Blessed Beyond Measure

 This girl right here finishes slaying her Junior year TODAY.  I have no words for how awesome this kid is!  She has blown us away by her leadership and ability to accomplish so much more than I ever thought about accomplishing.  I used to say I liked to write.  Then I met Nixon . . . who has written three historical fiction novels.  She is the best human I know and I have no doubt she will change this world for the better!  Senior year . . . here she comes!

 He loves to read.  He loves to write.  He loves math!  He loves school!  And we are sooooo proud of him for all of his hard work.  

 At first glance it may seem we have a happy camper, excited about his graduation.  But, in reality, the sheer number of people at the event made him extremely nervous.  We forget how hard it must have been for him to go from mostly isolation to attending school with what feels like a normal life to the rest of us.  He went from never playing with kids to having to learn to play with kids.  His first weeks at school his teacher had to work with him to help him know it was ok to play with other kids.  The social things he has had to learn in such a short time amaze me.  And he has had such a successful short stint in school.  But, this day . . . felt like too much to him!  He held it together until one moment at his party after the graduation ceremony.  And then he let it all go.  We just quietly left and spent the rest of the day snuggling to recover.  I am SOOOO proud of this boy and cannot wait to see where the future takes h...

  Today is day 7 of State STAAR testing.  I.  Am.  Done.  The kids are done.  The administrators are done.  Lord help us finish strong!!

 Elliot needed me to document this horrible wound that hurt SOOOOOOOOO bad.  Keep in mind it is just a mark from laying his arm on the arm of his char.  But, he needed it documented.  Consider this documented kiddo!

 He LOVES to play with her hair.  And thank goodness God granted her the patience to allow it.  She spends lots of hours letting these small hands brush her hair.  💓

 

 Just when you think you couldn't love them anymore than you already do, you see them love each other.  And the heart explodes!

 This was when they honored Nixon and her Model UN partner for winning an award at the school pep rally.  This future President of her Model UN club makes us proud every single day!  Junior year is HARD.  And she is ALMOST done!!!  I just paid for her senior portrait for the yearbook.  I may have teared up a little.  Time slow down!

NO idea where he learned to pose, but it makes me laugh out loud!  He is constantly asking me to take his picture, and THIS is what I get! You gotta love a kid who can pull off plaid shorts, boots, and a rainbow backpack.  Love his style!  

He has spent hours "working" at his desk he made out of a box we got at Wal-Mart.  I am tempted to buy him a little work table, but my luck, he would prefer the box!  

This kid is ALWAYS surrounded by girls.  And he loves it!  His teacher sent this picture and I melted!  

  I sure had the best Mom around.  And am thankful for the two who made me a mom!  I LOVE the bracelet they gave me for the special day.  I even love that Elliot insisted I open it early because he couldn't wait to share the surprise with me!  And who wouldn't love this card that Elliot made me at school?!  I will cherish it every single time I see it.  Both of my kids made me feel like the luckiest Mom on the planet.  Happy Mother's Day!

 I couldn't find many pictures of us together.  That is probably because we are usually taking the pictures!  But, I couldn't miss the chance to mention that I am the luckiest girl the world.  I am so thankful for the most amazing loving and supportive, and pull-yourself-up-from-your-bootstraps momma around!  I really did win the Mom lottery!  And my kids just get to keep on reaping the blessings!

 This poor cat is cold ALL THE TIME.  He will wait for me to pull warm food out of the oven and try to lay on it.  He will also hang out by the crockpot all day while it is cooking.  He has even gotten a little too close to the gas burner while I am cooking and singed off his whiskers.  Poor kitty.  He's getting old and skinny.  Wish I could get him a jacket!

 My Dad ALWAYS said "This too shall pass."  I wish I would have had this when he was still here!

 That grin captures him SO well!

Tiny toes make me smile! The love these two shares is one for the ages!   That sass.  I can't even! Reading a Book Look Mom!  I wrote love! Ready to rule the world! His shelf full of all of the things he loves!

 He somehow talked his Dad into getting him the markers that were in time-out from coloring on my kitchen chairs so he could draw on his face.  Lord help me with this one.  

 This girl is KILLING IT lately!  Between winning President of Model UN for her Senior Year, slaying with all A's in all of her classes, winning awards for her hard work in Model UN, making it to Regionals in two events for UIL and making it into the National Honors Society . . . this kid is on fire.  I am not sure how we made something so wonderful, but man are we lucky to have her!  Way to go Nix!