Happy Birthday, Reagan!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl! Reagan is one and we are celebrating how wonderful she is!

Reagan,

You are one year old today and I can't believe the time has passed so quickly. You have such a sweet spirit and love to be around people. Your smile can change a room. Your curls simply melt my heart AND you have even started letting me put bows in them!

You have your Daddy wrapped around your tiny finger. He'd move mountains for you. Your brother adores you. You spend most of your time chasing him around the house! He's very protective of you when other kids are around.

You love music. From the very beginning you have loved music. Now you will start dancing and clapping your hands when songs are played. Some days I pick you up and we just dance around the room together! We twirl and twirl and your laugh makes my heart happy.

Happy Birthday, Daughter. I love you with all that I am.

Momma

Checking in...

We survived the expedition fiasco. Tickets for that show were $350. I was pleasantly surprised, but hoping not to watch another episode like that for a long time!!!! Sam is quick to tell everyone now that "Daddy broke his truck." By his...he mean's Sam's truck. This crazy thing has happened in our home...Sam has started to inform us that everything is really his.

Mom: Samuel, do not throw your toys at my wall. That is not nice.

Sam: This is my wall, Momma. I bought it with my money.

We have lots of posts to write and pictures to share, but right now we are soaking up every minute of this season.

Merry Christmas!!!

Play by Play

Wake up at 6 a.m.
Give Reagan a bottle and rock her back to sleep.
Feel wonderful.
Consider having a cup of coffee.
Opt for a can of fresca instead.
Healthy living at its best.
Take shower.
Make peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Pack preschool bags.
Find special Thomas the Train underpants.
Set out clothes.
Hear Sam call out.
Get Sam out of bed.
Hugs and kisses.
Breakfast burritos.
Hear Sam wake up Reagan after I told him specifically NOT to go into her room.
Get everyone dressed and out the door.
Feel sense of accomplishment that I remembered both children and their stuff.
Feel even greater sense of accomplishment that I brushed my teeth.
Drop kids off at daycare and head to work.
Six clients and one no show. Thank God for no shows before Thanksgiving.
Tears, smiles, tears, smiles, tears, smiles.
2:00 Phone call from husband. Good work news. Great work news. Excitement. Decide screaming in my office might alert the psychiatrists. Refrain. Again feel sense of accomplishment.
Return to clients.
Look at clock and realize its 4:30.
Pick up kids.
Head home.
Husband is home already.
This isn't a good day...this is a GREAT day!
Realize that husband has been doing things at the house all day. Fence is stained...new lighting installed...french drain put in...feel amazed.
Think to self...life is going great. What a great day.
Dinner out to celebrate good work news.
Home to put up Christmas tree. (I know...I know....)
Husband heads out to find camera.
Hear loud crash.
Very loud crash.
Realize perfect day may be over.
See that husband has literally ripped off the back of my expedition and the garage door is hanging on for dear life to its frame.
Samuel starts crying.
I think about crying.

What a CRAZY day!!!! Thank God for insurance. For the record when you put an expedition in a fight with a garage door both lose and the tickets to watch the show are probably very expensive. I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Where are you?

I have blogs floating around inside my head. Memories that I want to remember.

Last week I was at the educational resource store with Sam and Reagan. Just a quick trip to pick up something for the play room. We go into the store and make the purchase. Things are going perfectly. I have perfect children. I am a wonderful mom. Things went like this for about two seconds. And then...

As I am putting Reagan in her car seat I call out to Samuel. I wanted to make sure he was still standing by the truck.

And then it happened.

I turned.

And saw my son.

My perfect son.

Peeing on the tire of my truck.

In the parking lot.

There were people walking by us.

I should have scolded him.

I should have had a moment of correction.

I mean...we can't just pee in parking lots on the tires of cars.

We should have standards.

But...I didn't.

I started laughing so hard I couldn't stop.

Later I did tell Samuel that it was inappropriate to pee on the tire of mommy's truck when she puts Reagan in the car seat.

The things we end up saying as parents!!!!

Thankfulness

It's the month for thankfulness. I love it.

Psalm 147:7
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.

Here are the words to my song of thanksgiving today.

Recognition of my need for a Savior,

Grateful that Jesus called me to Him when I was young,

Thankful that He walks this life with me,

Security in knowing that there is more than this life,

Being married to the person I still want to talk to more than anyone else in the world,

Seeing my love for him walk around our home,

Watching Reagan learn what she likes and doesn't like,

Samuel's ability to learn,

A peaceful home where there are calm conversations,

Remembering this time last year talking about a bad economy and making plans for business adventures,

Realizing that this has been a great year,

Knowing, again, that God holds all things in hand,

All things....the good and the bad,

Being ok with that,

And thankful for being ok with that,

Loving cool mornings and warm afternoons,

Seeing people who were once so overcome with hurt that they couldn't see past the moment,

Hearing them laugh in my office,

Knowing that this love for the romantic was birthed in my heart as a child,

Thankful that years of life haven't stolen it

Being thankful is good. Thanks, November for the reminder!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Happy Birthday Daddy! Today is Scott's 31st birthday. It's official. He's old.

We're celebrating him today in the Kenley Casa. There are a million reasons to love him, but Sam, Reagan and I narrowed it down to our top 31....in no particular order. You might be able to tell who contributed each one!

1. He works hard for our family. His day begins at 4:45 on most mornings and he never complains.

2. He finds time to be with us every day.

3. He gives Reagan her morning bottle so Mommy can sleep until 6:30.

4. He watches hunting shows with Sam and pretends to shoot ducks in the living room.

5. He prays with us. He loves Jesus in a real and authentic way.

6. He is quick to give compliments out. He reminds us that he loves us.

7. He makes great homemade pico.

8. He can fix anything.

9. He makes great coffee and knows just how much creamer to put in it.

10. He will let Sam play with play-doh.

11. He is kind.

12. He is a good listener. He gives solid advice.

13. He does silly faces that make us laugh.

14. He loves to listen to Christian music.

15. His favorite ice cream is homemade vanilla by Blue Bell.

16. He lets us stay up late to watch encore western movies.

17. He loves to go to stock shows and festivals.

18. He helps with household chores...he always takes the kitchen.

19. He remembers important events.

20. He gives great hugs.

21. Mom loves how he holds her hand when he's driving.

22. He is good at seeing the big picture. He brings calm to stressful situations.

23. He loves to watch football.

24. He snores when he naps on Sunday afternoon.

25. He can speak Spanish.

26. He is willing to try almost anything once.

27. His dream job would be riding a tractor in the middle of a field ready for harvest. (Mom is glad he doesn't work his dream job!!!)

28. He loves Ducks Unlimited and duck hunting.

29. He is a great cuddler.

30. He loves to talk at night in front of the outdoor fire pit with a good glass of wine.

31. He is a dreamer and he helps us dream big dreams!

Happy Birthday, love. We're glad we get to call you Daddy! Today we celebrate you and how much you mean to us!

Hidden in the Heart

These words I whisper in Samuel's ear when he pauses long enough in his play to land in my lap.

"God has put a song in your heart...you just have to learn how to sing it."