Beach Bound-ed

So I really wanted to call this post, "Beach Bound." But when I thought about it, it sounded like we were going instead of having already gone...so being the smart teacher that I am, I decided to add -ed to the post...makes it past tense right? :-)

First of all, let me say that I am proud of myself.  I have been blowing up the blog lately, well, at least for my ability :-)  I'm really beginning to enjoy blogging and know that I will have something really special to look back on in a few years.  I've learned that even if it seems small at the moment, it's still an important moment in our life and will be so much fun to look back on.

So finally to the actual meaning of this post....we recently returned from the beach with my parents.  We had such an amazing time.  I was totally surprised and overwhelmed with how relaxing it actually was.  I totally thought that we would need a vacation from our vacation by the time we got back! I have to say that it was mainly in part to my wonderful parents (Papa and Grana)  They took care of Andrew for us so that Brian and I could take the girls to the pool in the morning and then when Aubrey was down for her nap in the afternoon, we could take Caroline to the beach, or I could have time while Brian took Caroline or vice versa.  It was so nice!!!  We ate some amazing food and had such a great time!

Brian took the girls to see Cars 2 in the movie theater one morning that we were there.  It was actually their first movie in a movie theater.  Caroline thought it was the greatest thing and Aubrey, well when the lights went out, she did too....she slept.  She saw the beginning and the end, but the middle, she totally missed.  Overall, it was a good time for Brian to get out with the girls while my mom and I spent some quality time shopping :-)

Brian also did some fishing while we were there.  He got up really early most mornings to go down and fish at the shoreline.  He took Caroline one morning and she loved it! She got up the rest of the mornings to go down with him.  She so loved the beach.  She played in the water and built in the sand.  Just more indications that she is her father's daughter!  Aubrey on the other hand, not so much....you can see the picture posted below of her first time in the sand...not a happy camper.  She, is me.  I'm not too much of a beach person either...I LOVE laying around in a lounge chair at the beach and it would be perfect, if I didn't have to walk through all that sand :-)  I am a pool person, and apparently, Aubrey is too.  I wonder what Andrew will do...probably the opposite of his sisters :-)

Another highlight of the trip, was meeting up with some of my best friends from Hartselle.  We met up at  "The Hangout" and it was so wonderful because the kids got to play while we talked and caught up.  It was so much fun and I was sooo happy to see them!!!

I've added some pictures below from our trip.  I got a little camera happy on our trip, so there are a lot.  I tried to pick my favorites, but I couldn't narrow it down to just a few.  Enjoy!!!

Under Construction

This is probably one of the most serious posts that I have posted and that coming from me is a lot :-)  Lately, God has really been working in my life and I just wanted to write it down in a place where I can come back to it in times that I forget this life lesson.  The whole reason that I started blogging was to keep family and friends updated on my kiddos and it was nice to know that I would have a place to keep memories to come back to and look at as my kids got older.  God is teaching me many things and I never want to forget this feeling of thankfulness or the reality of how truly blessed I am.

Over the past few months, maybe a year, God has been placing people in my life that have had hard times in their lives.  They've had loss, grief, challenges, and questions about where God is in their life.  It's been amazing to me to realize how much God can change a persons life and outlook with other people.  I guess I always thought that if God wanted to get my attention, He would get it by putting major struggles in my life, not someone elses.  I debated writing this post because I wanted to write it in a respectful way of the people that have had life changing struggles in their life, not to make little of their situation or to show the lack of major struggles in my life, but I spoke to a dear, dear friend of mine and she encouraged me to write this so that I could look back at a time when I might be facing a life changing situation or when I needed reminding of how truly blessed I am.  The last thing that I want to do is seem as though I am bragging.  I feel so blessed to have a wonderful husband, three amazing children and an such a loving extended family.  I know that I will have tests and struggles, just right now, it's not my time.  I am also blessed to know these people who are going through struggles and to have them share their struggles with me.

I have recently started reading Job in the bible.  I have always heard of the struggles that Job faced, but reading it straight through and not hearing the stories "in pieces" I see how much he really went through without his faith ever wavering.  I would love to believe that when tested, I would be able to have the same type faith, but me being such an emotional person :-) I'm not sure I would be able to.  Along with Job, my community group (bible study) has began reading the book of James.  It has dawned on me (ding, ding, ding) that it's the same topic.  It discusses delighting in struggles because they will make your faith stronger and allow you to use it as a chance to glorify God.  And after all, isn't that why we are here anyway?  At times, I ask for God to test me, because in my mind, I want more than anything to glorify God and to make my faith stronger and to draw nearer to Him, but at the same time, asking that question opens up new situations that I'm not sure I'm ready for.  Am I truly ready for what God wants to test me with? And that's when I realize, it's not about being ready, it's about trust.

