Night time mercies

We've had many long hard days here.  The girls are still battling ear infections, and Kevin has caught something just icky.  Until yesterday, the only nice days for playing outside for weeks were the days of coughing and wheezing, so we've all got cabin fever.  I've been sleeping day or night - whenever I  can, and the schedules are, well, the schedules are fairly non-existent.

Yesterday we got to go outside.  We had a big snack and it took an hour to get outside clothes on (don't ask) but we made it and stayed long (delaying lunch, but, like I said, we'd had a big snack).  The sunshine and fresh air did us all good. Then Savannah went down for a nap, I sat down to eat my lunch (finally) and just about the time Kevin went off to the doctor, my body required a nap. Sydney got some electronic game time - bonus for her.  :)

Why does this matter?  Well, my nap was interrupted a few times to help with the "gaming" and it only served to make me more tired,  so when Kevin came home (with Subway) he sent me up to bed saying, "I'm not gonna have the strength to tuck them in, but I can do dinner now.  Go be functional."  

I love that man.  

When I woke up at 7:15pm (I was planning to put Syd to bed at 7...) I thought for sure it would be chaos.  The girls' rooms were a mess, I was still groggy, and I had no idea if they were full, playing well together, asleep on the couch, etc. Of course, Kevin was taking care of them so they were fine, but I still thought we had the makings of a really hard night.

When I put them to bed, Savannah got some play time in her room (she'd had such a long nap) and I had to have a stern talk with Sydney about her lack of obedience in the past few days (read: many).  We discussed why she is to obey and why I know she can hear me now (she's on day 7 of the meds for her ears and I no longer think they are too plugged).  Then she got upset that I wouldn't read the Bible story she picked.  But her heart was at stake.  We read the story of Jonah.  I wanted her to understand disobedience as a big deal - the kind that demands a storm and a fish.  And why is it a big deal?  Because it shows the true nature of our hearts.  So we read the story and then talked about Jonah and what he (should have) learned.  After a brief discussion about Savannah's disobedience, we talked about what I might have wanted her to learn by reading that story.  I think it was productive, and here is why:  

This is her prayer from last night:  "Dear Jesus, thank you for playing outside today.  And please give me a new heart to listen and obey.  I need that.  And please, please, come into Savannah's heart and live there.  And give me more freckles.  I just love those freckles.  Amen."

Praise God for His Word, living and active, able to transform even the heart of a 5-year-old!

And yes, Savannah's tuck-in was just as sweet.  The highlight?  A kiss on the check, a curled up squeeze into my chest and the words, "I ready mom."  

Night time mercies.  Thank you Jesus.  Amen.

Helpful resource

As 2008 draws to a close, and my 5-year-old is counting down the days until 2009, it dawns on me that we've had quite a year for exploring different illnesses.  Not counting ear infections, colds, various forms of the flu (stomach and otherwise) and croupy stuff, we've had (in chronological order):  pinworms (at least it wasn't lice, but after the cleaning and laundry it was worse than I thought); a "fluidless" pneumonia (for two!); Hand, Foot and Mouth; and Scarlet Fever.  After all that, I found a pictorial site for determining rashes.  Not for the faint of heart, but helpful!  And much tamer than many others out there.  Wish I had seen this before we got our rashes...

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow-child-skin-problems/article_em.htm

It's wasn't working, but I finally got there.

I've been trying to write this post for some time now and it's not working, so I'm just jumping in.  I've been thinking (among other things) about what it means for Kevin to be the head of our home but for me to really "run" the daily operation of our home.  

There was a poignant moment this summer when I felt like I had a whole new picture of what that looks like in a practical way for our family.  The story is, in short, the long-time-coming swing set going up in our backyard.  The long story involves a number of months where God used this playset to expose my thinking, my communication with/to my husband, my desires and my expectations on our family and our time together.  

