These are the days...

Drew tries hard at everything he does...EVERYTHING - from school work to sports to helping others, he gives everything 110%.  This season in basketball, he has practiced so much and improved his game in so many ways.   Yesterday at his last game, before the second half, he scored 20 points!  TWENTY POINTS BEFORE HALF TIME!  Jason is one of his coaches and after the first quarter, Drew came up to Jason and said, "Dad, I am afraid I am being a ball hog.  What do I do?"   I love it that even though everyone was cheering for and recognizing him, that he still thought about the others on his team.   Jason told him to keep playing, that he wasn't being a ball hog because he was still passing to others.  So Drew went back out and played his heart out.  

I wasn't there.  I didn't get to see it.  I had text after text telling me how many points he was getting from Jason and other parents - but I can't picture his face while he did it.   I don't have a picture to post so that Drew can see it years from now when he may not make any baskets at a game - but would be able to remember when he got 20 points before halftime.

These are the days....
where I feel guilty I was with one of the other kids at their own events
where I feel so thankful that one parent was able to be there and our friends cheered him on
where I wish I was there so Drew could have seen how proud I was of him
where I just want to run-away because life seems so impossible to balance
where I am so thankful for all that our family has been blessed with
where I am so grateful our kids want to be involved and we have to be at three different place at once
where I am thankful for a job that allows me flexibility on when and where I work
where I really just want my children to know that even if they can't see me, I am still there - always cheering them on, always thinking of them, always praying for them and always so very proud.

These are the days....I wouldn't trade for anything that are flying by way too quickly.

Drew, when you read this, even though I don't have a picture, I hope you can remember every sound in the gym as you scored those shots.  I hope you can remember your dad's and JRs eyes open wide and huge smiles.  I hope you can remember every person who told you what a great game you played and most of all, I hope you remember that practice pays off and you can do and become anything you want to be!

Disney - 2018 - Our First Trip!!

I wonder when we will every recover from our four day trip to Disney!  Oh my goodness!  Our trip was so much fun and so exhausting at the same time!  We flew into Orlando (which was amazing by the way - I wish we could fly every where!!) and it was Brenna's first time to fly and the first time that the boys remember flying.  The first day we hung out in the pool and went to dinner.  We were all so excited that MawMaw, PawPaw and Uncle Paddy joined us too!   The second day we got to Magic Kingdom at 7:30 and left about 10:00!  It was a long day and we walked over 10 miles!  Even so, we had an awesome time riding rides, seeing princesses and watching those UNBELIEVABLE fire works!  The third day we went to Hollywood Studios in the morning and Epcot in the afternoon.  Drew rode the Rockin Roller Coaster with Conner, Jason, PawPaw, Paddy and me!  He was nervous but he did it!  We found out that ALL of our kids love roller coasters!  On the fourth day, we spent the entire day at Animal Kingdom - which was also amazing!  I feel like this was the first vacation where I wasn't ready to come home.  As people warned before we went, I don't think you could see everything no matter how many times you go - but even still, none of us were ready to leave.   Jason and I also learned that for any vacation like this - we do need man to man coverage; zone defense won't always work!  Thank goodness for an awesome uncle and awesome grandparents!

Their 1st Father-Daughter Dance - 2018

I think that both Jason and Brenna had been waiting their entire lives for this night!  The day she was born and we found out Brenna was a little girl, the first thing Jason said was, "I will get to go to a father-daughter dance!"   Brenna was so excited to go and to receive her first corsage! Jason said they had fun at the dance and that she stayed by him most of the night.   He said that one dad came up to him and said, "Be thankful she wants to be with you.  In just a few years, she will  be out on the dance floor with her friends and leave you standing to watch like my daughter."   It is so true that the days are long but the years are short.   As much as we can't wait to see what all of the kids become, we do with that we could make time stand still for just a little while!

Conner's 1st CYO team

Conner played on his first CYO team this year and boy did it bring back lots of memories of my own childhood.   I love watching CYO games - the boys learn so much, the teams are so diverse and everyone is cheering for everyone.  Conner did an awesome job on all of his basketball teams this year!  He loves the game of basketball and we love watching him play - especially when you can tell from his facial expressions (clenching teeth and squinting eyes) exactly what he is thinking!!

Brenna's 4th Birthday!

Princess Brenna had an amazing 4th birthday party!  I love watching her and all of these little girls watch the princesses on the ice.   It is like they are seeing some of the most famous people in the world!   Brenna's favorite present was her homemade doll house from her Daddy.   It is six feet tall and she loves every inch of it!