We Have A Home!

God provided a beautiful home for us in VA. I cannot begin to tell you how excited we are about this home. We truly believe God showed us this house and provided for this house. We moved in last Thursday and spent the next couple of days getting as much done as possible before the boys came home (GG and PaPa were kind enough to keep them till all this was done). Let me tell you what a blessing it was not to have to worry about schedules. I'll have pictures soon.

Homeless

Technically, we are homeless right now. I wish I had taken pictures of the garage before we moved. The boxes were piled high, the toys were everywhere and there was more stuff than I thought possible. I think when I wasn't looking my neighbors added their stuff because our small home could hold all of that junk.
I praise God because he sent us a lot of helpers and trucks. I'll keep you posted as to whether we continue to homeless or not (we close tomorrow on our home in VA).

Graduation Day

This weekend was a huge weekend for our family. First, Chris' parents came in to help me pack up the house**. Second, Chris graduated with is Doctorate of Ministry (yes, he likes for me to call him Dr. husband). Third, Jonathan was dedicated at our church (I have pictures and will post them later). The hardest part came on Monday when Chris' parents kindly took the boys home with them so that we could finish packing without any distractions (does posting on the computer count as a distraction or procrastination).

Here are a few pictures from Chris' graduation:

Dr. Chris and family

Dr. Chris and Future Dr. Andrew (?)

Proud parents of Dr. Chris

Dr. Chris and his brother and sister-in-law

**Some of you may or may not be aware that Chris and I are leaving BBC and planting a church in VA. My posts will become fewer and fewer due to the fact that we are moving Wednesday and most of our stuff is in boxes. This was a huge decision but we know that God is all over this and has opened the doors wide open for us to move there. Please pray for us during this time of transition.

We are so greatful for all the friends we made at BBC. We will miss everyone.

It's a Girl!!!

Congratulations to my sister who had Isabella Grace on December 7. Isabella weighed 7lbs 5oz and was 19 1/2inches long. Andrew and I were able to meet Isabella and help Tia Missy and Uncle Chris adjust to having a new baby (since he is an expert). Isabella is beautiful and we are so glad she is finally here.

I hope it's the camera angle, because my head looks gigantic compared to hers.
Isn't she so sweet. She's giving everybody a wink.

This Morning...

I got some help feeding Jonathan. Andrew has become my little helper with Jonathan. Before he would help but now he wants to do it all. He helps me make the bottles then feeds Jonathan. I'm pretty sure the ulterior motive is to make sure I get Andrew's lunch made, and Jonathan drinks faster so we can get to the meal. Or maybe, he just loves his little brother and is being a blessing to me.
This would have been our Christmas picture if there wasn't a bottle in it.

Singing In Church

Andrew got to sing in front of the church again. I recorded the songs but I'm having a hard time uploading them. Once I figure it out I'll show you. We were so proud of him.
He couldn't take his eyes off us when he was singing.

Playing Together

The boys have really gotten to the point they like to play together. Mainly, Jonathan plays and Andrew makes sure it is in his room and shuts the door so he won't escape. It is a lot of fun to see them playing together (even if it isn't the same game).

They think if you are on the floor that you are playing jungle gym. Jonathan is playing with Chris and deciding what is the best way to get over him.

Still figuring it out.
Andrew loves to play the piano (for those of you who call know that to be true). This is an example of them playing together but not together (although, Jonathan does tickle the ivory sometimes). He finally noticed I was taking pictures.

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a very fun and relaxing Thanksgiving in VA. We made sure to hit all the spots that we love and can't get in NC. My personal favorite was eating a CJ's stromboli and chef salad (after my fair share of turkey leftovers) which, I believe, everyone should have once and then they would be addicted like me.
Andrew did his fair share of the cooking for Thanksgiving. He helped us make our pumpkin cheesecake (with no sneezes included) some of the casseroles before getting bored and went on to other things. This was the first year he was excited about having all the food. He actually ate the turkey, carrots, broccoli casserole (he didn't like it) and green beans.
Jonathan was offered, and politely refused, mashed potatoes with his Thanksgiving lunch. I would try to sneak a bite of mp on his spoon and he would get the shudders from the taste. His favorite thing to do at GG's house was to pull every Tupperware out of the cabinet. He even stood up on the ledge to get the one's in the back.
It was a fun time and a much needed break for Chris and I. I actually brought my camera and took pictures.

