Shipment to Africa

Is it wrong to make a request to ship your brother to Africa? Jack has been unusually irritating lately ... the first grade phase ... and he is driving Spencer crazy. In the car yesterday, Spencer said to me, "Mom, you need to do something with him. Can't you send him to Africa or something?" In response, I knew the appropriate response. But for a split second, can you blame him? I mean, come on. How many of you have a sibling that you wished grew up in Africa instead of your home at times??!!! I mean, how many of us have husbands that we wish we could ship off to Africa NOW??!!!??? In the end, we can't ship anyone to Africa. They simply have the pleasure of spending the rest of their life "learning to get along with others!" I'm still working on it. Are you??? :)

Back in Action .....

One might wonder what this means when I say "back in action" as if we have been out of action? Well, actually, yes, that would be accurate. It all began after coming off a crazy busy and fun weekend. Erica has a friend from school who is new to the area. We have spent some time with her parents and they needed to take their son to a new college. So they asked if she could stay the weekend with us. So double our hormone capacity with two little brothers and what do you get? Okay, so it wasn't all that bad actually! We had a great time.

And then the kids were out of school on Monday .... we spent the day with four other moms and their kids! We ordered pizza for lunch and realized, "how many kids are we ordering for between the five of us?" Oh yeah ... we had to order enough pizza to feed 15! Yes, yes, we all have three kids and Erica was the oldest! Chaos it was .... pizza and juice boxes flying everywhere! Erica didn't eat much ... seeemed tired to me and I figured it was from our hectic weekend and staying up until 11pm every night watching movies with Meredith .....

So off to the store I go Monday evening .... I return to find Scott in the floor in the family room. And he was cleaning and scrubbing. Oh yeah ... Erica threw up ALL OVER the rug! He said she stood up really fast and just threw up four times everywhere. Spencer jumped up and paced saying, "mom ... mom ... moooooommmmmmmm!" Jack was sitting in the other chair and he looks over at her in his dead pan stare and says in the midst of it, "Erica, I can't believe you just threw up all over Mom's new rug." His "compassion" warms my heart when I think about it. Was it the pizza? Overtired? Stomach bug? Well, as the evening progressed and every 45 minutes she threw up/dry heaved, we realized it must be a stomach bug. And you realize there is nothing you can do but wait and wait. So I waited until 11:00pm when I jumped up and ran to the bathroom and started hurling .... and every 45 minutes dry heaved.....complete and utter misery. Finally at 2am, I called the pediatrician to get Erica something because there was nothing left for her. Poor Scott was out at 3am picking up a prescription. Erica and I finally went to sleep......I was sick a couple more times the next day but she bounced back after we layed in bed all day on Tuesday sleeping and dozing while watching movies.

Tuesday night all seemed a little better until Scott started hurling and did half the night .... well enough hurling stories. We were basically sick for the week. I disinfected and praise the Lord the boys did not get the "bug" from us .... all I can say is what a miserable way to spend the week and nothing like a good stomach flu to stop you in your tracks. I hope the rest of you are able to avoid the nasty germs this season .....

Blue Ridge ALMOST Cancelled

I almost forgot to tell you about our trip to Blue Ridge ... it was an hour gone bad actually. We almost didn't make it. We decided that we would leave at 7am. No problem ... at 7:02am, we were in the car and ready to go. We drive the three blocks to Dunkin Donuts for coffee, donuts and chocolate milk. We get everyone settled and I realized we forgot Jack's breathing treatment machine. I didn't want to go into a weather change without it just in case. So we drive back the three blocks home. Scott goes inside and gets it. He comes out. I remembered we forgot a movie in the DVD inside. He goes back inside and gets it. He is really, REALLY being patient at this point. We leave our house again, drive the five blocks to get his 44oz thirstbuster. It is 7:20am at this point. Still, not a bad time to leave .... we pull into the parking lot and we hear from the backseat, "oh no!" Yep, Spencer spills his 16oz chocolate milk all over him, the seat and the new carpet in the car. At this point, I think I saw steam rising from Scott's ears .... he had to move the seat to clean up the mess ... go inside and get his drink ... I am holding Chip in my lap .... we drive back five blocks to home again. Spencer goes inside and changes his clothes, ALL of them. Scott gets the carpet cleaner and cleans up the car. We finally get on the road and leave town at 8:00am ... an hour later! We are not talking ... somewhat tense and silent in the car. You could hear a pin drop. We are on the interstate and about 20 minutes from home and then .................... you are not even going to believe this but it is true ... I am not making this stuff up ............... Chip barfs all over the door! We then pull off the next exit .... clean this up ..... Scott's hair is now on fire and smoking!!! We get back in the car and his words are, "IF THIS WAS SIMPLY A DEPOSIT LOSS, I WOULD TURN THIS CAR AROUND AND WE WOULD GO HOME!!!!!" I was thinking the same thing ..... we finally get settled, chilled out and three hours in the trip, Chip has only barfed FOUR more times in a towel, IN MY LAP, and we are almost ready to stop for lunch!!! We did make it but it sure wasn't without trial of circumstance and growing in our sanctification process!!! I think God got a lot of MILEAGE on this trip :) I think we are done with car trips for a while!!! LOL!!! We are still married by the way, we have three kids all intact and Chip is still alive!!!

