We are just waiting.

I feel like the nesting is finally complete. School was out this last week and we have been sleeping in and trying to rest up. We are ready for Baby Smith to come! The question is where is he? With my official due date being May 31 and knowing the Brawner's are not super early people, we will just have to wait and see. If I never see my sewing machine again or a paint brush, I might be okay. Jason is a little jittery and really probably more ready for Smith to get here than myself. Jackson and Mollie Jane love his room. Mollie Jane is obsessed with his mobile and that she will share her old crib with him. I catch Jackson in there laying on Smith's day bed with all his webkins just hanging out. Jackson asks every morning if Baby Smith is going to come today. I just keep telling him it is up to God and God knows when he is coming. So Jackson just wants to pray a lot more. Me too! We are just glad we are prepared for the big man and hopefully when he arrives (whenever that is) there will be no more project or severe nesting at the Brawner house. Just lots of holding Baby Smith. Poor kid I hope he is ready for our crazy life and a fun filled summer. I hope he gets here soon because I am running out of "Tums" and just the other day I had one woman ask me if I was diabetic (seriously, am I that big) and another woman who has twins herself asked me if I was carrying twins. I am definitely feeling chubby and the last two days we have gone to the pool and I am officially sunburned. I just kept telling myself I always feel thinner when I am tan but I am not feeling thinner just sunburned! Way to go Al!

Jackson is offically a first grader!

I cannot believe Jackson is done with Kindergarten. We had his Kindergarten graduation today and they wore a cap and gown and marched in. It was priceless. Of course Jackson was all business during the ceremony and stuck his neck out trying to keep his cap on. We could not have asked for a better kindergarten year or better teachers. His teacher was crying and could hardly talk because she is going to miss the kids so much. It was like a flashback to when I taught kindergarten. It seemed like just yesterday I was teaching my own kindergarten students and now my child is actually done with kindergarten. Time is flying by way too fast. Jackson got the determination award. Which Jason and I think is code for the "Mr. Anal" award. He is so funny. He also got the handwriting award. Seriously? Jason's handwriting is illegible and I got extremely bad marks on my student teaching evaluation for second graders on my handwriting. We honestly look at each other and are not sure whose child he really is. His teacher talked about how determined and precise Jackson was and when he wants to achieve something he just sets his mind on it and works hard to accomplish it. Jackson's best friend Madie came with her sister Jenna and Natalie. Jason's Mom Sue-Sue even made it for the big event. I know Jackson will do great at all day first grade next year. He loves school and thrives at school with his "all business" personality. I am just so thankful for lunches with He and Mollie Jane every day this year, a class full of sweet kids who all come from good homes, body rests, his teachers who love him and love the Lord and just having Jackson around. I guess I will have to teach Mollie Jane how to make my my body rest spritzer next year of sprite and pomegranate since Jackson has officially graduated to the first grade.
Jackson's synopsis of what he has learned in Kindergarten this year!

Jackson's Kindergarten class picture

A Happy Mother's Day

I woke up to this awesome Mother's Day card. I love that I am the "chubbiest one" on the end in purple with Baby Smith in my tummy! Priceless!

We had a great Mother's Day. It kind of went on all week last week. Jackson had a Mother's Day Tea at school last week. He wrote me a poem with illustrations and presented me with a handmade flower pot. Mollie Jane also had a tea at her school and made me a candle and was more into the buffet line with the cakes and cheeses for her tea than her gift for me. Jason and I celebrated by going out to our favorite Mexican food restraunt in Branson Friday night and just relaxing. We had a great day Sunday lunch at our club and then came home and worked our "biscuits off" trying to finish Baby Smith's room and it is still not quite done (AHHH) but we're getting closer. We also celebrated Sunday night in typical Brawner style a dual celebration of Mother's Day and completion of Mollie Jane's potty training with donuts in the loft. We did the first phase of our potty training in December and that was very successfull so for Mother's Day we think we completed phase #2 (literally-HAHAHA) of potty training for Mollie Jane. That was about the best present I could get. So we enjoyed a low social schedule for the weekend which is usually not been our style the last several weekends! So all in all it was lovely.

Jackson's Career Change

Jackson with the one of the best pilots in the whole world a Thunderbird!

Jason and Jackson had an awesome day at the Air Show in Branson. Branson opened a new airport and they brought in all kinds of military aircraft and shows. Jackson and Jason got their picture taken with Patty Wagstaff (the Amelia Earhart of today). Jackson got to see the Thunderbirds and we had pumped him up that these were the best pilots in the world. He was so thrilled to meet one of the best pilots in the whole world and has always said he wants to be a pilot when he grows up. He knows Daddy was a pilot. I always give Jason a hard time and tell him he's not really a pilot anymore because he doesn't fly much. But Jason insists that he is still a pilot and just a notch or two below these guys (HAHAHA). We talked to Jackson about how brave these Air Force pilots were, how hard they have to work and how much they studied in school and college to be the best pilots, how they eat super healthy foods (Jackson thought they probably don't eat a lot of donuts) and they get lots of sleep for their bodies. What a great teachable moment I thought. These guys are it for him. Then Jackson (our overly cautious first born) decided after seeing all their stunts, flying backwards, and how noisy the planes were that he just wants to be a soldier that helps people like Daddy when he grows up and be the kind that doesn't carry a gun (which chaplains don't do). Another fun filled day for the Brawners and possibly a big day for Jackson in that he has decided to once again change his career path at the age of six. After seeing that the best pilots in the world were daredevils, he has reassessed. I guess he still has a few years to develop his daredevil personality but Jason and I won't hold our breath. Just goes to show me that no matter what kinds of studly role models we introduce him to and teach him about, Daddy takes the cake. I in many ways can't argue with him there even if many days I want to ring Daddy's neck. Daddy is the best.