Still Praying for Peace

The death of Osama Bin Laden, this past week, has caused me to reflect on this Army life much more deeply than I have in a long time.  My boys are very young, much too young, to understand the death of a terrorist.  How this man is responsible for devastating the lives of so many families and ultimately changing the course of the our entire nation.  But nonetheless, his death makes me think of them and what I would tell them if they understood...when they understand.
Although it was nearly a decade ago, I remember September 11, 2001 as though it was yesterday.  Awake before the rest of my family, I sat on our couch and watched in horror as the Twin Towers fell and clouds of destruction took their place in the New York City skyline.  In that moment, even as a high school senior, I felt the weight of it and knew this day would forever change the world I was getting ready to enter.  Later that same day, as I watched President Bush address the nation, I had a thought that given the course of my life seems more like a personal premonition than a general prediction.  "It is going to be my peers, my friends, those getting ready to graduate with me, that would be fighting this war."  What I didn't know then was that one day it would also be my husband...the father of my children, who would be fighting this war.
Now we are an Army family and our boys are now sons of a soldier.  While we are a proud army family, I cannot deny the unique challenges and responsibilities this will bring.   I would be naive to believe that this won't make my boys  different...that it won't cause them to face things earlier than others their age.  It will be impossible to shield them from many of the harsh realities of this world...war, death, hate.  And it will be my job to help them make sense of it all, to teach, to guide, to listen, and to set the example.  
So when the questions come, as they inevitably will, this will be my message.  There are bad people in this world.  Bad people who hate us and want to destroy our way of life.  Soldiers, like their Daddy, are brave men and women who protect us from those bad people.  Sometimes war is unavoidable and necessary...necessary to protect our families, our country, an our freedom.  So we do not turn away from war, and are grateful to those who fight for us in courage and honor.  But we are not lovers of war.  We know that life is sacred, and to take the life of another, no matter how necessary or even deserved, should never be taken lightly or in celebration.  For in the darkness of war it becomes even more important that we do not lose our own humanity in hatred and revenge.  Most importantly, I want them to know that even though we are not afraid of the fight, we will always pray for peace.

When in Rome

Okay, so we are not in Rome.  We are in Lower Alabama.  And what do people do in Lower Alabama?  They attend rattle snake rodeos.

So two Saturdays ago, we did as the Alabamians do...and headed to our first rattle snake rodeo.  Have you ever seen rattle snakes race...we have. 

The first to slither out of the circle wins!  It is all very exciting, especially when you add in the greasy pool climb and a good old fashion buck dancing competition (despite our enthusiasm over watching this dance extravaganza, overdue naps forced us to head home before we able to actually witness it, but at least we can say we attended an event where one actually took place). 

 

But our southern experience was complete with deep fried corn dogs and a funnel cake for lunch...not to mention some amazing people watching!  When in Rome, right?

What I love about you...

Oh my sweet baby boy, I cannot believe you are already three!  The time flies so quickly and with each passing day I cannot deny what a big boy you are becoming.  And while I know it is impossible, I often feel like I would like to stop time, or at least slow it down.  So instead I will write some of my favorite things about you as a new three year old.

1) I love that when you get tired you get so silly and that your giggle is just the same as it was when you were my tiny baby.
2) I love that, even though you use words like complicated, actual, and invertebrate correctly in conversation, you still say, "I wanna hold you."

3) I love watching you fall asleep.  You fight to stay awake so hard that you will raise your eye brows in order to physically force your eyes open. But after a few seconds your blinks become longer and more frequent, until finally those amazing eyelashes of yours become too heavy to lift and you fall fast asleep.

4) I love the way you run to Daddy every day when he gets home from work and yell, "I missed you, Daddy!" as you throw your arms around him and I know that every day you mean it just as much as you did the day before...you two really are best friends.

5) I love your passion for learning and your desire to figure out everything.  You don't take anything at face value.  You are constantly craving (and often demanding) further explanation and greater understanding...never lose that.

6) I love when you wake up from your naps with your rosy cheeks and sleepy eyes and you just want me to snuggle with you on the couch.  It is nice that sometimes you still just want your Mommy.

Here is the last line from one of our favorite bed time books that captures exactly how I feel about you. "Is it all coming clear now, can you see that it's true?  All the things that I like, are what I LOVE about you!"

From the second you came into this world, you have been my dream come true.  Never forget how loved you are and remember that even if you are as tall as Daddy, you will ALWAYS be my baby.

Back to the Beach

It is hard to believe that is already beach weather out here.  I feel like I was just posting pictures of our family hanging out on Florida's gorgeous white beaches...maybe because it was only five months ago.  But I'm not complaining...now I just have to remember this when it is 110 degrees and humid.  Guess you have to take the bad with the good...and this weekend wasn't just good...it was wonderful.

Daddy and his boys...look closely and you'll notice Arthur and Jake's matching shorts

This trip to the beach was extra special.  First it was Mr. James' first real trip to the beach (besides the few minutes he spent when we met up with the Haymore's 2 weeks ago).  However, I will mention that a sand happy little boy and an infant makes for an interesting combination, but James was a trouper about having sand flung, well, just about everywhere.  And he was adorably cute and smiley while I applied his sunscreen.  I think he thought we were playing a game.  

So serious in his shades

I am obsessed with his profile...his little nose kills me

So bright outside our shade structure

Who doesn't love to sleep to the sound of waves?

