A Best Mom: A Mother's Day Tribute

If you are reading my BLOG, you have helped me to be a best mom and have inspired me to write this post.

Maybe you aren't a mom yet and you want to be, I know what that feels like.  Maybe you post on my Facebook page or on my BLOG, and I am reminded of that part of my journey to be a mom.  Maybe I read stories of your infertility or long awaited adoptions and it makes me pause.  It makes me hold my kids tighter and longer, exercise more patience and self control and it makes me take the time to look into each of their beautiful little eyes and whisper, "I love you, I am so thankful for your precious life." It also reminds me to pray for you in your journey, which keeps my heart thankful.

Maybe you have lost a child.  I don't know what that feels like and I pray I never do.  Maybe you pour your heart out in posts or maybe you keep your grief inside.  Either way- I hurt for you and I become a better mom.  It makes me treasure each moment more.  It makes me leave the laundry and the dishes unattended to read one more book.  It makes me rock my sweet baby to sleep, watching her breathing on my chest without worry about the old naysayers warnings about spoiling.  It brings me to my knees as I am reminded to pray for you and to treasure every single day with my children.

Maybe you have been where I am, years ago.  Maybe you take the time to call me and offer to watch all three of my babies so I can go out an have an hour to myself.  Maybe you meet me for lunch and give me words of wisdom.  Maybe you bring me frozen dinners, chocolate, flowers or coffee.  Maybe you sit with me at my kitchen table or on my back deck and talk, then pray, then encourage with a hug.  Each time you contact me, I become a better mom.  I take a deep breath.  I realize I am not alone.  I look ahead with peace and hope, knowing that I am fighting the good fight right now for these babies and my hard work will pay the greatest dividend...seeing my children grow to know they are loved by me - so that they can understand the love of their Heavenly Father to a greater degree.

Maybe you are in the trenches with me.  Yes, I said trenches.  Sometimes motherhood is just plain hard and exhausting.  Sometimes it causes raw emotions to erupt due to lack of sleep, constant demands and discipline and (major) need for redefining of self.  Maybe you bring your kids over to play with mine so we can talk over coffee (or wine).  Maybe you post something about wanting to take all the batteries out of your kids' noisy toys at night while they are sleeping and I relate!  Maybe you look me in the eyes and tell me, "I know how you feel"...and I believe you.  Maybe you pick up my babies and love them too...and you even go so far as to allow me to go to the bathroom by myself...just so I can turn around and hold your baby for you while you do the same.  Maybe you listen to the Frozen soundtrack as many times a day as I do.  Maybe you let me cry on your shoulder when fatigue sets in and I am so tired it hurts.  Maybe you stay at my house when you could go home and get things done for your own family and let me nap.  Maybe you call me to ask how I am.  Maybe you break into prayer mid-sentence when I am sharing my heart and you cry with me.  Maybe you celebrate with me when my child passes a swimming test, says he loves reading, or best ever...accepts Jesus into his heart!!  Each time you reach out to me, I feel affirmed.  I realize I am not alone.  I know I am doing my best and I am learning from you too- because I think you are a great mom.  I use some of your parenting styles and discipline techniques to augment mine, I listen to your successes and challenges as a mom and I grow.  I see you as a beautiful flower in my bouquet of life and I treasure your heart, as it cares for mine.  I love my babies better because of you and the love you show me.

Maybe you work with me and we witness the reality of sick kids together.  Maybe we have cried together over our sweet little patients.  Maybe we have vented frustrations over seeing parents who mistreat their children. Maybe you have become a very dear friend who relates to me in a way not everyone can.  Maybe you have taken the time to get to know me, to ask about my family, to go so far as to get to know my family.  Maybe you have seen me cry at work when the stress is too much to bear and you offer to see my next patient for me so I can breath.  Maybe you make jokes about the crazy world of healthcare and I laugh a much needed laugh.  Maybe you buy me a coffee at Starbucks and have it waiting for me at my work station when I return from a long appointment.  Each time you care for me, I care for my children better.  I realize I am not the only one challenged emotionally by a career in care giving.  I breath a little more easily and walk a little bit lighter because I know we are in it together.  I am a better mom because of you.

Maybe you are a man in my life, my hubby, a friend, an uncle, a brother, a cousin.  Maybe you don't think you help me to be the best mom (Stan, you know you do...).  But you all do.  Having the support and affirmation from men I respect means so very much to me as a mom.  Words of encouragement, genuine care and concern and prayer from those I consider "wise counsel" boost my confidence as a mom and open my eyes to the way I want my sons to one day encourage other women.

How am I a best mom?  I am a best mom because God chose me, and only me, to be THE best mom to Landon, Connor and Lindsay Jane.  I am the best mom for them.  I am the best mom for reasons I have yet to discover.  I am the best mom because I am a loved child of God myself and my goal is to live out that love to my little ones.  I am the best mom because of all of you.

