Phone pics from Port Aransas

Liz, Erica, Jennifer and I decided to do a beach trip right before the kids went back to school.  We rented a house in Port Aransas, Texas and loaded up on Friday morning and headed South.  The house was about four blocks from the beach and was beautiful... didn't have the amenities we thought it would (like a wine opener and sufficient glasses)... but it worked for four mama's and six kids.  

Our first morning we made breakfast and took a pre-beach selfie. 

 

Me and my monkeys

 

Jennifer and I after the beach and before we went to dinner.  We might have had a few cocktails and she may or may not have refused to get actual dressed.  There may or may not have been a lot of laughter involved in this afternoon. 

Goofy dinner selfie

Day two at the beach... our sand people.  

Everyone else decided to go ahead and pack up Sunday afternoon...  I decided to stay one more night with my two.  I had a great time with the girls but this one night with my two is very very precious to me.  We had ice cream... 

saw the shark... 

and took a long walk on the beach together. 

And Monday morning we woke up and gathered our stuff and headed back home via the ferry to Aransas Pass. 

It was chaotic at times but this one weekend the summer before school started with three of my besties... I will treasure forever.  These are memories that you carry with you and remind you how much a good group of women can sustain you when times are tough.  I've been blessed with many many women I can call friends and mentors...  and ultimately... family.  

Dear Joe

Dear Joe, 

I am way late on this birthday letter and for that, I apologize.  I needed the right words to express what "Eight" means to me.  You are eight years old.  I don't know how this keeps happening because I distinctly remember you being an infant and a toddler and a big boy and now my little man...  but HOW is it possible that it was almost 9 years ago that I was pregnant with you.  Wondering who you would look like and how you would turn out and what traits you would get from your daddy and which ones from me.  Would you be left handed or right handed?  Would you be more interested in sports or the arts.  All of those things that new mom's daydream about when they feel you kick and move inside them.  We dream FOR you and we dream OF you.  We learn what it's like to truly stop thinking about ourselves and think for this little miracle happening inside us.  

I've watched you develop each year a little bit more and a little bit more...  each step showing me who you are and the man you will become.  Each of your life experiences shaping you and turning you into who you will always be.  

You have always looked like your daddy.  Of course, there is a bit of me in you too...  but you look so much like your daddy.  You have his eyes and his smile and a bit of his stubbornness too.  When you set your mind to doing something you set your chin and there is no changing your mind... at least not without a fight.  

You are definitely your mama's boy and there is nothing wrong with loving your mama.  I hope that in loving your mom you learn a bit of the soft side.  You learn that cherishing and being cherished are as important as being strong.  That hugging someone can make the biggest worries not as burdensome and can also be a way to share the greatest joys.  You love to cuddle, always have and I adore it.  I won't get those cuddles forever and I will savor each and every one of them.  

 

You love lego men....  not the actual lego's...  but the little men.  Your imagination is fantastic and something to celebrate.  You have always been able to take your trains and your cars and sit on the floor and play for hours in whatever make believe world you have going on.  Whether it be a fake vacuum, train cars, matchbox cars or lego men. 

Sports... it started with baseball (which didn't go well the first year... think pirouettes on the field lol).  Then we moved home to Houston and got you involved with Coach Randy's team.  Now...  you play anything with a ball.  Baseball, Soccer, basketball, kickball, dodgeball and football.  It seems that basketball is your current favorite though. 

 You are such an amazing young man.  I love to watch you learn and grow.  You are figuring out what works for you and what doesn't.  You make mistakes and you learn from them.  You care, you cry, you laugh and you get angry... and each of those emotions are plainly written on your handsome face.  Joy shines in your eyes and your giggles are contagious.  

 Since you have started Kindergarten, we have taken a selfie whenever I drive you to school.  We get into the drop off line, you undo your seatbelt and we do a selfie.  :) 

You are my handsome little man.  You are my heart.  You are my miracle and I love you more than words can ever express.  Joseph Bruce Davis, you are my love and I can't believe you are EIGHT.  

I love you, 

Mommy

Picture Randomess

Grateful

Gosh, it has to be probably fifteen years since I've had a gratitude journal.  And I think even then I wasn't very diligent about writing in it.  But I was recently having a discussion with a friend about his routine in the morning.  He said that every morning he writes down either 3 or 5 things he's grateful for.  He also sets up 6 achievable goals for the day and then does them. 

It sounds so simple, right?  But by achieving small goals you feel accomplished and like you are working towards something.  As for the gratitude...  if we stop and actually think of the things we are grateful for, you will appreciate them so much more and thus live a happier life.  You know what happens with happy people?  They attract good things.  Good people, good things... a good life. 

So I made the commitment this weekend to start, for thirty days, writing down three things I am grateful for every day.  It will probably be done in the evening when I am putting my kids to bed. 

My grateful journal will not include them, because they are a given.  They are magic.  They are what's good in this world.  They are my miracle.  It will include things WITH friends and family but they will also not be the main focus.  Because... again...  they are my core.  They are my foundation.  They are what make me... me.  (remember my dad always telling me that I am a product of my environment). 

It can always include more than 3 but never less.  It can be simple things in life or bigger things.  But... for the month of June... I will be grateful for the life that I have been given. 

Dearest Jocelyn... Happy 4th

When I think of how you have changed me as a person and as a mother, I sometimes shake my head.  I have told the story many times of when I found out that I was having a boy... I cringed as I didn't know what to do with a boy.  Well, I quickly learned. 

 

 

 

When I learned I was having a girl...  I secretly jumped up and down...  I would finally get to buy bows and dresses and do your hair and makeup.  I would get to do girly things with you like have tea parties and play dolls. 

 

 

Your Bebe used to always tell the story about Jason coming out and saying "have I got a deal for you!"  All of us parents go into this crazy parenting role with preconceived notions of what we will get you to do and what you won't do.  And each of you have your own little personalities that tell us we are crazy for EVER thinking we can dictate to you what you will and won't be. 

In four years you have taught me the definition of patience.  You are extremely headstrong and this is going to take you places.  You want to DO everything and NEVER have it DONE for you.  And saying NO to you is not an option.  I have had to learn to let it go and let you do it.  It may not be the way I want it done but you are learning. 

 

You have taught me the value of telling those you love that you love them.  Not a day goes by that you don't come up to me at random times and places and say "Mommy!  I love you!" 

 

 

You have taught me that it's important to pick your clothes wisely.   But that

 it's less important to choose prints that go together and more important to wear it with attitude. 

 

 

You have reaffirmed the value of loyalty.  You may pick on your older brother but, even at 4, you defend him and won't let anyone hurt him.  You get VERY upset when you think he's being mistreated in any way. 

 

 Putting on makeup is fun.  You love to put on makeup.  You love to paint your nails.  You love to paint your toes.  You are such a girly tomboy.  No one will ever put a label on you... you will break those labels and do it with a laugh on  your face. 

 

 

The importance of accessorizing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and of course...  "letting it go" Frozen style. 

 

 

 

I once said that if I had to sum you up in one word it would be "Joy".  Everything you do...  you do with enthusiasm.  You love joyously and you even cry joyously.  I adore the fact that you bring joy wherever you go and I know that as you grow, that will remain steadfast.  You are my angel girl...  and I couldn't be more proud that you are MY daughter.  I get to call you MINE! 

 

 

 

 

 Happy 4th Birthday Jocelyn Anne Davis.