Turning 5

This week my little man turned five years old. What a milestone! My baby isn't so little anymore! He started off just at 2 lbs 8 oz, 14 inches long. I remember Phillip saying, "I've had sandwiches bigger than him!" But inside of that tiny bundle was the heart of a fighter!

I think our children always teach us lessons about life and love, and sometimes things like, "never judge someone else's kid 'cause someday, mine might do the same thing!" :-). But Avery has taught me a few things I never thought I needed to know...some hard lessons about trust, disappointments, giving up control, to name just a few. But mostly he's taught me about love and strength. I could say much more, but I'll leave it at that for now. Avery has stolen my heart, and I'm hoping that this year is his best yet!

Here's a few pictures of his earlier days.

Birthdays

Avery's birthday and my own are both in April. There was a time many years ago that I looked forward to my birthday, but those days are long gone. Now, I'd much rather ignore April 8th, and focus on the 14th.

Like it or not, I'm a year older as of this past Monday. I've heard people say, you're only as old as you feel." If that's true, then I'm WAY older than 32! The last few years haven't been kind to me. I have new lines on my face and bags under my eyes as proof of the sleepless nights and stressful days. Somehow, I went from 27 to 32 in the blink of an eye. I'm not sure where all the time went, but I'm doing my best to make peace with the inevitable: I'm aging quickly and there's nothing I can do to slow time down!

In an effort to focus on the positive, I've been reflecting on how blessed I am. That's not just a cliche; it's a fact. The best way I can describe it is to say that my heart is full. I have a husband who loves me and our children and works incredibly hard to provide for us. In those moments when I take a breath from chasing kids, changing diapers,and cleaning messes, I sometimes look into the eyes of the man who is my partner in life and realize how confident that makes me feel. No, "alone time" isn't really in our vocabulary right now, but we're muddling through side by side, usually with smiles and laughter, although occasionally with tears. Our three children are my greatest source of joy, contentment....and admittedly, occasionally, frustration. But sometimes I catch myself looking in the rearview mirror of my minivan and looking into the innocent faces of Bryson, Avery, and Emerson, and I'm struck with a sense of awe that they're mine. Each one is so different, but their smiles, questions, and sticky kisses are what makes my life so meaningful right now. I've gladly traded in my days of full-time teaching to share these special times with my little ones.

So, am I glad to be a year older? Nope. But would I trade my blessings for the good ole' days? Not a chance!

This is perhaps one of the most boring posts ever. Sorry about that. There's just nothing too exciting about getting older anymore. :-). Bethany