My thanks to The shifts

On Saturday morning I woke up and something in me had shifted. I laid in bed knowing I had 2 to dress for soccer and 2 to get ready for swim lessons....breakfast to make for 6....the dog to feed and walk....and food to make for a party later in the day. But something wasn't right....I felt weak and cold and achy....I did my momma stuff and asked Jeremy if he could take the girls to swim lessons...I just didn't feel good.  

When they returned from swim, Sarah Kate said she didn't feel good and I shifted again....you can't feel bad when you have someone else to take care of...a little needs you too much. In moments the puking began and a steady stream of baths, laundry and carpet cleaning began. The momma shift had restored me and the only one sick was my pitiful Sarah Kate.

U of L was playing and Jenna brought me over my very own Cards T-shirt and I put it on cause that's how much I love her.....

 I got everyone ready...made the food and Jeremy took the others to the party while I stayed home to take care of Sarah Kate.

 I did run over after the game to take a quick pic with Jenna in our Cards wear..(this may be a one time only pic, you know!) The shift was sustaining...I felt good....

 As the afternoon entered evening...Sarah Kate stopped throwing up...and was just tired... the piles of throw up towels were clean....the sheets were all changed and the house was sanitized....and I felt it...things shifted again....I was allowed to feel it....to be sick again...and it hit me hard....it was a night of the toilet, bath, bed dance. I woke up five pounds lighter and feverish and weak.

 The shift had let me feel it hard and fast...as I sat lifeless on the couch Sunday morning...Lila crawled up in my lap and as her hot body got hotter and hotter....I felt the shift again.....my time would have to end...it was her turn...

 I was weak from the battle but the shift let me take care of baby girl...get the puke piles of laundry started and all the sheets changed again....I know every piece of me hurt but the shift didn't  let me feel the hurt..it just propelled me forward. It was a big day too as the Cats were playing to go to the final four and Riggs told me if I was sick we were going to loose....I pulled myself off the couch.... took a bath and put on my UK shirt....

I got the good luck cookies made.....

 and the queso ready just in time for tip off....Lila and I put it on our plates but didn't dare take a bite....

The Cats won and are final four bound to play the Cards!

It was a happy, happy moment in our weekend....

Lila's high fever continued...and the next to fall was Riggs...

I am so happy he got to enjoy the game before he got sick..those Wildcats mean so much to him!

The shift sustained me and I am so thankful. It was Sunday and Monday of more sickness...a constant haze of what can I do to make it better.....on Tuesday morning I finally got our of that Kentucky shirt I put on for the game on Sunday. As I peeled it off my body...and let the hot shower pour over me....I just cried...I am not sure why but I did....

I want to remember all of this...I want to remember how hard it is at times...and how you sometimes enter what I call survival mode. I don't want to forget any of it...because it's weekends like this that make me the mother that I am. Mothering is such a force...it takes over...it gives you the shifts to do what you need to do for those you love...even when you have nothing to give....the shifts of motherhood provide....and propelled on the fuel of love you more forward and take care of the ones you love most. You hold fevered bodies....clean up puke by the buckets....and you don't think twice about it....

We are slowing climbing out of this battle field.....

 and feeling a little stronger everyday.....

 Tomorrow we will be back in business 100%....

It did feel like a battle and the weekend was a whopper....but in a strange way it makes you feel amazing....like you fought the battle and you won....and like the virus questioned my mothering abilities and I proved I was worthy...and that feels good....that no matter what the shifts in me will help me do what I need to do.....my heartfelt thanks to the shifts. I couldn't have done it without you.

all heart Hardys

I see my boys try so hard at everything they do and I love that about them. Today at Track practice the practice was grueling ......literally an hour of no break...hill running. Kids were crying....falling down....Rollins went by once and was having trouble breathing...Riggs went by once with his had over this mouth trying to make the urge to throw up go away. As a mom, I just wanted to gather them up...put them in the truck and go home...and I believe if they had given me any indication that that is what they wanted I would have been all over it. I watched and waited for a look...a plea of the eyes...a word....some indication that it was too much...too hard...but they never did. They just kept going....and never stopped.

These boys are all heart.....and that is something you can't teach....I am so proud of their determination and their "I won't give up" attitudes.....they truly amaze me and inspire me.

Lila's friends

Lila has found the beauty of friendship. She is asking to play with her friends now and just lights up when she is with them!

 I love watching her talking and laughing with them....and the things they come up with to do...like coloring themselves from head to toe with sidewalk chalk.....

 I am so glad she treasures her friends and has so many to play with and love!

Gran-Gran's swing

My littles love Gran-Gran's swing.....it's place they all are drawn to and something they all do together. I can tell it's a place they will always remember......

Mary Poppins

For Christmas one of our gifts from Bumpa was a Mary Poppins day! We all got tickets to go see the musical! On the way there Rollins threw up in the truck so gran gran had to pick him up....that sweet boy was still smiling even though he felt so bad!

We were all very excited...especially the girls who know the songs...they were excited to get their spoon full of sugar on!

We settled into our seats.......

and soon it began!

I promised little missy a coke at intermission and she held me to it......

We really enjoyed it......it was Supercalfraglisticexpialadoucious!

After we headed to the river to eat and enjoy the beautiful day!

I love watching Riggs with Lila....he is so protective and sweet with her.....

The sunshine felt so good!

It was a great day...the only thing missing was Rollins.

Early release

We had our first spring early release day from school! We started at the Comfy Cow for creamy deliciousness...and then headed home to meet up with more friends to play outside all afternoon!

Happy Hunger Games!

Today is the day! I get to see this amazing book as a movie!

 I have my team Peeta shirt ready....(thanks to Jane!)

and I just can't wait to see it with friends and family!

I am team Peeta for sure....I true am a hopeless romantic!

First Track Meet

The Hardy Boys attended their very first track meet ever at Fern Creek High School this past week end. They had been running hard at track practice and trying hard to understand this new sport...how it is different than cross country running. They were excited to see what they could do...but they were both nervous.

real nervous.....

They were in 3 events...the first being the mile.....

The gun went off and they were off and running around the track.....

So how did they do? Well Riggs took off and was in 6th or 7th place about half way into the first lap...I just didn't know how well he would pace himself....

As he approached the end of his first lap he was in third place....

He got up to Ethan.....

and then passed him too...

He was pushing and trying so hard.....

You can't be any more proud of your child than when you witness them give their all to something....

He really laid his heart on the line...and finished first and with a new PR.

He was pleased with his 5:50 mile...

And little Rollins......

well he laid his heart on the line too...

and ran as fast as his little legs could go....

and he also crossed the finish line with a new PR....a 6:36 mile

There is a lot of waiting and watching at a track meet...and this was our first one ever so we took it all in...

But the boys were in Heaven watching the middle school boys....Riggs & Rollins could watch Trenton and Josh run all day long...

Soon they were up for the 800....and they rocked that out too.....Riggs placing first in his age group and Rollins placing second.....

We ended the day with a relay.....

It was all fun and games until they looked up to size up the competition ! I'm not one to make excuses but the 7th graders may have had a tiny bit more leg length and muscle mass than my 7 and 9 year old...I'm just saying'!

But my boys ran like they were just as tall an any boy out there!

Determination.....

Perseverance .....

Heart.....

It was a fun first track meet...and a day I won't forget. We have another one in two weeks and I think now  that we have one under our belt the next one will be even better! I am so proud of my boys! They love to run...truly they do!