Follow Me There

We have been enjoying Sarah Palin's Alaska on TLC.  We are kinda found of Alaska since we have family in Alaska.  We have even been several times.  What an amazing place.  The pictures on TV are magnificent but in person it is incredible.  My uncle, aunt, counsin and his new wife have been home for Thanksgiving.  We have seen them several times over the past few days.  Each time I watch the show, the theme song just makes my heart sing.  I turn up the TV really loud and just enjoy the song with the amazing pictures of Alaska. 

Sarah Palin's Alaska

So here is the intro to the show

Each Sunday, we have been trying to figure out who sings the song.  As soon as Jeff heard the song the first week, he immediately said "Third Day".  He loves any song they sing.  So after watching the show, this morning (thanks to DVR), I remember to write down the title of the song.  Thanks to the power of the internet, WE FOUND THE SONG.

Here is the video for the song

Turn up your volume really load  - sing the words and find your sanctuary in this song

LOVE IT!!!

I left my camera at my aunt's house so pictures will be coming soon.

The life of a Hockey Sister

We have learned to take hot chocolate to hockey.  Seth's game was at 7:10 and Garrett's game was at 8:20.  We arrived at the ice rink around 6:40 and left around 9:40.  Many hours

Ella loves to drink her hot chocolate while she watches the game.  She was yelling. 

"Go to the net"

"Shot the puck"

"Go #77"

"Let's go CHECKERS"

At 4 years old, she knows alot about hockey.  What a great sister.

ps Garrett shot a goal with 1:00 on the clock.  This was the goal their team needed for the win.

Way to Go Garrett.

Family Tradition

I have come to realize the family traditions that I want to learn from my mom.  I now realize the tradition that I want to pass along to my children.  Seth has always been my make it guy.  He loves to make thinks and do crafts.  Mom and I made mints for a bridal shower.  With the last of the mixture, mom thought Seth would like to try.

The row of mint mom and I had already done.

Wizard of Oz

Mom bought us tickets to go see the Wizard of Oz production in Greensboro.  After  hockey, we loaded up.  Once we got there,  Ella dressed in her Dorothy costume with Toto in hand. 

Meme and Dorothy

Allison and her family went with us to the show.

Ella took picture taking very seriously

This is cute - Them together

The show was great.  Ella did not take her eyes off the stage.  She loved it. 

Thanks for taking us meme.

We also have the movie.  She watched it twice on the way home and once on Monday.  I think she has every word down pat.

Christmas Tree time

Since we have been in a few stores and all the Christmas trees are up, Ella has been asking, "When can I put up my tree?" 

Friday night, mom and dad came over to our house.  The Christmas tree went up in Ella's room.

I love this picture

What a sweet moment.  The help we need as young children from those who have great wisdom of guidance and help along the way.  This is meme's hand holding the branch while Ella places her ornament so carefully.

How did she get taller than her tree.  Yikes. 

She loves looking at each ornament and placing it so carefully on the tree. 

Precious!

ps.  she wanted to know once she put up her tree, would Santa be coming??

Still Crazy

Okay this is Seth's medicine just for the A.M. 

The big capsule he takes 3 times a day.

He is doing alittle better each day

So today was Garrett's appointment at the Dermatologist

He had to have a blood mole taken off

He was very nervous.  It is hard to see such a big boy cry.  I still knew he needed me.  It was kinda sweet.  He had to have a numbing shot, then the doctor cut it off, then cauterized the spot. 

After trying for over 5 minutes to convience him that he was just scared.  He would be okay.  Finally, making a promise of no school for the rest of the day

 and

a Chick Fil A cookies and cream milkshake

All tears dried up, he held my hand, and we counted  for 5 seconds for the numbing shot to take place.

I looked over at Seth and Ella in the room.  They both were holding there ears.  They knew Garrett was going to scream.  Not sure what is harder - seeing all the surgical stuff and the shot in the doctor's hand or being the patient.

Well in 2 mintues it was all over and we were out the door.

Thank goodness!!!