My husband's job is the church.  My job is our home.  And then, of course, there's family time. Sometimes at the church.  Sometimes at home.  But never enough.  So what is the point of this post?  It is connected with other posts still in process, but I just wanted to say to others who may be wrestling with this same question - you're not alone.  

For us, it turns out I was asking (at times) for the wrong things.  I discovered some areas where I was trying to "include" Kevin when he had no need to be included and would even be drained by my attempts to bring him closer.  Finding out what he most enjoyed doing to serve me or the girls, or the things he most enjoyed in our family time each week, or even what he really didn't care about and was glad to just let me "do"... this was immensely helpful!  Once that was sorted out, we found more time and energy for real family time activities.  Or grown up time.  Or house projects.  Or whatever.  And there were less conversations lost or unresolved or waited for.  Most of this only really affects my head and my heart, and looks nothing different on the "outside."  I am a smart, capable woman.  And my husband constantly tells me so.  In the last eight months or so,  I've seen with new eyes both where and why God has intended for me to use my talents for the benefit of the home.  And I'm enjoying that.

I'm still sorting it all out, and I often feel like there is no step-by-step roadmap (or at least one that I can follow without searching my heart and submitting it to the will of my good Father in heaven), but I think a lot of the "carried along" feeling from this summer is washing away.  Certainly taking a weekly Sabbath has something to do with that... but that's another post.  

 Even in the frenetic pace of life at home with young girls and in the midst of planting a church, I am finding that God, who has spoken by His Son Jesus, in His Word, the Bible, is speaking peace and surety to me.  Christmas is often a time where the word peace is casually thrown around as a platitude, but my peace has been more than just the season of Advent in the making.  I pray for all of us that we would let the true peace, the peace of the risen Christ (not just the absence of conflict) reign in our hearts far beyond this "holiday" time, and experience the fullness of life only He can bring.

Happy Birthday

Yes, Happy Birthday Jesus.  And Happy Birthday Mom!  I love you!

No, I three!

Dear Savannah, Saturday you were very grown up.  You wore 3T pants and they were not long at all!  You pooped in the potty, "read" at least 10 books you had memorized, and insisted you were not two, but in fact three years old.  You were a picture of your next summer self, and I must admit, I was surprised to see how reluctant I felt to see you that way.

When you woke up Sunday, you were sullen, loud, and refused to poop (or pee) in the potty.  You wore a 3T dress that looked like the "before" outfit on an "after" body.  Your vocabulary consisted of "no," "mine," and the ever-used "Sydney no touch my..." followed by your held out hand in your sister's face.  In short, you were two again.  And I wasn't happy with that either.

Sorry I want your age to be whatever is most convenient (and least emotionally taxing) for me.  It's a good thing I'm not in charge of your mood or my sanctification would be much slower.  I just want you to know that I love you very much - sick or healthy,  two or "three"- and you feel free to grow and develop at the rate God has set out for you.  That's what you're going to do anyway.  :)

Oh, and that unsolicited kiss you blew to me and your daddy when we left your room just about knocked us both over.  I really thought I was going to hit the floor when my knees buckled.  I think Daddy said it best,  "The answer to your question is no.  She could not possibly be cuter."

Antibiotics to all, and to all a goodnight!

Another doctor visit.  Each girl has an ear infection - one right,  one left.  Sydney's is yucky and gross; Savannah's is just beginning.  Savannah just finished an ear infection.  She had to get a shot.  And she'll get one tomorrow and Friday.  Merry Christmas - you're getting rocephin.  Sydney will be the recipient of a large bottle of liquid augmentin.  Just what every 5-year-old girl dreams of... but I will receive a good gift - the gift of no more coughing and some much needed sleep - for all of us.  :)

Or not...

