The camera didn't do it justice

Here are some of my favorites from the weekend with Gram, Gramp and Aunt Amy. I just wish we had taken more!

Boys greeting Gram


Gram playing the row boat game


In Nathan's "forest home"


Mark having Gram swing him "as a high as a mountain"


The Easter Egg Hunt



We're settling back into "real life" now that the week of special times is over. That's good, too. Here's how things were about 5 pm yesterday. Mark is pretty pooped.

He's also spreading his two-year-old wings pretty broadly right about now, challenging me at every turn. At the same time, he's figuring out how to compliment me on my clothing choices and give me lots of hugs and kisses at bedtime.

Thankfully, a sweeter spirit seems to have settled between the boys this week. Nathan has been offering me lots of pats on the back, literally. It feels good to have that little hand pat me so gently. How did God know I'd need that right about now?

A Different Light

Nathan went to Cheraw for a few days this week, and I had Mark all to myself during the daytime hours. It was a treat. He asked about his Nay-Nay and Nanny a good bit, but he settled in just fine once he realized he had all of the toys to himself.


We played with our neighbors, read books and blew bubbles on Monday.


That night, Mark taught us the burrito game, where he lies down on his blue blanket and asks to be wrapped and rolled up, and then pops out of it. His laughter and smile are so infectious!


We took care of some things around the house on Tuesday morning, and then enjoyed an outdoor lunch with Greg and Melanie. Mark slept most of the afternoon, and I had to wake him at about 5:00. I took him outside to play for a while and helped him figure out how to pedal on the tricycle. When we came inside, I told him we were having sandwiches for supper. He asked for grilled cheese, and I thought that sounded good...so we both indulged.

I loved being free to focus my attention on him and really listen to what he's saying. He loves to pluck fresh flowers for me. He gives hugs and kisses. He wishes me sweet dreams. He thanks me when I let him drink orange juice AND milk with his breakfast. He loves Curious George books. He invites me on imaginary trips to Food Lion, the deli and Mrs. Staci's house. He helps me toss pillows on the bed. He holds the dustpan while I sweep. He says with glee, "I helped you, Mama!" He tastes cherry tomatoes for me and then puts them on my salad. He drinks ranch dressing through a straw. He loves to be barefoot. He rides through stores with his arms stretched wide, so he can touch everything. He offers to bring me my water bottle if I am thirsty. He is my sunshine, my pumpkin, and my sparkle. I love my Mark.

Making me smile

Last Friday we practiced writing letters while Mark was napping. He did that more than usual last week since he had a cold. Nathan liked using the pencil and pencil sharpener a lot.


This afternoon's quiet time involved a good bit of bumping around in Mark's room. He finally settled down, and this is how I found him.


There has been a lot of squabbling at our house today. I'm trying to figure out how to give thanks so I don't get bogged down in it. This morning, I read Psalm 133:1 with the boys:

¹How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!

It went right over their heads, but the story of Cain and Abel that we read shortly after that rang (frighteningly) true!

Pictures

Some pictures since the last post was all words...

The boys love to hop in the car with Greg when he gets home from work.


And they love to ride on his back sometimes after dinner.


This particular afternoon they were satisfied to play with carabiners on their feet. Who knows.



We went to the park this morning.





That's about it!

Grace and grits

Okay, I am feeling an emotional tide inside this morning. Mark has been running a low-grade fever all week. I wasn't feeling so hot myself on Monday, so we took it easy around the house after canceling our morning plans. We were just doing run-of-the-mill household chores, like washing clothes and running the dishwasher. I let the children watch about an hour's worth of Curious George in the morning, which is not our normal mode of operation, and they were especially pleased.

About 11 am, I was feeling the need for fresh air, so we headed outside for a walk. I have been trying to cultivate an appreciation for the little things in each day. That day, we noticed the dandelions and the blossoms on the trees and a bright green caterpillar that we found climbing on Mark's hand.

Right after lunch, Mark went down for a long, long nap. After Nathan's quiet time, I was helping him get shoes on so he could play outside. He looked up at me and said, "Mama, thank you for being so kind to me today." What grace that he'd say those words to me, when I usually feel like I am trying to hide my irritability or impatience from moment to moment.

Yesterday was more of the same, with a walk in the morning and a little bit of outdoor playtime. We found a bird's nest in a neighbor's yard. Mark touched the cedar trees that branch out along the sidewalk. Nathan ran from mailbox to mailbox with great delight.

I am currently looking for mealtime inspiration, and had spent a good bit of time trying to figure out what to cook for dinner using what we had on hand (since a trip to the grocery store had been halted by Mark's being under the weather). Sometime mid-afternoon, I finally settled on making eggs, bacon and grits. Breakfast food is comfort food for me. It has everything to do with how my Dad made breakfast for us every Saturday morning, and a lot of egg sandwiches for supper on Sunday nights. I love it and always feel good when I eat it. So, we enjoyed our meal while Greg was teaching class, and the boys went to bed nicely and easily.

Mark's sweet slumber was interrupted a few hours later, when he woke up feverish and breathing heavily. He was clingy and crying and wanting to be held. After some medicine, we ended up in the rocking chair for a little while, where he snuggled on my chest with his blue blanket and "honey dog." He sucks his thumb and touches the blue blanket with the other fingers...very sweet, and very much still like a baby. As I was holding my independent, strong-willed and strong-bodied, giggly, fearless little one, I saw a different side of him. Psalm 6:2a says, "Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak." Lord, help me to see my children as you see them, and refresh my love for them daily.