Boys and Date Nights

I absolutely LOVE being the mom of boys! God knew in HIS infinite wisdom that 3 beautiful boys were just what I needed to fill my cup. I'll admit that there have been times I wondered why HE didn't allow me to have a daughter and there have been times I longed for this. However, I cannot imagine my life without all the precious things that come along with being the mom of boys and I wouldn't want it any other way.

At this point in my life, I don't even know what I would do with a little girl to raise. I am blessed to have lots of sweet friends with daughters and who gladly let me love on their daughters when I need a girl "fix" and plenty of sweet nieces to do the "girly" thing with. When it comes down to it, though, I love the care-free, low-maintenance, low-drama life of raising boys and it is a perfect fit for my personality.

Cooper's eye injury after playing football in his rain boots (it wasn't raining) in the driveway!

Sure, there are lots of characteristics on the flip side that prove challenging day in and day out....like all the cuts, bruises, wrestling in the floor, destruction of property, burps, farts, and discussions of body parts and all the noises they make, the non-stop smell from the not-so-great aim in the toilet, stinky shoes, mud and dirt that seems to just scream their name and draw them like magnets, and the appetite that has a dramatic impact on my grocery budget!! I wouldn't trade ANY of it for being the "lady" in their life, at least for now.  I cherish the sweet words, "I want to marry you mommy" and how my kisses seem to make all their boo-boo's feel better. I know the day is coming all too soon when they will be taller and bigger than me, when kissing their boo-boo's would be most embarrassing, and when I will no longer be the leading lady in their life. I am thankful for the sweet gift of these boys and pray that we will always have a special relationship! I have also prayed continually, since before they were born, for the ladies that God will bring into their lives one day as their suitable mates in marriage. I cannot wait to meet these young ladies and love them well, as I let go of my babies and allow them to be husbands, fathers, and the men God intended!

Over Christmas break I got to enjoy separate "date nights" with my 2 oldest, Carson and Colby. I loved every minute. They were both such little gentlemen and and I treasured our sweet conversations. I am so blessed with a husband who loves me well and exemplifies the way a lady should be treated. My boys get to see that modeled in our home and that is truly a blessing.

Me and Carson before our date to Mellow Mushroom for dinner, then Sweet Cece's for yogurt 

Me and Colby went on a date to see a movie- The Adventures of Tin Tin, then went to get a hot fudge sundae

December Fun 2011

The Boys on Christmas morning- Cooper, Colby, and Carson

Jesus Birthday Celebration and Kid's Ornament Exchange

Making Christmas Sugar Cookies

Bowling!

Cooper making sugar cookies in his own style- underwear and boots only!!

Community Group Christmas party- Love these people!

 Seems like our December has been full of activities and has flown by at lightning speed!! Cooper had his 3 month MRI on the 12th to monitor the questionable lymph node that was of concern from his September MRI. We got the great news on the lymph node was unchanged, however, there was a new place in the original tumor area that showed up with the December scan. Thankfully, after a CT scan on December 29th, it was determined that this "new" concern is most likely dental in nature. We will go back in 3 months for another MRI and if all remains unquestionable, we will get to continue with 6 month scans again.

Cooper with his sweet cousin, Emma

Colby's class Christmas party

Colby making his Gingerbread house

Aside from all of that, we have had lots of fun with school parties, birthday for Jesus parties with friends and neighbors, ornament and gingerbread house-making parties, Christmas celebrations with family, making ornaments, visit to Opryland, bowling with friends, drives to look at Christmas lights, playing games, date nights, movies, making sugar cookies, and on and on!!! It has been jam-packed and full of JOY!!! We are blessed beyond words and thankful for all that God has given us.....especially HIS son!

Cooper's 1st Trip to the Dentist

Cooper had his first visit to the dentist recently. He has gone to the dentist numerous times with his older brothers, so I thought it should be no big deal....it's not like it was something new to him. Boy was I wrong. Overall, it went fine, but he was very skeptical and wouldn't open his mouth until totally bribed. Thankfully, there were no cavities!

