Basketball, boys, blessings
Here I sit watching the ACC tournament with my three guys, in a sea of milk-free chocolate chips (or as Aden would call them, shocolate ships), Dr. Pepper, and intense bracket anticipation, wondering how to even start on this post. I have long run out of clever segues or desperate excuses for my blog slack. This one has no reason whatsoever.
Even this, the first time in three weeks I have even tried writing, I go into half expecting to just get lost in it and trash the whole thing. Pictures would help. Alas, there are none; haven't touched the camera since the last post either.
So since there is no plan for what to say here, we'll just go for status. Good? Good.
Probably goes without saying, but the men of our home live and breathe basketball. Brandon has created a monster in Trey, who has stored in his memory scores and stats from college games over the last several months. Who plays elaborate games in his room many times each day. Who caught wind that anyone who fills out a perfect bracket this year will win a million dollars. Poor kid is fully convinced he's gonna do it.
Boy, that would be a game changer!
We are gearing up for our annual home improvement staycation. Lord willing, our well-worn living room will receive a long-overdue update, Aden's room will transform from a nursery into a big-boy cave, and hopefully the outdoors will get a facelift as well. Will there be before and after pictures? Your guess is as good as mine.
My boys. Oh, my boys. Where to even begin?
I look back on the blog days where I did pretty regular updates on what they were learning, their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses. The days when they changed so quickly we could barely keep up.
Well, we can still barely keep up, but for different reasons. The energy is just. flat. exhausting. Seriously, come on. One or more boys will awaken me typically in the 4AM hour, ready to start the day. Really? I'm not a whiner by nature, very purposefully, because nothing makes my skin crawl like the whine of either of my children. But that wee-hours wake up call has driven me to whine a few times in full attention of little faces.
My Trey is growing taller by the second and skinny as a rail. Is doing very well at school, but resists going into anything that will not be easily accomplished. We are also battling some apathy issues with him, and for maybe the first time, making a real effort to be consistent in enforcing a standard of behavior and work ethic. We'll see how that goes. Has agreed to let me start teaching him piano, but doesn't want to take time to practice. Been there, bud.
Shows little appreciation for his brother. And when I say little appreciation, I mean treats him like dirt. Or maybe worse than dirt. I know the sibling bicker is a universal phenomenon - after all, there were plenty of times when I was mean as a snake to my sister. (So sorry, Nene!) The tool man said it best, oh so many years ago. When asked what causes sibling rivalry, he said, "Having more than one kid."
Oh, mercy. There is good reason why Aden calls me his best friend these days. I am.
My Aden is so very snuggly. Eats like a bird. Has given up on naps for the most part, which shows itself by early evening, when he will often beg to go to bed before 8:00. Still gets a daily head injury, either from some uber-creative new game he has invented or as a result of his brother's aggression. Listens like, well, whatever doesn't listen well. Loves talking about poop, go figure. Good grief.
Has no earthly idea that there is any age difference whatsoever between him and Trey. Loves school, and is learning a lot - especially about numbers - but can't wait to go to the same school as Trey. Can't stand for anyone to refer to him as a baby, or even a little kid. "No, I'm BIG!" Oh yeah, we've jumped on this to try and convince him to give up the thumb. Because surely only babies suck their thumbs. I've also been known to dip his thumb in vinegar every once in a while. A little more effective than the baby thing.
So our summer kid-improvement list involves breaking Aden of the thumb, re-teaching Trey how to tie his shoes (grr), and somehow convincing both boys that it's just completely unacceptable for them to treat everything they do as a race. Which they do now. For everything. Who gets from the car to the door first, who can put their socks on fastest, who gets the most minutes of song selection in the car, on and on it goes. Man, that's annoying.
But they're boys. Our boys, with a double-dose of both competitiveness and perfectionism. And we love them to the moon and back a thousand times.
This past basketball season has, for whatever reason, taught me more than ever to absolutely cherish our time together. And it has been precious. And my precious Lord has, in His mercy, given us more snow days than we've had in many years. All of us home together. It's loud and chaotic and cemented in my mind as some of the best memories I will ever have of this phase of life.
So while my blogging record kinda blows, the blessings continue to flow. Totally undeserved, straight from a God Whose mercies are indeed new every morning. Who loves us enough to never give up, but keep working on us, chipping away at those stubborn raw edges. For my Lord is great, and greatly to be praised.
