| this new adventure called mommy |

Oh the laughs and memories that have been packed into these last two months. Monday, sweet Parker James will be 2 months old and I think I've learned more in that short time than all 4 years in school getting my bachelors! Some of these lessons are funny, others are more serious, but regardless, I hope you enjoy this reflection of our adventure thus far :) 

Mr. Sunshine himself

1. It all finally makes sense! I'm sure this is a familiar line to most people- as my parents were spanking me, they would always stop before they gave me that spanking to say, "this hurts me more than it hurts you." REALLY?!? I remember thinking, number one, there's absolutely no way that's possible considering you're using a belt and I'm taking it on my bare behind (by the way, I am VERY thankful that my parents believed in biblical discipline. "Those who spare the rod of discipline hates their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Proverbs 13:24") and number two, why are you going to prolong the process by giving me a speech that made no sense at all? But now, now that I'm older, (and maybe a bit wiser) it makes perfect sense. Although Parker is not old enough to get spankings, he does have hurts. And those hurts bring pain to me way more than him. When the gas builds up in his little tummy and he begins to cry, I want to cry with him. I want to take the pain away, protecting him always from any type of harm. I believe it'll always be that way...it's not always going to be gas pains; eventually it will be his first goose egg on his head from falling down as he takes his first steps, or his first set of stitches from doing something that I more than likely will tell him 100 times NOT to do. Then, it'll be the pain caused by his first heartbreak from his first love or when someone he holds dear lets him down or passes away. Regardless of the pain, how it comes or when it comes, it'll always hurt me more than him & I'll always wish I could take it for him! I now know that's just part of this new adventure called mommy. 

2. Im convinced: your body really doesn't require sleep! Seriously!! It's amazing how I've been able to just "keep going" even without the sleep that I'm so used to. By the time I nurse Parker, clean up from dinner or whatever went on that evening, take shower/bubble bath (which is an absolute necessity for me to relax at night), then pump so we have milk for throughout the night if Bryant wakes up with him & then finally make it to bed, I always think to myself "I'm going to be dead tomorrow!" But, nope! Somehow, my body just keeps going...and for that I am very thankful! [Side note- We were blessed with such an easy going, sweet spirited child. He hardly ever cries, he smiles and "talks" to us all the time & is hardly ever unhappy. I'm struggling with sleep with a near perfect child...I don't see how the people whose babies scream all day & night make it. God knew exactly what I needed!] But this is just another piece of this new adventure called mommy. 

3. As the holidays approach, now that Parker is with us, they've only become that much sweeter. Holidays have always been extra special with Bryson with us, but now with both boys, I get so excited! To watch them grow over the years, sharing holiday traditions & making memories is the most rewarding experience! Their happiness and the joy on their faces FAR outweighs anything I could receive during the holiday season...which is just another perk of this new adventure called mommy. 

4. Isn't it mind blowing how before kids, an hour was PLENTY of time to get ready; now, I can start getting ready 2 hours before and somehow, something is always going to come up. Parker is going to shoot pee all over the place while I'm changing his diaper or he's going to want to nurse right as I'm loading up the car, and somehow, those 2 hours quickly vanish! As time seems to be scarce nowadays, my greasy, three-days-without-washing hair doesn't look as bad as I thought it did...nothing a little dry shampoo, blow dry and hair spray can't spruce up :) I've also learned that spit up makes the cutest accessory...NOT! But, I'm used to wearing it...and wearing it with pride at that! It's more of a trophy rather than an inconvenience. A trophy that says, "I just began this new adventure called mommy & I'm loving every single second of it!" 

5. I know there's no way for us to ever comprehend the love that our heavenly father has for us, but I truly believe we get a glimpse of how much He loves us when we love our own children. It's a big, BIG love. One that cannot be described nor matched. The minute Parker entered this world, I understood a little bit more how much my God loves me- it's an everlasting, unconditional love and one of the best parts of this new adventure called mommy. 

6. As we were preparing for Parker's arrival, and even before I was ever pregnant, people would try to lecture me on how different it was going to be with Bryson once I had "kids of my own." I appreciate and love those people, and I know for certain their intentions were pure and hearts were right, but every time I heard that phrase, "you'll understand when you have kids of your own", my stomach turned. I didn't want anything to change between Bryson and I...and I certainly didn't see things in that light! Although I am not Bryson's biological mother, he's not my flesh and blood, he didn't grow inside of me for 9 months, I see him and Parker the same. I love them both with an everlasting, unconditional love that will not waiver or faint no matter what happens, where he goes or what he does! I now have a child of my own and I still don't "understand." I don't understand why anyone would ever want Bryson to feel any different or less important than Parker. I never want him to feel a difference at our house. He's ours, just like Parker is and I love them both more than they'll ever know...just another amazing part of this new adventure called mommy. 

Bryso & Park on Parker's dedication day.

7. I'm pretty sure shoulder surgery is in my near future. Not really, but it's very likely that it could be a possibility with the amount of times I reach back over the seat to put Parker's paci back in his mouth when he starts getting fussy. One day last week, Park was having a rough day. He normally doesn't cry, so when he does, you know something is really wrong. From the time I left veterans parkway starbucks to the time I got to work (the church I am on staff at is in Hamilton, GA, about a 20 minute drive from Columbus) he screamed anytime my hand was not on his face or finger in his mouth. I tried giving him his paci and it was instantly spit out. He had to feel that I was close to him or he started screaming. As numb as my arm was by the time we got to the church & as frazzled as my nerves were due to trying to keep my hand back on his cheek, while not looking like a maniac driving up 27, I can't say that I minded one bit. Because one day, he's going to be too cool for his mama's touch, too busy for long drives & too macho to need me. So as for now, I'll count the numb arm, frazzled nerves & cry that says he still needs me as another blessing on this new adventure called mommy. 

[If you don't have a home church, I dare you to give ours a try. It's pretty stinking incredible!! Check us out here]

8. Isn't it funny how some of the most influential, famous & brilliant people can talk all day long and, for me at least, it can go in one ear and out the other, but someone who has barely been alive for 2 months can make sounds and babbles that have absolutely no meaning, but yet those are the babbles and sounds that mean this world to you? I've had to go through and delete tons of old pictures on my phone just to free up space for videos of my sweet Parker "talking" to us...and oh how I melt inside when he does. Just another reason I love this new adventure called mommy. 

Time is a thief and before I know it, this new adventure called mommy will consist of running from baseball field to soccer practice to washing smelly uniforms to worship band practice to cooking dinner for boys that I will never be able to fill up. Things will look much different than they do now. I'll be up worrying about the boys on Friday nights instead of holding them in my lap snuggling while watching cartoons (that's what our night looks like tonight). Regardless of where this journey takes me, I couldn't be more honored, humbled & flat out excited about this new adventure called mommy. 

All my love~ Chelsea