Date Night

I found out at Lee's school party that the Fresh Beat Band was coming to Shreveport. This is a very talented group of twenty somethings that sing and dance on Nick Jr.  Almost every time Z watches this show with Lee Cooper he says, "Who are these people? What is wrong with them? They seem a little off." I always laugh at him because to him it would be torture if someone told him he was going to have to sing and dance for a bunch of kids. The thought of it cracks me up. Anyway, I decided I would try to take Lee to see them. We went. We had a great time together. Lee is always a little nervous when he experiences something new for the first time. He sits back and takes it all in until he feels comfortable with  his surroundings. (He is his father's son!!) I did make some observations last night.

#1. Some people do not mind breaking in line to get a Fresh Beat Band t-shirt. Even when their child points out to them that they have bumped in line. (This was not me.)

#2. Some people smile at everyone they see in a very crowded place to make sure they know that they are trying not to break in front of anybody. (This was me.)

#3. The Fresh Beat Band kids must be rich or they are getting taken by Nick Jr. because everything cost a small fortune.

#4. Daddies that sing every word of "It's Been a Great Day" to their daughters is somewhat enduring, but also a little hilarious.

#5. Mommies that get a little teary eyed at a concert while singing, "You Can be Anything You Put Your Mind Too" are just weird and way too sentimental. (I'm not saying who this was. I plead the fifth. Of course, I did not cry at a concert with my four year old.)

#6. My four year old is a dancing maniac! Very little of it is on beat, and even less of it is anything I have ever seen before, but it is absolutely my favorite dancing to watch!

Here are some videos of Lee Cooper telling you about his date, and some pictures too.

Date Night w/ Lee Cooper (Take One)

Date Night w/ Lee Cooper (Take Two)

Dancing to the Fresh Beats

Waiting with excitement

Self-portraits. Kate is posing, and Wade is trying to focus.

This post was very, very irritating, so don't judge!!!

Oh the Little Monsters

Ok, so a quick blog about some of my day yesterday. Just random things that happened.

So when we first got up yesterday morning, I was telling Lee that today was his Spring Party. Yay! (Translation, Mama has ALOT to do this morning before 10:10.) Well, typically, Lee was not wanting to get up and move. He doesn't want me to brush his hair anymore because he "don't look good when I part his hair." (Actual quote from my 4 year old. I'm in trouble with this one!) I poured some dry Apple Jacks in a cup for him to eat in the car on the way to school. (He doesn't like milk with his cereal. I promise I have tried to give him milk with it and he WILL NOT EAT IT.) He says to me, "Oh great Mama! You made it wet." I say back, "Lee I don't care if it is red. It taste good and you really need to eat things that are different colors. (I was thinking even though this is sugar coated cereal, here is the time to teach him the importance of color in your diet.) He looked at me like I was crazy, and insisted that he doesn't eat WET cereal. I still started listing off all of the good things that were red that we eat. Strawberries, apples, tomatoes.....Finally, he says, "MAMA, IT IS WET NOT RED!" (Well, whatever. I was really on a roll with the whole diet colors and you just ruined it. You little monster.) I quickly traded bowls with Kate whose was wonderfully dry, and we were off to school.

Now, after dropping Lee off. I debated at the stop sign for a little while. To go to Sonic for a big diet coke or to return home. (I really don't have much time.) I tell myself that I deserve the Diet Coke and to "make time for me." I head to the Sonic order my drink, which takes longer than it should, but okay. Get the drink. Start pulling back onto the busy Shreveport street, when I take my first big gulp at the red light. It has cherry in it. I HATE cherry. (Whatever, it's red and I don't like them!) So now do I go back and get them to fix it or do I just go home. (I don't have much time.) I decide it was nearly two dollars. I need to go get it right, so I can enjoy my drink. Turn around, which takes five minutes to make a loop in Shreveport. Tell the Sonic girl that they have made a mistake and put cherry in my Diet Coke. The say they will send another one out, which takes too long. I finally get my Diet Coke and tell the girl thank you and try to smile extra so she won't think I'm mad. (I AM mad.)

Now, we are back home and I'm drinking my Diet Coke. (Oh, it was a good one.) When I noticed that Kate now has the Diet Coke, I quickly go to get it from her. Her sweet baby brother notices that his sister is getting to swig on a Mama drink, so he goes to get it. Kate drops the drink, and Wade then rams the straw through the bottom of the cup. My Diet Coke is now all over the floor and trickling through the house as I run to the sink with it. (Uh....you little monsters!)

Okay, so Lee's party is today. We have to get ready and go to the store to get a fruit tray. I'm running around the house like a crazy lady. Getting things a little straightened before we leave and getting babies dressed. We all get dressed. ( I must say that I look pretty cute! Feeling good about that!) Get to the school. Get the kids loaded in the stroller. (They are looking pretty cute, too. Feeling good about that, also.) Rush into the school office. "Hey Mrs. T. We are here for the party." The school secretary has a very puzzled look on her face. "What party?" Well, duh the spring party. "Mrs. Monk's Spring Party." I said oh so happily. "Honey, the parties are tomorrow." I faked a laugh and said, "OH! I guess I'm early."

Also, last night while I'm cooking supper. Lee asked me, "Mama, where do babies come from?" I ignored this question. "I mean Mama, how do they get in your tummy?" I start singing a silly song to the top of my lungs to try to distract. Nope. He persisted. I answered with, "Babies are gifts from God, Lee." (That have a no return policy.) Lee says, "I know that Mama, but how do they get in your tummy." The only thing I could think of was through your belly button. I knew I couldn't tell him that, but of course I wasn't going to tell my 4yr old the TRUTH! Anyway, after several questions that I ignored about babies in Mama's tummies. He asked, "So how do they get there?" I turned around to him  and said, "Oh Lee. God gives us babies, and they are such wonderful gifts, and he puts them in Mamas' tummies very, very carefully." To my surprised this answer worked. He walked out of the kitchen saying, "Oh. very, very, carefully."

