My Reality

Its been a crazy few weeks here!  I've started a few posts, deleted, and then started again.  I just couldn't seem to find the time to actually sit and put my thoughts to paper! UGH!! I'm not sure if anyone else is ready for summer break, but this house, is 100% ready!  We need a break so bad I can actually taste it. School has been mentally exhausting this year, even for mom! It's almost over and you better believe we are going to enjoy a few weeks of absolutely nothing!
 
Anyway, it's Autism Awareness Month, so we've been having fun with that. Even Colin's school is involved this year, thanks to his awesome R&T teacher, so that has been great to watch and hear about! I didn't get any pictures, but we did "Light It (our house) Up Blue" on April 2nd again to show our support for a great cause that is near & dear to our ♥s! We've also been using our IG account to post daily #autismfacts to make sure those around us are aware, being nice, learning about, and just reminding them to watch their actions. This month, many years ago now, was the month that gave me so much hope for my son. So, I try every year, to do something new to bring awareness to autism.  I'm a firm believer that even small things are huge! Colin, is one lucky boy having so many interested in his life that's for sure!☻

School awareness fun

Baseball starts this month, too.  I loved watching Colin last year!  I'm anxious to see how he does this year and I'm hoping he shows some progression?!?!  This whole thing, at our house, is a family affair with Brenton coaching and Ethan a buddy.  It's something we all enjoy. These kids/adults on these teams truly warm your heart!  Ethan is so excited to help again!  I swear God has blessed that boy w/ a servant's heart and the older he gets the more prevalent it is. The best gift Colin will ever receive, is having his brother in his life.  Those 2 boys of mine are 2 peas in a pod and it is so great to watch them grow up together!

Brothers

For those of you that know me well, know my guys are everything to me.  However, mothers are allowed to have moments! Moments of losing it and yes, this mother loses it sometimes, too!  Last week, was a week that I honestly thought I was going to beat my head to a bloody pulp against the wall, because it seemed I was on mute or something! Nobody listened when I spoke & repeating myself became a real annoyance. On 1 particular occasion I counted, just to show that I wasn't crazy, and I repeated myself 8 times. Yep, 8 times and that time the culprit....my husband. Yes, my HUSBAND! The other grown adult that lives in this house & the one that is supposed to help set an example, was the 1st to be on my shit list last week. LOL!  No, I didn't lose my cool or anything of that nature (thanks to the 10 second rule) but I most certainly made it known in a cool, calm, and collected manner that I was frustrated with the actions of theirs and that's when the domino effect started. UGH!!! However, the "blessing in disguise" of the week was my phone ending up in the toilet for the 2nd time, thanks to Colin, and by Wednesday night I was forced to have limited resources to the outside world.  I'd be lying if I didn't say I was ticked at first, but I kept my cool (for the most part), took a deep breath, and by Friday I was in heaven.  I loved being without that phone! It was so peaceful! The reality though, I can't be without a phone or I definitely would be! I'm thinking I might have a bit of a "pioneer women" inside of me. One that would love to say goodbye to all this technology, social media loving world I'm in and say hello to a big ol' farm & living off the land. There is just something that sounds so peaceful about sitting in a rocking chair, sipping sweet tea, watching my garden grow, only hearing my boys playing outside, and the hub bub of daily life that is currently around me gone! That picture I have in my head, is so appealing to me right now too..hahaha! Ok, ok I'll come back to reality, but I'm serious and maybe one day?  For now, I'll suck it up and deal with this crazy world I live in...yes, cell phone & all! ☻

Anyway, I'll end this post with a few pictures below of our last few weeks.

earned his stripes

Honestly, he's my shadow! LOL!!

Big news in a small town = Bridge being blown up

Like Father, Like Son

3rd grade Spring Concert - Patriotic Theme

evenings outside are the best

Spring afternoon's on the porch

Best Buds on their way to the OSU spring game

Thanks Daddy!

while the big guys were at the spring game, this one had fun at home

church days

Tis the Season

He's Risen!!!

One of my favorite holidays is the one we celebrated a few weeks ago....Easter! I've always been told that if it wasn't for Easter, there would be no Christmas and I truly believe that to be true!  It's the time of year that I spend a lot of time reflecting! Reflecting on my life and how I can make myself better. It's amazing how I'm constantly reminded of the many blessings I have & all due to the man that was crucified on that cross so many years ago. I get it! I feel it and boy, I felt it this year! His presence, I felt it!

We started Holy Week with Palm Sunday and all week long we learned the significance of each portion that Christ took on his journey that ended with him rising from the tomb! Ethan was all about it and let me tell you that boy kept us on track. I loved watching him learn as we watched each portion via his DVDs.  As I mentioned in my previous post, Ethan is a visual learner & his DVDs of the The Bible made everything so realistic for all of us.  It was so real that we cried so much while watching, too.  It truly was a great Easter and below are some collages from our holiday fun!

