25 Reasons to Love Monday

We had sloppy joes for dinner last night. I forget how much we like them... and how cheap and easy they are. Nutritious? Eh. Maybe not so much. Better than ramen noodles, though.

It's been like Christmas in our house this weekend... first time we've really had food that didn't seem like it came from the local food pantry. It didn't. But we've definitely been living out of the bounty of our pantry. Having meat three meals a day (at least Austin did) was a treat. Personally... I'm borderline vegetarian so I don't really care. He's a growing boy. I could literally be happy with cereal three times a day. At least for awhile.

And they had the BIGGEST pomegranates I've ever seen at the grocery store. They're labor intensive but sooooo good. Got one ready to go for today. It yielded two cups of seeds/kernals/whatever the proper term is for the innards of a pomegranate.

The weather has been seasonal.... cold nights, mild days... bright, warm sunshine... I slept with my windows open last night. It's 58 degrees right now at 5:30 am.

We found footed pajamas at Walmart and Austin, who is notorious for wearing pj pants to school, picked out a pair of grinch footed pjs. They ended up looking a bit like a speed skater's outfit on him... and the little grinch heads on the foot freaked the cats out. But they're cute and we both got a great laugh out of them. He'll be wearing them Christmas morning... although he is wearing basketball shorts over them for the sake of modesty.

We got tickled at something the cats did and laughed so hard we both were snorting and had tears running down our eyes... Austin was holding Stubby (something Stubby HATES) ... and Stubbs worked himself loose and landed in the middle of my bed. He ran in the direction of what LOOKED like the easiest path, toward my bedside table, my recliner and then freedom. Except... little Trouble was hiding under the bedside table and jumped up and scared another life out of Stubby ... who knocked over my big container of water... which knocked over another drink and sent liquid spilling in two directions. The liquid scared Stubby even more... and Austin and I both reaching for the two cups to mitigate the damage... maybe you had to be there... it was ridiculous.

Our upstairs neighbor was having a loud argument with her 16 year old daughter on Sunday... it's not that we were trying to eavesdrop... I mean, we might have muted the tv and opened the window... but still... there's not a lot of excitement here in Hooterville. After hearing some of the senseless things they were saying to each other... Austin and I started replaying some of our less than stellar moments... some of the ridiculous things we've said to each other in fights. THIS is where parenting is fun. When you can both laugh at your shortcomings and previously stressful moments.

I've added something to my bucket list. Before I die I want to see what Dolly Parton looks like without her hair and makeup. Is that too much to ask?

My oldest baby is 25 today. I could talk about all the hours and hours I was in labor with him... the fact that he was ten days late... enduring a traumatic forceps delivery... but that seems ages ago... and honestly, those are not the details I remember when I think about his birth. I remember holding him for the first time and feeling as if I finally understood what love really is. You think you know... but until you hold in your arms the gift of a life that God has entrusted to you... you don't have a clue.

Ryan was the smartest baby... the calmest baby... he had horrible reflux and projectile vomiting that could hit a wall ten feet away... he had allergies, asthma... had his first surgery at 7 months old - tubes in his ears - they let me walk most of the way down the hall with him and instead of using a gurney, they just carried him in their arms. He was such an independent, confident child EVEN THEN that he willingly went to the nurse... dutifully waved and said, "bye bye mama"... and I went back to the waiting room in tears. He was back in the waiting room in just a few minutes and handled it all very well.

At 13 months old he was in Scottish Rite with pneumonia. He was a very sick baby. He was so grown about it... so calm... it was right before Christmas so we had lots of visitors and lots of little gifts. I would cry every time someone would do something for him. I'm still emotional when people do kind things for my kids. That is the most tender part of my heart... the part that covers those three boys. I grieve when I'm away from them. I treasure my time with them. But I'm so proud of who Ryan has become. I worried... but I shouldn't have. He's so resourceful... so stable and strong.

He was always an old soul. We never moved breakable things or put poisons away. He just knew what not to do. Even now. He takes care of his friends and family like a mother hen... throws huge parties... is loyal to his brothers... has a good job and works hard.

My twenty five reasons to love Monday this week are the twenty five years that Ryan has been in our lives.
Twenty five. How did I get to be the parent of a 25 year old? I barely feel that old myself.

Anyways... Happy Birthday Boo! I love you!

 And Happy Birthday to two of the closest, most precious friends I've had in this life: Sheree and Amy... I miss you and love you both.

Happy Monday y'all!