Some things I take for granted...

Often times I think many parents take advantage of the little things that their children do. Of course there are the One-Up parents, who talk non-stop about their children and how much better they are than yours. Trust me, I have no problem with parents that talk about their kids a lot. When one has young children, the majority of their lives are run by children: their sleeping and eating patterns, schoolwork, daycare, school programs, sports and activities. That is just your life at the time.

But what I often wonder about is the families that just have normal children. And by normal, I mean neurotypical children. I find myself wondering about Caleb a lot and what my hopes and dreams are for him. More often than not, I wonder about the little basic things, that I wonder if some people take for granted. Some of the things that Caleb has done in the past year: going up to the top of the McDonalds playground, playing soccer, getting a hair cut without screaming, telling two jokes, going across the monkey bars by himself, attending a birthday party without a meltdown, and he finally learned to ride a bike (I cried like a baby). These things are incredible accomplishments for him...I mean, honestly, sleeping through the night is an accomplishment for him.

I look forward to continuing to gently push him to try new things. He loves soccer, and loves going to his college classes, and I hope that he will try to play an instrument...maybe. We really hope to find something that gives him a strong sense of accomplishment. He is just not the typical kid that we can say...Hey you are going to college. I mean, college is very important to us as a family, and I can only dream that he would be capable of going. We are going to talk as if he were going, as see where that takes him.

Our other goal is to have a playdate with one of the kids in his class once Spring rolls around. Caleb doesn't really see the point of it, but maybe he will come around.

Let the games begin....

My boys are officially scheduled enough. Mom's taxi service is out in full force and will be cruising to a town near you. This spring Caleb is taking two enrichment classes at the college (cooking and archery) and is playing soccer. Jansen has speech therapy two days a week and started Kung Fu three weeks ago. Jansen is really excited to learn all the cool Kung Fu moves, and Caleb just wants to be active. He will be playing soccer in Lake Jackson this season because Richwood isn't offering a Spring league. Caleb didn't care where he played, just as long as he played.

School craziness is upon us and we cannot wait for our Las Vegas trip. It will be a quick 4 day trip, but fun none-the-less. We are blessed beyond words!

In a land of testosterone

As millions of moms with boys will attest, raising a gaggle of young boys is a major undertaking. Whether you have 2, 3, 4, or more boys, you know this to be true. I, growing up as an only child, was surrounded by girly things and girly problems. From dolls to makeup, emotional tantrums and tears, calling friends just to talk to enjoying having clean hands, my life went on as any typical girl's would. Although, to my parents' detriment, I had a horrible sarcastic attitude with a fiercly strong will.

Now, happy with my attitude and strong will, I see this displayed in my youngest son with a vengence. Although at this point he does not think I am completely ridiculous, he does display a "my way or the high way" disposition. Thank goodness for Garnier, who has made the perfect match of hair coloring for my head.

Boys are unbelievable, even at 4 and 7. The beginning of my day often begins with walking into their rooms and exclaiming, "what is that smell?". We simply cannot have many nice things as boys are tactile and tend to seek and destroy. They fight like cats and dogs, wrestle each other to the ground, can break a brand new toy within 2 minutes, expend endless amounts of energy, ruin pair after pair of jeans to holes in the knees and grass stains, keep feathers and rocks in their pockets, but are blissfully black and white. Their emotions are held on their sleeves and have sensitive egos, but they are not grudge holders.

I remember myself as a growing girl, and for that I am thankful that my days consist of Transformers, Super Mario Brothers, Soccer, Kung Fu, and even the accidents from faulty aim.

Unexpected goodies

Jansen is growing like a weed and can't seem to stay the same size for very long. He began the winter with a yellow coat that his brother used last year, and it is already too small for him only a month and a half later. Of course, in south Texas, we rarely need more than a good hooded sweater for the "winter", and when looking in my childrens' closets...there they are. However, this winter for us has been unusually wet and cold. So Jansen and I went on a mission to buy two new coats, one for him and one for me, preferably some that do dual duty for rain as well as cold.

We tried the Ross, JCPenney, The Children's Place, Target, and finally Kohls. Nothing for me, but ding, ding, ding....a huge rack of 80% boys winter wear. We found warm sweaters for $5.40 and his new all weather jacket for $10. That's right, TEN DOLLARS! WHOOHOO. We practically ran to the cashier.

Then Tuesday, I took my mom to the dentist, and killed some time at one of the thrift stores in town. Guess what? Brand new Adidas soccer cleats for Caleb for $1.00. That's right, ONE DOLLAR! Today, after I had my hida scan at the hospital, I went to the Bargain Box, because I love that place and I still hadn't found myself a heavy, all-weather coat. Yep, I found one! So excited am I. What was my grand total after leaving the store with: A women's heavy, all-weather coat, a new prayer book for Caleb (he LOVES to read), winter pajamas for Jansen (pajama day is Friday at his school), and a sweater for Caleb??????? My total was $9.20! DOUBLE WOOHOOO!!!!

