Thursday, January 27, 2011

My precious little linebacker!

It seems like I take so many pictures of my "big boys" and not nearly enough of my baby boy who is now 15 months. Perhaps because he's a great sleeper and I tend to take most of my pictures while we're venturing around outside when he's napping. Needless to say, I need to get better at that (and get going on his baby book - well, actually buy one and start it!) I sound like such a slacker! Our precious little Samuel had a nasty fall down the stairs last night. It was one of those scary, heart-stopping moments that I'm sure every Mom knows! I was busy cleaning our messy kitchen after cooking a messy dinner and Rob was busy with our oldest son. I wasn't paying attention and I honestly thought he was playing in the other room with his big brother. Instead, he was following Daniel up our stairs (hardwood might I add), probably in search of Daddy and Robbie. The next thing I heard was a series of tumbles and finally a crash ... followed by screams and a very bloody mouth. My heart just about stopped, literally! Despite lots of bumps and bruises, he is ok ... my heart was laden with guilt (since I was cleaning and not paying attention), and I've gained some major life lessons as a result. My husband and I sat at the computer last night and ordered 2 very nice (and expensive) baby gates that we know will do the trick. HUGE lesson learned!

Talk about thankful!!! I couldn't help but go to bed last night with a VERY thankful heart. I praised God and thanked Him for keeping Sammy safe. I often pray for my kids health and safety. Lord knows with 3 boys (possibly 4), we will have many more injuries and accidents (just hopefully not the falling down stairs and swallowing foreign objects ones!) I pray they are all minor and that the Lord continues to look down on my family and watch over us as we go about our everyday lives. I have always felt His hand of protection on me, even as a younger adult when Christianity wasn't a priority in my life. I now feel His hand on my own family. It seems like I know many people these days who are in the midst of huge trials ... we pray for them daily. My heart breaks for them and I try and remember to lift them up and to love on those who I am close with. Samuel's little accident could have been worse, but really is quite minor in the grand scheme of things - I thank God that my life is filled with minor mishaps vs. big ones. My family is my treasure and I know for a fact that without the Lord in my life, I would not have been blessed with any of them - especially the kind, hard-working, and faithful husband I have been given!

Here is a recent picture of my sweet, adventurous, always-on-the-go, loving, giggly, always smiling, little linebacker - Samuel! We call him our linebacker because, unlike our other boys, he has very broad shoulders and is just big all around - he's a very good eater, if you couldn't tell! I think he may be taking after Rob's father, grandfather and Uncle Brian. Our big boys may very well be looking up toward their "little" brother in the not too distant future! He loves walking around the house (just like in this picture) giggling and playing. He is so full of joy and has brought countless blessings to his big brothers and family. We look forward to our baby gates arriving, though, knowing our house will be that much safer. And I guess I failed to mention that we own a baby gate ... that, sadly, is already hooked on to our bannister. I have always had trouble latching it, so I just never used it and Samuel had never climbed the stairs (without our help) prior to this point. There's a first time for everything, huh?! And Mommy was bad - very very bad! :)

Hope you're all enjoying the snow day. We're spending the day coloring, painting, playing and working on some school work, too! Maybe a little playtime in the snow when Daddy gets home! I am a home body - there is no place I would rather be than home with my loved ones!

Samuel - the Maloney linebacker! :)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

YAY 2011! What a great month of January its been for the Maloney boys!

We've had some great times at the start of this blessed New Year - some fun play time outside that I was able to capture on camera (despite the cold - we were all getting cabin fever!) and the celebration of our precious little man's 3rd birthday at the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA. The boys were little fish in the water and had a blast. What a great place that we look forward to returning to, perhaps on our oldest son's upcoming 5th birthday. He amazed us the entire time we were there. Here are some sweet memories that I know we will treasure. Time is flying these days and we feel so thankful to have been blessed with such fun-loving, sweet kids ... and another on the way! YAY or perhaps I should say God help me! Nah, I'm seriously kidding! I love having a lot of kids (even chaos ... what would I do without it?!) We are really very excited and can't wait to meet the newest little Maloney! The Lord sure has been good to us!
Our birthday boy ... we love our sweet and funny Daniel!




My boys are hysterical together! Thankful to our neighbor for letting us borrow this for a little added entertainment  - I'm good with bikes & trikes!




Sledding without snow ... who would have thought?! :)










NO fear of the water at all, obviously! :)













Robbie has become quite the little swimmer, thanks to Coach Laurie! 


Daddy = my boys hero :)


Just before leaving to come home - can I say exhausted?!

This one, too!



What a busy few days - so thankful to be home!

Monday, January 3, 2011

A very special family!

Today, I was blessed with getting some family portraits (and some fun ones at that) of a very dear person to me. Her daughter has been in town visiting from the South with her little boy, so we took full advantage of the sunny day the Lord provided. It was a blessed time for all of us! These past few weeks have been such a time of restoration and healing for her family. Praise God! Sadly, my friend's husband is overseas visiting his kids and so we missed him dearly, but we'll just have to do another photo shoot someday with him in it! This special lady has not only been a friend since my "single" days, but she was very instrumental in my return to faith. When I purchased my very first home in central VA back in 2001, I met her in the process and we formed an immediate bond/friendship. I was not attending church or reading my bible or even praying regularly, yet I always believed - in a superficial kind of way - God was very much at the bottom of my "important" list. She had invited me to church on a number of occasions, yet I worked on the weekends and just didn't want/need to make the time for it. I finally caved in and went one morning after having worked all night and this is truly what I call the beginning of my real Christian walk and return to faith. I became born again and it was truly a miraculous time and one in which brought forth so many blessings. Ms. L was an amazing friend throughout this time ... she prayed for me and with me and she never ceased to share her faith and the love Jesus had for me, which I so needed. I became close with her family and constantly seeked her wisdom, which she had a lot of! I joined a bible study, got baptized and in the process, I met my husband, who was the very first Christian I had ever dated. Talk about God-ordained!!! I knew almost instantaneously that God brought this man into my life for a reason. We have been so blessed and we are so happy to be back in the beautiful state of VA! So, thanks to you, Ms. L, for blessing my life with your friendship, the gift of your wisdom and the love of Jesus Christ. I hope you guys love the pictures! :)