MIA and OK with it.

I have been a bit out of touch in the blogosphere of late.  I made a deal with myself a while ago that I would spend less time on the computer and more time being present in my own home and with my kids.  A girl at bible study said she asked her kids if they thought mommy was on the computer a lot and their response was, "ALL of the time".  That sort of put me in check and I shudder to think what Jude would say had I asked him the same thing.  Nothing I do online is important, yet it can take up SO much of my time.  I got an android a while ago and though I initially thought it would worsen my media problems, it has actually helped.  I can quickly check my email or facebook from the pickup line in the car at Jude's school or from a chair outside as I watch the boys on the trampoline.  It has maybe worsened my responses to things (because I hate to type on it), but that's okay.  It has helped me have no excuse to turn on my computer during the day, and for that it is worth it!

So, we have had a whole-lotta-lotta going on around here, however I feel like things have definitely slowed down and have worked themselves out.  I feel much more peaceful than I did a month ago, and I certainly know that all things happen for a reason. Here's what been happening in the Martin house...

We sold our house, and then we didn't.

This thing has changed my life.

It is just a Lowes painter's bucket with a canvas bucket boss over it.  We use it to hold all of our art supplies and it has worked so well.  This stuff used to take up 2 shelves in a closet, but now it's all nice and organized and portable.  Jude can just pull it out of the closet anytime he wants to work on a project.

Jude has been tying his shoes lately.  He figured it out a while ago, but got back into it recently and can tie a perfect little bow.

Jude taught himself how to read a bit.  We pulled out some scholastic readers to give it a shot and I started sounding out words and putting them together.  He was like, "I know how to do that, I learned it Word World."  He pretty much whizzed though that sucker.  Shout out to PBS.

We chose a "child" to sponsor from the mission of Hope in Haiti.  It was really sad because all of the cute little kids have been sponsored, but many of the older High School age kids were left behind.  We all sat down at the computer one night and chose our kid.

Meet Kenso

Jude liked him because Kenso likes music, and the drums in particular.  He is in the 12th grade, and we are thrilled to be a part of his life.  My prayer is that his experience at the Mission of Hope will change his life and aid in the transformation of Haiti.  There were lots of big kids left.  If you are interested in partnering with MOH here is a link to check it all out.  It's a very affordable way to make an impact in someone's life.

Jude started baseball.  We decided to skip t-ball and go straight to coach pitch.  This kid can hit, so we didn't want to waste anyone's time.  I don't know if I ever documented my experience watching Jude hit last season. Dallas was pitching to him (4 yr old at the time) and yelled for me to come outside.  He said that Jude hit 9 pitches in a row and wanted me to video him.  Jude started over and hit 16 pitches in a row for the camera.  Then he'd miss one and hit another 9 or 10.  I was amazed!  I just got done watching him field grounders and play catch and he's got the moves.  He can throw the ball 30 feet effortlessly.  Pretty sure I can't even do that ;).  We got on a team with some college friends and found out some friends from church are on our team as well!  We are excited to spend lots of time at the ball
fields with people we know.

Rhett has had a few run-ins with poison.  I know, where are his parents, right?! I was working a wedding a few weeks ago and Dallas had the boys at his parent's house.  I came home and he said, "Oh yea, Rhett licked a cinnamon air freshener plugged into the wall at my parent's, so we called poison control." Then, yesterday (and after I had cast my judgments for the lack of supervision) I was folding clothes and Rhett came running into the front room and said, "I spilled my medicine."  I ran into the kitchen and he had pulled the cooler out of the pantry, got up to the counter and got ahold of his cough medicine.  The bottle was empty and the counter was wet, but there had been half of a bottle before he got ahold of it.  It was Hyland's natural cough, so the p.c. lady said it was diluted enough that there was nothing to worry about.  He didn't likely drink much anyway, but you just never know.  And, this brand doesn't have a child safe lid, which I find strange.

