Thank You for Loving

We are home!

I did not read a book this week like I had originally thought, but I made up for my reading in better ways.

I spent many minutes with Noah watching the squirrel chase one another up and down the trees through the living room wall-of-windows that overlook the golf course. We fed the ducks bread and more bread and more bread. We drove the golf cart around numerous times in the hopes of spotting dear. Several times, we watched them stare fondly at us from only a few feet away. I watched Noah follow my brothers and cousins around like he, too, was a college students. I also witnessed his love affair with Coke (or Toke, as he calls it) begin.  I looked at old photographs with my great-grandma as we talked about her 3 younger sisters who have all gone to be with Jesus.  I listened to my great-grandpa tell stories of the pranks he and his friends pulled off during WWII.  I also sat silently and listened as my Pa (great-grandpa) held Kayt in front of the bathroom mirror and talked to her. He told her just how much he loved her, and how she would always be 'his girl'.  He could not get enough of my sweet girl.  He hardly let her out of his sight.  I tear up just thinking of the beautiful picture that paints in my mind. A 90 year old great-great-grandfather loving on his 6 month old great-great granddaughter.  

How blessed I am to live in the presence of so many generations.  

We laughed a lot. 

We played a lot.

We ate a lot. 

I enjoyed my week A LOT!

 

One of my favorite aspects of having kids has been watching other people love my kids. 

I knew I would love them. 

I knew Brad would love them.

I also knew my parents would.  

But, there are so so many more people that truly love my kids. I'm not just talking about tolerating them, or even enjoying them from time to time, I mean really truly loving them.  My brothers loved Noah and Kayt this week. They always do!  They are fun uncles. But that is not all. They are patient and kind and sensitive and head-over-heels for my kids.  They change dirty diapers, give baths, hug, kiss and give their undivided attention even when it is apparent they could be focusing on many other things. I have always adored my brothers, but my love for them has deepened over the past two years. 

The same goes for my parents. After Noah was born, my mom told me she never thought she would feel the same encompassing love for a child that she felt for my brothers and I. That was before she had a grandchild. She swore she loved my kids from the moment they entered the world, just as she had loved her own. For a mother, that is a great feat. 

The rest of my family is no different. My aunts and uncles and grandparents and great-grandparents love my kids. My cousins even adore them. They scoop Noah up in their strong arms and care for him as their own. They love to kiss on Kayt and make her laugh and stare into her beautiful, big, blue eyes. 

Not only does my family love them, buy my husbands as well. I am still overcome with joy as I watch Brad's parents, grandparents and siblings delight in my babies.  I knew they loved me when I married Brad. They have always taken me in and loved me as their own, but they have shown that to me most through my children. To have someone be so crazy about something that is a part of you is beyond words.  I am so blessed by the family I married into, God gave me many wonderful things in them. 

It is amazing to me that (two) people who have captured my heart so fully can also capture the hearts of so many others. 

To my family and friends who love my kids, thank you! 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Through loving them, you are loving me better than I could have ever asked. You are loving the things I am most proud of.  And because of that, I love you more than ever!

Side Note:

My husband and the 70+ others that went to Mexico this week are on their way home. Eight or so students woke up early this morning throwing up violently. As the day went on, many more have fallen to sickness. They crossed the border and took many of them to the ER.  After leaving El Paso, they had a blow out on one vehicle.  Not long after being on the road, one sweet girl had a terrible asthma attack.  They spent many more hours at another hospital.  I say that to ask for those of you who read this while they are still on the road to pray for them. Getting home has been hard. Had things gone according to planed, they would have been home around 5 pm.  Now, they are hoping to be home by 2am.  I know satan is attacking since they had such a wonderful week of ministering. Please pray for them. I am so anxious to see my husband. I can't wait to kiss that sweet, sunburned face!