It has been such a long - LONG - time since I wrote anything. It all started with my mom, sister, and niece being here from Idaho!
We went to the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park, an island near San Diego (Carlsbad? I'll have to check - it was definitely unforgettable and worth recording), and Disneyland to celebrate the twins' THIRD birthday BEFORE they were actually three and we had to pay to celebrate it there with them. (Incidentally - if you ever go, check Craigslist for tickets! We got two adult Park Hopper tickets for $100 - and an evening and night at Disneyland is TOTALLY worth $100. I mean, you'll pay $50 just for dinner for two at a fancy restaurant these days!!! The parade and fireworks and night show on the lake, the Casey Junior ride with all the little model towns lit up, the night lights on the town and the gorgeous buildings -- all AMAZINGLY magical! And if you have a chance to go with someone who is handicapped, even better! We got to go through a special line and rarely had to wait more than FIVE MINUTES for EVERY ride! In fact, I don't think I'll ever go there again without my mom . . . . or I'll just rent a wheelchair and strap on my "boot" from my foot surgery and enjoy! Just kidding . . . sort of! ;-D But in all seriousness, hats off to Disneyland because it was such great fun watching my mom RIDE THE RIDES with my kids -- and that is something she would have NEVER been able to do if we'd had to fight through traffic and crowds with her!)
We made these AWESOME Family Home Evening boards. I'll have to post pictures later, but since I've wanted a Family Home Evening Board for the last THREE YEARS, it was that much greater to put our noses to the grindstone and our pedals to the medal to drive around for FOUR days, through FOUR towns until we got JUST the right accessories to do everything JUST the way we wanted it. (Incidentally, since you might not know what an FHE Board is: think job chart where you rotate assignments, except it's for fun things -- song, scripture, prayer, activity, treat -- these are the things we include in our once a week family night that is just that - a NIGHT set aside for the family to have some quality, focused, fun-filled time together!) And since I have my other sister for Christmas - she got an early Christmas present and now has one as well!
A few days after my family went home, Dave's family flew/drove down to have a long weekend with us as well. And what was supposed to be another fun-filled weekend turned into an IMMENSE tender mercy and testimony of how aware God is of the SMALLEST DETAILS of our lives, preparing the way even before we know a way needs prepared! Isaac was sick, so I kept he and Brianna home with me while Dave drove down to pick his sister up at the airport to drive over and meet his brother and sister-in-law for dinner. His sister-in-law had been in Los Angeles for the month to spend time with her family while her husband - Anson - was finishing his tour in Afghanistan. WHILE THEY WERE EATING DINNER WITH MINIE, she got a Facebook message that said, "I heard about Anson - I am so sorry! Let me know if you need anything." She had NOT heard about Anson. And when she made calls, she was told that there was an accident but he was fine - just a few minor scrapes and bruises. So they continued to have a fun-filled night. But when they got back to Lancaster, his sister said that she just didn't have a good feeling about it. At 6:00 the next morning, we got a call from their mom that Anson had been hit by a grenade and was in a coma, on his way to a hospital in Germany. And that news began an intensely emotional roller coaster of a weekend that ended with Anson being flown from Germany to Bethesda, MD to the Naval Hospital there. It has been a long row to hoe. Most of Dave's family has flown back there to see him. Dave and I couldn't afford to fly there with the kids, so we took some time and went and spent a few days with Dave's dad while we all waited to see what would happen with him. It soon became clear that he would be in a coma for a long time and there would be complications, infections, blood transfusions, etc. along the way that would and continues to make it a difficult journey.
And through it all what continues to shine through is our faith! And knowing that from the beginning (incidentally, the accident happened almost EXACTLY at the moment that Dave was picking his sister up from the airport to go over and have dinner with Minie - and Dave's other sister had decided the NIGHT BEFORE to also fly down and spend the weekend with us), God was in the details! Dave's family NEVER gets together! NE-VER! And Anson's family lives in Louisiana. So to have five out of the seven kids accounted for when he was injured was pretty miraculous! The support, the love, the coming together, the laughter over tears, the tears over tears, the prayers as we knelt together, the fasting together that Sunday morning, the last-minute flights and travel plans, the offers to take care of their children while Minie was with him, just EVERY SINGLE DETAIL and EVERY MOMENT OF FAITH AND HOPE AND LOVE were obvious love notes from a very aware and loving Heavenly Father to His children. As was the incredible blessing of modern technology as we were able to spread the news quickly to so many people and begin immediately to receive added prayers and support and love from friends and strangers alike! It has been a MOST humbling experience!
The twins turned THREE on Monday! Since we had already spent a lot of money on Disneyland, we had a simple birthday party here. We got a discounted cheesecake sampler and the cheap a la cheap strawberry ice cream from WalMart. And we picked up Dora and Diego toothbrushes so they would have something to open! They were so thrilled!!!! Then their nursery teacher, Sister Black, came over and brought them magnetic trains and coloring packets. Nursery leaders are the BEST!!! You'd think she plays with them for two hours every Sunday and knows what they like or something! Isaac didn't put that train down! They even snuck it into the bathtub that night (and I learned why they had been playing so contently for over an hour and a half)! And he sleeps with it and would eat with it if toys were allowed at the table! It was great, great fun! And I am amazed and humbled that they are getting SO BIG, SO FAST!!! Tonight Abby asked me what I was looking at. When I told her I was looking for recipes, she said, "You're looking at recipes? Oh. That's cool." And when Isaac tells me, "Mommy - please don't spank my bottom. That not very nice! That make me sad!" I realize over and over how GROWN up my kids are! It's been fast and furious, but I really would not change a moment! And I pray every night that I get to enjoy a lifetime more with them!
