These are a few of my favorite things...

Snuggling with Adelyn when she lays down for a nap

Dancing in the living room with Tucker

Nursing Colson before I go to bed when he's sleepy and snuggly

When Adelyn laughs out-loud

When Tucker says "I loves you Mama, sooooo much"

Waking up in the morning with Derek in my bed (which is rare with cross country!)

Funny text conversations with my best girls

Finally fitting into my favorite jeans...7 months after Colson was born!

Adelyn's hair in a pony-tail...I don't know why but it makes me smile


Sneaking into the twins' room at night and watching them sleep.

Getting to have quiet time in the morning with my bible and coffee

Hearing Adelyn sing our night-night song...

When Tucker says Daddy is his "best friend"

The way Colson tucks his chin down and grins his shy little grin when he's being flirty

The unbelievable feeling of a full night's sleep (which has happened maybe twice)

How Tucker calls everything his "favorite"

Early mornings when everyone plays in their pajamas

Starbucks whipped cream

Date nights with my love

Getting to do things with my kids that I always dreamed of...like making cookies, dressing them up for Halloween, watching Ady skate

Watching my parents love their grandchildren

Holding hands with Tucker

Colson's belly laugh

Hearing Derek pray for me nightly

Adelyn "dancing" and high stepping


God thank you so much for my years in "wait". Thank you for blessing me day after day. Forgive me when I forget how abundantly you give such good gifts. Help me to remember that these days are short and that each day is a gift from you. Thank you God for these "favorite" things.


"How abundant are the good things
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in you." 

Psalm 31:19

In with the NEW...

It's been awhile since I blogged. Probably the longest I've ever gone in between blogs. Life has been a little hectic...to say the least. My three keep me on my toes each and every day. Throw in teaching and a coaching husband and I rarely have a moment alone. And when I do...I am usually sitting down on the couch relaxing!!!

Another reason I have failed to blog is because life has just been HARD lately. Especially since going back to work. There are some days when I can hardly catch my breath. Other days, I look up and realize I haven't even brushed my hair all day. There have been long nights, rough days, and a lot of times when I have just been overwhelmed. I hate to admit how hard it's been. How often I've failed. How many times I have lost my temper or found it hard to find joy. And in times like that, it's hard to blog.

But the TRUTH is that some days are just gonna be hard. Three under three is a BIG job. And while it IS overwhelming, I have to remember that I will only have three under three for ONE YEAR. And it's more than half-way done!!! I don't know if that makes me more excited or sad!!! Sad that it's going so fast. But also excited to see Colson grow and change. To learn more about him and his personality and see how he fits in our family. The GOOD far outweighs the BAD.

Through all of the changes, God has been working. And with each new adventure comes a host of emotions. Both good and bad. I remember rocking both twins to sleep for the last night in their cribs and just CRYING because I wasn't ready for the rocking stage to be over. Then the next night seeing the excitement and JOY they had over getting to sleep in big kid beds. The transition has taken a few months to adjust to, but I absolutely LOVE getting to lay down and snuggle with them in their beds before they go to sleep. As sad as I was to stop rocking, I don't miss it. The change is good...scary at first...but definitely good.

So what else is new in the Schoen casa?

COLSON is our super baby! Crazy kid started sitting up at 5 months, crawling at 6 months, and is now pulling up at 7 months. All of which is awesome and amazing, but also has made this Mama a little crazy! I forgot how quickly they can get into things at this stage! He has also decided that he loves to eat, and wants to do it pretty much all day. He is definitely our sweetheart and our lives are SO blessed by this sweet addition.

The TWINS are doing awesome as well! They have started mother's day out this year which has been another adjustment but they are doing great and loving it. I am loving a little bit of quiet time on Thursday mornings and afternoons which has been a blessing. They continue to amaze me with how smart they are! They are funny funny kiddos, full of life and energy, and LOVE to play!!!

DEREK has had an AMAZING fall so far! He was chosen as a deacon at our church, which I am SO PROUD of. He is taking two runners to state in cross country for the second year in a row. AND he ran a HALF MARATHON last week! He is an amazing daddy, teacher, coach, and spiritual leader both at home and at school. I am so unbelievably proud of the things God is doing in his life right now that I can't even begin to explain. It is awesome!