Illness strikes again!  Ah, the joys of preschool for two and young immune systems!  We're in the middle of two seriously yucky colds (though the Thanksgiving ear infections have cleared!), but managed to make it through the end of the school days and the holiday madness.  Now we can enjoy being home and sleeping (when the coughing allows).  It's a bit surprising how the familiar bark of the croup can both wake me and put me to sleep - all in the same 24 hours period.  I have many entries to finish, so I'll do that now and set them to post over the next week or so.  No matter your circumstances, may you know the peace of Christmas this week - His name is Jesus!

Be Healed!

Because we are!  

But seriously, both girls went to preschool this morning, I overdid the last few days to try and get caught-up on cleaning and sanity, and had to nap from 4-6pm (oops), and my dear husband is at a meeting he doesn't normally have.  In short, we're back to normal!  I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, so hopefully there will be some blog entry completion (and posting) of substance.  More to come...

Washing machines matter

I have all these wonderful posts started (or at least something started - they're not yet wonderful or they'd be published already!), but I can't get to any of them because while I was still trying to process my summer we had the regular craziness of the start of school followed by yucky colds, ear infections, scarlet fever, a major birthday (she's 5!) and now the stomach flu hitting, it appears, 4 out of 4.  Please pray my mom doesn't take this home with her - she's already had a week-long visit much different than envisioned... and our washing machine broke.  So I'll get back to our life catch-up when we're all keeping our food down at the same time.  And I'm not real sure when that might be.

fyi

What Your Handbag Says About You

You tend to be relaxed throughout the day. You are naturally at peace. You tend to be relaxed but alert. You keep your eye out for anything unusual. You are a low maintenance person. You can adapt to a variety of situations. You are open and comfortable with who you are. You don't hide anything. You are an organized and together person. You are competent and successful. You are an outgoing and expressive person. You always speak your mind, and you're very approachable.

What Does Your Handbag Say About You?

Slippers

I  love slippers.  I wear them a portion (all) of every day.  My feet are perpetually freezing, so I bundle them up with warm socks and my slippers.  Here is the pair I've been wearing since (eek!) I was pregnant with Savannah (now 19 mos. old):

Yes, sometimes when I  walk I can feel the floor on my feet.  And yes, sadly, they have been leaving bits of themselves all over the house for weeks now.  They are a very fuzzy red... lovely for those crummy pregnant days when you want something cheerful to help you smile through the nausea.  Not so good for keeping the floors free of red lint (and now, rubber sole parts)... 

I've known for months that it was time to get new ones, but I couldn't find the right fit.  You see, I  wear them every day, and I can't stress enough how much they matter to me - type,  fit, comfort, durability, etc.  The other day I was at Wal-Mart with a bunch of time to kill and I thought, "Why not?  I'll wander over to slippers..."  Please keep in mind that I have looked there before.  I have checked other stores.  I have checked websites.  I have checked catalogs.  I have checked every place to check known to my brain, and never found a good fit.  

It took approximately 5 seconds to find the perfect pair.  Even Sydney agreed.  They're not fancy (or really fuzzy),  but they fit my feet, they fit the budget, and they have no holes.  It's this last reason, I think, that my feet have been warm for the first time in months... here you are feet.  Oh, happy day!

********************************************************************

Just a quick note - I first wrote this in April, so now my new slippers have been around 5.5 months.  They are still warm, inexpensive, and intact.  And I leave no fuzzies in my wake...

Friends

Sydney got in the car yesterday with some "excellent" news!  She played computers with *Josh* during center time, and here's how she explained it to me:

"I played computers with *Josh* today.  I think we're friends now.  We made things for each other on the computer.  He made me an S and I made him a *J* shirt.

He said, 'I think I actually like you' to me.

I said, 'I do like you' to him.

He said 'I like you too.'

Then we decided we could play outside together later,  but we forgot.  But it means we're friends now."

What do you say after that story?  It was "excellent" news.

Soooooo, how was your summer?

