Did I mention rain?

No, we didn't have the damage that everyone else suffered, but I really did wonder if we needed to start building an ark. These are pictures from Monday evening.



Mason kept asking if God was flooding the Earth again. Ms. Janie and I have been trying to explain that He said he wouldn't. Although I was really wondering.....

Last minute

The kids have been begging me for weeks to play in shaving cream. They love to do this, but I don't really have a place for them to do it anymore. Since we took our kitchen table out and only have the dining room table, there really isn't a place for the cream. You'd be amazed at what shaving cream will do to the surface of a table! So you have to be careful where you use it!
We do have an outside picnic table but the rain kept us from going outside for a few days. The last few days have been clear from rain, but its been so muggy that we haven't wanted to be outside.
So, finally last night, I gave in. Just before Supper Club started, I let them take it outside and use a whole can. They were so excited!



Did I forget to mention that I said "keep it off your clothes" before they started? When I asked them why they had it on their faces, they said "We want to look like old men!"

Letter to my friend Emily

For months I've worried about our friendship. I've known for some time that we were was on unstable ground. I've worried every time the caller ID showed your name or every time I saw your name on my e-mail Inbox. I have been afraid that I've said or done something to upset you again.
Yes, I knew about your feelings about the incident at the zoo. I'm sorry that all of that happened the way it did. But our other friends involved only wanted us to work it out. Please don't hold them responsible. I have a side of the story too, but at this point, that doesn't really matter. All I want to do is repair our friendship.
As for Ava's party, I was upset too. But mostly how things were happening with Mason. I was more emotional than I really should have been, but I left at the end of the party to try and keep my emotions in check. Again, I'm sorry that it appeared that I was trying to cause a scene. I hope Ava had a great time at her party. It was her special day, and she's a very special girl. Thank you again for having us and for paying for lunch.
I was different for a few months after I became pregnant. But as you know, most of us are when we have something like that happening to our body. I do go through a lot at home, but I try not to use it as an excuse. I'm glad you are worried for me during this time. It means that you still care for me and my well-being.
As I stated earlier, I truly only want to put all of these events behind us and do whatever it takes to repair our friendship. When I came to the preschool two years ago, I prayed for the friendships that I feel that I have now. I would never want to do anything to destroy them. In the future, I will not say anything to Ava (or to any of the other kids) about anything they do. It is not something you like and I understand (and respect) that. As I stated in my e-mail to you, I apologize for anything that I may have said to you that was short or smart. I truly didn't mean anything by it.
I love you and I love our friendship.

Check this out!

My sister-in-law, Jacque, called me the other day to share a blog she had found. The site is michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com. This mom does some amazing things with her children (makes me feel like a slug). But the cutest thing she does is Muffin tin Mondays. Every week she puts out a different theme, and then serves her kids their meal in a muffin tin. She fills each section with something that has to do with the "theme". This week was apples. she also wants others that keep up with the MTM to send in their pictures. I think I might start trying this. It would be fun and interesting for the kids.
Thanks Jacque!

First Fieldtrip!

Yippee! We took our first field trip this Monday. The kids were so excited about going...but not necessarily about the destination. They were most excited about riding the bus!


The kids from GCA went bowling and then to Stevie B's for lunch. The kids had a great time bowling and the bowled most of the game without the ramp. However, thank God for bumpers. Otherwise, the balls might have been flying all over that ally. Ms. Janie took 1/2class and I took the other 1/2. Out of my 5 kids, only two had been bowling before. It took them a frame or two to really catch on that they could throw the ball and not get into trouble.
Then it was off to Stevie B's. The kids were so hungry because they didn't have a snack at the bowling alley and then we didn't get to lunch until almost 1:00. Mason was beyond himself. He ate 5 pieces of pizza, salad and ice cream. After eating, the kids got a few tokens each to play the games in the back room. My kids immediately wanted to play air hockey. It was a full size table, so Mallory could barely reach over the edge. But they had a good time. Except Mason would hit the puck so hard that it would bounce off of Mallory's side of the table and go back to him before she even had a chance to hit it. A few times I had to stop the puck just so she could have a chance. On a side note, air hockey makes me a nervous wreck. I don't know exactly how old I was, but I got hit in the head with one of those hockey pucks and it took several stitches to cover up the wound. I try to keep my distance.