Which brings me back to myself. I can honestly say that this has been the hardest beginning of school that I have ever had. It is now week 10 and I just now finally feel like I'm getting it under control. And to be real honest...the summer was a little rough too. The adjustment to three children has really taken its toll on me. And trying to coordinate all of the drop-offs, childcare, laundry, dishes, dinner, and everything else that goes into running a household, all while getting very sporadic sleep at night has been really rough. I've had some of my biggest struggles as a mom, wife, daughter, and friend in the past months. And it's just been rough.


“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness    and streams in the wasteland." (Isaiah 43:17-18)


I know that in the past, when I have struggled, it is usually when God is working on my heart. I've been so focused on all the ways that I've been lacking and falling short, that I've been missing the bigger picture. I know that God is doing a NEW THING in my life. Trying to get my attention. Trying to re-focus my heart. Get my priorities straight. Turn my focus to HIM and to the things that HE wants for my life. Not on my own prideful agenda and what I think I should be doing. In one of my struggles, I texted a friend and told her all the ways that I felt I was falling short. She responded (in her amazing wisdom) that all of those things were things I was putting on myself. That all God wanted of me was to:


Act Justly
Love Mercy
Walk Humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)


I honestly felt like this was the Holy Spirit speaking directly to my heart, and probably every other woman out there. No ONE is requiring you to be SUPERWOMAN except yourself!!! God especially!!! God wants our heart!!! He only asks that we treat others justly, love mercy, and walk with him. And HE desires to make us NEW!!! To make a WAY through our wilderness, to make a STREAM in our wasteland. What a mighty God we serve!!!

So for now, I am focusing on the good. Looking for the JOY in each new thing that comes our way. And asking God to create in me a NEW heart and a new joy.


"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Phillipians 4:8)



And I can definitely think of some LOVELY, EXCELLENT, and PRAISEWORTHY things to think about!

Blessings to all! I pray that you all allow God to create something NEW in your life!!! 

My favorite kid

I remember growing up, I would ask my mom over and over again who her favorite kid was. I was convinced that she had one. That she loved one of us more than the other. Of course, I was convinced it was me. But I couldn't understand how in the world she could love me and Grant equally. She was obviously lying to me when she assured me that she did.

Now as a mom, there is no question that she was right. The thought of loving one kid more than another or having a "favorite" is simply inconceivable. I love each of my children infinitely. And there is no way to measure or compare one infinite love to another. (Although my math brain does want to say that there are different "levels" of infinity such as infinity raised to infinity raised to infinity...but I won't go there : )

I know that some moms worry when they are pregnant with their second child that they won't love the next one as much as they love the first. Or that they won't have an instant love. Having twins, I never felt like that. I loved them both immediately. Infinitely. Completely. The same way I loved Colson as soon as I held him. Such an intense, FIERCE love.

Even though the love is the same, it IS different. The way I love Tucker is different from the way I love Adelyn. They need me differently. Want me differently. Respond differently. And as their mama, I try and love them the way they each need it most. And I love how different they all are. They are my favorites. Each of them. In their own unique way.

What I love about Tucker...

-His intense need/love for his mama. From day one, he wanted/needed mama more than anyone in this world. For the first year, he hardly liked anyone else to hold him. He didn't sleep through the night until 10 months...because he wanted his mama!!! He was by far my hardest baby, but oh how I love being his mama. Being the one he loves best. Being the one he needs most. Even though he doesn't need me near as much as before, he still has his moments of intense love.

-His all-out BOYNESS! Tucker is 100% BOY. Everything is a ball. Every stick is a bat. He finds dirt and bugs and rocks anywhere and everywhere. He jumps off anything. He runs. He yells. He's dirty. And I love it.

-His curiosity. I love to watch his brain work. I can literally see the wheels turning in his head when he looks at things. He wants to know how things work. He wants to take things apart. Put them back together. Learn new things. His brain reminds me of my own curiosity and it is so fun to watch him discover the world. Our car rides are filled with "Daddy LOOOOOOK. Mommy LOOOOOOK!"

-His daddy shining through in him. His daddy is my FAVORITE person on this earth and literally the best man I know. I love seeing my favorite qualities in Derek coming out in Tucker's personality. His tenderness. His shy-ness. The way he clings to my leg in public. His silly grin that makes him look just like Daddy. I pray daily that he always desires to be like his Daddy as he grows.

-The way he says "Daddy" and "Mommy" at the end of every sentence. When he's reading a book. When he's asking a question. Our names in his voice are one of the sweetest things I have ever heard in this world. I love his sweet voice. I love his sweet face. Oh how I love him.

