Family

In contrast to my last post, I'll share what we love around our children.

Family!

I love that our children are aware that having the status of Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, & Cousin has meaning. They even try to give the title of "cousin" to their best friends. Gavin doesn't care what I say, because he loves his friends they ARE his cousins!

I love the way Nana is the kid's favorite person in the world besides Mommy & Daddy. They love when she comes over and hates when she leaves. She knows their ends and outs, lets them wrestle all over her and most importantly, they trust her. I didn't grow up near my family, so being best friends with a grandparent is fun thing to witness!

Levi's parents live in San Antonio, so we only see them a couple of times a year, but the kids love when we do. We've had the rare privilege of seeing Grandpa 3 weekends in a row. They had gotten quite comfortable with him and Carrigan enjoyed several games of Hide and Go seek! I've always loved the fact that even though G'ma & G'pa don't get to see them as often as they'd like, they still love them as if they do. Grandparents are the only people who think your kids are as cool as you, and that's pretty awesome!

Aunts and Uncles are great too! I sat and talked with Uncle Zeke for a while and even though it's sad, it's very nice to hear the Uncles who live 4 hours a way miss them! Zeke is such a sweet Uncle! Levi's cousin Derrick has been in town a few times recently and Gavin & Carrigan are thrilled when he stops by for dinner. Gavin begged me if he could PLEASE be Uncle Derrick instead of cousin Derrick.
Levi has a lot of family in NWA, and hopefully by next year, Carrigan will be easier to travel with, and we can make the drive up!
Carrigan has really become as girl's girl. She loves talking and playing with girls. She loved, loved her alone time playing with Aunt Alicia (Aunt Eca) at Gavin's birthday party!

Cousins are also great! Gavin has always loved playing with bigger kids, so he does great with his two older cousins. Hopefully they can get to know their two younger cousins as they get older and traveling becomes easier.

Gavin is very interested in Heaven because of my Dad. He has cried because he knows PaPaw misses us. He gets excited to join him one day. I LOVE the way he loves his PaPaw. Madi always had a large interest in him, and I am thrilled Gavin does too!

It is our plan in the next few years to move out of Searcy, (probably Arkansas all together) and and I know I'll be so homesick for family when we leave. I never thought I wouldn't want to leave my hometown, but it's terribly hard to take your children away from the people who love them most. Family!

My promise of protection

They say you can't protect them forever. My mission is to never stop trying.

God says He will never give you anything you cannot handle. A life without my children is a life I cannot handle. The moment Gavin was born, it was my passion to keep him safe. Watching him in other's arms the first few months of life, tore me apart. I wanted to scream, "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" to all who came. Let people enter the hospital room and hold my minutes old baby? Are you kidding me? Again, I wanted to scream.

Human beings need breaks. They need to part from their every day stress. My every day stress is also my beating heart; my every breath. How can I hand that off just to relax?
In some strange force of nature, God put the two most protective parents with each other. Levi and I are not a match made in Heaven on many accounts, but on this, we stand together, and we stand strong.

I assume, no I am certain, that most all believe I am behind the "no babysitter" rule. Believe me, the few times, which I can count on one hand, that our children have been away from either of our watchful eye, was strongly protested by him. It is human nature to protect your children above all others. We will settle for no less. Our children are ours, they will remain with us.
....Much to both Grandmother's dismay, we are aware....

I watch my children grow. My baby who is my heart in human form, just turned 4. It is amazing that I can say that without pain in my chest. My sweet girl will be 3 in 3 months. As many times as I say it, I don't believe it. She leaves me in disbelief that a human could be so kind, so loving, so beautiful.

Part of growing up, the point of growing up really, is to leave the nest. If I had the power, I would keep them small forever. Some dream of fancy things if winning the lottery. I dream of a home tutor so they never leave the walls in which we live. (How I feel about my children spending 40 hours a week with a strange woman surrounded by strange children is a post all in its own)
When they are older, they will be hard pressed to find a place I will not follow. Believe me my dears, I will never leave you. Your daddy and I have many plans to keep you near. :)

Then there is marriage. It is said that a father gives away his daughter. Every woman knows it is the other way around. A mother gives away her son. The role of the mother is replaced by the wife. The mother of the new mommy is the first to see the grandchild. She is blessed with generous time on holidays. For this, my boy, is the reason I wish you to marry an orphan. (as horrible as that is to say)

There are things I will keep you from in your childhood in hopes you will keep away from them in adulthood. Water, guns, motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, temperamental people, and the list goes on... I could worry about offending people and let you around these things, but your safety is my priority above the feelings of others.

I do not believe I love my children more than others, or perceive others choices are wrong. Some leave their very small children with family members and travel to other countries with their spouse for romantic vacations. They may say their faith and trust that God will take care of their children is above mine. Maybe this is true, but far less happens to a child when she is not let out of her mother's sight.

Again, I will settle for no less.