Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

HappyValentinesDay

"The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song."
Psalm 28:7


Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Big Achievements In One Week!!!

Lots of WONDERFUL things happened between you boys in the past week!!! Nathaniel, you began the days of milestones as I was tucking you into bed Thursday night, February 3rd. After we had read a bedtime story, I turned out the lights... little did I know how you would warm my heart... After I said "goodnight", you responded by saying "cheek", I was a bit puzzled, again you repeated "cheek, Mommy" I leaned down and you planted a sweet, wet Nathaniel kiss on my cheek, and if that wasn't enough to melt me, as I was standing up you said "other one".... each cheek had blessings of love from my little boy : ) I LOVE YOU Nathaniel! Ben, you were the next to surprise me, and it did not take more than 14 hours. Friday morning, Daddy and I all got up early, Ben you and Nathaniel stayed sleeping until about 9am. I could hear you over the monitor talking and playing in your crib and getting so excited!!! Little did I know what ALL of the excitement was about! As I walked into your room... There you were STANDING on your own holding onto the side of the crib squealing for JOY! I don't blame you - this is just the beginning little one of seeing and experiencing our world in the way it was meant to be - GOOD JOB!!! (you have, in the past week, been pulling yourself up on everything!) Saturday, February 5th was a fun day, We went to the park as a family and then came home for cake and ice-cream, fun! Nathaniel, you are getting SO independent on playgrounds now - going down slides, climbing, and doing your own thing! Ben, oh how you loved the swings!! Your smile and giggles seemed to light-up the sky as the twilight fell. We are truly blessed to have each of you!!! Sunday morning Dad and I were in your Sunday School class Nathaniel, what a busy time we had! You are such a great helper and listener, it was fun to see you play with your friends Jackson, Caleb, Jason, Emily and Mikayla. You are GREAT at doing puzzles and loved playing with the cars and trucks! After lunch and long naps, and P,B & J sandwiches (I know, Daddy already ragged me for NOT having Super Bowl food like Nachos!!!) Anyway, we watched some of the Super Bowl XXXIX, congrats to the New England Patriots for a 24-21 victory over the Eagles, their 3rd Super Bowl Championship! (just so you know - the Super Bowl is ALL about the commercials - and Paul McCartney playing the Half-time show) It must have been the Super Bowl win that Ben was waiting for... 'cause after the night of the Big Game... after NEARLY 10 months... BEN, YOU ARE FINALLY SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! (talk about big achievements in 'Babyhood') All Mommy and Daddy have to say to that is WHOO-HOO!!! Monday, Feb. 7th turned out to be a GORGEOUS DAY, we spent much of the day outside playing, I got some video tape of Ben crawling, you don't like crawling as much on the concrete as you do in the house Ben : ) You are getting SO much better at getting around! It won't be long before your running about with your brother!!! Finally, my last entry for your week of achievements will end with yesterday's accomplishment by Nathaniel. It was just after breakfast, we all went upstairs so you boys could bathe... before your bath Nathaniel, you tried the potty and actually went!!! YEA!!! We had tried it many times before - but I don't believe you understood the concept. I am so proud of you!!! Whoo-hoo!!! KUDOS!!! This is the beginning of a good thing : ) ! Well, today is a very busy day, we have to leave for Bible Study (The Amazing Collection - a woman's walk through the Bible) in one hour. then we might go by the Thrift Store, and this afternoon, we will be visiting Mommy's friend Katie and your friends Gabe and Caleb and their new little brother, Micah (born Sunday). Aunt Sylvie is bringing them dinner and we are meeting her there. On with our day!!! I shall write more later... Love, Mom xoxo

Nice photos

HI -- from Aunt Joyce -- great photos -- fun to finally get on!

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

New Year Photos!!!

mom-nath-snowdad-nath-snow
We survived the GREAT ICE STORM OF 2005 IN ATLANTA, GA...