Jonathan playing in the Tupperware cabinet. GG said it was alright to destroy it.

It is the hardest thing to take pictures of Andrew. If he isn't in the mood then you get this face. So from now on if you see this face, remember he was forced to do it. Here he is playing bingo with his Pa Pa.
Jonathan is now more interested in playing with the camera than taking pictures. You have to be quick if you want to get the shot.Okay, this is Jonathan and Andrew exacty 3 years apart. I knew I had taken a picture of Andrew in Pa Pa's chair but I didn't know I had done it on the same day. Jonathan is older than Andrew when the picture is taken but I can see some similarities. What's weird is I remember taking this picture of Andrew on that day because we were so proud of the VT outfit (and now I can't find it). It's weird what we remember.


We also got to see some of Chris' friends from high school and since they read this, 'Hey, and thanks for having us over. Your house is beautiful!!!' I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is still stuffed from all the turkey.

Captain Obvious

Over the past few weeks Andrew has become Captain Obvious, even though he doesn't know it. Here are some examples:

-Mommy, did you know that Micky Mouse is a mouse?
-Mommy, did you know that Donald Duck is a duck?
-Mommy, smell this Taco Bell bag. Doesn't it smell like tacos?

I wish I could remember them all for you. As he continues to point out the obvious I will continue to share them with you.

Jonathan is now 9 months old and we just went to his 9 month check-up, and all is well with him. He is 18lbs 12ozs and 28 1/2inches long. I did share my concerns with his lack of talking and laughing but he didn't seem too concerned with it but told me to keep him up to date on it.

Something very exciting happened this morning during breakfast, Jonathan signed is first 'more' sign. We've been working to teach him sign (something that we did with Andrew and had great success with) over the past month but today was the first time he did it all by himself. I tried to get a video of it but he didn't cooperate. Here's a picture of him after he signed more and was awaiting his praise. It is so sweet to see them do this.

A Relaxing Friday...

Friday was such a beautiful day that the boys and I had some fun outside.

Click on this picture and you can see I caught the drool bomb mid-fall.

A Lesson In Birds...

Andrew likes to watch Little Einsteins and from time to time I let him. I've watched the show a couple of times, except for the magical instruments and how odd it is they talk music the whole show, there is typically nothing wrong with it. Except for the other day...

I was letting him watch it because I was doing some research on the computer (and by research I mean playing games) and since we had had a full day of activities we were both relaxing. As I researched, I heard a word I wasn't quite for sure I heard correctly coming from the TV. So I went to the living room, low and behold, I heard it again. The show that day was about the boobie seabird (I am blushing just writing the word) of the Galapagos Islands. After about four times hearing the word and realizing the whole show was about it I turned the TV off quickly. Andrew was none to happy about having it turned off but that was a battle I was willing to have.

I began to wonder if I had missed so many shows that taught about all the other birds. Had they exhausted all the other birds so much that they felt compelled to teach them about this bird. Thankfully, Andrew is past (for the most part) repeating everything he hears.

Honestly, I thought it was kind of funny they would pick that bird. I think the writers that day were having a good time and thought they would play a little joke on us parents. Very funny Little Einstein writers but next time talk about the tortoises of the Galapagos Islands.

Triathalon...

On Saturday, Chris, my BFF and 20+ people from our church ran in a triathlon in Emerald Isle. Well, it was suppose to be a triathlon but the ocean wasn't cooperating so the swim part got canceled, which technically made it a biathlon. Nonetheless, it was fun to watch and cheer on everyone. BFF's husband and I were on childcare, cheer leading and picture duty. While they battled the run and the bike we battled our children and never quite getting the picture we wanted. Here's a few pictures of them...

