Mother's Day

My mom's birthday was on actual Mother's Day. Usually mom has everyone to her house for each holiday, but we wanted her to be able to just relax and have fun on her special day. So we had a birthday party for her at our house on Saturday. My sister & her family came over from Atlanta and my brother & his family drove up from Prattville. We all got together to celebrate a very special & important person in our lives. 

Happy Birthday Mom/Nana!!

Of course there was a lot of playing

This was Billy, Leigh Ann & Robbie's first time to meet Gaines.
He was the hit of the party, next to the birthday girl!

Gaines & Marrell
This was Gaines' expression through most of the day.
I don't think he knows what to think about the 4 older rowdy munchkins.

Nana's babies
Jake (5), Gaines (2 mths), Maddox (9), Woody (22 mths) & Marrell (5)

The kids with the birthday girl

Gran & Nana & their 5 rowdy munchkins
#6 coming August/September

Marrell is the little mamma of the group

Jake & Woody had fun playing together
We were really proud of Jake for not freaking out when the legos got taken apart by a 2 year old
Figured it was good practice to get ready for baby sister

It's not a good party until swords & guns come out
(Note Nana's expression in the background)

Jake takes his Power Ranger moves very serious

Lil mamma feeding Gaines a bottle

A little trip down to the park to try to tire the kids out before the car ride home
(Unfortunately, I don't think it worked on my sister's kids)

Gaines getting a little help from Uncle Billy

I love Marrell's pose in this one

Lindsey, Woody & Gran

On Sunday, we got up & went to church and then met my parents for lunch after church. Later that afternoon, Robbie's parents came over and we celebrated Mother's Day with his mom. We cooked out and enjoyed a beautiful day out on the patio. It was a special day and I'm so glad we got to celebrate with the 2 moms who have made such a huge impact in our lives.

Happy Mother's Day Nana!

There is probably no one in my life that has made as large of an impact on it, as my own mom. I mean, she did give birth to me, so that was a pretty big impact on my life:). As a child, she gave me love, comfort & reassurance. As I grew older, she had to make tougher decisions, sometimes show some tough love, but always gave me unconditional love. Even through my pre-teen years, which turned her hair gray. She taught me how to have a relationship with God, the importance of education and making good financial decisions. There were many times we didn't see eye to eye (like when she wouldn't buy me at age 14 an $80 string bikini) and I was pretty sure she was trying to sabotage me being popular (like not letting me go to a party that no parents would be at). She always told me that she made the decisions she did, because she loved me so much. As a pre-teen, I didn't get it, but as a parent now, I totally get it. For 13 years, she carried me around to dance lessons, piano lessons, cheer practice, baton practice, school meetings, etc... She encouraged me to try things, do my best and she supported me no matter if I failed or succeeded. One of the statements that stands out the most that she told me, was that nothing I could do could ever make her not love me. She might be disappointed, she might discipline me, she might be upset with me. But she would always love me. And that's a great mamma's love. Through the tantrums of the toddler years, through the sassy of the teen years, through the worry of sending your child off to the real world. A great mom loves her child not matter what (even if she did seriously contemplate selling her a few hours earlier). And that love is one of the greatest gifts a mom could ever give her child. And I'm so grateful, that's the love my mom gave me.  

Happy Mother's Day Mimi!

Even though I didn't meet Robbie's mom until I was an adult, I can see how she raised Rob as a child, through his actions today. And I see how she is with Jake. I feel so blessed that my husband, the father of my child(ren) was raised by such a remarkable woman who installed in him so many great characteristics. She taught him to be a leader in our household, the importance of taking your family to church and that relationship with God. She taught him how to be kind, how to treat a woman and good manners. She has taught us all what it means to be a fighter. She fought cancer and beat it. She fights MS every day with grace and determination. She never complains, she never uses it as an excuse. She gets up, gets out there and lives everyday to the fullest. I admire that so much about her. I hope when Jake gets married, I am the type of mother-in-law to his wife, as Judy has been to me. Judy has been like a second mom to me these last 7 years. I respect her opinion, I seek her advice and I admire the fact that she dressed her son in smocked clothing & knee socks too. And I'm eternally grateful, that she gave me such a wonderful husband. 

And to my own munchkin(s). Thank you for making me a mom. When I found out we were pregnant with Jake, I had been married 8 weeks. It was my first time as a wife, my first time sharing a house with a boy and to say it was unexpected was an understatement. But it was the greatest gift that I have ever been given before I thought I was ready. Over the last 5 years, Jake has blessed my life more than he will ever know. And to the little girl growing inside me (who still doesn't have a name), I begged with God to be her mother. She has already turned my hair gray, so it will be a fun ride to see the dynamics she'll bring to our family and to my story of motherhood. Nana & Mimi are such great examples of the type of mother I hope I am to my own children. 

Jake (5) & Baby Sister (24 weeks along in pregnancy)

And a little mother's day gift. Rob & Jake were very sweet and gave me new shoes & jewelry. But my favorite gift was Rob built me a craft organization station. He drew out a rough template, and then I customized it based off of the different supplies that I needed to store. We still have to paint it & get it located in its place, but I spent Mother's Day evening, getting all my craft supplies organized in it. I love it! (Robbie has actually been on a furniture building spree & I will do a post shortly of all of the things he has built. I have been so impressed and it just gives me 1000 other ideas of things that he can build for me. I think he is starting to regret this furniture building spree!)

Each year for Mother's Day, Jake's school makes a booklet of all of the kids' answers to the same 3 questions. Here are the questions & Jake's answers over the last 3 years:

1) What does your mother look like?

Answer as a 5-year-old: A million fee tall. She knows grown up stuff. Her hair is white. Here eyes are green and she's white.

Answer as a 4-year-old: She looks like Emma Bush. My Emma's eyes are green and her hair is brown, I guess. 

Answer as a 3-year-old: She is beautiful. She has green hair & pink eyes.

2) What are some nice things your mother does for you?

Answer as a 5-year-old: Well, we wash the clothes, make cookies for the holidays and we always cook supper.

Answer as a 4-year-old: She plays in my room with my train table. I play outside with the soccer ball... and football... and scooter. We go to the beach and saw some fish and whales and sharks and dolphins and it scares me. 

Answer as a 3-year-old: Go to Wal-mart.

3) What are some things your mother likes to do?

Answer as a 5-year-old: She likes to lay down and work.

Answer as a 4-year-old: She washes some clothes and works out and she goes run and drives her car. 

Answer as a 3-year-old: She likes to ride in the car with Daddy.

Mother's Day is a day that brings so much joy to so many. In the midst of my own celebration, it's easy to forget what a hard day it is for others. For women that had amazing moms that have gone on to be the Lord. For women that didn't have great moms and that mother/daughter relationship is not what they hoped for. For women begging to be a mom, for women who have lost a child or for women who mourn the relationship with a child that is just not what they hoped for. For a day that brings so many of us, such happiness, it also brings much sadness to so many. I pray for these women and their situations.

And to end on a fun note. I was going through our old pictures looking for pictures with Rob & I with our moms. Typical moms, they were always the ones behind the camera. I found lots of pictures of us with our dads, with grandparents & our siblings. It was so hard to find pictures of just us with our moms! As I was looking, I came across this little jewel of a picture. I love pictures of Robbie as a little boy, because he just reminds me so much of Jake. How cute is this with his little aviators & knee socks? I love it!