2boys-firetruck
The common bond among boys.

nath-ben-bath
This one is for the future.... :)

smiles&chocolate
Apparently Nathaniel heard the ever so quiet calling of brownies ...

watchinTrains
Nathaniel plays with the crowd. He lined them up to watch the train.

GO-GO-GO


GO-GO-GO, originally uploaded by totblogs.

This is for our WONDERFUL CHILDREN.... may it always bring you happy memories of your childhood!!! -- Love Mom and Dad

Hard Work..

The hardest thing about work is leaving the house. I am not just talking about cold mornings and warm covers or the bleary eyed sun rise that follows a late night. Circumstances generally govern the hours prior to my commute with a cold iron fist. But as with every new beginning there is always a warm ray of hope. In our home it is a toasty little hug that pads it's way up to the bed and gleefully interrupts my prolonged conversation with the alarm clock. Wrapped up in fuzzy warm fleece a slightly tilted smile greets me through the gloom with that cherished word "Daddy". Bed head never seems to bother my little ray of hope nor does what some politely call "kitten breath". He just scrambles up in to the bed with Janice and I all laughter and question and cold feet. Tremors of movement toss the covers as we try to avoid swinging arms and legs and more importantly the ice cubes attached to them. A moment of rest before the big question comes up "Juice?" or ever more pressing "Ovaltine!?". With that the morning begins and razor, soap and a plastic blue comb make short work of my night's repose followed by lumbering limbs filling up the work clothes which continue to get smaller as the years pass. Down the stairs I go greeted by padded feet that thump around the kitchen making requests and statements all the while "Dump truck!!!", "Daddy - Mommy!, "Ben?" and "Juice!!". My lunch comes together under Janice's faithful hands. A little plastic container of last nights spaghetti and meat balls, an apple sliced small, some coffee cake from Sunday and a blue frozen ice pack all zipped up in my lunch box. As my breakfast slips away the news tugs at the morning blues but my little ray of hope pushes it back with a grin. Time to leave. The coming day rushes over me as I head for the door but so does a fleece filled hug. I stood at the door today and the hug started at the other end of the hall - arms out stretched ready for take off. A big hug, then another and another and the last one saved for coming home.

Work, as defined by Webster, should really start it's description with waking up but currently does not even mention the morning hours much less the energy expended when turning off the alarm clock. But the hard part about work is not really what you do rather it is what you leave to get it done. My beautiful bride and the fuzzy pajama-ed little boy waving at me as I back away from the house make those allotted sick days look a lot like potential vacation days. Fortunately hope is not restricted to the morning but rather it pads it's way through the day finally separating the window blinds shouting "DADDY!". Then there's that hug for coming home.

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

February 1st 2005

It is quiet here at home. You boys have worn yourselves out!!! (not to mention me - mom) We had a very busy day, first we paid rent, then we went to Life Grocery to get some vitamins and kids crackers, next, we went to the Bank to deposit the check Grandpa Dale gave to me to reimberse Nathaniel's 2nd B-Day train ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, also money from AirTran to pay for Ben's damaged carseat (we got you a nice new toddler one), and a check from Katie Hatzadakis for Carter's clothes (a year late depositing). We then dropped off Dad's scanner at Bibles for Missions Thrift Store (...and shopped a little too!). We stopped by Blockbuster to clear-up confusion on the movie I-Robot we dropped off and they lost... Then off to Devon storage to drop off rent and to Kroger to buy MUCH WANTED OVALTINE for Nathaniel. It has been a GREAT day - a very busy one indeed! Nathaniel had a bath before bed and Ben went to bed at 7 exhausted!!! It is 10:17 and Daddy is STILL at work - working on Missionary Convention programs for Marietta Alliance Church. He is a hard worker - much like you boys when you play!!! Before bed, Ben, you pulled yourself up to your knees on the laundry basket - good job!!! Nathaniel, you had fun flying your airplane infront of the flashlight so the shadow ran across the ceiling. Tomorrow is another big day - I'm off to do my Homework for Bible Study tomorrow (The Amazing Collection - a women's walk throgh the Bible) I LOVE YOU BOYS!!! xoxoxo