The Q Family Adventure!

In the Persian Gulf

2012-01-23T00:44:00.000-08:00

I wanted to update and let everyone know that the Lincoln made it through the Straight of Hormuz earlier today. It was said to be a normal, scheduled passage. What is that, exactly? It was tense but uneventful.

As you can see from this satellite picture of the Straight, it is not easy to navigate an aircraft carrier through. It has 2 traffic lanes, one for incoming and one for outgoing ships. Each of the lanes is 3 miles wide, with 2 miles separating them. (Wikipedia has been my friend lately!). That is not much wiggle room for a floating airport! The incoming travel lane is on the coast of Iran. Even in the most peaceful of times, traveling on a US carrier through the narrow straight is very tense. You can read about the USS Abraham Lincoln's travel through the Straight into the Persian Gulf here. I am sure more news will follow, but in case you don't follow me on facebook and have been praying, I wanted to let you know that they are through and safe. Thank you for the prayers both for the ship's travel, and for my family and the many others who have been holding our breath this week. The danger is not completely gone, this is a fairly unstable place right now, but the imminent threat seems to have passed. Please do continue to pray. Thank you for being faithful to pray and for your sweet words of encouragement.

Fear

2012-01-21T23:08:00.000-08:00

Marvin is underway and deployed a LOT. We have dealt with long and short separations since the very beginning of our relationship. It is a part of who we are as a couple and a family. It is hard to watch the ship pull away, we miss him while he is gone, but we have never feared that he would not come home. I have said often, that Marvin being on an aircraft carrier is the absolute safest place for anyone in any branch of the military. No one would dare to threaten a US aircraft carrier. The problem is that someone has. Iran has issued a threat and the USS Abraham Lincoln, with my husband and many others aboard, will soon face it. Two carriers are in the Arabian Sea right now. This will most likely lead to the first test of the threat issued by a very unstable, very desperate Iran as they pass through a very small area called the Straight of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf. Most think the threats issued were simply empty threats, which is probably the case. The fact that they are most likely empty threats does not seem to ease the fear that settles in during the quiet moments before I pray my heart out. I know without a doubt that my God is in control, and I know without a doubt that whatever happens, He will use it. But this fear is new to me and threatens to strangle the promises that I know to be true. Would you please pray for our brave men and women? Would you pray with me that our carrier passes both in and out of the Straight of Hormuz safely? Would you pray that our carrier will be safe during the time it spends in the Persian Gulf? Would you also pray that the families waiting for the return of our loved ones will have peace, that fear will not overcome our hope?

Snowmageddan 2012

2012-01-21T22:15:00.000-08:00

We have survived one of the biggest snowstorms on record for our area. We had about 18 inches at the peak. We had an entire week of nothing but family time as we were completely snowed in! Most of the time with no tv or internet, some without electricity. It was really great to just soak in the people that my children are growing into and to just enjoy each other. At least for a few days:)

Sam was the first of the kids to notice the flakes begin to fall. He was so excited!

These girls are BFFs! They were looking at the flakes on their mittens :)

I love this sweet boy!

It is coming harder and Sam is thrilled!

Michael is building snow castles!

At the end of day 1, it cleared just long enough to glimpse this beauty.

The clearing didn't last long!

Harley absolutely LOVES the snow! It was so deep, he had to literally jump up over the snow to move. He was all over like a big, black rabbit!

This view is almost worth the seemingly perpetual gray. Those times that it does finally clear, I get to glimpse firsthand the true awesomeness of our Creator

The snow just clung to every surface and then the freezing rain weighed it all down

Beauty and stillness

The snow turned to rain just yesterday and the snow is quickly fading. It has been an experience, the stillness and beauty that surrounds us when the snow comes is truly awesome. I'm glad that it is over though :)

Just Checking In

2012-01-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I last wrote. Mostly because we are in a holding pattern. We are plugging away our days with school. After Christmas, we added a couple of new subjects to our regular routine. Michael started learning Tagalog (Filipino language) with Rosetta Stone. Both the bigger boys have started a weekly journal and added spelling to the mix. We had put those things on hold while they went through the Writing 8 program to help with their handwriting issues. Josh and the girls started sentence school. It is a kindergarten level grammar class that teaches basic sentence structure. It was originally going to be Josh going through it, but my girls are so excited about school, they wanted to be observers. They went from there to active participants and as long as they can keep up and want to be there, I certainly am not gonna tell them that they can't! I love that they love to learn! It helps on the days that Michael doesn't. Most days go really well for everyone, but on those days of struggle, it is nice to see some enthusiasm for learning from someone! Sentence School is by a company that writes our handwriting curriculum. It is called Handwriting Without Tears and we love it for the beginning learners. It is a multi sensory program and it has been great! There is not much time left once school is done, laundry is washed and folded, several meals and snacks are served and cleaned up, and the floor is vacuumed and mopped periodically. We throw Josh's music class, church, AWANA, and a couple trips to the store and our days are pretty filled up. Not very exciting things to blog about! We are still alive and well, just boring here lately :)

Christmas Morning!

2011-12-28T22:55:00.000-08:00

The kids have been so excited about waking me up by jumping on my bed Christmas morning since they saw a commercial over a month ago. When I put them to bed, I told them that I was excited for that as well, but not before 7am. They must have been watching the clock, because I had 5 little bodies enthusiastically jumping on my bed at 7:01am.

We play Santa each year, but are very honest that Santa is not real. The girls were very confused this year. They weren't sure we were telling them the truth or if their friends were in the know about the big man. After all, the cookies and cards they left for Santa were gone in the morning :)

Elfie left a goodbye note, little candy canes, a picture of himself, and a bucket of "snowballs" for a snowball fight. He promised to be back next year. Such a fun tradition was started with our elf this year!

The next several minutes were complete chaos :)

Even Harley got Christmas presents :) I think he liked them!

After the gifts were opened and breakfast was eaten, we got ready and headed to church. We came home to nap since Christmas Eve fun kept them up pretty late. The rest of the day was spent eating and playing and just enjoying each other.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-28T22:28:00.000-08:00

This year my kids are all at a perfect Christmas age. For the first year they all really get what is going on. More than the getting, they were so into giving this year. We started the month with a really neat Advent book called the Truth in the Tinsel. It is not just a story each day, but a craft as well. It was so good!

Baking takes up a lot of our Christmas eve! I am not much of a baker, but my children LOVE to bake. I am sure it has NOTHING to do with the chocolate they get to sample :)

Finished Santa's cookies

Our birthday cake for Jesus!

Each child gets to light a birthday candle to remind them to allow Jesus' light shine through their lives all year long.

Each child gets to open one present after our birthday party on Christmas Eve. Michael and Sam have been around long enough to know that it is always the same thing...

Christmas pajamas!!!! They get a new Christmas book as well.

These girls love each other SO much!

This is completely spontaneous. These three are best friends

Josh is starting to feel the cake!

They are either hugging or this is the start of a wrestling match...or maybe both :)

Testing Santa's cookies and reading the new Christmas book

Cookies, diet coke, and cards for Santa :)

A Whole Week

2011-12-14T23:44:00.000-08:00

It has been a week since Marvin's ship pulled out, and man, has it ever been a week!!!!!!! We stayed very busy. Busyness is a double edged sword. It makes time go really fast, and yet every time we go on a fun outing there is sting in knowing that Marvin is not a part of them. That stings, although the sting gets less over time, I know from experience, which is kinda sad in itself.

Okay, enough of that! I thought I'd write down a few things the kids are doing and saying before they outgrow them. It happens way too fast!

>Sarah has started telling knock knock jokes. An example of one, S-"Knock knock." Me-"Who's there?" S-"dog!" Me-"Dog who" S-"Why did the dog cross the road?" Or her absolute favorite, S-"Knock knock." Me-"Who's there?" S-"Beenana!" Me-"Banana who?" S-"knock knock." Me-"Who's there?" S-"Beenana!" Me-"Banana who?" do this about 10 more times(no exaggeration) S-"knock knock." Me-"Who's there?" S-"Beenana" Me-"Banana who?" S-"orange you glad I didn't say beenana again? She is so close to getting that one. The best part is her joyful laugh after each joke :)

>Abby has been pretty obsessed with falling in love these days. The other day she told Sam, "I am in love of you." You can imagine my 7 year old boy's response to that, he was pretty disgusted and adamant that you can't be in love with your brother. Her response, "Well, I am still in love of you!" Sam, shrugged, sighed a huge sigh and said, "I'm sure you'll find someone to have a crush on soon." Made me laugh.

>Josh is very much a Mama's boy. I gotta admit that I absolutely love him. He stops what he is doing several times a day to come give me big hugs. He will plop down next to me and ask, "Do you know why I am sitting here by you?" I smile and ask him why. He looks at me with his big brown eyes and eyelashes that about make me melt and says, "It is because I love you!"

>Josh loves me, he also is still VERY attached to his Thumper. "Bunny" is what Josh calls him. A while back we were walking and Josh was holding my hand. He looked up and said, "Mama, I love you the best.......... right after Bunny." I'm thinking he meant that as a high compliment, I'm trying not to be offended!

>Both of my girls have the tendency to cry this high pitch awful cry when they are angry or sad. We have been working VERY hard on putting that sound out to pasture and use words instead. Yesterday, Abby refused to eat her dinner. I told her that she could not have a cookie for dessert if she did not eat the dinner first. She said that she didn't like cookies. So, when it came time to have cookies, she was glaring at me as only Abby can. I ignored it, but Sarah asked why she was being grumpy. The following conversation unfolded. Abby(still glaring) said, "Mama is mad at me." I Said, "Abby, I am not mad at you. I am sad that you chose not to eat your dinner and get a cookie." Still glaring at me, she said, "Welllllll, I am mad at YOU!" I had to walk down the hall and compose myself before we discussed respect. Can you unteach words?

>When the kids got home from AWANA this last week, Sam was excited about a new game they learned there. He very excitedly asked me, "Have you ever played Sharks and Widows?" I could not stop laughing, while he looked at me, very confused. I told him that I had played Sharks and MINNOWS a lot. Kinda puts a new spin on the game :)

Whirlwind of Chritmas Fun!!!

2011-12-13T23:37:00.000-08:00

This last weekend was CRAZY busy! I love our church. I look forward to every Sunday and Wednesday! However, I love any excuse to visit other churches and meet other believers. Christmas programs are the best excuse! Our local Christian radio station has a list of activities and programs from all over our area. I sat down with our calendar at the beginning of December and filled it up with fun! We are halfway there and have had a blast! We started with a trip to The Lights of Christmas on Dec. 1st. It is a Christian camp about 30 minutes away and it is truly a winter wonderland. Millions of lights, food vendors galore, train rides, pony rides, petting zoo, fun shows, and of course, Santa! We bundled up and headed out at sunset.

Santa pictures take one! Notice that there are only 4 little Qs in the picture. Abby would have none of it :)

Sarah is over her fear of Santa :)

When we left she said that she loved Santa and told Abby he is a nice man.

Bruce the spruce is a Christmas tree with a microphone. He talks and answers questions and my children did not know what to think!

They had fire pits spread out to warm up as we went

Then on the Fifth, the kids and I went to the Nutcracker with my homeschool group. It was so good and during intermission, they taught the kids about lights, sets, electrical, and the crew back stage. I am so glad we were able to make it.

The kids and I headed to a nearby city for a Christmas program that included an illusionist on Saturday afternoon. Brock Gill was awesome! It was a great program and I am pretty sure that my boys and I are now even for The Nutcracker:) I have no pictures, because the memory card was not in the camera...it was a lot of fun though!!

Then, on Sunday, we left our church and headed to a huge church about an hour away. Before the show, they offered Santa pictures. It was our first ever Q family Santa picture in which the whole crew is there and SMILING! They are sending them out this week and I'll post it when it comes! They had a fellowship hall set up with trees from around the world. Each country's tree had wonderful people from those cultures serving snacks from that area. It was so fun to meet new people and, since our curriculum this year is focusing on Countries and Cultures, it was great to tie it in to what we have learned so far! BONUS! Their program BLEW me AWAY!!!! It was amazing with a full orchestra and choir. The first half was packed full of stuff for kids and mine loved it. They listened and laughed and clapped. Then, during intermission, they opened the children's department for Jesus' birthday party. They weren't sure about going, but agreed to check it out. As soon as we got there, they all quickly said goodbye. I went back up and enjoyed the second half of the show which was much more serious.

There will be more to come this next week! Can't wait!!!!

The Seattle Car Show

2011-12-11T19:36:00.001-08:00

When getting Christmas pictures off of my camera tonight, I found these ones from a few months ago. I thought I already posted about them, but didn't. So, I am writing it now so these memories don't go away!

I am NOT a car enthusiast. Well, I WAS not a car enthusiast. Then Sam turned about 6 and he became obsessed with all things cars. I don't just mean collecting various hotwheels or admiring fast sports cars. He began gathering information on every make or model. He spends our car rides naming every car we pass (or passes us) and giving all its stats. As soon as he could read consistently, he began reading mama approved articles and car reviews. It is completely normal for him to see a favorite car in a parking lot while we are out and ask to get a closer look. As long as it is not pouring down rain, my normal response is, "Yes, you can look, but DO NOT TOUCH!" Then I wait patiently while he circles said car as many times as I let him. When I heard an ad on our radio station for The Seattle Car Show, I knew we had to get there. When Sam asked what it was, I told him it was like a huge parking lot filled with brand new cars to look at. He and Michael were incredibly excited.

Waiting in line to get tickets. Kids were free!

On the way in with their brochures

Right at the entrance were the expensive cars that were roped off

Then he looked over the railing and saw cars of every kind! This was only one small section, it was HUGE!

Sam was in HEAVEN!

Michael was pretty excited about it too!

Each of the kids got to pick a car they wanted to see up close. Michael went first...not sure what that is, but it is blue :)

He was LOVING being up close to so many cars, but when we told him to climb in, I think he was in a bit of shock!

Sam's choice!

Josh's pick...I think it might be a Mazda :)

Marvin's pick

Abby's pick. It is Bumblebee from the Transformers movie. And, no, none of my children have ever seen the movie. Someone was really good at marketing!

This was Sarah's pick as well, but she was moving like crazy and I couldn't get a picture of her..

Like father, like sons...

Cars are not one of my top interests. Not even close, actually. Sam is right up there toward the top, though! So, because this is a way to connect with the small men in my life, it is important to me too. I will continue to hear about horsepower, weight, engine size, fuel type, etc. Actually, I can't think of anything I'd like better :)

Saying Goodbye

2011-12-06T20:16:00.001-08:00

This is not our first deployment. We have been doing this for 10 years now, you'd think it would get easier. It absolutely does not. Every single time we have to send Marvin off, we send part of hearts with him. I play through every memory he will not be a part of...again. I worry that our children will begin to doubt how very much they are loved because he is absent so much of the time. I worry that they will feel a huge void because of the decisions we have made. I think about the very lonely evenings after I put the kids to bed. I wonder who I will laugh with at their silly antics. I think about the cold sheets that will greet me each night and cannot help but feel incredibly lonely. And then I dive into the promises of One that will never leave me nor forsake me. I remember why we made the choices we did, following what we knew to be God's will for our family. And in following after Him, He has promised to meet absolutely every need. He will be the Father to my children. As I teach them how very special they are to our Lord, they will have no doubts that they are loved so fully, even beyond what we as their parents on earth can ever love them. Marvin may miss out on many memories, but in those times, we can remember the ones he was here for. I am reminded that even if he were home every second, we could not meet the needs of our children completely. Only God can fully know them and meet all of their needs. All we can do is continue pointing our little ones back to their Father in heaven and trust Him. I smile because my God becomes so much more tangible to me when my husband is gone. I think it makes Him smile when I talk to Him about the silly things. He may not talk in ways that our ears can hear, but He fills me with a peace that is undeniable. The sheets are still cold, but flannel pajamas and warm socks will keep me warm until my hubby returns. Not to mention that the empty space is often taken up by a small warm body...or two :) There will inevitably be tears along the way, I am sure that my Savior understands that, for even He wept. After a few fall, I will shake them off and press on in faith. And the many times I completely fall on my face and start feeling sorry for myself, I'll come back and read these words.

O Tannenbaum

2011-12-02T20:22:00.001-08:00

After a great Thanksgiving, it was time to cut our Christmas tree. We have a Christmas tree farm just a few miles from our house. We have been passing it every time we come and go and have watched with anticipation as they readied the lot for the year. Saturday it was finally go time! We bundled up, even though it was really not very cold and headed to the tree farm. We got our saw and a wagon and set out in search of the perfect tree.

