The Days of Christmas!!

Two nights ago, there was a knock on our door and we found a partridge in a pear tree on our sidewalk. The next night another knock on the door and we found two turtle doves (two packages of turtles and two dove chocolate bars). Of course you will notice that we took pictures of wrappers. That chocolate was consumed rapidly!!! This morning another knock at the door and we found three french hens. Needless to say our children are ecstatic with the Christmas cheer being spread through someone sweet, creative souls. Enjoy the pics of the Smith's being Christmas'd.

The Dentist!!

This week I went to the dentist (the first time in six years). My mother is reading this so I know, I know, I know I'm supposed to go to the dentist. I chose this particular dentist after a friend who abhors the dentist had in her words "a fabulous" experience with sedation dentistry.

Tonya is right..this particular dentist does a nice job of NOT making you feel guilty because you haven't been in a while. They also do not make you wait. They give a free consultation where they take X-rays to determine what work needs to be done. And, get this they don't seem to find EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN that needs to be done.

So, I was pumped up as I went into my appointment. The decision had been made to NOT use the sedation because it saved over $300. It seemed like a good decision at the time. My appointment went fairly well...it wasn't terrible anyway. But I guess I was tense the whole time because the next day I literally felt like I had been run over by a mack truck. The moral of this story is this....if they offer you drugs at the dentist take them people!!!

Quiet Denied!!

This morning I woke up at 5:15 expecting some peace and quiet until 6:30 when we wake all the children. However, my boys had other things in mind. At 5:30 Noah came happily out his bedroom, ready to start the day. While I was trying to convince him, to no avail, to go back to bed, here comes smiling Elijah.

So, me and the boys spent a few minutes looking at the half decorated Christmas tree..clad only in lights. Thank goodness for DVR, I just turned on Adventures in Odyssey and they are quiet as mice. Well, Noah just loudly invited me to please, please, please come watch the movie with them. So, I'm off to Odyssey with my coffee and then off to work!!

My "quiet time" may have been interrupted, but God must be pleased as I hang out with my little men...they will not be little for long. Quiet denied, but LOVE LOUDLY DECLARED!!!

Christmas Around the World

Last week Hannah participated in a Christmas Around the World event at our church. Students each picked a country, researched the Christmas traditions in that country and created a visual representation of what they learned. Then, they gave a presentation on their country and shared food they prepared. We made fried rice which is now our new favorite meal and a Christmas cake. The girls also folded many origami swans which they passed out to the children as a treat. It was a fun, learning experience with friends and family. Here's some pics from the evening.

Noah loses first tooth!!

Noah came home from school yesterday with his tooth in his hand and not in his mouth. He was so excited!! And, he pulled the tooth out all by himself in the hallway after music.

Rite of Passage

Yesterday Hannah went to the orthodontist and had metal put on her teeth. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I cannot relate because I never had braces. The silly thing is when I was in middle school I desperately wanted braces, why? Because everyone else had them!!

Recently when Hannah went shopping with her friend they bought the same coats. That brought back many memories of me and my best friend in middle school who wore matching everything. Then it was Izod shirts. We would make sure we wore the same color shirts (layered of course). And, wear mismatched socks the same colors as the shirt (you got it, one blue sock and one yellow sock...bunched over the jeans which were tucked into the socks).

Pondering all this made me realize that the craziness of middle school really is a part of growing up. My baby daughter Hannah is growing up before my eyes. And there is nothing I can do to stop it (nor do I want to). I really just need to enjoy the ride. It is normal for her begin to move away from us and explore the world.

Back to the braces....she did remarkably well and looks cute. My favorite quote of yesterday came from Noah when he saw her braces for the first time, "Ooohh you look ugly". How about that for a confidence builder. Noah has no polite filters yet, but we are working on it. Which could explain his conduct grades!!

Hannah's B'day Celebration

Yesterday we celebrated Hannah's birthday. It was a good day for all the Smith's. David invited some friends over to watch the Georgia game. It was testosterone-ville, so me and the girls headed out of the house. The dawgs won!!

Hannah's wish for the day was to go shopping with her friend Emilie without Clara. So Clara went to her friend Molly's to play for the day. (not so disappointing for her)

Hannah and Emilie had MUCH fun touring the mall and making their purchases. I must admit it was pretty fun. They made some good purchases and enjoyed making their own decisions. I also got in some shopping myself.

Then, our friend Libby came over to watch the boys so we could go out to dinner. Dinner was a blast!! (Clara was invited to join us for dinner). Currently Hannah is studying Japan in geography. So we decided to go to a Japanese steak house. We got there before 7:00 and got the early bird special. It was entertaining and the food was wonderful. Definitely a repeat!!

So grown up!!

Elijah is officially settled into his new bed. This is a process we tried months ago and then we took a break. His pack and play broke so we had to move him into a big bed. The first few nights were torture, but last night he went and got in bed without being asked.

Yesterday he also let me work on a project ALL day and really played well with his sister and by himself. It felt like we were turning a corner, like he really is growing up. Last night I was watching a movie downstairs and the kids were watching a movie upstairs. When it was time to go to bed he gave me a hug.