Wow.  Are we almost to October?  What in the world happened?  I mean, I know I keep telling people that this summer "kicked my butt" (and in a "bottom" family, that's saying something!), but really??  So apparently having a toddler, a preschooler, a pastor-husband, lots of out-of-town visitors and sunshine suppresses blogging.  Who knew?

I'll get some pictures up soon, but this fall looks worse than the summer, so I think my lofty blogging goals (thanks to many other inspiring bloggers who clearly have a) more time, b) older children or c) clearer heads than I) have to come back down to where they were to begin with.  Do what I can - let the people hear some stories and see some pictures.

As for the ever-promised entries from the spring?  Well, the short version is that the day you want to take advantage of all Wal-Mart has to offer for diversion you will find what you need on the aisle, and at your first try.  Makes for a L-O-N-G wait for (another) prescription... especially if you are four years old.  

And the slippers?  Well, those who've spent time at my house (with me in it) know that I could never just give a sentence to them.  These pillars of sanity will eventually get their blogging due.  But not this week.  :)

For whatever it's worth,  I'm back.

We are slowly recovering...

It is way past my bedtime and I'm leading a Bible study in the morning so I've got to get sleeping.  However, I did want to mention that we are slowly recovering here in the sick house, and to thank you for your prayers (and to ask them to keep coming!).  I hope to post a lovely account of our 7 visits to the doctor in only 2 weeks, (plus the two dentist check-ups), the "how to kill an hour in Wal-Mart with your sick kid" (a real nail biter), and a tribute to slippers.  You may never hear of the joy of crazily disinfecting the whole house in just over a day, but I'm sure many of you can imagine that one (because you've been there).  I just wanted to check in and say that we're alive and we're on the road to recovery (except Kevin, so pray that his doctor visit tomorrow is super-productive and yields quick results!).  Thanks for so many messages of prayers and love.  Oh, and yes, we're unharmed by the tornados.  All good news.

It's not just allergies

'nuff said.

Sickies

Last week Spring Break ended, the hubby went off to a conference, and I thought life would get back to it's normal routine.  Anyone know what this means?  Yes, fellow-parents, you are correct - the girls got sick.  

In defense of Savannah, she's had an ear infection since before Easter, so she just remained sick (we're on antibiotic number 3.  Could tubes be in her future as well?  I have some extra kid earplugs for bathtime...).  

Sydney, however, thanks to her asthma inhaler, has been MUCH healthier this fall/winter/spring than the last couple.  We had a real humdinger sometime in January (oh man, it was bad - like four, crazy, unrelated illnesses at one time) but since then, we've been great.  Not so last week.  Though she never coughed hard enough to vomit (sorry for the description, but I was so grateful), she came close a couple times, and really wasn't able to function too well.  She had some throat pain that prevented swallowing even her favorite soft foods, and had to miss church on Sunday, which is a pretty major deal for us.  <---- (here I  would like to interject a thank you to my Mother-in-law, who not only made it possible for me to keep Sydney home and still teach Sunday School, but also spent a good portion of each day this past week helping me juggle the two sickies and their competing wellness schedules.  THANK YOU!)

Dad took Sydney to the doctor on Monday (and then got on his airplane) and they said it was probably a virus that should pass by the end of the week, but guess what happened Wednesday morning after breakfast.  "I'm really okay to go to school mom..." she insisted, as she barely ate some yogurt and then doubled-over onto her chair.  I told her to go to the couch and here's what I found maybe three minutes later:

Yep!  She's asleep.  Out cold.  This child NEVER falls asleep on the couch.  She's got the amazing willpower of her dad and can practically make her body do ANYTHING (including stay awake at ridiculous times and for ridiculous reasons).  I knew this was serious.  Just look at this face!