Maybe it's because we've been on vacation last week and I'm relaxed still, but I have had so much more patience with my children (and my husband :-) this week.  I'm hoping that it's because I am now looking at life a little differently and counting each day as a blessing to be a mommy to three beautiful children and to one amazing husband.  Who knows what tomorrow brings, but my prayer is that no matter what it is, I may not be ready, but I'll know where to turn.

I also wanted to take a snapshot of my kids right now.  I should do this more often, but I love the age that my kids are right now and I want to be able to remember it.

Caroline Grace Franklin

 Caroline is such a mother!! She loves to take care of Aubrey (when she lets her) and is taking care of Andrew all the time!! She always want to "correct" Aubrey or hold Andrew and loves when I ask her to tell me when Andrew is crying of if she hears Aubrey wake up.  (I think she likes to feel in charge)  She has such a pleasing personality and a huge heart!!  She always wants to help me clean, cook, do laundry, take care of Aubrey or Andrew or anything else that I might be doing in a day.  She is so smart and has such a memory.  She loves playing with her "Mickey friends" and imagining in her dollhouse.  She's beginning to get into Barbies.

Aubrey Hope Franklin

 Aubrey we lovingly refer to as our little stinker.  She is a typical second child.  She keeps us laughing constantly!  Whatever you say, she says the opposite.  If you say the sky is blue, she'll say it's red.  She is so shy when she is around people, but if you've really seen her comfortable, you know she is not shy and loves to play.  She loves following Caroline around and playing with her.  She LOVES Mickey right now and is beginning to pretend and imagine.  I hear her in her room making her Mickey characters talk to each other.  She makes them fight a lot which I might need to worry about :-)  I imagine in a few months she will really give Caroline a run for her money!

 Andrew Ryan Franklin

Andrew has come a long way in three months.  Those who have known Andrew from the beginning knows that he was not the easiest baby.  At six weeks we switched Andrew to soy formula and he became a new child!  He does have acid reflux, so he does not like to lay down while he's awake.  As long as he is sitting up he is a happy baby.  He is relatively easy going, unless he is hungry or tired.  (I guess he gets that from me :-)  He sleeps almost 12 hours a night and takes good naps throughout the day.  He is smiling now and has the cutest grin!!  He is beginning to try and talk, making noises constantly.  

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a swimmer!!!

Caroline is finally enjoying swimming in the water!! I had my moments where I was so scared that she would never enjoy swimming.  I grew up taking swimming lessons and loving swimming.  I knew that we were expecting Andrew and I was not going to chance taking three non-swimmers to the pool.  I knew it was time for her to learn.  We began our swimming lesson process at the end of last summer.  She took two weeks with a private teacher and she did really well and didn't cry....however, she never wanted to go and never wanted to actually practice what she was learning outside of swimming lessons.  Caroline never hated swimming, she actually seemed to enjoy it while she was taking the lessons, but she always talked about how she didn't want to do it and that she didn't like it.  However, as I continue to learn, just because kids don't like something in the beginning, doesn't mean that they will not like it forever.  (Hopefully, that will be the case with vegetables :-)  This year, we signed her up for two weeks of semi-private lessons with another little boy who was pretty much on the same level as Caroline.  I think that really helped her.  Caroline was not wanting to go to swimming lessons (of course) so we went to Kohl's (I think) and picked her out a toy that she could have after she finished the two weeks of swimming lessons.  Plus, we were leaving for the beach the day after finishing lessons, and she was quite excited to show Grana and Papa that she could swim.  

She had two wonderful teachers and she did great...now we can't keep her out of the water! Here are a few videos from her swimming lessons.  Enjoy!!

 

                                           

Dance, Dance, Dance

I'm behind on my post, as usual, but I did want to share a precious video of my sweet Caroline.  A little while ago, we found out about a dance studio, in Tyrone, that had an affiliation with Operation Mobilization (OM) which is where some of our friends are missionaries.  They offered summer classes only three weeks for a good price, so we decided it was time to let our little princess :-) try out some dance moves.  She has taken three weeks in June and will also take three lessons in July.  We are debating signing her up for the fall which would be an actual class from August through May.  She has absolutely loved every second of this class!  She is also taking it with one of her best friends, so that only adds to the fun.  I wasn't sure how she would do as this is her first "structured" class and actually having someone "instruct" her on how to dance and what to do.  She has always loved dancing, but I knew that there is a large difference between Caroline's type dancing and actual ballet.  I have to say that she has done really well.  I've included a sweet, sweet video of her class.  It warms my heart to watch these precious little girls imitate their teacher and "flutter" around the room.  Also, it's an amazing experience for Caroline because it is a Christian based company and as you'll see in the video, Christ is centered in their dancing as well.  Enjoy!! Oh and Caroline is the one with the "nothing on" as Caroline calls it, she doesn't have a skirt :-)