This is just the highlights. There was also dirty diaper fiascos. Screaming fits. Hair bow dilemmas. You get the point.

I wanted to tell all of you out there that I just started reading the book, "Heaven is for Real." If you haven't read this book, you should. It is really simple book to read, but it is truly amazing. I  think sometimes we talk about heaven like yeah, yeah, yeah, it's that place we go when we die. However, it is a REAL place where people are. I can't wait to see Bebaw again. I also, can't wait to see the blood stained scars on my Jesus's hands, and see Him face to face.

People I Love

When I first joined Facebook, people were writing notes about 25 things about them. I did it then, but that was before I had children. So much of my life has changed now. I was going to write 25 more things about me, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of it being a little narcissistic. However, I have decided to write about people in my life that mean the world to me. I find complete fulfillment in being a wife, daughter, mother, sister, friend. I'm not sure what that says about me that I don't feel driven to have a career, but I love being around the people I love. I just wish there was more that I could do for them. This is probably a pretty obvious list, but I'm an obvious kinda person.

1. God. He is the greatest constant in my life. I feel like my relationship with Him is always changing. Sometimes I feel closer to Him and feel His presence stronger than other times. I know that this is because of my weaknesses and not because of His.  He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I am so thankful for his faithfulness to me, and everyday I strive to be faithful to Him. I also pray that in someway I can be used to bring Him glory and honor. There is such a peace I have in my life and that comes from Him.

2. Zachary Ryan. I don't really want to get too sappy here. I will say that he is my best friend. Nobody makes me laugh more than Z. He also is the first person I turn to when I need advice or someone to listen to my stories. I don't want to lead you to believe that our relationship is perfect. We are real people with real faults. Our relationship has been through a lot in its 12 years. We have been separated by war and obligations. Surviving the Marine Corps was just the beginning. If you have ever been in a relationship with a medical student, then you know how hard this can be on a relationship. I don't think people understand how stressful it is to be a med student. There were weeks when I would get a ten minute conversation about his day, and that is about it. I will say though through it all we have never lost sight of our friendship and our desire to be with each other. I love the boy, and he loves me. There is such comfort in knowing that we are equally devoted to each other, and I am so thankful that he decided to share his life with me. I can't wait to see what is next for us because it keeps getting better and better.

3. My parents and sister. I am one of the lucky ones. I have really great parents that I would not trade for anybody else in the world. We have always been a close family. We all like to be around each other. My parents have always been there for me. My mama is the person I can call to get sympathy and someone that will listen. My daddy is someone I can call for advice and solutions. I would be lost with out either one of them. My sister has been someone that I have admired my whole life. That is still true. She is the greatest mom and wife. She works so hard and has so much stress in her job. She still finds the time and energy to make sure her kids have the attention they need. I really don't know how she does everything she does. She is my friend, and I love her. 

4. My children. I don't think I really need to tell you how much they mean to me. I think it is pretty clear. My life would be nothing without my babies.

Lee Bradford Cooper
January 4, 2008

Lauren Kate Cooper    Wade Harmon Cooper

May 12, 2010

5. Everybody else. There are so many people in my life that mean so much to me: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, the family that I joined when I got married. I love all of my family and friends and so thankful that God has placed them in my life. I hope that I can give to them as much as they all give to me. 

Thanks for stopping by and reading the blog. I get to see how many people read it everyday, and it is very exciting to me. It doesn't tell me who reads it. Just how many people look at it. Very glad y'all are stoping by to see us!  Hope you have a great week, and now I must get to the laundry that has piled up over the weekend.  Thanks again!!!

The Crossroads

Z and I are at a crossroads in our life. Well, about to be. Well, in a year we will be, but for a mama that is married to a med student, that before that was married to a college student, and before that was married to a MARINE, this is EXCITING! He has decided what field of medicine he is going to practice. Well, he has it narrowed down. Who cares that the list of options still has about five things on it. What is important is there is something on the top of the list that has very high favorables for me. (That's what matters, right?!) Anyway, I'm excited, and I'm ready for the next move in our life. However, I find with that excitement brings large amounts of anxiety. Where will we live? Which residency program will Z like? How close or far away will that be from our family? What will schools be like for the kids? Will I need to go back to work? Is the van going to last through residency because there is already an odor when you get in it? You know....ANXIETY. Don't get me wrong. This is ultimately excitement, mixed with a dash of anxiety. I just really wish we could fast forward the next year and get on with the next chapter, so we can see how it turns out. Did you see that? What did I just do? The one thing I really dont want to do. Rush through a year of my life just because I want what is next like a spoiled child. When I say I just want this year to be over, I don't really mean that because this next year is going to be great. Z has a lot of time to be home, which will be wonderful, and I don't want the babies to get any bigger. So here's to the crossroads......I'm very excited for you, but you can wait until I spend some time with my family.

No Vacation for Mom

Okay, so here I am again. Trying to become a regular blogger. This time it's the real deal!

Z was on vacation last week and guess what?? He has a whole week left of time off! It has been so nice having him home with us, and honestly having his helping hands. However, last week I slipped into some form of denial that told me because he was home I also have the week off. This is NOT true. By Friday of last week, I thought I was going to go crazy! The house was a wreck, laundry was no longer confined to baskets, and dishes were piling up. I will not make this mistake again. Life as a stay-at-home-mom means that there are somethings that must get done no matter what. Just another lesson learned. In a future post, I'm going to make a list of all my little lessons learned. The internet will probably crash....don't think that can happen but you get my point.

Easter 2012