Flashback Friday

This is Andrew in September 2005. He is just a few months over one year, and it was a few weeks before Lexie was born. How great would it be to be able to fall asleep in a swing. OR on second thought how awful, he must be completely exhausted. He is still just as cute now. We came across this photo as Lexie and were going through pictures of when she was born. So much has changed. He is in kindergarten! I can hardly believe it. The girls and I went to the school today to have lunch with the little guy. It was a pajama party for all the kindergartners. He was so excited about the party all week long. He didn't even fight me in getting ready for school, which was a welcomed break. He jumped right up, went to the shower, then dressed in his space jammies which had been the plan, put on his shoes and said he would fix his own breakfast, which he did. I laid in bed all the while and then jumped up and drove him to school cause it was pouring rain ( we live way close, so the driving is really unnecessary.) It was fun to go see Andrew in his school setting and he was excited to see us. We need to do this more. Every time I go into the school all the adults from the lunch ladies to the secretaries in the office tell me how sweet Andrew is. I got told this by no less than SIX people today. He is a charmer. Worries me a little because I think he thinks he can get away with 'stuff' cause he can talk his way out. It really is mostly effective with the ladies though. I love you Andrew and Lexie too, for taking the walk down memory lane with me. My children truly enrich my life so much. I would be lost without them, even when they make me nuts. Best weekend wishes to everyone!

Ingenuity

I love Andrew's sense of adventure and his ingenuity. He is a smart boy and is very curious. This is the cause of most of his destructiveness, he usually is just being curious or finding a way to get what he wants, which if channeled in the right way will take him far in life. And not to toot my own horn but if anyone can steer him in that direction it will be me cause I am hearty like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind. I imagine all mothers are hearty or how else would they survive? Sidenote, Andrew will be needing some steering as his current career aspirations are to work and Walmart. No offense to any Walmart employees. Anyway this is Andrew on top of the "doggy" house (a little shed in the back yard for lawn and garden tools) he was trying to get a glimpse of the sunset, or so he said. Really it was just his ingenuity at work. He knew if "seeing the sunset" was the reason to get up there I would help him. I am a sentimental sap that way. But I also hope I am cultivating a love for the beauties of the earth. Thanks Andrew for all your energy and the great boy you are. I do love you.

Anna

Anna the Banana at 2. Handful. Dollface. Spitfire. Beautiful. Full of Personality. Loves babies, dolls or real. Determined. Knows her mind. Melts my heart. My baby. Loves books. Loves I am a Child of God. Sweet. Funny. Makes me happy everyday. Definitely one of my greatest blessings. As a mother it is funny how at times you are overwhelmed with feelings of love and gratitude for your children. I have been having this feeling lots lately about this little rug rat. She was being so funny on Sunday so we took a few pictures of the goofy thing and I thought they captured her personality perfectly. She wore her hair curly for church which I also thought captured her essence perfectly. It is funny to me about names, and coinciding personalities I had envisioned for such names. I had the names Anna and Lexie picked out before I was ever married. Funny thing is Anna's looks and personality was more of what I thought would be "Lexie" but she is Anna and she'll let you know, "I'm Anna." She says this after any adjective used to describe her, "your silly," "no I'm Anna." I love her more than I ever knew possible. I want to drink her up while she'll still let me. Love you Annie always be YOU cause you do it great!

Hair

Yesterday I got my hair done. I feel like a new woman. The guy who cut my hair made the analogy of a bad hair cut being like going in your closet every morning and picking out your oldest, rattiest, ugliest shirt and then wearing it every day. That is what I had been doing. I am happy to say he fixed it to a livable cut for me while I am trying to grow it out a bit. I no longer feel completely hideous and am no longer sporting orange hair, as Michael had told me was the color when we went home for a visit. It is funny how sometimes the littlest things can make you feel so much better. I was happy with Jay my hair stylest he wasn't outrageously expensive and I no longer feel like a clown. Now maybe I will post a picture when get ready for the day. Hope all y'all have a great weekend and go get your hair fixed if it is bothering you.

"I Have a Dream"

Andrew with his sisters

"I have a dream that one day,.... little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers."

-Martin Luther King

I am not sure if Martin Luther King thought the phrase from his speech would be as literal as it is for our family, and so many other families out there, but I for one am glad that it is. What a great country we live in and I am so thankful for our freedoms and the progress we have made.