Take special note of the rain boots.....he would wear these almost every day if I let him. This particular morning it was sunny and warm, but I wasn't up for the battle. He also brings his little "men" with him everywhere. It actually turned out to be a good thing, as his little army man got his teeth "cleaned" first! Cooper even asked if his man could get a prize after we were done out of the prize drawer, (because, after all, he got his teeth cleaned too)!!

Pumpkins Galore!

 Well, we just wrapped up our 2nd annual Pumpkin Patch for The Cooper Trooper Foundation! A few words come to mind to describe what the last month of pumpkin selling has meant to me...HUMBLING, EXCITING, EXHAUSTING, FUN, FULL-FILLING, AMAZING, SPEECHLESS, BLESSED!!

For the second year, we held the foundation's biggest fundraiser - a "pumpkin patch" in Franklin, TN. We were honored to have so many individuals give their tireless efforts for almost an entire month supporting and volunteering for the cause! The Foundation raised over $25,000 this year, which more than doubled last year's total. We are thrilled to be able to touch many, many families impacted by childhood cancer because of these efforts.

Me and my amazing hubby talking to the first group of volunteers there to unload almost 4,000 pumpkins! I still feel speechless at the generosity of so many people making this all happen.

Unloading the first of 3 full semi truck loads we got over the course of the month.

Zach, Cooper, Nate, and Colby- working hard at the pumpkin patch!

Me and my biggest boy, Carson

LOTS of pumpkins!

This super sweet family was back for the 2nd year to buy their pumpkins....what's even better.....their girls received our Cooper Trooper Kits at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital after their sister was diagnosed with cancer! This is WHY we do what we do!!!

The JOYS of my heart....Cooper, Colby, and Carson 

The whole family!

It is truly a "family" event for the month and we LOVE it. It is such an honor and privilege to know we are giving back in some small way after our own family experience to hopefully touch the lives of other families going through childhood cancer. Praise God that our story is one that includes our little boy running and playing, cancer clear, in a pumpkin patch!

September MRI

Cooper had his usual MRI Sept. 12th. This was the longest we have gone between scans, as we are now in the "6 month club".....getting to wait 6 months between MRI's. Cooper did great. When I woke him up that morning, he was happy, not even asking to eat and just content to take an early morning ride to the hospital (an answer to many prayers no doubt). Of course, the moment we went back into the Radiology Department, he realized where he was and started getting a little more cranky. Fortunately, he was distracted with his little superhero figures and they took him back fairly quickly, so it was fine.

 It's hard to describe the sinking feeling that overwhelms my momma's heart, each time we go in that place. It represents so many things to me and lots of memories come flooding back all at once, when we walk through those doors. On one hand, the magnitude of what we have been told, scans we have seen, pain that has been endured by our little boy, waiting for answers, sheer exhaustion, questions that couldn't be answered, and the fragility of life come rushing back.... making me want to curl up in the fetal position and block it all out. On the other hand, I am thankful beyond words for how our lives have been forever changed for the better. I am honored to have met, cried with, been hugged by, and even prayed with some of the most amazing surgeons, oncologists, and nurses on the planet. I am grateful to be coming back for MRI's as opposed to the alternative of not having the opportunity to come back, like so many families who have lost the fight against cancer. I guess walking through those doors will never again be just that....walking through the doors. There will no doubt, always be the emotions on each end of the spectrum that accompany that experience. I can only hope and pray that God uses that to soften my heart to others and keep perspective on HIS control of ALL things.

Not quite awake from the anesthesia

As for this MRI, we received encouraging news overall. There is no evidence of recurrent tumor (Praise God). They are wanting to monitor a lymph node that they have been tracking for a while now. Apparently, it is a little larger and different than they would like it to be and it has continued to grow over time. So, the plan is to go back December 12th for another scan to see what it's doing and then make a decision from there about whether or not to biopsy it. I am hopeful that it is nothing. I feel like they are especially cautious about everything with Cooper, which is okay with me too.

