Oh, look at you two! This is your first couple of hours.
We had to label your hats to keep you straight.
Meeting Gabriel... Ahhh...
Your first day home... So tiny...
2 weeks and you two are ANGELS that love to being touching...
You are six weeks and so alert now!
My angel babies sleeping...
Gabe still adores you to this day. What a sweet brother - always was!
Sweet baby skin and toes... I am going to miss this. I knew it from that very moment.
Church dedication at 7 months.. Yes, our hands are full, but so are our hearts!
They are one!!
First Birthday!
Now I was busy. You two walked at ONE and life sped up even quicker.
Oh you two could be rascals...
The days were LONG,
But those years are so short!!!
Work? Yes, lot of it!
Worth it?? A million times over.
I was learning so much.
Patience, self control, watching my tone,
not sweating the SMALL stuff
and letting the house go for the JOY OF MY BOYS!
Because I blinked and those long days flipped to another YEAR. My sweet babies were TWO!!
These sweet angels were TWO!!
It wasn't easier, yet!
You rascals kept me on my toes, and were a tool God used to refine me, and grow me into the wife, mother, friend, and lady you wanted me to be. Those daily, grinding lessons of gentleness, love, as well as reteaching manners all the while trying to unbury us from under the ever looming laundry and dishes that threatened to take over our home should I not be constantly attacking them.
Oh no, they are THREE. I was kinda dreading. The babyish, toddler time over.
Look at them. They aren't babies. They are buddies.
Their friendship is precious.
A gift from God.
Those brothers LOVE each other and are so lonely for each other when someone is gone.
They missed Gabe while he was at Kindergarten and solidified what we all felt.
Our family is best when we are ALL together.
The laundry got more, the grocery bills higher and they grew and grew.
FOUR - was right around the corner.
They were growing up at the speed of light, and I can't do any thing to stop it. They are learning at a rapid pace. Letters, sight words, spelling, numbers, and their humor was catching on and cracking up the world.
Then, it happened again. Those long and exhausting days snuck up on me and my lovies turned FOUR.
The age of guns, capes, superheros and fun descended on our home in force.
Wrestling, sports, and wildness of unprecedented porportions became normal
I love my wild little men.
They are full of silly from morning to night, but boys LOVE THEIR MAMA!
Even though they play hard, their cuddles, drive-by kisses and dart gun wars warm me to my CORE.
They can play (HARD), swim, do sports and be independent.
This is my daily life. While life demands a lot from me. I really can't help but laugh and stop what I am doing to focus on the important- the angels I get to cherish and hug every day.
The calling to train and raise young men to be godly boys is a HUGE undertaking- overwhelming at times. But I LOVE my life, my boys, my family and am so blessed and grateful to have them.
They are ALL boy- rough, rough and tumble, sticks and guns, puppies and running! But they are little sponges too. Watching Corey and I so closely that we strive to be the best WE can be, and the best parents, the best examples to our little men who see and SOAK up everything. We hope they FEEL, SEE and KNOW the deep love we have for them.
Those two push Corey and I to grow, try harder, and LIVE with a dangerous love for God and others.
Hopefully time will SLOW as the days are now longer, and days are so much easier. Gods seeds are in their hearts as we hear worship songs and verse sponteneously burst from them. We pray God's blessing over these TWO angels - healthy gifts from heaven.
Here are the FIVE year old boys who have grown up right before my eyes. I am so proud of these sweet, little men. I know great things are in store for them. I am excited for this little boy era of soccer games and practices, long bike rides and school field trips - JUST GO EASY ON ME. I see you two as little babies like it REALLY WAS YESTERDAY, so if I hug a little too long- or tear up at pre-school events - cry for no reason just know I have LOVED every single, silly second of being your MOMMY. Happy Birthday Rascally Roos!!!