Also on Monday, my nephew Jared, who has had seizures for years, went through some pretty intense testing to see if they can do surgery to stop the seizures. The family took turns sitting with him - he couldn't be left alone for a single minute for like three days of testing - and in the end, we are hopeful they were able to get some good information and a better solution for him and his family is very near!!! I am amazed at the strength of his family and thankful that my family always pulls together, however they can!
We went to Dave's work for family day the Friday before the twins' birthday. It is the only day you are allowed past the security gates and locks. We got to see really cool airplanes, including the one Dave has been involved in testing. And they had a barbeque and shaved ice and a giant blown-up trampoline with an attached slide! The kids LOVED it! And Dave said they ordered the 108 degree weather just for us to appreciate what they go through out there in the desert where it is ALWAYS hotter than we get here . . . in the desert! Whatever! I know he planned it just to have something to complain about and try to get me to feel sorry for him. Total manipulation at it's worst! ;-D
And yesterday we took the kids to the fair! They actually handled it pretty well when we told them we didn't have money for the taunting rides and souvenirs. But they didn't handle it so well when we pulled them away from the animals in the animal barns! Abby had a meltdown every time! They LOVED the goats and sheep and chickens and turkeys and chicks and ducks and rabbits and -- oh the excitement when Abby saw a "MAMA! Mommy, Mommy, it's a MAMA" (llama) in the petting zoo! She would NOT leave its side for more than a few seconds before she was looking everywhere to find where it had walked away to! And by not leave its side, I mean she literally had her hand on its side, patting it reassuringly as she moved wherever it did! Brianna would whip around me from side to side, eyes and mouth wide open when an animal would walk past us or try to eat my clothes in search of food! Though she was never sure enough to pet them more than a few pats, she was still incredibly intrigued! Isaac was equally intrigued but demonstrated it differently. Like when he pulled the already angry turkey's tail feathers just minutes after I had pulled him AWAY from the practically hissing bird. Or when he walked right up to the potbelly pigs in the petting zoo, contently sleeping lazily on the side of the fence, and pushed them so hard they actually started to ROLL OVER before I snatched him back (and the roley poley animals rolled right back to their original places)! I managed to keep his fingers out of the bird cages, but it was incredibly hard when the ducks encouraged him by quacking BACK when he quacked in their faces! They both wanted to jump on the goats' backs and ride them -- I mean, who wouldn't? That's what you do, right? And I was certain we were going to have a few toddlers overboard in the fountain/wishing well! Add in the sheep roundup with the sheep dogs and I think you can begin to imagine how much FUN our night at the fair was!
Tonight we played a game of Dora the Explorer's Candy Land. Abby is great at games! It is so much fun! Isaac doesn't have the same zeal/attention span for it! But it's still really fun to actually be SITTING DOWN TOGETHER as a family and playing games! We also have a little hummingbird that has popped up in the last few weeks and likes to fly in front of my kitchen window! I'll have to see if I can find a reasonably-priced feeder to bring it back! That would be a fun thing to watch with the kids every day.
In the meantime, Brianna is literally walking CIRCLES around everything and every room! Seriously she is so proud that she can walk that every time we applaud her - still a bit surprised to see her everywhere and into everything - she gets a proud smile and starts walking in circles, like she's showing off on just how WELL she really IS doing! She loves it! And tonight she sat at the table with ALL of us for dinner - no tray between her and the family! She is saying a few words very clearly, like when she calls for Daddy ("DA!") or shouts "HI!" as she waves to anyone lucky enough to be within range! Of course she says "Ma-muh - Ma-muh!" and tonight even started saying, "Na-nuh" for night-night! She has two front teeth and is incredibly adventurous! And more than once we caught her dancing away on top of Dave's shoulders as we heard music while walking around the fair. I've just started weaning her, and she loves to drink water from her cup (we're still working on milk -- the weaning from mom process has been a little hard for her, for both of us really as it has gone a lot more quickly than I intended because my milk took the first cue and headed south for the winter). And she is really the sweetest little angel with the most amazing laugh and contagious smile! She also sings a LOT! The most recognizable is "E-I-E-I-O!" And she LOVES to play with and around the kids. Tonight Isaac was tackling her and pulling her and patting her head and even trying to ride her! And through it all, she was as gleeful and giggly as could be!
As for Dave and I -- the other night he told me how much he has realized in the last few weeks that he REALLY WANTS TO DATE ME! So I guess you could say we're doing pretty good! ;-D With Brianna weaning from me and this sudden realization after three and a half years that we like each other enough to "date" - life is great! :-)
It is late, but I couldn't let another week go by without updating. It has been a fast and furious few months. But life is too short to let those moments go by as just moments! And if anything were to happen to any of us, we would ALL treasure more than anything the fact that we have even these vague notes to go back to and learn and grow and remember! And that is priceless!
And if you've stayed with me to the end of this update from the last few months, you get a gold medal!!! Or at least a gold star of appreciation. I mean, THAT is true friendship! :-) And you can never have enough such friends! Thank you!
