Family Update

I realize I rarely update my blog.  I should do it more often but I should do a lot of other things as well.  I like to go back and read old blogs about our family.  So I thought I would take a minute to write what's going on in our lives presently.

Noah is playing 7/8 year old baseball.  He has really become a hitter this year.  Noah has played baseball for 4 years but this year it seems to "click" with him.  He asked his daddy to coach him this year.  I wasn't sure it would be a good idea but so far it's been great.  Their team is the Reds.  Scott picked the Reds because they have always been his favorite team.  Also coaching with Scott is his brother, Noah's Uncle Wesley.  I really feel like the family affair is helping Noah to feel more confident.  Noah continues to do well in second grade.  He's the top reader in his class.  His reading level is off the charts!  He loves to read.  He takes a book with him most everywhere he goes.  He gets that from me, not Scott.  I read every night before I go to sleep and I keep a book in the car to read whenever I get a chance, carpool especially.  Noah will be baptized next month.  He made the decision last year to ask God into his heart.  He recently went through the class at church that explains everything to children.  He was interviewed by someone on our church staff to make sure he understood everything and he did.  So his next step is to be baptized.  I'm very proud of him!  I told him he didn't have to do this yet and that it had to be his decision.  He says he's ready!  It has, by far, been my happiest parent moment knowing that we'll be together forever in heaven.

The twins are acting up to all the three-year-old expectations.  Shep continues to be my sweet, thoughtful child.  He is still a good sleeper and a good eater.  Wynn keeps waking up in the middle of the night for various reasons.  Usually he wants chocolate milk.  Last night, he and Shep woke up at 4 am and wanted band aids for their boo-boo's.  Shep wanted me to put his on and Wynn wanted Scott to put his on.  They both love school, their teacher and their friends.  They only go 2 days a week but would like to probably go more days.  Their play time is being spent by getting our phones and walking around the house having conversations with imaginary people.  Shep says he's talking to "his girls".  He talks about his girls all the time.  He says they live in a house in the woods behind our house.  When he listens to the radio he says his girls like this song.  It's so funny to hear him talking to his girls.  Sometimes Wynn talks to Shep's girls and sometimes he talks to a man.  I love listening to their imaginary world.  Shep seems to live in his imaginary world a lot!  He's the happiest kid I know!  Wynn...not so much.  He is constantly mad at someone in our house.  He has also become very bossy.  But when he laughs he can make everyone around him laugh.  He loves to play ball.  He can hit a ball with a bat like you wouldn't believe.  Of all the boys, he is the most athletic.  Both twins love going to the ballpark.  They are both adorable and very busy.  Their energy is amazing to me because they don't take a nap and haven't in many months.  They definitely make me exhausted every night.

Scott's schedule is as busy as ever.  He travels out of town on most Wednesday's.  He works very hard.  He is the head coach of Noah's baseball team and if they don't have a game they are practicing most nights.  He is also on the City Council and they meet twice a month for regular meetings and then at other times during the month for work sessions.  He serves on three committees for the city, including Parks and Rec which seems to call for lots of meetings.  Then at the end of the night after everyone is in bed, he works in his office until late.  He gets about 5 hours of sleep at night.  I could never keep up with a schedule like Scott has.  But even with all that, he takes care of me and the boys.  He plays with the boys every night before bed.  He gives the twins a bath every night when he's home.  Most nights he puts the twins and Noah to bed.  Every morning he wakes Noah up and gets him ready for school.  He fixes Noah's lunch and snack every morning and takes him to school.  I'm glad my boys have a father who is so involved in their lives.  He can make the house run without me here and that says a lot for a dad!

I'm finishing my last two classes at Montevallo to get my teaching certificate updated.  I go to class on Monday and Wednesday nights.  I have to take a state test in a couple of weeks and another one in May so I'm also studying for those.  But my top priority is still my family.  I keep this family going on a tight schedule most days.  Between my school and our family I don't have much time for anything else.  I always feel like I'm giving someone the short end of the stick.  I am the queen of mom guilt!  I hate leaving the children so we have people over to our house frequently.  This is how I get to socialize.  I love having friends  and their families over.  Scott and I actually do a lot of entertaining and we always tell people to bring their children.  I like that my children get to play with other children and the adults get to talk to each other and no one has to pay for a babysitter.  I'm hoping to go back to teaching next year, something I haven't done since before Noah was born (8 years ago).  I'm a little nervous about how my family will react to mommy having a full time job outside of just being mommy.  But I know if God wants me to do it then He will make it work.

Well, I guess that's the highlights of the Brakefield Bunch!  Our house is a little busy and a lot crazy.  But that's how we seem to operate right now.  I adore my Brakefield boys!  I just recently got a new car tag.  I've never had a personalized tag before but now I have one that says:  BRAKEBZ (for Brakefield Boys).  I hope to update again soon and tell more funny stories about the boys who provide me with free entertainment every day!