A Martin Minute

Christmas Letter 2014! I know y'all have been waiting by your mailboxes for my annual Christmas card. I know y'all have been dying to see how precious the Martin kiddos are this year. I know y'all are going to open your cards and think this is the most precious they have been. I know these things, but the truth is they are most precious when they are asleep!  And I am NOT going to take a picture of them asleep & risk waking them - not even for y'all. Here we are another year older & hopefully another year wiser. Here we are in our simple Southern city with 4 kids and 5 busy schedules. (Baby hasn't figured out how to have an activity yet.) Our sweet princess, Baylor, is eleven & will start middle school next year - CRAZY!  She is super smart & LOVES to read.  She is a good little helper & keeps us all in line.  She loves soccer & tried tennis this year. Basketball is a new sport this Winter. She had a friend move to AU this Summer...

Littlest Baby, Sorry I am 12 days late on your birthday post. Life is a little crazy around here & you have something to do with that. You are a BUSY baby!  You go, go, go all day long. You are such a blessing.  Even in the middle of the night (which you sometimes like to snuggle with me) you are sweet to your momma. You love M&M's & stealing my coke. You are loving all the Christmas decorations.  You are still obsessed with cars & beeps. You can see a car & tel lme who drives one like it & whether or not it is cool. You cannot say donkey very well, but it is funny when you say "Baby Jeje, darnit"  That means Mommy, Baby Jesus & a donkey."  You love the  nativities in people's yards. Your siblings & Mac are still your favorite people.  Your grandparents drive the coolest cars, but Dale's truck may beat all the other cars out for favorite "beep." My little surprise baby is one of life's greatest joys. ...

National Championship: Where am I looking? Someone asked me today (and last week) how long I had been married.  I told them, "14 years." Both times I was told that was a long time!!?? What?!?! I thought we were just getting started - WE ARE just getting started. Kids, it is sad when 14 years is a long time - it is not a long time.  This is only the beginning of a beautiful thing. Love you SuperHubby!

Really Weird = My baby turned 2 today & I signed my oldest up for a week long camp. Crazy times & they grow up to fast Birthday post later

I pray this post finds you thankful. I pray this post finds you with friends & family. I pray this post finds you joyful no matter the circumstances. What are we thankful for here? We are thankful for 14 years together & for a lifetime of love. We are thankful for 4 crazy kiddos who fill our house with messes & laughter & a lot of noise. We are thankful for role models in our family. We are thankful for modern medicine & new ways to fight Moppy's cancer. We are thankful for our Moppy, extra special this year. We are thankful a little extra this year for our Poppy & how he stands by her side. We are thankful for big families. We are thankful for good schools & even better friends in them. We are thankful for teachers who love God & love our kiddos. We are thankful for our church & the fellowship in its walls. Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful,  and so wo...

Philippians 1:9-11 New Living Translation (NLT) 9  I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.   10  For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.   11  May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ [ a ] —for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Love this. How have I never noticed this? I think I will start praying this for my kiddos. No matter what they do, or don't do, in life I want their lives to bring glory to God.

Moments of fun & laughter. Moments of tears. Moments of fear. Moments of joy. All these moments are times when we need to remind ourselves - GOD IS SOVEREIGN! As I sat at the hospital today I sat with some of my original gang I cried.  God placed me in this family in HIS omniscient plan we are where we are supposed to be.  The hospital waiting room was not on our radar, but on HIS.  It was there we prayed & cried & laughed & counted our Mom as one of our top blessings. Prayers - the C word is scary. Prayers - for doctor's steady hands & wisdom. Prayers & rejoicing - the lymph nodes are clear. Prayers of thankfulness for putting me with this bunch. There are times people thought my parents were crazy for having 6 kiddos.  (I get funny reactions sometimes when I tell people I have 4.)  Well, if you were there today you saw a family who places God first.  The moments like today, full of every emotion under the sun, are mome...

Whitty-Whitt is 7! He has started FIRST grade & is starting to read. He is making new friends! He is learning new sports & growing his imagination. He is loving life! It is a joy to be Whitty's mom - he is so real.  He is who he is & you cannot help but love him.  He is his own version of AWESOMENESS. Whitty, Thank you for your sweet smile & your special hugs. Thank you for smiling at me from the baseball field - I love that. Thank you for letting me still give you a kiss in the lunchroom & not being too embarrassed. Thank you for being brave at a new school - you were way braver than me =) I love you & cannot wait to see what this 7th year will bring.  I know it will bring easy days & hard days, but each one will bring more love. I love you ~ Mommy P.S. for the record I am early on this post - yay me!

