Miley and a little magic...

So...I haven't posted anything in a while. We really have been having lots of fun around here, I just keep forgetting to take pictures, and I really like to put pictures with every post. I didn't start out that way...I guess I have just become warped over time ;).

Anna's volleyball team is 5-0. I have taken my camera to every game, but have yet to take a single picture. I am too busy watching her play! We had the Spring Picnic at school this past Friday and had an absolute blast. I think that Anna did the Cake Walk about 15 times before she finally won a cake. Let's see...that means that yucky Wal-mart Peaches and Cream cake cost me about $15...it wasn't about the cake, though, right? She also climbed the rock wall all the way to the top about 5 times. Alex liked the booths where you won little trinkets or candy...he spent his night at the bean bag toss and the lollipop pull.

We rounded out the weekend by spending time with friends and family...and a performance last night by my sweet peas right before bed time. A couple of "scenes" from the show are below...enjoy!

Watch out Miley...here comes Anna

Two Years

Two years ago yesterday Anna was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Crazy as it may seem, I can remember little tiny details about that day.....the exact words the doctor used when he gave us the news, what she was wearing at the hospital, the faces of our nurses, the gifts friends brought when they visited, the weather outside, exactly how I felt inside and much more. It has been a roller coaster since that time....some good things and some bad.

This time last year, I wrote this post. It was optimistic and thoughtful. I must admit that this year I don't necessarily feel like being eloquent. Sure, those things I wrote are still true but for both Anna and I, we are currently in a season of desparately wanting a break....can we take a diabetes vacation? Is there any way we could escape it all just for one day? I say "we" but, in reality, it is really just "she." She is the one who feels the highs and lows, the one who can never put anything in her mouth without thinking about the effect it will have and what insulin she needs to take, the one who feels "different." Me, I'm just the one trying to think like a pancreas...trying to make the right adjustments, give the right doses so that she feels her best all the time and has to think about it less.

We are entering the crucial 'tween' years. It is no longer interesting or exciting to have something that is outside of the norm. It feels weird...kids are cruel....it is not fun. She does not want to have extra attention drawn to herself in a school setting. She would rather not eat the treat someone brings to class if it means that she must test her blood sugar and call her mom to get a carb count. It is hard.

All that being said, both she and I KNOW that Romans 8:28 is true. That our God is a God of love and he loves her more than we could ever imagine. He has amazing plans for her life....and diabetes is all a part of it. It will not define her but it can help make her into who He has created her to be.

Renaissance Girl

For many years now (even though she is only 9), we have been saying that Anna is a renaissance girl...using the definition to mean, "a person who has wide interests and is expert in several areas." She is a tomboy and a girly girl all rolled into one. She LOVES to be outside, climb trees, go on adventures, etc...BUT, at the same time, she chooses the perfect outfit for every occasion way in advance, loves to have tea parties and dress-up. She began watching musicals at 20 months and could sing several of the songs from Sound of Music and Fiddler on the Roof before she was 2. She can spend an entire day drawing pictures, writing stories and creating "events". However, she also loves StarWars and can build a mean Lego battleship. She is extremely creative and talented but also lacks some self-confidence in letting her gifts shine.

I love her so very much and am BLESSED to be her Mommy. I pray everyday that I am being the Mommy that she needs.

As an example of her varied interests, I bring you pictures from a lovely picnic that we took during Spring Break. Once we had decided to go on the picnic, her first thought must have been, "I have the perfect outfit in mind." The outfit she chose, a lovely dress with pinafore ala Belle and Alice in Wonderland, conjures up images of a lovely picnicking (is there such a word) girl sitting demurely on the picnic blanket holding an umbrella and enjoying a glass of lemonade. But behold the reality...

Foot races, tag, swinging...those things were the order of the day. She, of course, had no interest in lounging outside and enjoying the beautiful weather. She had things to do! We had so much fun! And, while, in my earlier years of parenting her, I would have strongly discouraged this outfit knowing what activities she would want to do, I have learned to give her creativity and imagination room to grow and blossom. When there is not a compelling reason to say no to one of her amazing ideas or plans, I try to let her go. She is not me. And I would never want her to be.

She is the best big sister, daughter, grand-daughter, niece and cousin a family could ever hope for!!

I love you, Anna!!!

True Story

So, on Friday evening after returning from a quick excursion to the Gaylord Texan, we were all happily hanging out at home. At about 9:00 p.m. that night, Anna started asking if she and Alex could sleep outside in the backyard. My immediate reaction, although I did not voice it, was "I don't think so!" I felt this way mainly because I was ready to be back in my own bed and there was no way that I was going to be spending the night outside. And, there was no way I would let them stay out there by themselves.

