6 days of posting in one.....talk about random

Yesterday (okay, it wasn't yesterday-it was LAST Wednesday but it was "yesterday" when I started this post- I'm just getting around to finishing) I met my girl friend Christina and her son Carter for lunch and a little playtime in River Park. I was going to just take Gracie so I could have a little one-on-one time with her. Long story short I had an appointment in the morning that I couldn't take any kids to and Gage had a birthday party at Skywalk in the afternoon. I opted to have my sitter for those two and I just took the twins with me for lunch. It was rather ridiculous. I was trying to push the tandem snap-and-go stroller which turns terribly and hold Gracie on my hip at the same time because she's not a good hand-holder. I made it into Panera okay......then Ashlyn started to fuss so I took her out of the stroller......then Jay started to fuss so I passed Ashlyn off to Christina and then I held him. Thank God Gracie and Carter were both being good so we all enjoyed a nice lunch. But I realized that it was pretty tough. Not so tough that I wouldn't do it again.....I just might do it differently. Maybe one baby in the carrier......maybe my other stroller.....I don't know. It made me REALLY glad that I have Alyssa to come help me when I need to run errands.

Regardless, I'm glad I had a chance to catch up with Christina because it had been a while! Carter and Gracie were adorable running, climbing, crawling and sliding through the play area in front of Edwards Theater. Christina kindly helped me get in a little stop at See's Candies and into my car after a nice lunch and a little play time for the kids. She was also able to see first hand how the twins can draw attention.....

I often get asked, "How are you going to pay to put them all through college?" I wish I had some brazen remark but I'm just not like that so I never say anything-I just smile instead. It's another one of those questions with an assumption. The answer is we don't know......we might not. A teacher by profession I obviously value education. We hope all of our children will be college graduates........but are we planning our family based on how we'll afford to put them through college? No. I ran across this article shared by my friend......and by friend I mean Facebook friend-I've never actually met her. She's the wife of Garth (Matt's best friend from Stanford) and through Facebook I've come to love their family. It was interesting to me. Anyway.....mothers without a high school diploma have the highest fertility rate.....we're just doing our part to close the gap. I should tell those people-don't worry about how we'll pay for their education-just be grateful you won't have to.

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Sometimes I have a hard time not working. I feel like I'm not making my contribution to society, especially since having the twins and practically never leaving the house.....I'm not teaching, I'm not serving at our church......I'm not.......helping. Matt has reminded me often that I AM helping by focusing on raising our children to contribute and serve others. When I was teaching I felt my service was obvious......I at least thought it was. From former students I know that I conveyed love and encouragement. I don't know if they learned anything scientific or not, but they at least had someone that cared for them and gave an honest answer to any question they asked. I really did feel like I was making a difference, and that I was serving God by loving those kids.

They loved me back....

Service isn't always so obvious. I rave about my back neighbors all the time. Some of our best friends live in our neighborhood but those back neighbors have been the biggest blessing of all. Around the last month of my pregnancy they started offering to take Gage to/from school for me. As delivery day got closer Mandy said, "Dusty-I am picking Gage up EVERY day for school-no if, ands, or buts. I've got him and if there are days I can't take him I will let you know. Otherwise you know-we've got him." I have written thank you notes and made cookies. I've offered gas money and whenever life allows I take them to school so she doesn't have to. But really nothing can describe what a blessing that has been for our family. In my five minutes alone in the shower I was thinking about their service to our family. It is such a blessing.....and it's not so obvious but by helping our family they are serving God.

I've got to remember that service isn't always as obvious as teaching or volunteering at church. Right now my service is more like wiping butts, reviewing sight words, teaching consequences.....all in attempt to raise children that exhibit the fruits of the the spirit.

The greatest of these is love...

They are getting so big......

This I will treasure....

I love this. This is the first family picture Gage has drawn since the twins were born. He described it to me, "Mom you're dancing, Dad is wearing a hat, I'm saying I love you, Gracie's wearing a dress, Jay is saying Waaah, Ashlyn is saying Naaah......and she has a triangle-shaped head". It's true-Jay and Ashlyn have different cries and Gage can recognize them.......and Ashlyn is growing out of her triangle-shaped head but for a few weeks we were all calling her Megamind. It's okay-she get it from her mama. Gotta love his honesty, and the high heels he's got me wearing.......

Love