Farewell...

The world lost a beautiful woman last week.  Justin's Grandma died at the age of 89.  Although our hearts are hurting we find comfort in the fact that she is in a better place.  The last few years have not been a good quality of life so we are thankful she is free from her earthly body.  We celebrate her life Monday with a beautiful service in which her Great Grandchildren got to participate.  We will miss you Nana. Take good care of Jeret for us.

Here is a picture of Claire, Nana, and Justin when Claire was just a few days old.  

At each of her Grandchildren's weddings Nana read an Irish Blessing. It means so much to us to have had her do that, and I hope it is a tradition that can be passed on from generation to generation.

"May you be pursued by your troubles all your days, and may they never catch up.

May you live long enough to comb the hair of your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, slow to make enemies, and quick to make friends.

But rich or poor, quick or slow, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward!

May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon the fields. And, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

What a beautiful prayer from a beautiful woman.

Wordless Wednesday...

First Day of School...

Colten and Aubrey had their first day of school last Wednesday.  They woke up to a decorate kitchen and cinnamon rolls!  What a great way to start the day. They were thrilled.

Thanking Miss Leah for their wonderful surprise.

I love how excited they both were!

After breakfast it was time to open their gifts!  New glasses cases, and water bottles.  Miss Leah LOVES them.

After breakfast it was time to go outside and have our picture taken by the tree that we planted last summer.

They were so cute as we took their photo's.

We asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up.  Colten said a baseball player or a wrestler which made his daddy very proud!

 

Aubrey's response was a rock star!  She has asked me EVERY day since then if I think she would make a good rock star!

Of course we had to take a couple of pictures when we got to school too!

Inside the school they were thrilled!

I can't get over how excited she is in EVERY picture.

He looks like an ole pro sitting there!

Back to School Night...

Back to School night was Sunday. The kids were able to go up to the school and see who was in their class, and who their teachers were for the upcoming year.  We were very pleased with both teachers, and the friends that would continue on in the same room with them again this year!  They had a short lesson on we don't always get to be with all their friends as well! :)

Aubery and Colten waiting on their teachers to open up their classrooms!

Can't believe she is in kindergarten!

Of course we had to have the annual picture taken next to the school name!

We are excited for another year to begin!

Life Lately...

Summer is officially over and it is time for this family to have some structure, and routine again.  To go to bed before 11:00 every night, and to get up before 9:00 ever morning. I can't believe how quickly the time has passed this summer!

I can't believe that this guy is almost a first grader!

Aubrey has been healing nicely but still in a lot of pain. She has LOVED Chinese food lately since it's soft and easy to eat with a sore throat.

We have gotten in a lot of extra snuggle time which is really nice before school starts.  However the only place she wants to lay is in mine, and Justin's bed!

Miss Claire has kept us busy with her potty training.

We had a sleep over with these big cuties!

Colten went to fan appreciation and got to meet some of his favorite K-Staters!  He said that Kevin Lockett told him that he likes his shades!

And last night we got to have another cousin sleepover!  We came home to four little kidos in our bed!  How blessed are we?

1st Grade...

Today was Colten's first day of first grade that means that it should also be Jeret's first day of first grade.
I had not really thought about it much until today, but this morning on the way to school Colten got the best of me when he said mom "I can't wait to trick you when we all get to Heaven", I looked at him confused and he explained that since he and Jeret look the same they were going to play jokes on me in Heaven since I would not be able to tell who was who. Not gonna lie.  That comment got the best of me.
I remember being pregnant with them and wondering how in the world we were going to be able to tell identical twins apart when they were tiny, and in that moment I wanted nothing more than to be bringing three babies to school. Two to first grade and their little sister to kindergarten.
Oh how I long for two twin boys, boys that are best friends, and inseparable, boys that can irritate both their sisters, and each other.
I long to make the decision on if we should separate them or let them be in the same class.I could not help but think about how his name is on a gravestone instead of in a classroom filled with bright colors and happiness. I haven't been able to stop thinking about my sweet boy this morning.
I can't help but wonder what the differences between my boys would be, what Jeret would be like as a six year old.
I'm fortunate enough to be a person who is confident that one day we will see him again.  However today that is a hard pill for me to swallow.  I want to be a family on Earth too.

Wordless Wednesday...