However, just before I could get my response out of my mouth, Chris silently motioned me over. He said, "Let's just let them...they are not going to last, so we can just toss some sleeping bags on the trampoline and then they will be satisfied that we at least let them try." I quickly agreed...there was no way they would last more than 5...10 minutes tops, without one of us out there.

So, I happily turned around and granted Anna's request. Needless to say, they were thrilled and somewhat astounded that we had agreed. They ran upstairs and put on jammies, which were in no way warm enough to last for long. But, I didn't utter a word, after all they weren't going to be out there long. We threw two big sleeping bags on the trampoline and they hopped in.

They were so excited and way too pumped to go to sleep...





Right?....WRONG. Chris and I had started on cleaning out our closet and I realized that about 10 minutes had passed....I needed to go check on them. I peeked out the window, but no one was moving our bouncing around. Strange, I was sure that they would be restless. I waited about another 15 minutes and still they had not made a peep...no one had tried to come in...nothing. So, I ventured out the back door to have a look up close...



They were both sound asleep. I was SHOCKED, I couldn't believe that there had been no requests for another hug, no need for a drink of water, no one asking for me to sing another song. Maybe I should let them sleep outside every night!

In the interest of sleeping in the next morning, when Chris and I went to bed (at 1:00 a.m.) we brought them in the house. Neither one woke up during this transition, so when Saturday morning rolled around Anna's first words out of her mouth were, "Why am I in here?"

Maybe, just maybe, some day I will be brave enough to let them stay out all night.

No other place I'd rather be....

....on this earth than with all of these people (and their associated parents, of course).

Nan and all of her grand kids

(Eli, Cate, Cara, Molly, Nan, Claire, Anna, Will and Alex)

When we found out late on March 4th that Ryan's team had made it to the Regional Tournament, we quickly made plans to head to San Antonio on that Friday to offer our support! And by "we", I mean my entire family. We made it just in time to watch Ryan's Southwest Dragons upset Converse Judson in the Regional Semi-Final game. It was so much FUN! And that was just the beginning.

For all of the cousins it meant lots of this...

Alex, Will, Cate and Eli

Even the little ones got in out the fun...it was so great to really see them playing together for the first time.

Molly and Claire

Molly sharing her "O's" with Claire

There was lots of time for us just to sit around and visit. It was a priceless time and made us all long for Ryan, Ash and the girls to be back close to home.



While Ryan's team was defeated in the Regional Final game, I am so proud of all that they accomplished! He truly is an amazing coach and I am not the only one who thinks so. He was selected as Coach of the Year and also will be coaching the San Antonio All-Star Game.

Way to go big brother! I'm thinking about going back to school so that I can become his assistant coach some day soon....what do you think? Would we be a great team? Or would I drive him crazy? :)

One more thing....today happens to be his birthday. How fitting for this post?

HAPPY BIRHTDAY UNCLE RYAN!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

and family

This past weekend...

....I did this, with these sweet ladies. Now, I am all about honesty and transparency, so let me tell you that we walked (ran a little) the 10K...I came nowhere near that marathon-thing :). BUT, we had so much fun and we walked fast (took us about an hour and a half). I had a minor bout with SVT along the way...maybe it is time to consider ablation. It was extremely irritating to have to sit down for a minute and use a couple of my tricks to stop it before I could go on. But all in all....good exercise and good friends, what could be better?!?



Here are a couple of pics after the race...at La Madeleine, of course :)

All 4 of us (with bad lighting)

Tonya and I (I must have a lot of self-confidence to post the pictures of myself with no makeup ;))

Kris and Julie

We've got ourselves lined up for one race a month over the next three months. Should be fun....exercise is all about forming habits, right? We walk everyday for an hour...we figure that this commitment to more races will keep us going.

And, finally, totally unrelated to my pursuit to be healthy...A picture from Alex that I just loved. Notice the detail...the smoke coming out of the chimney is forming a heart. We had quite a few fires in the fireplace this weekend...I think he was inspired :)!







Blessings,

Food, Flowers and Fun....

....Valentines Day!

We had a crazy, but fun Valentines Weekend this year. I personally love when it falls on the weekend because it gives you more time to celebrate :)!

After working hard to put together the Valentines Party for Anna's class on Friday afternoon, I headed over to meet Chris so that we could head to the Weekend to Remember Conference. We had a great time, but I must admit that we enjoyed our time alone and being able to spend a night away as much or more than we did the conference... Thanks to Mom and Wade & Cathy for helping out with the kiddos while we were gone. And thanks to Keith & Charlene for the tickets to the conference.

