bed. Making sure they are covered up and just lay my eyes on them on last time before I drift off to sleep land!



I love this time with them, it is so quiet and peaceful, which is something that is rare around here during the day! They look so little as they sleep, so innocent and fragile! It is so sweet to me! I love looking at them , I can't believe they were in my body....wierd.....I can't believe that they are mine.....what did I do to deserve such precious babies.....

Wagon Time!!

Well, today was a good day, I ran a few errands with the boys this morning and then we came home and watched Peter Pan and played some games. I had a little bit of editing to finish up so I did that, made dinner and enjoyed the rest of the evening with my family!

It has been so pleasant outside the past day or so, and we took full advantage of that tonight! Paul came home from work and we ate dinner and headed outside for some wagon time! It was nice just being with my boys, this has to be my favorite past time. We went all around the neighborhood and then to the back yard to jump on the trampoline!! It was fun, here are just a few pics from our wandering the hood in the wagon.

Judd turns ONE!!!!!

So here are my baby's one year birthday party pictures....well some of them, my friend Tandy took so many it would use all the memory on my blog to put them all up, so I chose a few of my favorites!!

It is hard to imagine that one year ago, I woke up to some real regular contractions...no mind you I never went into labor with Bowen so I was really surprised when this happened with Judd. We headed onto the hospital after I spoke with my Dr. and he urged us to come on!

We dropped Bowen off and headed that way. Well this whole time I am still thinking that I am having a c-section on Friday the 7th...not the case. The Dr. checks me and puts a few machines on my belly and sure enough my contractions were regular enough for the to take the baby then, September 4th!! I was so scared but excited at the same time!

Well, the moment I new he was here and alright, my life has never been the same, I take that back out family has never been the same.

This baby has such a sweet countenance, he is so snugly and he laughs at everything! He has brought a light to our house that can never be dimmed. I am so lucky to have 2 beautiful children who are happy and healthy!

As I look back and reflect on this year, I am reminded again of God's amazing blessings! How fast yet sweet this year was, filled with tons of love. I hope Judd knows without a shadow of a doubt that he is loved, not just by his family but His heavenly Father.

This day will forever be etched on the pages of my heart...along with many others. I love my family! I love my family!

Now here is a boy who loved his cake, he went right on after it! He was not too interested in the blowing out of the candle, so I handled that, but the cake, well it was great!!

This was just a collage of my favorite images!! I want to thank everyone who was a part of this special day, and for those who we would have loved to have been there but for whatever reasons could not make it!! You were sorely missed.... I am so honored that so many people gathered around my family and celebrated this occasion. Birthdays are special at our house, as for this birthday well the birth of my child....is one of the best days of my life, and I will celebrate this day, God willing for many, many years to come.

This year flew by so fast...just a reminder to savor every moment! Soak it all in and exhale with gratitude that I was able to witness this little boy's first year, his first cry, his first smile, his first laugh, his first word and love on his first cake! I love every second of it! I would change nothing, I am thankful for HIS provision in my life!

My prayer for the next year...well there is not enough memory on here to type it. But I trust that my Lord and savior has it all under control, he loves my baby and cares about his future , I am leaning on one of my favorite verses," For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Judson David Estes, I will love you forever!

xxoo

your momma

Stuff....

No pictures in this post, just some stuff that has been happening in my own life and thoughts.

First off I have just started attending this bible study with a group of ladies I am so excited to get to know better. And I have read the first part of the study and I am already hooked. I think it is so awesome to see how God puts things together. The book is No Other God, by Kelly Mnter, and I don't want to put it down, I will not say much yet, but I am excited to see what God has in store for me to learn these next few weeks! I am ready and willing to soak HIM all in! This past year has come with it's ups and downs, and I am still through it all reminded that God is faithful! Friendships come and go and things don't always work out the way I had planned, but I believe and trust in God's provision and am trying to be content and rest there! Just to wrap that up I am thrilled to be a part of whatever He has for me to learn!!

I have had a low point lately, I don't know why or what, just low....Paul is great, the kids are great and I am blessed, just dealing with the blues. No pity party here, just a season...hopefully not a long one!!

On the other hand Tandy and I were asked to photograph a vow renewal and I just want to let you all know that I am so inspired by this couple!! I know they have been through the dessert the past few years and I think it is so awesome to see the miracle that GOD did to restore them and their marriage! There were so many amazing details, everything was so thought through and had such great meaning! I love that God still is in the miracle business, and that I truly believe this couple would not have made it without trusting and leaning on our Father! I am completely impressed with the marriage I witnessed this evening!! I am so glad that they stuck through it all, I believe God honors commitment and I can tangibly see Him working and shining through what could have been another divorce! I also think it was so awesome for them to have this celebration! It was on their actual anniversary and they had some very close friends who were there to rejoice and celebrate with them after standing beside them with tears and feeling the pain this couple was going through!! I could go on and on, but God is so GOOD!!!! I amazed at the things he does for myself and others...the things he has already done!!

