Trip to NC

We arrived at Stephen's mom's one bedroom apartment Thursday around 6:30 pm and had chicken & dumplins with Nana, Nana's friend Bill, Aunt Charity, her fiance, Kevin and cousins...Soulea, Mirzanna, Devonne and Makayla.  The mass of cousins played legos cheerfully for a LONG time.  It was delightful.  Next day we hung out with the same crowd and the kids played more legos, hide and go seek and many other creative activities in and around Nana's apartment.  The sheer mass of us, somehow, did not knock her walls down.

Saturday, we drove to Stephen's cousin, Joey's house.  There were at least 5 aunts and uncles, 1 Papa and four grown cousins...each with their spouse and passle of children in 1 house.  It was SUCH  a good time.  Lots of cousins going berserk together.  The rain held off so that the kids could have a good chance to get dirty, fall in creeks and scream at each other before we forced them to play inside. :)  Then piggy back rides, rock star competitions and spying games insued.  The food was WAY to good during the whole trip.  I think I gained 10 pounds.  Guess I'll be doing a lot of dance, dance revolution.

We were supposed to spend a cozy Saturday night hanging out with Stephen's dad at his house.  I rudely interrupted this arrangement when some nasty abdominal pains struck.  I was trying to tell Stephen I was fine.  But then I couldn't walk and there was no convincing him.  I DID manage to talk him out of an ambulance...because what always happens to me is this.  I hurt badly.  People rush me to the hospital.  Pain goes completely away once in a room.  They send me home.  We get bills.

Well, Stephen drove me to the hospital leaving the kids with his dad.  He was WAY nervous about me.  As the pain increased and weird pressure feeling things started happening, I started freaking out some, myself.  His mom met us at the hospital and obtained me a warm blanket since my teeth were chattering.  (I'm sorry, but hospitals are COLD.)  They couldn't find anything wrong, except a mild bacterial infection.  I'm laying there in the hospital bed feeling great!  NO PAIN!  What the eggplant?!

They give me an antibiotic and send me home.  I'm thinking I'm all better.  Only to discover that when I stand up, the pain returns.  Next day, we leave to come home via all of the major cities possible so as to pass many  hospitals.  To say Stephen was anxious to get me home would be a VAST understatement.  He made me promise to make a Dr apptment.  I did.  They can fit me in NEXT Tuesday.

Today, I was fine.  This seems to be a pattern? 

I'm just going to be grateful....and we really had a WONDERFUL time with his family.

Thanks to everyone who was praying!  So much!!!

Bummer Week

My camera broke, so there will be no pictures on this post.

No pictures of things like....the baby booties I tried to make, which turned out not-so-successfully.  Like how they all look like left foot booties.  How did THAT happen?!  ...and how they are all different lengths?!  What the eggplant is that all about?!  So...I am not giving these to the intended recipients...guess I'll have to find something else.  So I plagued my family with sewing stuff spread out everywhere and keeping my nose to the machine all week for naught.  Oh well.

There will also be no pictures of my sick children, nor  of the outings that we planned, but were not able to attend.

There will be no pictures of my Wednesday night small group, since I somehow just didn't show up without warning....because of afforementioned sick children and one very distracted mind.

I HAVE had plenty of time to sit around and observe my house and it's need for work.  Work for which I have no time, energy or currency.

Now that I have complained so much, I should end with something positive. 

How bout this....

I know life could be much MUCH MUCH worse.

but I'm still want chocolate.

and obviously I am in need of more consistent quiet times.

the end.

Thanks Uncle Brent and Aunt Dyan!

Thought you might want to see the work they did on their building kits!  They turned out great and the kids LOVE THEM!

They also love the movies!  Thanks big!!

Iris building her game box...

hers was actually super easy, she quickly figured out how to build it and refused all help...

Lucy building her picture cube (which now resides in her "club" (aka-under her bed) and now holds all her secret club treasures).

She readily accepted help, but was very capable and enjoyed building it...

Clyde building his pirate ship...

his was appropriately the most difficult ( he loves a challenge ) and he loves doing 'manly' things like this :)

and the finished products!

