Happy Early Mother's Day

I got this in an email and thought it was definitely worth sharing. To all you invisible Mother's out there and the sacrifices you make. I hope you have a wonderful Mother's day.

--- Invisible Mother.......It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, theway one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone andask me a question.Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously, not.No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor,or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me atall.I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands,nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being.. I'm aclock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'Whatnumber is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30,please.'I was certain that these were the hands that once20held books and theeyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude-but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seenagain. She's going; she's going; she is gone!One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of afriend from England ...Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going onand on about the hotel she stayed in.I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together sowell. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with abeautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe ..I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read herinscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of whatyou are building when no one sees.'In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I woulddiscover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, afterwhich I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the greatcathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave theirwhole lives for a work they would never see finished.They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of theirbuilding was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.A legendary sto ry in the book told of a rich man who came to visit thecathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tinybird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why areyou spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will becovered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied,'Because God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fallinto place.It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte.I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around youdoes. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, nocupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. Youare building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it willbecome.'At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not adisease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of myown self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. Asone of the people who show up at a job that they will never seefinished, to work on something that their name will never be on. Thewriter of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could everbe built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing tosacrifice to that degree.When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friendhe's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4inthe morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkeyfor three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That wouldmean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself.... I just want him towant to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to hisfriend, to add, 'you're gonna love it there.'As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we'redoing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world willmarvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has beenadded to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.Great Job, MOM!Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know....I just did.Hope this encourages you when the going gets tough as it sometimes does.We never know what our finished products will turn out to be because ofour perseverance.

This past weekend we had our annual trip to Fredericksburg. We had such a blast and it was a much needed getaway trip. Our family has had a lot going on, three of the men including my husband have gotten laid off, so it felt so good to get away and blow off some steam. Fortunately on the way down there my uncle found out he got a job so it made the weekend even that much better. I missed Cole terribly but Eric and I definitely need some time away together. My sister-in-laws and mother-in-law watch Cole for us and he had such a blast. After an evening and day with his Aunt Shandi she got him to wear his big boy pants and his now officially potty trained. We had been working on it but we finally are without accidents. It makes me sad to know he is not a baby anymore, he my big boy now. I will miss these first two years terribly but I have to admit it will be kind of nice to not have to buy diapers anymore. Thanks Aunt Shandi!!! Thank you all for watching my baby boy for us so we could get away!

Cole having to much fun while Mommy and Daddy are away

My Cousin Shawna and I in Luckenbach

The Boys

My Sweet Hubby

The girls jammin out to Elton Johns "Bennie & The Jets"

The Girls

Fun in the sun

This past weekend we had a garage sale to get some clutter out of the house and for some extra spending money for our annual Fredericksburg trip which will be taking place this weekend. Although I always miss my baby boy terribly it will be nice for Eric and I to get away together. Saturday evening we hung out in the backyard playing washers and grillin fajitas. Sunday came and it was our lazy day. It was so pretty outside we thought we would lay and get some much needed sun. Here are a few pic of my boys catchin some rays.

Thank Heaven For Little Boys

I have to share this with you because I just thought it was so darn cute. Yesterday since it was such a beautiful day we thought we would lie out and get some sun and let Cole play in his little pool. Not to mention after being stuck in an office I love getting outside and getting some fresh air. I had run in the house in for a minute and come back outside and low and behold my little Cole man has stripped down to his birthday suit & his knee deep in mud. Of course my reaction is COLE WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! While all the while I am trying to keep a straight face. I must have surprised him because he jumps up, turns around and looks at me with this serious look on his face and says “Mom I am just making a birthday cake.” Oh thank Heaven for little boys!

We are finally free

I can’t believe it but I think my baby boy is officially off his pacifier. I was beginning to think he might be sucking on one until he was 5. Last Thursday we ate dinner at Grandma’s house and I put it in my pocket thinking out of sight of mind, & then I completely forgot about it. Well Cole didn’t and as soon as we pull up the house he asks “Mommy where is my pappy?” I then remember it’s in my pocket but decide to tell my sweet precious angel a little while lie. “Baby you must have left it at grandma’s house.” He looks up at me with his big brown puppy dog eyes and says I did and begins to cry. As much as I wanted to give in and give in and give it to him I stuck to my guns an let him think he left it at Grandma’s. I am surprised to say it but he has only asked for it a couple of times and there is the occasional grabbing my hand and attempting to suck my finger in his sleep but we are pappy free and I am so excited. Now if we could just get him potty trained!!

Easter Weekend

Last weekend we broke our Easter up between Saturday and Sunday; Saturday with my family and Sunday with my in-laws. Saturday all the kids hunted eggs at my aunts but we had to call it early as my baby boy was running a fever but Sunday we got to got in a full day of fun. After church we ran to grammies and hunted Eggs then out to Papa’s for lots of good food and fun in the backyard. Here are a few pics of my baby boy from Easter. I am stealing them once again from my sister-in-law Shandi. Thanks hon!!!

Weekend Recap

Our weekend was pretty nice and relaxing. As always on Fridays we have pizza and movie night then Saturday I was actually in the mood to spring clean a little bit. Cole’s drawers and our pantry were in dire need of being cleaned out amongst every closet in our house. Mom don’t get too excited I didn’t even touch the closets. That would be a two day affair, two days I don’t have right now (or maybe it’s not something I want to waste my whole Saturday on). We decide to have my fam over for burgers on the patio. I know it was crazy windy but that is the joy of having a covered patio you don’t feel a thing. Okay well just a little bit. So for months we been talking about getting a new grill; every weekend we go and then Eric pulls this well we need don’t need to spend the money on a new grill. Yes honey we do need a new grill the burners only work on two sides, it’s not like I think we need a new one because ours doesn’t look pretty. So I think I have him convinced and nope we get to the store and he pulls a no on me. I decide I am over it, he is the one cooking. Well at 4:00 he gets his keys and he is heading out the door, “Honey I am off to get a grill.” What!! Keep in mind its 4:00 and my fam is coming at 5:00. Only my husband will wait until right before everyone is coming over. So I get a call & it’s that don’t be mad voice but “I bought a Weber.” Okay Mr. we don’t need to spend the money on a new grill but let’s get the crème de la crème of grills. Oh well what you do. Now I have to admit there may have been some smarts to him waiting until the last minute as of course everyone arrived early and they got the grill put together in 45 minutes (I think he really did that on purpose. JK Love you babe) Well I will say the grill was worth it, we had some dang good burgers & the evening turned out to be pretty nice. Sunday comes and after church I decide I will put Cole down for a nap and watch Marley and Me. Big mistake, if you have not seen it and want to you better make sure you have some tissue handy. Cole decided he wants to watch it and not take a nap, it gets to the end and I won’t tell you what happens but lets just say I cried my eyes out, so much that Cole runs in to get Eric “Daddy, Daddy come here mommy is sad.” Eric comes in asking what is wrong and I am still crying “It’s this movie and I can’t stop.” I know I am such a baby but I just couldn’t help it. A must see movie. The weekend ended with my in-laws coming over for our usual Sunday Dinner, capping off a nice relaxing weekend & wishing we didn’t all have to get up and go to work on Monday. At least this week we only have to work 4 days.