Dothan, Grand Prairie, or Austin

Almost four years ago we had a decision to make.  K was interviewing for a job in my hometown.  I had a good job in Dallas. We had a cute house down the street from the YMCA, a church we liked, Austin had a great daycare.  We were settled or at least I thought we were.

K got the job.  We moved to my hometown.  The adjustment was hard.  I didn't know God was moving us down here because He knew I would need my family more than ever.  Because my husband would choose the world over us.

I'm still going through boxes of stuff.
Stuff from Texas. Stuff from before he left us.
It's hard.
I don't like it.

I have good memories, and I know God has a plan in all this, but it all just makes me angry.

I feel like I got the better end.  Holding onto good memories and 2 beautiful kids.  But that's not what I wanted going into dating a man I thought I wanted to marry and eventually did.  I promised him for the rest of my life, and he didn't.  I prayed for a man to marry, God gave me one, then that man chose a very different road.

Life's not fair.

So I raise two little ones teaching them about Jesus, how to live a Christ honoring life.  Praying this anger & frustration will pass like the sadness that came before it.


Oh how I love them :)

That grey house

A: we going to that grey house?
Me: no buddy it's stinky & it needs work (new floors, paint)

A:can we sleep there tonight?
Me: no buddy it's not ours yet.

A:is Jesus in that grey house?
Me:yes buddy he's all over that house.

Me: I gotta go to work buddy to make money.
A: to pay for that grey house?

Can you tell someone is itching to move??
I am too. It cannot come soon enough!!

You can see the grey house here. 

End of July! How is that possible?

My mom found a deal with a photographer last week.  

Look at her pretty backyard!

I put an offer on a house.

I'm still looking for a job.

Austin starts K4 in a month.

This little guy

This little guy made me a Mama.

He and I are both feeling the frustration of our new life.

I love him.

He is avoiding nap this week.

I took all of his toys out of his room so he will know his room is for sleep.

His new tactic to avoiding sleep is telling me "I need to go poo poo.  I need to go tt."

Even if he's already gone.

Yesterday - all during nap time - every 15 min, "Mama, I need to go poo poo. I need to go tt."
Ugh.

I think when he starts sleeping late (in about 10 years) I'm going to wake him up at 7am and tell him I need to go tt.

Then I'll wake him up at 8am and tell him I need to go poo poo.

Just kidding.

He'll understand when he has kids of his own.

This weekend we are celebrating July 4th the way it should be celebrated.

I can't wait!

On the hunt

On the hunt

for a job

that can support a family

with benefits

that will not completely stress me out.

Is it out there?

Let's hope so.

Whew.

It's been a rough few weeks.

I was looking at the stages of grief and I think I'm at anger/frustration stage.  The next part is acceptance and I am looking forward to that.

We celebrated my mom's 60th birthday at the beach.  Austin started summer PreK at school.  I have a job interview next week.

Things are moving along.

Austin is singing which is huge for him.  I love to hear him sing "Jesus loves me."  He also loves to celebrate a birthday and will sing "Happy Birthday" any day of the week.  He looks forward to going to church Sundays and Wednesdays.  When he turns 4 he will get to do more fun things at church.

Khloe turned 8 months old & is getting more mobile and is a really good eater.  I could never get Austin to eat baby food veggies, but Khloe will eat almost anything.  She's even started eating tiny bits of table food.

Sometimes it's just too much.

Yesterday was our first day of summer.  We started at 6 a.m. with breakfast, then the playground at 8:30a.m.  Back home for Khloe to nap and lunch.  Austin never napped.  I took everything except his bed out of his room so that he will see his bedroom is a place to rest, not play.

I don't understand Austin's personality.  It is completely different than mine.  He will fight tooth & nail, bossy, loud, constantly talking.  He has other good qualities too and I love him with my whole life.  He is hard to parent alone, though.  I pray for him everyday that he will use his strong qualities for good.  That he will love Jesus fiercely, know Jesus's love for him, and that I am not screwing him up.

I am parenting alone.

Then there's Khloe who I pray will be sweet and quiet like me.  I pray she will love Jesus fiercely and know the love Jesus has for her.

On top of that I am working on my resume to start looking for a job, and thinking about buying a house.  With that comes daycare, budgeting, making decisions about what's best for the three of us.

So my life is stressful.  Our life has changed, things are different, parenting 2 children under 4 is hard. But life goes on and I have to parent these kids and get a job and take care of this house and myself the best way I know how.

