Easter 2016

We had gifts come in the mail from NY. Bumpa sent lots of planes and cool stuff.  T saw his name on the box and broke in.  This one I managed to save until today!

Then Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Johnny sent a card... with a little extra special something

and imagine this... Grammy did too!

then he and I colored eggs (better late than never)

and he even made one for me!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!!

Easter morning came and he was excited... but first.. I mean, we have to address it...

Oh the hair!

Happy Easter T!

Aslan is looking VERY intently at that candy!

Markers to paint the windows and the fish tank!

Collecting jelly beans

Oops, I missed one!  Empty egg (that he made me fill with something from his other egg hunt - goofball!)

T' basket

Daddy's basket

then it was off to Bebah and Grandpa's for lunch!

Ginger!!

Hunt time!

Could the hat be cuter???

Even Ginger got an egg!!!

Cousins!

Bebah and Grandpa spoiled everyone rotten.  T had $61 in 2 eggs!  WOW!!!

Could this kid be more handsome?  He's heart is more beautiful than his face!

Jack and Ging!

Bummed I didn't get one of Sam and Ruth Ann... just gets crazy at these things!

Happy Easter everyone.  I pray you are celecrating the most important fact of all...

HE'S ALIVE!!!!

Gifts from Grammy and Aunt Jeanne & Uncle Johnny

Spoiled, spoiled - SPOILED!

My family just can't control themselves.

Guess that's where I get it from!!

Happy Easter Nugg!

He gets it!!!

Serving the kids at Medical City Children's Hospital

Grace Academy had us donate items for sick kids Easter baskets.  I couldn't stay for the entire time but I was there for this much fun...

making cards to go in the Easter baskets

Tristan looooooves Allie

Story time!

They made gift bags for the siblings too!

Thankful for a school that gives back and shows the world what Jesus looks like!

Easter egg hunt at school

I hate missing anything that involves Tristan... but, alas, when you work full-time.. you miss stuff.

Even though we shouldn't live a life of regret, I will regret every single moment that I missed.  I didn't have a choice, but I think there will always be a part of me that is sad.

But, I'm thankful for friends that CAN be and are there to at least capture the moments so I don't completely miss them.

T's class before the egg-hunt

and a cute little close-up

I'd say my little guy is having fun for sure!!

I'm told for this one he was yelling

"I FOUND THE GOLDEN EGG"

notice.. it's green! LOL

Caught You Doing Good!

I'm SO sad I missed this at Chapel today... but so thankful Ms. Tracy was there to capture the moment!

T AND G got a "Caught Ya Being Good!"

So very proud of these two!!!

Weekend play dates and hide-and-go-seek!

Some weekends T just begs to have a friend over.  Most weekends, he just loves to hang with me.

Well, it just so happened Grayson was free to we all played together!  Took these two cuties to the park and had a blast.  They've just about outgrown the car... but they still love it!

Then that night... Tristan begged for a few rounds of  hide-and-go-seek and man - he and Holt are awesome - I lost EVERY time!!!!  But what a blast it was!

T even geared up by getting dressed and ready

My boys don't mess around!!!!

Happy Easter - Love Bumpa

Bumpa sent all sorts of treats and the little stinker found the box and opened it!

After he sugared up on Easter Tootsie Pops...

We put a plane on our roof

a plane in a tree

(patiently waiting for the wind to blow them back down)

and we have those rockets flying all over the house.

So much fun!  Thanks Bumpa!!

Never give up and always try something new!!

Tristan was so negative about this ... 

He is so hesitant to try anything new that is hard and he's not automatically good at.  

(Wonder where he gets that from....)

He got this skip ball for Christmas but ...

"It is too hard" 

"I can't mommy"

"It's too big"

"I don't like it"

and I had a sprained ankle.  So I tried explaining... but he wanted no part of it.  I used to love my lemon so I was bummed he didn't like it.

Well, once I did it - it was GAME ON (see video)

I will face this with him for a long time coming. This reminded me to not give up on pushing him. 

After he said "thank you for telling me to try, thank you for telling me I could do it.  We should never give up Mommy"".  This kid has my heart!!!

They don't make the Lemon Twist BTW...well they don't make it like they used to for sure!

Pick me...

Oh the tears.  The tears that have fallen.  Yesterday we went to Wyatts birthday and it was so fun.  Tristan knew a lot of the boys from TCA and I knew a lot of parents.  It was nice.  I sat there with Tracy, just watching Tristan and 17 other boys play soccer.  Then I joined in for dodgeball. It was awesome.

And then it hit me.  These moments would be few and far between.  He would see Cohen once or twice a year like normal (the new normal) and Wyatt most likely the same.  That's how much I see Natalie and Lindsay.  Tears welled up in my eyes.  "Don't cry Julie, don't cry."  I choked back the tears.

The boys were done playing and it was time for cake.  A few of the boys yelling, "Tristan come sit by me!" - his new buddies from TCA that he played basketball with.  Then I looked over and saw Cohen with his arm around Grayson.  That's happened a million times but in that moment, all I could see was Tristan. Left out.  Me, left out.  These were no longer going to be "our friends" they will soon become people we used to see, used to go to school with, used to play sports with. They are our once in a while friends.

Why didn't they pick me Mommy?  That is the question I dread.  I don't know how to explain that he didn't do well enough.  Didn't score high enough and now he will go back to the school that he knows and loves without his other best friend.  Kids with dyslexia don't test well- but they are SO smart... that matters.

Then, there is me... how do I explain to myself why I don't have close friends anymore.  I don't have a lifegroup, I won't have my partner in crime.  I too feel alone and I don't know how to start over.

I have cried myself to sleep every night for 13 days and I'm sick of it.  It's time to pick myself up, dust myself off and move on.  Tristan will finish out his Takke Fllight program at Grace Academy next year and then what? I know, I know... stop worrying about tomorrow and focus on today.  But there is a house to sell, a house to buy.  New sports teams, new dyslexia teachers, new friends, new churches, possibly new everything and change is HARD for introverts.

I'm tired of sitting alone in church every weekend. I'm tired of Tristan begging for friends.  I'm tired God, just tired.  So, if you could just pick Tristan, pick me. Make it very clear where we are to be and what we are to do.  It's us against the world today and we are just standing here, too scared to move asking for direction.

I've never been picked last for a team - well not that I can remember. This is painful and now trying to navigate telling Tristan, it feels unbearable.  Give me the words Lord, because I have none.

I know I'm being dramatic, but for today it feels big and huge.  I'll find new friends, you will find new friends and we will be ok.  We will always be a team, I will always be your cheerleader and I will fight for you to have the best life possible... not the easiest... but the best life possible until my dying day.

We will stay close to the Lord, close to each other and we will never, ever give up.  Mommy loves you Tristan!!