THIS IS AMAZING-I CRIED-MERRY CHRISTMAS

The below 2 posts are related-it might make more sense if you read the second post and then watch the video. I just got so excited about being able to post a video right off of YouTube-I got ahead of myself-Enjoy! Love J

Sanctus Real - Lead Me (Slideshow With Lyrics)

I am about to get Real-Sanctus Real that is!

I have been thinking for a very long time about writing this post-plus I keep hearing my sister-in-laws words over and over in my head-"Thank Heavens for Little Boys is getting a little old". Thanks for the little nudge J-I needed it and I hope you are rocking it in pheasant country!!!

No really-she is right-I have my little list of blogs saved on my Google Chrome browser that I check often-and by often-I mean 2 times a day! :) And I get a little "irked" when I don't get to find out what is going on in every one's life-with a day to day account-I mean don't they know that I am vested in their lives and I need some reading material when it is "mommy time"? And then I thought-Jami-you are being a little hypocritical-why do you expect these mothers who so graciously share their parenting tips, decorating tips, cooking tips (ok so I don't partake so much in the cooking ones), and spiritual insight-to take time out of their busy schedule to write some great inspiring blog post just for you? Who do you think you are? How long has it been since you posted anything-don't you think that people are wondering what is going on with your family? I suppose that I really didn't think that too many people read this blog-until J said something at Thanksgiving-and it made me feel good that she said something-cause that means she does care! So-I hear by promise to write a little more often, post a few more pics of the Gibbs boys, and share more of my random thoughts with you guys! And if things don't always make sense-trust me the things I write usually sound much funnier in my head! HA!

Getting back to the title of this post-I have something I have been wanting to share for a long time-I just have not taken the time to do it. There is a song by a Christian group, Sanctus Real called, "Lead Me". I absolutely love this song-not particularly b/c of the way it sounds-but b/c of what it says. I have never heard a song that brought me to tears because it so truly resonated down in my soul like this one!!! I have also never heard a song that I thought truly laid out how I feel about Jeff, as my husband and as the father of our children. Jeff and I have not always put God first in our lives and in our marriage; but for the last 2 1/2 years we have truly tried. I don't think that I can even explain how it happened other than when your husband is truly seeking and following God; his true heart becomes visible. There is no more security that I need other than this; when it comes to a husband and father. I always knew as a little girl that I wanted a husband that was Godly and someone that would make me feel as secure as my own dad did-and now I can say with TRUE CONVICTION that I not only have that in Jeff-I CHERISH it daily-no every second. Don't get me wrong-we still are 2 different people and have times where we differ greatly-but with God at the center and not just Jami or Jeff at the center-marriage is more than I ever dreamed it would be! And it is only going to get better. I really don't know that I can even convey in words what God has done in us, through us, and to us-but I know I want more! When I heard this song-I knew that I had a husband that asked God daily for help-help to lead his family the way he should-and that filled me up with such sweet emotion for my husband I almost could not contain it! I love him so much and I am so blessed he is mine-Thank you God!

I have posted a video from YouTube in the post above this one and it contains the song and lyrics for Lead Me -May it bless you like it has me!

Thank Heavens for Little Boys

Summertime and the Livin' is Easy

Wow-I cannot hardly imagine that it is already August! It has been a while since I have written so I thought I would put in a few things from the last few months!

Jeff and I celebrated our 7 year anniversary at the end of May. A sweet friend (thanks K) so graciously invited us to stay at her beach location and the date just happened to fall on our actual anniversary date. We stayed a total of 4 days and we loved every minute. The beautiful picture above was right out the back door every night! Jeff and I would take our chairs, go out to the beach right before dusk and enjoy this lovely sunset. It was so relaxing-and this time was so needed for both of us! We thoroughly enjoyed our time together-talking, laughing, fishing, laying on the beach, and eating. I was so very blessed to have this time with my husband that I am not sure I can convey with words how special it was.

I also cant convey how blessed that I am to have such a wonderful husband. I don't know that I really believe in the whole "sole mate" theory-but I definitely know that God had a plan for my life-and it is a good plan-and Jeff was/is definitely supposed to be part of that plan. There have certainly been hard times in our marriage (whose doesn't have them) but I am really thankful for the man Jeff is. He is a loving husband and shows me each day how much I mean to him. He is a loving father-and the boys adore him. I really don't know if I can express my gratitude, love, respect, admiration, and blessings for him, but I will try every day to get rid of the "stuff" that keeps me from showing these true feelings. He is the man that I always knew I wanted when I was a little girl. I thank the Lord for him!!!!

MiMi and Big Dad came to visit and brought Lane and Luke-they absolutely loved the beach! They had a blast and were so tired they fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Other than the beach trip-life around here has been pretty easy going-Big Dad, MiMi, and Jeff have moved into an office, which is a good thing! They are enjoying having a place to work-things are on the move! The boys and I hang out during the day-I am trying to enjoy each and every minute because some day I will look back and think about these days with bittersweet memories. Sometimes I feel like our situation is hard-but then I look around and see how things really are-I am so blessed-I have a loving husband, healthy/happy children, family around, a roof over my head, and plenty of food to eat. I am so thankful for my blessings-life is good!