This is Chris finishing the run. I got so excited that he was coming around the corner that I snapped the picture too soon. Here's BFF finishing her run.
This is Chris finishing his bike run. I love that he still has the strength to smile at the end of a 12 mile bike ride.
Andrew was so excited that Daddy finished the race. He kept saying he was so proud of Daddy.
Here's BFF finishing her bike race. Her back was hurting her so bad but she still fought through the pain to finish the race. I admit that when she, and many of the others, finished the race I was crying like a baby. I just know how hard everyone trained and how accomplished they must feel.

In other news, Chris just finished his doctorate and now is awaiting December 14 to graduate. This weekend was huge for him!!! I'm so proud of him.

Love,
The wife of Dr. Chris

Pumpkin Faces

Last week Andrew and I carved the pumpkins we got from the pumpkin patch. I forgot to tell you we went to a pumpkin patch and had lots of fun. We did the hay maze, the corn maze, picked some corn, picked some cotton, picked our pumpkins, fed the animals and had a blast riding the hay ride 2 times. It dawned on me somewhere between picking the cotton and picking the corn that I got the raw end of this deal. This farm we were at actually had people come and pay to harvest their crops and feed their animals. They didn't pay me to pick their corn, cotton or pumpkins but I actually paid them to do it. If I'm ever low on cash I'm posting a sign in my front yard, 'Grass Cutting Patch.' I will charge people to come and cut my lawn and dead head my flowers.
In all seriousness, we had so much fun I wouldn't have traded that day for anything. Except I didn't get a single picture because the batteries were dead. Here are the faces we carved in our pumpkins...

Jonathan was about as interested in carving pumpkins as he was taking this picture. All he wanted to do was eat the seeds and I kept trying to tell him we had to roast them first. What can you do with rebellious 8 month olders.
Andrew loved the outcome of carving pumpkins. He didn't like the fact we had to stick our hand in there and get dirty. He kept telling me 'You do it Mommy,' and would hand me the tools I needed to get the job done. He also recommended we make a cross in the pumpkin. He is so much fun to be around.

Florida Pick...

My sister took this of the boys and me. I rarely get to be in the picture because I'm normally the photographer. I'm glad I finally have one.

The Week...

Was a good week for us (so far, since it's only Thursday). We went to our county fair on Saturday, which happened to be the perfect ending to a horrible week for Andrew. He was able to go run around and be a kid. He loved the big slide (I didn't) but we didn't discover he could do it till the end and so he only went down it one time. All he could talk about later was how he just wished he could go down that slide just one more time, forgetting that he rode a horse, a train, bounced in houses, played games and ate total junk (including soda which isn't allowed till he's 5). As for Jonathan, he got so excited he went to sleep through most of the action. Later he woke up for food (the non-junk kind) and didn't ride a single ride.
On Sunday, Andrew got to sing with he children's choir at the night service. He sang like an angel (we guess). During the middle of the first song he went down to ask for a microphone but they wouldn't give it to him. Later I asked why he wanted a microphone and he said 'He wanted to preach Jesus.' You can't blame a boy for trying.

He is so excited to be singing.
He loved this part of the song.
Play time with the boys.
Now Jonathan tries to push but isn't as successful.
Crazy hair night at Cubbies.
Andrew did not want his hair spiked at all. But later he didn't mind and I even got to spray green glitter in it (he was kind of dissappointed because he thought it would be green).

Praise God...

He's healed!!!!! Yesterday I checked his boo boo and I didn't see the packing in there (when I refer to packing it means gauze that looks like a ribbon they push into the wound) I got excited and scared. I thought maybe that he played with it and pulled it out or his pants pulled it out. I called my nurse friend and she said that it was healed. No need for band-aids or packing tape because God healed him (Andrew says 'God healt me Mommy'). Thank you for all your prayers. I truly believe that is why he has healed so quickly.

