My Kids' Mama

Today was a wonderful day! Every Mother's Day is kind of surreal to me. That may sound crazy, but I am always in awe of the fact that I am "My Kids' Mama". Most days I don't think about it, but every Mother's Day, whether I had one, two, or three kids, I always look at them and think "I am actually getting to celebrate this as a Mama!". Then I really remember how lucky I am to be there Mama. Days can get so rough around here when we are busy, Shane is traveling, I am swamped with work, there is no clean underwear =), I am changing the twenty-seventh dirty diaper of the day, or we are all going on 2 hours of sleep because Owen decided to take a nap at 5 and kept everyone up all night...but no matter how may diapers or how little sleep I got, these are still my babies and I am so blessed they call me Mama! (this is probably going to have to be another print and tape to my mirror or something post, all this "blessing" will go out the window when I catch Owen dumping my flower pots tomorrow or when Claire climbs back in bed tomorrow morning after we have slept in and I think she is brushing her teeth =))....
This was an extra special Mother's Day as we dedicated Bree Leighton this morning at Church! I have said before and I will say over and over again that Bree is my living testimony of faith and prayer. I swear her eyes twinkle differently as she is my constant reminder of keeping faith and how my Lord is in our lives constantly! He gave us Bree and the experiences of her pregnancy as a way of us re-dedicating ourselves to Him...today we returned His promise to us and dedicated her to a life in Him. Thank you Lord for these three sweet kiddos and loving husband! Giving me these babies, I have learned how much You love me and there is nothing I can do to lose that love, just as I will love these babies forever. Without you, I would not have this life of blessings and with You, this family has so much more to come!!! Thank You as well for the fabulous example of my mother and all her knowledge and help she gives me everyday! I would not know where to even begin some days without her and I know that is because You have given her so many experiences and blessed her life so that she can be there for me, Tara, Nicole and Jace!


So, Shane and the kids got me an ice cream maker for Mother's Day (we will just pretend that all the "Mother's Day shopping" I did over the last few weeks didn't happen =))!! One of Shane's greatest memories growing up was his Mom and MawMaw making homemade ice cream in the summer. So he wanted to start that with the kids and they LOVED it! I am not going to pretend like me and Shane didn't love it too, it was fun!! Who doesn't love Butterfinger ice cream!!! Here are a few pics of Claire and O with their daddy making the ice cream...

Here are the kids this morning...I LOVE the matching dresses on the girls!! I was up late last night making matching bows and I think they were sooooo cute this morning!!! (the dresses are Matilda Jane)...Bree has this new smile and I swear we all melt when we see it!!!!

Owen making his rare appearance =)... Pretty Claire...and her busted lip =(

My sweet SWEET ANGEL baby!!!! Look at those twinkling eyes!!!! Owen - my handsome boy!!!! Up front at church....Owen checking everything out, me smiling at the camera, Shane oblivious to the camera, Claire sticking her tongue out, yep that's us! Walking the stage to dedicate Bree!!! Love this picture...makes me proud of our family of 5!!! My Mom and Bree at lunch!

Shane and Claire at lunch...somehow Shane always manages to not get in any pictures...=)

Blurry but I love it... Happy Mother's Day to all you good Mama's out there!!

Now I am off to pretend to be waaaaay to tired so Shane won't make me do the Shred with him.....