Beginning of School- 2011

Colby on his 1st day of Kindergarten

This was a big year for our sweet Colby, who started Kindergarten!! Thankfully, big brother, Carson is in 2nd grade at Trinity Elementary and is really good at showing little brother the "ropes"!! Colby has watched Carson get on and off the bus for 2 years now, and could hardly wait to do it himself. He told me he was a little bit nervous before the first day, but I think he was mostly just excited to be a big school boy!

Carson on his 1st day of 2nd Grade

Cooper really misses both of them a lot. He cannot wait for them to get home each day. He goes to Mom's Day Out twice a week and calls that his "school", so that will have to do for Cooper for now!

Carson was such a sweet, big brother and walked Colby to his classroom each morning when they got off the bus for the first couple of weeks. He also would look for him in the cafeteria and told me he always waved to him to "make sure he knows I am looking out for him"....I can only hope these boys continue to have each other's back as they get older! They also sit together on the bus, which is a big deal, because Carson could choose to sit toward the back of the bus with his buddies his age, but chooses to stay with Colby. This makes my mama's heart so happy! Don't get me wrong, they can torture each other, but they really do stick up for each other when it comes down to it.

Colby waiting to ride the bus for the 1st time!

My big Kindergartener, Colby, riding the bus!

Colby with Mrs. Norris

Carson is in Mrs. Sharpe's 2nd grade class and had a few friends from previous classes, as well as one of his best neighborhood buddies, Sam Carneal in his class. Colby is in Mrs. Norris' class. We are thrilled to have her and Carson informed Colby that Mrs. Norris is the BEST teacher he could have in Kindergarten! Colby had a few friends he already knew from baseball, as well as a few neighborhood friends in his class. Both boys are off to a GREAT start this year!

Family Trip to St. Louis

At the end of July we went on a little family trip to St. Louis, Missouri. My sister and her husband (Kevin and Lauren) ended up going the same time we were there to do Six Flags, so we got to meet up with them for a few fun things and Bunky and I even got a little date night for our 13 year anniversary while we were there. Even though Bunk had to work some, we did lots of fun things within a few days.

We went to the St. Louis Zoo and got to feed the sharks and see lots of animals, including my favorite (the penguins and puffins). 

Feeding the stingrays

Checking out the penguins

Uncle Kevin and Aunt Lauren swinging Cooper at the zoo

We went to The Magic House Children's Museum, which was so much fun for the boys. We spent hours there and truly enjoyed the wide range of hands-on things to do!

Carson with his Aunt Lauren at the museum getting their hair all static!

Colby having some fun with the floating balls

We went up in the St. Louis Arch, watched a movie on Lewis and Clark, and toured the Museum of Westward Expansion.

St. Louis Arch

The Museum of Westward Expansion

Looking out of the Arch

 

We watched the St. Louis Cardinals play! Carson and Bunky actually went to a 2nd game to see the Cardinals and Cubs play. We took the Metro to do this, which was pure excitement for the boys as well!

Colby and Carson with their Dad at the Cardinals game!

We really enjoyed it and will definitely go back for a family trip. It was very inexpensive for ALL the fun things we did! There are a lot of free and inexpensive family things to do in St. Louis.

Unfortunately, on the way home.....somewhere in the middle of Kentucky, our back tire blew out on the suburban (which we had bought only 13 days before- used of course). So, my rock star husband changed a tire in the 100 degree heat in the middle of nowhere! I am happy to report that Carmax DID take care of the expenses for the body damage due to the tire and replaced the tire at no cost after finding out it was a faulty tire. Thankfully, no one was hurt. We are the Cooks....we always got to have a little "drama" you know??!!