Erin Akin Carroll

Today marks my sixth blogging anniversary. That’s kind of crazy.

I never would have imagined that six years ago when I started a blog on a complete whim, with no direction, no goals, no plans, no niche, and no content to speak of, that I’d still be doing it… and loving it six years later.

Two years ago I wrote a post recapping what a new reader might have missed from the first four years. We were engaged, we got married, I planned events and taught some college classes, I had a baby, and had another baby, we sold a house and moved in with Todd’s grandmother. And now we’re here. Six years later and getting ready to move into our family home.

One of my favorite things about blogging is that I can look back and remember big things and little things. So I wanted to share with you some of my favorite posts from the last six years.

Some are super recent and some are super old. Some are deep and some just make me crack up laughing because of the memory. I’m so glad that I’ve stuck with blogging, and want to continue to write from the heart, and write the memories that are fun to read again and again.

The Nest from September 4, 2013

Our Family Mission from March 28, 2013

Marriage is Work and Work is Worship from February 27, 2013

On Being Brave from December 5, 2012

30 Things I’ve Learned in My 30 Years from November 12, 2012

Dear Me: A Letter to My Teenage Self from September 14, 2012

The Song Remembers When from August 16, 2012

My Fantasy Dinner Party from June 27, 2012

A New Day from February 6, 2012

Believe. from December 21, 2012

Birthday Weekend in Asheville from November 15, 2011

I’m a Boy Mom from September 28, 2011

A Boy and His Dog from August 24, 2011

Now That I’m a Mommy from July 28, 2011

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Truth from July 14, 2011

You Can Fight A Bear for a Little While from June 20, 2011

The Truth Comes Out from March 3, 2011

One Big Brain Dump About Two from January 11, 2011

Green Eggs and Ham Party: The Details from June 7, 2010

Ch-Ch-Changes from July 2, 2009

The Night Before from June 3, 2009

First conversation of the week… from March 23, 2009

Seeing things through my husband’s eyes from March 3, 2009

 *Thanks to my friend, Ashley, for making my banner!

I have one boy who craves respect.

And we’ve been on a collision course lately. Probably because I also crave respect. It’s what makes me feel heard and valued and loved.

My four-year-old has a smart little mouth. As in lots of back talk. And he is also actually very smart. He hears things. He repeats things. He understands things, and what he doesn’t understand, he tries to understand. He figures it out. He loves information.

One day last week he had been going and talking back and just pushing me. And it ended in me blowing up, and his consequence was going to bed without a bedtime book.

In some of our conversations, I was telling him what he had done wrong and why he was being punished, and he was crying and talking over me and I heard him say, “Just let me talk!”

That night after we put him to bed, I went to my room, and collapsed on the floor with my head on the bed and begged the Lord for forgiveness for yelling at Hudson. I cried and I begged God to guide me as I raise one of His children. I begged for patience and for it to be clear how I should teach and guide him. How can I effectively pour into him and mold him? We’re so much alike and we butt heads so often.

And I very clearly heard him tell me that Hudson just needs respect. I heard Hudson’s little voice saying, “Just let me talk!” Hear me, Mom. You can understand me if you’ll just listen. He wants validation. (I wonder where he gets that.)

Letting him cry. Letting him vent. Letting him tell me what hurt his feelings and what disappointed him. Why he’s upset to be leaving the party or leaving the zoo. What he loved about it. And validating those feelings and helping him cope.

(It’s true that he has to earn respect, but he responds well when he is respected and validated.)

Then I have Hayes, who is a social butterfly. Hayes wants interaction and wants to spend quality time with us. He wants to play, wants to burn his energy. He wants the warm fuzzies and the sweet moments. If we’ve learned anything through all of his speech therapy and occupational therapy sessions, it’s that he craves social interaction.

If you ask Hayes for a hug, he’ll drop what he’s doing to give you a huge hug and rest all of his weight on you. He loves feeling loved and wants to make others feel loved. And his behavior reflects whether or not he’s feeling that connection.

It seems that every year or so I have to go through a parenting reevaluation where I am forced to take a long hard look in the mirror and a long hard look at who my kids are becoming. Who are they and what do they individually need from me?

Anyone else experiencing anything similar?

-ONE-

Okay, we’re ready for Halloween! I have no idea where we’ll be living or if we’ll trick-or-treat in the new neighborhood or with Todd’s parents, but the boys have costumes!

My pirate-obsessed boys will be a pirate and a parrot. Sweet little Hayes will be a parrot, and I’m so excited to see him in this costume!

-TWO-

The house is coming along! The mudroom built-ins are almost finished and they started on more exterior work this week. We got columns! We should see flooring, kitchen cabinets, and paint finish up in the next three-four weeks!

 

-THREE-

We took Hudson to his second Gamecock football game last weekend. He had the best time! He was just so happy and into it all. We didn’t tailgate, but we got there just in time for Hudson to get something to eat and then for 2001 and kick off! I can’t wait until Hayes is 3 and we can take him.

 

-FOUR- 

I made Kevin and Amanda’s Spicy Sausage Pasta last night. It is the best! If you haven’t made it, please add it to your rotation. It’s a heavy, hearty meal. I make it with andouille sausage for an extra kick… and extra calories. Todd loves it and the leftovers are even better than the first night. Trust me on this!

 

-FIVE- 

I met my friend Megan for coffee and a walking date earlier this week. It was the sweetest morning of fellowship. Megan is in a similar situation with her housing situation and it’s just so nice to talk to someone who gets it and be able to speak honestly and share prayer requests. She was such a blessing to me this week!