-The fact that he's a twin! I love watching the twins and their love for each other. Tucker LOVES Ady. Needs her. Wants he as soon as he wakes up. Calls her his best friend. His girl friend. His Ady-Ri-Ri. Their love is unique and special and I love being a twin mama!

What I love about Adelyn...

-I can't even think about this girl without smiling. She is my sunshine. My ray of light. She puts the color in my world. She keeps us laughing and smiling, even on the hardest days. She can't walk without dancing, can't talk without smiling, and can't live without laughing. She is so FUN!

-Her determination and independence. Oh this girl is her mama. She is something FIERCE. She is determined to do things "All myself". And I completely understand. She gets it so honestly. But I LOVE it about her. I trust her to walk her own path and make her own way and I know that she will experience struggles, but that she will make sure that she accomplishes what she sets her mind too. I wish so many times that I could make things easier on her, but I love to see her pride when she does things herself.

-Her helpfulness. She is mommy's little helper for sure. She loves to help with Colson, getting diapers and toys. She loves to bring her stool in the kitchen and help me put up silverware. She goes with Daddy to workout and brings the girls water or puts up their weights. She has the heart of a servant already. I can't wait to see how this quality grows and how God will use her to His glory.

-Her many faces. I think she is the most beautiful girl in this whole world. Her hair is magical. Her face is perfect. Her eyes are simply stunning. And oh how that girl has so many looks. She has her silly grins, her "brows", her sweet eyes, and even her pout. Her quivering lip when she's sad, or her determined look when she's working. Her personality shines in every feature of her face.

-Her snuggles. I have to admit that it took me and Adelyn longer to bond. As a baby, she was so easy-going that I didn't always felt like she needed me. Especially not with Tucker needing me all the time. But from day one, she always has loved being rocked and held. I rocked her to sleep her entire first year of naps and bed. She melts into me. Her arms wrap up around my neck and play with my hair and I love it. When I lay down with her in a bed, she presses her face against mine. She loves to "hold mommy" and loves to be close. She reminds me of her daddy in this aspect. But oh how I love snuggling with my girl.

-The fact that she's a twin! I love watching the twins and their love for each other. Adelyn loves Tucker something fierce. Loves to give him hugs and kisses. Is concerned for him. Wants to take care of him and be with him all the time. They love holding hands. They love talking. They are precious together.

What I love about Colson...

-His squishiness!!! The boy is SO full and squishy and I just adore him. The twins were so SKINNY as babies and I felt so much pressure to help them gain weight that I stressed myself out. Colson is such a chunk and such a good eater and I just LOVE all of his rolls! He is the cutest little chunk I ever did see!

-The fact that he's a single baby. I love having twins. I wanted twins. I love my experience with twins. But that first year with two newborns was ROUGH. Having a single baby is SO GREAT! I love just having one baby to nurse. One baby to rock. I don't feel torn. I don't feel like I can't hold one without holding the other. I love the connection I have with just being able to nurse him exclusively.

-Him being a surprise! Once again, I love my IVF story and love that God granted our desire to be parents with our twinkies. But oh how I love that he surprised us with a natural pregnancy as well. I love the feeling of finding out I was pregnant. I love that God allowed my body to conceive and work the way he designed it to. I loved the surprise of not knowing Colson's gender through the pregnancy. I love every aspect of our surprise baby.

4 months old, 16 lbs 13 oz, 26.5 inches. BIG BOY!

-His sweetness and tenderness. I missed out on some of those sweet, tender moments with the twins probably because I was just so sleep deprived. But oh is this baby SWEET. His smile goes on for miles. He snuggles into me like I am favorite thing in the world. He pats my mouth when he nurses and holds onto my shirt while he sleeps. His favorite place to be is in my arms. Oh how I love being his mama.

-His hair. It's amazing. Especially after having two bald babies. And his laugh. It's the best. I adore him. I'm seriously head over heals for this boy. He loves mama something fierce and I love love love my sweet baby boy.

Melt my heart!

-His innocence. I love knowing that he hasn't seen any evil. Hasn't been hurt or mistreated. Knowing that he is protected. Innocent. Mine. I know that there are going to be hard days ahead of him, but knowing that right now he is completely innocent and pure is so sweet. I have truly enjoyed the baby stage with my sweet boy.