And guess what, you are the best mom for yours...or yours to come, or yours who have left this earth.  If you are not a mom, maybe you have a part in encouraging other moms like me or children like mine to know that they are loved.  Love is what inspired me to write this.  Not the love that the world gives, but the supernatural love of Christ. It's a love I experience every day and it is all I need to be the best mom.

Love bears all things, believes all things and hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Happy Mother's Day to each of you and thanks for helping me be a best mom.  You are too.

Highlighting Landon

We have had some exciting times for our oldest lately!!!  Landon has been playing baseball this Spring and LOVES it!!!  I am thrilled for him.  He is also quite good!!  Stan has really enjoyed helping to coach too. What wonderful memories are being made!!

This past Saturday, I took the littles along so that I could watch Landon too.  Ha.  I was running after these two the entire time.  I kept telling myself..."at least we are here, Landon feels our support and he knows we are here..."  Between keeping Lindsay Jane and Connor safe (from their incessant climbing on everything) and keeping the snacks rolling...I was completely worn out by the end of the game.  I did manage to catch a few shots of Landon with Lindsay Jane on one hip, camera around my neck, snack trap hanging on my pinkie.  This is what having three kids is all about...balance!  Ha!  Wouldn't trade them for anything!

Ready position!

Coming into the dugout.

Landon and his teammates.  That is a truly genuine smile.  I just love it.

Batter up!

I think he made contact with every single pitch thrown at him!  I am a proud mama!

Sweet picture of such a precious time in his life.  I am soaking this up.

After the game, he ran over and grabbed a snack from the coach and asked for one for his brother.  Here, he is opening the chips for Connor.  Makes my heart melt.

Did I say climbing? Caught ya you little booger!!!

Landon even shared with Lindsay Jane.

My three babies.  Fun times at the ballpark are just beginning for this crew!!!

Next...Landon had his second performance with our Kids Clubs at church.  He has gone for the past year every Wednesday, thanks to Miss Kim, Miss Lisa and Miss Erin!!!  I have had some fabulous helpers with the carpooling to clubs, which I am so so grateful for.  Landon has been learning more about God and having fun with other kids while they learn, sing and worship God!!  What an awesome thing to witness and what an awesome opportunity we have through our church!!

Landon doing the choreography.  :)

JD did it with us this year. :)

Here is Nicholas, one of the older kiddos with a speaking part.  Landon has already said that he wants to do that too when he gets older!  It is amazing to me how hilarious these kiddo are!

And Caroline...she was so so cute in her role as the Help Desk operator.  Just love these kids!

More choreography.

How can you not love watching these kids!! :)

And the end!

We have had a great time going out and supporting our Landon this part week!  He is doing such a great job being so well rounded and considerate.  He also got to go on a class field trip on Friday and really wanted to bring his brother and mama along.  We had a blast.  No pictures from that trip as I was helping to chaperone a bunch of crazy first graders.  The image that kept coming to my mind was that we were all caught in the middle of a pin ball machine....Ha!!  Hope you enjoyed seeing how we have celebrated out sweet first born!

All of me

Afraid to love, something that could break

Could I move on if you were torn away?

And I'm so close to what I can't control

I can't give you half my heart and pray He makes you whole

You're gonna have all of me

You're gonna have all of me

'Cause you're worth every falling tear

You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love

Even if it's not enough

Enough to mend our broken hearts

But giving you all of me is where I'll start

I won't let sadness steal you from my arms

I won't let pain keep you from my heart

I'll trade the fear of all that I could lose

For every moment I'll share with you

You're gonna have all of me

You're gonna have all of me

'Cause you're worth every falling tear

You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love

Even if it's not enough

Enough to mend our broken hearts

But giving you all of me is where I'll start

Heaven brought you to this moment, it's too wonderful to speak

You're worth all of me, you're worth all of me

So let me recklessly love you even if I bleed

You're worth all of me, you're worth all of me

You're gonna have all of me

You're gonna have all of me

'Cause you're worth every falling tear

You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love

Even if it's not enough

Enough to mend our broken hearts

But giving you all of me is where I'll start

You're gonna have all of me

'Cause you're worth every falling tear

You're worth facing any fear

You're gonna know all my love

Even if it's not enough

Enough to mend our broken hearts

But giving you all of me is where I'll start

Is where I'll start

This song has really got me thinking.  I saw it posted on a blog of a friend after her sweet baby boy was born at 23 weeks gestation.  It brought me to tears.

I've been thinking lately about being a mom and this song came to my mind.  Because it takes all of me. Though my babies are healthy and that I do not take for granted, just living in this world and trying to raise children can apply to these song lyrics.  This world breaks my heart.  Fear grips me as a mom...if I let it... I think about how much love our Heavenly Father gives us and how by me giving all my love, all of me, to my children, it is the closest example of an earthly mirror of how on earth Christ can love us so much.  How can I show my children a love that even comes close.  How can I give them all of me?