So, I called the doctor, called my Bible Study co-leader, and settled in for a day of nurse mom.  It turns out that she woke up from her little morning "nap" with a fever of 101.  Hooray for us, we won the doctor prize, and got ourselves an antibiotic.  When I took Savannah in on Friday (oh yes, it was a 3-fer), she was exhibiting all the same symptoms Sydney had had all week, but it turns out it's just the persistent ear infection rearing up again.  So we stopped one antibiotic halfway through day eight and are trying again with something even stronger.  At least this is only given once a day,  keeping my med checks mostly confined to the morning hours.  Add in Sydney's trip to the dentist the Friday before and my trip to said dentist just before Savannah's appointment yesterday and it's been a banner 10 days.  And it looks like my dear hubby is home just in time for my throat to get scratchy.  It could be allergies, right...? 

What I learned in April

We've had a great couple of weeks hosting some folks and enjoying my mom's long visit, but it has meant a lack of blogging!  I've got some thoughts rolling around and thought I'd get out a couple of quick ones before I plunge into the deep and vast pile of papers that is my desk.  Here are some things I've learned over the last couple weeks:

1.  My children love to take out the garbage.  Sydney loves to do anything "by myself" and Savannah loves to do anything that Sydney does - including emptying garbage cans, tying up the bags, and taking them to the cans outside.  Syd especially enjoys hauling the recycle bin from the kitchen because it's "Really Big Mom" (it's also really light).  Apparently the size of the container means that she is strong.  And let's hear it for those tiny boxes I had so that Savannah could also carry something (without sharp points) to the blue bin...

2.  Savannah is a toddler.  She's 18 months old but doing all the toddler things.  This morning's treat?  A rousing game of "Chase the Naked, Wet Baby."  Who needs a towel after bath time anyway?  Even if it does have a cute little froggy hood.

3.  Tired = tired.  It doesn't matter how you slice it, if you've been sleep deprived for years, you can't recoup in a mere 10 days.  Thanks for letting me try, though, mom.

More later...

And the Four-Year-Old does it again...

She's really on a roll.  Or maybe it was the Holy Spirit.  Either way, my lovely child has given me something to ponder.  This morning was one of those rare, relaxed, "home days" (only filled with a hubby who had to vacate the bedroom a couple hours early to allow our friend to take a shower and prepare for her job interview, the presence of another friend who would take this first friend to the airport after the interview, the impending arrival of my mother-in-law to whisk away said child for Easter Breakfast preparations and a phone that won't stop ringing).  

Like a said, a rare, *relaxed* home day.  I was happily padding about in my pjs and robe, feeding people, cleaning up the kitchen, floating around from pile to pile to make order out of chaos, and checking in on the girls who were, shockingly, either sharing or staying out of each others' way.  Praise God for his daily mercies.  

Sitting in the front room I graciously received my daughter's birthday party invitation (b'day still over 6 months away).  It was a picture of her, with a "gummy head" chasing her (but she was too fast and got away, "so don't worry mommy").  [Do I talk about name calling again now, or enjoy the picture...]  About five minutes later she brought in a picture for her sister - two beautiful faces with geometric hair. Gorgeous.  

Here's the problem.  

She wants to let her sister hold the picture.  She wants her to keep it forever.  BUT, she knows her sister is not as gentle as she is.  So she gives it to her and explains "No crumpling."  Then she takes it back. Then she holds it up for her to see.  Very close and far away.  Then she asks, "Do you understand?"  My youngest says "Yes."  Syd gives her the page.  Wait!  Yes to crumpling or yes to no crumpling?  The page is back in Sydney's hand before Savannah has hardly touched it and I'm ready for the certain paper cut to start bleeding... no blood.  Bonus. This game goes on for some time, and, surprisingly, my 18 month old eventually has the page for about 30 seconds, during which she very gently and carefully holds it straight, exclaiming over it's wonders in beautiful toddler-speak.  

What's the point?  I watched this exchange and wondered how often I do that with God.  Do I make pretty pictures and invite him only to my "parties"?  Do I try to give him something and then take it back, in a very complicated dance of control (or the illusion of it)?  If I know he is going to destroy something, shouldn't that be an indication that it's not good for me and instead of holding on like a security blanket I ought to throw it out like it were on fire?  And lastly, do I ever trust God to grasp me with his careful touch and beautiful words, much the way Savannah surprised me by her "no crumpling" after all?