My favorite thing...
Is just being their mom. I am blessed BEYOND what I could have ever imagined. When I prayed for a baby so many years ago, I never imagined God would bless me so abundantly. The days are hard sometimes. Some hours seem impossible. But the infinite love I feel is just beyond belief. They are amazing. Beautiful. Intense. Smart. They are my favorites.


"Children are a gift form the LORD; they are a reward from him." Psalms 127:3

The Good Stuff

Today, I was taking the kids to the potty for (what felt like) the hundredth time. We were getting ready to take naps, so I was putting a pull-up on Tucker. He had his arm wrapped around my neck and leaned into my hair and started twirling it and said,

"Mama, I love you. SOOOOO Much." 

Melt. My. Heart. I seriously stopped right there and got tears in my eyes. I leaned towards him and said, "Baby,  I love you too." It was the sweetest, most tender moment ever.

It was the first time. The first time that he had ever said "I love you" with out prompting. The first time he had said it all on his own. Without me saying it first. Without me asking him, "Who do you love?" It was completely his idea and on his own. He chose right there on the bathroom floor to tell Mama how much he loved me. It didn't matter that we were an arm's length from the potty or that the floor was dirty, or anything else. He wanted me to know that he loved me.

And oh, how I NEEDED to hear it.

It's been a rough few weeks. Honestly. Yesterday was enough to do me in. I literally had the thought that if a burglar came in during nap-time, I would just give them the keys and say, "Good Luck with those three, I'm leaving." I've been at my wit's end time after time, day after day, and somedays are just harder than others.

I've been in the dark. That dark place where I go when things get rough. I've been focusing on it too. Drowning in it. Satan has been whispering in my ear over and over. You can't do it. Three under three is too much. Potty training is too hard. Working from home is exhausting. You can't do it. You are worthless. In over your head. I've wanted to write blogs about it. Cry about it. Shout about it. Give up. Lock the door. Run away.

"Mama, I love you. SOOOOO much."

Wow. It was like heaven itself opened up and God himself whispered in my sweet boy's ears. God knew how much I needed those words. Words of encouragement. Words of love. Pure and innocent. Out of the mouth of babes. Sure it was Tucker's voice saying it. But I heard the words of my heavenly father.

That's the good stuff right there. My little love telling me he loved me. Colson snuggling his face into mine when he's tired. Adelyn asking me to dance with her. Tucker laughing his belly laugh. Holding Colson's hand while he nurses. Adelyn telling me she "needs me".

Even in the darkest times, God is present. He sees us. He sees our struggles. He knows our heart. He hears us crying out over and over again. Frustrated and in despair. But he is there. Just waiting for us. Wanting us to turn to Him. Ready to catch us when we fall.

These three are challenging each and every day, but they are so much more than that. They are good. They are joy. They are love in the purest form. Being their mom is hard work, but it is also a blessing. It is my calling. It is my joy.

When I focus on the bad, all I see is bad. But when I LOOK for the good, it is EVERYWHERE.

Satan wants me to see the challenges. Wants me to feel that "woe is me" feeling. Wants me to feel alone and exhausted. But Jesus, Jesus came for us to have life, and have it abundantly. And looking at my three babies' sweet faces. WOW. If that is not abundant life, then I don't know what is.

They are Beautiful. Precious. Incredible. They are mine. My blessings from above. They are the "good stuff".

These days...

No surprise here...it's been awhile since my last blog post. The last five weeks of school were pretty much survival mode in our family with me back at work and trying to juggle end of school activities and craziness! So here's a little update on what's going on in the Schoen world these days...

Baby Love
I can't even tell you how much I am loving this sweet baby boy of mine! I am THOROUGHLY enjoying baby stage this time around. I hate to admit it, but I really didn't enjoy the baby stage with the twins near as much as I thought I would. The first few months with them was straight up survivor mode trying to keep them fed, clean, put down for naps, and trying to function myself. They spent a lot of time on a blanket on the floor because I would hate to hold one of them and not the other. Or I had them down simply so I could try and keep up with all of the other things I had going on. With it taking an hour to feed both babies, every three hours, there was little time for me to do much else.

