You know you are a mom of a crazy demanding toddler when. . .

. . .you leave the house wearing two different earings. . .at least I made some sort of effort, right?

Wii-ster Blessings

Church was phenomenal yesterday. I love church every Sunday, but there is just a different energy on Easter Sunday. There is nothing like celebrating a Risen Savior. It is just so moving giving God all the praise he deserves. I love that our church is full of energy and life, not just mundane and ritualistic. God wants us to want to be at church. . .we shouldn't have to be forced to go out of guilt. I am thankful for Celebration Church. . .a God-first church for sure!


After church, we had close friends over for lunch, an egg hunt for the boys, and an afternoon of Wii sports and Guitar Hero while the boys napped. It was Wii-lly fun! Nothing says "He is Risen" like an afternoon of gaming.















Just for good measure, here is a pic of my centerpiece for the table. It was fun to hang eggs from my light fixture. :)











On another note, Bryson is again battling a double ear infection and asthma. He is being loaded up with medication. Pray for quick healing. . .Adam and I can't take a sick baby too much longer. He is enough of a handful when he is 100% well!

Rough and Tumble

I know now the true meaning of rough and tumble. We spent the better part of Saturday holding our screaming boy after he fell, bumped his head, tripped, rammed into a wall. . .the list goes on. For a while there, he wouldn't even cry. He could have blood dripping down his leg, and I wouldn't even know it because he would just get up and keep going. I think now, he is crying out of sheer frustration. Tonight, our boy got his first fat lip. . .one of many firsts to be oh so proud of right? OH MY!! Just check these photos hot off the presses! Doesn't he look so proud of himself? It has only just begun. . . .

Say "Hello" to my little friend

2 years ago, about the time Bryson was born, I had the cutest baby birds living in a bird house in my back yard. I put a new bird house out this season, hoping it would attract another cute family. . .This isn't what I had in mind, but they are ALL God's creatures . . .so, I guess he can stay.

Oh Happy Day

If today wasn't one for the books. . . Bryson and I started the day at the park. Typically, that would have been just fun enough. But today. . .the Garbage Men were late! They usually come long before I even open an eye lid. Bryson and I took front row seats in the lawn with a nice cool water bottle for the show. Oh what fun. Bryson waved and blew kisses to the men, who totally played along. They waved back and even honked the horn for him. AND if that wasn't enough. . .there was a cement mixer truck just at the end of our street (!!!) Oh my. . .we couldn't have ordered it up any better. Without any hesitation, Bryson pulled me to the ground and sat in my lap to enjoy the "show." 3 men in hats and boots, 2 men with wheelbarrows, one man working the switch. Straight out of the story books!

I'm Sorry and a Change of Heart

I think it is so important for Bryson to appologize after loosing self control. Three times today he had to regain his self-control. One time I had to tell him to sit in his chair to gain it and 2 times he did it all on his own (!!!) After each time, he comes flying in to greet me with a huge smile on his face signing "sorry." It makes for such a sweet moment, one I just love. I can really see the change of heart that has taken place. I was talking to a close friend of mine today and it occured to me what the sign for "sorry" could represent. If you look at the sign, the motion looks as if you are wiping clean your heart, symbolizing a change of heart. I love that! Bryson is unable to verbalize that he is sorry, but he can show me that he has a change of heart simply by signing it. He is such a sweet boy. I am thankful for him everyday.

Speaking of Self Control

I have NONE when it comes to these!

It is all about Self Control

You may recall that we have experienced a miracle with our son, Bryson. I had gotten at the end of my rope with him, and I didn't know what to do. He was so demanding, controlling, whinny and just down right out of control. I didn't know what to do except to PRAY. Well, back in November, God touched Bryson and through nothing short of a miracle, Bryson was able to gain some self-control. Our prayers were answered. (That is the short of the long story).

It is amazing the transformation that has taken place in his heart. At 22 months, he is able to gain the self control he needs when cannot or may not control his surroundings. It is truly amazing to me and I give God all the honor and glory for it.

Here is an example of our discipline tactic:

Bryson does not get his way right away ie. food not fast enough, time to put a way a toy, impatiently waiting for anything. . .

1) I instruct him to sit in a spot (not always the same spot, we don't have a designated "naughty chair" because I want this to work for us outside the home.)

2) I look him in the eye and tell him "Bryson, you need to gain self-control, when you gain self control, you may get up. (Typically he is throwing a tantrum at this point.)

3) I walk away. Unbelievably he will continue sitting in that spot.

4) He will cry for usually less than a minute but upwards of 4-5 minutes sometimes until the crying stops.

5) I praise him for gaining self-control and ask for a hug and instruct him to apologize. (Sometimes he uses sign language to sign "sorry" all by himself without prompting. Other times. I prompt for an apology.

This method has been working since November for us, and usually we only have one episode like this a day. I have had some people look at me like I am crazy when I use the word "self-control" to a 22 month old. But, I say to that: "why not?" God wants us to have patience and self control among other fruits of the spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). I think having patience and and self control leads to having love joy and peace. Proverbs 16:32 says Better to be patient than powerful: better to have self-control than to conquer a city.

At church yesterday, Kerri Weems our pastor's wife spoke about Samson and during the sermon she said something that just confirmed for me that Adam and I are doing what is right for Bryson. She said, "It is better to have self-control, than to have control over the situation." We are teaching Bryson to have control of himself even when he cannot control the situation. He is not always going to get to do what he wants when he wants. That is a fact of life. Pray with us that we can continue to raise Bryson to be the man God wants him to be.

By the way. . .

We are HOME! We have been for one week. Bryson was such a joy on the airplane ride home. God is so faithful in answering prayer. My parents met us at the airport. It was so nice spending time with them and I know they enjoyed seeing just how BIG Bryson has been getting.

I got to go to my church and I enjoyed it soooo much. Adam arrived on Sunday afternoon. It was nice to have us all home again. It was just so normal. . .all of us here in Jacksonville like we never left. Our time in PA just flew by and now it just seems like it was an extended vacation or something. . . for me at least. Adam was the one who had to work. . .

Our box of stuff arrived on Tuesday, or was it Wednesday?? It has been a good opportunity to clean up and clean out our house. I haven't allowed anything in that I didn't need or want. We have made 2 Goodwill trips. That feels wonderful!

Since getting home, we have acquired a Wii along with Guitar Hero. Thanks to Zach and Missy,our new friends from the north, this is something Adam just had to have and it is so much fun and just slightly addicting. . . I have improved so much since my first time playing. In the background I hear Adam playing the shooting game on the Wii and he is saying "Oh MAN! I am the master of this game!" HA!

Neat and Tidy

I have done it! I have successfully moved all of Bryson's toys out of the Living Room into his closet. All the others fit so nicely in an ottoman in our LR. I am SO not good at organizing, but this makes me happy. Is it so bad that I don't want him to play with his toys? Wouldn't he be just as happy looking at them? They look so organized. This too shall pass. . .