Sometimes it looks like never experiencing any bathroom activity by myself, other times it looks like cleaning dried up boogers off the wall.  Sometimes it looks like sitting rocking your baby girl to sleep while she nestles in with deep peaceful breaths.  Sometimes it looks like calmly disciplining a child after time out has been completed with a review of what exactly said child did wrong and how they can do better.  Sometimes it looks like saying "I'm sorry" to my child and asking for their forgiveness.  Sometimes it looks like staying up late to finish that last load of laundry or waking up early to get in any exercise.  Sometimes it looks like a picture drawn by a 4 year old of you and he holding hands with a heart in the middle.

If I can do anything all the way, I want it to be as a mom.  I want my children to have all of me.  I want them never to doubt my love.  I want them to know that I will face any fear with them.  I will always be here, even when they are in the place I am now.  I look at these kids and though I am worn, though I am giving all of me...I can do so with grace if I allow God to do the same for me.

Easter 2014

Happy Easter from the Cole family!  Enjoy our Easter celebrations spanning last weekend and this weekend...

We started out at Teresa's last Saturday afternoon for fun and games.  The boys got going with the hula hoops right away...

And Lindsay Jane loved this rocking horse!

And this lawn mower!

The boys got on Aunt Teresa's Thomas train and for the first time an adult did not have to push down in Thomas to make him go...that was a relief!  Ha!

Brice and David checked out the more heavy farm machinery.

Lindsay Jane found another rocking horse.  :)

Landon practiced his batting...this boy is into baseball!

Nanny got some snuggle time with sweet baby Cole.  How precious is he?  :)

John and Stan gave the four boys a wagon ride- a big hit for all!

Aunt Moo got her Lindsay Jane time.  :)

And, Nanny and Moo posed for a pictures with the littles of the Cole crew.

Aunt Moo also had her time with sweet Connor.  She was really trying to focus on being really careful with the see saw...she is such a sweet sweet aunt.

This is how you relax with an 18 month old.  :)

John was the master egg hider...

Stan and Neil got in on it too...

Cole tried out his hula hooping skills.

And the hunt is ON!

Connor ended up having to have another basket, he found so many eggs!

Lindsay Jane really had no interest in hunting.  She only wanted to look at the basket.

But...when brothers were sorting their loot...she became much more intrigued...

Then, she giggled with Nanny.

Ice cream anyone?

I think Brice liked it!

And Madi!

Sarah was a bit camera shy, but I caught her anyway.  Who doesn't love ice cream is the question, right?

And one of my favorite series of pictures...Cole's first ice cream...

Ummmm, yeah...just give me that spoon...

I am all in.

Lindsay Jane's turn!

Learning to lick...

I got this!!!

The beauty of life on the farm.  I just love pictures like this one.  There are so many stories to tell in this one picture.  I love that Lindsay Jane is in her pajamas, holding a fishing pole and and being a part of such a great legacy.  Stan and the boys got a few casts and Landon actually was the only one to catch one that night.  He was very proud!

A trip around the lake in the golf cart...see Landon and Connor running ahead?  John told me he was getting them good and ready for bed.  Thank you, John.  :)

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Fast forward into our week...I decided to do resurrection rolls with the kids this year.  I will explain later on in this post because...we had to try for a second time because the first ones didn't quite work out.  But, as you can see, Lindsay Jane has 1) developed a sweet tooth and 2) learned how to turn it on for the camera...

We also decorated our famous sugar cookies.  Landon moaned a little at first, but as usual, he ended up getting over it and having fun...

Connor, my focused little artist, making his cookies just right.

Again, Lindsay Jane and her sweet tooth...

My big boy, enjoying the fruit of his labor.

Connor, back at his artwork..

And...so proud.

A few of mine... :)  Hey, I enjoy it as much as the kids do. :)

Well, maybe not as much as this little gem does.  :)

We shared our cookies with playgroup on Friday.  So great that Sophia was on Spring Break so she got to come and take part in the cookie making!

Happy crew.

Connor, love that smile. :)

These kids just melt my heart.  It is so awesome watching them continue to grow up together.  They have all been friends basically since birth and now they are like siblings/best buds.  There are two couches in my living room, but they all dog-piled onto the ottoman together.  So sweet.  :)

Next project...Resurrection Easter Egg Hunt with a 4, 5, 6 and 7 year old...Hmmmm.  What about that age span do I not yet understand when it comes to ability to focus...

No, really, it was a very meaningful time.  Here, Janise is getting out one of the first clues and reading about the story of Easter.  The kids did a great job listening and taking turns and Landon, Sophia and even Emelia even did some of the reading this year!  What a different a year makes!

