Pray for this little one....

Lucy will be in surgery at LeBonheur most of the day to remove 3 tumors from her brain and 2 from her spine (with a diagnosis of medulloblastoma).  All came to fruition in the last 48 hours.  As Kate put it, "it happened in the blink of an eye."  I feel as though I am barely able to function because my thoughts cannot seem to stray from them.  A mother of healthy children can only imagine what a mother of children who are less than healthy goes through.  Just a matter of months ago, I posted this with the same title as today's post.... Another friend who has suffered and continues to suffer with a sick baby.  Why? Why?  I am really struggling with the suffering issue right now. I watched the new documentary "Waiting for Superman" (on the problems with public schools; like in Harlem, D.C, etc..) and watching the lives of those children who live in poverty and well in general just suffer way more than my kids....well, I was already struggling with why all the suffering in the world and now, well lets just say I am really having issues with it.  Kate said in her post this morning that we can't question...we just trust God.  Kate even shared in these thoughts in bible study last week...man, how ironic that she would be talking about not understanding why some people suffer and others (like her last Friday) don't have much to worry about....and now, she is dealing with more suffering than nearly humanly possible to endure.  I do know that good things will come from Lucy's situation...but for now, I need God to reveal to me something to help me deal with all of the suffering I am witnessing.  I really am just kind of mad about it all, if I am being transparent.  But, right now, the only thing that makes sense is to pray for a miracle, so that's what I will do.  Every time I think of Lucy and Kate and Eric today I will say a "breath prayer" for them.  Please join me.

If you don't already follow Kate's blog or don't know her (it is linked to mine) but her is the site.  She will be updating Lucy's progress here.     http://erikandkatekrull.blogspot.com/

Baby fat

I read Nicole's post about the paci before I posted this and now I am feel even more devastation than I did!! I am not ready to think about taking Kate's paci away....
Anyway, for Lane's birthday (in March) we are "redecorating" her room.  It is now pink with princess pictures on the wall.  I took down the princess pictures (from Disney when she was 3) tonight so we can paint on our snow day tomorrow....and it absolutely ached to take down that princess stuff and hear her say to Bo when he asked why I was taking them down, "I don't like princess anymore."  When I showed them to Rob, he said, "look at that baby fat". (by the way, I didn't take the time to find these on a disk, I just snapped a picture of the picture to post).   I looked at her sweet little hands and saw what he meant.  She is soon to be 7 and highly opinionated about what she wants in her room (we have had a few arguments...she won over the bedspread and I won over the furniture...$60 vs $1000!!) Anyway, 7...I mean seven....seven....really?  It hurts watching Kate grow up when I look at Lane and Bo.  Days are tough, but they are so numbered.  God, please help me enjoy each day and cherish each personality you have given me in my children.

Its bad...

When your 5 year old (not known to be the neatest child in the world) says, "Momma, can we clean the car today.  It's really messy in here?" Lane tells me that often, but when Bo said it yesterday, I knew it was time!  I am not a procrastinator by nature (neither am I a neat freak), but I guess it's just the stage of life we are in....(that's my excuse for why there is a santa clause sitting on my front porch awating to be taken to the attic! (that's on the to do list for when I get off of this computer later!!)

You're too little...

to be climbing on the couch, young lady!!

This little thing climbed on top of a toy to try to pull herself up on the couch to get the remote control. She's at that stage where we look up and say, "Where is she???"

"Can I keep this first one?"....

is what her note to the tooth fairy said!  After all, she is about to be 7 so it's been a long time a coming.  It was not nearly loose enough to pull (IMHO) but she and her daddy were determined to get it out tonight!!  I've seen several other "toothless" kids on the blogs, so Lane can join that club now!

some snow to play in...

Jan 9th, 2011 - got a few inches of snow to play in.  It was great playing snow (awesome for snowmen, snowballs and sledding too!) We are too lazy for old fashioned sledding I guess, we depend on the four wheeler.  Thanks to Ellie and Boo for the new sleds (btw, Sam's sells some great ones for cheap).  We were planning to go to Atlanta to help Jason move in his new house, but they got it bad there too (like they were out of school for a whole week).  So we made the trip this past weekend (the girls and I did, Rob and Bo stayed back for his basketball game and some hunting).  

Rob was determined the "throw me off", but he never did!

A good day for taking down the outdoor Christmas decor!

Kate: 8 months

What you are up to:
1. Figuring out how to move around - you started crawling well on 1/9/10 (had been moving backwards and every other direction for about a month, but started going forwards then...we found you in the bathroom today!!
2.  We just lowered your matress because you know know how to pull up.  You are having more trouble with naps because you want to sit up, roll around, pull up, play with the bumper pad....
3.  You are starting to realize that food we eat tastes better than your junk!
4.  You LOVE your paci (you got really attached when you were sick)
5.  You battled rsv and/or the flu during Christmas - it was rough, breathing treatments and all!
6.  Favorite word-Da Da Da
7.  Taking a big girl bath (sitting up in the ring)...often with Lane and Bo (after mom hoses the grime off of them first)!
8.  You love paper and boxes.
9. You cut your first 2 teeth the day after Christmas.
10.  you smile A LOT...so happy, you like to be talked to and entertained!
11. Got your first snow 1/9/11.
12.  Making a trip to Atlanta to help uncle JJ move in his new house this weekend.
13.  you have WAY more hair than your brother or sister had at this age...it's kind of wild, but we love it!!

Olympic Day

Lane participated in Olympic Day at Rivercity to recognize her hard work in her gymnastics class (it's kind of like a recital I guess).  She gives good effort and is doing so well.  I am very proud.

Miss Allison

A Christmas Duet

Although it is approaching mid January and I still haven't posted our Christmas pictures  (I am in the process of uploading them and creating that post)....I ran across this and just had to share (I don't think I have ever posted a video before, but I think this one is worth it, well, for me anyway:)

Christmas pictures

I have to give credit to Amy B for all the outside photos...she came over and snapped these while Mills slept in the car!

Motherhood...

This was my dinner last night....

chicken tenders and broccoli...yeah not that bad of a dinner, but it's the manner in which it was comsumed that begs for sympathy.  Still on the pan I cooked the chicken tenders on, honey mustard squirted right there on the aluminum foil, and the broccoli dumped straight from the bag onto my "plate" (or rather cookie sheet).  (Lane and Bo were sitting at the table eating on plates)- As I was rushing around the kitchen checking backpacks, signing papers, packing Lane's lunch for the next day, giving Kate a few bites of food here and there, opening Christmas cards, checking my email to see how many packages were shipped today, and so on.....I would sneak a bite from my "plate" still sitting there on the stove.  I just started thinking in the madness....I wonder if this is normal?  (Needless to say Rob was at a coach's meeting)

The kitty who crawled backwards....

I think she is precious in these pj's....and she has realized how fast she can combat crawl (only backwards)on the hardwood...usually backing heself into the walls, or under the desk in this case!

What kind of parents let their baby get so tierd that she goes to sleep in the exersaucer??