Moving Out...

Well at least Jonathan tried to sneak into GG's luggage because he wanted to see the world (or at least VA). He is so much fun to watch due to the fact that he can't sit still.
He changed his mind when he realized that Mommy wasn't going too. Check out that orange nose. I didn't realize how orange it had gotten.
I know you want to know about Andrew and I am so excited to say, he is doing much better. I know it was a total God healing because the one in his leg just dried up and the packing fell out over night. We went to the doctors yesterday (his usual ped dr was back and listen to me rant about the lack of concern by other ped dr) and he said the big one on his stomach looks great and to keep doing what we are doing. I don't know why it continues to baffle me (especially after the year we've had) that God hears our prayers and answer them. He loves Andrew so much more than me but that love He has for Andrew is multiplied the # of people on this earth. That love and concern is amazing. God continues to get bigger and bigger to me everyday.

Sidebar for pictures...I took some of Andrew but they all ended up being blurry and he looked very much like a pirate. He thought they were cool.

Update on MRSA

Everyday it looks like it is getting better until yesterday when the main one on his tummy looked more pink. Here's the thing with a MRSA abscess, if it doesn't heal quickly and properly it will form another abscess inside the abscess. That is what we are afraid may have happened to the one on his tummy. I am a little mad at our peds doctors because they are not being very aggressive with the healing of it. They keep making me make all the decisions and I don't know the first thing (except all that I have researched and am starting to believe I know more about it than my doctors) when it comes to the healing process. If you can't tell I'm very frustrated because I'm the one forced to man-handle my son on a daily basis because his wounds have got to be repacked. I praise God for a friend of mine (who is fast becoming my best friend) because she has had more insight and has packed his wounds everyday for me. If it were not for her I would have been at Duke ER everyday this week getting Andrew taken care of and becoming very poor. Although the upside to taking him to the ER would have been the doctors there would be more aggressive than my doctors now.

Funny story at the ER time...
When we were at the ER on Friday night the doctor was going through all the side effects of the sedative. I can't remember all the side effects but what cinched the deal for me was when he said, 'But in all my 3 years of practicing I've never seen this.' He said that with a straight face but my insides were laughing because that was apparently suppose to be reassuring to me. AHHH, the joys of taking your child to a student hospital.

We're Back...

from Myrtle Beach and Jacksonville, FL. Chris was in Myrtle beach to finish his doctorite paper and worked hard the first part of the week so that we could come down the last part. It was definitly what we both needed, time away from our home. The boys were so excited to see their Daddy and wanted to spend as much time as we could with him. The first night Chris and Andrew took the golf cart to the beach. Andrew thought that was the greatest thing because he was able to drive it. Later, when Jonathan woke up from his nap, we all took a ride to beach. About halfway there the rain came down and needless to say, we got soaked.

While we were in FL Andrew started to get bumps on his belly and his legs. I thought it was just ant bites but a day later 3 of them started to look like they were infected. We took him to Urgent Care and found out he has MRSA (a very contagious form of staph infection). We came home the next day and visited his doctors and they said if it started to look worse take him to the ER. Last night we were at the ER having them all drain. It was not fun and we are still not guaranteed that it worked but we believe that God will con't to heal him.

Jonathan is having a hard time not being able to play with his big brother. He is in this adorable phase (aren't they all though) where I go in to wake him up and he is standing there smiling (ok really he is crying for me but in my mind he's smiling) and waiting for me. There is a lot more to tell but that will have to be told later.

Jonathan Moving...

So this is how I found Jonathan when I came around the corner. I was so excited I ran to get the camera (after I carefully placed the pillow behind him for fear I head trauma) because this is HUGE in baby stuff. He had been pulling himself up to his knees but never all the way up. The things boys will do to see their Thomas the Train.
I'm glad I put the pillow back behind him because he fell to the side and smacked his head there. The pillow I loving placed behind him remained unharmed. Next time I'll think through the pillow thing and make a barrier (or not take a picture and just tell the story...but that wouldn't be as nearly exciting as this).

