Get tough

This morning I ws discussing with Jamon how we were going to teach virtues to Corban. This conversation came about due to an experience I had at the grocery store last week. I was talking to a friend of mine near the deli counter in Publix. She had two of her sons with her, they are like 3 and 5 or something close to that. While we were talking the younger one started fidgeting (He wanted the free cookie!) and she kindly turned to him and said "What virtue should you be practicing now?" He responded "Patience" and then promptly settled down and was an absolute angel. I walked away thinking "WHAT... he's three years old and he knows what virtues are... and that he needs to practice patience. Corban doesn't have a chance. I don't even know what all of the virtues are!" So that's how Jamon and I got to talking about it. How are we going to teach our precious lil boy to be virtuous. Jamons solution was quite simple. He said we only needed to teach him one. The "King of all virtues" as Jamon called it. It is:

GET TOUGH.

Yes. Get tough.

Corban, I know you want a cookie but you can't have one right now. GET TOUGH

I know you don't want to say the rosary right now. GET TOUGH

I know you're frustrated because you want to play with that toy right now, but it's someone else's turn. GET TOUGH.

Basically, according to Jamon, Get tough encompasses all virtues and will teach corban to choose to do what he may not want to do.... to choose a virtue.

My thought was to tell him to just "Offer it up." That's what I grew up with and it seemed to work okay.

Thank goodness Corban is only 2 months old and we have some time to fine tune the life lessons we'll teach.

End of '09

I typically wait to blog until I've at least thought of the first line I'm going to write. Not the case today. No first line has "come to me"  but I know I need to post an update. Life has been busy here and I've got some new pics. Yea!

On December 20th we had the "rest" of Corban's baptism. If you recall, he was baptised by Fr. Garrity when he was one day old in the hospital. On the 20th Fr. Tatman finished it all up with the anointing and we were so blessed to have Corban's God-Parents, Chris and Stefani Blackwell, in town! They arrived on Saturday and I was thrilled to get some much needed friend time. God is so wonderful in blessing us with their friendship! They're having a little boy, in May. Corban doesn't know it yet, but they're going to be best buddies.

Also, Most of the basketball team attended. Fr. Tatman was great and really went into detail about the baptism and related it all back to sports and athletes. Perfect, now even Jamon and I can remember why there's oil involved. Fr told us that the anointing went back to ancient times when athletes would put oil on themselves before they entered a battle. The oil made it difficult for the opponent to hold on to them. The same way it is with sin, we are anointed at baptism to make it difficult for the devil to hold on to us. (That is a butchered re-telling... but the best I can do since I'm not in a writing mood. :) )

You'll notice in the pictures that Corban is wrapped in a white satin-y blanket. It is a blanket made from the material of my wedding dress. So special. In my family there is a baptism gown that we've all worn and my mom has had our names embroidered on it. Jamon and I LOVED the idea of a tradition and really liked having a piece that was embroidered with names on it. So we're taking my moms fabulous tradition and making it into our own with the blanket. I love our new little family and figuring out what our traditions are going to be.

Jamon had off the rest of the week, which was awesome. We went to see a movie (Blindside... Awesome!!!) and took Corban to the beach. He's so funny and doesn't quite know what to do when wind blows on his face. He's quite dramatic and gasps for air with big ole eyes... needless to say the beach trip was short and sweet.

Christmas eve we went to dinner with some friends of ours at the Cheesecake Factory and then 10pm Mass (a nice alternative to midnight mass!) at St. Anns. It was wonderful! Corban was an angel and it was so special to hear the Christmas readings about a special little boy who was born to save the world. :) It made Jamon and I all warm and fuzzy about our own sweet lil baby boy, who has certainly changed our life! (notice Corbans hand over his face... he was being shy.)

 Christmas morning we opened presents. Jamon got a new grill... YEA!!!! (I'm so excited) and I think he was excited too. He said he feels all grown up now... we have a lawnmower, a grill, a vacuum and a baby. Grown up for sure.

Jamon's family came in town on Christmas day and we all enjoyed a big ole bowl of etoufee for Christmas dinner...  another tradition Jamon and I have settled on. Neither of us like the traditional Thanksgiving/Christmas food so we're changing it up. Cajun food it is. YUM!

While mom, dad and brenton and kaylee were here we relaxed, went on a golf cart ride, ate, played, saw alligators and on and on.

Mom wanted family pics, so we all dressed in white so that everyone on the beach would know what we were up to and stay out of our way when we were grouped together. I mean seriously... I wouldn't walk in front of a camera if there was a group of matchy matchy people posing in front of it. :)







For dad's birthday we went to Everglades city to go on an airboat tour. It was an absolute blast, although there are pelicans that jump on the boat and scared the beejeebers out of me. UGH!

Alligators are everywhere and we were fairly warned that they eat babies. Poor Corban.

Jamon and I got to hold a lil baby alligator named
skippy. I definitely washed my hands after that.


It really was a wonderful visit.

Now back to reality... Jamon is back to work and I'm gearing up myself to head back. I have LOVED this time of just hanging with the Corbster. He is such a sweet and happy baby. He takes after me and is quite the morning person. He wakes us happy, eats and then spends the next half hour or so talking and smiling. It is absolutely the best way to start my day. 

Next week Trish gets here. I can hardly wait!!!!!!!! I am so looking forward to spending some quality time with her. It'll be the first time in about 7 years that we've got to really hang out for more than a couple of hours. WOO. This is us a few years ago in Rhode Island.. she had just turned 21 and I felt the need to order some serious margaritas!






There has just been so many special moments and times when I smile from ear to ear. I am reminded daily that I am SO blessed. One of the Copeland family traditions is on Christmas we all exchange love letters and read them out loud. I LOVE this tradition. The letter that mom wrote to Jamon said something that really sums up 2009 and reminds me how faithful God is. She said that 2009's word for us is "NEW." New jobs, new state, 2 new houses, new basketball team, new baby... new new new. I am so excited for our future because looking back reminds me just how faithful and loving God is. He truly does grant us the desired of our hearts.