These were really just perfect gifts for them.  Thanks so much!!

Thanks Uncle John and Uncle Bobby

We love our Crazy Gears ALOT!!!

They all play with them and they are a CONSTANT fixture on our fridge.  They work really well and are hysterical.

but we particularly wanted to show you our adventure making crayons with our new crayon recycler....

first of course they peeled the crayons (they wanted to recycle their old ones and save the new ones ya'll got them to color with)....

in the first two batches Lucy and Clyde each picked out a color combo (uh yeah, bet you can't figure out who's is who's)....

here they are melting....

pouring....

same with Iris and her batch...

and THEN!!!

they were VERY impressed!
 Thanks SO much!!

The Baby is Five

Dear Iris,

Thanks for the relatively painless delivery.

Thanks for being CHUBB-Y and healthy.  It was so nice to have a chubby baby!!

And THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for saying 'Mama' first!

You were a delightful baby...a delight to watch grow.

Even as an infant you were full of fire and passion.  I wrote of you in an early Christmas letter, that when you laughed, the sun poured over our house and clowns turned cartwheels in our yard, but when you were angry to prepare for a darkening of the sky, harsh winds and thunderstorms.

And you were a spunky toddler.

Iris, my love, you have given everyone in this house a whirlwind adventure.  Your torrent of emotions, your highs and lows...we have grown fond of them.  Others may think that sounds strange, but these aspects of you are lovely to us.  We bask in your laughter as you make the very room smile.  And often an outside observer may see four hovering loved ones cooing over you when you are deathly terrified.  Your entire family works hard at distracting you from thunderstorms and protecting you from the greetings of strangers who want to talk to you.  We know these are your deep fears.  We love you and feel the depth of your emotions for you.  We all leak salt water when you break your things.

You have made us all love sparkly things.  We keep an eye out for them so we can see you smile or swoon.

Shoes too ;)

We despise airplanes and sonic booms in our great sympathy for you!

You have an unusual gift. Your brother and sister have hung at your beck and call since you were old enough to grunt.
Grunt # 1- they run to soothe you
Grunt #2- they run to turn on the tv
Grunt #3- they hoist you onto the rocking horse, push you over to the tv and rock you
 At this point in my spying, I realize that you being spoiled or not being spoiled appears to be out of my hands. 

Since your earliest sounds, you have been a genius at social engineering.  You seem to be a leader.  People like you.  I often wonder, what will you do with this gift God has given you.

Of my children, you are the most like me.  You are the family clown.  Senseless and silly.  I can depend on you when I am craving an adventure or some fun and no one else is willing.  You are the first to dance with me when music comes on.  When I reach for a hug, you somehow jump to my back, hang on and laugh hysterically.  You yearn to be spun around and around and around WITHOUT end.  You have begged to be tickled until WE had to cry 'mercy' because WE were worn out.

 I will never forget the day you tried your BEST to convince me to leave everyone and everything else behind and take you to Disney World.  You were pretty convincing ;) "They won't miss us THAT much.  It won't cost too much just to take you and me.  They won't be TOO mad at us."

Though, I can't allow you to keep doing it, I even find how you huff and stomp off adorable.  If you learn to control that scowl...I may actually be disappointed.  One day, maybe you'll realize, that so many of those times that I HAD to punish you or scold you, I was laughing inside.  Or I had to turn my head and pause so you wouldn't see me laughing outside.  I treasure you and adore you, I know God is working in you just as He is the rest of us.  Watching your inward struggles to understand your own sin, watching you grow...is precious really, and I wouldn't have you any other way. 

And you ARE growing.  Don't think that just because we give you a hard time, that we don't see it.  When your heart breaks, because you realize you were wrong, mine breaks, but I'm happy for you.  I treasure these small things lately.... you offering Clyde money to buy his friend a present and sweeping the kitchen and unloading the dishwasher to surprise me!!  These are HUGE things.  I look at you and think, 'WHO IS THIS CHILD?!'

Because, in THIS house, you'll always be THE BABY.  My last one.
 

So how can it be that you are five?

We love you, Rissa Our Rissa! 

I love you.   SO SO MUCH.

Valentine's Party