Realized that I work best off a list. I keep a magnetic notepad on the fridge and write down things that we need and people's birthdays and such throughout the year and try to stick to buying only those things, and then look until I find it. Christmas, birthdays, and showers sneak up on people, so we keep a section of the closet for gifts I find during the year. Even though Jansen's birthday is in May, I usually find something early on sale in January and keep it until May. Every year, I use everything in that closet and then start in January building it back up. It's January...beware, I am shopping for deals! There are lots of babies to buy for this year! :)

End of a decade

Really, I didn't much think about New Year's this year. It just seemed like any other New Year's...the promise of a much better year ahead. The hope, the excitement, wishful thinking...every year the same. But then I really started thinking about what this is. We are moving into a whole new decade.

I am reminded of New Year, 2000. Josh and I spent the Millenium at a ranch with Josh's parents and some family friends. Everyone was in an uproar over Y2K. What was going to happen? As we all stared at the TV as New York's ball dropped, I think secretly we were all waiting for the electricity to suddenly flip off, our bank accounts to be drained, and mass hysteria to begin. And when none of that happened, we all smiled and went to sleep.

This decade has been bittersweet for me. 2001 was by far my most incredible year. That spring I completed my coursework for my major, had a wedding shower, a bridal luncheon, turned 21 May 10, began an internship at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital on May 14, had a bachelorette party May 17, got married May 19, graduated college on August 11, took our honeymoon to Lake Tahoe the same day, bought our first small house the day we came back, and started my career as an Early Intervention Specialist at BACH on October 1. It was a banner year.

The next year was spent working and being pregnant. As I look back on it, I think I spent most of my decade depressed and struggling to find the self I lost when I became a mother. Post partum depression lasted long into my second pregnancy and after. 2009 saw me looking back on this decade with a combination of sadness and happiness. Both my children were growing faster than I would like and I searched for the last time when deep in my heart, I felt truly happy. I love my husband and my children, and I wouldn't change the way I did things, especially since I will be only 42 when my youngest child graduates high school! The thing that makes me most frustrated about myself is that I never once lived in the moment. I took too many things for granted and dwelled too much on the problems that I was having. That is no way to live.

Life is hard. Life is grand, satisfying, complex, painful, comical, frustrating, joyful, and painfully uncertain. I really thought about that this week with all my medical issues that suddenly came up. Here I am, sitting at my computer, planning Christmas for next year, and I am not guaranteed even tonight. I want to stop myself from wishing my life away. I want to make my children love each and every day possible. I can't take my bank account with me to heaven. It really doesn't mean anything in the long run (ouch that was painful to write). Instead of me thinking about all the things I didn't get to do in my 20s, I am challenging my cynical, "glass is half empty" mind to think of the joyful experiences that I did have in my 20s. Think of how much we have all grown this first decade of the 21st century.

This is my life. It is not like anyone else's. God has blessed me beyond measure and I am so greedy to want for more or anything different. I am beautifully and wonderfully made...as is my family! Come on 2010! I welcome you with open arms!!

The Best of 2009

Our Christmas was the best. Not only did we get to spend time with every member of our family, but both the kids really understood the meaning of the season AND the fun part that included Santa. Caleb commented on everything. He showed all kinds of appropriate emotion and played very well with all the children. He and Jansen were total troupers through all 8 Christmas celebrations. We were all very happy and blessed!

The new year is just around the corner and it is time to start thinking about resolutions. I don't really make resolutions, I like to make goals. Semantics, I know...but I LOVE semantics. Last year, 10 goals were made, and 7 were met. This year, I will make fewer, not because I don't think they can be achieved, but because our family has been so blessed, and I am happier than I have ever been. Oh, don't get me wrong, there are things that need to change, but things are good at this point.

So what are my goals for the year?
1. Lose 30 pounds by my 30th birthday (May 10)
2. Pay off our LAST CREDIT CARD!!!!!
3. Finish Christmas shopping by August 31
4. Pay off our signature loan
5. Take the kids to someplace new each month

The last one is a work in progress. Actually, they are all a work in progress, I just usually like to have somethings that are very specific and measurable. Ramble, ramble, ramble.....we have no plans for New Years and Josh is finally off for the first time in about 5 years. AND the next thing to look forward to.....POWELL FAMILY LAS VEGAS VACATION IN MARCH!!!!!

Oh Christmas tree...

Again, I love this time of year. The last week of school was a blast for the kids, and a little bit bittersweet for me. Even though I am always excited for Caleb to grow, learn new things, and advance in school, I must admit that a tiny part of me wants Jansen to stay little forever.

Jansen is 4 and this is his last year of private preschool. I have so thoroughly enjoyed having him at Chapelwood and felt a slight sadness while watching his last Christmas program. At Caleb's school, they don't have any kind of holiday program, although at least they do a holiday party. I am just one of those moms that really loves baking things, making goodie bags, and going on field trips. I still do those things for Caleb's class, admittedly one of only two parents who does so.

Elementary school is the last time for moms to really be involved in things like that (room moms, school crafts, etc). I am so blessed to be home and to have the heart to want to really be involved in my childrens' educations. Hopefully this will continue for as long as Jansen is in elementary.

Anyway, Jansen had a Christmas party and we provided the Rudolph cookies. At his program, he refused to participate, but at least he stood there in solemn defiance. Caleb had a party and we provided the sausage cheese dip. Total success for Caleb. He has a very difficult time with transitions and changes to the routine, but he really did well. Today, Santa sent both the boys video emails, personalized with their names, pictures, and gift list. The kids are so excited and can't wait until Friday, and honestly, neither can I!