The last time...

I go to MOPS every 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. If you're not familiar with MOPS, it's an organization for moms and it stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. The meetings usually consist of mothers getting together for prayer, sharing breakfast, talking about "mom-stuff", making crafts and then we have different speakers that talk about everything from keeping your child safe around pools to how to pray with purpose for your children. To be honest, I had been a little disheartened with the our speakers over the last few meetings and I wasn't looking forward to going this past month. But I hadn't been to a meeting in a couple of weeks so I thought I would give it another try. When the woman got up and starting speaking I felt myself tuning out....again.
Then she started to talk about her own son.

She talked about how she felt when her son was young and how she looked so forward to each one of his milestones. When he was first born, she couldn't wait until he smiled, when he was 6 mo old, she couldn't wait until he crawled, then walked, then talked. And before she knew it, she was standing in her kitchen talking to her 17 year old son that was almost a foot taller than her about which college he was going to attend in the fall. She then went on to say that during that conversation with her son, her mind began to wander back over the last 17 years. She couldn't believe how quickly it had all passed. Then she had an idea.

She told her son to sit on the countertop. She approached him and told him to wrap his arms around her. She also wrapped her arms around him and then attempted to carry him across the kitchen! As she stumbled back and forth, almost losing her balance several times she managed to get him back on the countertop without a scratch on either one of them. When he was finally able to stop laughing, he asked her what that was all about.
She simply responded, "Now I'll never forget the last time I held you."

When I picked Kaleb up from the nursery that day, he was asleep on a woman's shoulder. I quickly tried to remember the last time he had fallen asleep on me.
I couldn't.

I took that woman's story to heart and since that day I have tried to slow down. I've tried to enjoy my little boy because I know I will blink my eyes and he will be my big boy.

Two days after that MOPS meeting Kaleb came down with a cold and developed an ear infection. Since he had trouble sleeping, I put him on my chest and laid on the couch. He slept on me for almost 3 hours. Even though I never like to see my baby sick, I kind of feel like God gave me that little gift.

It was wonderful.
And I will never forget it.

The last month in pictures

We have been a busy bunch in October...K and I went to Texas, I went on an all-day/all-night girls only extravaganza for my girlfriend Ashley's 30th birthday and then we have had Halloween parties and of course, Kaleb's first time at trick-or-treating!!
Here are the pics from it all...


Kaleb met this girl at my friend, Karie's wedding. It was the most adorable thing to see the way they looked at each other. They didn't know what to do so they just stood next to each other and smiled until we made them hug-so cute!!


Kaleb with Lyndi and my Dad(not pictured is Bella, their dog that K refers to as Bay-ya!)


K with my Mom


K with my brother Ross and SIL Ashley


K with my Papa, they really liked being around each other!!


Ash's 30th Birthday!! (She was still in the bathroom getting ready!)
Kim, Stephanie, Heather, Me, Julie and Liz


Ash and I at Su Vino


Liz and I thinkin' we're sassy


Alf and our Monk!!




Trick Or Treat!!