One Thousand Gifts...more like 22...

I love Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts! It's beautifully written and reminds us that thanksgiving is what brings us true joy. She has a challenge online to write 3 gifts a day, or 3 things to be thankful for, and she gives you a theme each day to help. I started it March 11 and I haven't been disciplined enough to do it every day but I am up to 22 gifts. I was recording them in my journal each morning. When we remember what God has done, what we have to be thankful for, how can we doubt him? How can we not be joyful? How can we not trust the one who gave us all of these 26 things (I'm not up to 26!)?? I'm not sure I'll make it to 1000 in a year but I love that I am training my attitude to be one of gratitude!

I'm BAAACK!!

It's been 6 years since my last post and LOTS of mountains and valleys but I'm going to use this outlet to share all that God has done in our lives in the last 6 years! Not because I think we, the Babbs, are so great but because I KNOW that God is so great and He deserves all the glory for the healing, the peace, and the joy we have in our lives today. I hope to encourage, inspire and comfort others that might happen to read this blog. I'm not a writer but I'm a mom, wife, daughter, and friend who wants to honor God with my life and the lessons He has taught me. I can't think of a better way to share those lessons than on the great big internet. I pray God will use my voice and my words to point people to the cross. Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you again, definitely sooner than 6 years from now! Here is my crew now...it's grown in size...in number and height/weight! And I love them SO much!!

Lonely!

Danny is in Texas for 4 days enjoying a vacation with some college buddies and me and the boys are here, carrying on without him. I miss him lots but we've been busy, as usual. One of the hardest parts of being a stay-at-home mom is the loneliness! It can be so lonely at times, even when Danny is home. I crave adult time and conversation...real, meaningful conversation and I don't always get it. Thankfully, I am in MOPS and the choir at church so I have some outside interests, besides my boys. It helps me feel like I am a complete person and not just someone who wipes bottoms all day long. Don't get me wrong, I love being Cole and Grant's mom! Well, hopefully we can survive two more days without Daddy. I'll keep you posted.

The Denver Aquarium

We took our first trip to the aquarium last week and Cole had lots of fun. Although, I'm not sure what was more fun: seeing all the fish or being able to run around at his pace! I don't let him out of the stroller much, especially if I'm by myself with the two boys but since Danny was with us, I caved in and half way through, I let him free! He would run from one exhibit to the next and would often be distracted in between. We were quite impressed with the quality of the aquarium. No, it wasn't the quality of the Monterey Bay aquarium but for Denver, a landlocked state, it was impressive. We had lunch at the restaurant inside and sat right next to the wall of fish, which was fun to watch while we ate. I look forward to going back and taking Grant when he can appreciate it, since he slept most of the time :)

Thank Goodness for Danny!

I finally have a moment to think since both boys are finally asleep. It was a tough night and it made me realize I wouldn't want to parent by myself! Danny was at work tonight and for a while there I thought I wouldn't make it through the night without losing it! Cole was needy, Grant was upset and wouldn't go to sleep, Cole needed lots of help during dinner while Grant needed to be rocked to sleep...agh! It was madness for a little while!! How do single parents do it??? And now, as I write this, Grant is waking up! Oh dear!! Tonight was challenging! Some days I don't feel like I am cut out for this job but I know deep down that God has equipped me to be Cole and Grant's mother. I also know that God has given me Danny to be my partner and the boys' father. Thank goodness. And I look at our beautiful boys and know that these hard nights are always worth it all.

Friends

Today I am especially grateful for the friends in my life! I just spent the morning with my girlfriend and her daughter and while it is always crazy when we get together, since we each have a toddler, it is so nice to be with someone who understands me and accepts me and allows me to be me. It is rare to find someone, outside of my immediate family, who I can be totally comfortable with and can share my deepest thoughts with and not feel judged but rather loved and encouraged! And for that, I am grateful. As I think back over my life, God has provided me with friends at the exact times I needed them. And this friend is no different. God knew I needed a stay-at-home mom confidant and pal! And while my husband is my best friend, there are times when he just doesn't get me and yet I know my girlfriend can relate to me. It's the whole male and female thing...we aren't always on the same page, or even in the same book (as my husband likes to say). But with girlfriends, sometimes I don't even have to say a word and they just know. This makes me think of another girlfriend...her husband and my husband will not allow to us to play on the same team when we play board games because they think it's unfair that we don't have to say a word and yet, we can still get the other person to guess the right answer...we are so in tuned with one another I guess. I am definitely not the kind of person who has a ton of friends but the ones I do, I really invest in the relationship. So, if you are one of those friends who happens to be reading this, thanks for your friendship and support and love!

What do I write?

Hmmm, so this is my first blog and I don't really know what to write. I don't know who will read this or who cares what I have to say. I'm not much of a writer anyway. But it might be nice to have a place to jot down some thoughts now and then. We'll see how it goes.

I just got both boys to sleep...Cole for the night and Grant for an hour or so. I still can't believe I am a mom and a mom of 2 boys nonetheless! It's very surreal. I never imagined having boys. I love my boys but I always pictured girls when I thought of my children. But for some reason, God thinks I will be a good mother to these two little precious boys, who are absolutely beautiful and amazing. They make my heart swell just thinking about them. And they put a smile on my face when I think about what they did during the day. Today, Cole pointed to himself and said "Me". For the first time, he actually put meaning behind the word "me". So cute! And Grant...he is such a happy boy! He smiles nonstop! And it's not just a little smile...it's a very large, joyful grin. I am proud to be their mommy. Some days it can be overwhelming...the number of times I have to clean up messes (toys, spit-up, poop, etc.) but it really is a privilege to be Cole and Grant's mom.

Let's see what tomorrow brings!