We searched

and searched

and searched...

Then...

we found it!

O Tannenbaum!

Marvin, Michael, and Sam worked together to cut down our tree

Josh and Sarah were waiting to catch the tree

TIMBER!

The boys loaded it into the huge wagon!

Hauling it back to the van!

The girls discussing if they were really responsible for holding the tree onto the roof or if Abba was just messing with them...

It made it home!

Fun with Elfie!

2011-12-02T16:37:00.001-08:00

Our family has grown by one for this month leading up to Christmas. Elfie has come to stay and we are having so much fun with him! He was having some homesickness his first night with us, so he found a nice cold place to remind him of home :)

He warmed up after that with some hot chocolate with marshmallows :) His sweet tooth fits in well here!

Once he felt more at home, he got to know the other toys in the house by hosting a small tea.

Before we were able to decorate the house, he brought some Christmas spirit.

Hanging out on top of the tree!

While collecting jingle bells for the reindeer, he was pinned under a pine cone. The kids had to carefully help it off before bed the next night so he could fly to the North Pole. They were so careful not to touch him in the process:)

This was my favorite one so far! A snowball showdown in the kids' bathroom.

Watch out, Elfie!

I think it is safe to say that Bionicle lost!

I am having so much fun finding new mischief for our Elfie. The kids race around first thing in the morning until they find him and report his newest antics to me. To watch their excitement each morning is almost as good as Christmas for a whole month! Such a fun tradition! We are so glad to have this temporary family member!

Opperation Christmas Child

2011-11-14T19:12:00.001-08:00

It is that time of year again! Time to kick off our holiday season! Every year since Michael was a baby, we have kicked off our Christmas season with a very special project. We pack one OCC shoebox for each child. When a child turns 3 years old at our house, they get responsibility for packing a box for a child their age. We start with the plastic shoe storage containers. Each kid gets to hold their own box and fill it as we go. We start with the same staples; toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, and wash clothes. From there, they have freedom to put things in their boxes that they would like to get themselves. They have so much fun picking gifts. My favorite part comes when we get home. I set up a mini packing center where I call each of my children one at a time. We pack things neatly in the box and talk about why we are doing this. We talk about the things that God has blessed us with and how there are so many children that have never received a gift in their lives. By giving them this small gift, we are hoping that the child that gets that box knows that Jesus loves them and that someone is thinking about them and thinks they are worth taking time to pack them something special. After we pack that box, I have my child draw a picture and write a small letter to the one that will receive it. Once that is put inside, we place our hands on the box and pray together for the child that will receive it and that the box will make a difference. After that, we put the lid on and tape our label. This year we paid for shipping online and got a barcode for our labels. When they get to their destinations, our box will get scanned and we'll get an email about the country receiving our boxes. The kids are SO excited! And it is perfect for this year since our homeschool curriculum is about Countries and Cultures! That is always a plus! I try very hard to focus our entire Christmas season on the giving instead of the getting. This is our very favorite thing to get things started! This year, as the bigger boys will get allowance, we will challenge them to put a little aside each week and see how many shoe boxes they can pack next year. It blesses me as a mom to see that my children truly care about others and sincerely want to do what they can to help. As they have gotten older, it has become more real to them. It has gone from a fun project to a genuine love for others. And that is the goal!

To find a drop off location near you, go here

So Hard to Wait!

2011-11-09T22:58:00.000-08:00

Bedtimes are crazy for the kids on Wednesday nights because we are at church until at least 9pm. By the time we get home, it is a chaotic tangle of toothbrushes, jammies, and potty trips. It is much later than our normal bedtime and after a crazy night filled with friends, emotions are kind of running high. After I tucked everyone in and turned out lights tonight, I sat on the couch and took a breath. Within minutes, I heard quiet sobs making a way down our stairs. Sam comes around the corner with tears flowing down his cute little cheeks. I called him over to my lap and cuddled him close. I asked him what was wrong, thinking someone had hurt his feelings or something along those lines. He looked up at me and said, "My loose tooth is NEVER going to fall out! I hate my strong gums, I don't want strong gums anymore!" More tears followed, it was not pretty. I hugged him close, making sure he did not see the smile on my face. Then a thought crossed my mind that I could use to turn this over-emotional moment into a teachable one. Under those gums, there is so much going on that we cannot see. The baby tooth will come out at exactly the right time for the big tooth to grow in its place. If it comes out before it is supposed to, it will cause the other teeth to shift. That will cause pain in years to come as they have to be moved back into place with braces. There is a perfect time. I have spent the last year trying to come to terms with the fact that God has got a lot of things going on that I cannot see. There were days I felt like crying out to Him. I felt like the unknown would never end. I had days that I thought if we didn't get news that very day, I just wanted to scream. God was working things in me that I had no idea was going on. He was teaching me to be content, to trust Him with our right now and step forward with faith. He was burning away some deep imperfections in me before He would give me what I wanted. Some days, it feels like that tooth will never fall out! But in just the right time, it will do exactly what God has designed it to do. I'm not sure that Sam really got it tonight, he just wants that tooth to fall out ALREADY! But maybe that little bit of wisdom will get tucked in his brain somewhere and help him someday when he has to wait for something bigger than a baby tooth :)

The Great Pumpkin

2011-10-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

At the very beginning of the month, I scoped out the pumpkin patches in our area. With the help of YELP, I found the happening place. Every weekend since then, we have hoped that the sun would show its face at some point. We got tired of waiting and decided that yesterday was our day. We would layer our rain boots and coats if needed. We woke up to cold gray, but we were ready to take it on and have a good time come what may. As we were driving there (about 30 minutes) the clouds began clearing and by the time we parked it was full on sunny!

First each kiddo got to pick a pumpkin to bring home. The only rule was that they had to be able to lift their own pumpkins into the wheelbarrow. I certainly don't want to deal with 5 100lb pumpkins!

Josh put SERIOUS thought in finding his perfect pumpkin! He is so much like his daddy :)

Sarah picked the very first pumpkin that she came to that she could lift. She was SO excited!

It took Abby some time, but I think it is mostly because she was busy wandering in the sunshine.

Michael knew exactly what he was looking for and once he found it, he was ready!

Sam was too quick for me to get a picture. He was determined to muscle that wheelbarrow through the mud. He needed some teamwork a few times!

They had a hay maze that led through the big barn. It ended at this slide. It was SO fast. Good thing they landed in a big pile of hay!

Then we headed to the petting area. I told Sarah that if she was still, the bunny would come to her. She stood there for about 5 minutes without moving. Unfortunately, the poor bunny spent the whole time running from a little girl that didn't know that secret.

Poor bunny got cornered...do you see fear in its eyes?

This just about sums up my Sam! Can't help but love this boy!

This building is filled up with about a foot of hay. They had so much fun jumping from the walls! Michael was completely fearless!

Sam's too quick for me!

Once Sarah got the courage to go once, she was all over it!

Don't know if you can see it in this small picture, but Abby's face is fear. I do believe this is a picture of negative peer pressure :)

Josh loved it!

They could have spent HOURS in this small building filled with corn!

Rode some horses...kinda

Went on a hayride after we stocked up on warm, homemade applecider doughnuts and kettle corn!

What a wonderful way to spend a BEAUTIFUL Saturday in October. We all loved it! Yelp did not let us down! The only thing better than an afternoon at the pumpkin patch is an afternoon in the sunshine! To get both was just amazing!

Lessons Learned

2011-10-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

We are as settled as we can be not knowing how much longer it will be before we have orders. It could be next week or not for another 6 months or more. It is so hard to live without planning for me. But, I am learning to be content with today. Some days I do really well, other days I feel on the edge of crazy. I suppose if it wasn't this, it would be something else. I saw a great quote on someone's facebook status the other day. It said, "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful." AMEN! I need to remember everyday to focus on the wonderful in my life instead of the things I wish I could change but can't. In all reality, I am blessed beyond measure. Even if everything else was stripped away tomorrow, God has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. What a thought! I honestly did not think this time of limbo would last near this long, but I can honestly say that God has given me peace in the midst of this craziness. We are not sure what the near future holds for us, but we are fairly sure that Marvin will be on his ship for at the very least the first half of deployment. That means he will miss the second Christmas in a row. As hard as that is for the kids and I, it is really wearing on my husband. He has missed so many memories. He has been home only one of the girls' 4 birthdays. It is hard to know that life goes on without you for the people you love. I'm sorry for that sad tangent, but I want to be real here so that those of you who are praying for us will know exactly how to pray. Pray that he will stay focused on his race. He reenlisted only because, after much prayer, he felt God calling him to do so. He has the opportunity to reach the otherwise unreachable on his ship working side by side with them. He has a mission field there. As long as he remembers that, the sacrifice seems small. Please pray that we would not lose sight of the race that has been set before us. We do not want to get caught up in the things that we will be missing and miss out on the things He has set for us to do. Please pray that we would not focus on ourselves but on those that we can serve. Only in following Him and doing His will can we find contentment and peace. As we get ready for another seperation, not knowing how long it will last, we can rest in the knowledge that we are exactly where He has called us to be. He will give us the grace to get through each day if we will continue to seek Him first and do His will.

Flower Girls, Ringbearer, and a Very Special Day!

2011-10-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

Uncle Jay and Auntie Christy are very special people to my kiddos. So, when they asked the girls and Josh to be the flower girls and ring bearer, they were SO excited. They have been talking about it for a very long time. The girls could not wait to be princesses and Josh was so excited to have an important job. Last year they were in their Uncle Mark and Auntie Blessie's wedding, so they knew what was coming. Excited would be an understatement!

The girls practiced their "princess smiles" for days before the wedding. When we got to the wedding facility, they were on. They did so good. The girls dropped those flower petals like pros and Josh marched up that aisle like he was on a mission. It might have had something to do with the suckers they knew were waiting for them in their seats, but they all did amazing :)

Marvin was aboard ship off of San Diego, but was able to get leave and get a flight off the ship to make it to the wedding. I am so glad that he was able to get there.

Marvin has 2 younger brothers, a step brother, and a half brother. Here he is with his 2 brothers. Can you tell that they are brothers? It takes a couple of days before the kids call them by the right names, including their daddy! Just a small family resemblance :)

My Mother In Law and I with my handsome boys

It is fuzzy, but I love Michael's smile in this picture!

Marvin and his Lola

These girls are in love with their Abba! I love watching this relationship as they get older!

It was a truly beautiful day!

Wedding Bells!

2011-10-08T22:21:00.000-07:00

Jay is Marvin's little brother. He was 14 when Marvin and I married. I have watched him grow and mature into a wonderful man of God. I am so proud of the man he has become.The moment I met Christy, I knew they were made for each other! I am so glad that they thought so too.

I have watched them go into this marriage with their eyes wide open, so much more prepared than Marvin and I were. They have focused on finding their weaknesses and allowing God to heal those things that might become issues in their marriage.

When two people unite, purposefully putting God at their center, it is truly a beautiful thing. It is what marriage is supposed to be, and it is what gives their marriage a lifetime, instead of just a beautiful moment.

When two people come together as one, putting the other before themselves, it brings into focus the love God has for His bride. It is the most beautiful thing to feel the very presence of the Spirit in the midst of a wedding ceremony.

I pray that, as you move on from the wedding and into your marriage, you will remember the foundation that you have built so far. As long as that foundation stays firm, you will be able to weather any storm. I love you both and could not be more proud of either one of you!

It's Official...Michael is NINE years old!

2011-09-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

I still remember the joy and excitement that I felt as I walked into the hospital 9 years ago knowing that I would soon be holding my son! I was floating. In fact, I was so happy that the L&D nurses thought it must be a false alarm because I was just too happy to be in active labor. (They were convinced after a few hours as I begged for an epidural!) God was fulfilling my heart's desire for as long as I can remember, to be a mommy.

I remember being concerned as they whisked him away to the warmer, talking about calling the NICU doc because his cry seemed so weak. My heart skipped a beat as I prayed with all that I was. Within just a few minutes, the specialists were convinced that he was just a quiet baby. He would whimper and then just look into his Daddy's eyes and watch in awe. He has been so watchful and quiet from day one.

That has not changed at all. He is still very quiet, very introspective. I used to gaze into his big eyes and wonder what caused his constant look of awe. I used to wonder what on earth was going on inside those thoughts. I love that he is old enough to tell me now. I love even more that he wants to share those thoughts with me. I pray that never changes.

Although he is quiet and thoughtful, he has my sarcastic tendency. He is also so incredibly witty. He is really funny when he is comfortable. He is my comic relief quite often.

He is also very artistic. He LOVES photography and taking videos. Little Man is constantly filling up my camera memory and using up my battery. But he is pretty talented. I'm not at all biased :)

Michael has really matured in the last few months. He is making friends and building relationships outside of our family. So far he has picked wonderful kids to befriend. I pray that wisdom continues into adulthood. It is so important!

He is one smart cookie (again, I am in no way biased). He has such insight and wisdom for a 9 year old. He can feel and know things that are much deeper than the surface that most 9 year olds see and know. He blows my mind sometimes by his deep feelings and wisdom.

Dear Michael,

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love you. You have had a huge part of my heart since the minute I knew you existed. As I looked into your big brown eyes for the very first time, I knew that you were amazing. As I've watched you grow, that has only deepened. I am so proud of the boy you have become. I am beginning to see your talents and gifts form and am so excited to see how they develop and how they will be used to serve our God. I pray that you will follow His every lead and allow Him to use you. As you grow, I know our relationship will change. You will drive me crazy and I'll drive you crazy. But nothing, absolutely nothing, will ever change how much I love you. I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as you're living, my baby you'll be.

With Unfailing Love,

Your Mama

Michael's NINTH Birthday Party!

2011-09-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Michael's birthday a couple of weeks early because Marvin was going to be underway(out to sea for a short time) for his actual birthday. Michael did not mind celebrating early, he was so excited that he didn't have to wait any longer for the good stuff! We invited Michael's good friend Josh and his family(who happen to be my friends) to a bowling party. They did such a good job. He LOVED it! It was glow bowling, so we were rocking out...well, at least we were trying to!

He got several strikes and spares and was so excited with his awesomeness. I am absolutely not going to tell him that it is MUCH harder without bumpers...all he needs to know for now is that he is totally filled chuck full of awesomeness!

I'm thinking he is a natural bowler, like his Abba...maybe we should buy him his own bowling shoes and ball. Or, maybe we can track down Marvin's old set :)

We were pretty impressed by the pizza they made! All we did was buy some cupcakes on the way and have a blast together! I do believe this was the easiest, most fun party we've had yet!

Catching Up

2011-09-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been awhile! We started our school year last month. We start early because we just never know what a year might hold for our family. More than likely, we will be facing a move sometime during the year and have found it is much easier to start ahead than it is to catch up! Public school starts here on Wednesday, so we'll be almost 5 weeks ahead. That is how I like it! Michael and Sam are both doing Exploring Countries and Cultures from My Father's World. They are both doing Math U See and Apologia study of Astronomy as well. They are doing a program for Dysgraphia for handwriting, so while all other nonessential writing is taken out until the program has had a chance to work, they do their Language Arts through a computer program called Time 4 Learning. Spelling will be added in week 12. Josh started Math U See this year as well and LOVES it. He and the girls are all doing a literature based program called Five in a Row. They are also doing Handwriting Without Tears. It has been hard to feel out a routine now that I have more to actively teach. I feel like we are finally getting into a comfortable rut. We have been waiting for news on our next orders since before we got here in March. We had hoped to be off the ship before November and the ship's next deployment. It is not looking promising. That means another 6-9 moths before we have a shore command. It also means the second Christmas that Marvin will miss on his second Deployment in under a year. Although it is a 5 month deployment, the ship is scheduled in dry dock in Virginia as soon as it is done. The navy won't move us because Marvin is not on the ship for over a year. That means we will have to wait for our next duty station on opposite coasts praying it will be sooner rather than later.The good news is that Charleston is a real possibility at that time. Although we will go to the first available slot, so we just can't know until it is time. This news was quite a let down for us. We are all ready for a break. It feels like we really haven't gotten much of a breath since the last deployment and we are getting geared up for the next. Tired and emotionally drained is an understatement. That said, I am so thankful that we are where we are. We have a wonderful house with a huge yard that is not my responsibility (the neighbors do the yard maintenance!), a church that is AMAZING, a good homeschool support network, and my older boys have made friends. I really can't ask for a better situation to be facing the coming months. I know that the Lord will sustain me. I cannot imagine getting through yet another separation in such a short time, but I have learned that God gives us the grace as we need it. With His strength, we will all make it through and be closer to Him in the process. I trust Him for that. And, I have been given 5 amazing children to remind me everyday just how blessed I am even in circumstances I wouldn't pick!