My Dottie loved Frank Sinatra so here's to Dottie and 'ole Blue Eyes:

"The Best Is Yet To Come"
Out of the tree of life I just picked me a plum
You came along and everything's startin' to hum
Still, it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come

Deep breaths

So....

Khloe has been sick with a cold starting Memorial Day Weekend & she's been cranky, coughing, & sneezing. She hasn't slept well the last few nights which means i haven't either. One of those sleepless nights Austin wakes up to wet sheets. I can change sheets pretty fast at 4am. Last night we slept better, but at 2am both Austin & Khloe were coughing. I gave them medicine & prayed everyone is quiet in 30 minutes or less.

I have been house hunting with my mom. It's down to a house that's nice on the inside, a fixer, or a townhouse.

Austin is asking me why 5 million times a day. This was from yesterday.

A: why do we have to wear clothes?
Me: we have to wear clothes to leave the house.
A: why?
Me: because clothes protect our skin - everybody wears clothes.
A: why?
Me: if we didn't have anything to protect our skin it would hurt. You don't like getting hurt.
A: why?
Me: ok austin please be quiet :)

Whew. Thankful to be their Mama & grateful God gives me the strength to do it everyday.

I need patience people.

I have a 3 month old & a 3 year old.

My three year old boy is ACTIVE and needs a nap everyday. If he doesn't nap it's very early to bed for him. Trying to get him to nap is a battle. He has a full size bed in his room - one that he can easily get out of and he does. I feel like I am in & out of his room getting him back in bed his whole entire nap time. If there is no nap there is no going anywhere unless its a drive around the circle in which I pray he falls asleep. We are trying a sticker chart. So far he's gotten a prize for eating his food at meal times. Who knew three was such a hard year. He will be 3.5 February 21 and we will be celebrating. We have made it this far with him and he's made it this far with us. Thats something to celebrate. I pray for him constantly. Here's to year 4. Be good to us please.

My 3 month old is an angel and if I could keep her this small and sweet I would. She's growing out of her 3month clothes. She has such cute chubby legs. She's so smiley & she loves it when I sing to her. She's just starting to laugh. She likes a paci & this week she has started rolling to her side.  She likes the music at church & falls asleep during the sermon. She goes with me everywhere & i have large muscles to prove it from her carseat. I pray for her a lot that she will be an obedient sweet little girl. So far she is & more.

Marriage. Who knew that would be hard, too.  I want to read this book, but who has time with everything? Maybe in a couple of years. Ha.

Lots of things on my plate, people.

Our rental house has been fine up until now. We have lots of things filling up this house & stuff still in storage. Thinking about a mobile baby & active preschooler in this house stresses me out a little. It would be nice to find an updated 3 bedroom 2 bath house. Who else has outdoor laundry? Geez Louise I will be glad to put my clothes in the dryer without going outside. Goodness if I drop some underwear in the carport.

These are first world problems, I know. Things are mostly good around here I just need some patience.

What a year.

2013 was a year that had deep valleys & happy mountain tops. I'm glad it's over & we are looking forward to a happy and more stressfree 2014.

We are praying by early summer 2014 we will be in a new house either renting again or buying one. A house hopefully built in the 90s or 2000s with indoor laundry. Geez. And an open layout where I can see my peoples from the kitchen.

Austin started prek3 today and we are praying he will thrive in his new class. We've learned he needs a small class size, consistency, & needs a challenge. I'm excited about helping him trace his letter of the day this afternoon. We've really looked at the foods he eats & have taken out a lot of sugar, we make sure he gets lots of exercise & less TV. He's tall & skinny like the Boozer men. He wears size 4t & 10 shoe.

Khloe's my little sweet baby always with me mostly calm & just perfect.. She's getting up to eat once a night. She's eating great & we love her chubby legs & cheeks. She is wearing 3 month clothes. She & I sat in the hallway in church yesterday because she was being noisy sneezing, tooting, cooing. She was our happy part of 2013. God answered my prayers for a happy healthy baby girl.

If its not one thing it's another

We took Austin to his 3 year appointment today. The dr recommended we start speech therapy so we start that next Monday. Dr also recommended evaluating his development to make sure he's on track but that's not until December.  He also got a flu shot...no flu in this house...not with a new baby. A is going to mothers morning out 2 days a week. We want him to go more than 2 days but we'll take what we can get right now.