We are new members at Lifetime Fitness!  I cannot wait for this place to open.  It is like the Disney World of gyms.  I had been looking at joining the Y again for a place to swim laps with childcare, but the childcare just seemed so boring and understaffed.  The likelihood of my kids wanting to go to the gym with me was not good to start, but add in a one room play area with 20 kids, outdated toys and an understaffed old lady running to show and I don't think I would want to spend time there either.  Lifetime looks SO SO fun!  The kids area has all sorts of kids activities going on the entire time.  There are dodgeball games, freeze tag, kids zumba and three legged races to name a few.  It's not just a babysitter, it's an activity center.  Don't even get me started on the pools and water slides.  I think it will be an investment well worth the cost. An frankly, I didn't think the cost was crazy expensive or anything.  Really it's not much more than the Y. We are a not a whole lot of frills family, we don't even have cable, but I really think this is worth it and will invest positive activity into our family.  Oh, and I can't wait to get back to swimming!

For the sake of this not being the longest.post.ever, I will update more that's going on later.  I feel like there are some biggies to document, but I'll save some for another post.  Jude's wanting to go to the school and shoot some hoops now:).

*Update:  I thought this story warranted logging back on to include.  I don't know when I'll post again and I don't want to forget this...ever.  Tonight while I was putting Jude to bed he was asking me questions about Jesus.  He asks a lot of questions, and many of them about Jesus and heaven.  He asked about Jesus being in my heart and how he got there.  I told him that I asked him to come into my heart and take the bad away and forgive me of all of my sins.  As quick as could be he said, "I want to ask him to come in to my heart!"  Dallas came in the room a few minutes later and we all prayed together.  He asked a few more questions about heaven, about Cawcaw and our baby that died.  He is excited that because he asked Jesus into his heart and because he will live the way Jesus wants us to live, that he will see Cawcaw and our baby again!  Tears.

Hope you all are well!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Thankful reminders

These past few weeks have been a rocky road around here.  Lots of serious decisions to make and a few trials to face.  We have some very serious family issues going on and a lot of life changes may be coming our way, whether we choose them or not.  I know the bible tells me to take joy when trials of many kind appear (James 1:2) , I know that trials are refining and they make me a better person and bring me closer to God in the end, but sometimes it's hard to not just wish for some peace and quite.  For a night with no decisions or controversy to face.  A mindless night of t.v. on the couch, maybe.  I feel like I haven't had this since September.  This is merely a season and I know that God will see us through.  He has never let us down and we will trust Him completely in all areas of our lives. This I know.  

Meanwhile, I am so thankful for such a wonderful guy to face life's trials with.  I'm so very blessed just by his humble attitude through all of this.  At the end of the night, when I tuck my kids into bed and we all pray together and read stories, I look around and I know what is truly important.  God has given me so much.  Every other concern or worry is nothing in the reality of what we have together.  My family is priceless.  

I'm so thankful for little reminders of the big picture.  This too shall pass.  Who I am on the other side will be different, sure, but in good ways :).  God's got a plan for the Martins.

I really question whether or not to put the "hard times" on here, but in the end i've decided that this is my family blog and I want to remember these days and this season.  I want to remember how God provided for us.  Also, I want to be honest and not come off like all is butterflies and roses all of the time.  It's just not.  I love reading blogs that are real and share very real hurts and truths for moms, wives and families. It is encouraging and uplifting to know that you are not the only one walking through certain things.  

1,2,3,4, FIVE!!! {Jude's B'day}

We had a little shindig to celebrate at Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop this year.  It was his venue of choice and we invited our little neighbor friends to help us celebrate the big day.

Easiest cake ever

 Plenty of milk for all the kiddos.  

Rhett decorating his donut

Lots of sprinkles for the Birthday boy!  

Krispy Kreme was so wonderful and helpful!  They allowed us to use the kid's corner in the shop for our party and took all 13 kids on a tour of the factory.  The kids got to see the donut making process and touch and feel a lot of the ingredients and the dough.  At the end they got to decorate a donut that they watched get dipped in chocolate.  It was pretty cool...and disgusting.  I may never eat a donut again:). 

My Jude is FIVE, an entire hand of fingers...sigh.  I really can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  He is so big for his britches, so smart and such a handsome little fellow.  He is caring, compassionate, inquisitive and silly.  He is perfect just the way he is and I wouldn't change a thing about him.  I love his quirky personality and that he is very particular about certain things.  His sticktoitiveness will take him far in this life and I'm so very thankful that God gave him to me!

