So Long Ordinary

Since we're backing up let's go even farther to almost two weeks ago when Brooklyn had her Christmas program at school. Ever seen a Kindergarten Christmas Program? They're adorable, that's all there is to it. All that practice dancing in the living room is paying off...she was the best one out there! Check out the moves on this girl! Take a bow! Maddie was so proud of her sister. Here they are posing in front of the tree at school.

Okay, let's back waaaayyy up. Last Tuesday, we had my niece Audrey over as we often do. I had some cookies baked and we went to town decorating them. It was great fun! The cookies are so piled high with frosting that nobody wants to eat them, but we had fun anyway :-)

We are having so much fun! We spent Christmas Eve with my family. It was great. We had so much fun. Now we're getting ready to have our own little Christmas here at home before going over to Sean's folks'. It's gonna be another great day, I know it! Okay, so we've had one little "hiccup." Madison has been pretty sick - throwing up and complaining about a pain in her right side. She acted a little more normal through the day yesterday but by the time we came home she just wasn't doing well. You can guess we were thinking the worst - appendicitis! We took her in to the emergency room late last night. Turns out she had strep! Apparently, lots of kids show symptoms of tummy aches and throwing up when they have strep. What a huge relief....and then I'm smacking my forehead and wishing we weren't going to have to pay a ton of money to find that out :-) Oh well. She got a shot of penicillin last night and she's getting better, though s

I'm so excited for this week! Brooklyn is home from school and we've got lots planned to do - baking, art projects, present wrapping...wonder if we'll get half of it done?! Today, we're reckoning order in the house. It was a wreck but we're getting there. Brooklyn and I are on our "lunch break." She's busily cleaning her room, inspired by a heavy bribe of getting to open a present early. We'll see how well my bribe works. I'm not convinced she's really going to do it. Sean took Maddie into town with him to run some errands. It made her day to get to go along with him! Paige is just now waking up from her nap and I'm wracking my brain to come up with a healthy, tasty lunch for her. She's getting rather picky. Great. Another Madison in the making. How that girl doesn't faint from hunger, I'll never know. She eats like a bird. No, not a bird - some other creature that survives on chocolate milk and the occasional spo

Where did this week go?! It's long gone already and I'm still wanting to tell you all about our weekend! Okay, so I'm a little late. Our weekend was awesome. There, got that done! No really, we're still coming down off the high that was last weekend. On Saturday, Sean and I got a much needed night out. We went to the local Thai restaurant. Ate Sushi and Curry. Drank two pots of green tea. Enjoyed each other's company. Had uninterrupted conversation. Marveled together that we're headed to that area of the world - the East?! Sunday morning we got to share with our home church. God showed up! I can't tell you what a blessing this church is to us. Actually, just about every church we share in becomes special to us, each in it's own unique way. There are many churches that have invested in us and helped make us who we are today - churches we went to as kids, churches we attended in the early years of our marriage, churches we've never really

A year ago today, we were welcoming a new little bundle into our lives. I remember that day rather vividly (as I do for each of my girls' births). There are lots of details I remember that I'm sure you could live without...so I'll spare you. But it was a great day - ranking right up there with my wedding day and two other very special birthdays. But I will tell you this: I spent the early part of my labor (i.e. the part before my labor pains were taking years off of my life) watching "I Love Lucy." I kept laughing and making the contraction meter thingy on my belly record astounding numbers that sent the midwife and nurses running into my room, sure that either something was wrong or I was already pushing....only to discover I was just laughing at Lucy's antics. I think they were kind of perturbed with me. Paigey, you were brought into this world with laughter! And now, it is YOU baby girl that makes us smile and laugh. Happy Birthday Paige Abigail! W

Brooklyn, upset when I told her to clean up a mess she'd made in the hallway: " No, Mommy, I don't wanna do it. You do it............ (no response from me)....... Momma, I'm your children! PLEASE take care of your children!" ********************** Brooklyn to Maddie: "Are you ready to rock ?" Maddie, very angry and screaming at the top of her lungs: "Noooooo, I'm not a rock!" ********************** Niece Audrey pointing at my wedding ring: "Ooohhh, I like your crystal. Did Ankle Sean give that to you?"

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23 What a tumultuous week. So many ups and downs! Part of me wants to fall into an exhausted heap and cry. The other part of me is glad - glad to know that character is being built in me that I didn't even know I needed. And faith. My faith is being challenged, tried, proven. I'll be real honest. Not because I want or need sympathy but because I do hope you'll pray with us. This support raising process is hard. Having done this before in no way prepared me for doing it again. To expect anything to be the same this time around would be silly. Let's just say...I'm kinda silly. We've had the most encouraging phone calls and talks. And many not-so-encouraging talks too. We've struggled with illness in this house that won't go away. We face, on a daily basis, many unknowns and seemingly insurmountable needs.... The human part of m

Cousins.

I'm always so grateful for my three little girls. They make me laugh so much...and also challenge my sanity on some days. These girls each have such strong and special and unique personalities. I love watching them grow up - though, granted, it is rather bittersweet! Paige is getting closer and closer to walking. She's also wearing size 18 month clothes - basically skipped 12 month. I suppose this is good, since we had lots of 18 month size clothes...that Maddie was still able to wear a year ago. Yes, Paige is TALL for her age. She turns 1 in two weeks. Brooklyn is now writing songs. She wrote out the words to some original Christmas Songs the other day: "Christmas is pink and green. Christmas, Christmas is pink and green." And, "Barney the dinosaur is pretty. Christmas, Christmas, I like Christmas!" Sean got out his guitar and added some music. They actually sound pretty cool! Maddie is always "sick." When she's tired, she tells us s