Some people have BEAUTIFUL pieces of furniture in every room on every wall. I do have some nice pieces, but I am being real - sometimes they become race tracks. The trunk that used to sit at my grandmother's house is one of Littlest Baby's favorite places to play cars.  His second favorite place is the dining room table I inherited from my other grandmother, and then my other grandmother bought me a pad to top it off & protect it - THAT was being real. The table has about 8 Hot Wheels on it & the trunk has about 10 behind it. I have the table double-covered, but he sits in the chair & lines up his cars & trucks & has a blast. REAL = Hot Wheels in the dining room Now if I can just remember this - being real & present s more important than clean & pretty.

Sweet Baby is in the Monkey Class at MDO this year. He likes to carry in his lunchbox. However, FYI he is OBSESSED with keys & locking cars. If he ask you if your car is locked please answer in the affirmative - LIE if you have to. ~ Mommy

"Say what you will about the South, but nobody retires and moves up North." Just passing this info along . . . a Southern baby's dirty feet seen in my van

First Grader! Third Grader! Fifth Grader! Pretending like he is driving off to leave Mommy =( Well, we have them all at the right school & in the right classes & Aunt B is checking on the middle ones in a few minutes.  Littlest Baby is pitching a fit & did not understand why we left Whitty this time.  Then when I explained for the 10th time that Whitty is staying each day at this school now he said "Bye Mommy!" as if he was going to stay too. Everyone was brave & I only cried a little =(  I miss them.  I do not wait for school to start at the end of the Summer. More later . . .

I read an article today written by a local author.  She wrote it to her 4 girls - they were life lessons she wanted them to know in case she died before she got to teach them to her daughters.  You see in the past few years (I believe 3) in our area there have been 4 parents I can think of that have died too young.  Some cancer & some accidents & I only knew 1 personally.  The thought has crossed my mind as to what I would want my kids to know - in all truthfulness this was a HUGE fear of mine when Bay was little. What if I missed the big moments? What if I do miss the big moments?  What if something happens?  What if I cannot always be there for one of you? I know - you would be fine.  God would still be God & He can only be the best parent for all of us. I know these things in my heart, but the thought hurts.  I know all the right answers, but I still do not want to miss a moment of each of your journeys and adventures. I love b...

Wacky Hair Day! Sassy hair & an heirloom dress - perfectly Southern! She is practically perfect.  She loves God, loves her family & is super smart!  She is 11!  She is growing up way too fast & this Mommy is just watching. Sweet girl I just watch & wonder - I watch as you make friends & I wonder where you will go next.  I watch as you grow up & try to mother your littlest brother & wonder what I would do without you.  I cannot imagine my life without my firstborn. I love you so much ~ Mommy

Just before I snapped this picture I put this little one in the bathtub. He looked at me with that face & said, "Hi my mom." While I am writing this tonight he is in the bath & I am sitting on the toilet. He is playing with a washcloth & plastic golf club - simplicity. Love this life!

Sometimes the truth just gets out . . . http://www.mommyish.com/2014/07/18/things-moms-of-four-kids-do/

sweet new friend = fun photographer Fourteen years of fun! Fourteen years of doing life together. If you had asked us 14 years ago what the picture would have looked like - I am not sure we would have said like this, but we would not have it any other way. Fourteen years of being married to my best friend - I can talk to him about anything & sometimes he may laugh at (or with) me - there is no judgement, only love.  You know it must be true love because he hasn't run yet. Does this true love look like the movies?  No - the movies ain't got nothin' on us, we do true love better. Thank you for going in the trenches with me. Thank you for late nights & early mornings. Thank you for babies & for working hard. Thank you for loving me "as is." I love you!

