May

May went by so quick, to me.
This whole pregnancy has flown, so I guess it wasn't any quicker than the rest-- but we had so much going on that it felt like it did.

We started the month off with a shopping trip with my sister, mom and our kids.  I NEVER go to the mall, anymore, which makes me laugh because there was a time that I went multiple times a month.
Now, if I can't buy it online or at Marshall's, I don't need it!

We got a sign on our land with big hopes to break ground but the pad came and then the processes took another halt due to massive rains.

Mom and I went to a wedding shower for a sweet girl that I spent many years babysitting.

We spent the weekend in Oklahoma for one of our best friend's wedding.
Lance was a groomsman, and not only was it a gorgeous wedding, but it was a blast!
My kids were one of just a couple of kids there, and they burned up the dance floor for hours.
It wasn't until we were a state away that I realized that it wasn't really a bring-yo-kids event but Kaleb has been in their lives from the start and welcomed into his big day without a word of frustration.
They ended up even playing a song just for them, and everyone circled around for them to sing and dance.
I think they will remember it forever.

Maddox ended his season in baseball after just one game into the playoffs.
Lance is such a patient person, that sometimes I think he missed his calling not going into coaching.
I think Maddox was only 4 when he started soccer.
After his first or second game, he started waking Saturday mornings saying that his belly hurt.
He would cry on the way to the games but would still insist on playing.
Finally, he told Lance, "I just don't know that I can score 5 points every game and it makes me feel sick to go, knowing that I might not be able to this week."
Lance got it.
He told him that he could care less if Maddox never scored a point at any game he ever played.
We pay our money for Maddox to learn sportsmanship, and accountability, and teamwork, and practice, and coachability, and pride for for something bigger than yourself.  We didn't pay for him to be the best at anything.  We pay for him to have fun and learn.
That day was a game changer for Lance and Maddox, both.
I personally don't think that Lance put pressure on him that season anyway, but we realized how much pressure Maddox puts on himself.
And after every single season, we have parents tell Lance the same thing, "you're so patient".  "You never get rattled".  etc.... And baseball was no different.
We didn't have the best team, but we had the sweetest group of boys-- the most encouraging coaches-- and even our older, more advanced kids were so poised and a great example for the younger ones to follow.
We also had Gunner and Maddox on the same team, and it was fun to watch them grow together.

School wrapped up pretty quickly.
Field day was inside again this year-- rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain... you see it has set everything back!
But Maddox is such a sweet guy to always include Beckham in his stuff, and thankfully the school doesn't balk at sending him in to the fun either.

Maddox received his letter of acceptance into the gifted and talented program as well.
I didn't know he was so worried about it until the day that we got the letter and he told us that he had been making himself sick, worrying he didn't pass.
He is a bright kid, and was reading at a 5th grade level by the end of the year.
I hate that he got that perfectionist gene from me-- but hopefully by the time he's 30 he will stop caring so much, like I did too!

Beckham finished his year at daycare pretty similarly to the way we started.
He made efforts to get it together, and often times he did-- but tears were usually a given for the first 10 minutes or so after drop off and breakfast was rarely eaten.
His teachers were the best and I felt okay leaving him with them, despite his anxiety.
We can only pray for a miracle this summer, but he locked up at church camp and only was able to stay 2 days (that I stayed also) so I am not putting too much weight into the hope for a tear-free kindergarten year.

Our friends' deer are having babies-- and for the third year, we went out to see and hold the little loves.
It is fun to look back at the years and see how the kids have grown.  I hope Maddox and Brittan always have a sweet friendship together.

School couldn't have ended soon enough.
With a baby coming this summer, I was ready for summer.
I certainly don't want to rush anything but in a dream world, I would live on too much land, with a big ass garden, a farm full of animals, and no schedule.
Also, no job.
But lots of money.
(I said it was a dream)
So, every summer, I have this wish for my kids to have a 70s summer.
Tan skin, dirty feet, sticky hands-- and no structure.
Unfortunately, this summer, I have a job outside of our home.
So maternity leave has to get here before I can enjoy the days without an alarm clock.

The boys are enjoying themselves, nonetheless-- however the countdown is on!