Unique, yet Joyful

This week, we reached another milestone at our house! Oh boy, Colin turned 16! 16....WHAT! Yes, his looked a little different, seeing we're not shopping for cars and getting a drivers license, instead his excitement came from receiving Funyuns, stretchy bands, and eating a powdered doughnut cake. Nonetheless, it was a great moment on our journey! This child has taught us so much and nowadays with RFK Jr setting dates on releasing answers to all this autism epidemic stuff, Colin's birthday reminded me that for us, no matter what comes out, our life remains the same.  So, we continue to celebrate uniquely and we embrace the milestones knowing though different, still joyful! Oh, what a great life we've been blessed with! This boy of mine has given me so much meaning and added a purpose to my life. I know God didn't do this to Colin, but I do know that he's given me beauty for the ash! So, it feels pretty darn good to know we've conquered the hard when he was little and with this birthday we enjoyed the easy, breezy fun a birthday has to offer. What a blessing! I loved every ounce of the celebration and seeing Colin's smile was the icing on the cake.....or, for us, the powder on the doughnut, lol! 

Unscathed

So, it's been a bit since I've posted, but for some reason I got the urge to get back to blogging? I don't know I've kind of missed it and I just want to make sure to keep the memories going for my boys, so here we go again on trying to keep this thing up, lol. 

Anyway, right now at the Shroyer house we are planning a graduation for Ethan, who turned 18 this year, and also Mr. Colin is turning 16 tomorrow! I can't even express the feelings, a bittersweet thing I guess, because I truly am enjoying this stage, but wow....it sure does go fast! I keep remembering the nurse in my hospital room when I had Ethan telling me to enjoy it, because before I know it he'll be 10.....well, he's 18 now, and she was 100% right...it went so fast! Being a mom has truly been the best and the one thing I can say I gave all of myself to. So much so, that I lost myself there for a bit! However, what a blessing it's been raising these boys! I was just telling Brenton last night that we've finally reached the point where the pressure is off, because graduation is here! I'm not sure about anybody else, but for me, all the school stuff is pressure....sports, academics, friends, etc.....it's all just pressure! For us though, it was about 3rd grade when we had to make a decision to step away from all the "normal" things that kids were "supposed" to be doing and allow a little voice to be our guide! Essentially, entering into our own pressure cooker that we were creating for ourselves, since the path we were taking wasn't the path that would lead to popular status! You don't get a manual with this parenting thing, but at that point the one thing I did know is I couldn't push a square into a round hole! We tried everything and nothing seemed to stick, until we released the pressure cooker and allowed Ethan to be what he wanted to be. Yes, I do feel we didn't do everything right and maybe hurt in some areas, but in other ways, it gave us the ability to stay out of all the chaos that comes when you do allow the pressure of all the extra stuff to take the wheel of life!  The positive that came out of all of that, is that little boy has grown into a God-fearing young man and is choosing to live a life filled with Christ and serving him. So, I guess we didn't do all that bad in raising this child, lol! What a great young man....I love knowing that E has used all the life lessons that didn't necessarily work out for him in the traditional sense, but rather has learned to be grateful and to look ahead to what is in-store by trusting the plan that has been laid out for him! Life is funny and can be pretty hard at times, but we all got through unscathed thus far and I can honestly say I'm looking forward to the next season that is ahead of us all! So....here we go! ❤

Here I Am

Wow! I didn't realize it's been so long since my last post, but I guess it has been. I need to catch up here and now that we are getting into fall, life slowing down a bit, here I am! 😊

Summer was great! We had a really great summer break this year. We decided to have a stay'cation, so no major vacation to be told about, but let me tell you we enjoyed every ounce of being home. We enjoyed the pool, our little town, and simply just being home! It was really nice! Colin was so fun this year! I took my workdays down to 2, so I got more time to be with him and I really enjoyed it. We enjoyed the golf cart, our little town, and having simple days by the pool. He was just so much fun! He's growing up and things are clicking more and more for him. His personality and humor bring so much joy to me. You can tell he's coming into himself and it's just the cutest to watch. Ethan started work at Provia and has now seen that there is more to the career he is choosing than staying on a golf course. Not that he wouldn't have enjoyed that, but he realized there is so much more to being a golf superintendent that he just was unsure after working at the course fulltime. Even though he didn't voice it, it was a trip to Salt Fork last spring that I realized we needed to pivot for him and funny how God works, because Provia fell in his lap. He's really enjoying it and it makes my momma heart happy to see him liking it so much. He's not a sports kid, but he loves to work and I think he might've found his place. Well, at least for now! Sometimes an atmosphere change can do wonders! 

Starting back to school for the boys went well, too. Ethan started his first year at BCC and is really liking his lab and being there all day. Again, that atmosphere thing has really been helping him! He loves being out of the IV building and just feels like he is finally on a path he can relate to. So, he's continuing to work at Provia and accomplishing the goals that he has set for himself. He has homecoming this weekend, so he's excited for that. Colin had a great start, too! The biggest thing for him was the bus change and that was just because I couldn't stand him being on that thing for an hour and a half in the afternoon. It was just too long, so we pivoted and now I pick him up every day. Let me tell you, that took a few days to get that down pat, but we eventually got it and now it's just his new normal. He's rode the bus since starting kindergarten, so he wasn't used to me being there after school and he had to get it in his routine for it to feel right, "get in the car" is what he does now and my heart is full again! Nothing more I'd rather do than be able to make these boys of mine lives simpler. Some think I'm crazy, but you know, I enjoy every ounce of it. I'm so proud of the life Brenton and I have created for ourselves, and I would change nothing! These boys are growing up fast, but you can't stop time, so I've learned to embrace it and never take any of it for granted. 💙

Enjoying the Moments

Last month, Colin turned 14! Another of those life moments of "holy crap, how did we get here?" He had the best time and it's fun to watch him celebrate now. He loves his birthday! It took us a few years to get to this point, but it's so sweet to watch him because he gets it. He still doesn't like big parties, so we just celebrate at home and it's perfect! I love this kid! He brings so much joy and each year it's a reminder of just how truly blessed we are.....

It's so hard to believe that summer break is now upon us, too! This school year has flown by! I know I say that every year, but wow just seems like we got started. I'm not complaining, because we are all ready to have a little downtime, just things are going so fast anymore is all. We have chosen to not go on a vacation this year and instead having a 'stay'cation. I'm pretty excited about it too! I wasn't feeling it this year, however, was willing to go if everyone else felt like it and slowly we all came to the same conclusion a few months ago. So, gonna try it and see how just being home is? I'm sure next year everyone will be ready to do something, but for now, we'll enjoy the pool and a few local things. Here's to a start to new memories for the Summer of '23.....

Life Is Happening

It's been a bit, but boy has life been happening at our house! We now have an official driver! We made it through all the drivers ed stuff this past winter, a long & expensive process, but he made it and did great w/ it! Ethan turned 16 & got his license last month, we got him a truck, and man is it weird seeing him drive off all on his own. Kind of surreal, honestly! How in the world did we get here already?!? It's good though and he's a really good driver, so that does help to keep my momma heart in check! Well, until both boys drive off together and then the tears start flowing! Yep, I'm that mom! LOL! It's been a good season though.... we had a great Christmas, Brenton turned 45, Colin is doing well, and we just celebrated Easter last week. Our winter was a good one and spring is starting off well! It's been a bit, so going to leave this post with a few pics to get up-to-date.....