Mason is a ROCK STAR!

I'm so proud of my Mason today . . . well, everyday but especially today!

He is a GRIFFIN OF THE MONTH!!

 

 

Mom bragging will commence in 3, 2, 1 - Not only is he Griffin of the Month but he is also in the Rising Stars Math program and he gets all A's in conduct! He loves his little brothers and is so sweet to them!! Okay, most of the time he is sweet to them! :) And when I was reading him the Christmas story he started to tell me about Mary's cousin Elizabeth and John the Baptist - so smart I tell you!!

 

Mason we are so proud of you!!

 

And he gets a free Kids Meal at Raising Cane's! I love FREE!

 

Mason with my sweet Conner all bundled up for school!

Serving

My New Year's Resolution is totally to get the blog back up and running! I miss being to look back over what we've been up to! For now, a little something to tide me and you over.

Oh my gracious, if I've heard this once then I've heard it a thousand times, "I don't like serving at church on Sunday's because I miss worship." Well let me tell you about my weekend . . .

Saturday was our church's first ever, but definetly not last, Servolution.  A revolution of service . . . you know because "That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served."  The whole church gathered up this past Saturday to serve our community. Groups did home repairs, groups passed out gifts and visited the apartments across the road, groups went to the retirement apartments and cleaned apartments, groups did yardwork, groups visited nursing homes, and so on.

Ryan was doing electrical repairs and I had the kids with me so we selected going to two nursing homes in Mansfield to sing Christmas carols and pass out goodies to the residents. Let me just say, I've been in church all of my life and church's love to go to nursing homes and sing, so this is not my first nursing home rodeo. My normal nursing home behavior is sing and then pretend to be busy with something else so that I don't have to actually visit with anyone. I spend more time visiting with the people I came with then the people I went to minister to and encourage.

My heart belongs with dirty and forgotten children not old people.  However, before we left, as part of our 25 days of Christmas, I had Mason read that day's activity and it was "Love Jesus and celebrate His birth by serving others." And I had referenced James 1:27 . . . loosely paraphased - "good religion is to look after orphans and widows." I discussed with him what a widow was and that not everyone there would be a widow but the underlying message was to look after those forgotten.

On the drive there, we continued to discuss what a nursing home was and the types of people we would encounter and why they were there and slowly it began to hit me that these people are just like orphans in a way - at the places we went, some residents but not all, were essentially abandoned there . . . they were helpless, they were lonely, they needed a friend, they needed a little Jesus with skin - i.e. personal touch from a believer.  I began to pray for God to open my eyes and heart to truly visit and serve these people, while simultaneously begging him not to burden with a passion for them because I already don't know what to do with my passion for the kiddos I've never met but so dearly love! (well that's a lie . . . I know exactly what I want to do but apparently it's not what God wants, darn it!).

So nothing earth shaking happened but it was truly a blessing to step out of my comfort zone and to hold hands with people and to ask for and use their first name and converse with people at the nursings homes! It was a blessing to be able to do this with my children too! I was so thankful that I went and so blessed to meet Ms. Stella and Ms. Sallie and the many others that I was able to look into their eyes and hold their sweet hands and and unwrap baking cups off of cupcakes - sweet blessings indeed.

After it was over we had a princess over to play!

 

 

The next morning was crazy - Aaron was sick and on my way to church I realized my tire was going flat.  It was one of those mornings where you really just want to sit in church and sing and go home, but I was scheduled to SERVE in the nursery that day.  I spent my morning with some lovely little preschoolers and had the best time!! Oh I got to snuggle a sweet little girl for about 20 minutes while she was missing her mama.  The kids were learning about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and their memory verse was from Joshua 1:9 - " Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” I got to whisper some sweet prayers in her sleepy ear about that God has not left her and that her mama will come back for her.  Precious thing woke up and was ready to play! With my hands free, I soon became a horse and was instructed "giddy-up!" Joyful morning!

 

Straight from nursery, I ran to the kitchen to help serve a meal to guests and those interested in learning more about our church and what we do.  I poured tea, passed our napkins, sliced cake, picked up dirty plates, etc. Nothing glorious but oh so fun!

 

When I left Fellowship Community Church, I felt so refreshed and uplifted and it dawned on me, that my service was worship! It was so rewarding and easy . . .  His burden is easy and his yoke is light.  It wasn't required of me, but serving others in so many ways this weekend was better than any service I could sat through. 

 

Serving others, it's sort of biblical, you should give it a try!

 

And afterward, I got to enjoy the view and bounty of God's creation . . .