Getting Ready for the Road!

2011-07-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a trip back to Michigan for my family's week of camp (where aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and some friends camp together). We found out that Marvin would be underway (not home) for over a month during the time that camp was scheduled. I was so sad that we would have to miss it. We have done it every year since I was about 4 and camp contains some of my most precious memories growing up. Now that my kids are old enough to actually carry memories on, it hurt to think they would be missing out on these. I moped around for several days before Marvin said if there was a way for us to get there, he thought we should go. Flying is not an option for my family of 6 plus we would be bringing our dog(who has been with my parents in Michigan) back home with us. So, we would need to drive. The question was, am I up for a 2600 mile trip (one way) alone with 5 small children. I had never taken them more than about 12 hours and that seemed pretty far. Could we do triple that and survive? I decided it was worth a try. I had a week to prepare. I plan everything, so a week was not much. I started with laundry. Three days before we left, I washed and folded every piece of clothing we own. I then pack for each of the kids and I. I packed 5 days worth of everyday clothes and 2 sets of nice clothes for church and outings. That is 42 outfits plus underwear and a couple of pairs of socks (plus my own clothes). I squish the boys' clothes in one suitcase and the girls' and mine in another. The day before we leave, I pack our hotel suitcase. I pack 1 shirt for each of us for each day of travel (18 in this case), clean underwear for each person for each day of travel (18 for this trip), 1 pair of pajamas each, and pants or shorts (the opposite of what they are wearing to start the journey), and 3 small sleeping bags (for Josh and the girls). This is the only suitcase that is brought into the hotel. That way, we can get everything in and out in one easy trip. It is packed last so it is easy to get to! The night before we leave, I make sandwiches...lots of sandwiches (24 of them, to be exact)! I also put snack size servings of trail mix and other snacks into sandwich bags. All of this goes into a bag that sits right next to the drivers seat. A lot of travel time is spent not actually traveling, but waiting in lines for food or in restaurants. Instead, I just toss back sandwiches and snacks and keep on driving. Also, the night before, everyone gets clothes laid out for morning and I do one last load of laundry. The overnight bag gets packed the morning we leave as teeth are brushed and hair combed. The last thing packed is the cooler, with squeeze yogurts, string cheese, fruit, juice boxes and Diet Cokes. This goes in front of the girls' seat where I can easily reach it. I put my bag(with wallet for tolls), an atlas, DVDs for the girls (the boys are in charge of their own), and music and Adventures in Odyssey on the passenger seat so I can get to them easily. The kids are responsible to bring their pillows and sleeping stuff (animals and dolls) into the van when they get in. After a quick battery check for Leapsters and DSs, we are ready to be off! A lot of work and organization goes into traveling with this large family. When I travel alone, it is even more important! All this and we haven't even gone a mile yet! Not the case for long!!!!

Waiting for Summer

2011-06-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

I have not written for a long while. That would be because it has been raining and cold every single day. In all honesty, I am gonna have to go shopping if things don't improve soon. My girls have 2 pairs of pants that actually fit them. I hate to buy new pants when summer is just around the corner, but their pants are just plain sad. They look like they are waiting for a flood. They have a closet full of summer clothes and dresses that have not been touched because the temperature refuses to go above 60. It is a good thing we don't leave the house much lately! We have been bringing the school year to a close here as well. Josh and the girls are completely done for the summer. Michael and Sam have about 5 days worth of History/Geography left to do. They will be doing handwriting and math review all summer, but we are done with 3rd grade!!!! So excited to get a break and gear up for next year! I am a nerd in that I truly enjoy planning our schoolyear. By the time school starts, I have everything planned and ready. I have an accordian file that is seperated into 32 weeks and every single worksheet and test is placed in correct order. I think that is why I like My Father's World so much, it thinks like I do! I love the smell of printer ink and new pencils! That said, I am SO looking forward to some time off and sunshine. I cannot wait to spend time at the zoo, my absolute favorite place, and finding new playgrounds. We are rarely home in the summer and never in the house even when we are home. We have to soak up a years worth of vitamin D in 3 months. I hope it comes quickly, I am so tired of gray sky and cold!

Senior Chief!

2011-06-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

The results of the Senior Chief boards came out last week. They came out late Tuesday night. We did not look. Marvin was up for Senior Chief for the second time. He was not at all hopeful of making it because he does not play the political games it takes to get a great evaluation. He works hard and has exceeded the qualifications he needs. He loves to push himself and he is a great leader because he works hand in hand with his guys. When they have to stay late to get something done, he stays later. His guys work hard for him and accomplish much because he works hard as well. I have seen a true leader emerge from him over the last 2 years! That said, without great evals, it is hard to make Senior Chief. The fact that we are still waiting for the results of his Officer package, Senior was not really on our radar. He told me in passing that results were coming out late on Tuesday. We went to bed like always, he got up and went to work on Wednesday. Once he gets to work, I do not hear from him until he is on his way home, so I was very surprised to get a call before noon. He told me that his boss just walked up, shook his hand and said, "Congratulations, Senior Chief!" I'm pretty sure he was still in shock! In the navy Senior Chief is a really big deal. They say that Senior Chiefs make up 2% of the navy, it is safe to say that not many people make it! I am so proud of my husband, and thankful that God has allowed Marvin's hard work and sacrifices to be rewarded. This throws a wrench in our future plans. It is much harder to throw down Senior Chief for officer than it would have been Chief. But we will not get ahead of ourselves, as we don't even know right now that it will even be a decision we'll have to face. For now, we are just enjoying Marvin's new title!

Waiting for the pinning to begin...

I had the opportunity to pin on one of his new Senior Chief pins. Jose pinned the other!

The newest Senior Chiefs on board the USS Abraham Lincoln

The kids have no idea what all this means, but they approve the cake!

Hideaway

2011-05-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

I love to go to church. I do love to dig into the word of God and at the Calvary Chapel we are attending, they do that so well. I get excited about all the things I learn. I love to pray, it is a passion for me. But more than anything else, music brings me into the presence of the Spirit...or at least makes me more aware of Him. At church tonight, I heard a song I had not heard before and it was as though God was whispering to me, "Let Me be your hiding place. You may not know where your next earthly home will be, but rest in ME." I melted right there in the middle of the sanctuary. I will! Lord, you are my Hideaway, you are my home! I have never attached a video, so I hope it works. I just had to share this!

HIDEAWAY

Words by Nancy Aguilar & Brett Williams; Music by Brett Williams

The arms of God are open, waiting,
everlasting, loving, saving

Underneath me when I fall,
outstretched every time I call

The arms of God are always near,
they hold me high above my fear

This is where I want to stay, my hideaway

When I feel God’s arms around me,
healing rest and peace surround me

My weakness only brings to light,
the arms of God, such strength and might

The arms of God will always be,
open, waiting here for me

This is where I want to stay, my hideaway

My hideaway (You are my rest)

My hideaway (You are my home)

My hideaway (Safe in Your arms)

You're my Hideaway(My hideaway)

No matter what tomorrow brings, there's strength enough today.

I Choose to Dance

2011-05-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am SO happy to be together with my family again, so I do not want this post to seem as I would choose anything else. But, I'm being honest, it has been a very tough time for me! It is always a little bit stressful to come back together after a long separation. It is a little like dancing for the first time in years. You are thrilled to be arm in arm, but things can feel a little awkward and you might step on a few toes or have a few trips along the way. After the first song or two, you fall back into comfortable step and pretty soon, you are just enjoying the music. It gets a bit more complicated as we add children and even more so as those children get older. It is not bad, just a process. I am so glad to be dancing with my partner once again, but it has not been completely graceful. Trying to put my finger on it yesterday, I think it is because I can't quite bring myself to relax here and enjoy the music. Things are just too up in the air right now. There are very complicated things that have all lined up together that cause our future to be very up in the air. Marvin is due for orders in March, but he has a package turned in to be picked up as an officer. He cannot get orders until that has been decided, which could be in 2 weeks or 6 months(you just never know with the Navy). He'll either be picked up and go to Officer training school(without us) and then be put on a ship for 2 years wherever there is an opening(with us). Or he will be denied and put in the pool for orders(sometime between November and March), again wherever there is an opening for him. Further complicating things, his ship is scheduled for a refueling, which takes 3 years and a move to Virginia. That would not be a bad thing, in fact it would be a wonderful thing, except that the Navy will not move families unless they will be on ship for over a year. Needless to say, even if his package gets declined, Marvin is up for orders before a year is out. So, there is a very real possibility that he could be moved to Virginia, leaving us behind in the land of perpetual rain. The thing is, I know that God is in complete control. I know that with all that I am. I trust him to take care of us and to sustain us no matter what the circumstance. I am giving these things to Him, so that I can focus on enjoying the song that He has given us and the partner that He has blessed me with. I choose to dance,and my greatest desire is to stop focusing on the many what ifs and focus on the beautiful song He has given us today...and trust Him with our future!

Cinco de Mayo

2011-05-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

This is the day that I officially said yes to my future husband!!!! I say officially, because the wedding was half planned and I do believe I had even ordered my dress. The fact was that my man was not rolling in the money and needed to save up for my official engagement ring. Time was of the essence because he would be moving to the other side of the country and we really wanted to be married by then so that I could move too. February 25th, he slipped the $30 clearance ring on my hand in the middle of the mall (surrounded by the solar system and crazy screaming kids at the play area) and we began planning our wedding. We had shopped and I helped pick out the wedding/engagement ring, but he refused to let me just have it. He wanted to come up with a romantic way to give it to me. I was antsy, but patient...mostly! After work, we went to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at our favorite Mexican restaurant. When we were done, Marvin slipped a blindfold on me and put me into the passenger seat of his car. He drove for at least 10 minutes, which felt like forever! When he stopped, he led me to a spot and took the blindfold off. When that blindfold came off, I saw a magnificent sunset over the water at the Lion's bridge. I need to back up here and tell a story, which my husband will be very happy I am revealing! Several months before he hit my radar as perfect husband material, he became an easy target for practical jokes. My good friend, Erin, and I decided to get him good after some big talk on his part. We found out that he had a bit of a crush on Jaci Valasquez and in fact had all of her cds and a picture of them together at one of her concerts. We started this plan and it grew. We got his cds and the picture with a little help (not naming sources) and built a super hero costume. We left a note along with the costume on his doorstep which said Jaci was in our custody and if he wanted her back, he would have to come to the Lion's bridge as "Qman" and rescue her. He showed up with most of the costume on and we laughed hysterically and returned his Jaci items unharmed. Fast forward to the romantic scene once again. He took my hand and said that he had come to that spot to retrieve the woman of his dreams and that he had found her in the process. MELT me right there! He then asked me to marry him and of course I said yes, in between happy sobs! I thought that I was in love with him then, but it was only a fraction of what I feel for him now! I have been blessed to find God's perfect fit for me. I would not just say yes today, knowing everything I know now, I would scream it!

Easter weekend family fun

2011-04-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

We had a blast yesterday! Easter baskets get left at our house on Friday night. So, bright and early on Saturday, we woke up to very excited little people. They were told at bedtime that they were to watch tv in our bedroom until everyone was awake so we could all come downstairs together. I woke to great excitement because the sun was shining in the window...it doesn't happen very often here, we all get REALLY excited when it peeks through the clouds. And on Saturday morning, it was not just peeking out, it was really shining. We came downstairs together where the kids got their Easter buckets. I decided this year that Easter baskets are no good for us. We move so much that we have to buy them over every year because they get messed up. So, this year, I got them each a flower pot in their favorite colors. When spring finally shows up around here, we can plant flowers in them and put them on our patio!

After breakfast, we spotted a deer in our backyard. At one point, it was within about 10 feet from our back window, looking in at us. We have seen evidence of wildlife several times, but this was our first close up. Fun stuff!!!!

After playing outside with new balls and bubbles, we headed downtown for the Easter parade. We made it pretty early so that we could get a good spot!

We were very impressed with the parade, it was a lot of fun. When it was over, we just could not bring ourselves to go inside. We decided to take a picnic lunch to a nearby park. We had so much fun just playing together! After we were all worn out, we went home for our very own Easter egg hunt. There were a lot of community and church egg hunts, but it is so hard for us because we are serious about not eating artificial colors and corn syrup, which is pretty much what is packed into all of those eggs. We decided that instead of going and getting a bunch of candy that I would not allow into little mouths, we'd do one of our own. We packed 100 easter eggs full of organic chocolates and coins and hid them all over the yard. The kids LOVED it. After they emptied the eggs of the good stuff, they hid them for Marvin and I to find.

Waiting for the GO!

Off and running!

Josh is serious about this hunting stuff

Michael taking a little break

Josh really likes the orange ones

Sam is finding out that things get more challenging when Abba is home!

Reach, Abby, reach!!!!

We soaked up EVERY drop of sunshine just hanging out on the patio, playing ball, and climbing trees the rest of the evening. We were all exhausted, but it was so worth it! Especially because the clouds are back today and don't look to be going anywhere for quite some time.

Homecoming!

2011-04-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Homecoming is not just a little thing. It is a very big deal. The kids have never been to one before, Marvin usually gets off his ship when it pulls into Hawaii and flies to us 2 weeks before the ship makes it to its homeport. They were amazed at everything. We had spent 9 months surrounded by wonderful, supportive family and friends. But as great as they are, they do not understand what we go through during the separation during deployment. Here, for this time, we are surrounded by others that REALLY understand. These other people in the crowd have gone through the months of separation, they are feeling the same anticipation.

They are looking longingly for that first glimpse of their loved one's face in the crowd.

They feel that same anxious, excited, butterfly feeling of joy when that face finally comes into focus!

They know what it is to wish that time would fly because once you see that face, your heart longs to be in those arms. And yet, it must wait as mere feet feel like miles.

The happiness that causes those tears that you have held back for months to fall, knowing that it is finally over...and yet, strangely, just beginning.

Getting acquainted with those you should know inside and out

Knowing that no matter how much has changed, there is just as much that has not. That common ground is cherished as the newness is explored.

Welcome home, my love! As hard as these separations are, I would not trade them. It has made us appreciate each other in ways that otherwise we might not. I love you more than life itself!

Oh, Christmas Tree

2010-12-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year again. As we approach Christmas time, I love to watch the excitement in my children. They have been around long enough to look forward to all the traditions we have formed over the years. The first is finding and cutting our tree the day after Thanksgiving. We did the same this year, except that the tree hunting took place right on our property. We decided to load up the tiny trailer I use to pull the kids with our quad. It is just big enough for them. So I hooked it all up and bundled us all up in winter gear. We headed through the tall grass and bumpy trails. It went well untila banch caused the trailer to dump. Good thing I was going slow. After I unburied Abby from he bottom o the pile and made sure that it would not happen again, we headed the rest of the way. The barbed wire fence almost had us, but we all got through unscaithed. My mind saw the perfect tree in our living room. My children were going more for the Charlie Brown look. They won...it is all about good memories and tradition after all! I piled the kids back in the little trailer and stuck the tree right on top if them. Ilistened to giggles all the way back to the house. It was great! I will try to add some pictures the next time the wind blows in our direction and we hve internet!

Being Thankful

2010-11-23T15:56:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. A lot of people look and assume I don't have much to be thankful for this year. They see the seperation from Marvin because of deployment and my being alone with 5 kids. I will admit that there are moments of weakness that I look around and have a little pity party for myself. And then one of my children says or does something that brings a smile and reminds how much God has given to us. We have so much to be thankful for. I am most thankful for a day to focus on those things. A day that I can refocus on things and find something to be thankful for in every circumstance...and trust God in the stuff I can't find any good in. So, yes, my husband is away for a very long time. Because of his abscence, I have the oppurtunity to cling to Christ. Marvin is able to grow and lead others to Him. He was even able to lead praise and worship at a church in Bahrain just last weekend. Talk about awesome oppurtunities! We live in a house 1/3 the size of the last one, but it is warm and cozy. We are saving so much to put toward our adoption that it will be a reality and not just a dream! God has provided for not only our own needs, but for our future children's as well. Then there are the obvious ones, that need no digging to find God's hand. I look at Josh and really see him, which in itself is amazing! I see my children growing into wonderful people. My boys are so open to God and ways to serve Him and others around them. I see joy that come from them and am reminded that theirs is the kingdom of God. It is a constant reminder to see Him in everything. It comes so naturally for them. So, can you find Him in everything? The bigger question maybe is, can you trust Him even when you can't find Him there?

Our Announcement!