God is so Good!

Wow-I really don't know where to start-I am almost speechless. It hit me today that tomorrow is Easter Sunday and yesterday was Good Friday. Jeff and I really don't do Santa, the Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy with the kids and I didn't have anything prepared in the way of Easter Egg baskets filled with candy and toys. We just never really talked about these fictional characters with our kids and it has never been a big deal. For us personally, this is the best decision as it allows the real reason for each season to be taught and celebrated.

When it hit me that Sunday is Easter, I thought to myself-how am I going to convey the importance, seriousness, gratefulness, thankfulness, grace, love, and sacrifice of Easter to the boys. How do you describe all that Jesus has done for us- to a three and four year old. Jeff and I want to show our boys how important it is to walk with God everyday. When the thought crossed my mind about the closeness of Easter-I stopped and prayed that the Holy Spirit lead and guide me. I prayed that he make an available opportunity so perfect that I would just know what to say and do. Did he ever answer my prayers!

I have recently witnessed the benefit of a nightly quiet and prayer time with my children and I have vowed to try my hardest to make sure it happens every night. Well, tonight was no exception-even though I was tired and ready for some relaxing mommy time-I did it. About a year ago a sweet woman gave my boys a beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written book called "How Miss Ladybug Lost Her Spots." (author by Lara York) I value this book so much that I will not let them look at it without sitting right next to me-to avoid any pages being torn out. The book describes what Jesus did for us-but it is woven into the storytelling so perfectly that children are able to understand-in that little innocent way that children understand biblical truths.

The boys were listening quite intently and following along while I read-and there it was. As Miss Ladybug asked questions about Jesus' powerful, pure, and true love; the little girl who was witnessing to her said, "I will tell you all Jesus did, he wants us all to be free, he came to this earth to live and die for you and me." She went on to describe Good Friday and Easter with illustrations of Jesus' empty tomb!! I knew immediately God had answered my prayer-I was filled with joy and emotion that I could hardly read without tears. The boys knew that something was different about the words I was speaking. This passage was the perfect opening to discuss Easter and what it meant. Again I will say God is so Good-and the Holy Spirit will lead and guide when we ask and open ourselves to it. May we all remember Jesus' sacrifice tomorrow-praise him and thank him-for it was LOVE that he so freely gave.

Stylin' and Profilin'

It is getting really close to haircut time for the boys. After his bath today, Lane decided he wanted his hair in a "Ho Hawk", which is his language for a Faux Hawk. After we got it just right, I decided to get the camera out and document the occasion. Notice the "good" shot, the "side" shot, and the "silly" shot. Lane is so photogenic-and hilarious. I love this kid!!!!

Little Boys in Baseball Hats

Why is it that little boys in baseball hats are so CUTE? Is it because they look like a miniature version of their daddies when they don the same apparel? It is because the vision totally encompasses our true idea of "little boyness"? Or is it just that this little boy is mine and I think he looks cute in just about anything? Whatever it is-I am so glad that I caught him wearing his favorite red hat and took a picture! It really is the little things in life!

Luke David is 3

That's right my baby Luke David is three. I suppose he is not a baby anymore, but he will always be my Little Lukey! It seems like yesterday that he was born, but he has been on this earth for three whole years. Three years of blessings, three years of sweetness, and three years of getting to know this tender hearted little boy. Jeff and I feel so very blessed that God has entrusted these beautiful children to us.

We had a wonderful time celebrating, complete with presents and a Chicken Little cake. Luke received an exciting surprise in the mail from Great Grandmother Gibbs in Arkansas. The big yellow envelope was full of colors and coloring books, which he absolutely loved. He also got a LeapFrog (just like his big brother) from MaeMae and Grandad, as well as a LeapFrog game, DVD's, and books from MiMi and BigDad. He was so very excited about all of his presents and would like to thank everyone for thinking of him on his special day!

!!!!!!ROCK ON!!!!!!!!

Just a quick little post about guitars!!!! Lane got a guitar for his birthday b/c his cool cousins in Houston TX had one. Come to find out his little brother Luke really likes to play as well!!! Before this last weekend we only had one-but MiMi was able to score another one! Now we have 2 little guitar players!!!! It is so cute to watch them shake their rear and bob their head while playing. Anyway daddy got the camera out on Saturday and took some pics!!!

(Oh and it just hit me that I forgot to spell check last night before I posted about Lanes b-day) Sorry!

Lane Jeffrey Gibbs is 4!!

Can you believe it-this handsome young man is already FOUR YEARS OLD-as of September 23. (So I dont quite post things in a timely manner) I can believe it, but it is hard and makes me want to tear up a little, or a lot! I remember the day that this character was born-Lord Mercy did my life ever change. He kind of had a hard time getting here (thanks to the Doctor, but lets not go there cause I gave that to God) and there were many prayers said before and during his birth. Let me also say that there were many prayers said after his birth-and you know what-I have realized that the prayer for both my children will never cease. Even though sometimes I have days where I feel like "Calgon Take Me Away" is my motto-nothing compares to the love for a child or the blessings that they bring. I would have to say one of the biggest and best blessings that I have recieved would be a better understanding of God's love for me, as HIS child.