Ethan led us in communion on Maundy Thursday & then we colored eggs. However, Colin just wanted to kiss them

Easter morning = baskets, egg filled house, our magic beans sprouted, EB liked his carrots, and our tomb was EMPTY

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter

As "Luck" Would Have It!

Yet another week is in the books here at the Shroyer house & guess what, I'm a little late on this post because, yet again, its been a busy one! LOL! I can't believe Easter is this weekend, but I am so ready for it. Ready for the fun, the magic of the Easter Bunny, but most of all the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus! We have been remembering Holy Week, this week, at our house and Ethan is so into The Bible series, so we've been watching the story via his DVDs. I love watching him as he learns, but what gets me most is him wanting to know, on his own, and that is so awesome!  I don't even have to ask him to watch it, believe it or not, he's the one that comes to me and says, "Mom, want to watch The Bible with me." I love that!!! Ethan is a visual learner, so these DVDs are perfect.  Yes, we read the word, but right now at 9 watching it seems to work best for him, so that's what we do most.  Today, is Maundy Thursday and tonight we will be watching the portion of the Last Supper, having our own communion together, and remembering what happened on this day so many years ago.  Yes, it's of utmost importance to me that my family knows the "real reason for the season" and that we always remember why Easter is so important. We also have eggs to color in preparation for EB, as well.  So, lots of things going on at our house this Easter week.    

I'm not sure about you, but I needed spring this year! I needed it so bad I could taste it, lol!!  The winter wasn't even that bad, but I needed the new, the fresh, the bright sun, and just being able to go outside more than ever before right now. I was so excited to wake up last Sunday knowing it was the 1st day of Spring, even though, it was snowing outside....gotta love Ohio, I guess! LOL!!  One of the many reasons I love spring, is St. Paddy's Day. That day brightens my spirits and I love all the green!  This year, we had a lot of fun after school.  I had prepared all day for a scavenger hunt and finalized the boy's "pot of gold" at the end of the hunt.  I made green beer for Brenton and I, the boys had green punch, and Katee even got a green toy.  Everything was green and so much fun, too. The boys loved it and so did I!!!  Yes, we celebrate EVERYTHING around here! I mean why not?  They are only little once, growing up too fast and this is 1 way of making their childhood memorable. I love it!☺

For those of you that know my husband, know that he truly is a "Buck Nut" and lives and bleeds scarlet and gray.  I mean this guy is a complete freak about OSU football and anytime he has an excuse to make it down to the campus, he's there. Well, last Saturday him and Ethan headed to Columbus for lunch w/ his brother's family and after they were done Brenton and Ethan headed over to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.  I'm not kidding when I say this, but my husband hits the jackpot (so to speak) every dang time he is there.  I wish you could've heard him on the phone when he called me, it was like he was a kid in a candy store. LOL!!!  Here are a few pics from their time there......

as they were walking in, Jonathan Hankins was walking out. Former OSU Buckeye, currently a NY Giant

I guess when you're with Daddy you get in places

taking it all in!

and then who appears....Sam Hubbard

on their way out, they ran into this guy. Darryl Baldwin another former OSU Buckeye and currently a Bengal

Finally, just a little boy with a BIG dream!

Needless to say, they had a wonderful afternoon together and Ethan has been on Cloud 9 all week.  Today, starts their Easter break and he's been excited about that too, but yesterday he had "3rd Grade Fun Day" and Brenton was invited to attend.  Ethan was pretty stoked about that and from what I heard they had a great time.  Brenton loved the event and even won the Cheez-it game in one of the rooms, so I guess it's fair to say that even Daddy could pass the 3rd grade all over again, LOL!

Happy Easter friends!
♥
Melinda

Another year to celebrate!

Ethan turned 9 years old, 9 YEARS OLD, last weekend and to say I'm not sure where the time has gone sounds so cliche, but truly I have no idea where it went? I know I have lots of pictures in scrapbooks to prove we have lived life and made a ton of memories during these 9 years, but to actually sit and think that he is 9, truly makes me gasp for air.

I have loved this kid, since the time I found out he was growing in my belly and to be able to watch him grow into the boy he is today has been a true blessing.  I'm so proud of him! I look at him and I can't help but smile, even when he makes me angry! I love how he has the power to change my mood with a simple wink! I love his hugs and his pure heart! Yes, he's a mama's boy and guess what...I love that, too!☺  However, I'm slowly watching him change, grasp new things about life, and feel his way through situations that he is faced with. Our seasons are changing the older he gets and this birthday hit me, with the fact, I don't have much longer to prepare for things like Easter or Christmas like we have been (you adults know what I mean, lol).  He's teetering and for now I can smooth it over, but I know it's coming and I'm slowly preparing myself. I know my baby boy is no longer (even though in my heart he always will be) and letting go just a tad more with each passing year is not so easy to do, yet it always has to be done. I know I can't shove him in a bubble and keep him there, but man it would be nice to be able to stop time every now and then just to make sure I didn't miss anything. I try my hardest not to think about the future or worry about it even, because I can't stop it and honestly, I just don't want to be faced with facts that my heart isn't ready to face just yet. So, I don't let my mind go there! Yes, I know it's coming, but for now I'll continue to embrace each moment, enjoy each season, and live life to the fullest each day as I watch my sweet boy figure out his own path with each passing year!