Our weekend of fun just kept going once we got home! We were able to also enjoy a Valentines celebration with these sweet peas...

Anna and her friend, Skylar, getting ready to open some V-day goodies.

Alex playing with the V-day prize he had just received....he didn't waste any time putting it to good use.

No Valentines celebration would be complete without some heart-shaped food. Thus, our lovely pizza courtesy of Papa Murphy's! And some yummy brownies...too.

These were actually for Anna after her performance in her musical the Thursday before Valentines, but they were perfect decoration for our celebration that weekend too!

And last, but certainly not least....my valentine! I love you, babe!!

That was then...

As I am getting slightly sentimentally romantic with Valentine's Day approaching, I dug out this old picture of Chris and I. It is actually our engagement picture...that was taken BEFORE we were engaged (don't ask). Aren't we so cute?!?



I had intended to do a "That was then....this is now" post. But, you know what, I have no current pictures of just the two of us. It seems I am always the one taking the pictures :) All I can find is a picture of these cuties...

I think they are pretty special too!!

Happy Valentines Day from our home to yours.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1Corinthians 13:4-8

Southbound on 35

We love to take trips. Chris and I are easily distracted by all the "stuff" that needs to be done at home and so we really enjoy taking some time to focus on family. For us, the best way to do that is to hit the road and get out of town. So, a couple of weekends ago we decided we were ready for a mini-vacation. To be honest, we really had no idea where we were going to go or what we were going to do. So, the night before we were scheduled to leave, we sat down at the computer and with a little Priceline magic, decided to head to Austin for a couple of days. Other than knowing where we would lay our heads that night, we had NO plan. I never knew that being spontaneous could be so fun!!

The first thing we did was check in at our awesome hotel. It was so nice and the kids really loved the glass elevators and the fact that our room was on the next to the top floor. I, on the other hand, did not like either of those....over the years I have become more and more afraid of heights. I am not sure why... Every time we came in and out of our room, my legs felt like Jello and I was constantly telling the kids to get away from the railing (it was an atrium hotel). Sorry kids, I just can't help myself!!

The kids in the lobby (oh how I loved the ground floor)

Our first destination after the hotel was actually the Texas State History Museum, which was so neat!! No cameras were allowed, which is a good thing since I forgot mine on that excursion anyway...For the first time, both kids truly enjoyed exploring a museum. Anna was particulartly intrigued as she is studying Texas History in 4th grade this year.

After a yummy dinner at Threadgills, we headed back to the hotel and made plans for Day 2. One of our favorite stops the next day was the Austin Childrens' Museum.

Alex playing some tunes

He was so cute in that hat, I could hardly stand it!

(maybe we should move to the country)

Anna creating a gourmet meal for me in the restaurant area of the museum.

A PICTURE STORY

Here we have Chris helping Alex make a drinking contraption in the creativity center at the museum.

Here we have Anna disgruntled as she watches Chris helping Alex. She feels strongly that her creation (made all by herself, with purple tape in the pic below) will not compare to what they are making...

And, finally we have Alex with his finished contraption. Which we tried out a WhichWich a little later and were so excited when it actually worked!

Anna's sorrow was short lived...here she is hanging like a bat in the Bat Cave at the museum.

THE END
(of the picture story)

Of course, we could not miss going to the Capitol. After breakfast at Starbucks on Congress (the barista made extra drinks for us to try...too fun!), we headed to the Capitol to do some exploring.

My hubby...so handsome!!

Anna reading about the first Texas flag.

(she loves museums)

We also happened upon this reenactment happening on the Capitol lawn.



My beautiful kiddos

All of us...together.

As referenced above, we ate lunch at WhichWich in downtown Austin. Anna needed to make a lasting mark in Longhorn land....

Here is her decorated sandwich bag, hung proudly on the wall.

Our day was winding down in Austin and we had planned to head back home. But, we were just so close to San Antonio that we could not help ourselves, we had to go see these sweet people...

Eating dinner on the Riverwalk with Ryan, Ash, Cate, Cara and Claire

We ended up spending night #2 in San Antonio (another great hotel on the cheap, thanks to Priceline). We thoroughly enjoyed knocking on Ryan and Ash's door and surprising the girls who had NO idea we were coming. We had such great fun! Big thanks to them for welcoming surprise visitors!

We are already looking forward to our next little trip and wondering where the road might take us.

Blessings on your week,