Quiet times with a four-year-old.

Last night as I tucked my oldest into bed, she picked the story of the Prodigal Son(s) from her kid Bible.  (you can read it in a "grown up" Bible - Luke 15:11-32).  At the end of the parable, her Bible explains how much God loves His children and will always love His children.  Even though she was tired, she was also able to be quiet and think, so here's the conversation we had after the book closed:

Me:   Are you God's child?

Her:  Yes.  Everyone is God's child.

Me:   No, not everyone is God's child. 

Her:  What? (sounding someone more awake than 20 seconds ago)

Me:   God made everyone, but they are not all in His family.

Her:  Oh.

Me:   How do you know if you are in Jesus' family?

Her:  He's in my heart!

Me:   Right.  Well, not everyone has Jesus in their heart.  But the ones who do are God's            children - they're in His family.

Her:  Oh.  Well I have Jesus in my heart.  He gave me a NEW heart.  So I'm His child.

Me:   Yep!

Her:  And did Jesus give you a new heart?

Me:   Yes!

Her:  And did Jesus give daddy a new heart?

Me:   Yes!

Her:  And did Jesus give Savannah [little sister] a new heart?

Me:   We don't know.  She doesn't have any words to talk to us about that yet.  But we are praying that Jesus will give her a new heart.

Her:  Right!  (look of wheels turning...)

Me:   I'm your mommy, and you're my daughter, so you're my child, right?

Her:  Right.

Me:   How about your friend *Name*?  She is your friend and we love her, but she is not my   child.  She is a person, but she is not part of our family.

Her:  She's not in Jesus' family either.

Me:   She's not?  (wondering if now our family is the only part of Jesus' family)

Her:  No, she's in Santa's family.  (Confirmation that the discussion of Santa we had from November until last week is getting in there...)

Me:   You can invite her to be in Jesus' family.

Her:  I can?!?!  I want to do that!

Me:   You tell her what you know of Jesus, then you ask her she wants Him to come give her a new heart.  If she does, she can pray and ask Him for a new heart that loves Him.

Her:  Okay, I'll do that.  When she gets back from vacation.  Mom?

Me:   Yes?

Her:  I'm tired.  I love you.

Me:   I love you too.  Goodnight.

Her:  Goodnight.

These are the sweet moments of motherhood.

House pictures!

Well, after combing my backlogged photos, I found a partial picture of the front of our house before the renovation.  As far as the after photos, please ignore the lawn in its current state and imagine the doors painted to match the shutters.  Other than that, prepare yourself for the aahhh factor and enjoy (we certainly do)!

The shed was added just before the house work began (it has matching siding - hooray closeout deals!).  With the loving work of many friends (who are literally pros at this) we only had to pay for materials and therefore found it was cheaper to add a shed then to rent a storage unit for the duration of the renovation.

The Gospel of "Clean House"

Today on our way home from Sydney's dance class she told me we "have to clean the WHOLE house" so that her friends can come to play dress up.  Then she asked me not to tell anyone that we cleaned and especially NOT her friends' moms when we called them.  Normally I might have shrugged it off in lieu of planning out the best way to get lunch into the girls and Savannah off for a nap, but today was different.  Today I told her we don't clean the house to hide our mess - people are welcome to come to a messy house.  Today I told her we clean the house to have room to play.  Her response?  "Oh, okay."  

Nothing earth shattering, or so it seemed.  But in teaching her the principles of messiness and people, I hope to have laid one small piece of the foundation that we do not hide our sin - we do not present ourselves cleaner than we are - we lean into God as His Spirit moves and transforms us, in order to more fully experience the freedom that life with Jesus brings.  She doesn't understand that today, and she won't understand it tomorrow, but maybe in a decade, she'll have the courage to say to a classmate - "Yeah, I have that problem too..." and invite them into her messy heart.  Because once they see her mess, then they can ask her if she knows any cleaners - and that is the conversation that leads to saving faith in Jesus.  How I long for my little girl to lead others to Him, for the sake of their lives and for her own.

