My most beautiful works of art!

 These three - I could have created nothing more wonderful, more beautiful, or more amazing than these three. On Mothers Day weekend (Saturday morning) we had brunch at a local restaurant called Toast and then spent some time trying to get some pictures. Although it's super hard to get them all looking at the same time, I love pictures that include all three just because it reminds me of how blessed I am. I honestly feel there is no greater calling, no more challenging role in life than being a Mother. I also feel that I was created for this - to bring them into the world and then love them to the utter ends of my being and then cry out to the Lord to enable me to love them more. They exhaust me, inspire me, love me unconditionally, challenge me, and mostly encourage me to be the best me I can be and I am forever grateful for this time with them and just for the ability to be their Momma. 

We don't eat out much as a family of 5: #1 due to expense but #2 because dinner out with that many little ones can be difficult and at times embarrassing (you fellow parents feel me). I cook a lot...like, A LOT so I really just wanted a nice meal out where it involved zero work on my part and being surrounded by those that I love the most. The kids did really well...I think we only had one spilled drink and about a few dropped biscuits ;). 

 Tim made sure that I felt incredibly special and loved this Mother's Day. He not only took to Facebook with some compliments that made this Momma blush, but he also created an incredibly special video montage of all the kids from birth to present with little clips of them saying why they loved me. True story - I did the ugly cry when I watched it but I will treasure it forever and always. At times I feel completely unprepared and overwhelmed at the thought of adding another child to this family, but during the video I was struck head on with just how fast it goes by and how the very phase that you thought you'd not make it through fades and you're on to the next. I'm sure we'll be going out as Taylor party of 6 before I know it...it's all so fleeting!  

 Thankful for a morning out with my crew - a yummy breakfast and even better company.

 After our brunch, we loaded up and headed half way to Tim's parents house in WV. Nana and Pawpaw were going to keep the "littles" for us so that we could get some major painting projects done during the week. Greyson adores his Pawpaw...once he was in the picture, the rest of us vanished!

 In honor of Mother's Day,  I got a picture of Tim with his Mom but Avery was glued to Nana and decided to bomb our photo :). 

 We drove straight from meeting the Taylor's to meeting my Mom at my sisters with my big girl who enjoyed a night out to the Charlotte ballet company to see a performance of Sleeping Beauty with her Honey. 

 In re-capping this weekend I realize it couldn't have worked out more perfectly: I got spoiled, we got time with Tim's Mom...time with my Mom and then a few minutes to capture some pics of one of my other favorite Mom's - my sister. She works so hard...so, so hard. Her kids will probably not understand her sacrifices and her effort until they are much older, but one day they'll know how much she adores them and how on a lot of days they keep her putting one foot in front of the other. 

~Love this~

The only thing that could make next year even one teeny tiny bit better than this year is having another jewel in my crown of Motherhood ;).