Dear Bryan,

Dear Bryan,
Happy 3rd Birthday!  I forgot to write to you on your actual day, but I was reminded to do so after watching you sleep early this morning.  You stumbled out of bed with your crazy Einstein-esque hair...saying, "mommy will you sleep with me I'm kinda scared."  Sucking your thumb, you are about the most precious thing on earth.  I am truly blessed with two wonderful boys.

Bryan, you are a smart little boy with a growing vocabulary.  You are a great shot.  Yesterday I watched in awe as you shot basket after basket at Chuck E Cheese in both the kid hoop and the bigger Street Hoop!  I know you will be athletic.  I'm not sure which ball sport will be your favorite, but your dad and I will support and cheer you on for whichever one you choose!  Right now you tell us you want to play basketball and soccer.  We'll see?!

Bryan you are also very independent.  You like to do things by yourself,  but you also will ask for help when absolutely necessary.  Your brother is a big fan of yours too!  You two get along really well, and I love hearing you two giggle and play together.  It is a rare treat!

Three years have passed by quickly, and I know you will continue to grow up before our eyes.  I love that you are still very blonde, and oh so little.  I know you're growing taller little by little, but for now I'm glad you're still my little boy.  Next year you'll go to two days of Mother's Morning out, and then you'll be in preschool and soon enough in Kindergarten!  Don't grow up too fast...enjoy the summer as we continue to swim, play, and eat lots of sweets together!
Love,
Mom

When Daddy's Away...

When Daniel travels to KC I have some remarkable moments with the boys.  I learn that life is much easier with dad in the game!  It is difficult to bathe and settle down two boys amidst phone calls from family and after lots of sugar intake.  I am a lax parent, and he is the stronger one.  We need that!

It was sweet to sleep with both of my boys last night in our bed though...even though they take up 3/4 of the bed, and I am left tossing and turning on the 1/4 that I have left.  Rearranging body parts, I make my little pillow available and steal a sheet back to cover me in the night.  They still sleep soundly though, and we fill our big whole in the bed while dad's away.  We miss him, and we love him!  See you soon!

May 2012 Closing...

Another month has come and gone.  It is a blessing to be surrounded by such a sweet family and the presence of the Lord.  I so relish the quiet moments of each morning.  Waking before dawn, I sip my hot tea and honey and browse my emails, facebook, pinterest, and twitter.  Soon the little ones will wake, and Daniel too.  The day begins slowly and then the rush follows.  Being a mom is pure joy, patience training, and different every day!  I will enjoy seeing how the summer unfolds.  This week our boys will turn 3 and 6 years old!  My how time flies.  The days are long but the years are fast some have said.  They are right!  Hope you see God's grace in some way today...hope I don't miss the glimmers either!

Another blog...

I have applied to be a blogger for our local magazine...

 Contest Click Here to Vote for Jennifer

NWT Girl's Week/Weekend

Today I will fly back to Kansas City for a girl's weekend/week with my old neighborhood friends!  So excited to have this opportunity.  God blessed us with an amazing company of angels in Olathe, KS.  These women became my friends, and their children my children's friends.  Their spouses also became my husband's friends for wine club, dinners out, and poker in our garage.  I look forward to having another memorable trip with "the girls!"  So happy they included me even though we've moved to Florida.  Year one we traveled to Lake Geneva, WI to stay at "The Acorns" a family home of the Schiefelbeins.  Year two we traveled to Mexico to an all inclusive resort in Cancun.  This year we will drive to Table Rock, MO to stay in condos that the Knights have used before.  It will be fun by the water yet again!  Looking forward to Starbucks, shopping, wine, and the spirit of friendship!

May 2012

Things I'm grateful for today...

Early morning alone time to pray, ponder, and drink hot tea with honey while listening to the sounds of nature from our backyard,

My early riser Addison who will come out bearing his Grandma Susan's knit blankets any moment,

My husband who works so hard for our family day in and day out,

Our second son, Bryan, who will sleep in a bit and come out in his pee pee pack and tousled blonde hair sucking his thumb and seeking out a sweet breakfast treat,

Our daily commutes to Winter Park/Orlando from Longwood to have Addison attend his final days of kindergarten at Audubon Park Elementary...time flies...I remember going there myself in kindergarten-fifth grade, and now our oldest son is in grade school!

Meeting new neighbors,

Talking with old friends,

Watching TV late at night with my best friend...Daniel,

Shopping for new things for our new home yesterday and finding birthday presents along the way as well,

And finally Grace from God the Father Almighty who loves us unconditionally and strengthens us for our daily work!

Marvelous Monday...

Okay, so it's been almost a year since I last posted to this blog.  I had talked with my father-in-law over the weekend, and he commented on how he liked the Glimmers of Grace...so I'm returning to write more often!  I was inspired to get to 1000, which I did, but now it's time to just be grateful.

Today's glimmers of Grace...
walking Addison into school with Bryan and my dad (William Bryan),
running on the streets of Winter Park with the sunshine on my shoulders,
eating leftovers from Smokey Bones...mmmm,
meeting a new psychiatrist who actually talked and listened to me for an hour...more than any other in her field that I have met before,
and having water fun time in the hose with Bryan and Addison...yes we ALL got wet and watered the flowers too!