Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Love it...head to toe

The photo is of terrible quality but I had to make this a permanent part of our written family history.


I adore your choice of dress because its yours.  Uniquely Addy. 

Mom is so proud of you Addy for being such a smart and independent little soul.  Your ability to be comfortable in all settings , being just you, is something most of us are still striving to be able to do as adults.  Your Mom included. You are a tiny little inspiration and I hope you keep this beautiful side and enjoy life always like a fearless little child. 
I love you more today than yesterday and most surely even more deeply tomorrow.   You are a precious gift.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Hurting ears and aching hearts

Addison screamed bloody murder last night when I removed her shirt before bed to put her pj's on.  The darn ears.....second time this year.  Her first year of life was riddled with infections and I mean twice a month.  It was ridiculously horrible to watch her go through that.  Eventually the doctor put in tubes.  We didn't want intervention but were afraid that she would wind up with permanent hearing damage so we just went ahead and had it done around her first birthday.  After that....not one.  Until a few months ago. 

The appointment went great . Way better than expected.  During the  previous one they had to flush her ears ( while she had a painful double infection)....biting , hitting, crying, pleading, frustrated nurses, soaking wet Mom. That day was NOT a good time. Anyways, she does have an infection but the nurse and doctors were very aware of how traumatized she is when it comes to people near her ears and approached everything gently.  My Addy was cautiously brave.  

On our way to back from the pediatrician  we swung by the Elliot because my doctor had ordered some lab work ( that's another story).  On our way we drove by a homeless man. He stood by the side of the road with a sign that read, "Just plain hungry and homeless." I could see her face in the rear view mirror and because her mind and heart often battle the same way mine does, I knew she was going to have a hard time swallowing the idea and moving on. Its like a disease this over productive worry that stirs....Addy started the questions and I had to tell her the truth of how sad some things are .I felt so bad for her . How do you explain to a little child that we are just going to drive by someone in need but then expect our children to grow  to have a servants heart? Would I not expect her to end up hardening to the horrors around us? They do not give a manual for this kind of stuff.  Someone has got to do it because I m no good here. 

She was trying to find a way to fix the situation. 

"Call Daddy and tell him we need to buy him a new house'.....(like a punch to the gut)

Maybe if I invite him to my birthday party he will have friends!" ....(if only it were that easy)

" Maybe we can go to Walmart and buy him a pillow and blanket so he can get comfy cozy in the woods." ....( I couldn't go there in my mind)

This went on for a while. After all of our appointments were done the questions and suggestions started once again.  She made me pull over and shop for food so he wouldn't be hungry. Grabbed a little carrier and let her load it up .  Bread, peanut butter, grape jelly, pop top veggies, m&m brownie, crackers, peanuts, bananas, ginger ale.....just let her do her thing. Who knows where he would put all this or if he even wanted it, but I wasn't going to put my grown up reason into anything. She was making a difference.  One most of us don't because we think  that we cant do something huge so we don't do anything at all.  You know what though....nothing gets better because the 500 people after us are thinking the same thing.  

Watching her tiny hands load up all these things reminded me that size and age has little to do with your ability to have compassion or your ability to do right. If she hadn't been with me, who knows what I would have done.  I would have wanted to fix this problem, desperately wanted to make this right but I would have felt like I couldn't do enough...so why try?  

This day  .....I didn't feel God pulling on MY heart, I heard Him through my daughters. She finished loading up the box, I paid, and we delivered. She stayed in the car for obvious reasons....he was still a stranger. She watched out the window with a huge grin. I handed the bag to him and explained they were from my daughter ( waving at the window).  Luckily I had a mini Book of John with me ( yes, I am THAT lady) and I was able to share the word of God with him.  Before I walked back to the van I told him that I was so very sorry for the situation he found himself in, that I wished I could do more but that I would pray for him.  He smiled and was grateful.  I will never forget it.  I am going to be looking at a lot of things differently now.  I am going to do the little things and I'm going to encourage everyone to.  I'm going to let my kids teach me sometimes. 





"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"
1 John 3:17


Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Congratulations to the Alajajians!

This past Sunday Melissa and Andrew tied the knot.  We were so honored to be a part of such a special celebration. We look forward to making many more memories in the many many years of friendship to come.

   The day was probably the most gorgeous weather day of the year to       date....you just couldn't have asked for a better day!  All around a very memorable one.
( AND we got to enjoy it with hands free for food and dancing while the boys had a super fun day with Nana and Grampa).

 
 The cutest ring bearer and flower girl ever.  Nathan and Addy met one morning,who knows when, at church school.  Instant friends.Our friendship with Drew and Melissa began shortly after.Instant friends as well.
This is them when they first met up in the parking lot that morning before the ceremony began. They were slamming down as many Honey Nut Cheerios as possible.
They ran wild for a while before I was able to get them to slow down long enough to practice their big entry one more time.
Addy and Mommy.  All dressed up and ready to roll.  Daddy got My outfit together and I must say he did a great job.  He even bought the comfortable underwear that I was wearing.  Now THAT is a keeper.
 Cutting the cake.  It was as delicious as it was classy and beautiful. YUM!
We had such a fun time on this awesomely beautiful occasion.  Simply perfect and the Mile Away puts on an extraordinary reception.  Tasty dinner, a great time with the best of friends and dancing. 
After a hard night of dancing and partying Addy had to break for the treat of all treats.

We , unfortunately , do not have any more pictures of this event and are sad.  We forgot to charge the camera and were so bummed to not capture all the greatness we experienced.
 
Congratulations friends, may God continue to walk this journey with you, carry you when think you just cant, and always be the center of all that you do.  

We love you three and are looking forward to the rest of the story.

Love suffers long, and is kind; love does not envy; love does not promote itself, is not puffed up, does not behave badly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

One More for the Team.

A huge congratulations to our George.  
He has made the team......
 
 .......The toothy grin team!!
You cannot see them in the photo but they are there.  Trust me....I have felt it....and so has Addy, Daddy, Papa and Drew.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? 
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. 
1 Corinthians 6:19-20