FIRST Snowfall!!!!

This was a really big deal for us. This was the first time our kids have ever woken up to look out the window and see the ground covered in snow! It was the perfect ending to our trip to Blue Ridge over Christmas break! It snowed three inched over night and was absolutely beautiful when we woke up! Scott didn't sleep well .. he was afraid it would be gone over night! I laughed .. it was 23 degrees ... it wasn't going anywhere! The look of shock was priceless on Erica's face ... Spencer was more concerned that it snowed in his Crocs .... and yes, it was 8:30am and they were already outside in it! Snowballs, icicles, snow angels and sliding was enjoyed by all, except me. I knew better than to go out there in that kind of whether! I can double up the clothes and keep time on how long they can stay outside! After about 20 minutes, they were ready to come in! It was so much fun. We even ventured out in it to run some errands and see if it snowed everywhere! Chip wasn't real sure what to do with the white stuff. He had just figured out how to go to the bathroom on rocks ... take away his grass, take away his mulch, now take away his rocks and now you give me this cold, white stuff? Are you serious????!!!!! It took him a while ..... boy was he glad to be home!!!

We left the next morning. We packed the car and it was 5 degrees! Oh, it was SOOOO cold!!!! But it was SOOOOO much fun!!!! Our car was covered in salt! And so were all the other cars driving home!! It took a full car wash to clean it up!!! What a mess :)

A Blue Ridge New Year

Last minute, we decided to shoot to Blue Ridge, GA for a little get-a-way after Christmas. We had the privilege of spending the night at our friends, The Hoerls, and they blessed us by coming up for New Year's Day! We had the best time catching up with them and spending time with their family. The kids had a wonderful time together and played non-stop! They are doing wonderful and settled in their home. This is their third year and I'm amazed at how well they have handled all the changes in their home; from finding a church home, Heather's mom moving back to Florida, her homeschooling adventure and ANOTHER baby on the way which makes four! Heather and Mike do it all so well and have such a love for their family. We feel very blessed to have them as friends and miss them tremendously. I loved that we could just pick right back up where we left off last time we saw one another :) Had to put the picture of Mike playing Wii! He was trying to lower his Wii age!!! Seeing as Heather's Wii age was younger and she is pregnant!! :)

Funny thing ... we got to our cabin and the Hoerls had more surprise company!!! MICE!! Poor Heather! She saw it out of the corner of her eye .... she screamed ... she ran ... she jumped on the couch ... she left her kids at the table with no clue as to why Mommy had lost her mind and was standing on the couch five months pregnant!!!! Needless to say, this involved critter control and them pointing out all the cabinets in the kitchen the mice had visited. Three loads in the dishwasher later .... let's hope they find them fast before Heather has heel spurs from stomping all over the house so the deaf and blind mice know she is coming !!! LOL!!! LOVE YOU Heather!

Christmas Day 2007

Well, this year was another special Christmas for us. As I'm sitting here trying to catch up on my blog and record various things we want to remember, I am amazed at how fast our children are really growing up. This year was challenging in many ways. Erica was somewhat difficult to buy for and the boys are changing as well. It was so easy when I got things for them that I enjoyed as well. Now, they have their own personalities, interests and hobbies. I am constantly having to check my own motives and be sure I am meeting their desires and not my own. And yet balance their desires ... it is just all so difficult at times, isn't it??? As parents, our hearts really want to do what is best and even at times, our own pictures don't turn out like we thought. Life is a process ..... but we did have a blessed Christmas Day. We do all our traveling prior to so our day consists of staying home --- ALL DAY and playing and hanging out and cooking! It was wonderful! It was relaxing and lazy and slow! Chip even got in on the action with his presents as well!!! We are again reminded how blessed we are --- for more than we deserve from the Lord. I am reminded again of His constant and unconditional love for us. I hope your Christmas was equally as special.

Christmas Eve with Memaw and Pap

Another Christmas Eve ...... our tradition is spending it at my mom and dad's. Seventeen year tradition to be exact! Our kids always look forward to going. This year was particularly funny. As you can see, this is simply an ornery bunch ... They are all getting so big! Mom and Dad look squished under all those big little people!

The big thing is who gets to open the first present since we go around the room. Last year, we went youngest to oldest. This year, the pressure was on mom and the kids were all dying to be picked. Erica tried the whole "I'm your only granddaughter" guilt trip, Shane tried the "I'm your oldest grandson" guilt trip, etc... Logan got picked because he simply sat there and didn't try anything! So he got picked for being the quietest!!! Later in the evening, Mom said something to Shane about loving him and he said, "If you loved me, you would have picked me first!" It was so funny and witty and got a good laugh out of her!

Jack opened every box and we'd ask him what he thought it was ... he would say, "clothes, clothes, clothes!" Next year, he is going to get lots of UNDERWEAR!!!! :)