Girls weekend

Wow - a girls weekend!  What is that?  I can't tell you the last time I went away for the weekend with a bunch of girls!!  Our Life Group leader's graciously opened their lake house to us for the weekend, so 11 of us girls packed up and headed out on a Friday evening for Lake Hartwell.  We spent the weekend talking, laughing, lounging, eating...just a good ol' fashion girls weekend.  I did 4 things that I can't remember the last time I had done 1)  Stayed up way too late (like after midnight!!) 2) giggled so hard, I cried  3) slept in until 8:30 AM two days in a row!  4)  went tubing (do I think I am still in my 20's?!). 

So, I really wanted to tube, I must admit.  I had pretty much talked myself out of it though.  Jessica and Tobie went first and they looked like they were having so much fun.  The laughs and screams that were coming from the raft were hysterical.   And even though it looked like a lot of fun, I was like...no, I am too old for this.  Amy and Lisa went next, and of course, looked like they had a blast.  Tara didn't hesitate about going, so I thought, well, why not?!  So, I did and boy I was glad I did.  It was so much fun!  I was amazed at how well the tubes are made these days compared to the old one's.  We never fell out; although there were a couple of times I thought we would.

 All dressed up ready to go out to eat...without kids!!  We went to a nice seafood restaurant on the lake.  The funny thing was after being on the dock all day and on the boat all afternoon, we all still felt like we were swaying back and forth during dinner. 

It was a fantastic weekend - already looking forward to doing it again :)

Talking

It's amazing how much the kids are talking "about" these days.  Ella can still surprise me with the questions she asks or the things she talks about.  She has turned into quite the negotiator - or at least she tries.  She conviced MC about a month ago to watch something other than "Go Go Go" and as part of the deal, MC could sleep with Ella's pillow pet.  The other day as we were driving home, the same conversation sounded like it was about to take place.  Ella in her calm voice laid out the negotiation. But this time, MC didn't fall for it.  "No", MC replied, "I have my own pillow pet."  Ella tried again, but this time, offering her Tinker Bell pillow instead.  MC very quickly said, "I have my own Tinker Bell pillow, too."  Quiet funny.  The other night as we were reading, we realized that she no longer was saying "Hot hair balloon" she actually said it correctly.  Bitter, sweet.

Mary Catherine is continuing to blossom. There are times when she doesn't have much to say and other times, she is unstoppable. Here are some of my favorite words/expressions that she is saying now.

Yea-u (this is yellow blanket)
Pink Moe (this is her pink blanket)
i-cycle (bycicle)
Give me to it (Give it to me)
I can't feel good (I don't feel good) or I can't like it (I don't like it)
Wes-wee (Wesley)
(I don't even know how to type it, but it is her word for Car.  She sounds really country and it almost sounds like she is saying "cow")
Finger-tails (Fingernails)

Wesley - well, all I can say is WOW!  The boy has a vocabulary.  For 19 months old, I think it is a bit crazy with how many words he knows.  He is even putting some words together now too.  The other night, when he got out of the bathtub, he turned and looked at the water and said "Bye bye wa-wuh".  Some of my favorite words he is saying...

Mommy (of course...but it is also the inflection in his voice)
Mon-key
bubbles
El-la
h-see (for sah-see, which is the pacifier...remember, Ella called it a sah-see,  of course that is what we still call it.  Wesley has changed it a little)
Mo-a peas (more please)
milK  (I capatlize the K b/c of how he stresses the K sound when he says it)
baa-ket (blanket)
gapes (grapes)
wuuh-you (love you)
Night-night guls (night night girls)
sis-er (Sister.  Bless his heart, he tries so hard to say Mary Catherine - but it is just too much to say) :)
ha-woh (hello)

LOVE THEM!!!