Such a peanut!

Second, it was Jake's birthday weekend.  Despite his initial reservation about all things beach (sand, salt water, waves) as a baby, Jake has turned into quite the little enthusiast, at least when it comes to the sand and the splashing along the shore.  We'll have to wait till the water is a little warmer to see how he feels about the actual ocean.  Things got a little gray (literally) when it started to rain shortly after we arrived on Saturday.  Jake lost it when we started packing up his sand toys.  Luckily, Arthur was able to talk Jake off his emotional cliff and we got a few hours of shopping in while we waited for the sun to start shinning again.  But the birthday boy got his wish and we were able to spend two afternoons under the sun (okay some of us spent much of that time under the shade structure).

My favorite view

Jake, of course, found a cute older girl to play with

Yep, that is a jellyfish carcass...at least we didn't let him play with the dead man o' war

Officially three!!

The final reason this trip was so much fun was because two of my best friends on the entire planet were here visiting.  And you can't let someone come all the way out to lower Alabama, and not take them a little further south...that would just be mean.  It was wonderful to have them here.  And I think we might owe the power of Laura's positive thinking for our sun shine.  Now they can say they spent part of their "Spring Break" on the Florida beaches with two cute single guys...or something like that.

Erin was the only one brave enough to going swimming...remember it is only March

Getting fancy drinks from the Tiki Bar (don't worry Barlow's...Laura was sipping on a virgin daiquiri :-))

I love you girls!

One extra benefit to having friends there is I didn't have to take all the pictures and I actually got to be in a few...

I adore him...and if possible he is even cuter than when we met more than 10 years ago

Dino-rific!

Could I be accused of over scheduling my little man's third birthday party?  Yes!  Better yet, was I accused of over scheduling (by my own husband)?  Yes!  I will defend myself only by asking, how else do you plan an party for a handful of children between two and four?  And in Arthur's defense I will admit that we still have a large green dinosaur pinata, filled with candy, staring down at us from our book self because it was one of several activities I had to omit.  Regardless, I think I pulled off one Dino-rific birthday party and made it a special day for my birthday boy and hopefully a fun afternoon for our friends.
I did my best to keep little bodies moving and tiny hands busy, but in order to consider myself really successful, I wanted everyone to leave messy and very ready for a nap...I think I can say "mission accomplished!"
We started the day with dino gliders in the backyard (the gliders weren't nearly the hit I thought they could be, but the kids seemed to have nice time in the backyard).

But it didn't take too long before cheeks started getting rosy under the hot Alabama sun and it was time for our first craft of decorating goody bags.  Markers, feathers, stickers, stamps and glue...who doesn't love a good craft?!

Luckily I had very helpful parents.

Hard at work!

Next we were off the the backyard to find dinosaur eggs filled with toy dinosaurs and candy.  I thought an egg hunt fit our theme but would also be great practice for every one's upcoming Easter festivities.  I'll admit, though, that I really didn't see the hunt take place because I was too busy getting lunch ready.  I mean, food is one of the most important parts of a party, especially since Jake has several "grown up" friends who were sweet enough to take time out of their weekend to come.  The least I could do was provide yummy food. 
With tummies full and blood sugar levels back up, it was back to the craft table to paint dinosaurs.  The other mommies called me "brave" for doing paint inside...obviously the didn't look very closely at my walls...it is far too late for caution, now we just need a new coat of paint. 

If you think those look like alligators, you have obviously not seen a deinosuchus. :-)

As the dinos dried, I sent the kids outside one more time to play with bubbles while we got the cake ready.  Aunt Robyn managed the station beautifully.  I am going to owe her big time when she has babies because she is the best aunt ever to mine.

The rest of the party was pretty textbook.  Singing, cake, presents...you know the drill.

Cake delivered by Aunt Robyn from a bakery in Atlanta

Birthdays are bitter sweet for mommies, but I did save the tears for his actual birthday.

Jake picked out his own candle at Wal-Mart.  He noticed the candle display, grabbed the 3, and informed me, "I need this."

Our Alabama friends have become like family while we've lived here...thank you all for joining us on Jake's special day!

Chocolate cake with lots of butter cream frosting...Jake and I have a similar idea of heaven

 

Jake was so cute and grateful while opening gifts.  As soon as we'd tell him who a new gift was from he's search the room until he had located the giver and sincerely exclaim, "Thank you ______!" often before he had even opened the gift.

Spoiled as usual.

As for Baby James, he started strong...

but spent most of the party like this...

My Blue Eyed Boy...for now

Finally, both my boys are healthy!!  Illness plagued our family over the last month and a half.  Even Baby James suffered through his first cold, poor baby.  But hopefully with the start of Spring just days away, colds, flues, and stomach bugs are a thing of the past (at least for a while).  But between illness and James' eye issue, I haven't been great about pictures of the boys.
However, this morning (with Jake locked in his boaster seat eating breakfast) I was able to get a couple 3 month pictures of James.  I'm no professional but luckily he is cute enough to make up the difference.  I do have one question though, what is it with little ones... why is it when the camera comes out the smiles seem to disappear?

 

It turned out James had something called a chalazion (in other words a clogged oil duct on his eye lid), but it did win us a trip to the pediatric opthamologist.  He said it is likely that James eyes will become more hazel over the next few months...so I better enjoy these baby blues while they last.