Aaron & Jen, Kayla, Madeline, Savannah, Sophia
Spring came early this year, so we’ve had plenty of time to play outside. Just wanted to share some pictures:
A trip to the Frederik Meijer Gardens complements of Uncle Joel and Aunt Emily
Swimming outside on March 14
Other photos at home
A downtown adventure on a windy day
At the John Ball Zoo
Easter
Yesterday we celebrated the birthday of Sweet Madeline. She’s six years old now and turning into such a lovely little lady. Here are the photos from Madeline’s special day:
First smile of the morning (We had to wait a few minutes for this. Even a birthday girl can wake up a tad grumpy.)
The requested birthday breakfast–Monkey Bread
One happy sister!
Getting flowers from Daddy
The cake Grandma made
At the table for dinner. The pizzas were still in the kitchen. I made a pepperoni & ham pizza, a barbecued chicken pizza and a Mexican cornbread pizza.
Grandma Mayes and the birthday girl
Madeline & Mommy
The cupcakes I made
The Tinkerbell cake
Blowing out the candles
Madeline & Grandma & the Build-A-Bear “fox”
Madeline’s new monkey and ballet skirt
Can you count how many different outfits Madeline wore on her birthday? Two additional outfits weren’t pictured: a fancy dress-up dress and her pajamas. Madeline loves to change clothes!
77 degrees and sunny makes for a beautiful St. Patrick’s Day! The weather has been so gorgeous lately, giving us plenty of opportunities to play and read outside. We sat on the deck yesterday afternoon and read the biography of Saint Patrick. Today we played outside and did yard work, with plans to attend the Saturday night service at church. However, our plans changed when our basement flooded. The outside faucet wasn’t working properly, so while we were using the garden hose this morning it was simultaneously flooding our basement. Professionals are here as I write this taking care of the damage. Accidents happen, but thankfully every one is safe and our house is on the mend.
Sweet Savannah celebrated her fourth birthday last Sunday, February 26. She’s such a special, delightful, vibrant daughter who brings so much joy to our lives!
Savannah with the hot chocolate cake she requested (made by me):
And the cake made by Grandma Mayes:
We had a beautiful snow on Friday, which meant a wonderful afternoon playing tag in the yard and making a snowman. Sophie even joined us this time!
Tonight when I was putting Sophia to bed, I discovered her first tooth had come through! She’s changing rapidly these days, saying lots of “mama” and “dada” and sitting independently. We’re so blessed to have her in our lives and never regret for a single moment adding her to our family.
These quotes always encourage me, make me laugh or help me see more clearly.
“Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” –Jim Elliot
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.“ –Jim Elliot
“God waits to be wanted.” –A.W. Tozer
“Refusal to take risks makes for a life of mediocrity at best.“ –Michael LeBoeuf
“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I choose to respond to it.“ –Chuck Swindoll
“Making the decision to have a child–it’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” –Elizabeth Stone
“A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.” –Ogden Nash
“A vacation frequently means that the family goes away for a rest, accompanied by a mother who sees that the others get it.” –Marcelene Cox
“The best inheritance a parent can give to his children is a few minutes of their time each day.” –M. Grundler
“Children need your presence more than your presents.” –Jesse Jackson
“Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.” –William Butler Yeates
“I will get time to rest, time for myself. True, it may not happen for another 18 years, but at least I know the waiting won’t be boring. –Moyra Jean Stiles
Grandma Mayes and Grandma Kerr were correct on the Christmas baby photos! The photos were:
1. Madeline
2. Sophia
3. Savannah
4. Kayla
A few hours after writing the post “What a Night!” Sophia came down with the stomach virus. We had four sick girls at once! Then I came down with it the afternoon of the 2nd. I had a fever and chills and felt very weak, but thankfully I wasn’t throwing up. (A huge blessing, because I almost always catch stomach viruses.) Aaron did 11 loads of laundry in one day, and he really did a fantastic job taking care of us.
This is day #7 for Sophia being sick. The older girls were only sick for about 24 hours, but it seems to be hitting Sophia a lot harder. Based on past experience, I’m pretty sure it’s rotavirus. Tomorrow, hopefully, my baby will be back to her healthy, cheerful self.
Actually it started about 12 hours ago when Kayla first started coming down with the stomach flu. She threw up twice an hour from 3:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Around 11 p.m. Madeline started getting sick, and then Savannah at midnight. Right now Kayla is sleeping on the couch in the family room, which is moved as close to the bathroom as possible. Madeline is in a nest on the hallway floor just outside the bathroom. Savannah is on the kitchen floor with a bucket next to her, and Aaron is asleep on the family room floor.
I’ve been up all night assisting the girls in the bathroom or with the bucket and giving sips of fluids every 10 – 15 minutes. I feel pretty wide awake, but if the vomiting slows down I’m hoping to get some sleep soon. Aaron, I’m sure, will take on whatever duties necessary so I can get some rest. I’m so thankful for his help! We’ve had our share of stomach viruses in the past, but this is the first time we’ve had so many sick all at once. Hopefully the worst part is behind us!
Here are photos of the four girls in the same Christmas dress. Any guesses?