Praise be for The Holy Spirit who reveals the truth of the Gospel at all times and in all places!

TOO CUTE!

Disneyworld

Thanks to our friends, Brent and Wendy, and their wedding in Orlando, we were able to fulfill my Father-in-Law's lifelong dream of going to DisneyWorld.  One day was all it took (and all we had).  Here are a few a my favorite shots from the week (non-wedding).

Savannah just before she tried to eat Mickey's nose.

Sydney and me.  I overcame my weird, unexplained, water phobia and played with her all afternoon.  She was fearless and I was cringing,  but we had a great time!

As much as Sydney was energized by the water, Savannah got in and promptly fell asleep.  We were all so jealous...

Oh, and there are so many more - of the fam, meeting Mickey, seeing Ariel, and the famed "before" and "after" shots of Savannah riding on "It's a Small World."  Plus, there's Sydney in the parade becoming a certified CowGirl with Woody's Roundup Gang... and the "after pouring showers" clothing change.  As we were making the last obligatory bathroom stops before leaving the park, this woman says to Sydney (who's waiting ever-so-patiently, and yes, I really mean that) "Would you like to play with a hula hoop?"  I thought to myself, "This really is the Happiest Place on Earth!"

New House (sort of)

Okay, so the biggest news of 2007 was the massive remodel of our house.  The problem is that I can't seem to find a good before or after picture.  I'll try to take one of the house tomorrow and that should do it for the after, but I'm still searching for the before (I want the full aaahh effect).  To sum it, I'll say this:  Our pediatrician started a home remodel shortly before we did, and his advice was, "Run, stop, do not begin.  Worst experience of my life."  We ignored him, but rest assured, we take his medical opinion more seriously.  However, after our usable house space was cut in half, we now had to eat every snack and meal in the office (an already crammed space) and Savannah, age 7 months was suddenly sleeping in our room, plus Sydney, age 3.5 and as full of "life" as ever, and the incessant pounding all day every day, we realized our pediatrician was definitely on to something.  That's the short version.  Then there's all the hours Kevin gave up of work (because planting a church, well, is that time-consuming?) and the fact that as soon as we moved the furniture back in place the converted garage had a plumbing issue and we had to rip out the floor and start over in September (that only took another month and meant the loss of the dining room again)... but that's for another time.  God is faithful and good, and we love our new space.  Here's a teaser - my favorite demo shot - looking up at what used to be the garage ceiling...

Easter Snowman

Yes, you read that correctly.  Sydney's first snowman (in her memory) was Easter Saturday, 2007.  Kevin, much better in the cold snow than I, waited until the perfect moment to run out and make him - his name was Arthur.  With the promise of snow from the weather man, Syd seems to think Arthur's making a comeback tomorrow.  I'm thinking if it snows that much we're skipping gymnastics and having hot cocoa.  Maybe we'll make a snowy card.  

New Year's Cards

I knew I wasn't going to make it in time for Christmas, but this year I thought I could send out some kind of electronic (no printing, stuffing, addressing, or postage) New Year's card updating all those well-intentioned folks who send us their family musings every winter.  I failed to do that.  And, after reading many a wonderful blog and also needing a better way to show folks our cute-as-anything children, I took the plunge and started this blog.  That being said, I plan to start with a few, short updates highlighting our 2007.  Maybe short writings will actually get the job done.  To good ideas and maybe a follow-through!  Happy 2008.

Here goes

So... I'm entering the world of blogging.  I'm not sure I have too much to say, and I'm certain I have no time to say it, but here I am.  Let the wild rumpus begin.