Living with the Lawsons: April 2014

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Spring is finally here!!

We've had an eventful few days! This post actually won't be all about the kiddies. To all of you who are like, "Enough with the kids pics!, already!", well, I can't promise I won't sneak a few in! Sorry! It's our new life!

Wednesday I was blessed to be able to take Haley to see Cirque du Soleil with the free tickets we won through the Big Brother program. It was phenomenal! She loved it!!

Friday and Saturday I had the stomach bug....that was an event in and of itself, considering I had two kiddies in tow all day Friday! We made it through a rough doctor's office visit and to get ice cream for being big kids and taking our checkups like champs.

Waiting to see the doctor during our 3 hour visit. We had to make it fun, because three hours at the doctor?? Kids get restless. Tell me they're not hilarious.

First froyoz trip!

Issak got a haircut too. Doesn't he look handsome?

By the time we got home Friday night, I was done. Y'all. The stomach bug is violent. Just don't get it. Remember my post to everyone in the winter about the flu? And to please wash your hands? Well....this momma is here to say, "Wash your hands!" For those questioning my cleanliness, I do wash regularly, I must have just picked up someone's bug. Thank goodness for a mother who lives right down the road and is a nurse. She saved the day with the meds! Saturday I still didn't feel great, but it was a lot better than Friday.

Saturday we took the kids to an Easter egg hunt and were busy bees with other things.

Then, Brandon's grandparents were gracious enough to have a slumber party with the kids Saturday night so we could have the night to ourselves to grab dinner. It was so nice! We spent Sunday morning sleeping in, eating some breakfast, and preparing for the big wedding shower/cookout we had for our friends Lindsey and Josh. This is the first time we've been alone without the kids since we got them. It was nice to relax, but I'm not going to lie, I missed them!

My sweet in-laws were so sweet to let us host the shower at their amazing home. Shout out to them! Thank you so much! Jess, Chelsey, and I met over there and got everything together for what seemed to be the most perfect pretty day for an outdoor celebration.

The bride and her maids (minus Ashley-we missed you!!). Besties!

I can't believe this is the only pic I got of those lovebirds all day! It was picnic themed and we just had hamburgers. The boys played cornhole while the ladies just caught up on life. So much fun to just relax and celebrate the soon-to-be Horner's! Linds and Josh have blessed us with an amazing friendship as couples and individually. I've watched them journey through friendship, dating, and now engagement. Their wedding will be here before we know it and I can't wait for them to be able to enjoy the gift of marriage. God has big plans for them and I love seeing it all unfold.

Before their wedding though, we get to celebrate a little more and head to the beach. I cannot believe we go to Charleston in just a few short weeks while the boys will be in Myrtle Beach! Hooray for a mini vacay with the girls!

I just love this pic of Brandon and I. We haven't taken any pics of just us since we got the kids, so here we are, working on almost a month of parenthood together and almost two years of wedded bliss. Here's to many, many more!

Friday, April 4, 2014

Parenthood: Week 2

Sooooo hey, we've been parents for two and a half weeks! Life has been CRAZZZZYYYY!!! But it's also been super fulfilling. Here's what we've learned. (In list format because we all know I'm Type A and LOOOVEEE lists!)

1. Life can change in an instant. I've depended on Brandon more in the last two weeks than I have in a long time. Be a team!! Teamwork is amazing. Parenting is so much better that way. I see people who parent against each other or even cut each other down. It's so sad. Teamwork makes everything in marriage better, including parenthood.

2. Have faith that God will provide. We've been incredibly blessed in very unexpected ways. He is amazing and has touched our hearts in very special ways. I'm overwhelmed by God's grace. God is so very good, all the time and all the time, God is good.

3. Some people don't want to have children and I always wondered why. Now I understand. Don't get me wrong, we want children eventually (maybe even sooner after this ordeal is over or whatever) but now I understand why kids aren't for everyone. If you want kids, you have to be ready to deal with messes, chaos, and accidents along with all kinds of fun. It's ok, we go with the flow and pick up or fix things....but I understand why some people don't want kids. Like I said though, if I've learned anything through this, it just makes me have a stronger desire to have kids one day.

There are probably many more things I've learned, but I'm tired and I feel that a 3-item list is sufficient. (Kind of like how you learn in school that for outlines, "every I has a II" and "every A has a B".)

It's kind of crazy, but I find myself wondering while I'm working what the kids are doing at school. If they're having fun, if their lunch is yummy, who their friends are, etc. I get Fridays off with the kids, so that's great, but this has made me realize how much I'd love to just stay home and teach my babies letters and numbers and all kinds of fun things more than just one weekday per week. But, since this was very unplanned on our part (but perfectly planned by Jesus) we just take our workdays in stride until we make it to the weekend. The kids love school and I think it's great for them to learn in a formal educational environment.

My husband is an incredible father and I've been amazed to watch how easily this whole thing has come to him. The kids love him and I think he's pretty special too. We don't know how long this road will last, but regardless, I know God put us here for a reason. To change these babies lives for the better. So here we are. 26 and parents to some toddlers. Our lives are crazy and chaotic, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Some pics for the road because hey, it's what parents do. We think our kids are the cutest. 😊