An Open Apology Letter to my Sensitive Son

Dear Evan,

Because you are too young to understand this right now, I wanted to document this for you. God has hand chosen me to be your mom and when I mess things up, you (and Him) deserve an apology.

Last night I said something that I swore I would never say to you. I said it in frustration and embarrassment. I said it because I was trying to find anyway for you to calm down. I said it because honestly, I wasn't a great mom in that moment.

Instead of focusing on what I did wrong, I want to focus on what you and your sensitive heart has done right.

When you became a big brother, your sensitive heart caused you to love your brother so deeply. There was never ONE moment of jealously when he was a baby. Watching you with him will be some of my favorite memories of you two.

In JK your sensitive heart caused you to give up your entire recess to help a new friend who didn't know how to ride a tricycle. That friend was upset and your teacher told me you taught him how to ride, stayed with him until he got it, and encouraged him the entire way. You could have been playing with friends, but instead you saw someone who needed help and chose to help them.

It was your sensitive heart that wanted to take care of me when I had the flu. You are the first to run and take care of anyone in our family when we are sick, sad, or hurt.

Your sensitive heart caused you to comfort me the night before your first day of SK. Yes, you read that right. You comforted me. (Read more about that story here.)

At baseball, your sensitive heart caused you to cheer on each teammate by name as they got up to bat from the outfield. Even though your team has lost every single game, you keep encouraging your teammates to do their best, try their hardest, and not give up.
Your sensitive heart caused your coach to come up to me after practice and tell me what a great teammate you are.

It is your sensitive heart that asks to pray for Mamaws every single night.

At the Buggy Play, your sensitive heart caused you to step off your riser mid performance. Your neighbor in the show, who has been a friend since PK, dropped their prop. When you looked at them and saw the look on their face, you didn't miss a beat. You jumped down, grabbed their prop, handed it to them and kept on dancing.

Your sensitive heart has caused you to share a full bed since July with your brother. He is 'scared' in his room and only wants to sleep with you.

At the playground last week, your sensitive heart caused you to leave a basketball game with peers your own age and play with a little girl named Gracie who has Down's Syndrome. You told me you saw her playing by herself and thought she would like a friend. You sat and sang the ABCs to her while she clapped. You stood at the bottom of the slide and cheered for her when she slid down. You let her take your hand and lead you around the entire playground.

Your sensitive heart caused Gracie's father to approach me with tears in his eyes to tell me what a special boy I have. Tears were then in both of our eyes.

And these are just some of the thousands of examples I could tell you about. Things you don't even see as 'things'. Things that just come naturally to you.

People tell me and daddy that these behaviors are a testament to us, but I want to tell you right now they aren't.

This is how God made you and I am just trying to foster and encourage that sensitive heart to do whatever God planned for you.

Are you perfect? No, but what I need to remember is neither am I.
Last night, your sensitive heart just wanted to be with your whole family and I am sorry I didn't recognize that immediately. I promise from here on out, I will honor your sensitive heart.

Love,
Mommy

Surprise!! John's Birthday

There are only 6 weeks that John and I are the same age, and you better believe I take full advantage to say "Oh, we are the same age" as many times as I can in those 6 weeks.

This year I had one thing planned for John's birthday, but changed course with less than 12 hours to plan. John isn't one to be surprised. He isn't as big of a planner as me, but surprises aren't his thing. So what do I do after 20 years of birthdays together?? Surprise him. :)

Way way way back this summer we heard Indigo Girls were coming to GPAC. John and I have seen the Indigo Girls together before in college. He saw them again in without me, but let's face it....that was a long time ago. John tried to get us tickets, but the concert was sold out before 11am. We were bummed for about 5 minutes, but got over it and reminded ourselves we went to an awesome concert (Amos Lee) for his birthday last year.

BUT, the day of, I happened upon 2 tickets that were in the THIRD ROW! I couldn't let that just pass me by. Since I knew this was something he wanted to do, I decided it would be a great surprise. I called him around 3 and casually asked if he was going to leave work on time. He mumbled something about deadlines and clients and important stuff like that, but I said, "Let me rephrase this....You have to leave work on time. I need you home by 6pm. I have a surprise for you." John paused and didn't say anything (which if you have ever talked to John on the phone, isn't unusual). I said, "Okay? Okay. Thanks. Bye."

Getting ready that night was hysterical to me. I was giddy and he was nervous. He kept saying, "This is weird. I don't like this."

We had reservations at Elfo's before the concert. When we were driving, he didn't know where we were going.
John: We have to be trying to make a reservation.
Me: Why do you say that?
John: Because you are driving slow.
Me: I am driving the speed limit.
John: <sideways glance> Amanda, you never drive the speed limit.

While we ate, he had no clue we had other plans. After dinner I slid the tickets across the table. He was shocked and surprised and happy.

The concert was awesome. They sound like they haven't aged since we saw them in the 90's. The talent on that stage was incredible. I tried to keep track with how many times they changed guitars. I lost count after the 3 song.

But best of all, I was able to surprise John for his birthday! It probably won't happen for another 20 years. :)

Summer Send Off

September was a great, but busy, month.

We celebrated Luke's Birthday, said farewell to summer, had the Fun Run, Open House and ended by celebrating John's birthday! Whew...no wonder I feel like the entire month was a blur.

We made sure to send summer off in style over Labor Day. The boys had fun at the splash park and even ran into an old friend. We weren't planning on getting in the water, but great thing about boys...any shorts can become swim trunks! #winning

We then wanted to take them bowling. Sadly, these days websites can't be trusted to have updated info. We planned on taking them to a fancy bowling alley in Bartlett. We wanted to be there when it opened. When we were 3/4 the way there, our conversation turned to this:

John: Maybe we should call and double check they are open.
Me: But their website said they opened at 9am.
John: Just call.
Me: <sigh> fine....dialing number...listening the voicemail...<bigger sigh>
John: Check their facebook.
Me: Seriously, they would update their facebook and not their website??
Being in digital marketing, John casts me a 'do you really want me to answer that look'.

Sure enough, the correct info was on their facebook page. So we decided to head to a different alley, but still had an hour to kill. So we go to a party planning store. This is what my kids get into.

First Luke found this turtle shell and kept running around the store to then suddenly, without any warning, drop to the ground to 'go seep' in his shell. I seriously think a worker tripped over him at one point.

And this one....oh this one. I even have a dance he choreographed and told me to put on YouTube. People look at us and say things like 'apple meet tree' but I have no clue what they are talking about.

We finally made it to bowling and everyone had a blast! Labor Day success!

 

 

That afternoon we topped it off with our last round of swimming at Terry and Angela's pool. Gemma and Luke like to play beside each other. They don't really seek each other out, but they are similar in the fact that, that doesn't bother either of them. I think they really prefer that. Evan could not be more the opposite.  Gemma had had enough of swimming with the loud boys started to play tea party with Angela. Luke sat right down and joined her. It was one of the cutest little exchanges I have seen ever.

We ushered summer out best we could. We are summertime family. While it was a little bittersweet to see another summer end, I have loved every minute with these boys. 

Deep in the heart of TEXAS

We were SOOO blessed to have John's brother, Jason, his wife, Melissa, and their daughter Skylar come visit us in August. The boys had a blast visiting with their cousin.

We were able to go see Mamaws and spend some time with her. All of her great grandchildren loved running around her apartment.

 

We also went to the lake....and while this day didn't quite unfold like we wanted it to thanks to ropes in props and engines failing, we still got to have some fun on the water. And John learned a new skill!

 

The time they were here went way to fast as always, but we are so blessed we got to see them!