snapshots

ezra might have pneumonia so we stayed home from church on sunday.

it's kind of a joke how much we've been sick this winter.

he would have a complete come apart if he couldn't see me. 

i got up to change my clothes and told cory

to turn ezra around to face me.

he thought i was kidding.

as soon as he turned that red-faced, screaming baby around,

he immediately smiled and cooed.

talk about making a mama feel special on mother's day.

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when i put jude to bed on sunday night,

i played with her hair and said,

"thank you for making me a mommy. i love you so much."

and she said, "yeah."

and it was perfect and sweet and so jude.

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last night jude woke up coughing at three am.

cory tried and tried but couldn't get her to calm down or stop coughing.

nothing seemed to help soothe her.

i took her into the kitchen and we split a cherry twin-pop

while watching our current favorite episode of daniel tiger.

it's the potty episode.

jude is so excited about all things potty right now.

i think she might end up potty training herself.

it was so sweet to watch her hold her own popsicle half.

i loved wiping the little red drops that dribbled down her chin

because she was too busy saying, "wash! wash!" to notice them.

i loved the cuddles i got after we finished our throat soothing treats.

we snuggled in the living room and said a quick prayer 

that her coughs would calm down so she could sleep.

she squeezed my neck while i walked her into her room

and fell asleep almost instantly.

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my life isn't fancy or perfect.

but it is filled with love

and sweet little voices that jabber all day long.

i wouldn't trade this life for anything in the world.

nothing is more important to me than taking care of my people.

than teaching them and loving them and keeping them safe.