Doctor Appointments

Both boys ended up at the doctor yesterday.  Garrett had a well-check for his 12 year old birthday.  Important things from his checkup
*  he is 5' 7 3/4"
* he weighs 128 lbs.
*  he needs to drink 3 glasses of milk a day
*  soft drinks 3 times a week
*  eat more veggies
*  exercise
*  no snacking while watching TV
*  pricked his finger 3 times  - blood kept clotting
*  he is in the 97% in height and weight for his age
*  he is off his normal curve

He liked going to a man doctor

Seth ended up at the doctor with impetigo again and asthma is acting up.  We have the same 10 medicines that we had several months again.  YIKES!! How does this happen.  This time we know what it is and hoping we don't have the out break like last time.  We asked for the "big daddy" antibiotic this time.  He is also on a steriod for his breathing.  We did four breathing treatments yesterday and he still coughed all day non stop.   He was very disappointed last night because the doctor said - no hockey.

But Noni came through with goodies.  Seth order his first batch of Noni's fudge on Friday.  She made some and brought it to the ice rink.  Jeff brought it home.  Seth was happy.

The first batch of holiday fudge. 

We ate fudge from November until about March last year. 

And we are . . . .

This picture is really only for Meme.  Ella looking like a big girl in the new clothes meme bought her.

Not sure I am going to like 5 - only because the clothes go from sweet little girl to BIG girl

Well we are going to memorize the Beattitudes that come from Matt. 5:  3 - 12

We are studying this part of scripture in Walk Thru the Bible so it fit perfect.

This scripture helps us

realize that without God I am helpless and my situation is hopeless, I humble myself before God and I am hungry to know God because He loves me which makes me become helpful with my whole heart as I desire to bring healing to others making me happy to honor God by trusting Him and following His commandments that keeps me on the path to heaven by His grace!!

I will keep you posted on how we are doing.

We played hockey all weekend.  Seth had one game  - Garrett had 2 games and 2 practices.  Both boys have practice again tonight.  Yea!

A Challenge

We have a challenge. 

Do you love chocolate? 

We love chocolate. 

Do you know how many different kinds of M&M's there are now?  You probably have you favorite kind.  We love the plain M&M's.  Right now around the holidays you can even get other kinds. 

Well our challenge is that we want our Love of God to be more than our Love of chocolate. 

M & M really stands for

Memorize and Meditate

We have been learning about Jesus' Wildnerness experience.  He was tempted by the devil.  Jesus used scripture to defend the devil. 

We were made to memorize.  We have memorize many verses of the Bible.  Now our challenge is to memorize a passage of the Bible. 

YIKES. 

My first thoughts are:

 That's too hard!

I can't do it!

You are crazy!

I ask my child to do many things and the above are the responses I usually get.  Well now that we are doing this as a family, I want to scream those things.

But we have a challenge.  We don't get to eat our M&Ms until the passage is memorize.  So my thoughts this weekend are to find the passage.  What to memorize?

Work hard and the payoff is grand.

So I challenge you?  Are you up for the challenge?  If you let me know that you have joined our challenge, I will buy each person in your family a bag of M&Ms. 

The devil is out to steel, kill and destory.  I will not let that happen.  I want to meditate on the things above. 

I will post on Monday about our passage. 

Join the challenge.

What a big deal

Seth has always taken alot of allergy medicine.  He usually has liquid or chewable tablets.  He doesn't mind taking medicine at all.  On the last doctor visit, the doctor kept asking about swallow pills.  We didn't know if Seth could do it or not.  Many suggestions were to practice with a tic tac, gummy bear cut in half or M & M's.  Seth is my thinker so he had been thinking over this for some time.

We went to pick up Zyrtec on Tuesday.  They were out of the chewables so we jump in and buy the swallow pills.  He did it.

This is him right after he swallowed his 1st pill.  It took one try and about 5 seconds. 

Every morning, you can see a big smile on his face.  He gets to do it again and again and again. 

He thinks he has arrived. 

Shopping ALL DAY

Last Saturday, mom, Ella and I made a day of shopping.  It is amazing what happen when you have coupons.  I was on the hunt for Christmas clothes, a pair of boots, and some shirts/sweaters.  We accomplished all of that and more.

We ended up at Build - A - Bear.  This was our second trip to this store. 

Ella decided to build a Clarice (Rudolph's girlfriend)

I love this picture.  She is waiting and taking it all in.

I wonder how many times in Ella's lifetime I will visit this store.  The boys each have 3 animals each.  Ella is on 2 animals and she is only 4. 

