First Semester Update

Tonight marks the night before the first day of Isaac's second semester of school.  So I feel like I need to write a little about the first semester.  It flew by, I mean really how is it already January?  He had a fantastic first semester!  He did really well, adjusted so quickly, and really seemed to enjoy it!  He bonded so quickly with his teacher, which made such a difference for both of us.  She is amazing...loving, kind, compassionate, but firm and has appropriate expectations for each student.  She is everything I had prayed for in Isaac's teacher.  She sees his heart and understands his needs; she makes me feel like he is safe and well loved while away from me.  I learned something about Isaac through his teacher.  She pointed out that he is a perfectionist, he doesn't want to do something that he knows he might not be able to do right.  I hadn't noticed that too much with him, but once she mentioned it and I thought about it, I could really see it.  I don't think that's necessarily a good or a bad thing, but I've been trying to teach him that it is okay to make mistakes. 

Isaac was a bit nervous at the beginning of the year, but that faded so quickly as he got into the routine.  He is a social boy, loves to be surrounded by others, and is so interested in learning new things.  He has really enjoyed his music class, he comes home singing new songs all the time.  He has really grasped reading and seems to be reading better each day.  He has always had an interest in numbers, and this is something his teacher quickly picked up on...she says he has great number sense.  He seems to like PE a lot, they've learned a variety of sports.  Art is definitely not his favorite, but he does enjoy when they get to paint.  He has had some struggles with kids bothering/picking on him a little.  I don't think they are being mean, just playing with him, but it bothers him and he is too kind/shy to say anything.  After me telling him how to handle it over and over, his teacher had a talk with him, and he seemed to grasp it.  The next time it happened and the child didn't stop after Isaac asking him to, he told the teacher, and the teacher moved the child.  I think once he saw that the teacher would help he felt much better and realized it was okay to ask for help.  He absolutely LOVES to ride the bus, he gets very upset with me when I take him to school in the mornings (which I've only done twice).  Isaac tells us a lot about the other kids, not just how they act, but about who they really are.  He seems to be very interested in people, why they are the way they are, and how they feel.  One day toward the end of the semester I sent him with a new pack of markers for himself, and one to give to his teacher to give to a student that needed them.  I e-mailed his teacher that afternoon to let her know that I sent them.  She said that Isaac had already given them to a classmate that did not have any markers.  This student was new to his class, didn't sit at his table, but he noticed that she didn't have them and so sweetly gave them to her.  My heart filled with joy when I heard this, as teaching him to love and care for others is so important to us. 

Isaac has grown so much this semester; he learned how to be independent and I think learned more about himself.  We are so proud of him, this was a huge step for him, and he has done so well!  I cannot wait to see what this second semester has in store for him!

Christmas 2013

The month of December has continued to be, different, but we still had a great Christmas.  We spent a lot of time leading up to Christmas talking about why we celebrate Christmas, trying to be sure that our hearts were focused on Christ.  One thing we did was read through their Storybook Bible, we read from the beginning of creation all the way through the birth of Christ.  They boys love reading their bibles, and are remembering so much of the things they've learned.  I tried to read only one story a day, but they always wanted to keep going...I'm thankful the Lord has started to stir their hearts and minds to learn more.

We did talk more about Santa this year as well, since the boys are starting to understand that more and of course hear about it from friends.  It was fun to see their excitement build as they believe in the magic of Christmas.  Of course, being the curious and logical boys that they are, they did have a lot of questions, especially Isaac...and some of those questions were tough.

 

Christmas Eve was a quiet day around here, as Hannah was struggling with her RSV.  We had plans to celebrate Christmas at Emmy and Gumby's house that evening, but since Hannah was sick we knew she could not go.  So Hannah and I stayed home, but the guys all headed over there for dinner and fun.  The boys were so excited to start the Christmas celebrations!!!  Unfortunately, Gumby was not feeling well either, so it was definitely a more mellow celebration than normal, but the time with family is cherished.  Hannah had a rough evening, her fever went up and she was very congested, so I gave her a bath, medicine, and lots of love.

 

 

The boys were worn out after the party, but I managed to snap a quick picture before they went to bed.

 

Christmas morning the boys slept in, until 7:15...ha!  I did manage to keep them in their room until 8:00, so Carl and I could get ready, start breakfast, etc.  Once they got up they were full of joy and excitement!  Hannah did sleep in, until almost 9:00 (which is unheard of), so the poor boys had to be very patient!  They were really good though, and thankfully we had new toys from Emmy and Gumby to play with while we waited.  This picture is them with their marble tower, Luke has been wanting this for months after playing with it at a friend's house.  They couldn't wait to get it set up! They played with this for quite some time while waiting for their little sis.

 

Hannah finally made it up!  The boys couldn't wait one more second, so they immediately started with their stockings.

 

Even Tex had a present in his stocking...he was more excited than he appears to be here.  Ha!

 

It was a wonderful morning with our family, the kids enjoyed everything about it, and so did I!  I love seeing their joy as they tear into a present and find something they love! 

We spent the day hanging out and playing with all their new things.  Hannah was still not 100%, but was not running a fever, so that was a blessing!  She took a long nap in the afternoon, and once she woke up we headed to Oma and Opa's house to celebrate with everyone!  Unfortunately I did not take any pictures there, I'm not really sure why not, but it was a fabulous evening with family.  The kids were given some great gifts, all of which they love, and they had a blast playing with their cousins.  I'm so thankful for the time they get to spend with their cousins (on both sides), it's a blessing to see them grow up together.