 

Camping

Sometime in my pregnancy I decided camping would be a fun vacation for our first family of 5 vacation . . . and despite my doubts as the trip got closer - it was FUN! You should go camping!

 

This past week we headed to Lake Ouachita State Park near Hot Springs, AR for some quality family time.  There were times that were stressful but overall it was a lot of fun and we made some great memories!

 

My family camped every year for as long as I can remember and we all went camping together two years ago, but this was our first solo Brown family camping trip.  Since I'd been camping numerous times I had a good idea of what to bring.  I had all our suppers planned and our meats either pre-cooked or marinated for easy grilling and no-fuss clean up.  I'm used to camping with no electric or running water so staying in a state park with water & electric hook-ups was a nice little luxury!

 

The first night, we were all set up and the boys were playing and we had chili by the fire and we made s'mores and the trip was off to a perfect start . . . until the next morning when we woke up to 31 degree temps and rain! We were FREEZING! My parent's pop up camper, that we had borrowed, had a heater but it had never been used and we didn't know how to work it! We called my parents in Colorado and they didn't know how to use it either. In desperation I called my sister and said "please find us a cabin!! the baby is freezing!" She found us a rustic 1 bedroom cabin about 10 miles away and we abandoned camping for two nights!

 

During that time we went to Magic Screams (Magic Springs at Halloween) and to the Mid-America Science Museum.

 

On Monday, when the rain went away and the sun reappeared we headed back to our humble little campsite! The boys were so happy to be back! The rest of our trip we hiked and hung out and got dirty and mined for quartz crystal and lots of other fun family things! I enjoyed our little trip and my precious family! We will definitely camp again because if I survived with a 5 month old and two dirty little boys then I can do anything!



 

Real Moms, Real Connections, Real Fun!

I am so excited about THURSDAY'S and you should be too! Starting Thursday, September 20, 2012 @ 9:45 a.m., I'll be hosting a mom's group at my home! It is going to be great fun! So if you are a stay at home mom in my area or a working mother who happens to be free on Thursday (sometime or all the time) and you have at least one child between the ages of 0-12 - then come see me!

Most of you who read this blog regularly know that I love living in the country and people down here are the nicest around, but one of the pitfalls of rural living is that a lot of the time we do not know our neighbors because too much distance separates us.  Being a stay at home mom can sometimes be isolating but . . . NO MORE! Y'all plan on coming out and meeting REAL MOMS, and making REAL CONNECTIONS, and having some REAL FUN!

A few details: the group will run from September 20, 2012 - December 6, 2012.  We will be doing six sessions of a Bible study by Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, and Priscilla Shirer called Faithful, Abundant, and True (watch a short promo here), and having Pinterest parties, possibly serving somewhere, play dates, and other fun stuff that I've not listed so you'll basically have to come or risk missing the best thing!  . . . here is a tentative schedule:

All meetings on Thursday from 9:45-11:30
September 20 – Let's Get to Know Each Other
September 27 – Beth Moore Week 1
October 4 – Beth Moore Week 2
October 11 – ND Fall Break – Mom's Connect with play dates
October 18 – Priscilla Shirer Week  1
October 25 – Priscilla Shirer Week 2
November 1 – Pinterest Party: Crafting for a Cause (making items for OCC shoeboxes)
November 8 – Kay Arthur Week 1
November 15 – Kay Arthur Week 2
November 22 - THANKSGIVING BREAK
November 29 – Collecting or making items for a charitable donation or serving the least of these at the Food Bank, Providence House, Salvation Army, etc.
December 6 – Christmas party

I am especially excited about our Pinterest Party! Samaritan's Purse has posted lots of ideas from Pinterest of things to pack in the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. And I'm going to need some help from you crafty mama's because I'm so not gifted in that area!!

Alright so let's be real - possibly I had you hooked with mom's getting together and a Pinterest party but then perhaps I lost you at Bible study . . .so PLEASE come check it out FIRST! I can promise you that Beth Moore is hysterical in a crazy way and that Priscilla Shirer is equally fun and funny.  I've not done a study by Kay Arthur before but I hear she is one of the best. In other words, COME, it'll be fun! And did I mention free childcare?????

What I'm loving about this particular Bible Study is that it's not one consecutive series - meaning if you miss one or two it's no problem to jump right back in and you won't be hopelessly behind.

Basically if I know you stay home or that you are off on Thursday I will stalk you until you come! Joking - not really . . . no, not really joking at all.