I thought this was the funniest picture.  This was on Garrett's birthday.  Ella loves the chocolate covered donuts with sprinkles.  This is how she eats the donut.  After the chocolate is all gone.  She is done.  She gives it back to me looking like this.  Way to go girl.

Adopted

We were walking out the door to go to church last night.  Ella and the preschool/elementary choirs were singing for special music.  We had a special Adoption Service.  WOW!  Many families spoke of adoption of an international child.  We know several families that have done this.  The story of their journey is incredible.  Jimmie spoke last night.  His message was not only adoption of a child but how God has adopted us into his family.  It is amazing how orphans and us have the same 4 examples

1.  leaning on other families to adopt them - we lean on God to adopt us

2.  unable to generate HOPE - God gives us the HOPE

3.  reliant on someone else - we are reliant on God

4.  inherit all rights of the family - we inherit all the rights once we accept God

God gives us adoption as a living breathing example so we can see it everyday.

Thanks to the families who shared their journeys

Thanks to the families who share their adopted children with us to see them grow

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red and Yellow, Black and White

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world

Pray for the orphan, their forever families and those families who have a tugging in their hearts

Still Celebrating

Friday night mom and dad stayed to eat supper with us.  Garrett had requested a birthday cookie.  I baked the cookie.  Garrett wanted to decorate

Can you see the sweet little eyes watching over

Still designing

Ha!  He had fun.  Even though it may not look so well it was delicious.

Getting ready

Meme is taking us to see the production of the Wizard of Oz in a couple of weeks. 

Our Little Dorothy is ready.

Red shoes - Toto in the basket

Hair braided with blue and white check bows

We got the movie this weekend so she could watch it.

We are excited.

Happy 12th Birthday Garrett

The Years of Garrett since I have had a digital camera.  What fun to look at .

Big Brother for the second time - Baby Ella and Garrett - 7 years old

Garrett  ( 7 years old) and Seth

1st day of school - 3rd grader

8 years old

His second birth - 8 years old

First of all the hockey games

Garrett's birthday - 9 years old

10 years old



Beginning of 5th grade school year - 11 years old

Beginning of 6th grade school year

Happy 12th Birthday - getting ready for co-op

It was a wonderful day.  Garrett was smiling all day long.  He was so excited about it being his birthday.  We had co-op yesterday.  Then he had to deliver his 5 minute speech at Speech and Debate.  He even had hockey practice yesterday.  He really didn't mind going to co-op.  He couldn't believe that he had to give a speech on his birthday but going to hockey practice was on the top of his list.  His favorite thing to do and he gets to do it on his birthday.  I always give my children their birthday day off.  Since co-op was yesterday, I couldn't do that.  Needless to say, today is his day off.  He is so excited to be able to play his new Xbox all day today. 

First time at overnight camp for 5 days - 11 years old

Garrett,

     You are an amazing young man.  This is the year that you have really changed physically.  It is amazing how tall you are.  We think you are around 5'8" and weigh about 130 lbs.  You are a very smart young man.  You love the term "preteen".  You amaze us with your thinking and your learning.  You enjoy hanging out with your dad.  Every chance you get, you want to ride with your dad or go with your dad.  You are really trying to find your place - not child but not young adult.  You have stayed at home by yourself a few times.  You enjoy the responsibility of being able to stay by yourself. You loved being able to hang with buddies on the Disney Cruise. You absolutely love being in the Middle School Youth at church.  You have a true passion for family, giving to others and hockey.  Since you were very little, the hockey has never faded for once.  You amaze me with your knowledge of the game.  This has been the year of wanting to sleep late, not make your bed, leave your clothes all over the floor, wear dirty clothes out of the hamper because they are your favorite and not really doing your best but just getting done.  You love to hang out with friends.  Thank you for being a great kid.  Even though we stay on your case many times, you are a great son that is striving to live in this world by the Lord's standards and his calling for your life.  We pray for you a life with endless possibilities.  Happy 12th. 

Carving

Ella was thrilled - she dug right in - no questions asked

This was Jeff trying to cut open Seth's pumpkin - it was tough

I thought is was funny watching his face

Go Garrett Go Garrett

Seth's turn

Ella chose a cat

Gooey hands - this is the sweetest picture

All the pumpkins done -

Seth - a ghost      Garrett - face      Ella - cat

What traditions!!!  They are fun