2010-11-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

   We have done a lot of praying, planning, and talking for quite a long time. God has placed a calling on our hearts that we have recognized and acknowledged in our family, but have shared with only a few. I'm not sure why, except that we know people might think we are absolutely crazy. We might agree, actually, but that is a whole other post! You see, we are excited to add more Quiambaos to our family!!! We will be starting the process to adopt when Marvin gets home and we get settled into our next duty station! Right now, we are saving money so that we will not have to go into debt, and praying. We know for a fact that God has the children picked out for us, but we know nothing beyond that. We do know that we would like an older sibling group and that we would like to adopt an HIV+ child. Why? We have gotten some pretty big reactions to this news from people who love us and want to stand behind us. Let me explain the things that God has laid on our hearts that have led us here.
    First, our children are so very close. They are truly best friends. I love to watch the relationships that they have with one another. When Marvin and I both felt our hearts being pulled to adopt, we began looking into different ways to go about it. There are so many children, both here in our country and all over the world. We began looking at different agencies and getting information. It was clear that the the group who needed us most was older children. Our hearts were broken for these children so often overlooked. Then we found sibling groups with older children and we both knew that is where we needed to be looking.
     We had never considered bringing an HIV+ child into our home. We had thought like so many people, that it would be a danger to our own children. We want to impact the lives of these children, but we did not want to put the lives that God has already entrusted to us at risk. We never would have even considered it...until God changed us forever. Our friends went through the process of adopting and their child was HIV+. We did not know at first, but we prayed fervently for her through the whole process. God did something in our hearts during that time and I could never have seen it coming. He broke our hearts for that child that we had never met. Because of her and her very special family, we started looking into HIV and the statistics behind it. We were blown away by the things we found out and how much things have changed in the years since those terrifying words became real to us. How children with this disease can live very healthy, full lives on medications that are readily available here in the US. How those same children are dying everyday in Ethiopia because they do not have them. How not one case has ever been documented of a child contracting the disease from another child in day to day living. We were amazed at how the many things we thought we knew were just plain false. Yes, this disease kills, but medication can and does allow people to live happy, healthy lives. We have watched our friends' daughter flourish and bloom in front of our very eyes and cannot help but want that for every child. We cannot save every child, oh how I wish we could, but we can help save the lives of one sibling group somewhere in Ethiopia right now.
       We do not know who our next children will be, but God does. My heart as their mother yearns for them all day, everyday. I know they are out there and I know they are probably sick. It hurts deeply to know that they are there but I can't comfort them. I want to so badly. All I can do is ask God to wrap them in His love and allow them to know that I am loving them every single second from all the way around the world. This blog will be a place that I can record the ups and downs as we go through this long process. Made longer by the fact that we cannot even start until Marvin gets home and we are settled into our next duty station. We need to be somewhere long enough to get through the long process!

I Feel Sneaky...

2010-11-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here, feeling a little strange because I am using the neighbors' internet. It must be a better strength in the winter now that the leaves are gone, because it is reaching here! I am so excited! The wind has to be blowing just right for the signal to get here, but I love it when it happens! I have decided that I need to blog during this time because my husband needs to be able to look into the days he is missing. So much already, and I will type our memories on my tiny phone keyboard when the wind is not blowing in the neighbor's signal so that he doesn't have to completely miss out on what is going on in our lives while he has to be away! There is another reason, but that deserves its own post! It feels so good to be back! I have so missed processing my thoughts this way. I feel like I'm being reunited with a good friend!

Fly Me to the Moon!

2010-11-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

I have no real internet in our new temporary home, and blogging from my phone is not the best set up, but we had such a huge milestone yesterday, I absolutely could not skip this post, even on this tiny keyboard! Josh has made steady improvemt over the last almost two years. No doubt about it, he has blown us away by the miracle that we have seen in his life. We have seen him meet so many goals. They have all made us very proud, but none have made my heart soar like it did yesterday! Josh came to me as I worked in the kitchen. He loves to help in the kitchen, so that is not out of the ordinary. After he got to measure some things, he put his little arm around me and squeezed in an awkward hug. I smiled big and patted his shoulder. Then it happened! He looked up at me and said, "I love you." Now those words are enough to make my mama Heart soar, but this time I was pretty close to the moon. This precious boy, the one whom we weren't sure would ever even understand what love truly was, looked me in the eyes, and told me he loves me for the very first time! Thank You, Lord, for allowing us to really know the special little boy you placed so perfectly in the middle of our family.

Josh Update

2010-06-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I've updated on the kids(or even written for that matter!), so I thought it is about time. I'll start with Josh because he just completed his first year of Preschool. I cannot believe he is already done for the summer. It seems like we just started this crazy journey! In these past months, Josh has made huge strides. I met with his teachers and Speech therapist when we were trying to decide if we should stay here or move during Marvin's deployment. We sat down and discussed all the things he accomplished. He is a totally different little boy today than he was just a year ago. I remember getting his diagnosis and wondering how much progress could be made. WOW, if I could have seen then what I do now! I'll list just a few of the biggest improvements we've seen!

1. He is responding when spoken to. He went to school for months without saying a word or participating in anything but playing by himself. When his teachers would talk to him, he refused to even look at them. Now, he immediately responds when someone speaks to him(unless he is acting like a normal stubborn child!).

2. He now expresses his thoughts and desires both at school and at home with words. He does still have trouble with this, but there has been much improvement!

3. He is handling changes so much better. If something changes, it throws him off for a bit, but he is able to recover in much less time.

4. He still loves his bunny, but he is okay leaving it at home when we go out and it is not constantly attached to him when he is playing at home. He does seek it out when he gets upset for calming, but plays happily without it most of the day.

5. He is way more engaged in the things around him. He pays very close attention to everything and remembers way too much!

These are not close to the only changes, but some of the big things we were hoping to see improvement on by this time. When we set those goals, none of us knew whether or not he would be able to fully meet them. He has blown us away! He has loved school(after the first 3 months of completely ignoring them!). Teacher Pat and Mrs. T are 2 of his favorite people. The program here is amazing. It was hard to decide to leave it for next year. It was only done after talking with both teachers and his therapists to make sure they all thought it would be a good thing for him. They all agree that he is ready for this step and think it will even be a good test for him to see how fast he is able to adjust to the many new things we are about to throw at him. Please pray that he would not be turned completely upside down and will be able to recover quickly.

Teacher Pat leading the last circle time of the school year!

Josh's friend, Chase, showing Abby the ropes on the way out to the bus on the last day of school

Josh with his bus driver, Miss Shelly, on his last day. He has loved riding the bus!

Josh with his teacher, Teacher Pat, on the last day of school.

Josh with Mrs. T on the last day.

Josh will probably have struggles his entire life, but he has so much courage to fight for the next step. He brings me unspeakable joy. It has taken many many months, but I can truly say that I find joy in him. Not in the things he can and can't do, but the person he is right now. It has been a long trip for a mom who likes to control everything in and around our family, but I am a better person for learning this lesson. I love all my children, not based on what they do and how well they accomplish what I want them to, but based on the people that they are right now. I cannot wait to see the plans God has for each of their lives, but this past year has taught me to enjoy the process every step of the way with great anticipation!

Uncle Jay and Auntie Christy

2010-06-12T19:34:00.000-07:00

We had some fun visitors this past week! Jay called and asked if he and his girlfriend could come and visit before our big move. We were very excited to have them come! Jay(now known as Marlon) was only 15 when Marvin and I married. It has been fun to watch from afar as he has grown into a man of God that we are so proud of! We were extremely excited to get to know the woman that has won his heart. After spending 4 action packed days with them, we could not be happier with the couple that they make! They got in very late on Thursday and the kids were super excited to know they would wake up to their visitors on Friday morning. Christy was rooming in the girls' bedroom, so they were both told to be very quiet. They did extremely well, I think(of course, I was in another room...). We drove over to Marvin's ship for a tour after Josh got out of school on Friday. The kids and I have never been on this ship before. We thought it would be a good thing since we had 2 extra pairs of arms! It was very exciting for the kids to see where Abba eats and sleeps and works when he is away from us. After lugging little people and the diaper bag up and down ladders and through tiny doorways for way longer than I had intended, we were all exhausted and decided to head home. However, we did not take into account that it was Friday evening and the ferry was packed(we're talking hours of waiting!). We happened on a really neat Mexican restaurant and hoped that eating would allow the traffic to move some. It was really good, but the traffic was still crazy so we stopped for coffee and got ready for the long drive around. On Saturday, we grilled for lunch and enjoyed the sun peaking out(after weeks of gray). After lunch, we headed to an outdoor theater for The Sound of Music. It was SO neat. We hiked into the woods for about 10 minutes to a clearing. The seats were sort of carved out of a hill and at the bottom, there was a clearing that served as the stage. It was SO much fun. The kids loved it and we all had a great time! We came home and Marvin and I got all dressed up and headed on a date. Uncle Jay and Auntie Christy offered to babysit so that we could have a date night. We headed to The Melting Pot and had a blast just the two of us. Meanwhile, the kids made pizza and had fun at home! On Sunday we went to church and then took naps to recover from busy days. On Monday, Jay and Christy headed back to Seattle for the day. I dropped the kids off at our friends' house right after lunch and headed over myself to pick Marvin up from work. We then met Jay and Christy for a grown up dinner, which was absolutely magnificent(does that make me sound fancy?). Tuesday brought goodbyes that were not welcome. Poor Abby cried for several minutes as we drove away from the airport and both girls have asked for Auntie Christy every morning since. The boys have talked about Uncle Jay nonstop! Needless to say, they both made quite an impression. We are looking forward to seeing them again very soon when we head to California for Uncle Mark's wedding. But, that is for another post!!!! Sadly, I got no pictures of our weekend(not sure what I was thinking). Hopefully Jay and Christy will email me some of theirs!!!!

Corey's Day on the Farm

2010-05-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

I know I have not written in way too long. I have been busy trying to get things sorted out and thrown away so that we don't have to pay to store a bunch of junk. And let me tell you, there has been a LOT of junk!!! But, I need to write down our wonderful experience before I forget it, especially since I did not get any pictures thanks to a dead camera battery. BUMMER! Despite a morning of glitches like dead batteries and cold rain, we had such a great day. Corey's Day on the Farm was started by a family who invited their son's Special Ed class to their farm. It was such a huge hit, that other schools heard about it and approached them about bringing their own Special Ed classes for a day at the farm. It grew so much that soon the family brought the farm to the fairgrounds and opened it up to all Special Needs children. It is all run by volunteers. People from all over the area bring their own farm animals and equipment to the fairgrounds for the kids to enjoy. I wasn't sure what to expect, as this was our first year to go. The day I dropped Josh off for his first day of school, his teachers told us to mark off this day on our calendars. So we did. All the kids have been looking forward to it. We were definitely not let down! We got there and Josh got his wristband for horse rides(Sarah somehow wrangled one out of Josh's teachers as well, she was all about the bracelet). When we got inside, Josh got a tee shirt and everyone was offered a straw cowboy hat and a scarf to be an authentic cowboy. Sam was the only one who accepted, the rest of my Sensory challenged kiddos declined. Although Sarah took possession half way through the day. They did really great pictures to put into photo mugs, which my children again declined. There were several booths set up inside the big building, which was great due to the rain outside. The kids had fun coloring tiles, eating popcorn and hunting for chicken eggs. Once we got through with that, we walked out into the fairgrounds and what I saw blew me away. SO many people were there to bring joy to so many special needs kids...to MY special kids. They did not just give up there time, although that would have been enough. They came and brought horses(a LOT of horses) and tractors and hayrides and goats and chickens and dogs. Most importantly, they brought joy and smiles to faces that are very dear to me. Josh immediately made a beeline for the horse rides. He walked up the stairs and hopped right on the horse without looking back. I just stood there with my mouth on the ground. They had at least 20 horses walking a huge field with one person leading the horse and another to walk alongside. Josh had the biggest smile on his face. Talk about great therapy for him! After that we ate snow cones in the rain until they were too frozen to hold on to them. The rain stopped while we waited in line for the tractor ride. After that we got to get nose to nose with a baby cow and several goats and ponies. We made a quick pit stop at the potty(did I mention that Sarah is fully potty trained!!!!!!!!!!) and then picked up our free bagged lunches. After lunch we headed back outside so the kids could each learn the art of roping from 2 of the sweetest boys. It was the highlight for Sam and Michael. After a hay ride, Josh rode the horses 3 more times, Sam got to ride twice, and the girls each rode with young ladies from the rodeo circuit. The biggest surprise was that Michael got into line after being pretty adamant all week long that he did NOT want to ride a horse. I didn't even ask him when we got there because I promised him that I would not if he was sure, which he assured me he was. After Sam rode, Michael tugged on my arm and asked where the line ended. I pointed in the direction and the next thing I knew he was in it. Now, it was not a tiny line, plenty of time to change his mind, but he didn't! He says it wasn't his favorite part, but I saw the look in his eyes on his way back to the platform. During Sarah's ride, she kept holding up her cowgirl hat and yelling, "Yahooooooo!" The group of volunteers at the platform at the end were all cracking up. It is hard to point out a favorite part of my day. I think more than anything, I was so touched by the people that came out and worked hard in order to bring memories and experiences to kids that often get overlooked. This day did so much for my family in just a few hours. I am touched by the kindness of an army of volunteers and a community that came together to give my family a day to remember!

Why 5 Minutes of Quiet is Never a Good Thing!

2010-04-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

glasses

2010-04-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed in the last post that both Sam and Michael are sporting a new look with glasses. I had been noticing that Michael was squinting when he was working at the computer. I figured it would be best to get his eyes checked out. Our insurance covers one exam per year so I thought I'd take both the big boys and get that checked off the list. It turns out that Sam is a bit nearsighted. It is not terrible right now, but he needed a small prescription. Michael is farsighted by quite a bit. He is not blind or anything, but definitely is what was causing the squinting while on the computer. He needed glasses as well, especially for reading. They were both thrilled to get glasses. They picked out their frames and were very eager for the hour to be up. They have had them now for over a week and have taken very good care of them so far. They still do enjoy them and I must say, I think they look rather handsome! We'll see how long it takes for the novelty to wear off and glasses get old! The fact that Michael has had something for longer than a week and hasn't lost it yet is a miracle in itself :)

Easter- picture overload!

2010-04-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we were sick on Easter this year and the whole week leading up to it. We tried to get in all the normal traditions, but had to go slow. That caused our Easter celebrating to last 2 weeks instead of one. It was kind of nice, really. We were able to really focus without a whirlwind of outside activities to distract us. The only regret I have is having to miss Easter service. We have our own "service" at home when we have to miss church, but Easter Sunday is a special time and it is sad to miss out. Not to mention the cute matching outfits the have been hanging in my closet for an entire month! We did wear them this week, so it wasn't a complete loss! We had a blast making Resurrection Rolls . The story was even more real to them this year as Michael read to us the story of Jesus' burial and resurrection just before each child took turns teaching the lesson as they made their own roll. I love making lessons come to life and seeing them really learn it and explain it to the rest of us in their own words. They painted ceramic bunnies that I had picked up from The World Market. They LOVE doing crafty things and I have to admit it is so fun to see how each work of art shows each child's personality. Michael's is kind of willy nilly until he sees something that sparks his imagination(what looked like a cape on his bunny's back) and then goes all out with that theme. Sam 's uses every color precisely the same amount so as not to be unfair to any of the colors, each transition perfect. Josh's is just a big jumble of colors in no real order and running all on top of the others. Sarah's is all one color and every space is covered completely. And Abby's has one little spot that has layers upon layers of paint while the rest of the bunny is blank. So funny how I could tell who painted what bunny even if they weren't labeled! Of course, we did color eggs. It is the only time of year that my kiddos willingly eat hard boiled eggs, they taste better if they are pretty colors, didn't you know? On Easter morning, we woke up to Easter baskets and an egg hunt. I really thought about a way to somehow tie this really fun tradition unto a Godly lesson for them. I figured The parable of the Lost Sheep was a very good one. I think maybe next year, I'll tape some cotton on the eggs and they can go sheep hunting instead. Maybe a stretch, but I hate to pass up a learning experience if there is one even remotely related. We got to wear our pretty Easter outfits this week. The weather was much better this week, which works much better for my pictures! Maybe it worked better this way after all!

disclaimer: Josh did NOT eat those PEEPS! He only ate organic chocolate, but his Mama is crazy with things having to be symmetrical. I, in fact, was happy to help him remain on his dye free diet!

Sarah was in chocolate heaven!

before church rush

this is what happens when I say smile...you'd think I'd learn!!!