Days are Numbered...

That's Maggie I'm talking about. I decided last week to let Maggie move on to a home that will love her the way she needs to be loved. She is such a good dog but I just can't take it any more. I am doggie mommie failure and I admit it.

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I wish I had some grand tale of excitement to tell you after all this time but I have nothing. Life has been pretty boring. Since the temperatures have not been insanely hot, the boys and I have been at the park a lot more. Jonathan is now a full-fledged crawler and likes to crawl after Andrew at the parks. He also likes to go down slides on his belly. It is really funny to watch because he has a look of sheer terror on his face as he grips his toes and fingers into the slide. He goes really really slow down the slide but it still freaks him out. But once the ride of terror is over, he squeals with delight. It's hilarious. Now that Jonathan is crawling I have to watch him a lot more closely. He loves to play with Maggie's doggie chew toys. I guess he figures if it is good enough for her then it is good enough for him.

Andrew has started Cubbies at our church and he loves it. Everyday he wants to put on the Cubbie vest (over his Batman shirt nonetheless) and go to Cubbies. He has memorized two Bible verses so far (Romans 3:23 & Romans 5:8) which means Mommie has also memorized two verses so far. I see what the AWANAS organization is doing and I like it. Andrew is also asking those fun questions that you wonder where he got that from (does that make sense at all?). For instance, he asked me the other day, 'How do fish cry?,' 'How do cats cry?,' and 'Do dogs smile?'. There is never a day that goes by that I am not writing something down in my Andrew sayings book.

So that's all that has been going on. I told you it wasn't much.

Bath Time

Jonathan has started to sit up during bath times. It is much more enjoyable for both Andrew and me. Now we both don't get soaking wet from Jonathan splashing. Here are a few of the action shots.


Maggie watches for the boys for me. She has a very strong maternal instinct.

Batman

I'm not quite sure where Andrew picked up his love of superheros (it might be a male gene, I'm still looking into it), but gradually he fell in love with Batman, Spiderman and Superman. A lot of it might have to do with the fact that he has quite a few pairs of superhero underoos. This is to help you understand the mindset of the following story.

Last week Andrew inherited a Batman t-shirt and if it were up to him he would wear it everyday. While wearing this shirt he likes to be called Batman (I get to be Superman, nevermind the fact I'm a girl). I caved today and let him wear it to the mall (the 3rd time this week). While we were having lunch Andrew had to go to the bathroom. On the way to the bathroom we passed a server and he said to Andrew, 'Hey Batman.' Andrew looked at me and in a hushed tone said, 'He knows my name!'

As I write this Chris is getting excited because Who Wants to Be a Superhero is on. I really think that it is in their genes.

The Growing Boys

My husband has to constantly remind me that Andrew isn't a baby anymore. When I do impersonations of him, Chris reminds me again that he doesn't sound like that anymore. But I still have Jonathan to look forward too. He'll soon be talking baby talk and only I (and possibly Chris) will be able to understand him. I don't know why I say this (because I'm definitely not pregnant) but I'm sad that my boys are growing up. Never in a million years, did I think that I would be sad because I knew it was going to happen, but here I am mourning the fact that Andrew corrected me this morning for saying 'muskick.' He said, 'Mommy, it's muuusic, not muskick.' I encourage Jonathan on a daily basis to grow up but sometimes I just enjoy watching him be a baby. He's crawling like crazy, and the face plants are fewer everyday, but he still a baby and it is fun to watch. I guess growing up is inevitable, but that doesn't mean I have to be excited about it.
Here's Andrew enjoying what Maggie does best-and most of the time-sleeping.
We finally brought the exersaucer down for Jonathan and he loves it. Amazingly, Andrew now likes to play with it a lot more. Maggie thought this was about her and was doing her best to pose.
That's a big cheeser.
Still liking it. His second tooth has started to break the skin and he is not enjoying it at all.