If you are not familiar with the Resurrection Easter Egg Hunt, there are 12 eggs that are numbered.  The kids go find the eggs in order and there is a symbol and scripture in each egg that tells the story of the crucifixion and resurrection.  It is such a great way to teach the story as the verses are short but full of fact and meaning, there are small little symbols to help them relate and remember and it is all a part of a very familiar "Eastery thing" such as an Easter Egg Hunt.  Very cool.  Very meaningful.

This is my very favorite one.  Landon is opening the very last egg which is Empty, without a symbol like the other ones had...because the tomb was empty!  What a precious time of teaching these little ones about the resurrection.  Janise and I remarked how their impatience with getting on to the next egg reminded us of ourselves and how impatient we can be...tough lessons we learn from these little ones.  But, such a blessing to learn through life with these precious gifts.  It is amazing how much they teach us.

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Time to dye eggs!!!

And...if you are 18 months old...time to eat goldfish so you can be occupied while the older kids get help doing the egg dying!!

Best buds.

I'd say a fun time was had by all.  :)

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And...it's Easter Morning at the Cole Household...Ninjas and all...

Connorbug was very thrilled that the Easter Bunny found these Ninja Costumes at the Dollar Store...

Landon, a lover of stuffed animals, was attached immediately to his new "lovie", "Blu" from Rio 2.

Landon telling Connor about how great that chocolate cross was going to be.

My Landon.  My, oh, my.

A personality exploding...

Lindsay Jane was very thrilled at the little bunny crackers that the Easter Bunny found!

Figuring out this egg thing...

Lindsay Jane and her new backpack.

Connor and his chocolate cross.

And, Easter dinner with our dear friends the Smiths and the Brooks.

More fun with swords and other pretend weaponry...see Connor being a sneaky Ninja in the background? :)

Baylie and Steve were so so kind to take sweet little Lindsay Jane for a lot of walks and adventures so dear old mom could have a break.  A teething 18 month old who didn't take a nap can be a little wearing on a mama.  I am so thankful for such precious friends who love my children so much and take time to invest in their happiness.  Steve and Baylie are also just baby whisperers.  What a treat this special 2 on one time was for my Lindsay.  What a blessed little love.  What a blessed girl I am to have the kind of friends I do.

More Egg hunting...too much cuteness in this picture.

Emmie discovering an egg.

Connor, still adorned in Ninja gear, getting that egg in the bag so he can flee on to the next.

Super Landon, swooping in to add to his collection.

Lindsay Jane getting the hang of it!

Sweet Steve with Lindsay Jane again, holding her blankie while she hunts.  I love the adoring smile on his face. :)

Sophia said, "I found a bunch up here guys!!!!"

Stan and Derek relaxing.

Sweet smiley Zachary.

The egg hunting crew with their loot!

The sorting begins...

Me and my little girl.  :)

The Resurrection Rolls take 2...

So, the idea is that you roll marshmallows in butter then cinnamon sugar and then cover them with a crescent roll and seal the roll as if to symbolize the tomb (Jesus is the marshmallow).  Once sealed, you bake the rolls and theoretically, the marshmallow melts and the roll (tomb) is empty and filled with yummy mixture of marshmallow, cinnamon sugar and butter...Take 2, also a fail.  I even got the Pillsbury Grands because I thought the first attempt failed because I had gotten store brand crescent rolls.  I guess next year, I need to wrap that little marshmallow with two rolls!  There was one that worked and the kids got the meaning...and got to enjoy a sweet treat.

Zachary was sure he was getting one too...

And he was right.  Boy, it's good to be baby number three...number one would never have gotten such a treat!

So, this picture here...

And this picture here...bring such wonderful closing to my post.  Steve, Baylie and Emelia loved on my Lindsay Jane and they didn't have to.  It was their choice.  What a beautiful picture of love and acceptance. Makes me think of how Jesus loves us...not because he has to but because he wants to.

And, Connor.  This child has such an amazing heart.  He saw that he only had three chocolate eggs in his little bag after the hunt was over (many of the eggs were empty-being that this was the kids like 80th egg hunt this Easter...) and instead of comparing and crying and fussing about how his brother had more, he exclaimed, "Look how many eggs I have mom!"  (Yes, son, three...less than everyone else...I am glad you are so excited about that...wow!)

Also, earlier, Landon noticed that that new "Blu" that he got from the Easter Bunny had a small tear in its back.  Connor piped up instantly, "Oh, mine doesn't have a tear, so we can trade!"  Without a thought, this child was grateful for less eggs than all of the other children and he was willing to trade his perfect toy for an imperfect one so his brother would not be sad.  He is four.  Makes me really think about how I might approach those types of situations as an adult.

I am learning a ton from these kids, did I mention that?  Happy Easter everyone.