You might be asking (and I am sure you are), "What was the party theme this year?" Well, we had round 2 of a baseball party! That's right, we had baseball for year 3 and for year 4. It is kind of endearing, isnt it? Let me tell you, it made things quite easy: same balloons, same wrapping ideas, and even some of the same presents. MiMi and Big Dad cooked yummy hot dogs, hamburgers, and nachos; just like at the baseball park. But we did have a differnt cake-thanks to Mae Mae- we had an adorable group of cupcakes all decorated together to look like a baseball glove with a ball. It was absolutely adorable and delicious! I think that it was very cute that Lane asked for a baseball party the second year in a row and he was very adament about getting a baseball glove, ball, bat, bike, guitar (thanks to cousin Jax and Brooks), and a whistle (shout out again to cousin Jax and Brooks). Come to think of it-I have not seen the whistle since the party....hmmmmm! All in all we had a wonderful time and I was so very glad that my parents could be here this year for the fun! My life is so full of blessings, I really cant even express it. God is Good!!!!

Brotherly Love

Angels? Don't they look like angels, like they just absolutely love each other and get along perfectly all the time? Doesn't it look like there is so much brotherly love between the two of them, that they just cant stand it? Well don't be fooled-they are very smart!!

I decided that it was time to have some pictures taken since it has been a little over a year since I had some made. My moms birthday and Fathers day both fall in June so I decided that I would do something that I thought they would both really like. One evening my mother-in-law and I took the boys downtown Tampa to snap a couple of pictures. My mother-in-law has a friend that lives in an absolutely beautiful house on the bay and her lawn provided a wonderful setting. Needless to say it was a little stressful, but we were able to get some great snapshots! My parents are now retired in Arizona and very far away from us-so I thought a new set of updated pictures of the boys would be a great surprise! I really could not decide which pictures I liked best, so I copied almost all the pics I had taken of the boys their whole life (including the new ones) onto a disc to send in the mail. I added the birthday and Fathers days cards along with drawings from the boys. Mom and dad were very happy to receive their package, and I was excited that they would be able to enjoy it anytime!

The pictures posted here are just a few, but they are some of my favorites. I absolutely love pictures of my boys and I get very sentimental looking at ones taken in the past. Now that I am able to stay at home with them I try to cherish every day because I know in the back of my mind that I will turn around and they will be driving, graduating, getting married, having kids of their own. I really cant hardly think about it without getting teary eyed! I love them so much and I am so blessed!

**Flaunt It If you Got It**

At least this was the motto of my three and a half year old, Lane, while we visited the YMCA Water Park today. There were quite a few moments that offered up some laughs (most of which I have pics of) but none quite like the one that inspired this post title. And sadly, I don't have a picture of it :(, but oh do I have the memory and it will be forever journaled here so that when he turns 14 or 15, I can use it to my benefit! :)

You may ask yourself, "What can be so funny that would cause a mother to blog about an ordinary YMCA visit?" Well, let me tell you. While leisurely laying in the wonderful sunshine with my husband enjoying the fact that my children were playing by themselves, I look up to see a little boys WHITE BARE REAR shining in the afternoon sun. At first I thought "oh my, glad that is not..." and then it struck me, "THAT IS MINE". I then proceeded to gasp (which caused my husband to think something was wrong), jump up and ran over to where my oldest had decided to FLAUNT IT. While running I could hear faint chuckling in the background and I thought to myself, "Oh Lord please let him lay down in the water." Upon arriving I yelled "What are you thinking", noticing that my youngest also had his swimming trunks down around his ankles, and at that moment I thanked the Lord above for Little Swimmers. I finally got to my naked child and gave him the speech about no one wants to see that and we don't take our clothes off in public, while the lady life guard was simultaneously saying "Honey we have to keep our shorts on or we can swim in the pool". After apologizing to her I headed back to my seat where I got a little scolding from my husband for overreacting. Overreacting, (are you kidding me?), I was a little embarrassed as this was the first time my kids voluntarily took of their clothes in a public place! He really did not care much for my excuses, but I was in shock. After it was all said and done, I thought to myself, at least I have a blog post! :) Good Times!!!!

Well that is the funniest moment from today, but here were some others that were caught on film, let me narrate for you-

Here is Lane and Luke breaking the rule that you are not to jump off of the top step:

And here are some of my boys recruiting some other boys to break the rules:

And here are some where the lifeguard and daddy tell them not to jump off the top step:

And finally we have the "naughty mat" moments that resulted from jumping off the top step:

But after it was all said and done, we had a great time and the boys loved getting out of the house! This is absolutely one of their favorite things to do, and I have to admit that I like it too!!!