{Cooper turns 5!}

Five. It breaks my heart a bit. 5 is the no turning back point it seems. 5 years is a big age gap if we were to add another to the family. But our baby turned 5 on Monday and it seems like that day marked the conclusion of babyhood inner home. Its a hard pill to swallow. Cooper is such a sweet sweet boy with a mix of all of his siblings. Sweet like Tre, Smart like Britt, mischievous like Maddox, a bit sassy like Presley. He started school this year and is learning so much so quickly! He is a sponge and I get little glimpses of how successful he is going to be in life. I see that he will walk the strait and narrow path and bring great pride to our family. He is so very loved and still so very babied! & We are okay with that. We loved celebrating his day with Oma & Opa! If you were to ask what his favorite part of the day was I am certain he would say getting McDonalds.

{Maddox turns 9}

Oh Maddox. You never quit! Your teacher loves you to bits this year and says that you pretty much can do anything so long as you flash that big smile and scrunchy nose with those blue eyes. You have us all wrapped around your finger. & you know it. We love you so much! Your birthday was low key but fun. Oma & Opa were here to party with us! We kicked off the day with donuts and presents and celebrated you until you fell asleep. We are so glad you are ours. I still testify that you were hand picked for me! You and I were meant to be together from the start!

{Thanksgiving 2017}

We were not sure if Rod was going to be able to make it home for thanksgiving so my sweet parents, knowing that Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday, had planned to come to us so that the children & I would not be alone. They arrived early in the week and we were able to do some early preparations so that Thanksgiving could be more leisurely. It was nice. The Crosbys came to town too so they visited in the morning during the parade. I made home made donuts and we had cinnamon rolls and fruit. The Crosbys left to meet at the park with the Keys, but I was not feeling well at all. Of all days! So we stayed behind and continued cooking and visiting with my parents. Presley made the name places this year and my moms oldest cook book was in tow this thanksgiving. Its so fun to have such personal touches. We snacked on cheeses and dips and set up the table for a delicious meal. We went around & spoke of things we are grateful for. Its so hard to put into words the things of the heart sometimes. I think I often rush through the days and weeks and don't find a moment to truly reflect on what tremendous blessings our family has. We of course pray in gratitude for food and comfort and family...but is runs so much deeper than that. I used to keep a prayer journal that often read as a gratitude journal. I pay pick up the pen again & do that. I hope my children sense my profound gratitude to my heavenly father for my own parents, my devoted husband and the little spirits we have been blessed with. Our home is mostly loud and the spills are made. My heart is racing and my head aches a lot as the madness unfold s around me, but in the quiet of the night I feel the love I felt for them all day even in their naughtiest of moments. I am truly grateful.