Here's what I'm hoping to come from this:

1. That I meet some really cool new friends. By the way, please invite people. I do not have to know the people who come nor do they need to receive a personal invitation from me. Strangers - come on!!
2. That we have a lot of fun doing some things to help others!
3. That we learn something new from each other or from our Bible study or even better from both!
4. That by Week 6 y'all will love me enough that I won't have to keep cleaning my house everytime y'all come over (for real - maybe this should be the #1 thing!)

If y'all will please drop me a comment or a an email and let me know if you are coming so I can be sure to have enough food and childcare.

And if you are still reading this incredibly long post and you think this sounds fun but it doesn't fit into your schedule please check out this link to find some other cool groups for women, couples, and men.  I just finished a Beth Moore study on Revelations on Wednesday nights with some fabulous ladies and they will be starting Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman and there will also be an exercise class with Zumba, Yoga, Boot Camp, etc going on as well.

Also I hope to see you all at this fabulous community event next weekend!

Guess Who??

It's possible people thought I was kidding when I said I had kept EVERYTHING I had since I had Mason 7 years ago! But I wasn't joking!! Here are some pictures of all three boys in the same pair of Target brand (Circo) PJ's and the same Boppy & cover!

Can you tell who is who???

I'd like to introduce you to . . .

my son, Conner.

Every year around this time I start to get a little ancy, get a little nervous, get a little worried because it's the time of year when teacher/student selections take place. I begin to fret over teachers and classmates and I begin to pray and pray for the right people and right friends. 

Although Conner went to school three days a week last year this is different because he is in a regular class and the teacher/student ratio is going to be much higher. It scares me to death.

I was bouncing my thoughts around to a friend-type/acquaintance person who works at his school and the advice was just to not worry and "trust the system." Honestly that statement has made me so MAD!! So in order to not jeopardize that relationship in telling them just exactly how I feel about it I'm going to have to write it down before I explode! (and if you are reading this blog then that odds are great that you are not that friend-type person - PROMISE!)

First, this person works at the school and will never have to "just the trust the system" so that advice was just rife with hypocrisy. Second, "the system" does not know my child and does not have his best interest at heart.

Which is why I feel the need to introduce my son to you - he is four years old and is a bundle of sweetness, mischief, laughter, ninja kicks, and hugs! I have cried countless tears over his little body - tears because I fear I've failed him, tears because I know I've failed him, tears over my inadequacy to know what's best, tears of worry over his health, tears of worry over his speech - tears of joy and frustration and fatigue.

I've slept many nights curled up around his sweet body while it is racked by unexplained fevers . . . I have woken him up in cycles to administer medicine take away rashes that covered his whole body and left him a scratchy mess . .  I have held his hand for countless finger pricks and shots and tests . . . I've kept journals of fevers and symptoms and everything in between.

I've taken him to 5 different speech therapists and been overwhelmed by guilt because the reason he needs them is due to my own afflictions.

I have fought for him and spoken for him and loved him and cared for him . . . as I have and will for all my children.

So to tell me to trust a system to know what's best for him is a HUGE slap in the face to me, his mother. 

I am however trusting in GOD who has done all these things alongside me and more things then I'll ever know. I am trusting that my prayers for the right teacher and the right kids and the right speech therapist have been answered according to HIS plan and not my own. I am trusting that when I send my little boy who does not have the words that people will understand into that big school where I cannot interpret for him that God will give others ears to hear and to understand. I am trusting strangers to love him and care for him in the hours that I am way from him - I am trusting that God has orchestrated all of this for the good of Conner . . . I am trusting God, not your silly system.

And when you see me on August 20 and I am a big ball of tears and a heap of Kleenex you'll know that's me trusting . . . because he'll be there and I'll be here and that my dear friends is trust in something bigger than your system.

Conner

My sweet Little is not so little anymore! He is a wonderful big brother and has nicknamed Aaron "Aaron gaga." As you will notice in most of his pictures he likes to either stick out his tongue or hold something in front of one eye . . . he is slightly crazy but that makes him fun and keeps us laughing!

He got to go with my parents on his first birthday trip this May with Mason as well. He loves his brothers and is having fun! I'm heartbroken over him starting preschool in a few weeks. I think it will help him but it's me I'm worried about!

Classic sweet Conner - so excited to meet Aaron Gaga

At his PreK 3 program - sticking out his tongue

Mimee & Mason & Conner

sweet cowboy brothers - one with their tongue out!

at Mason's birthday party - alligator eye

at VBS with his tongue out

celebrating Mason's birthday with a donut eye

loving each other and the water

my beloved

MASON!

Life has been crazy busy and chaotic and stressful around the Brown house but we've also had lots of fun adjusting to being a family of FIVE and celebrating summer!

