Throwback Friday

I can't believe I get another one of these!  We had our ultrasound yesterday and.....

IT'S A........

BOY

"No pictures please - I'm sleeping"

(Gabe on his one week birthday)

The ultrasound was wondrous.  Incredible.  Literally breath-taking.  You would think these things would get old.  Not even close.  

We saw his eyelids.  Yes, eyelids.  And his eye lens.

The doc turned on the infa-red and we saw our baby boy being nourished --by moi -- through his umbilical cord. 

And his kidneys eliminating waste.

He tucked up his legs -- under his cute little behind -- criss cross, apple sauce.

We saw him swallow.

At 7 inches in length and a mere 9 ounces (see your cell phone for comparison), our son has every organ and body part working in perfect order.

Isn't our Creator amazing?

Honduras - Part 3

This little guy is helping my brother, Kathan mix cement.  He was my little buddy.  

One day he helped me pick up all the trash around the new school.  It was hot in the sun yet he persisted the entire time.  We probably picked up 20 bags of trash.....more 2 liters of coke than I had ever seen in one place....hundreds of them.  It literally made me sick.  

(the men drink the 2 liters as if it is water - it is very cheap in Honduras)

Alphabet Song

We interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you Gabe saying his ABC's.

(anyone else hear an "elbow" in there?)

Honduras - Part 2

So, it seems that an in-depth blog on the trip is looking bleak. 

I'm spending all my time leisurely reading books with my feet up  getting back into something that resembles a routine.

Plan B is to post a few pictures every day or so explaining more about the mission.

We worked with Schools for Children of the World.  They build and renovate schools in the Honduras area.  

Here is the community center where more than 350 (!) children attend school in one room.  The room is partitioned (if you can call it that) into 3 sections.  

(warning:  building does not appear smaller in photo)

Here is one of the sweet, sweet girls that attend the school.  She walked down every day to ask when the new school would be open.  

She inspired us to work even harder....I mean, who could possibly resist this adorable face?

Home from Honduras!

Home again.  Home again.

I will definitely be blogging about my Honduras missions trip.....just as soon as I make my way through the laundry.

In the meantime, I had to give you a quick preview of a little bebe I fell in love with.  Tell me you don't want to squeeze her cheeks?  (I might have actually done just that)

She was hanging out with her big sis at one of the schools we worked at.  Isn't that the coolest? 

Throwback Friday

Oh my.  This is not what it seems.  Ok, maybe it is.  Madeline might have Gabriel in her Moses basket....intended for baby dolls.  

(before you call child services, please know that she was being closely monitored)

Friendly Mom Tips

Time for another edition of Friendly Mom Tips.  Its been awhile since the last edition.

I just feel its important not to keep all this good, helpful knowledge to myself, ya know?  

Its not that I have any personal experience with any of this.  I hear these things, around town, and just want to make sure you know what you're doing.  I'm fine.  Completely.

Do Not... (or so I've heard) continue to change your son's diaper when he has "the look" and you are pretty sure he is relieving himself.  I mean, even though he might not be, and you really have to get back to what you were doing (whatever that was), don't go there.  It might end up messy.  Pun intended.  Strap on some flippin' patience Hang tight and wait it out.  Its all about timing.

Do Not... smile sweetly as you listen to your husband asking about the bath towels, hearing only every few words (car, dirty, gross) and respond, "I'm sure its fine", and then be amazed later when you towel off with a nasty, old, car wash towel.  He tried to warn you.

I'm sure if you were to do this (which you wouldn't right?), it would be because it was very early when he told you the towels might not be the "right ones"....and you were in an insomnia-induced coma when you later showered off with dirty, stained-up, car wash towel.

Do Not... decide to finally join Crackbook Facebook when you are about to head out of the country on a missions trip.  Honestly, don't you have enough to do already?  And definitely don't have alerts sent to your email when you own a Mac that dings every time you receive a message....sending you flying from any spot in the house to the office to see what's happening in everyone else's world.  That is pure addiction, my friends, and I'm sure there is a group out there for you.  

And finally, Do Not... (and this one is worth repeating!) do not try to sleep through 70 mph winds with shingles flying off your roof and down the street.  If it sounds like you are being attacked by Al-Qaeda and it continues on for more than 2 hours....it is not going to "die down anytime now." Don't be naive.  Take your entire gaggle down to the basement and fight the real war...which means settling everyone down and convincing them this is a planned family camp out.

Thanks, once again, to all my friends for passing on these very helpful tips.  If you have any to pass along, feel free.

Snail Mail

One of Madeline's English projects was to compose and mail a letter to someone.  She wanted to complete this task completely on her own so I never saw the letter.....or knew it was for moi.

This is what I received in the mailbox today:

(my address)

(date)

Dear Mom,

I know how much you work.  Thanks for that.  I love you, your the best Mom ever.  I've never seen a better Mom than you.  I love you.

Senseerily,

Madeline

Ugly cry, Anyone?

Clean-up on Aisle 10

The girls spilt some yogurt during the lunch hour.  Oopsy.
Hmmm.  Let's see.  We could grab one of Mom's kitchen towels to clean it up.  Or, we could just have Gabe lick it up....canine-style.

Who needs a dog?