Catch up

Update #1

CJ is feeling much better. You can see the picture of how he looked on surgery day if you look at my last post. This is 10 days post op and he is doing really well. We're just waiting on hair now.

Update #2: We not only had Thanksgiving this last week, we also got early christmas presents from my m-i-l who was here for the week. I got a Sony touch screen reader. I can't wait until I can actually put some books on it and put it to good use.

Cerah got a new computer and a lego replica of the Seattle Space Center. She had it put together in about 5 minutes.

Morgan got a netbook and a set of chemistry experiments. I can't really say which one she was more excited about.

This one leaves no doubt about which present Hannah liked best. She got a Nintendo DS Lite, which she has wanted forever! Well, maybe not forever, but it sure felt like it.

Robbie got a new t.v. It's a good thing he's willing to share too since I would hate to have to go to my room every time he wanted to watch it. That was a lot of "to"s wasn't it?

Last Saturday we went to the circus. It was the first time for the girls and they had so much fun. Morgan told me that it was her best birthday present ever. Saturday night we picked up grandma from the airport. On Sunday we went over to western MI to visit Robbie's aunt and uncle who live over there. My parents arrived on Thursday night and my sister and her family got her Friday morning so we had a late Thanksgiving but it was really enjoyable. On Saturday we had to take Grandma back to the airport and then that afternoon we all went to the farm/orchard and took a wagon ride out to the christmas trees where we got to cut down a tree. We actually made the kids cut it down cuz we're lazy. Then we all got hot cider and donuts and came home. We got pictures of them with the tree and I will post them just as soon as I figure out how to get them from my email over to here. Yesterday was a full day of after Thanksgiving shopping. And today everyone went home and back to work and school. Wasn't that worth the five minutes it took to read this? Yeah, I didn't think so either.

C.J and his eye

C.J. had his eye removed today.

I know that in the long run he will feel better...

but right now all I can say

is OUCH!

Pictures

I have spent the last 5 days going through digital pictures. We decided that it was time to start organizing the pictures that we had downloaded throughout the years. When I started I discovered that we had started using a digital camera back in 2003. Since that time not once had I sorted, organized, dated, or identified any of our pictures. I did not think to see how many we were starting with before I started going through them. It's probably a good thing that I didn't or else I would have just said forget it. I can safely assume that I had upwards of 6000 pictures to go through. When we started there were 10.4 GB worth of pictures on our computer. I now have 2,555 pictures that take up 4.59 GB of space. Whew, that's a lot of pictures. But we did it. After countless hours of staring at the computer; many, many neck aches that I was wishing I knew a masseuse for; and lots of racking our brain for dates and places it is finally done! Not only did we go through them all, get rid of the ones we didn't want, dated and named all the ones that we did, but I even re-arranged all of the folders so that they were organized by dates also. I believe from now on I will take my own advice. I always tell the girls "it's easier to keep up than to catch up".
Now that it is done I can get back to keeping up with this blog. Quite a few of you have asked when I was going to update it. Today, in honor of the fact that I am organized, I decided to put up a few old pictures. And I would like you to identify them. Do you think you can do it? It's amazing how quickly you forget what kids look like since they change so fast. Secondly, I would like you to tell me which two look the most alike. Good luck and have fun. When you email me the reply I will tell you if you are right or wrong.

Mystery girl #1
Mystery girl #2


Mystery girl #3

Mystery girl #4.

Sunday

I had my niece and nephew here with us this weekend. Can you tell by this picture that Morgan and Shannon had fun? So did the rest of them but these two girls love being together. They giggled and laughed the whole two days that Shannon was visiting. Bedtime didn't stop them. They just laughed in bed and, after I left after getting after them, they just hid their heads under the covers and giggled some more. I don't know that they ever went to sleep. It sure didn't sound like it.

Here's Kodi at the princess tea party. He decided he had to go along and be moral support for Papa and Uncle Robbie. Personally I think he secretly enjoyed the party. But I won't ever tell. That will be our secret.

I took pictures of all the girls at the party as they finished with their hair and dresses. I wanted to make sure that each girl would have a picture of just her to remember the party by. But, leave it to me, I didn't get a single picture of Morgan or Hannah dressed up all by themselves! Not that I didn't try, but every time I tried to get them alone someone would come into the picture or it would be time to start something else in the party and I didn't get one single good shot.

It's o.k though because we did get a lot of good ones of them with others. Like this one.

And this one.

What a wonderful weekend we had.

Dear Hannah

Dear Hannah,
Nine years ago today you came into this world. I loved all 7 lbs 11 oz and 19 in. of you the moment I laid eyes on you. I have to admit, though, that during my pregnancy with you I didn't think I wanted another baby. But from the very first I have loved you with everything I have.


I loved how quiet you were, how laid back and easy going. How undemanding you were. I loved that you had curly hair and big bright blue eyes. I knew that you were the last child I could have and because of that I cherished every moment with you even more. When I looked into your big blue eyes I felt to my soul what life was about. There was no job more important in this world than being a mom to you and your sisters.



I had so many dreams for you, so many plans. I wanted you to have the world. No, I wanted the universe to be yours. There were so many firsts still ahead for you that I wanted to be there to share. Your first day of school, first broken heart, first drivers license, first day in your own home, and your first child. Already there have been so many firsts and I am so happy to share them all with you. So blessed to watch you grow from a baby into a girl who is beginning to discover this world that is hers.

I look at you now and see so many more things to love. I love how excited you get about everything no matter how big or small it is. I love when we drive down the road and you start telling me your bible lesson from Sunday School. I love to hear it in your own words and know that you are understanding it. I love how you love all animals, especially ours. I love watching you go up to people you don't know and asking them if they want to play with you. With you there are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet. I love how you will jump up without having to be asked to bring your sisters something they need. Most of all I love to hear you say I love you mom.

You are growing up so quickly into a beautiful girl and I am so thankful that God is allowing me to share this journey with you. I look forward to so many more years of watching you grow. I know that wherever you go in this life you will make the world around you a brighter, happier, better place to be. And I want you to know that no matter where you are I will always be right there beside you cheering you on and giving you enough love to carry you through.

I love you,
Mom