Josh LOVES to blow these!

he's so proud!

after church and done with pictures!

family pyramid!

Sarah looks so sweet...

Abby stops to smell the flowers...EVERY flower!

my sweetheart!

Why Do I Always Go Missing?

2010-04-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here contemplating why I go missing from here so much these days. I have come to the conclusion that it is because when there is just too much for my mind to process, I just shut it down and try to pretend there is nothing at all. Kind of like when I used to pull the covers over my head when I was little. Oh, and because I'm just a tad bit busy ;). We got some news the other day that Marvin's deployment has been extended to last 10 months instead of the normal 6-7 months. Our plan was just to stay here and go on with our daily lives, but for various reasons, we feel like we need to leave our current rental home and get settled somewhere else before he leaves. Then, we thought if we have to pack everything up anyway, we might as well put it all in storage and head to my parents' empty house in Michigan. Let me explain. My parents own a home in Michigan, but are not living in it until my dad retires from the Army. They have been renting it out, but it just so happens that their renters are moving out and the house will be empty. So, it works out well for all of us! My parents are not there, but my grandparents and an Aunt and Uncle and cousins are not too far away. It will be nice to be near family there. Homeschooling is easier to do there as well. Michael is going to be 8 this school year and in Washington, that means a letter of intent to homeschool as well as testing and assessments. We can forgo that another year if we are living and schooling there. Not that he wouldn't do well, just one less thing we have to schedule. My parents also own a whole lot of land and I cannot wait to let the kids run free and the dog will have a blast! We'll find a new house here once Marvin is home again. That decision made, I feel a bit lighter!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

2010-03-05T00:22:00.000-08:00

We are finally feeling better! I am SO ready to get back to our regular lives! Being cooped up alone with 5 sick little ones for 2 weeks is just about enough to break me! I am SO thankful for the life that I have. I am SO thankful that although my husband is gone often, I KNOW that he loves us and will return as soon as he can. I am also so thankful for my house full of children and the joy they bring me every single day. Yes, even the hardest of them! I don't take a minute of that for granted, or at least I try not to. That doesn't change the fact that I get overwhelmed some days. Thankfully, I don't stay feeling defeated for long, I have learned to recognize when I am going there and have learned to reach up and hang onto my Savior with everything I am. The last few days I have been fighting to remember what it is that is important. It is not a clean house, a mowed lawn, or even being on time for church. I sometimes get so caught up with the outside stuff, that I forget the most important job I have ever been given. I forget to take the little moments to enjoy my blessings and to teach them who God is and how much they are loved.

God is teaching me new things, hard things, over the last couple of months. I feel free, but terrified at the same time. I love that He has given me a new freedom, but I can't help but be terrified at where we may go next. It is a good terrified though...mostly. I know that no matter how rocky the road to get there, freedom will be at the end. I also know that no matter how turbulent, I have the most steady, firm foundation on which to stand!

Finally, I got to leave a few of the cute things that my kiddos are up to. It is amazing how much entertainment these 5 special little people bring me each and every day!

Michael is getting over this virus. The first night he was sick, he was in bed and coughed so much that it caused him to throw up. I won't paint the picture for you, but it was an ugly few minutes and a LOT of clean up by the time it was all over with. He looked at me with the biggest of eyes and I was about to melt with sympathy for him(I HATE to throw up). Then he smiled and said, "Wouldn't that be the best super power?! I could just throw up on all the bad guys!" I guess that is a boy for you! I'm glad he was not too traumatized by the whole thing.

Sam loves to pray before we eat. No matter who gets the turn, Sam prays as well. Lately, he has been praying that all the people who don't know Jesus would ask Him into their heart and find peace(his words, not mine). He then prays specifically for Josh. I asked him the other day why he was praying especially for Josh and he said it was because Josh is 4 now and that is how old he was when he asked Jesus into his heart. Our little evangelist! I cannot wait to see what God has planned for him!

Josh has loved "new bunny" almost to death. I thought he might be okay now without him, but the few nights he went without him, he woke up several times. So, I went back to ebay and happened upon 2 that were much cheaper than all the other "antique" Thumpers. I thought they were probably knock offs and not the original disney store version, but as fast as he goes through them, I figured it really didn't matter as long as he couldn't tell. So, I ordered them both to keep one in reserve just to be safe. I've been keeping one hidden in the top of my closet. The other night, new new bunny was left in the basement at bedtime. I was exhausted and did not want to run down to get it, so I got the other one out of my closet with the plan to replace the left one when I went to bed. I forgot and today Josh found "the other new bunny"(are you getting confused yet?). So, he had both bunnies in one place and was SO excited. He came rushing up the stairs and told me that new bunny had a baby. We are now keeping track of 2 bunnies, because one was certainly not hard enough!

Sarah is my little mini me. She makes sure that everyone else is doing what they are supposed to be doing. She also loves to share every experience with Abby, who does not always share the same enthusiasm. The other day, Sarah wanted Abby to come upstairs to dance with her, but was being ignored. I hear Sarah yell down the steps, "ABBY!.....ABBY!...ABBYGAIL!!!!" After she was still ignored, she came stomping over to me and sighed and said, "Abby not listen to my words!"

One more, I can't leave Abby out! Marvin has been gone for 2 weeks. His boat ported in San Diego and he called us. I answered with an excited, "Hi, Babe!" and went upstairs so we could talk. Abby followed right on my tail and with a big scowl said, "Hey, I wanna talk to Babe!" I thought I heard her wrong, so I bent down and asked what she had said. She smiled and said, "I wanna talk to Babe!" I handed her the phone and she immediately said in the sweetest voice, "Hello, Abba!"

I promise I'll get some new pictures up very soon, so much is changing, I need to get it documented before they grow up anymore! For tonight, it is bedtime and my alarm goes off WAY too early to be up this late!

Hit Hard

2010-02-26T12:55:00.000-08:00

We have been hit hard by a particularly ugly virus that is going around our area. We don't go to the doctor unless I am really concerned. I don't like exposing my little ones to even worse germs than they come with and I really try all natural remedies before we use medicines. However, with this virus, we have been to the doctor's office twice and the ER once and that was when only 2 of the kids had it. Now they all have it in its various phases. Lovely! The only silver lining is that at least going to the hospital so many times has given me a place to show off my really good hair week. That only happens about once a year, so at least someone got to see it. The first 2 days seems to wear them out and after that, they are hyper from being stuck in the house. The problem with that is that the cough is so bad that when they get active or laugh(which is hard to avoid in our house), they have such a coughing fit that they throw up. NICE! I got so irritated with them the other night trying to make each other laugh to the point of puking, I threatened the next person to purposefully make someone throw up would be cleaning up the mess themselves! That did the trick. That and tv. Nick Jr has been on way more than I would ever admit otherwise! But at least they are still and quiet! They have enjoyed watching the Olympics that I record every night. Sam was especially excited about the luge. He asked me how fast they were going and when I told him faster than our car on the highway, he excitedly declared that is what he wants to do when he grows up. Why am I not surprised that my son wants to zip down an icy track going 90mph wearing only a leotard laying on nothing more than a board on blades? I hope my heart holds out during his adolescence and adult years when I can no longer protect him from himself!!! Sarah and Abby love the ice skating, it is so funny to watch them trying to mimic the moves they see! I'd better run. I need to boil toothbrushes and disinfect the house while all the kiddos are resting! I am determined that we will survive this thing and someday we will leave the house for a reason other than to visit our hospital!

I am BACK!!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-18T22:05:00.000-08:00

We have fought internet issues for over a month. It has been crazy. Our "internet"(that is what they call it, but I'm not so sure it is actually connected to anything at all) company changed hands. When they "upgraded" their modems, we pretty much lost everything. It was not great to start with, to use it we had to open the window where it sat, but it worked when we needed it to. After the "upgrade" it wouldn't stay connected at all. We gave it a couple of weeks for them to get their act together and tried a few things they suggested, but it just wasn't happening. We decided to go ahead and switch to cable, easy enough. Only, they had to bring the cable from 2 houses down. They were going to just drill it under the neighbors driveway, not too hard. Only, in true Q style, it was. It turned out that there were other lines in the way, so instead of drilling under the neighbors driveway, they had to dig OUT the neighbors driveway(with jackhammers and big scoops)! Thankfully, our neighbors are WONDERFUL and did not even bat an eyelash, but it took 3 full days of work in the midst of 2 months of waiting for permits and permissions. All is done now. We have real internet and the neighbor's have a brand new driveway! All is well. I have gone through major withdraw from the blog world and am SO happy to be back! Pictures to come tomorrow, it is past bedtime for this tired mama, but I wanted to touch base again!

One Big Happy Family

2010-01-17T23:32:00.000-08:00

It never fails to amuse me to watch the reaction we get when we walk into a place. It really doesn't matter where we are, our family just draws attention. I love to watch people's eyes get bigger and bigger as they silently count heads as we go by. I get a kick out of comments made as we walk by(I guess a LOT of people assume that deafness comes with having a big family ;)). I don't think that it is just the number of kids, but that they are all so close to the same age. As the little ones get bigger and the size gap lessens, we seem to draw even more attention. I get a kick out of people trying to figure out my family clueless to the fact that we can HEAR them!
"Oh my, she has twins AND triplets."

"Oh wow, I think that is TWO sets of twins."

"Oh my word, is that one family?"

Only a small percentage of those people ask me. I am more than happy to answer those questions, unless of course, I am busy dealing with an active meltdown, in which case I just give a quick warning that anyone close by should move within 30 seconds before said child self destructs. The rest of the time, I just smile and nod as we walk away. I am happy to say that we have run into only a few very rude people who dare to say negative things in our hearing. Most are just plain curious. I am thinking seriously about making tee shirts for each of the children just to answer the most asked questions and address the most used comments.

Michael's would say, I am the oldest. I am not a twin. Yes, I am on the small side, but my mom says the best things come in the smallest packages!

Sam's would say, I am number 2. I am not a twin. Yes, I do get that a lot.

Josh's would say, I am number 3. I am not a twin nor am I a triplet! I am my own man!

Sarah and Abby's would say, YES, we are twins. No, we are not identical, really.

I would not change anything about our family...at least not much. More about that later(and no, I am NOT pregnant!).

Sibling Love?

2010-01-16T22:44:00.000-08:00

Poor Josh. He has been sleeping in the big boy's room for several months. He is quite happy that he is a part of the "big boy" group now. Happy enough to put up with being Michael's roomate! This is how he woke up the other day. Michael admitted doing it when questioned. Let me tell you, it was hard for me to give a lecture with a straight face. I had to step inside the bathroom to laugh before I could attempt to have a heart to heart with Michael. I have quite a reputation for pranks(part of the reason my husband fell in love with me!), and it would seem that my oldest is starting early! Thankfully, he used a Crayola Washable marker which happens to be THE best washable marker out there. I'm pretty sure that Michael will not repeat this particular stunt again, but it makes me wonder what might be next...

Fun times!

2010-01-12T22:59:00.000-08:00

I have got so many posts coming! They are written in my head, it has just gotten harder to get them actually on the blog. One of my New Years resolutions is to be better about writing stuff down. There is SO much that I do not want to forget and so little time to remember it all! My mom has been here for the last week. It has been SO wonderful to have her here. She is supposed to be going home on Thursday...I'm not quite sure that she will make it to the airport on time ;)! Sarah has decided that panties are the cool thing yet again. She has been in them for 2 days now. She has not been as successful this time as in the past, but she is really trying. Who knows if she will be doing it still tomorrow. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that I cannot MAKE Sarah go in the potty. There are several places that I have to be firm with her, that I am in charge of. Eating and going potty are all hers and I will not fight the fights that I cannot win. I can bribe though(I prefer to call them rewards!)! If she eats her dinner, she gets a snack. If she goes potty on the potty, she gets a piece of chocolate. It has caused her to try really hard to get it right. This morning, she was sitting on the potty and trying REALLY hard to get some candy! She passed gas and she looked up at me in surprise and said, "Oh! Bless you!" Then she giggled. It was absolutely adorable. We will keep this up for as long as she is willing. I cannot wait for the day that Abby is ready to start training and I can throw the diapers away for good!

Christmas with the Q's!

2010-01-03T00:43:00.000-08:00

We have had such a wonderful time together as a family this holiday season. We have been on the go! Marvin informed me on the 21st that he had duty on the 24th. He said he didn't think that we would mind moving Christmas back a couple of days. Well, he does see now;). Being the wonderful husband that he is, he arranged to get a few hours off to go to the Christmas eve service and to have Jesus' birthday cake with us(I know this is not a simple task!). We almost made it through the service! Next year we might actually make it to the candle lighting part of the candle light service! After the service, we came home to celebrate Jesus' birthday. It was fun watching the foundations of belief build as we focused daily on Jesus and his birth all during the month. We have a Little People nativity set so that the kids aren't told all season to leave Baby Jesus alone. Sarah was often seen rocking and singing to him and then putting him "night, night" in the stable. I pray that she will only love Him more when it becomes clear to her that His birth was only the beginning and that it gets SO much better!!!! After cake and singing, each child gets to open their Christmas pajamas and their Christmas storybook. This was the year that Michael figured out that their Christmas eve gift is always pajamas. We wondered how long it would take. He love his jammies, so it is still exciting for him! Then we get snuggled up in the jammies and read the book together before bed. The girls were on a bit of a sugar high, but it is a magical time for all of us!

Happy birthday cake!

getting ready to sing

Happy birthday, Jesus

YUM!

Sarah was in the chocolate cake zone!

Abby was there as well!

Definition of sugar high!

Abby's response after getting caught licking her plate...

Excited about opening presents!

Abby loves them!

Josh is loving the monkey jammies!

One of this year's books

The other Christmas book

snuggled up together, enjoying the magic of Christmas!

Gingerbread House

2009-12-20T10:59:00.000-08:00

When we knew Marvin had limited time before Christmas, we had to think what we should fit into the days he had at home. So, after Santa, came Gingerbread House construction! The boys have been excited about gingerbread houses since they saw the first kit at Walmart even before Halloween this year. We held off then, it just didn't feel right to build them before Thanksgiving! I picked up a kit just after that and it has been hiding and waiting for the best opportunity! It had a few mishaps before it made it to the table, so it had a few cracks. Marvin did a great patch up job, but it needed to set before the kiddos decorated it, so we made snow! We got some snow in a box while we were at Victoria Christmas. The kids helped me to make it and they had a blast playing with it while they waited! They made a HUGE mess, but it was very easy to clean. It is great sensory play!!! Josh LOVED it! I was impressed with how real it felt, it was even cold! After they played in the snow and ate some lasagna, it was time to decorate the house. It was mass chaos, but it was a lot of fun!

Josh was squishing the frosting, getting it all ready to go

Abby doing her part as well

playing in the snow

sweet Abbygirl

sister love

time to decorate!

All Done!!!!

Hunting For Christmas Lights!

2009-12-19T22:46:00.000-08:00

It has been cold and rainy here for DAYS! It has been hard to get the kids out, with runny noses and coughs, the rain is not very appealing! But, I have 5 little people who go a bit stir crazy if they spend too much time in the house! Tonight, we thought it would be a great idea to go out and find an adventure. We ate an early dinner, got baths out of the way and climbed in cuddly pajamas. Then we all piled into the car(including our dog, Harley). We went through the Starbucks drive-thru for some coffee(for me, not the kids!) and cookies(for all of us!). After that, we drove aimlessly to find Christmas lights. It is SO much fun to see the world through my children's eyes. The whole season is very magical for them, which makes it magical for me. Sam kept asking if I had been on the roads we were going on. He was worried because we turned the GPS off and he was afraid we'd get lost and not be able to find our way home. One of the roads we turned on turned into dirt about 20 yards or so off the main road and was REALLY muddy. It looked to be too big of an adventure to me, being stuck on some dirt road miles from our house with 5 kids in only feety pajamas! As that picture ran in my head, I made the decision to backtrack. The road was only one lane, so we had to back out. The kids were freaking out. Backing 20 yards on a one lane dirt road in the dark and rain with 5 kids screaming. FUN! We did hit the Christmas light jackpot just after that, so it was totally worth it!!! Every time we passed a Santa, Abby and Sarah would start repeating, "Santa, Ho Ho Ho!". It was so fun. We saw several manger scenes on our adventure as well. The girls would say, "AWE, baby Jesus is sleeping. Night night, baby Jesus!". After about an hour, we headed back in the direction of home. Sam finally chilled out once he started recognizing our surroundings. I'm not sure what his problem was, it is not like I get lost all the time. One time, almost a year ago, Marvin pretended he was lost on an alternate route home. I guess it must have made a big impact on him, poor kid thinks his parents are clueless without the GPS and are on the verge of being lost forever at any moment. We made it home without mishap, so maybe, just maybe he won't be so nervous next time! This Christmas has been a fun one as all of the kids are old enough now to get what it is all about on some level. It is SO fun to watch them experience the magic that is Christmas! I feel like a kid again, only it is SO much more fun from this side of the magic!!!!!