Mason has probably had the most fun this summer. He has celebrated a birthday, gone on vacation with Conner and my parents, gone canoeing and camping on the Buffalo River with my dad and Ryan and some 30 other guys, and he'll be leaving again soon for some more camping!

Proud big brother at the hospital with Aaron

Playing some ball

Run, Mason, Run!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Showing Conner the ropes in 1st grade

Proud of my Mason and his reading trophy and

academic awards medal

birthday party fun

I've mentioned before that Mason is shy and he HATES programs at church

and school that he has to perform in so imagine my surprise on parent's night at

VBS when I saw my sweetie at the front holding the Bible for the pledge!

slip n slide fun

12 WEEKS!

Leaving the hospital

The boys wanted to help with bath so we moved it to living room!

My four guys are so cute!

Silly Brothers

beautiful feet

What an ordinary day looks like

no one dressed and JUNK all over the living room

First family of 5 trip to church

2 months old!

Happy 4th of July

Baby Aaron!

Here in the land of slow internet service it's really hard to find time to blog and upload pictures!! These pictures of Baby Aaron's Big Day literally took 24 hours to upload! And this isn't even half of what I wanted to show but for now it will have to do! City dwellers this is one area of living where you have us country folks beat hands down.

So Thursday, April 19, I had one day of things to do and make ready before Aaron's scheduled arrival on Friday, April 20.  However . . . around 2 a.m. on Thursday morning I woke up with this weird feeling . . . and then around 4 a.m. I got this painful feeling and it came every 30 minutes.  Although Aaron was my third child I have NEVER experienced any sort of contractions with any of my other pregnancies - false or otherwise - so I was a little clueless as to what was going on.  My alarm went off around 6 and I just assumed that when I got up and moving around I would feel better.  The boys and I got ready for school and I was still having those pains . . . and I was still having them on the way to school . . . and on the way home from school . . . and while I made me a big breakfast of pancakes and a Coke (you know because on Friday I was having a baby and wouldn't get breakfast!).  I talked to a few friends who confirmed for me that yes I was having contractions!

I needed to hurry through the morning because Conner had an appointment in Shreveport at 10:00 but I called my mom and jokingly said to get ready because we may be having a baby.  She began to worry about me and sent my dad to take Conner to his appointment.

On Wednesday night I had emailed my sister and sister-in-law the "plan of action" for Mason & Conner starting with Friday morning Field Day and going through Monday morning.  By Thursday morning they had responded that everything was set and ready for Friday . . . apparently I should have sent Aaron the email!

The contractions continued throughout the remainder of the day so I got my bags packed just in case but was still pretty certain I was experiencing false labor however to appease my mom & sister I went to the doctor just to be safe.

The doctor hooked me up to a machine and then unhooked me and told me she would see me at the hospital and I said "Ok, see you tomorrow!" She looked at me like I was crazy and told me that she meant immediately! My contractions were 3 minutes apart and that I was having a baby today whether I was ready or not! I kept telling her about my Thursday "to do" list and that I had to be at Field Day Friday morning before coming into the hospital at 10 for my noon C-Section.

Finally convinced, my mom and I got on the elevator and headed to the hospital.  Funny thing was neither of us pressed a floor on the elevator because we were busy making phone calls so we sat in the elevator not moving until someone else got in and then we had to take a ride up and then back down!

Ryan freaked out a little and kept telling me all the things he had to do at work and asking me what exactly I meant by "having a baby NOW!"  Thankfully he settled down and made it in plenty of time.

Baby Aaron Ryan Brown was born on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. and weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces at was 19 inches long and was perfect in every way!  WELCOME TO THE WORLD AARON!

Daddy & Aaron

I was still being operated on here and was not feeling good!

Proud Big brothers getting their first glimpse of Aaron

Family waiting to meet our little guy!

(Thanks Erica for taking the picture!)

Most Awesome Big Brothers

Easter in Pictures

Conner & Daddy

Mason & sweet friend

(I don't like putting names on here if I  haven't asked their parents but I do know who she is!)

Checking out their stash -

I'm sure Conner was saying something loud and important

Cute lil' stinker - Faith!!

Making our eggs for the Easter Bunny



Easter Sunday! I still don't know where Conner's shirt is . . .

Thanks Mimee & Papa for the new swingset!

Precious one

Of course, Conner was sick all of Easter Break

but we were so glad that Sunday was a fever free day!

I'll search high & low to find the most eggs!

Look Mom - a real egg!!

My sweetie - re-hiding eggs for Conner & Faith when he realized how many he had!

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT EASTER!

Baby Boy comes next Friday!