//DPP day 2//

If you stare, it mixes faster (in the minds of 3 little boys that is)

//DPP day 1//

One of my favorite things about the month of December is the December Photo Project (DPP). I've done it the last 3 or 4 years and look back on them smiling all the way.

Day 1- all my littles love bath time.

Thankful

This Thanksgiving was one of my favorites. It was simple and laid back and my sister decided, on a whim, to fly in from the Virgin Islands to spend 2 days with us. The boys decided that meant Aunt Kellie gets to help with the tree. So fun and sweet to watch them all interact. 

"K" has likely not ever decorated a tree. He went to town. All those low lying, clustered ornaments remain in their places today. I normally rearrange and make it cuter but I can't imagine a more imperfectly perfect tree. 

On Thanksgiving day Aunt Kellie coordinated baking some of our favorite cookies from childhood--sugar cookies with red hots. So random but so yummy. The boys really like to bake. It's usually messy  and on the brink of disaster but it's something intentional I get to do with them and I love that. 

My sister. I wished she lived here but I can't imagine her not living on the island so our visits are full and activity and always great. Her next visit? Our boy's adoptions! Woot!

Another big reason Thanksgiving was so wonderful is that my grandparents moved back from New York. We got to sit around and tell old stories and it did my heart good to see my boys all interacting with their great grandparents. 

This is the first picture of the 3 sibs in a long time. Love love.

It is well

There has been so much devastation, sickness and sadness recently. Wherever you are, let this song meet you there. I found it through another blogger and have listened to it many times since. Each time another piece of it resonates deeper with me.

First Snow

We had our first snow this weekend and the boys loved it. They were enthusiastic about scooping so we'll ride that wave as long as possible. 

Pretty sure our 2 year old had never played in the snow. He was mesmerized and couldn't stop eating it. So fun to be part of this first for him with many more snowy winters to come as a Nebraska boy.

It was no easy task to get the boys inside but nap time had come so they warmed up by the fire before collapsing and taking great naps. Winter may not be as bad as I think. ((TRAPPED. Trapped inside with 3 crazy boys)). 

Halloween

Halloween was such a blast this year. The Sunday before we carved pumpkins and had s'mores (the boys were shirtless since it was 75 degrees). Just a short few days later on Halloween it was freezing. Thanks, Nebraska. Cold or not my heart nearly exploded at the cuteness of my 3 superhero sons. Always grateful when we can build memories for the littles. This one was for the books. 

maaaaama

I heard that familiar voice yell "maaaaaama". It had an echo sound but I knew it's because K's head was pressed at the bottom of the door. My 2 year old rarely goes to bed right away since he's been in his big boy bed. (A move we weren't ready to make but the crib escaper required.) I drug my tired body out of bed. A sinus infection had claimed my energy but I knew the yells for me wouldn't stop until I got in there.

I opened the door slowly and felt 'K' move away from the door. He flashed a big smile and raised his hands. I picked him up and he melted in to me...his face tucked under my chin so close and his hands not quite reaching all the way around my neck. I sat down to rocked him until his body went heavy. I couldn't help but remember day one. 'K' is shy but his eyes those first days and weeks told a different story. He was confused and guarded. When bedtime rolled around that first day, I laid him sideways with a blankie to rock him and he climbed me like a tree. He wanted nothing to do with soothing. He wanted to be put in his crib and left alone. This went on for awhile. It was heartbreaking. Little by little the trust grew and he seemed soothed as we patted his back but...that was it...no further. No rocking, no swaying. Just the pats...keeping a good distance but letting us in a bit. 

Now, nearly 11 months later, it's hard to remember those days unless they drift back on nights like tonight. This little boy who was left in a crib most his life has learned he doesn't need to sooth himself but his mama can do that for him. God's redemption is so amazing. Happy I get witness it. Happy this boy has found a safe place in me.