Baby girl was moving all around when we checked the heartbeat Wednesday. Dr said with everything going on they might schedule her to come before her Oct 27 due date. I had Braxton Hicks contractions all day on Tuesday for the first time in both pregnancies. Must get things put together & house straightened up for her arrival. We are thinking of naming her

Khloe Karolyne Boozer

Although her middle name might change...we'll see.

Baby Girl

Baby Girl Boozer is being monitored very closely and looks healthy!
Turns out K does have the antigens & I have antibodies that could possibly make Baby Girl anemic.  It feels great to have drs monitoring and I love to see her face, feet, ribs, hands on the ultrasound machine. She is moving a lot and can see my stomach move from the outside now.  I have an appointment next week, Aug. 30, then another ultrasound September 3rd.  Prayers appreciated!

Baby Update

How Far Along: 23 weeks

Maternity Clothes: yes - mostly

Best Moment this week: Keith got to feel the baby move, got a few things for the baby at garage sales - boppy, clothes

Gender: It’s a Girl!

Movement: Lots of moving mostly in the afternoon - think I feel hiccups too

Food Craving: None, really

What I miss: Sleeping on my back, my old clothes, cooler weather, a pool close by, being skinny

Sleep: pretty good!, trips to the bathroom, catnap if Austin naps during the day

What I am looking forward to: Another fun week with Austin - movies, story time, church

Belly Button: It’s still in, but it’s getting flat!

Symptoms: tired, hungry, belly's growing, fingers are swelling - took off my engagement ring this time so I won't have to get it cut off like my wedding band...feels weird bc it is always on.

Our first night.

This was our first night together.

Just us two with little one in my tummy.

Thought it was important to document.

We survived.

I am woman.

Hear me roar.

He is little.

Watch him grow.

We pray to Jesus.

He sustains us.

Y'all...

It's Wednesday.

I am tired.

The end.

Join me?

When I was 12 years old a beauty queen came to my church and spoke.  She told us she started praying for her future mate when she was young and it was very important that we pray too. I started praying for Keith when I was that young.  I didn't know who he was, but I knew it was important to pray for him. I didn't know where I was going to meet him or what he looked like but I knew God did.  Praying continued through high school, college and seminary until one day when I was home for Christmas Jana Wright told me about this tall, dark, handsome guy who was just starting seminary.  What a recommendation from Ed & Jana Wright! I met him and I kept praying.  I felt like God was answering my prayers for a future mate in Keith. 

20 years of praying - 1993 to 2013 and it hasn't stopped although right now it's a different kind of prayer.  Pleading, asking, pleading, relentless talking to God about my mate. My mate that I've been praying for for 20 years...I will not give up.

Hello Summer.

Our first day of summer was Thursday.  Austin's last day of school was Wednesday.  He brought cookies and hugs to share with his friends.  We celebrated our first day of summer by eating at Krispy Kreme, getting a watermelon at Walmart, riding in Uncle Wayne's big truck, and not taking a nap.

 

We've spent a lot of time together.  This is our normal and with this newness comes frustration.  Let's just face it - I am a pregnant single mom.  I am in charge.

My other half has left and thinks it's purely ok to see his son for two hours at a time.

Frustrated - yes!  But trying to focus on teaching and loving and mothering this sweet little boy everyday - yes!!

 

 Playing with the train at the library

Waiting for our pizza at Hungry Howie's

I also set up our trainset from IKEA,  put up black out drapes in A's room, & watched as a lady blew Austin a kiss from the motorcycle nearby.

 

 

Everything's OK?

No.

When a husband leaves his pregnant wife and 2.5 year old son things are not ok.

NOT ok.

Geez.


But this? this pair - good. Very good.

Just the Two of Us

Well,

My hat is off and I bow down to single moms everywhere.

It's just the two of us for two nights and lets just say our sound machine has been put to good use.  It covers up the creaks and cracks in the night.

 I'm trying to have a normal schedule and love on my little guy as much as possible.  This week was probably was one of my worst, but I'm glad I have people who love me and will help me through this.

Happy Thursday!

Write this day down in the history books.

Let's just make a list.

1. Took Austin to school.
2. Husband packed up his clothes.
3. Husband signed a 6 month lease on an apartment across town.
4. Found out my ultrasound had been cancelled.
5. Had a breakdown.
6. Heard strong heartbeat at dr. and dr. said baby is moving.
7. Got deadbolts put on the doors.
8. Picked up Austin.
9. Ate spaghetti.
10. Going to bed & pray this all gets better.