We all had a great time and kids can't wait to go again!

Birthday bash

I was cleaning pictures off of my camera card today and found these sweet pictures from my birthday (in August). They are late getting posted, but sweet all the same.

Christian brought home a great cookie cake with delicious icing and the kids loved singing to me. Look at those sweet faces!

Which will it be????

Ms. Janie was eager to talk to M&M this morning to find out about their field trip yesterday. She knew where they were going and knew that they didn't know about their new sibling.
Apparently the conversation went something like:
Ms. Janie asked Mason what the baby was going to be and he immediately said "brother". When Ms. Janie asked him if the baby would have an "M" name, Mason replied "No, his name will be Joshua. Don't you like that name? Joshua Lawrence."

When she asked Mallory, she replied "Its a girl. She doesn't have a name. But I guess we can have a baby brother first."

Ms. Janie quickly deduced that we didn't find out what the baby was, nor did we have names picked out. She would be correct on both. She said they were so cute talking about "their baby".

Women's Bible study

As some of you may know, I'm getting prepped to start a young women's Bible study group at our church. We found over the last few years that our young women weren't plugged-in anywhere at church, except for the nursery. Any most of the time, they are reluctant to work there too. (I don't blame them!) After you've been with your own kids for hours on end, the last thing you want to do is spend half your Sunday morning watching somebody else's kid.
So, I gave up my job as the Nursery Director to get this ministry started. We have an established Women's Ministry at our church that is quite active. However, they complained that the younger women never join them at their events. They said they gear their studies to reach all ages, and they go to conferences that they feel with witness to each age. Except nobody under 35 years old goes on the trips.
I'm hopefully going to change that. I've gotten some great feedback from our younger women and they are excited about getting together. Our first meeting is next Tuesday morning and we'll also meet on Tuesday nights. I'll be a busy lady studying for each session, but it will be worth it.
Please pray for God to bless this ministry and the women who join it!

20 Weeks and counting

As stated in my previous post, we told the kids last night about their new sibling. We promised to take them with us to the ultrasound today, and it was quite an experience. They were so excited! Justto give the run-down, the baby is doing well. It weighed approx. 11 oz. and is laying feet down. It was also facing my spine, it was hard to tell much about him/her. We were able to see the heart and most of the other organs. But he/she never really showed their face. The technician was able to tell that the baby doesn't have a cleft pallate(sp?), which is good.

Our plan was to take my mom with us so she could find out the sex of the baby. We asked the technician to show us most of the baby but not that part of the anatomy. We laughed because of the way the baby was laying. It was making it hard for hard for any of us to see that part of the anatomy. It took the technician about 25 mins. to decide. Then she was able to give my mom a picture.
Below are some of the pictures I got. Sorry the first one is upside down.



Mason, Mallory and Dad looking at the screen.

A good picture of something...I couldn't tell you exactly what was in that picture. It looks like the side of the face and the belly. But the technician said she couldn't see the face very well. Soooooo...who knows.

All in all it was a good visit. The baby was healthy and the kids were excited. Plus mom was the only one to find out, and the secret didn't get leaked to the public.

A new beginning

Well, we finally told Mason and Mallory this evening about the upcoming arrival of their new sibling. We decided to keep it from them for a while, so we didn't have to endure 9 months of relentless questions. Some of which, I have answers to give, and some I'd rather wait on. We waited until they could go with us to the Anatomy ultrasound so they could see the baby too. We thought it might make it more real for them right away, as opposed to waiting for months on end.
When we told them, Mason seemed a little confused. He thought the baby was coming tomorrow, so we had to explain that it would be after Christmas. Mallory's concern was that they were going to cut my belly open tomorrow just to show her the new baby. She didn't want any part of watching them cut my belly open.
Then Mason wanted to talk to the baby. So he came close to my face, and right into my mouth, said "Is anybody in there? Can you hear me?" It was priceless. Just like a Masonism.
Mallory just seemed like she knew already. She was somewhat excited until I told her she could feel my belly. Then she got really excited! I hope they enjoy our little "field trip" tomorrow. We are looking forward to seeing the baby and how much it has grown. Keep us in our prayers!

And I promise to blog more. Now that I'm really showing, and we've told the kids, it seems a little more real for us too. I'll be keep you more up to date with the baby events. And I'm sure Mason and Mallory will have some funny things to say. LOL