I got on Pinterest the other evening to look up & follow a new friend & started reading some old quotes I had pinned..  Today I came across something & pinned it to my board & started reading these quotes again - I love quotes.  However, as I read my board I realized you could find out everything about me on that one page. http://www.pinterest.com/jocymm/quotes/ "Beat Bama" "a party without cake is just a meeting" Julia Child "Southern Belle secrets #63: you MONOGRAM everything" Others quoted: CS Lewis, Coco Chanel, Uncle Si & of course the Bible There you go people.  I love my kids & my hubby is my best friend. I am a little crazy & love fashion, but trying to be real.  I need to be more prayerful. I love Auburn & the South & sweets. God is sovereign & for that I am ever grateful.  He is good all the time & all the time He is good. That's me kids.  When you look back & read this one day.  H...

I love quotes.  I love just looking up inspirational quotes & finding, well, inspiration.  Tonight I came across a few quotes on Pinterest & came across quite a few that were talking about "being free."  Most implying that when you . . . you will feel free. I am not free, I am a little tied down, BUT that is the way I like it.  I cannot just pick up & go somewhere or do whatever I want completely free.  I have a husband and kids and responsibilities.  I have people who count on me.  I like it that way.  Those people are who I do life with & those are the people I WANT to be with & I do not need to be free. I have grace.  It is much better than "being free."  I have grace from God as a gift. I do live in a free country & have many freedoms, but I cannot just up & do whatever I want for myself. I do not see it as a negative thing.  Would I want to do life any other way?  NO Sure I have moments whe...

Father's  Day is fun at the Martin house! SuperDaddy gets to stay home from church with a sick baby and then he has to go pick up his own food to-go.  I sure  know how to celebrate! He made it clear we were not supposed to do anything with/for him and with a sick little one we cannot go out a lot & "it's father's day" is a good excuse to not have to eat my cooking. We love SuperDaddy and the way he takes care of our family.  My hubby works hard to provide for our family & comes home wanting to be with the kiddos.  He is constantly giving. My children are so blessed to have him in their lives. My kiddos also have 2 grandfathers who are very involved on their lives and are great role models. I love knowing that my boys have men to watch.  Men they can look up to & copy in matters that matter.  (that really does make sense)  I know that if/when they go to these men for advice, one day, that I will not have to worry. Having me...

First Big Boy Haircut! Spring Break - Left littlest baby at home Field Trips are better when you know the answers EASTER 2014 - Southerners in Seersucker Here are some phone pics from the last month or so. We are having fun and playing a lot of soccer, but cannot find soccer pics. I am ready for Summer & a little bit of lazy & VBS & camps & tennis & travel & a new cousin. Okay, maybe not enough lazy, but A LOT of fun!

Such a precious day for this boy.  Whitty is my quiet one who does not necessarily like o be in the spotlight, but I have to say he enjoyed feeling extra special at Kindergarten Graduation.  A speaking part & a solo added to the excitement.   Our kiddos have been blessed to attend a sweet pre-school & Kindergarten that is associated with our church.  It is a great academic & spiritual environment for their little hearts & has been a blessing to each of them.  At the end of their time there they have a program & graduation ceremony.  At the program the kids talk about taking what they have learned & using it for Jesus at the different schools they will be going to.  Shining the light of Jesus wherever they go - PRECIOUS!  We have been blesses with teachers that are still friends & love my babies. Whitt was FABULOUS!  He & his sweet friends nailed it.  I love the friendships that have gotten star...

I realize that I have never been "the cool girl." I am okay with that  - most of the time anyway. I realize that I have driven a station wagon & a minivan & these things do not help my level of coolness. However, I was certain when I bought the refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom that I would be cooler, not totally cool, but cooler. I am sick of my ice falling to my floor when I get a coke out of the freezer.  It looks cool & in theory it should be cool, but the puddle (I know we just all thought of the FROZEN song then) is getting ridiculous.  The ice falls out & then we no longer notice it now, so there always seems to be a puddle by my freezer.  Not cool. I had to vent & my kids give me funny looks when I vent about ice on the floor, evidently they are too cool to worry about stuff like that. Graduation Pics coming

ITEM #1: My princess was showing me the artwork she had drawn during last night's church service (Sorry Uncle Big Mac) and I told her it was beautiful.  Well then WFM5 interrupted  and said, "I just drew pictures of people (not me) peeing and pooping."  Welcome to boys! ITEM #2: Tonight at Publix to pick up the Easter ham I asked Whitty Baby to stop making "bathroom noises" (i.e. tooting sounds)  a few seconds later I heard him make another one, so I stopped him.  I asked him why he made that noise after I asked him not too?  He said, " that was a living room noise."  All I could do was laugh. ITEM #3 The 2 older boys were trying to teach Littlest Baby to say "cut the cheese." Do we see a trend? I am so thankful I have a girl to escape with from time-to-time More later & Easter pics soon