Ethan chose to not have a party this year, but rather go to the waterpark with his buddies for the afternoon.  It turned out great and he had a lot of fun.  It was a weekend full of celebration that kicked off Friday with a snow day, so even though he didn't have a traditional party, he still had loads of fun and here are some pics from his weekend!

Yes, he got the new phone that he wanted the Droid Turbo 2

after he went to bed.....

every part of the house was decorated

even coming down the stairs he knew he was special

it should always be exciting to open your bedroom door on your birthday

Brothers

Having fun

buddies make birthdays so much better

Colin had fun, too

Happy Birthday sweet boy

making his wish

Master Chief

Finally, I have to share 1 picture collage of Colin, because it's just too cute not to. LOL!  He had a fun time at school last week with Cat in the Hat week. Each day he did something from wearing green, polka dots, PJs, to this......

Our little Cat in the Hat

These Days!

In a RUT?!?!

Yep, I have been the past few weeks! You know that "rut" when you feel yourself going through the motions of life and you know you are getting things done, but it's like you're in robot mode or something? Yeah, that has been me....a robot! I think the winter blues hit me! UGH!!! However, I did hear birds chirping, so I know spring is almost here and thank the good Lord!!

As the world was spinning and I was trying to stay a float, life continued! It was good and I do remember it, but looking back it just felt weird for me.  The funny thing, it's always the 3rd semester of school that gets me, too!  For us, this semester is always the hardest and LONGEST it seems!  Man, so many things to do and always redundant...read, study, practice, test, work on project, read, study, practice, test, work on project and oh yeah, fit in the fact that we still do have "kids" that need time to breath! Its just been EXHAUSTING!!!!

Ethan, especially, needs that break from school and he wanted to try something new this winter! He has talked about Tai Kwon Do (TKD) for months and I knew he needed "something" right now!  He needed an activity that 1) he knew nothing about 2) challenged him 3) gave him something to look forward to and 4) help build his confidence.  Unfortunately, we had no clue if he would like it or even what to expect, because Brenton and I know nothing about TKD.  The one thing we did know, is we had to give him the opportunity to atleast try it.  I was almost afraid to ask how he liked it, but thank goodness I didn't even have to, because he was so excited to tell me that he LOVED it!  It was so sweet to see the smile on his face, too.  He loved it so much that he achieved his first belt on Day 2! Ethan received his white belt last Thursday.  Now, here's the funny part....He had to memorize 9 "polite" words, 4 sentences, and then stand up in front of everybody to present them to his instructor. HE DID IT!  Ethan had that sheet memorized in 1 day! However, as his mother I'm allowed to say this, I was a little frazzled because we've been working on "memorizing" multiplication facts for months and he had that sheet memorized in 1 day...REALLY, lol!!!  Oh well, he needed this boost of confidence and I was so excited for him. When I saw the smile on his face when he presented me with his belt, I knew TKD was an answer to a prayer. This is something that is his, ALL his and nobody else can take it away from him.

It turns out, as a mother and the many seasons you face with your children, it's ok to have the feelings I've had the past few weeks.  I can honestly say that my life, right now, is about my boys! I'm not the girl that I was...the one that worried about clothes, or being skinny, or making sure to have the perfect necklace to match the outfit that I was wearing. Nope, that's not me anymore! These days, I'm lucky to get out of sweatpants and have my hair done. hahaha!  I'm not complaining, all I'm saying, is I'm in the season of life that my boys need more of my time than I can give myself right now. I love being a mother! Every bone in my body loves it and I love that I have the opportunity to be here for my kids, as much as, I am! The day will come where I won't be needed, so I'm soaking all this up and during moments, like the past couple weeks, I drink more coffee, have hot tea, drink a few beers, take bubble baths, and I even got my nails done. I might not be the girl that used to have it all together from my hair down to my toes these days, but I can promise you I'm still here. These days though, the girl that stares back at me in the mirror is "fluffier" than she used to be, has tired eyes most of the time, hair pulled back, and in "all natural" mode 99% of the time; however, is so much happier! I love the person that my boys have helped me grow into! I'm a better version of myself! So, yes, I've been in a rut, but I never lost the truth of my reality during the past few weeks. You see truth is, the good Lord has been good to me and I thank him everyday for giving me this life that I'm so blessed to be living...ruts and all!☺

Until next time!
♥
Melinda