Lucy’s baptism September 22, 2008

Today was Lucy’s baptism.  Just like this time last year (at Cord’s), I was overwhelmed at the beautiful promises that are made to Lucy- that God has put her in a family that promises to teach her about Him, pray with her and for her, and raise her to know His word.  And then the last promise, that the congregation and our extended family promises to help us raise her that way too.  What comfort there is in that support.

Here is the whole family after the service:

I kept putting the paci in to get her quiet and then I would pull it out to get the picture.  She was so sweet during the baptism. No tears or crying. But during picture taking, she was a little tired!

By the end she was hanging in my arms like a rag doll.  We laughed so hard! I wanted lots of pictures of her like that because that is her favorite way to be held. Here is one of me and my sister with my little rag doll:

Thanks for coming up today sweet family!

feeding the fairies September 17, 2008

Livy lost her fifth tooth two days ago.  I had no idea it was that ready to come out- we didn’t even use the orajel this time.  As we were driving home from church that night, she asked if the tooth fairy would give her $100 for her tooth.  I said,” No, I don’t think so!”  She asked,”How about $10?” I said,”Nope, But maybe when you lose your last tooth, you can write a note and tell the tooth fairy that it is the last tooth and she will do something extra special.”  Olivia decided that if the tooth fairy was going to leave her something, she should begin being thankful for all the tooth fairy has done for her so far.  Ahhh childhood.

 That night, Olivia left a glass of milk and two carrots for the tooth fairy to have.  She wanted to pick snacks that were good for your teeth!  In the morning, she discovered a dollar and that all the milk was gone and most of the carrots- a small bite was left on the plate.  She came down and told me all about it and finished by saying the tooth fairy must be so small that she was just too full to finish the last bite.

The fair is in our backyard. September 14, 2008

Our house backs up to the middle school in our neighborhood.  The school is hosting a fair this weekend, complete with ferris wheel and twirly rides.  The kids have watched it come together all week and have asked and asked to be able to go.  Last year, we let them have two rides each.  The ticket to get in the fair is $3 for each person and the rides are $2 a ride.  They came up with a plan so that they could do a little more this time.

They had their own lemonade stand today from 1-3. 

Thanks to some generous customers, the girls made enough money to ride two rides, play two games, and buy cotton candy!  Here they are enjoying the fruits candy of their labors. 

  Good work girls!

And the doors closed… September 9, 2008

Well, I’ve been on LA weightloss for about 6 weeks this time.  Things are going well, even though I always wish it could come off faster.  I am always motivated after having a baby because I always think this is the last time I will have to do this.  God has blessed us with 4 babies and so I have had to do this 4 times. I have high accountability and encouragement  by going three times a week and consulting one-on-one with a counselor too.  This past Friday (which had been a heartbreaker anyway) I walked in and the lady tells me they are closing their doors! What?!

I still have lots of weeks left on this program! They  “gave” me the opportunity to talk one-on-one with someone once a week out of their Birmingham office and free shipping on all their products should I need any.  Not the best substitute for me.

So I am roughing it at home by myself.  My biggest encouragement is that this REALLY is the LAST time I am doing this.  All the babies that are coming our way are here now.  So keep praying for motivation and for will power as I focus on the goal ahead of me.  thanks!

Guess who turned 66? September 7, 2008

my dad! We went to Birmingham today and celebrated with him.  Happy Birthday daddy.

3 months old September 7, 2008

Lucy turned 3 months old on the 2nd.  Except for a fussy tummy, she is a sweet baby. 

Here she is with her great grandmother, Babe.  What a blessing to be able to have pictures with my sweet grandparents.

OK just one more September 4, 2008

I am thankful for baby wipes.

caught red handed September 4, 2008

It got really quiet yesterday and that is never a good sign.  I found Cord looking like this:

He had been in the trash- found an old pudding cup, eaten lots, and painted the floor with the rest.  Wow.  Truly a face only the mother could love

Surviving or thriving? September 3, 2008

I saw this question posted on someone else’s blog and thought it was an interesting question.  Am I surviving my day or am I thriving in it? In this stage of life it is difficult to know how to evaluate this question.  I would say surviving.  Each day I wake up and think about the day and plan how to survive it.  Some of that involves looking at the day and thinking how to mesh all that “needs” to happen with all that has to happen- for example, I need to go to the grocery store and the children have to be fed, changed, cared for during their crying, etc.  I need to go to biblestudy today and the children have to take naps, drink bottles, and be nursed. Many times it is an endurance race to bedtime.  I am surviving the race.

Yet I don’t think that is the opposite of thriving right now.  I don’t see how it could NOT feel like surviving to those in this stage of life.  So, I am choosing not to answer this one and instead focusing my eyes on the next small step in the day that keeps the kids alive And one day I know I will wake up and realize that this particular surviving stage is over.  At this moment it is really quiet in my house.  The oldest two are playing together in their room, the crazy little boy (who just took an old pudding cup out of the trash and got it all over himself and the kitchen) has finally given in to sleep, and the precious baby is over her screaming and is sitting in her bouncy seat.  Maybe this is the thriving moment- that it is actually quiet! nevermind, I hear trouble.