Happy 14th Birthday LiNDsEY !!

Happy Birthday to my youngest Daughter. I love seeing you grow and mature. I am so excited for you to start High School this year. I love your enthusiasm for life, and your strong spirit. I can't wait to see how your time in High School turns out. My wish for you this year is happiness, friendship, fun times cheering, good grades, close family ties and a strong testimony. We love you Lindsey!!!!!!

Happy 17th Birthday SARAH!!!

It is hard to believe that another Birthday has come for you. It just seems like yesterday in my eyes that I was bringing you home from the hospital. And it was really only last week that we celebrated your sweet 16. You are growing and progressing and I love what I see. This year you will be a senior. I wish for you, the funnest year ever filled with laughter, friends, boys, a new job, fun calling and the prospects of going away to college. I am so excited that you will be driving to school each day, and hope this year is the best year you have ever had. I LOVE YOU!!

EFY...Inspired program... NO DOUBT ABOUT IT

Ok, so I have fallen off the blog bandwagon. It just seems like it is a busy summer. But we are doing lots of things and having lots of fun. My girls just got home from spending a week at EFY. Lindsey was lucky because her birthday wasn't until August but the group allows 13 year olds if their birthday's are in the summer. So Both of my girls had the opportunity to enjoy 5 days with 400 other LDS kids. I am so happy and thankful that BYU started this program. It is such an inspired program and so good for the youth of today to get a spiritual shot in the arm to help them get through their teen years. It is amazing that youth literally would pay anything to enjoy in the experiances and even keep all the standards and clothing rules. (You have no idea what I went through to purchase 4 dresses that go to the KNEE on 2 long legged girls.)

One of the things that both Sarah and Lindsey HATE is when people ask them if they are twins. Now, I guess if I were Sarah, it would be an insult for people to think she looks like a 13 year old. But Lindsey doesn't like it either. She hates to always feel like she is in her big sister's shadow. Her entire life she is told by teachers that they know exactly who she is because they taught or knew her sister.... those are big shoes to fill when you want to be your own person.

One of the things that I found to be the most heart warming is that there were 3...yes 3 photos of my girls TOGETHER !!!!! Maybe some of you aren't familiar with my girls, but it is almost unheard of for them to voluntarily WANT to be together, let along pose for pictures without their mom urging them. This is what they CHOSE to do without my insistance at all. I almost cried when I saw the pictures on Sarah's camera. Just seeing these pictures made me realize that these 2 will eventually be friends on their own. They don't need me to push and force, just let it come naturally and it will.

How Fun! To be the center of attention among all those guys!

Sarah with her cousin Ethan

Lindsey with cousin Parker. It was great that the girls went the same week as their cousins.

Lindsey and Londyn with their gang of guys!

Home From Hawaii

We are home from Hawaii...sunburned, tired, broke and fulfilled! Now comes the time for wedding planning. Time to get busy

Heartache.....

Mitral valve prolapse

It has been a long day.
Saturday at a routine physical that Lindsey took at school for Cheerleading, the team doctor heard a heart murmur. He told me it sounded like a mouse had taken up residence in her heart. He described a loud high pitched whistle that he heard. He insisted that we have her checked before she continues to cheer. (wow? A doctor that actually cares?)
So we make an appointment with our long term Pediatrician Dr. Zamon. I love Dr. Zamon and would gladly drive for 1 hour just to see her. She has been Lindsey's doctor since literally DAY 1. She gave Lindsey her first check up in the hospital after birth. I trust her with my children and they have gotten wonderful care.
So Dr. Zamon listens to Lindsey's heart today, and only hears an extra glub glub. She begins to tell me that it is most likely only a sinus arythmia and not to worry...but she decides to have Lindsey do a few jumping jacks. Apparently this arythmia goes away right after cardio exercise. She begins to listen again. Only to hear the wonderful mouse that has once again taken a hold of Lindsey's heart. So the basic Sinus Arythmia is ruled out and she determines that we need to see a cardiologist. She calls a pediatric cardiologist and within 30 minutes Lindsey is hooked up to an echocardiogram for a look at things.
The dianosis could have been worse. He said that most of the time, people with this condition (mitral valve prolapse) live normal healthy lives with little or no problems. However there can be complications and so she must be monitored closely. She was in afib today. (abnormal heart rhythms) She is wearing a monitor for 24 hours to determine the severity of the afib. Basically a valve in her heart does not close properly and leaks blood back into an area it shouldn't be.
Please keep my little Lindsey in your prayers!

DANCE...Dance... DANCE !!!

How do you divide your time when your 13 year old has 8th Grade dance...and then your 16 year old gets invited at the last minute to a different high school prom??? It makes for a crazy evening, but I am actually glad it was the same night. Now I have pictures of my girls together.

Easter Must Go On With Out.......

I am feeling a bit blue. It just doesn't feel like Easter. Scott is in Switzerland (tough life huh?) We sent Sarah out to Utah to be with Meagan. So we are missing half of our family. I haven't really wanted to do the usual traditions but I knew I needed to for Mitchell and Lindsey's sake.
So this afternoon we dyed our Easter Eggs. The kids are getting older and they really don't get the same thrill that they once did. I remember the first time that I dyed Easter Eggs with Meagan when she was 6. I bought a "sparkly" kit and was very disappointed. I wound up going to the store for more eggs and a tradtional dye kit. That is what I stick with now...traditional! There is nothing more soothing that the smell of vinegar at Easter.

