Good-bye my Faithful Friend

I remember the day I got my Xterra. It was one day in May 2002 shortly before graduation. After putting in my request for an Xterra (because my Dad did not want me driving to college in my 10-year old Toyota Celica), and after my Dad had done some research for the best deal, I was driving it home from the dealership and it was pouring rain outside. I remember feeling so thankful and beyond blessed to be driving it. I remember thanking God for this beautiful vehicle (that was a lot prettier ten years ago) and for my parents working so hard to give it to me. I prayed then that he would help me drive it safely and I would take care of what he had entrusted me with. Even more, I was thankful that my parents (with a little help from me) had it paid off before I finished college so Brad and I didn't start our marriage with that debt. I vowed I would drive it until we either had too many people in our family to fit in it (add one more and we wouldn't) or until it would drive no more. And after today, it will drive no more...

We all have those moments when we get to a destination and think, "Oh my Gosh, I have no idea how I even got here," because our minds are just somewhere else and we go through the motions without mentally focusing on what we're doing. And that was me today! I was taking Grayson to pre-school and we were talking (no, I was not on a cell phone, Grandpa!). Even as I was going into the intersection, saw I was about to hit this guy, and slamming on my breaks, I was wondering if he was turning left and supposed to be yielding to me. I even had a split second to realize that I was the idiot going through the red light before I slammed into him.

My air bags deployed and my car quickly started filling up with smoke/power from the air bags. I guess I've watched too many fast and furious movies because I was having visions of my car about to blow up. So, I quickly started grabbing my kids out of the car who were surprisingly calm except for a complaint from Gray about the powder being in his eyes. I relocated them both to a median on the side street where the nice college kid who I hit watched them (yep, I let a stranger watch my kids while I dug for my cell phone which went flying when we hit -- he didn't have one).

Thankfully the cop was nice, the guy I hit was nice, the EMTs were nice, the tow-truck guy was nice. Of course, no one had a reason to be mad when I immediately admitted that I was an idiot and it was completely my fault! A random lady who saw it happen and obviously felt sorry for me even went and got donuts and brought them back to us, which was an amazing blessing and wonderful thing to keep my 3 year old still and occupied as he sat on the median. I just kept saying over and over again, "Thank you God for air bags, and car seats, and car insurance, and that my vehicle was 10 years old, and that no one was in the guy's passenger seat (because God forbid, that person would not be in good shape), and that Carrie was late getting to the gym and could come get us, that we had already been saving for a new vehicle, ect, ect, ect.

Thank you Jesus for watching out for us today! And for watching out for us every day when we don't even realize all the ways you protect us!

After we left the accident, we got in Carrie's car and Grayson said,
"Mommy, that was SO bad!"
"You broke your carhicle!" (yup, that is a combination of car and vehicle if you didn't catch that -- he doesn't know the term SUV yet)
"Don't worry Mommy, we'll get you another carhicle just like that one."

So today, I say good-bye to my Xterra which transported me out of high school, through college, into marriage and into parenthood, in the four different cities in which we've lived. And I thank God for keeping me safe in it for the last 10 years. And especially today for watching over my precious angels in the back seat, that I love and cherish and will try my hardest to never take for granted. Because they are precious cargo!

2012 Catch Up

I think my blogging is getting farther and farther apart, but I try and keep track of our funny moments in my head until I finally get around to recording them.

So, here is what I can remember...

GRAYSON (PJ Day at Pre-School)

G: "Mommy, I have two Bibles, a red one and a green one."
Me: "Yes, baby, you have your toddler Bible and now you have a big kid Bible."
G: "But, which one is the Holy Bible?" :)

(As we are driving down the road)
G: "Look Mommy, it's the United Texas Flag!"

(One day he was building with leggos and turns to me to say)
G: "Mommy, look at my tall tower. I am one smart little boy!"
Me: "Yes, you are!" (No self confidence issues there)

(The same day he is sitting on the potty and I'm reading him a book when he says)
G: "Mommy, look at my tee-tee. It is SOOOOO BIG!" (What do you even say to that?)
(I told Brad that night, "What is it about men that they are born and from day one they just think, 'Man, I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread.")

(Brad is saying prayers with him one night before bed, and Brad is rubbing his back when Gray says)
G: "We do NOT touch our neighbors during prayer time!" (Something he undoubtedly has been told at church many times)

G: "Mommy, how come you have two rings?"
Me: "Well, this one is my Aggie ring and this one is my wedding ring. This one means I'm married to your Daddy."
G: "How do I get me one of those?"
Me: "Well, to get this one, you have to graduate from Texas A&M and be an Aggie. And to get this one, you have to get married someday."

Later he was talking to Brad and said:
G: "You and Mommy both have two rings, and I'm going to get those someday."
B: "To get a wedding ring, you have to someday have a wife. How about we say a prayer for your wife?" (What a sweet father/son moment!)
After they finished praying Grayson said:
G: "Daddy, I want Mommy to be my wife!" (Melt my heart!)
B: "No buddy, Mommy is my wife, so you'll have to pick a different one!"
G: "No, I want Mommy to be my wife. We can share."

(Okay, even as I'm about to write this last one, I can't even believe I'm going to share it because I'm going to completely humiliate myself in the process, but it's just too funny not to share.)
I was cleaning Grayson's room one day when he walks in and says:
G: "Mommy, what's that smell?"
Me: "I don't know buddy."
G: "Mommy, I think it's a skunk."
Me: "No, buddy, it's not a skunk. Mommy just tooted."
G: "Mommy, that really stinky."
Me: "I know buddy, I'm sorry."
G: "Mommy, I think you have a skunk in your tummy!"

CAMDYN - 5 1/2 months

And for my sweet little girl...

I just don't know how I got so lucky to have two really good babies, but I did. I have no illusions that she won't make up for her present sweetness once she hits toddler hood (like her brother did), but for now, she is about as easy as they come. Despite dealing with some pretty severe acid reflux issues which make for some pretty fussy days sometimes as the poor thing screams in pain and projectile spits up all over us (clothes don't stay clean in this house for very long), she is such a happy baby! Even when I wake her from a nap because we have to go somewhere, she just looks up at me and grins.

She rolled over (back to tummy) for the first time on Christmas Day (right at 4 months) which was a sweet little Christmas gift for us.

She adores her big brother and just wakes up grinning at him even when he pokes all over her little chubby cheeks. And we have been pleasantly surprised that he adores her as well. A few weeks after she was born, he even asked us when he was going to have "another little sister." I'm sure we'll have issues once she's old enough to take his toys, but for now we treasure the sweet harmony between them.

The poor little darling is losing all her hair, just like Grayson did about this time. So, I guess we can anticipate her being bald for about a year :( before she gets in some thick, blonde hair! So then even more people can stare at us and wonder if they really are our biological children :) Luckily, she is finally getting big enough to pull off some giant head bands and enormous flowers! And she's hanging onto those beautiful blue eyes so far!