Ella's gymnastics

Ella has finished another semester of gymnastics.  It is amazing how strong she has gotten since she started!!  She just started level 2 towards the end of last summer and she is now completed all skills in this level!  She can do a cartweel and is doing fantastic on the bars and the ropes.  It doesn't seem like much of anything scares her. She will try just about anything.  She will be moving up to level 3 this summer.  She is really looking forward to being in the "big gym."

Here she is about doing her backroll.



Not by coincidence

So, I have been going to this Bible Study on Wednesday nights.  My teacher is just simply awesome.  She is one of the most godly women that I have ever known.  I have learned so much in the past 12 weeks.  Anyway, she was telling us a story on Wednesday night about her previous weekend.  She said that she had heard this new song called, "Blessings."  She really wanted to look it up on-line, but had to get out the door to head to a retreat.  She said a simple prayer - telling God that she really wanted to hear this song, but she had to get going and she would do it when she got back home on Sunday.  After having met some wonderful women in her small group at this conference, they gathered everyone there for worship through song.  Guess what the first song was?  "Blessings".  She knew right then that the Lord was talking directly to her - it wasn't by coincidence.

So, of course, I thought this was a pretty cool story, but didn't really think too terribly much about it after I left church.  On my way to work the very next day, as I was driving down the road, something came over me..the Holy Spirit I firmly believe.. and Kyle Ray came into my mind.  I immediately thought about Angela.  Then I just sat there and cried.  I had all of these visions of Kyle come into my mind.  His smile, his laughter, his seriousness, his gentleness, his genuineness.  I just simply cried.  Then I had visions of what Heaven might be like.  As we have talked in our Bible study on Wed night, Mrs Dianne has talked about meeting Jesus and how awesome it will be, how glorious it will be, how joyful it will be.  I envisioned Kyle in Heaven with this bright light that I simply can't explain.  I cried some more.

Then something drew me to the radio - something..again the Holy Spirit, I believe.. urged me to turn the radio up.  Guess what was on the radio?!  It was the song, "Blessings."  I had never actually heard the song before, but as soon as I heard it, I knew what it was.  I cried.  It is simply amazing how the LORD will comfort you even when it seems like the oddest time - while I am driving down the road, thinking about my nephew.  I knew right then that the Lord was talking directly to me - it wasn't by coincidence.

I miss you Kyle Ray.  I love you.  Thank you LORD for loving us and providing us comfort, even in moments we are sad and simply still do not understand.

Here is an excerpt of the song...

Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

Funny & Serious

So, the girls have said a few things this week that I want to remember - a couple that are funny and a couple that are serious.

Story 1
The other day as we were driving to school, Ella and I were talking about Nana's birthday coming up. Here is the conversation.
Ella:  Well, mom, how old is Nana going to be?
Me:  She will be 63 years old.  [sorry mom that I put that in my blog :) ]
Ella:  Oh..my..word!!!
Me (astonished):  What?
Ella:  Oh..my..word!!!
Me (still astonished): What is it honey?
Ella:  Wow - Nana sure is going to be tall!

Story 2
Warning:  If you don't like stories about poop, then don't read.
Wednesday night when we were driving home from church, Mary Catherine said "ohhh, my hinny hurts.".  Well, we know that when she says this, she really means she needs to go #2 in the potty.  So, we get home and of course it is late and I have 3 kids to get ready for bed (Clint had Bible study, so he wasn't home).   I get Wesley upstairs. Next thing I know, Mary Catherine is running around naked and I remember that she has to go potty.  So, I ask Ella to help her out.  After I get Wesley's diaper changed and pjs on, he and I go to the bathroom to check on MC.  She is sitting on the big potty just hanging out like a big girl.  I ask if she is okay and she says very serious, "Yeah...I not done yet.  I need to go more."  So, I tell her that I am going to go put Wesley to bed and I would be back in a few minutes to check on her.  She says, "Ok" and smiles her sweet smile.