He smelled like sunscreen and perfume. He was quietly and steathily getting into stuff. He may be growing up, but he is still a mess!! You may notice in the background of the picture the black permanent marker artwork he drew on his walls. THE JOYS OF CHILDHOOD!!

Now I just need my aunt and my mother to come over for a couple of weeks to potty train him!!!

Reliving High School

Recently my friend Jana wrote on her blog that she was thankful she was not in high school anymore. This morning as I ponder my out of control life I realize that I FEEL like I am in high school again. Let me explain.

I'm a mom of four children. Two are in school and one is homeschooled and my two year old walks around seeing what kind of chaos he can create. Keeping up with the mounds of paperwork is a challenge for me. It seems like no matter how hard I try something always gets misplaced or I forget to send in an important paper. I have been trying to explain my disorganization with profuse apologies to teachers. (With excuses like my dog ate my homework or it was sitting on my desk and disintegrated in the night)

When I was in high school these were the stunts I pulled on a regular basis (it's a wonder my mother is still sane!!). I remember clearly turning assignments in late. I remember clearly my locker NOT being organized, but being a mass of papers that looked rather pig pen like. (My daughter Clara takes after me!!)

Here's the silver lining in the cloud. When I was in high school I did not really care. Now, as a mature (well sometimes) adult I care!! So, even though I've been struggling, I continue to seek God's guidance for improvement. Right now I think He is saying that I need a secretary!! Actually He's telling me to SLOW DOWN and take time to do what is important if not necessarily urgent.

So, today I am thankful for the upcoming holiday and the much needed break from school. By the way homeschooling my middle schooler is teaching me so much. I had forgotten that organelles were tiny bodies in the cytoplasm of a cell. I'm sure I never knew that the difference between smooth endoplasmic reticulum and rough endoplasmic reticulum were ribosomes.

I'm thankful for this time in my life where I the teacher am certainly the student!!

Fall Party Pics

Here's some additional pics from the fall party that we attended with Clara's soccer team. Clara didn't bob for apples she submerged for apples.

Rare Priviledge!!

This past weekend was full of many activities, but one stands out above the rest. Clara's soccer team (and families) were invited to the country for a fall party. It sounded like fun to me...getting away for a while from the busyness of life. What I did not realize is that I would be going to a place so rich with history and so filled with beauty.

We drove up and were instantly wowed by this gorgeous civil-war era antebellum home. This is the home of Molly's grandmother. She lives here and has lived here for 52 years. It is unbelievably dreamy!! Really I could have spent days here just exploring and listening to all the stories.

What I appreciated most is that my friend India and her mother shared their life with us. I've been in houses like this before and have always been fascinated. It was the first time I have been in a home like this. The first time I have known the occupants. History is real to them because it is personal. It has shaped who they are and it will shape who their children will become. I used to think history was a bit dull and boring...no more!! Yes, the home was beautiful, but the stories of the lives lived compelled me the most.

That leads me to a different topic seemingly unrelated, but which comes directly from their stories. India's father was adopted by India's grandmother. She had never married and had no children, so she adopted this young boy. (Certainly I would like to learn more about her). This young boy's life changed. He grew up in and inherited this amazing home. He married a lovely southern belle. They had children. Their children had children. What might his life have looked like had he not been adopted!!

This young boy was adopted. He was loved by his mother. She gave him an amazing inheritance. Yet, it pales in comparison to the inheritance that we receive when we are adopted as God's children. We are orphans. We have no hope. We are separated from God. He chooses us. He loves us. He gives us a rich life. And the rest is history.

City Champions

Hannah's soccer team completed the year undefeated. Tournament play was tough, but they came out on top and are the city champions. We are very proud of Hannah and her team. We were quite impressed with her coach and his unfailing commitment to teaching the team and challenging them to get better. This was a great group of girls!!

Halloween Pics

We had an enjoyable evening in Westbrook Farms on Halloween night. Elijah REALLY liked the concept of going to our neighbor's houses, looking cute and getting candy. Then, even better eating said candy.

David and I enjoyed a relaxing evening. Rather than going to the door every five seconds, we built a fire in our outdoor firepit and sat outside to pass out candy. It was like camping!!

The Zoo

Noah's class took a field trip to the zoo. It was a beautiful sunny day.
The boys had a great time and most of my time was spent behind the boys. They were conquerors...see and move on was their motto.

We've Been Booed!!

Last night the Smith's were Boo'd!! Now, I personally never really wanted to be booed, but this time it was pretty fun.

Being boo'd is a version of Ding Dong Ditch. Your doorbell rings (or a hearty knock occurs) and you go to the door. When you open the door, there's no one there. Instead, a bag of goodies is on your porch. And, a note to put on your door saying "I've been boo'd. Then, you are supposed to boo someone else. (We are contemplating our plans...covertness might be a challenge on Halloween night).

The kids were pretty excited to be boo'd...it happened twice!!!

It ain't over...