 What a tough football player - October  So cute outside - October Halloween Soccer studs - fun to be on cousins team!  Bay soccer award!  Littlest Baby loves his daily carpool routine - Whitty Baby was photog of the day  BASKETBALL SuperStar! I cannot find Cinco's b'ball pics, but he may have found his calling Sang thru Sissy's ENTIRE program - great speaking part Bay Mountain lion warning while trying to hike in the Hollywood Hills Circus = AWESOME!  Me & my first 3 had a FUN time!  Sweetheart Tea at Whitty's precious Kindergarten Valentine's Day in their matching shirts Trying to update super quick - we just got back from a quick trip to start off Spring Break & now to keep up the fun . . .

I have 100+ pics on my camera to show you our fun in January & February. I also have special printed Valentine's to mail to you by a wonderful artist - my firstborn son. However, everything is on the kitchen counter.  I do not have much kitchen counter, but what I do have I use for all my beautiful "organizing." (Everything makes sense in my head) I am not sure what is happening to me in these last few weeks, but I have started to cleaning out closets & stuff.  However, since I need to clean out the basement (more than anything) I cannot store all my purging in the basement so it is slowly going in my kitchen & dining room, because that is where everyone keeps piles. I have 2 more closets to tackle this weekend & then I start the basement. Soooo . . . all that too say that I may save these Valentine's for next year & ask SuperHubby if he can download pics from my camera as a gift to me.  Actually, I may ask him this tonight before he realizes ...

I wrote a post earlier this morning AND THEN . . . it changed. Littlest Baby was wide awake & wanted to play - so cute. Have you ever seen "The Croods?"  Cute movie (minus the evolution) & they have an animal that says,  "dunh dun duuuun"  when something is happening. Well, Littlest Baby tripped over a blanket that he had put there & chipped 2 teeth & knocked another one slightly loose & his top lip & gums are swollen. Still = perfect patient I was home from 2 doctors offices (tubes & dentist) by 10 AM with sick Whitty in tow. This morning as the nurses took Littlest to start his gas for the tubes - I prayed & for God's love & protection to follow him beyond those doors.  I then comforted myself (we all know I do not share my babies well) by saying over & over again, "He is yours God. He is yours." They are not mine, I only have them for a time.  I do not share well, but they are not mine.  I do not know ...

I just read the article below & found it perfect. I do not know much about the author, but I thought it was too funny not to pass along. The jist (sp?) of the article - BE REAL & know that no one is a perfect parent. http://www.conversiondiary.com/2014/01/22-things-i-learned-in-my-first-ten-years-of-parenthood.html Our house: Littlest Baby - tubes in both ears this morning = perfect patient Came home = Whitty has fever = TV time = perfect patient We have had someone sick at our house since the day after Christmas - I think it is time to take SuperHubby up on a cleaning service for a 1 time super clean ~ Mommy (up since 4 AM)

Sweet Littlest Baby is eating lunch & learning what a camel says at the same time - too cute! In the middle of this he has caught the hiccups & the giggles & is trying to eat my pizza & is trying to climb out of his highchair.  Too fun to be 1! This little walker is keeping all of us on our toes =) FLASHBACK: look how still he used to be Now I let him loose & he has taken more of my pizza & left me - better go ~ Mommy

Late . . . that is just the way I roll these days - that is how all the cool people do it. My Sweet Second Baby, I am sorry that your birthday post is late, but if anyone can let it roll off their backs - you can. You are so giving of your smile & jokes & can handle anything I throw your way.  You are still my sports addict AND I think you always will be. You are flying straight through 2nd grade & a friend to everyone. You loved football & are excited about soccer.  The last play-off game you got hurt at the end, but did not want to come out of the game.  I think my heart stopped, but coach let you stay in  - you were tough. Although when the game was over you asked me to leave fast so no one could see you upset & hurting. You were strong, but real with me & I took that as the highest compliment. Love from your biggest fan ~ Mommy