Dear Boys...
We had another LONG day of baseball. It was long for me but you know how much I love watching you guys play. I need you to know something. I know you are competitive by nature..all of you. But you don't ever have to compete for who is better at one thing or another just to prove something to your dad and me. We think you guys are so talented and hardworking. We KNOW this. We don't love one of you more because you had more hits one day or pitched better on another day. The same goes for school. You are all sooooo smart! As long as you work hard, study when you are supposed to, and try your best, we are proud. And the good thing is YOU ALREADY DO THAT!! We are so proud of all of you boys!! A high batting average or a low ERA isn't going to change that. You know why? Because you are good kids. You are kind, polite, honest, and friendly. You have hearts of gold and that makes you kids people like to have around. We love you more than anything. Don't ever forget that.

Love You guys!

Mom

Dear Joey...
Jack and I were talking about something in the car today. I can't even remember what it was. Jack was nervous about something he had to do I think but I am honestly not sure. You spoke up and told him "Jack, all it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage."

It touches my heart that you remembered that line from a movie we saw over spring break. I hope you never ever forget that all it really takes is 20 seconds of insane courage. Dream big and don't ever forget your insane courage.

I love you Joe!

Love, Mom

Dear Boys...
I am going to try to be much better at writing to you. I do have a lot to say. Ben, your birthday is coming up. We are SO excited but I think you are like over the top excited! More to come on that this week! For now, here is a picture from Christmas! You guys are still awful cute!

I love you!
Mom

Dear Boys...

You are awful cute!

Love, Mom

Dear Boys...

Today was a pretty big day for you guys.  We had to say good bye to this old tree.  

This tree has been the first thing that we have seen when we looked out that front window every day for as long as we all can remember.

You decided to pull up some chairs and watch step by step what would happen to that old tree.  Jack, you probably had the hardest time with it.  That tree has meant a lot to you particularly over the years. 

When you were a baby, we used to have picnics in that yard with Miss Paula and Jonah and we would put a blanket right under the shade of that tree. 

 When you started walking, it was a great tree to hide behind when we played in that yard. 

It was the tree that marked the halfway mark when you started running and had to go tag something and then run back. 

As you grew older, and started playing wiffle ball in the front yard, you always dreamed of being able to hit that tree with a wiffle ball. 

You finally could hit the tree and then anything you hit past the tree was a homerun. 

That old tree has seen a LOT of wiffle ball games in its lifetime.  Wiffle ball games, football games, Easter Egg hunts.  It has watched you walk to school, walk home from school, and past it on your way to the backyard pool across the street.

You learned how to ride a bike in front of that tree.  That tree has watched all of you boys play together in the front yard...arguing, giggling, and growing up.

As Ben watched the tree trimmers cut section by section of the tree down today, he looked at me and said, "Mommy, it's just like the tree in our favorite book!"

And it did. It reminded me of the years that we have spent with that tree and how much it has given us....and how we really haven't given it much in return.

 Its shade....

 A hiding place...

 A home run fence...

As that last section came down, I found myself wondering if that tree really wished that we could carve a boat out of its trunk.

 And I thought about one of you boys sitting on the stump to take a rest.

I thought about all the pictures we have of you children and how that tree is in almost every one that was ever taken in our front yard. 

And, the tree was happy. 

Love, Mom

Dear Boys..

All right you crazy kiddos!  I have to vow to write on this more often!!  There are so many things throughout the day/week/month that I see and think, "I need to write to the boys about that." and then I never do it.  Hopefully it is because I am busy WITH you and not withOUT you. 

For now, here are a few pictures of our spring break...at home...  I love you guys!

Jack is a dunking machine!  (as long as the hoop is only 7 feet tall...but who's measuring!)



 Joey found a group of friends to play kickball with at the park before we even parked the car!

 "How am I going to get that ball out of that puddle?"

 "Of course!  I have a big brother who will do ANYTHING for me!"

 Such determination!!!

 Run Joey Run!

 You can make it to second!

 Uh, Ben, aren't you supposed to slide on the INSIDE of that tube slide?

 Dunk Dunk Dunk

 "What's with that camera in my face all the time??"

 "MOM! Think fast!"

 "You talkin' ta me?"

Happy Spring!

Love, Mom

Dear Boys...

None of you is feeling particularly well.  Jack, you have been sick since last week and are probably the "well-est" of all you guys right now.  Joey, you seem to be getting better today.  Ben, you are feeling awful.  And, I feel awful about that.  You see, I will send you off to school tomorrow, loaded up on cough medicine and motrin hoping to help you feel better while you aren't home snuggling with me.  I have to go to work.  Of all weeks to get sick, this one is the worst.  (not that any week is a GOOD week to get sick!)  Dad is out of town.  I am needed at work.  I am needed at home...by you guys.  It is the plight of the working mom, I am afraid...our internal struggle of wanting, needing to stay home with her munchkins, especially when they aren't feeling well.  And yet, knowing, responsibilities at work beckon, and people needing me to help them meet their deadlines aren't always the most understanding in these situations.  Acutally, I shouldn't say that.  The majority of the people I work with are VERY understanding.  It is the small minority who can make my work life as difficult as can be when/if I need to stay at home with my sick babies.  Oh, they would never say anything directly to me about it, but I would always know.  "Why doesn't she have back up babysitting for situations like this?"  "Doesn't she know how to plan better for when she has a sick kid?"  "Gee, I don't get to take a day off when my kid gets sick..because I don't have kids!"  And, in this economy of people struggling to find and keep their jobs, my poor babies get the short end of the stick.  Instead of staying home and putting cool wash clothes on your head, and reading to you in bed, and making you chicken soup, I will send you to school, hoping that the teachers there will take at least half as good a care as I would have taken with you.  And, I will feel guilty about it all day...and pray that you aren't feeling horribly and wondering why mom has to go to work instead of stay home with you. 

I'm sorry baby.  I hope you feel better.  I will sleep with you tonight, and make sure you don't have a fever.  I will make sure you have a cup of orange juice next to your bed and your favorite n'night tucked right under your cheek.  I will snuggle with you and stroke your forehead and sing you lullabyes and hope that in the morning, your sniffles will all be gone.  And pray that you will always know how much I love you. 

Love, Mom