Somewhere I read where, for a commencement speach, Winston Churchhill once simply said something like "Never, never, never quit!!"

Here's a visual that illustrates that point...for your enjoyment...



or...

http://broadband.espn.go.com/ivp/splash2?id=3083220

Random

Just watch it. (Credit to my friend Heidi's Facebook Account for this lil' treasure)

It's been one of those weeks!!

You will thank me for the lack of pics with this post. Here's a summary of our week:

Friday - David becomes friendly with the toilet and stays in the bathroom most of the day.
Saturday - David is comatose most of the day. Diane and the kids spend the day at soccer field and neighborhood block party (grateful for the fresh air). It was a beautiful day!!
Sunday - David begins to stir, but stays in for fear of spreading the plague. Elijah stays home with him. Diane, Hannah, Noah and Clara go to church. To quote our Elementary Director "Clara melted during the hour at church". She came home and went straight to bed and ran a fever all day.
Late Sunday night after all the family (except David) was snug as a bug in a rug, David discovers that our cat Smokey has passed away.
Monday - Clara is home sick from school. Smokey is buried in the pouring down rain. Soccer games are cancelled due to rain.
Tuesday - Soccer game is cancelled due to the rain. We ALL went to open house at the school along with a million other people. Stomach rumblings begin in Diane's stomach and she goes to bed at 8:00. David decides to work in the garage for a bit. He discovers that our deep freezer breaker has tripped and EVERYTHING in said freezer is spoiled. He spends the evening cleaning in the pouring down rain.
Wednesday - Diane is now sick and discovers much to Hannah's chagrin that the teacher can still give assignments from the couch. The garbage man makes a big mistake and opens the trash can to see why it was so heavy. He might have thought there was a dead person inside.
Thursday - Diane is slowly starting to mend. Now we are drawing straws to see who has to change Elijah's diapers. Nasty is the best word to describe them. And again soccer games are cancelled due to the rain!!
What tomorrow will hold we do not know, but we thank God even for the sickness and smells. After all our digestive systems are cleaned out and so is our freezer. Of course the rest of the house looks like a cyclone hit it.
Oddly enough we haven't had alot of company this week...

Abundant Life

Today our son Elijah received his first hair cut.

As I was looking at these pictures I realized how hard it was for me to get Elijah's haircut. I did not want let his curls go. (He's almost three for crying out loud.) The poor lady at Sports Clips must have thought I was insane, taking about a million pictures.

He's adorable in the before picture. But, the reality is that his features are so stunning now. Just look at his eyelashes. They were there before, but now they are remarkably defined.

David's dad, John Smith, has gone to be with Jesus and we are grieving. And yet, He is in the presence of Jesus. He has an imperishable body. I believe we would recognize him. But, I imagine his features are stunning as they reflect the glory of Christ.

I look at these pictures and see the change that occurred in our young man in just a few minutes. They remind me of the changes that must have taken place in my father-in-law in a twinkling of an eye.

Today we celebrate abundant life, the full life that Christ offers. Today we celebrate eternal life!!

We are so thankful for our friends and family that are sharing our life today, praying for us, e-mailing, calling and meeting so many practical needs. Thank you!!! We love you all very much.

A Day in Elijah's Life!!

Elijah had a very busy day yesterday. We snapped a couple of shots so you could enjoy his ventures. As I was busy doing something else, Elijah decided he wanted some powdered sugar. He may have even said powdered sugar once or twice, but being the great mom that I am I ignored him. So, being the industrious child that he is...he got a chair, pulled it up to the counter and helped himself to some powdered sugar.....the whole bag!!

Then, he decided to brush his teeth. The dentist would be so proud. We do NOT have coerce this little one to brush his teeth!! Then we went to Bible Study Fellowship where he learned about baby Jesus being born AND he got to play on the playground.

Finally, we got a DVR box....big time technology for a family who hasn't had cable TV for twelve years. As we were playing with our new box, we found a free on demand Exercise channel. We clicked on a cardio workout and away the kids went. In the end, we had to say it's time for bed...they might have exercised all night.

It was a full day for our little man!!!

Sharing our Lives!!

This past Saturday night our Life Group was able to participate in the Wes's proposal of marriage to Libby. It was an amazing time of joy, excitement and love. We gathered at our church and spent time praying and celebrating. That's what it means to share our lives!!!

Congratulations Libby and Wes!!

Here are some pics from Wes and Libby's post-proposal party. A great time was had by all. Congrats Wes and Libby!!!

Soccer, Soccer and more soccer!!

Noah and Hannah played their first soccer games on Saturday. They both played very well and we are excited to spend our weeks immersed in soccer the next few months. We average five practices per week and three games per week. So, it does keep the Smith family quite busy. Elijah is already quite anxious to play soccer. If we say it's time to go to soccer practice or a soccer game, his face brightens and he says "Soccer practice?", gets his shoes on and goes to stand by the door.

Haiku - Clara

Clara didn't want to be left out of the Haiku writing. Here's Clara's:

Ocean waves crashing ashore.

Palm trees swaying in the wind.

Dolphins jump in air.