Friday Flashback

This weekend it is prom at CL. I thought we'd flashback to last year's prom. Time goes in the blink of an eye!

Nate, Sabrina & Leo

Leo & SabrinaLeo & Nate

If it goes this fast, soon Leo will be the one in the tux! Yikes!

My "Mane" Man

Who loves Leo's new lion jammies?

I think he does!

He's my "mane" man!

Winky Dinky

Hey baby! Check out this wink!

I Think He Hates...

Holidays... Or my sister thinks he hates argyle. (I think I'd be crushed if it was the argyle!)

I think I have a picture like this of Leo Beo at Christmas. Maybe he hates pictures...

His cute basket that I put a lot of time and thought into. It's still sitting by the fireplace untouched. I should take a lesson from my son, there is so much more to Easter than a bunny and eggs.

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Easter has come and gone, but the feelings it has made me remember and feel are running through my head and heart. I remember coloring Easter eggs, going on the egg hunt, hating sunrise service, watching Moses with my dad, eating circus peanuts until I thought I'd puke, and spending time with my family and friends.

While I was able to color eggs with my mom and nephew, go on a hunt, and spend a lot of time with my family and friends, I missed some of the things I did growing up. I made Justin watch a little bit of Moses with me last night. (Thanks honey!) There were no circus peanuts at my mom's, and we didn't make it to sunrise service.

A few years ago when I went to see The Passion, my Easter was forever changed. No more was it pictures in my head or pictures I'd seen at church. It was brought to life on screen. I could feel the pain that Jesus endured more clearly. I could feel the pain in Mary's eyes and heart as she watched her son fulfill His duty here on earth. Now with Leo, it makes it even more real and more earth shaking.

God gave His son, his only son.

For me.

Who am I? What did I do to deserve this awesome gift? Some days I feel like a nobody, someone that didn't and doesn't deserve what Christ's death on the cross gave to me.

And, partly, that's true. I don't deserve to be forgiven.

But I am. I am somebody to God. I am a child of God and He loves me unconditionally.

I've been putting too much emphasis on my roll as a mother, a wife, a teacher, a friend, a sister, a daughter, and all of the other rolls I play in my every day life. I've been so worried about pleasing everyone else, I've been neglecting my relationship with God.

On Friday night, I was asked by a dear friend how my walk with God had been. Honestly, it wasn't in a good spot. I was relying on my own abilities, and not trusting God. Driving home from SF my friends and I talked and laughed and cried. My eyes were opened to the fact that I had been neglecting my relationship with God, and needed to turn to Him. As we pulled into my driveway, my dear friend asked if she could pray. It was an amazing feeling. My friends had once been in RCYF, and I was supposed to be their "mentor," a person they could look up to, but here they were showing me how much God can do. I am so thankful for both of them.

Sabrina, Brittany, I love you so much, and I'm so very thankful for the way God has created our friendships. Thank you for caring about me now and about my eternal future. :) God has blessed me with wonderful friends, and I'm so thankful that we can walk together.

So today in church, I again gave my life to God. I think I've done it a million times, and a million times God is there waiting for me with open arms. What a wonderful feeling and a wonderful weekend.

Easter Eggs '09

One of my favorite traditions from when I was little was coloring Easter eggs. My mom would always find something new and "cool" to try. This year, she was still up to her tricks, but had new helpers...Ok, that's a lie...she had one new helper and one kind of old one. :) (Kate and Leo were busy doing other things...see pictures below...)

Gavin and I had fun mixing the colors, writing names on the eggs, and spinning with the new q-tip "thingys." I can't believe Gav is old enough to be writing the names of his cousins. Too smart that little guy is!

When we'd finished the eggs, Gavin was "teaching" me how to play Sudoku. Thanks for the tips Gav!

Our eggs were beautiful and different, just like the little ones we had helping out. :)

Captain Heartbreaker

We survived our weekend away! It was a lot of fun and the weather held out...minus the game being rescheduled. Oh well. We got to see campus, meet Nate's roommate, surprise Nate, eat out, sit in a hot tub, SLEEP :), play cards, and spend time with my best friend. It was a great trip.

But...I knew someone was waiting at home for me.

I missed that little face!

Whenever I go somewhere I feel the need, the urge, to buy Leo something. This trip it just happened to be clothes. (Honestly, it's always clothes...) There is not a lot of shopping in Maryville, so it's a good thing Amy, Ivy & I stopped at the Gap Outlet (AKA my heaven on earth).

I got him lots of clothes for summer, some shoes and these cute pjs that say "Captain Heartbreaker." What a cutie!

He was so cuddly and lovey last night when we got home. He wouldn't leave my side. :)

I think the pjs were good luck~he slept through the night! Way to go Captain!

It's All Over the Place

This post is!

Look at that cheesy smile! :) I love that boy. :)

Not a lot has been happening here in the past few weeks. So the posts have been a little on the non-existent side. Sorry loyal readers...

I guess being not so busy is a good thing, and we are all staying healthy (knock on wood) because Influenza A is making its way around town. Our poor niece, Jaina, had it over the weekend, but she's all better and will be in my classroom tomorrow. We have TK visitation. That means 20, yes 20, four-year-olds will be making their way to Room 18 in the morning. Oh boy! It will be a real wake up call to see how I'll "start over" this fall as a teacher. We send of these little ones that know the "looks", or the reminders and get my humor, and I trade it off for the most children I've ever taught at once, and they are just babies! (Well not really, but they have so much to learn!) I've grown to LOVE my class this year, and I'm going to be so sad when they move on. But, I guess that's part of life. They need to grow and learn and I'll have a new class to love.

Ok, enough sappy stuff...

Don't get me wrong, I love my son, but I CANNOT wait for this weekend! We are getting away! And we are getting away childless! We are heading to Maryville to watch Nate play his spring football game. (If you don't have anything to pray about, if you'd like to pray that it FEELS like spring when we are there that'd be great...) Nate doesn't know we are coming, and I'm pretty sure he isn't a Leo blog stalker... ;) So it was ok I spilled the beans here. Anyway, I'm very excited to go, but I'm also a little nervous to leave him again. It's only the second time ever! Oh well, he's gotta get some experiences too!

Last thing: Guess who used the potty chair tonight!! My BIG boy Leo! One step closer to no diaper bag!