Christmas Pictures

2009-12-19T00:59:00.000-08:00

I was SO excited to get pictures done this year because I was so excited about their Christmas outfits! I was on the ball this year and had the outfits before Halloween! That is a record! I hung them up and put them all in our closet, sure I was gonna have pictures done and cards out the week of Thanksgiving. Oh well. I finally got motivated last week and got them all dressed up for pictures with high hopes. First Sarah would not leave her barrette in, then she was mad because I told her where to sit(the nerve!). Needless to say, we got interesting pictures! My hopes were quickly dashed, but they are cute anyway! My photo editing software allows me to take different group shots and put the best of all of them together. I sat down to do just that so that I'd have 1 of 500 pictures of everyone looking at me and smiling, but I didn't have the heart to do it. I love what our life is right now and it definitely does not include 5 angelic faces smiling at me in full cooperation! I could not edit out the chaos, it is too big a prat of our family...even at Christmas! Hopefully these pictures will help us to remember this crazy, wonderful time in our life!

Getting ready to start, the boys are trying not to laugh that Sarah is throwing a fit at their feet just outside the shot

While Sarah was in time out, I tried to get one of the boys...optimum word here is TRY!

Sarah thought a picture might be better than time out after all!

Finally got them to smile and Harley needed to get in the spotlight!

Peek

BOO!

Sarah trying to beatbox, Abby trying to figure out how she is doing it.

After the glorified spitting was out of her system, I told them to put their hands down...

trouble, much?

I threatened them with time out if they did not put their hands down

(I know, but I was just tired!)

Group shot

Is someone missing?

By this one, my hopes were crashing to the earth. I was having to admit defeat!

NICE

I decided to work with the ones that can be bribed!

Notice the chaos never ends!

Even Sam has his limits!

Abby discovered that she could see herself in the ornament!

She is excitedly telling me, "It's MEEEEEEEEE!"

2009-12-19T00:08:00.000-08:00

Marvin's Lolo(his Grandfather) died earlier this week. I spent 2 days getting information to him(he was at work and was supposed to be there until Christmas eve) and finding tickets to get him home once his emergency leave was approved. He grew up with his grandparents living with him for many years, so this was hard for him. I am so glad he was able to go back and be with his family during this time. I wish we were able to be there with him, but we just don't have the money for 7 plane tickets right now. Marvin's grandparent's were the first of Marvin's family I was able to meet. It is hard to think that he is gone, but I know he is much relieved to be restored to health. He has been very sick for a long time and as sad as it is to think he is not here anymore, we are assured that he is dancing it up in heaven right now!

Here is Marvin in a 4 generation picture just after Michael was born.

Santa

2009-12-10T23:06:00.000-08:00

Marvin has got exactly 2 evenings home before Christmas and we are trying to get as many Christmas traditions as we can in that time and still make them fun. On the top of our lists was our annual visit to Santa Claus. Other than one year when Michael would not get even close to Santa, we have done it every year. It is fun to see the progression of our family. Adding babies and watching them grow. This year, is no different! Our picture captures each child exactly as they are! We did get a pretty good family picture after what many would call a disaster. However, the one we chose to get printed this year is like freezing reality in time!

When we were looking through the pictures to choose, we laughed out loud at how true it was. You see, Sarah was so excited to see Santa. She got right out of her stroller, took her coat off quickly so she could show Santa her pretty dress and stood there in line pointing out all the cool things around Santa. She even walked on her own to within feet of the man himself. We got the boys settled around Santa and she watched with great interest. The moment Marvin placed her on Santa's knee, she screamed bloody murder! Abby was okay for about 5 seconds, but when she saw Sarah screaming in obvious fear, she started crying in sympathy! Michael was laughing at our attempts to calm and coax smiles. Sam was covering his ears. Josh was completely clueless and stood just where we told him to stand. After 20 seconds or so, we picked the girls up so that we wouldn't cause lifetime trauma. Santa had the idea to put ourselves in the picture and try to get a happy family picture. I thought it turned out really well considering that I was not at all prepared to be on that side of the camera. At least their were no tears!

O Christmas Tree!

2009-12-05T23:15:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to catch my breath here! Marvin has been working like crazy and is not scheduled to have a day off until Christmas. I've been told that Christmas is not a guarantee, but I'm praying that it happens. It would be so sad for him to miss it while his ship is in port! He did get a respite over Thanksgiving. He had the whole weekend off! It was pure bliss! After church and nap time on Sunday, we headed to the Christmas tree farm just down the road! How fun that was. We walked all over until we all agreed on the perfect tree.

The kids thought EVERY tree was the best tree, so it was really that Marvin and I agreed on the perfect tree!

Marvin cut it down. He could not have done it if not for Michael and Sam who help to push the tree down and Josh and the girls who yelled "TIMBER!".

Marvin, carried that big old tree all the way back to the van by himself. He's my hero!

Marvin hoisted it up and tied it down(thankfully, it wasn't far to get home!)

Last year, Marvin gave each of the kids a twine that he had tied to the roof rack and told them it was their job to hold the tree onto the roof. We hadn't talked about it since that day, but on the way, the boys asked if they were gonna hold it up on top again. We told them that it was their job. It was so funny as they were explaining to the girls how important it was to hold tight and not let go. We narrowly avoided disaster when Sarah threw a fit and let go of her twine. Thankfully, it was a quick one and apparently realized how important a job it was as her brothers yelled from the back!

Shoes

2009-11-22T00:10:00.000-08:00

I just got a request from my Dad and I thought I'd make a need known. It is not for him, but for the people of the Afghan village near his base. The people there are the poorest of poor and have next to nothing as far as material things go. My dad has noticed that the folks that do have shoes only have sandals and that there are very few socks. It is getting cold there in the mountains and he has requested shoes and socks to pass out to those in the village. Now, he is not looking for brand new shoes or socks(although those would be appreciated as well). These people are not materialistic people, but they do have cold feet. If you have shoes lying around or are willing to spend a few dollars at Walmart or even Goodwill, please let me know and I'll get you my dad's address there in Bostick. The biggest need is mens sizes 7-10. Any size will be used without a doubt. The medical team there has taken care of a number of the villagers there and desire to bless these who live such hard and dangerous lives. I know I look all over for things to do in order to teach my children how to bless others, more so during this season. We will be taking this opportunity to do just that. Also, if you are looking for soldiers to bless this season, there are a whole lot of them on Bostick that would love to know that they are not forgotten during the holidays. I'd love to pass on that address if you feel led to do that. Thanks everyone for praying for my dad's safety in a very dangerous place during very dangerous times.

It's a Bird, It's a plane. No, It's.......

2009-11-18T00:08:00.001-08:00

Oh wait, that's wrong! If Sam was awake right now I would know for certain just how Spider-man is proceeded. I assume he has a special something to announce his entrance, all the good Super Heroes do. Am I right? I'll have to ask our resident hero expert in the morning. The day after Halloween, we went to Target and hit the costume jackpot on Clearance. The kids have had a blast with all the dress up stuff. We got doctors, GI Joe, The Incredibles, Cowgirl, Abby Cadabby.... You get the point. Sam, however, claimed the Spider-man costume as his own and literally has not taken it off except to take a bath and get clean underwear. He even sleeps in it! I do make him change in to actual clothes when we are leaving the house.

But I kid you not, it is on him not 30 seconds after we walk in the door! He is OBSESSED! I laugh out loud as I tuck in Spider-man every night! Spider-man eats at our table(minus the mask of course, as it was getting pretty messy!). I even get to teach Spider-man on a daily basis! We have gotten rather used to having a mini version of Spider-man in our house, and that thought makes me giggle a little bit! Oh how this special boy brings such joy to this Mama's heart! Who knew that I could ever love Spider-man so very much!

It does not end with Spider-man for our little man, however. He is way more cultured than that! He goes all out for the WHOLE Superhero Squad( a whole squad). The wonderful world of boys growing up has introduced me to a whole world that I had NO idea was out there!!!! Did you know that there is an Iron Man, Falcon, Hulk, Thing, Screaming Mimi. Oh good grief, it just does not end. I love Sam SO much and as proof, I have spent HOURS making up stuff about superheroes. He asks me questions ALL day long. "What is ______'s power?" "How does______ save someone that is falling off a huge building?" "Can ______ fly or do they just jump really high?" And he will not accept I don't know. So, I make things up. I'm in trouble when Abba is home and he asks the same questions. Apparently, my husband knows this world very well and has all the right answers. So, now he asks me the questions and I make up some thorough answer. And then he gives me his big smile and says he'll just ask Abba when he gets home. It started out as my trying to really give answers that might be true. Now that he has figured out that I am NOT the hero expert, I try to get goofy with it. I LOVE being a mom to my boys. The more they grow, the more they become SO different from anything I could have expected(in the greatest possible way!!!!) and I am loving this great new world! I better go tuck Spider-man back under his covers on my way to bed!

The YELLOW Bus!!!!

2009-11-16T15:35:00.000-08:00

I have got to admit that I was so nervous and torn about sending Josh to Preschool. I took him in on his first day so that he would not feel totally and completely abandoned. I saw within an hour that I was not helping. So, I gave him a big hug and told him I'd be back very soon. I tried to get out of the door before I started crying. I slowly made my way to the office to drop off some paperwork, making sure that my eyes were dry before I walked in. After that was done, I peaked in to make sure that Josh was not too upset. He was not looking thrilled to be there, but he was not crying and his teachers were being very attentive. I knew he was in good hands and so I came home. I was at the school 10 minutes early to get him and watched him playing at the playground. He was taking his turn, but he was not looking overly excited about being there. The following day he was scheduled to ride the bus. That changed everything. Josh has loved anything on wheels for a long time and buses top the list! He was SO excited to ride the bus. The fact that it happens to be yellow, which has been his favorite color since he could say the word, just makes it that much better! He gets dressed and eats breakfast asking over and over if it is a bus day. He puts his coat, shoes, and backpack on and stands watch at the front window until the bus comes. He ABSOLUTELY loves riding the bus. He is making a lot of progress with school as well. Not so much AT school, but at home. He has picked up a LOT of language from the speech therapist, although from what I last heard, he has yet to speak a word to the therapist herself. He is obviously listening because the words she is teaching him are being used correctly here at times! He hasn't spoken to any of his classmates as of yet, but he has started playing alongside them and even with them in some instances! That is big progress! I am so glad that he is happy there and that he is making so much progress. Thank goodness for that school buses are yellow!!!!!

Waiting for the school bus to come with great anticipation!!!

Getting buckled in to his seat

The girls really miss their partner in crime.

They start looking for the bus to come home 30 minutes before it actually gets here!

They are both pointing up to the road, showing me where the bus will be coming!

Yucky germs!

2009-11-14T14:29:00.000-08:00

I know I said I'd keep up last time I wrote...and then Michael got the flu. They say it was H1N1, but then said they no longer are testing for it, just fitting the symptoms to the diagnosis. Call me crazy, but that does not sound very scientific to me!!!! The bug we all got last year was worse than this one and H1N1 was not the answer then. I've never been overly trusting of the medical community, the media, or the government anyway, but to be told that they aren't even testing for it anymore makes me wonder how an epidemic can be justified when they are lumping everything with a cough, sore throat and fever as H1N1. Okay, I'm getting off my soapbox now, sorry, I got carried away there ;)! Whatever it was that Michael had, we were in the ER and the doctor's office twice last week. The ER because his fever was spiraling out of control and at 104.6, I no longer felt comfortable treating it at home as it was not responding to Motrin or Tylenol. I'm wishing I had just waited another hour, or just taken him for a walk because by the time we got to the ER it was no longer going up. They double dosed him and within an hour, it was down to 102.8. We waited for 5 hours before we were seen. The doctor looked him over, told us to come back if he got worse or if his fever went away and then came back. So, we got home around 1:30am feeling rather silly for having wasted so much time for nothing. We just took it easy and forced a bunch of fluid. He was feeling much better and was fever free by Sunday. We took a deep breath in hopes that no one else got it now that Michael was done. Overnight Michael woke with a new high fever and a really nasty cough. I called to make him an appointment first thing Monday morning. The Dr looked him over really well and had his chest x-rayed which was clear. However, with the fever going away and coming back they always fear a secondary infection. Because Michael has been prone to Sinus infections, he was put on antibiotics. After 3 doses, Michael was good to go! No more fever, he is finally eating again, and he was acting much more like normal. I am so thankful that it was not spread within our home! I contribute that to prayer, lots of vitamins, and our juicer(in that order!). Who no how long it will be before the next illness tries to invade our home, but we are enjoying every healthy minute we have!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

We have been ready for Halloween for months since I found little Ladybug costumes on sale at the Gymboree Outlet during the summer. They have been hanging up in my closet since then and Sarah has thrown many fits because I wouldn't let her wear it to Walmart or church. The boys were not so easy. Up to this year, I have picked their cute costumes and they all followed a theme. It was apparent that this year I was no longer in control and cute was not gonna happen! However, the boys received Army uniforms from Grandpop for Christmas this last year. They were very excited to get to dress up just like their favorite hero! At the last minute, I could not find Michael's shirt. He is the kid that loses EVERYTHING. We have a shoe hunt every time we leave the house. That is okay though, because Grandpop had also sent the squadron's tee shirt and he was more than happy to wear that instead. Unfortunately, Marvin was on duty(at work all night) and so I had 5 kids alone at the Harvest Festival. Not terrible, we've done a lot of things on our own. We got there pretty early so that we could beat the crowds. The kids were super cute and were so excited to play. Just inside the door to the game room was a clown making balloon shapes. Sarah looked at him and all fun was over for her. She has a MAJOR phobia of funny faces(if you recall the pumpkin face...). She started screaming like the clown might just stab her to death with the balloon sword he was making. She calmed down for a minute while I carried her away but the room was filled with people in face paint and masks. NOT fun, she was plastered to my shoulder. Abby was not scared but the reaction from Sarah made her pretty nervous too. Needless to say, we didn't stay long. They were really cute for the short time it lasted!

Sarah was SO excited about her costume that she ran through the house yelling, "Buzzzzzzzzzzzz, bee, Mama!"

confused but oh so cute!

Abby was much more ladybug like

getting ready to go into the church

The nursery director, Dawn( Sarah's favorite person ever!) took the girls for a few minutes so that I could play with the boys for a bit.

Sam's face painting

Josh was not sure exactly what they were doing...

...but he likes it!

Michael playing basketball

Josh man wanted a turn

I think he might just have a future here!

I thought a candy distraction might help...

a ladybug picnic

Josh riding a cool motorcycle.

Sarah went bazerk like it was gonna eat him. It was time to leave!

Sarah is MUCH happier at home...

Abby posing for me

Best buddies

Josh man!

Sweet Abbygirl

Video and prayer request

2009-10-31T23:47:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned several times that my Dad is in Afghanistan at FOB Bostick. I have asked for prayers and that is about where it has stopped simply because I'm not sure what is safe to share on the web and what is not. But, I am bringing it back front and center because things are getting really hot over there right now. Please pray not only for my Dad's safety, but all the soldiers who are doing a job not easily done. My Dad emailed this video. These are the guys that bring the soldiers from the field to the FST team where the medical team waits for them. The base has heard gun fire the whole time and have been on alerts but was hit this week with a mortar. Please pray for the safety of our guys as they fight against evil itself. My dad has asked that we pray for snow so that the evil is driven into their caves for the winter. I ask you to join me in that prayer. I will also ask that you pray for these medical workers as they strive to save all that pass through their doors and yet lose some. Not an easy thing and they are surrounded with it day and night. It is really easy to get caught up in life right here and forget about the guys in the desert so far from home. Please remember them right now!

Parenting is Tough Stuff!