So I am SOAKING up this sweet baby time with Mr. Colson. It has really been pretty special to have a single baby after the twins. I love our sweet snuggles and cuddles and have enjoyed getting to wear him in his carrier and being able to exclusively nurse. I feel like we bonded much more quickly this time around, and he seems to fit in to our family perfectly. Plus he is an AWESOME sleeper and has blessed mommy by sleeping through the night at 6 weeks. This allows me to be able to function like a human being much better this time around. He does have some hard times, especially when he has to wait for mommy while I tend to the twins, but he is fairly laid back and easy. We are loving getting to know him and are so thankful for our little surprise!

Terrific Twos
The twins have made the transition into the Terrific Two's and are really doing great. We all experienced quite a transition with Colson joining our family, but after about 6 weeks we got back in our groove. Of course we experience our share of "difficult" moments during this stage, but overall we are really enjoying the Two's. Tucker and Adelyn seem to be BLOSSOMING so much lately, especially with their vocabulary and learning. They are talking non-stop, LOVE to read, and are both super sharp! Here's some things my big two year olds love to do...

-Count to 15
-Name their shapes and colors
-Identify animals and sounds
-Speak in sentences (around 7-9 words)
-Buckle their car-seat with help
-Hit balls of the tee and kick soccer balls
-Sing their ABC's
-Sing several songs including "Itsy Bitsy Spider, Night Night Song, Jesus Loves Me, My God is so Big"
-Tell you what happens in a story
-"Read" their books when looking at pictures
-Play kitchen, play with tools, or build blocks
-Color pictures and put together puzzles

Age two is definitely a challenge with their new found independence. Being an EXTREMELY independent person myself, I understand their need and want to do things on their own. As their mother, it is hard sometimes to let them do things on their own, especially when we are in a hurry or I need to tend to Colson. Motherhood is definitely a battlefield and I find my patience being tested daily. Our new adventure is potty-training which is a whole new ballgame in itself. I am so thankful for God's grace in the times that I fall short and pray daily for his words and wisdom as I shape these two little lives!

Healthy Babies
Both Colson and the twins had check-ups in May. Colson continues to be on the BIG side of the spectrum while the twins continue to be on the SMALL side of the chart. Regardless of size, I am extremely THANKFUL for three healthy kiddos! Colson got his first ever shots which were a little heart-breaking. We had a couple of hard nights and long days of snuggles, but he rebounded like a champ. The twins didn't have to get shots and did GREAT at their appointment, which was such a blessing after the 18 month check was so rough. The twins are developing great, are super smart, and are right on track with where they should be!

Colson's feelings about getting shots

Colson's Two Month Stats:
Weight- 13lb 8oz (71st percentile)
Height- 24 inches (82nd percentile)
Wears 6-9 month clothes
Size 2 diapers

Tucker's Two Year Stats:
Weight- 26lbs 10oz (24th percentile)
Height- 2 ft 11.25 in (62nd percentile)
Wears 2T clothes and size 7 shoes

Adelyn's Two Year Stats:
Weight- 24lbs (10th percentile)
Height- 2ft 9.75in (35th percentile)
Wears 2T clothes and size 5 shoes

Three Under Three
In such a short amount of time, my life did such a complete change that sometimes I have to stop and catch my breath! Going from no babies to three babies in two years pretty much gave me a serious case of baby-brain and I sometimes forget all the years of heart-ache and struggle it took to get to this point. I get consumed by being a mommy. And some days are SO STINKIN HARD. I pray daily for grace to come out of my mouth and then cringe when the harshness comes. Tears roll down my face when I think about how long I asked for these blessings, and yet I still find myself yearning to lock myself in the bathroom just to get five minutes of peace. Oh this mommy life wears on you. These days are some of the longest of my life, but also some of the downright best.

Having three under three is a daily challenge. But I am so thankful that God chose me for this job. I am thankful that He chooses not to sit and watch me struggle, but to walk alongside me each step. In my best and in my worst moments, I feel his presence and know that He is there. Each little snuggle, smile, hug, and kiss is His blessing. It was GOD's choice to bless me with three under three, and His timing alone. There are days when I feel on-top of the world, and days that I am on my knees. And days where I am both in the same breath. But there is nowhere else I would rather be then in my home with these three miracles.

Sweet Summertime
We are enjoying the blessing of being home with our family this summer. Both Derek and I are doing some extra jobs and working part-time, but for the most time we get to be home together. We have a few things planned for July, but are spending our days going to the park, playing in the backyard, going to the library, going for walks, swimming, eating sno-cones, and laughing together. We are so blessed to have jobs that let us have this much family time together. I hope that I will be able to blog more, but knowing my three...that may not happen! I pray that you are all enjoying your sweet families this summertime!

