the Jennings Return to Texas.

5.20.2013

Kid Comps

First Kid: potty training encouraged.

Second Kid: "Mommy, I want to tee-tee in potty."
Me: "Are you sure? Why don't you just go in your diaper?"

Third Kid: I can't even imagine...

5.19.2013

"I win!" is heard often coming from my eldest son's mouth along with these other charming phrases:

"I'm going to get there first!"
"I am going to beat you there!"
"I did it the fastest!"
"Gotcha!"

Usually these observations and predictions are directed towards Elliot. Elliot is still young enough that he doesn't really understand that he's being challenged or mocked and his happy-go-lucky personality has served him well with an intense bigger brother like Henry.

It makes me wonder what their dynamics will be like as they get older. Hopefully we can keep the competition friendly and fun and with minimal tears.

On Saturday, we went swimming at Adam's parents' home and I snapped this picture of the three boys lying on the warm concrete.

In that moment, I imagined them in 10 years, riding their bikes together and camping with Adam. I imagined them in 20 years with their heads all huddled together, still laughing about something silly like poop and gas. I imagined them in 30 years, maybe at the beach with their young families. It made my heart glad. I am so thankful that the Lord gifted my boys with one another.

I pray that the have enduring loyalty and love for one another and that fun and life is always evident in their friendships.

I pray that they encourage one another to persevere in following Jesus and to not grow weary in doing good.

I pray that they can laugh together one day about how weird Adam and I were, can sing our songs and impersonate our mannerisms but that they know, really, how much we loved them.

So much.

5.17.2013

What Not to Say (& Other Funnies)

1. I was at Trader Joe's the other day and I had Collin in the ergo carrier. An older gentleman was working at the sample counter and he inquired after Collin, asking if he was an only child. I told the man that we had two other boys and he launched off into the following story:

There was a lady in here earlier, pregnant with twins. Now, she wasn't as old as you but she told me that she already had six children at home. God bless her!

Now, I'm going to be vain and hone in on the part of the story where he matter-of-factly told me that the woman wasn't as old as me. Ummm, I am 29 fracking years old for the next two weeks. And this woman already has six kids, she's probably not that much younger than me. And even if I look über old, just don't assume, man. It's like not assuming anyone is pregnant ever, ever, ever.

Then, the next week, Adam told me that the cashier was like a younger version of me. (Given, he said it because she was singing silly songs and she was like 18 but still...)

The lighting in trader joe's must really contrast harshly with my skin tone.

2. My allergies have been acting up for the last couple of weeks. I still feed Collin a couple of times during the night and it seems that as soon as I walk into his dark room, I am overcome with that pre-sneezing sensation. I try to fight it and bite my cheek really hard, not wanting to wake him up. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose.

3. Henry & Elliot go to school two mornings a week. The last two times that I've come up to Henry's class for events, this little girl has come to sit by Henry- even when her little girlfriends ask her to sit with them. In fact, at the class picnic, it was Henry, Ella, baby Collin and me on a blanket. I sort of felt like I was supervising a date?

Henry never talks about girls so I inquired after Ella and if she was a friend.
Henry said, "We just hug and say 'I love you.'"

Oh, dear.

4. Elliot gets lots of words mixed up. He always confuses off & on, up & down, and many others. The funniest is when he toots and giggles, saying, "I burped."

5.15.2013

Fishing

The boys have cultivated a love for fishing (even pretend fishing) just like their Daddy. Adam was introduced to fly fishing when we lived in Pennsylvania and so enjoyed it. It's been so good for him to share that with the big boys (or his "little buddies", as he calls them). May has been an off-service month for Adam (not in the ER) and so he's been home every weekend and we have all enjoyed that tremendously.

Honestly, our boys were made for outside (as I'm sure many boys/girls are). It seems to diffuse so much tension and anger and frustration and they just come alive, exploring and enjoying creation.