Jude got his gifts from Dallas and I on his actual Birthday.  He desperately wanted some running shoes like Dallas's (you know, because Dallas is the runner around here). We gave him some, and you would never believe how excited he was about these shoes.  I didn't even realize the colors were the same as dad's when I bought them, but Jude was stoked.  I couldn't help but smile and laugh a little when I went into my closet that night to get ready for bed.  This is what I found...

Jude's new shoes nestled right next to Dallas's in our closet.  So sweet.  Love that boy!  

Heart Update

On Tuesday we went to the cardiologist for the 3 month echocardiogram and ekg of Rhett's heart. According to the doctor, "we could not have asked for a better report."  The leakage in his mitral valve is now in the trivial-mild category. Back in September it was severe, in October it went from severe to mild (bypassing 3 categories all together...mild-moderate, moderate, moderate to severe), and now it is below mild at trivial-mild.  Trivial and then completely normal are all that is left on the scale!  

We are rejoicing in knowing that God has touched Rhett and that He will be faithful to complete His work in him!  

Thanks so much for all of the prayer! We truly and deeply cherish every single one.  

I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb.  Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations."  Jeremiah 1:5

A sweet conscience

I have been so proud of Jude lately.  It's not anything that he's intentionally doing, but his sweet little heart has really been showing lately.

A few times I have heard him crying in his room at night.  Often quite a while after he's been tucked into bed.  I went upstairs to his room to find him sobbing with giant crocodile tears streaming down rosy cheeks. He confided in me that he took his coat off during recess at school even though he knew that he wasn't supposed to.  He told me he was really sorry about it and sorry that he didn't obey.  He didn't get in trouble by his teacher, he just knew he had done something wrong.

Last night I picked him up from his class at church and he ran over to me when he saw me, wrapped his arms around my legs and began to sob.  I got down to his level and asked what had happened.  I looked over to his teacher and she gave me and shrug and asked him what was wrong.  He pulled me over to a private corner and told me what had happened.  He explained that at the beginning of class he was rolling around on the ground with another child.  He accidentally bumped into her and she got upset.  He then told her that she talked weird (she's an adorable little black girl with some seriously adorable sass:).  He burst into more tears and said that he was so sorry for saying that to her and he was worried that it hurt her feelings.  She was in a different class at the time, otherwise I would have had him give her a hug and ask her to forgive him. Instead I hugged him and told him that I was so proud of him for being concerned with how his actions affect other people.  I shared with him that God sees what's in our heart and that God knew he was sorry.

I love this kid so much.  He is so stinking amazing!

{all smiles}

This morning my sweet boy prayed for me before I left the house..."Dear Jesus, please touch momma's surgery...let it be good, amen." My 4th maxillofacial surgery was this morning, and I am so happy to report that my bone had grafted beautifully and was strong and sufficient for the implant surgery.  It has been a 17 year journey with a Marilyn Bridge, a failed bone graft, a lot of tears and prayer to make it to this point, and I am so very thankful!  God is so good!

Thank you so much to all of my friends and family who have been praying faithfully over the last 4 months, and for all of the sweet emails, texts and messages of encouragement last night and today.  Thanks for loving me enough to care about something as simple as a tooth.  Megan S. and Sarah T., God has used you so greatly to encourage and lift me up.  Thank you!  My heart is all smiles right now as my mouth will not yet allow much movement:).

Now it is time for a pain pill and a nap.

Blessings,

Sarah

Done...finally.

Well, I finally finished my bedding, you know, after 30 trips to the store, trying each one on my duvet, returning the ones that didn't work and settling for the one on sale that I felt fit my style and worked the best in my space.

Any tips on how to get the wrinkles out of my curtains?  I tried ironing one of them and that did not turn out well. 

I still may paint the wood portion of the head/footboard down the road, but for now I am content with the wood and how it all goes together.  I'm still a little disappointed the pintuck bedding didn't work out for me, but since I snagged this pottery barn lookalike embroidered duvet on sale at Target for $45, it feels meant to be:).

I'm sure my boys (all three of them) will dirty up all this whiteness soon enough...precisely why I buy the $45 version from Target and not from PB.