There's no place where His love can't reach
There's no space where we can't find peace
There's no end to amazing grace
Love like this, oh, my God to find
I am overwhelmed with a joy divine
Love like this sets our hearts on fire
I am holding on to you
I am holding on to you
In the middle of the storm, I am holding on
I am
Even this, the first time in three weeks I have even tried writing, I go into half expecting to just get lost in it and trash the whole thing. Pictures would help. Alas, there are none; haven't touched the camera since the last post either.
So since there is no plan for what to say here, we'll just go for status. Good? Good.
Probably goes without saying, but the men of our home live and breathe basketball. Brandon has created a monster in Trey, who has stored in his memory scores and stats from college games over the last several months. Who plays elaborate games in his room many times each day. Who caught wind that anyone who fills out a perfect bracket this year will win a million dollars. Poor kid is fully convinced he's gonna do it.
Boy, that would be a game changer!
We are gearing up for our annual home improvement staycation. Lord willing, our well-worn living room will receive a long-overdue update, Aden's room will transform from a nursery into a big-boy cave, and hopefully the outdoors will get a facelift as well. Will there be before and after pictures? Your guess is as good as mine.
My boys. Oh, my boys. Where to even begin?
I look back on the blog days where I did pretty regular updates on what they were learning, their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses. The days when they changed so quickly we could barely keep up.
Well, we can still barely keep up, but for different reasons. The energy is just. flat. exhausting. Seriously, come on. One or more boys will awaken me typically in the 4AM hour, ready to start the day. Really? I'm not a whiner by nature, very purposefully, because nothing makes my skin crawl like the whine of either of my children. But that wee-hours wake up call has driven me to whine a few times in full attention of little faces.
My Trey is growing taller by the second and skinny as a rail. Is doing very well at school, but resists going into anything that will not be easily accomplished. We are also battling some apathy issues with him, and for maybe the first time, making a real effort to be consistent in enforcing a standard of behavior and work ethic. We'll see how that goes. Has agreed to let me start teaching him piano, but doesn't want to take time to practice. Been there, bud.
Shows little appreciation for his brother. And when I say little appreciation, I mean treats him like dirt. Or maybe worse than dirt. I know the sibling bicker is a universal phenomenon - after all, there were plenty of times when I was mean as a snake to my sister. (So sorry, Nene!) The tool man said it best, oh so many years ago. When asked what causes sibling rivalry, he said, "Having more than one kid."
Oh, mercy. There is good reason why Aden calls me his best friend these days. I am.
My Aden is so very snuggly. Eats like a bird. Has given up on naps for the most part, which shows itself by early evening, when he will often beg to go to bed before 8:00. Still gets a daily head injury, either from some uber-creative new game he has invented or as a result of his brother's aggression. Listens like, well, whatever doesn't listen well. Loves talking about poop, go figure. Good grief.
Has no earthly idea that there is any age difference whatsoever between him and Trey. Loves school, and is learning a lot - especially about numbers - but can't wait to go to the same school as Trey. Can't stand for anyone to refer to him as a baby, or even a little kid. "No, I'm BIG!" Oh yeah, we've jumped on this to try and convince him to give up the thumb. Because surely only babies suck their thumbs. I've also been known to dip his thumb in vinegar every once in a while. A little more effective than the baby thing.
So our summer kid-improvement list involves breaking Aden of the thumb, re-teaching Trey how to tie his shoes (grr), and somehow convincing both boys that it's just completely unacceptable for them to treat everything they do as a race. Which they do now. For everything. Who gets from the car to the door first, who can put their socks on fastest, who gets the most minutes of song selection in the car, on and on it goes. Man, that's annoying.
But they're boys. Our boys, with a double-dose of both competitiveness and perfectionism. And we love them to the moon and back a thousand times.
This past basketball season has, for whatever reason, taught me more than ever to absolutely cherish our time together. And it has been precious. And my precious Lord has, in His mercy, given us more snow days than we've had in many years. All of us home together. It's loud and chaotic and cemented in my mind as some of the best memories I will ever have of this phase of life.
So while my blogging record kinda blows, the blessings continue to flow. Totally undeserved, straight from a God Whose mercies are indeed new every morning. Who loves us enough to never give up, but keep working on us, chipping away at those stubborn raw edges. For my Lord is great, and greatly to be praised.
There's no space where we can't find peace
There's no end to amazing grace
Love like this, oh, my God to find
I am overwhelmed with a joy divine
Love like this sets our hearts on fire
I am holding on to you
I am holding on to you
In the middle of the storm, I am holding on
I am
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