So, I read Wesley a book and then lay him down.  I head back to the bathroom to check on MC and much to my surprise, MC is standing on her stool in front of the potty, facing the potty, bent over, with her head pretty close to the potty lid.  I gasp at the thought of what she might be doing and quickly ask, "Honey, are you okay?" 

She turns around and as serious as she can be simply says, "Yeah mom, I just smellin' it."

Story 3
So, one day on our way to school this morning, out of no where, Ella and I had this conversation.
Ella:  Mom, I saw a little kid die.  I don't know if it was a boy or if it was a girl.  But they died.  And I saw God's magic.  He came down and got that little kid and took them to heaven.
Me [having no idea how to respond or where this came from]:  Oh my, so, you don't know if it was a boy or a girl?  What happened?
Ella:  I don't know if it was a boy or a girl.  But they got hit by a car. The car was going to fast.  It was sad.  But God took them to Heaven.

So, where in the world did this come from?  It never seizes to amaze me what goes on in their little heads and what comes out of their little mouths.

My kids are growing!

My kiddos are just growing and growing!! Wesley is going to be 16 months old tomorrow. And the funny thing is, that is how old Mary Catherine was when we brought him home!! Hard to believe it. He is just amazing. He has been thru so much in the past couple of months, poor little man. At the end of 2011, he got RSV and stayed in the hospital a couple of days. Beginning of Jan, he got a nasty cold and double ear infections. We were on double breathing treatments twice a day. At the end of Jan, he got tubes (which has been awesome). We battled our first round of lice 3 or so weeks ago and then had to battle it again this week. That was AWFUL! I totally wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.


So, enough of the bad! On the upside - he is just adorable. He is starting to say a few words. Of course, mama, dadda, ball. But he can also say cook-cook (cookie), backpack, duck. He LOVES playing hide and seek. He just gets sooo tickled! He loves his sisters...well, most of the time. :) He can throw a temper tantrum though (wonder where he gets that from?) He has the most ticklish feet of any kids I know. It is so funny when we take his socks off - he just laughs and laughs. Silly man!

Mary Catherine...well, she is 2...and she is cute....and she is 2. Definitely, she is 2. She can go from bubbling with laughter to rivers of tears in 1.2 seconds. She is talking up a storm. We can understand a lot of what she says, but there are times when I can't understand anything. I remember this stage with Ella. It's like they just sit there and carry on a conversation with themselves, but you have no idea what they are saying. She loves her brother though and will do almost anything for him - even take his sah-seh :) She loves to sing at night, too. After we read our books, we have to sing some songs before she goes to bed. We usually sing ABCs, Hush Little Baby, Jesus loves the little children and Jesus loves me. So, sweet to hear her sing!!

Ella - I still can't believe how BIG she is. She is blossoming into a wonderful little girl. I had a proud mommy-moment the other day with her. We had just gotten home from school and Wesley was sleeping in my arms. I was trying to wait for the girls to get up stairs so that I could take him up to his room. Mary Catherine apparantly fell and screamed and started crying. I heard Ella say, "Get up. It's okay." Then, really gently, she said, "It's okay. You are okay. Here. Here ya go. Here is yeah-yoo moe (yellow moe...MC's yellow blanket). It's okay, I will help you." Mary Catherine whispered, "Thank you" and then they went bounding upstairs together. It was just so sweet. Then tonight. Ella even read Mary Catherine "Dora goes to the beach" book. Just really, really sweet.

Every day is a challenge, I have to admit. But, I wouldn't trade it for the world. There is nothing like a hug, a kiss, a smile or a giggle. Just love them all!!!

Potty-trained!

I am offiicially declaring Mary Catherine was potty-trained!! She wore panties all this week to school and didn't have one accident.  She is successfully going in the morning and at night.  Even wore panties to church last Sunday morning and this Wednesday night.  Exciting!!!  But, of course, sad too because that just means my little girl is growing. 

She is so proud of being a "big girl" though.  She just gets so plumb excited when she goes potty.  It is fun to see her excitement and amazement with the process :)