Meagan and Garrett are Engaged!

Details to come later!

They are thinking the end of July or early August
in the Nashville Temple. The Atlanta temple will be closed for renovations.
A Reception in August in Atlanta after the Honeymoon

The Thrill of Victory!

Wow..it is a mile-stone in her life. Her driver's licence!!! A million things rush through my mind at this moment...have I taught her enough? Is she ready? Will my Heavenly Father protect my little girl? As much as I would have liked to hold her back and make her stay a little child...there comes a moment when a parent must allow their child to use their wings. Sarah has prepared well. She has taken drivers education, she has driven and driven and driven to seminary. She is a level headed girl and I know I trust her. But do I trust the the other drivers on the road? Do I trust that she will be able to handle situations that come her way?
I Love my little girl with all my heart! All I can do is pray that Heavenly Father is with her and then allow her to spread her wings and fly!

Gladiator's Game!

Boy Birthday Parties are such a blast!
This gang wrestled and beat each other up the whole party!
Mitchell had his 2 best friends (Parker & Grant..the blondes)
And his 2 boy cousins that are his age (Aiden and Jonah)
The Gladiators won and everyone had a great time....
Especially Sarah..she loves a good hockey fight..Fighting sweaty men are hot!

Happy Birthday Mitchell...better late than never!

My Baby Boy is 9 years old! I can't believe it?
Where has the time gone?
It seems like only yesterday he was my little buddy
that followed me everywhere.
Now he is responsible and independent.
I buy his Birthday gifts with his Christmas Gifts.
That way the stores aren't all picket over.

His Candles were sparklers! It was kind of cool!

Life wouldn't be complete without his favorite pooch!

Church on his birthday? Yuck, no fun!
But I didn't hear a single complaint out of him.

ok, ok, Mitchell is my 4th child. I have a hard time getting around to uploading photo's onto my computer of his birthday. I haven't had a party yet for him. He wants to take some friends to a Hockey game so I have to get that scheduled. It is hard to have a birthday so close after Christmas! But I love my little boy with all of my heart and I thank my Heavenly Father daily that he let Mitchell be a part of our family and brighten my life.

Watched Out For…With Unseen Hands

This weekend was filled with chaos in our household. We had Meagan's mother and brother and sister in town to spend the last weekend with Meagan before she left for Utah. I know this is an unconventional family but it maximizes the time for both parents and all the siblings get along really well and enjoy the trips.

Saturday evening we had gone to a dollar movie. Cheryl had to drive because there were too many people to fit into my small car. Scott had to attend a baptism so it was 2 moms and 8 kids. (ok, some aren't kids) After the dollar movie, Sarah asked if we could drop her off at the mall to meet up with some friends. Cheryl is not familiar with our area and it was a very dark and foggy night. I mean REALLY foggy. We dropped Sarah off in the Macy's parking lot and I asked Cheryl to wait until Sarah got into the building before we drove off. Even though she is 16, I am still a mom and like to make sure my child makes it into the door safely. We were in the lane so that Sarah would have to cross over our car in order to walk into the door. Cheryl asked her to walk in front of the car so that we could see her safely go into the building. Sarah quickly got out, followed our instructions and got safely into the building without incident. Cheryl, however sat paralyzed in the driver's seat as if she was never going to move. Not wanting to be a back seat driver, I just sat quietly and waited for her to drive away. Finally I decided to tell her to move, just as I opened my mouth a very small boy darted across the street right in front of her suburban! He was an African American boy, maybe only 4 from his size and he came out of NOWHERE! Both of us screamed. Cheryl's foot was planted firmly on the brake and the car never moved while he crossed the road.

After further study, we realized that the mother had crossed the road BEFORE Sarah and was waiting for her son inside the doorway. (What mother leaves a 4 year old alone in a dark parking lot on a foggy foggy night?

We immediately recognized the hand of the Lord in our live in that parking lot. So many tragedy's could have unfolded if Cheryl had moved the car and not sat paralyzed. She doesn't even know why she didn't move. She just sat there. The little boy was so little and our car so big, it most likely would have killed him or seriously injured him. He was being protected by "unseen hands". Protected even when his mother had disregarded her duties. However on deeper reflection, many were protected that day. Cheryl was protected from the horror she would have carried with her the rest of her life in hitting a little boy. (Even if the mother would have questionably been at fault.) Cheryl had a very hard holiday with many struggles from financial, to emotional to physical. This would have been literally too much for her to bare. Again, protected by "unseen hands" that held her foot firmly on the brake for no apparent reason.

On even deeper reflection, I have come to realize that my son was also protected. Mitchell was sitting in the front seat with us (her car has a 3^rd seat with a belt and we were packed full with kids) Mitchell saw the entire event unfold. He could tell me the color of the little boy's shirt (red) when I couldn't remember anything but that he was African American. It was on the eve of his birthday. It would have been a terrible day for him to witness a little boy being hit. Mitchell is a very serious boy and no doubt would have been greatly emotionally effected by this event. I was protected as well. My mouth was closed when I wanted it to be open. All of the kids in the car were protected from witnessing a tragic event.

Today, I am grateful for "unseen hands". I am grateful that my Savior loves me, and wanted to ensure that our unconventional family unit continues it's good works for the good of our mutual daughter Meagan. I am beyond words of gratitude for the protection that we felt.