2009-10-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a long while since I've updated about the kids, especially Josh and the choices we are making about little man. We sat down with all the team that evaluated Josh through the local school and they were thinking exactly what we have been. That he is no longer fitting the Autism category, but that he does have significant delays and Sensory issues. The problem with not having a specific diagnosis is that it makes it hard to have a specific plan for him. There are no clear cut answers as to what will help and what will hinder. We all agree that he has very big social deficits and so we have decided to put him into the Special Needs Preschool program here in our local school system. Since we made it, I have been up many nights analyzing that decision. Oh, how I wish each child came with a detailed instruction book. On October 30, do this. I would feel so much better if I wasn't the one making decisions that will effect my child for life. You see, in the past few weeks, we moved Josh into the same room with Sam and Michael. Since we did that, he has really become one of the big boy. He sees himself as one of the guys and they have brought him into their very close bonds. It has been really great for me to watch as they all have embraced each other. Now we are going to send Josh away for 4 hours 4 days a week while the 2 big guys stay here together. I just hope that they don't lose these new relationships. The whole reason we decided to send him into the Preschool setting is because of the social inability to interact with his peers. It seems that that has begun here at home and I really hate to break that doing the thing that we had hoped would really help. The other thing that makes me nervous is that we are throwing him into this pit of germs at what seems to be the peek of Swine Flu season. I am terrified that he will get it and that he will bring it back into the house and infect everyone else as well. He has never been in Daycare or other group settings except church and I feel like we are just painting a target on our little man's head. We went to meet his teachers this week and they are truly sweet ladies. I really think he can thrive there. He is supposed to start on Monday. I spoke with the school Psychologist this afternoon and shared with her all my concerns. She said that she trusts our judgment and that if the class isn't the set up for him and we see it having detrimental effects on the relationships he has finally made here at home, we can stop and reevaluate what is the best choice, we do have other options. Please pray that we would have wisdom in our decisions here. Parenting is so tough! Then, yesterday, Sam woke up taking really deep breaths over and over again. I was concerned because I feel the need to do that when my asthma acts up. I asked him if he was feeling short of breath. He said no, he just felt like taking a deep breath. Another decision. Sam has always had issues with tics. When he was 3.5, he started with a blinking tic. It went away on it's own a few months later. A couple of months after that, he started with a tic where he opened his mouth really big at odd times, sometimes repeatedly. That resolved on its own as well. After a short time, he had one in which he would kinda hum periodically, especially when he was trying to talk to us, but at other times as well. That one went away and then he got one where he'd stick out his tongue really far. Again, it went away, are you seeing a pattern? They have always cleared up within a month or so, sometimes a bit longer. Now, it seems, he has another. He does it often, even while sitting and seems to be fine otherwise. I watched while he slept last night and there are no other signs of asthma issues at all. So, we are chalking it up to another tic. And, it seems, we might need to get this checked out eventually. Why, oh why, can't parenting just be easy? It sure seemed easy before I was one!

Fall fun!

2009-10-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

There has been so much that I need to catch up on, like Sam's end of season soccer party and his first ever trophy! I will, but I need to get today done first and then I'll go back. We have been stuck inside for going on two weeks with this HFM and we have been going stir crazy. We thought we were in the clear yesterday. We went out for dinner in celebration. We went to Red Lobster and when we got settled at the table, we prayed together the way we always do. The table next to us saw this and when we were done, they said that they were believers as well. We talked about Christ for a few minutes and churches. We discovered that we attend the church that they attended when they lived close by. They had to move and found a church closer to them, but it was fun to find links that tie us together. It is like meeting family you didn't know you had. We ordered and enjoyed our meal and our time together outside the house. Sarah and Abby ate themselves silly on Marvin's all you can eat shrimp. When we were all done, our waitress came over, boxed up our leftovers and told us to have a wonderful night and that our check was all taken care of. We were kind of shocked, and asked who had done it. The people that we had talked to earlier in the evening had. What a blessing. It was such a great feeling, that we can't wait to pay it forward the next time we are out! I'll tell you all about it when it happens! Then, we got home for bathtime. I had the HFM kids and when I was washing Josh I found new bumps. MAN, I hope that we didn't spread this thing. The new find kept us from church this morning. I was bummed. Marvin was on duty, so one of us could not take the healthy kids either. They were bummed. It is getting harder because everyone is feeling better, so it is hard for them to understand that Josh could still be contagious. They miss their friends. I did sneak them to our local Fred Mejer so that we could get some pumpkins to decorate. We put Josh in the back of the double stroller, so that hopefully he wouldn't infect anyone. The pumpkin painting and carving took up the whole afternoon. They LOVED it!

Sarah means business!

Abby thinks this is fun!

Sam- it really is so sad that he is so serious all the time!

kids hard at work!

Michael man and his black masterpiece

Josh is serious about his art

Sarah painted that same red spot for at least 30 minutes!

The carving pumpkin

Sam was all about digging out the pumpkin guts!

See how good he did?

Three boys with their goofy pumpkin

Sarah has got a terrible fear of odd faces(serious, is there a name for that phobia?)

Five little pumpkins all in a row!

Result of those pumpkins!

"Just a little mess." That was a quote by Michael. ;)

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

2009-10-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry, had to get that out! I feel better now! We had less than a week off of soccer when Sarah got really fussy. Her eyes got all glassy, which usually means a fever will follow. Only, none did. I thought it strange, but I was glad. Then I found a strange sore on her tongue. Looking closer, I saw several sores in the same area, on her lips and inside her cheeks, and a few dots on the outside of her mouth. I had a cold sore at the time and thought I had passed them on to her. I remembered my first time getting them and it was really bad, but not on my tongue. When I was looking up if it was possible to get cold sores on your tongue, I came across a picture of Hand, Foot, Mouth disease. It looked just like Sarah's mouth. There were no sores on her hands or feet, but I figured it was coming. Sure enough, she woke up with blisters on her hands and bottom the next morning. Other than not being able to eat ketchup, which is Sarah's most favorite food EVER, she really didn't act very sick. We just had to wait it out and let the blisters heal and pray that we don't have an outbreak on our hands. With 5 kids, a simple bug can take us out for weeks! After 2 days went by, I started to hope that maybe this was stopped in it's tracks. I looked all the kids over every morning and night. Then, on day 3, I found the blisters on Abby. Hers were mostly in her mouth. If I hadn't been looking for it, I most likely would have never known they were there. That makes me relieved. Hopefully whoever brought their infected child into contact with mine did not know their child was sick. I resigned myself to the knowledge that we had an extra 2 days of house arrest and hoped it would end there. However, 2 days later, there was no mistaking that Josh had gotten it, and much worse than the girls had it. Poor guy was in bad shape! His mouth was so bad, he drooled everywhere for 2 days and needed a lot more meds to get him through. I followed him around with Lysol. Poor guy. I kept the kids separated for bath times and it was funny to watch the sick bath get more and more filled up. The first night Sarah was all alone in the bath for the first time in her life. She did not like it at all! Then Abby joined her. Then Josh joined. It started getting pretty crowded in there! I hate to write this down, because Josh is still contagious, which means Michael and Sam are still at risk, but I think we are finally on the downhill path now! On my calculations, we should be done with being fully contagious on Sunday. We are all going stir crazy! Add to this sickness a whole lot of working hours for Marvin and a whole lot of rain keeping us inside and what you get is just not very pretty! We've done a lot of crafts though, so that is fun. Maybe, just maybe, the sun will come out by the time that we can come out!!!! In other news, I have decided to be an independent representative for a company called Demarle! I'll write more about that another time, but in the meantime, you can check out my website here! I better go do some more disinfecting!

Corn Maze

2009-10-03T22:09:00.000-07:00

We live less than a mile away from a farm in what used to be a rural area but it now just outside of town. We pass the cornfield and cows every time we go to town and each and every single time, we moo on the way by. They make a corn maze during the fall each year. We saw it last year as we were looking for our house, but were too busy to even think about taking our crew through it. We had thought we lost the chance to go because it has become very cold and wet here. The sun came out today though and Marvin was home. We could not think of anything better to do than pay to get lost in a cornfield! The boys had a BLAST!

This was my view for most of the journey!

Our goal was to find each of six punch stations and punch our card with each unique shape

Sarah wants her card punched too!

The boys taking a quick break to look at some cow poop. Such boys!

We could hear the cows the whole time we were in the corn. When we came around the corner and saw them through this little path, the girls and Josh were SO excited!

It got a little bit tough there at the end. We were hungry, getting cold, and my feet were killing me(those darn boots!). But we found the last punch station(possibly with the help of our camera phone and the map found at punch station 3...) and were so excited to find our way to the exit sign.

Corn on the cob is Sarah's most favorite thing in the world. Seriously, the girl can put away 3 full ears at one sitting and still want more. The whole time we were walking through the maze, she kept pointing and yelling "CORN!!!!!!" It was really cute at first, but 2 miles into the maze, it was getting just a little bit old! I am so excited to share these things as our children are getting old enough to enjoy them. It is so nice to be able to have fun with my family instead of just bringing them along while I have fun!

At Least I Got Some Boots Out of the Day!

2009-10-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

Man, has today ever been a mix of really really good and really really bad! It started out so well. Today, a sweet sweet lady offered to take my children so that I could have a day to get done anything I wanted to do. I dropped the kids off ad got into my van and just breathed. No crying. No screaming. No ever wonderful spitting "rap". Just a cleansing breath!!!!! I made my way to the hair salon and got a hair cut. A real haircut! Not just a quick Walmart trim!!! I will post pictures, but after my evening of cheering on my firstborn at a really cold, wet soccer game, it is not quite as nice as when I left the salon. To quote my wonderfully loving sons tonight, "Why do you have crazy hair?" After that, I wasn't so excited to document this big change. Anyway, after my haircut, I went on the hunt for boots. I've heard that boots are in this autumn. I'm not much on fashion...no, really, it is true;)... but I do have a thing for boots. Not the tall, black, high heeled, fashion kind. I'm talking the cowboy kind. I was overjoyed to know that I might just be able to pull off some cowboy boots in the name of fashion! I was on a mission. One that I was very proud to have accomplished! After my day of breathing, heavenly salon trip, and successful shopping trip I stopped to pick up some groceries. My plan was to drop off the groceries and take Harley for a good long walk. Since it has been so cold and rainy, we haven't gone on a real walk for a couple of days. I walked into the house on top of the world. It certainly came crashing down quickly! As soon as I walked in, I knew something was terribly wrong. I looked down at my feet(remember the ones that I was so happy to find new boots for) and saw a lot of dust and pieces of door frame. I was hoping it had just materialized on our floor. Big messes tend to do that in our house quite often. Sadly, this was not one of those times. Seems Harley REALLY wanted to do a little remodeling for us and apparently wanted to start with the door frame. NICE! I put the dog outside so that I would not beat him with chunks of door frame while I cleaned up the mess. We then went to Petsmart ASAP to get a nice kennel to put in the garage for our handyman dog before he decides to take out a wall. Before anyone thinks badly about my caging our dog, it is one of the best rooms in the house! I only wish that someone would put me in there periodically and we are only gone for very short period of time. He got to try it out tonight during Michael's soccer game. It was cold and wet outside. Let me tell you, these Seattle soccer coaches and parents are devoted to this soccer stuff. I'm just not sure if it is worth sitting in the freezing rain to watch a bunch of 7 year olds chase a soccer ball from one end of the field to the other in one big herd. I mean, for goodness sakes, we don't even keep score, is it really necessary to play games in the freezing rain? Apparently, it is. We bundled up and cheered because I am devoted to my son, even if I am not so devoted to soccer. Thankfully, there was a break in the rain for most of the game. I'm still cold. Boy, does South Carolina weather sound good right about now!!! I am not looking forward to the Washington winter after this preview of coming attractions. Gone are the days of wishing for air conditioning. Here are the days of heaters and winter coats! But, hey, at least I got a great pair of boots!

Oh So Much!

2009-09-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

Goodness, have we ever been busy! Okay, that is a CRAZY understatement. Where have we been. One word...SOCCER! We have almost literally moved to our local soccer field. We have 4 games each week. Thankfully, we are more than half way done for this year! School is going well, we are in a good rut and are still very much enjoying it. Our regular activities keep us hopping all week long, which keeps us out of trouble! We got a dog last week! I know, I said we would not get another one for a long time. It has been a year and we have discovered we are truly a dog family. It was sad to us that the girls were terrified of dogs simply because they have not been around one. So, we've been looking for just the right dog. And we refuse to pay for a dog(besides an adoption fee), so that limits our choices. We had asked about several dogs that we found on Craig's List, but just weren't feeling right about any of them. Then, we saw an ad about a 2 year old German Shepherd/Border Collie mix. There was very little information about him other than that he was a good dog because of circumstances that had led him to his temporary home. But, there were some pictures and he was just smiling at me through the computer screen. It worked out that we were able to go see him the next day. Five minutes after we met him, we knew he was ours! His name is Harley and he is such a good dog. He poops in our house every time we leave him alone(which is not for long periods of time, maybe 2 hours tops). He does not when we bring him with us and he does it no matter how long he is outside before we go. If you have any ideas on how to fix this, let me know! Right now, we are trying to gate him only in the middle floor of the house which is 100% hardwood. We'll see if we can break this habit. Other than that, we are loving him!

My Little Man

2009-08-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

Joshua was diagnosed with Autism months ago. It is an understatement to say that we were hit extremely hard by this diagnosis. It was a hard time, but one that drove us into the arms of our Lord. We came to terms with Autism being a part of our family. We did a ton of research and changed our diets and lives dramatically. Then we put Autism on the top shelf and went on with our summer. We could not do much until our paperwork was moved through the system and the school year started again. We focused on working with his speech and coping techniques and lived our lives...our new normal. It became comfortable, we seemed to have moved on. And then it was time to face it all full on once again. In all honesty, he has made huge progress in his speech and communication skills. I was hoping that because of those improvements, the school district would kick us out of the program. Well, they did not. In fact, the evaluator, while she agreed that it is great to see such progress, still saw several reasons to move him on in the Special Needs program. So, he will be moved on to be more closely evaluated by the school's Physcologist, Occupational therapist, and Speech therapist to determine with us what will be the best course of treatment for him. There are many options available, ranging from therapists coming to our house, much like they did when he was younger. The next step is to take him in to the school for whatever therapy schedule we all agree on. The final step would be for Josh to enter the school's Preschool program for Special needs children. It was humbling to face the fact that Josh still holds this label. I was so sad that others will look at him and not see past the Autism. And then I realized that is exactly what I was doing. I am working hard on stopping this. Josh may be Autistic, but it does not stop there. He is also Joshua, the boy that no one who comes into contact with can help but love. The boy whose smile is capable of melting this mama right into a puddle on the floor. The boy who is every single day making progress. The one who now comes to me, holds my hand, and tells me that he loves me. The one who is trying his best to tell a knock knock joke. I am such a lucky mama. I really don't care that he is Autistic, he IS Joshua. I love my boy and I am willing to go down this road with him, to hear hard words for any mom to hear. It has taken a long time to put away the picture that I once saw when I heard the word Autism. However, now when I hear the word Autism, I see my Joshua and it becomes a lot easier to handle it.

school days, school days...

2009-08-28T21:35:00.000-07:00

Usually when I disappear for days at a time it is because there is so much going on, I'm not sure where to even begin. This is just one of those weeks! Monday started our school year off. We started slow, and will be adding math next week. So far so good. We have a schedule that is working well logistically and still gives us a bit of freedom so that we don't feel like prisoners to school. We started a new program and it is so great. It is called Five in a Row. I read a children's book to them every day for the whole week. This week was The Story about Ping(it is about a duck in China running from a consequence and the adventure that almost leads him to a dinner table) . Then, using the book, there is a different subject that breaks off from what the book has introduced. I'll share this week's overview so you get the idea. Monday we had Geography/culture. We found China and the Yangtze River on our world map. Then we looked up several things on the web, watched some video clips about life in different areas of China, looked at some Chinese food menus with pictures, and ate Chinese food(okay, so rice is all it was with some mixed veggies stirred in...but it worked for them!). I was impressed how much better they accepted the tidbits of gathered information than reading pages from a textbook. Still today they remembered a majority and was able to teach Marvin. Then Tuesday, we learned about literary devices. Yes, they learned that word and can use it in a sentence!!! We figured out how to tell if our story was Fiction or non fiction. We also learned a literary device used in this book was literary repetition. And yes, my smarties use those big words and understand them. Then we made up fiction stories of our own. Wednesday was Science and we learned about buoyancy and how and why things float. That was a fun day for them with lots of water play. I also threw in water safety that day too! Then, on Thursday, we talked about relationships and families. Also right and wrong and consequences using the characters in the book. Today we had an art lesson. We learned the pictures in the book are called illustrations and that they are done with colored pencils in this book. They got to use colored penciled to draw pictures about the story. Let me tell you, they have had a blast!!! So have I! I learned things right along with them! I am also doing a program called Before Five in a Row with Josh and the girls. Basically the same idea with simple stories and just ideas for fun, easy learning each day. They loved it. Along with that, the boys are doing Handwriting(which will become spelling and literature in about 2 weeks), Phonics, Science, and will be starting math next week. This has been a great week and has left all of us excited to start again on Monday! Can't ask for anything more. We also found a martial arts studio run by a Christian man that incorporates Bible verses and lessons into each belt test. We found it yesterday and just dropped by unexpectedly to check it out and ended up staying over 30 minutes after our tour just talking to the owner about God. I love it when people's love for God is genuine! After soccer is done for the boys, we will be starting both of them at this studio. They are pumped! Marvin is jealous, I think he wants a ghee of his own!