WE LOVE SUMMER!

Colson's presentation at church

 "Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5

I don't want to miss out on this...

The other day I was leaving my parents' house and the twins were marching out to the car. Arms up, legs up, marching. My mom turned to me and said "These really are the best days of your life." To which I replied..."I guess so, but I'm just too tired to enjoy them." It was a flippant remark. And I didn't really mean it. But I thought about it all that day, and the days to follow...

Am I missing out on the best days of my life?

The days when my babies are young and innocent and fun and snuggly?
The days where we get to stay home together and play and laugh and have no agenda?
The days where they want to wear hard hats to nap in and march through the kitchen and cook in their pajamas?
The days where bubbles are their favorite and daddy is their hero and mama can make every boo-boo better with a kiss?
The days where they say "I hold you" and still want to be rocked to sleep and hold my hand while we watch their favorite shows?

When I went home, I thought about what I had said to my mom. I thought about why I sometimes feel like I'm missing these moments or not quite enjoying them. Why am I giving other "things" importance and not giving my best to the "people" in my life? How can I be missing these sweet sweet moments if they are the best in my life?

Because I'm tired? Yes. Some days I'm tired. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and any other -ally that you can be tired. Raising babies is tiring. Nursing babies is tiring. Being a coach's wife is tiring. Some days I am too tired to life my head.

Because I am too busy? Absolutely. Sometimes all of the "other" things in my world take precedence over my loves. Over the little things they do that make me smile. I hurry them along to get dressed or get frustrated when they stop to play. I put my agenda ahead of their own. My WANTS ahead of their NEED for love and affection. I forget that these times go so quickly. Laundry and dishes and cleaning will always be a part of my home. But sweet cuddles with babies will only be here for a brief period.

Because I'm selfish? 100%. And I hate it. I snap at the kids because I'm tired. I discipline them too harshly because my fuse is short. I get frustrated when I have to stop what I'm doing to get toys out because it takes me twice as long to get anything done. I get annoyed when they won't go to sleep and need to be rocked over and over because it interferes with my quiet time.

How in the world did I switch so quickly from desiring a baby to rock and hold to looking forward to putting them down for a break? Sure motherhood is EXHAUSTING. Sure it is hard work. And I know there are time when we all need a break from the stresses and demands that it brings. But I don't want to allow Satan to take my attention and my heart away from my sweet babies. The moments that I spend rocking my baby are sent straight from God. Being a mom may be hard work, but it is kingdom work. And I don't want to miss the importance of these moments because I'm too busy with things of this world.

I don't want to miss out on the first time I heard Adelyn count and say "bi-cycle" or how Tucker says "cook-a-monster" for Cookie Monster.
I don't want to miss Tucker running naked through the kitchen after playing outside in the water and Adelyn chasing him saying "I get you" and Derek chasing them both
I don't want to miss Adelyn's sweet kisses and her calling Colson "Baby Col-ser Brudder" and her wiggling and giggling as I rock her to sleep
I don't want to miss the JOY of the first time Adelyn could swing like a big girl or how proud I was the first time Tucker kicked a ball or hit a golf ball
I don't want to miss Colson's smiles or Tucker's hugs or Adelyn's silly faces
I don't want to miss the sound of Tucker saying "Mama LOOK" or his face when he shakes his booty or the tenderness of Colson's hands on my face

I don't want to miss it. I don't want to miss out on a single moment of joy that these children bring. I don't want to be so consumed by the weight of this world that I miss out on what God is teaching me daily through these little blessings. Derek, Tucker, Adelyn, and Colson are the BEST blessings that God has gifted me with here on earth and I don't want to miss out on the preciousness of those gifts.

I want to choose to live in JOY and LOVE during this time of our life. I want to choose PATIENCE and GRACE instead of weariness and frustration. I want to sit with my babies and read stories again and again because they will soon outgrow my lap. I want them to look back and have sweet memories of our times together at home and not remember a tired and impatient mama. I want our home to be a happy place filled with the best days of our lives over and over again. Nothing of this world can replace the goodness of the gifts God gives. His kingdom exists here on earth in Tucker's laughs and Adelyn's dance and Colson's smile. I don't ever want to be too busy or too tired or too selfish to see that. I don't want the enemy to have a chance to steal these joys.

I don't want to look back and miss out on these days...

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10