And I was suppose to go and visit my family this weekend out in Stone Mountain and I can't because there is no gas at any of the gas stations in a 50 mile radius....and I will certainly run out before I find one!! So it is looking like tomorrow will end up a family day after all, sitting home and watching movies, let me rephrase that watching one movie, the same movie over and over and over again....who knows what movie Bowen will decide is his favorite tomorrow, but I am looking forward to finding out!! I hope you all (anyone who stops by and had the time to read this blog) has a wonderful weekend! I will post birthday pics soon!

Attack Of The School!!

Bowen started school, nothing hardcore, just 2 days a week from 8:30 - 11:30. No big deal...right??? Wrong! I was up at 5 am the morning of, I did not go to sleep until 3 ish...All over a few hours a week... Well I really was struggling with the fact that I am a stay-at-home momma, and now I am sending my kid off and not doing my job!! I was also nervous about him being okay with the idea of me leaving, I really did not think I could have handled a dramatic scene, I would have scooped him up and just brought him back home! But Bowen woke up, sang happy birthday to Judd, and asked me when he was going to get to go to his school! So far so good!!

All week long I was talking up, and acting so excited about his "big boy" school! He was excited cause I was and it was sweet to see. Then cam the real test! I packed him up and off we headed. I talked to him the whole way there about how much fun he was going to have and how he would get to meet and play with new friends!

This whole time I have the lump in my throat! I am depressed at the fact that my little man will not be with me all day like he has been for the past three years!! But I could really tell that he needed to see some other faces besides mine day in and day out!! He almost seemed bored to some degree at home...we have house activities but I think he was a bit over looking at the same 4 walls everyday! Bowen is like his momma, he needs change and a change of scenery is always good.

Here he is posing for me as we head out of the car and off to the school!

What a little man...he made real sure that he walked ahead of me, and did not want me getting too close to him. (Is this normal at 3 years of age?) I'll be honest, it kind of freaked me out that he was so eager to be in dependant and on his own away from mommie!! I think my mind is still trying to feel better about that one! But it was cute to see him with that huge bag that he insisted on carrying as by "hyself."

My social butterfly, again, I can only imagine where he gets this trait from, but here he is waving to not just this bus...but ALL 13 buses that drove by before we made it into the school!
And here is BoBo and his best friend Maddox or as Bo calls him "Maggots" Two silly boys posing for us crazy moms with cameras!!

Bowen absolutely loved his first day, he keeps asking when he can go back! He loves Maddox and I think he had a blast with him all day! They played outside colored a picture and had cupcakes too! I pray that Bowen continues to have a high affinity for school and education! I think we are off to a good start!

I still can't believe that he just kissed me and told me he loved me, and just as I was walking out of the classroom he said as he pats his chest with a matter-of-fact look "mommie gonna come back and get BoBo, it's okay" I assured him I would be back to greet him with arms wide open and a bounty of kisses.

What a big brave boy! I am so proud!! You are the best my BUBBIE!!!!!

Judd Budd!!

Happy Birthday my sweet angel! My heart swells with joy at just the thought of you! You are a blessing to our family and we could not imagine life without you! You bring laughter and joy everywhere you go! Always let your light shine! You are one of a kind! I will love you forever!

Well, it is happening....time is stealing away my babies...My little one just turned one!! I really can't believe it! It is strange! I feel like we just had him. Paul had to work on Thursday (his official birthday) But BoJack and I serenaded him with the happy birthday song this morning! We had to sing the song several times, Bowen found that once...twice....six times was enough! Judd danced and laughed the whole time! It was sweet!

Along with this being Judd's birthday, Bowen also had a big day! His first day of "mini" school! More about that on my next post!!

So we woke up, all three of us ate breakfast together, and Bowen and Judd laid on the couch as I packed up the bags and these are the sweet sounds I heard next!

Bowen: " Judd Budd, I's lub you so much."

Judd: (with a deep grunt) "Ohhh"

Bowen: "No, I lub you more"

It was so cute, usually Bowen and Judd are tackling each other or someone is screaming, but for one, very brief moment, there was nothing rough, just sweet brotherly love!!

I will post first day of school soon, and Judd's Birthday party! It was tons of fun and I can't wait to show off my boy loving his cake!!