School days and missing teeth!

2009-08-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

Where have I been, you ask?! Well, I've been running about 50 mph trying to get the last minute things done for school. Well, it paid off! We started today. Our school year does not start here until the week after Labor day, but we started early this year. We are planning to spend 2 weeks visiting my dad when he comes home for leave in October and I did not want to haul our school work or get behind. This should put us back on target to be able to follow the regular school schedule for the rest of the year. I was a bit nervous to start this year. The girls are bigger, louder, and sleep a lot less this year. I was not sure how it would go over or how many times we'd have to stop to deal with them. The answer was, so far it has gone well. They were a bit loud, but I stocked up our educational toys and easy puzzles and games and they were quietly amused. I only brought out a few so that we can keep the newness alive and hopefully get more quiet time out of it. The hard stuff is kept for after the girls and Josh go down for naps. We got done so quick that we had time for a Costco run and a stop at McDonalds to play a bit before nap time! They were very excited about that! While we were there, Michael bit into his Chicken nugget and said, "man, that piece is hard". I didn't pay much attention, you know how chicken nuggets can be, every so often you bite into some grizzle and need to spit it out. Then he looked up and smiled at me and I saw it...or didn't! There was a whole where his loose tooth had been! My Michael lost his very first tooth and did not even know it! I asked him to show me the hard part he'd found and it was his tiny tooth! He was SO excited! He has been very worried about it hurting when it came out. To the point of avoiding anything with his front teeth. He would not even let me touch it. So, I am so glad that it was so easy and pain and drama free! My boy is growing up! He already has it waiting under his pillow for the tooth fairy! I'll let you know what she leaves!

Marvin, my resident Guinea Pig Wrangler!

2009-08-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I had to clean the guinea pig cage, which gets done every Saturday. It was a nice day, so we decided to do it outside. The pigs love to chomp grass while I clean. Usually, I put the cage top over them in the grass so that they get the grass but can't escape. However, today the boys begged me to allow them to guard the pigs because they wanted to play. I told them yes, that would be fine, as long as they made sure the pigs did not go into the rocks by our retaining wall. I am not sure what lives in those empty spaces, but I really didn't want to get up close and personal with whatever it might be. They did really well staying on top of keeping them away from the rocks. My mistake was not clearly stating to keep the pigs away from the front porch. My other mistake was picking up Nelly(our lazy won't run for anything pig) first while leaving both boys to play(or chase as the case may have been) with Penny(the crazy fast pig). As I was putting Nellie away, I heard Sam say, "Oh NO! Mama, Penny is gone forever." Maybe not forever, but the next several minutes were rather exciting!

First I tried to entice her with apple slices.
They were even organic...apparently guinea pigs don't care!

Then we tried water in hopes she would run to dry safety...

instead we just made everything wet...including Penny

The rake was next...but for obvious reasons quickly abandoned.

Next was strawberry tops(Penny's weakness) and the hockey stick...
ya know, kinda like a shepherds staff. I think we now know why they don't have herds of guinea pigs!

The guinea pig cowboy was determined!

And it paid off!!!! Although Sam was on standby dressed in feety pajamas and lots of bug spray. He was ready to take one for the team!

making peace!

Awwwwww

2009-08-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

That is exactly what I said when I went in to check on the girls and found Sarah fast asleep like this with her baby.

Those times totally make these times worth it!
These are in Josh's room (AKA our bedroom closet)

And I leave you with lots of love!

We are still alive!!!!!!

2009-08-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

I cannot tell you exactly what we've been doing for the last 2 weeks, but I can tell you it has been busy. The sunshine went away and except for a couple minutes here and there, we have not seen it for a week! It finally did rain and that was good, we needed it badly. We have some green in our yard again. Hopefully now the sun can come back and we can enjoy the last bit of summer. The boys started soccer this week. At least Sam did.

Michael starts this coming week, but he has been practicing here at home. Marvin might co coach his team this year. We'll see. He has never played or even watched a soccer game to my knowledge. I guess we will see how it goes. Sam gets his uniform tomorrow and he is more than thrilled. We are also gearing up for school to start. Man, it seems like we just got done. The classroom is set up and the first 6 weeks are planned. I just need to make copies and we should be good to go. Josh and the girls are still TROUBLE! I don't remember the big boys doing even half of the things that these 3 do, it is crazy. I literally can't leave them alone for a minute without them destroying something or eating something or climbing something. It is like they are trying to outdo each other. Maybe a game of truth or dare that I just don't know about. They are getting cuter by the day however. As much trouble as they are, I think this is my favorite age. Although, I've said that about every age...and it is always true! We downgraded our tv and now there is no more Noggin. That is why we downgraded. I was convicted by how much I was using the tv to keep them out of trouble and quiet when we were at home. They now have an hour limit and have to agree on the shows they want to watch. To be honest, since this has happened there are days they don't even watch that hour. It has been really nice to enjoy each other again. I didn't realize how much the tv was getting in the way of our interaction as a family.

This has nothing to do with the post, but I had to share. Abby got the swimsuit out of her drawer and put it on all by herself. She forgot to take her onsie off though. She is so darn cute!

Camping...kinda

2009-08-01T22:35:00.001-07:00

We started going to a new church about 2 months ago, just as summer was starting. We were bummed that our small group was breaking up for the summer so we missed getting involved for the time being. They had planned a camping trip for this weekend and invited us to come along. Well, we love to camp, but I'm not too excited about tents(which is what they were doing, very brave souls that they are!). So, we decided to just hang out for the afternoon/evening today. The kids made it their goal to bring home as much dirt as possible :). Let me tell you, they all succeeded! We had a great time meeting and getting to know new people. They were all very welcoming! I can't wait to get to know them better.

digging in the dirt

Abby girl

Sarah
she was afraid to come to me because she had to walk by the fire

The boys spent a lot of time going to the bottom of this ravine to get big rocks and then throw them back down

Marshmallow time!!!! I'm the official toaster in our family. Years of practice...but the boys are now in training!

Almost done!

Sarah thinks it is yummy!

Josh thinks it is pretty good too!

Abby says, "Want some?"

I scream, you scream...

2009-08-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

We all scream for ice cream!!!!! We have had a ton of ice cream and popsicles this last week(dairy free, of course!). It was just crazy hot! It reached 106 degrees at our house at one point and was up near a hundred almost every day last week. CRAZY! Very few people have ac in this area, and we are NOT one of the lucky ones! Our basement kept us fairly cool, but it is not easy for 7 people to be piled in that big of an area for that many days and nights! We spent a lot of time during the day at the mall and other stores that are cool...with everyone else in our city!!! It was crazy busy, but it was cool! Thankfully we got a nice cool down yesterday and we are able to enjoy our summer again!!!

Josh man

2009-07-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

I thought it was about time to do an update on our diet and let you all know how Josh is doing! We are still following our gluten free, organic, raw milk diet. It is going very well. We found the jackpot for gluten free snacks at, of all places, Toys R Us! Who would have guessed! But we are very happy to have a bigger variety of snacks to choose from! The kids have not complained at all, in fact I'm not sure they really know that anything is different. Their food is always gluten free, but it is there and they can eat it whenever they are hungry. We also found organic suckers that are colored with different fruits and veggies, so no dyes(that we stay away from). The kids are all excited to have candy sometimes again! I'm still Diet Coke free. It is the longest I've ever gone without when I'm not preggers. I must say, I'm feeling much better and have tons more energy!!!! And, I'm even happier to tell you that Josh is doing so so good! He still has Autistic characteristics, but he is making huge progress. He is not only communicating with us, he is actually initiating spontaneous conversation!!!! He is also driving his brothers and sisters insane! You may not think that a good thing, but we do ;)! For a long time, he did not even acknowledge them. So, poking at them is a very good thing! This week he is driving me crazy getting into things that are just plain naughty. Including getting children's motrin from the top of my dresser and sharing it with the girls. Not good...but thankfully the nice lady at Poison Control said they would be fine...and they were. He is getting into trouble in the world around him...not stuck so much in his own! Don't get me wrong, there are many times he is there, but he is making a LOT of progress. I'm convinced that it is mostly because so many people are covering my little man in prayers, and I am so grateful for that. We plan on getting him screened again when the schoolyear starts so that we can see how much progress has been made, we are very encouraged. Please keep praying for him and for us as we have a lot of decisions that need to be made very soon!!!

It is HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!!!

2009-07-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

Many of you probably would not think it hot here right now. It has been between 80-90 and is getting hotter as this week goes on. BUT, remember, most people in Washington have no A/C, including us! And it is HOT!!!!!! The temps here are crazy as it doesn't reach the high until 4-6pm. The mornings are really nice, even a bit chilly sometimes. But, it climbs slowly until it is hot at 5pm and stays hot until the sun goes down around 9:30-10pm and then drops drastically.This means REALLY hot bedrooms! This week it is supposed to be record highs, and there are no portable A/C to be found in our city. Because of this, we are all moving downstairs to the basement until things cool off. Oh, and lots of splashing in the daytime!!!! Our favorite park is right on the water, so it stays pretty cool...isn't that convenient?!

Abigail Grace

2009-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

You are my sweetness! I am so in love with your tender heart. You are so easily contented, so happy to just mosey through whatever comes your way...unless someone tries to take your food! You not only put up with Sarah's leadership, you thrive under it. You do not throw fits when you are angry or upset, but you have a mean glare and you aren't afraid to use it! You are quiet and more reserved than your brothers and sister, but your smile can melt any one's heart, mine doesn't stand a chance! When you look at me with those big brown eyes and that sweet Abby grin, I just can't resist. You are content being my "baby" and I am so glad for that! Your cuddles are the best, as you just melt into your hugs! Your body is not the most graceful, but your heart is filled to the brim with Grace! I cannot wait to see what God does with your sweet spirit and tender heart. I pray protection for those beautiful parts of you all your life.

At 2 years old you:

~walk and run...finally!!!!

~love to climb things

~go up and down the stairs on hands and knees...not so sure of your balance yet

~love to take care of your baby...especially feeding her!

~follow Sarah everywhere, doing whatever she does...and it is SO cute!

~take your earrings out and lose them constantly! We joke that you are the great earring Houdini

~suck your thumb when you get tired

~still love to hold a sock when you suck your thumb...we keep clean ones around just for that purpose!

~are a Daddy's girl to the core!

~love to pretend to talk to Granny on the phone...although you are speechless when there is really someone at the other end of the line!

I love you more than words can ever say, my sweet Abby girl. You have been the biggest surprise blessing I have ever received. Number 5 wasn't planned in our Earthly minds...I'm so glad that God knows so much better. My life would not be complete without you in it. I have loved every minute of these last two years and I can't wait to watch how God uses your sweet life for His purposes! I pray that you will always be sensitive to Him and that your heart never stops being overflowing with love!

Sarah Elizabeth

2009-07-25T10:10:00.001-07:00

You are my spice!!! You add a dimension in our family that is all your own! You are so chuck full of spitfire personality. You are so sure of yourself and have a confidence that I often wonder at. You amaze me as much as you exasperate me! You do not feel anything just half way! You do it all to the extreme! I find it strange that I admire you at 2, I can't wait to see the person God molds you into and how He will use you. You have a special place for your sister in your heart. Constantly watching out for her and making sure she has some of whatever you do. Unless of course, it is the baby stroller and then it is just not so pretty! You have the uncanny gift of making me want to laugh hysterically and pull my hair out at the very same time! I love you so much, sweet girl! I pray your heart will be open and welcoming to our Lord as you grow, that you will use all these wonderful traits for Him someday!

At 2 you are:

~talking in full sentences that almost everyone can understand...and you are HILARIOUS and witty when you do!

~running

~jumping with 2 feet

~going up and down stairs on your feet...even without holding on(although that makes me hold my breath until you get all the way!)

~in charge of all little people in our house. It always amazes me how Michael and Sam even follow your lead as you set the pace.

~love playing pretend...mostly being a dog!

~love your baby and take extra good care of her.

~very aware of Abby and her needs. You take care of Abby just like you do your dolls.

~stubborn beyond belief! You have been known to sit in time out for 45minutes or more just because you refuse to say sorry.

~a mama's girl! You love the nursery and playing with Abba, but you light up when I come in a room and it makes my day!!!!

~addicted to your pacifiers! Our new rule is that they stay in bed or the car seat...but you have them stashed all over our house and are not happy when I see it and take it away!

~the most determined, persistent little girl I know, but you do it in such a sweet way that I love you for it!

I love you, my sweet Sarah! I cannot wait to watch you grow. I thank God for you every day! I am so thankful that He has allowed me to have you for this time. You have taught me so very much in your short 2 years. I'm sure there are many lessons that are still to come in the years ahead! Happy birthday, sweet girl!

Happy Birthday, my girls!

2009-07-24T22:04:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that my baby girls are 2!!!! I'm still trying to figure out how that happened! I still remember sitting in my OB's office as she was reminding me to breathe and telling me everything was gonna be okay as I stared in disbelief at the ultrasound screen! I remember feeling like I just got the wind knocked out of me. So many emotions wrapped in just a moment of time. Excitement, FEAR, joy, FEAR, relief, FEAR...but most of all, overwhelming love as I watched those 2 little heartbeats on the screen. It is amazing to me how fast I fell in love with these two little people even before I had any idea of who they were going to be! I remember the day they were born. I was SO scared to have a c-section, scared they were not going to be okay. I remember the relief as I heard both girls crying and got to see them face to face before they were scooped away to NICU. I remember the panic when they said Sarah was not doing well and could not breathe on her own. The fear, frustration, and helplessness of not being able to be with my baby girl as she was being placed on the ventilator while I was tied to the bed and drugged up big time. I remember the great nursing students who helped me through the birth and how they took pictures of my little ladies and came to tell me every detail about them, down to their little fingers and toes. How they encouraged me that Sarah would be okay. I bet they are really nurses by now, and I hope they are just as tenderhearted to their patients as they were to me that day. I remember the first time I got to hold Abigail. She was a feisty little thing, putting those big babies in the step down nursery to shame at feeding time! I remember seeing Sarah, not able to hold her because of the wires, IVs and oxygen. I stood for an hour just whispering and stroking her tiny head as she stared into my eyes. I honestly don't remember much of their first 8 weeks or so...except that I learned what it meant to be drop dead tired for the first time ever! It all seems like just yesterday...I am still trying to figure out how 2 years fit between the then and now, but they sure have. I remember wondering how on earth we were gonna get through it...but we have! It wasn't always graceful or pretty, but here we are and I am loving every minute of it!

Marvin's mom(Lola) and her husband(Grandpa Al) came up from California for the weekend to celebrate with us. We had such a good visit with them! We had a quiet party with just the family and a few friends. It was very nice. Since we now have 2 2year olds, we did a tutu party. Let me tell you, since the moment I knew we were having twin girls, I was planning this party!!! How fun!

We opened presents first thing in the morning, first glimpse...

Abby and her birthday baby

Sarah is taking her baby for a walk in the twin stroller that Granny and Grampop sent

Abby feeding her baby

Abby feeding her baby in the stroller...can you tell Abby likes to eat?

Sarah peeking from time out(she liked the stroller a bit too much!)

"I'm sorry" hugs

Abby looking cool in her shades from Lola and Grandpa Al

Sarah's walking in style!

Abby is a cool mama!

cool chick

practicing with candles before the party

Abby is not so sure about fire

Sarah blows them out quick

Abby just glared at them until her brothers helped

sweet girls in their tutus

sharing food

Sarah is loving the birthday song
(the cakes had an unfortunate accident with the girls' fingers...gotta love a 2 year old!)

Abby is even smiling this time!

blow them out...

Abba to the rescue!

Abby stops for some Abba cuddles

Grandpa Al gets sweet snuggles

tired girls with Grandpa Al

Sarah asks Abby to go for a walk...

Abby drags Grandpa Al along for the stroll

sweet

tired girls stopping for a Noggin break before bath time

mesmerized

looking a bit shell shocked. They were SO tired.