When I grow up...

Although this post may not be exciting to many, I thought it was pretty neat and wanted to be sure and document it.  This afternoon at lunch, I randomly asked the boys what they wanted to be when they grew up.  Harper said "I want to be a doctor, like Dr. Cornett."  And Warren replied, "I want to be a coach, like Coach Corn.  I think I'd be a good coach."  Harper retracted his statement and said "No, mommy, actually, I want to be....well, ya, I want to be a doctor, like Dr. Cornett."

Oddly enough, as I was moving some pictures from my phone to my computer tonight, I came across these two pictures.

 This was taken back in the fall.  Warren tucked his shirt into his sweat pants and started jogging, and said "Look, mom, I'm Coach Corn."  

And this was taken awhile ago, though I'm not sure exactly when.  As Harper was playing dress up, he put on the stethoscope and told Chris that he was Dr. Cornett.

Coincidence?  Maybe.  But, though I'm not rushing it, I sure can't wait to see what they become when they grow up.

When the boys were born, I wanted to write a letter to include in their baby books.  Something they could read when they grew up that would let them know how I felt about them.  But, when I heard the song, "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts (which was released only 3 months before Warren was born), I felt like they stole my exact thoughts and wrote them out much more poetically than I could have done.  So, while I don't know what the boys will be when they grow up...maybe Warren will grow up to be a coach, like Coach Corn?  Maybe Harper will grow up to help hurting people, like Dr. Cornett.....but whatever they become,  this is my wish....
 
I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow 
And each road leads you where you want to go  
And if you're faced with the choice and you have to choose 
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you
 
And if one door opens to another door closed 
I hope you keep on walkin' ‘til you find the window 
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile 
But more than anything, more than anything
 
My wish for you  
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to  
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small  
You never need to carry more than you can hold
 
And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to 
I hope you know somebody loves you  
And wants the same things too  

Yeah, this is my wish
 
I hope you never look back but you never forget  
All the ones who love you and the place you left  
I hope you always forgive and you never regret 
And you help somebody every chance you get
 
Oh, you'd find God's grace in every mistake  
And always give more than you take  
But more than anything, yeah more than anything

My wish for you 
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to  
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small 
You never need to carry more than you can hold
 
And while you're out there gettin' where you're gettin' to 
I hope you know somebody loves you 
And wants the same things too  
Yeah, this is my wish, yeah yeah

Harper-isms

I don't want to miss out and forget to give Harper some "blog time"...so with that, I bring you some recent "Harper-isms."

To begin, this past Sunday was my turn to be the parent helper in Harper's Sunday School class.  I have to give it to his Sunday School teachers.  Ms. Alyna and Ms. Shannon are two of the best.  They work hard to keep the kids active and having fun, but they also weave in the weekly Bible curriculum...not easy with a class of 3 year olds I learned.  On this particular morning, the Bible story was on loving one another and showing love to each other.  (How fitting, as Sunday was also the morning Westboro Baptist Church chose our church to picket.)  Anyway, Harper was all ears as Ms. Alyna shared the Bible message.  He was one of the few to actually remain seated and participate in the lesson...very loudly, I might add.  So, when Ms. Alyna asked the kids "Who knows where love comes from?"  Harper did not hesitate to shout out his answer.  "Lovebugs!"  So, maybe weaving in the Bible story is a bit harder than I imagined. 

Fast forward two minutes to music time.  As the kids crowded together on the small carpet, they were ready to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider."  Harper loves music and this time was no different.  He stood up and started belting the song, complete with hand motions.  That is...until the sun dried up all the rain.  Not only did the sun dry up all the rain, but the sun also smacked Harper's friend in the face. You might be thinking, as I was, "This would be a perfect time to model 'showing love."  And, you would be right.  However, Harper was more interested in showing love to the spider than his friend, apparently.

Also this week, Harper surpassed his brother in weight.  Harper (who is 3 years younger than Warren, mind you) weighs 47 pounds, while Warren weighs 44 pounds.  And this weekend, I figured out why.  On our way home from lunch Sunday, I glanced in the rearview mirror to find Harper stretching his neck to either side.  I asked him what he was doing, to which he replied "I'm just exercising, Mom.  This is how I exercise my neck.  But some time it might just come off."  And, I believe that is the extent of Harper's exercising.  My kind of kid!

Finally, leaving Chick-Fil-A tonight, with balloon animals in tow, Harper's green dolphin says to Warren's Orca whale, "Don't kill me.  I'm your best friend, remember?"  To which Warren's whale replies, "Um, Harper, I think you mean brother."  Harper's response:  "Oh ya, but it's the same thing."  I hope so, sweet Harper, I hope so. 

 

Buckle Up!

As I sit here on my last day of Spring Break, I cannot believe that Monday we return to finish up the last nine weeks of school.  This year has been filled with major learning, especially for Warren.  We are so impressed with the things he is learning in Kindergarten.  Not only is he reading like a champ, he's blowing us away with his math and science.  And, equally important in our household....he is learning so much about music and the arts.  He comes home telling us about crescendos and decrescendos and tempo.  Just last week he asked me if we could listen to some jazz, because Ms. Cunningham played some jazz for them in music and he really liked it.

Outside of school, he has been taking a boys gymnastics class this month at the YMCA.  It's been wonderful!  There are four boys, ages 5-12, in the class, with two instructors (one of which is a boy).  He has class just one hour, one night a week for a month.  Then, it starts over again.  It's not competitive at all and he just loves it.  In fact, he sat at home today (during Spring Break) and drew pictures of the rings and the balance beams.

Tuesday night, during one of the breaks, his teacher spoke with Chris for a few minutes.  She said he really has "natural ability" and "strength" and "follows directions (hers anyway) really well."  She said that if he seemed to enjoy it, she would recommend he continue at the Y for another month to learn a few more basics, then he should probably move to a gymnastics club!  Exciting stuff!

But wait!  I have boys.  Boys aren't supposed to be interested in jazz music and gymnastics.  Where are the loud guitars and cute t-ball pictures I had imagined...and that all my friends have?  No, leave it to my boys to listen to Duke Ellington and have pictures in leotards.  Well, I'm learning, yet again, that I don't need to compare my life to my friends' lives.  It's not my plan that is important here; I'm not driving this boat.  God's at the wheel and He's got a much bigger plan for us, I know.  And I'm slowly (very slowly) learning to move aside and let Him take the wheel.  Buckle up!