 

As far as the kids, it was a fantastic Christmas, one I will not soon forget!  There's something so special about experiencing Christmas with little ones.  As I mentioned early, Tom was not doing well on Christmas Eve, so on Christmas Day Aaron took him to Dallas to be evaluated at the hospital.  They admitted him into ICU, which is where he still is today.  It's so hard to be so far away, but he is constantly in our thoughts and prayers.  So although it was not a typical Christmas, and our hearts are heavy, we are thankful for so much...and we know that God is still King, and none of this surprises Him.  We are keeping our eyes on Him, and praying for His strength to carry us through these rough days.

NOT a normal December

This month of December has been an unusual one for us.  It's been full of flu, RSV, lots of coughing, and lots of snotty noses.  It all started just before Thanksgiving when Hannah had a cough, that brought us to the pediatricians office.  It was nothing to worry about, so a little cough medicine was all she needed.  Then the fun began on Thanksgiving when I got sick with what seemed like the flu (probably picked up from the pediatricians office), but I tested negative...I was sick for a few days.  After I got well Carl started to feel bad, but fought it off well...although he was not 100% for about a week.  Once we cleared we thought it was all fine, until Luke started to run a fever.  After a day of that I took him to the doctor, and it was confirmed as flu.  Ugh, not what we wanted.  Thankfully, Tamiflu is amazing medicine, and he was fever free the next day!  It took him a few days to get his energy and stamina back to normal, but overall it was manageable.  The week before Christmas Luke's gymnastics class had a special Christmas day, and he was all alone!  So he had the run of the gym, and he loved every minute of it!

 

 

Luke was well for about a week, and we thought it was all done, so we were able to have a little fun.  We headed to a Christmas Nativity at a friend's church, which was just what we all needed to get our hearts and minds focused on Christ and His birth.

 

That next week, the week before Christmas, Isaac started to complain of a head ache.  He was acting normal, but I started to worry.  The next day he woke up with a fever, and I just knew it was his turn.  As the day wore on his fever and mood got worse, so I took him to the doctor...flu.  No!  Another trip to the pharmacy, another Tamiflu prescription filled and we were on our way.  Again, that stuff is amazing, and Isaac bounced back quickly.  He missed two days of school, but was well enough to go back for the Polar Express pajama day.  His teacher is amazing  and promised to text me if he seemed to not be doing well, so I felt okay sending him.  He told me she asked him a hundred times if he was okay, he was annoyed, but I was so grateful!  What a blessing to have a teacher that truly cares about my boy!

Later that week Luke started coughing a ton and his congestion got worse, then a fever started.  My only thought was, this cannot be happening!  Thankfully, the fever stayed low, and we were able to manage his symptoms at home with some Mucinex.  Unfortunately, we were not able to keep it from spreading...

 

This is Luke's Christmas program at school...he did awesome!!!  Luke sang and did the motions for every song, I was so impressed!  It was a sweet time for us during what had already been a tough month.

 

Me and Luke after his program...love him!!!

 

Since we had weeks of sickness we spent a lot of time at home, and the boys have started to play a lot of trains again!  They worked together to set up tracks, played really well together, in between fights.  ;-)

 

Isaac was well enough to enjoy the last part of the week at school, and it ended with a Christmas party.  Carl was able to keep Hannah for me, so I could go enjoy the time with my big guy.  They had a pizza lunch, decorated a cookie, and made some crafts.  It was a great time!

 

The Sunday before Christmas we celebrated Opa's birthday!  Thankfully we were all well enough to attend, and it was a great day!  These kids LOVE their Opa to the moon and back!

 

Now as I said, Luke's mild sickness that struck before Christmas was not kept to just him...Hannah started coughing and getting congested on Sunday.  By Monday night she was running a fever and not doing well.  Thank goodness her doctor was open on Christmas Eve, so back to the doctor I went.  They did a flu and RSV test, and determined it was RSV.  Ugh!  What luck!  So Hannah and I had a low key Christmas Eve, doing what we could to keep her happy and feeling okay.

 

Like I said, this was not a normal December...we did not get to do many of the Christmas activities we normally enjoy, but we did get a lot of family time, and a great reminder of what really matters.  I'm praying that the new year will bring with it good health and many fun times!

This girl

This girl, she's a mess, she's a firecracker, she's a sweetheart, and a goofball.  We love Miss Hannah so much, she is full of life and full of love...she is a passionate little one.  She loves all things girly...baby dolls, real babies, Minnie Mouse, purses, shoes, and jewelry, but she also has a tom boy side.  She is not hesitant to play with trains and trucks, she is tough and does pretty well keeping up with her big brothers...her current favorite song is "The Wheels on the Bus."  Little Miss is a talker, she is curious, she most know everything.  Many many times a day she comes to me when I'm busy and asks, "Doing?"  As soon as I hang up from a phone call she asks, "Who's that?"  Hannah must know everything!  Haha!  She loves to be silly and make people laugh...just the other day she started imitating her Emmy and the way she says, "Precious."  She has learned this from the boys, and she thinks she's so funny when she says it (and really it is hilarious).  Hannah is quite bossy, she is always telling her brothers or Tex to "Come here!"  She will even boss me around at times, for example, her bed time routine is very consistent, so she will tell me what to do.  "Bow" she says as she takes out her bow and hands it to me.  Then, "Milk please," followed by, "Sit, rock, minute."  If I forget to turn on her monitor (which as lights on it), after laying her down, she will tell me, "Lights, on!"

 

Here are some pictures that show the many sides of our girl...

 

Here she is showing some girlyness, playing in her kitchen with Minnie and Daisy, her phone, teapot, and baby doll.

This is my sassy girl...this picture makes me laugh everytime I see it because boy is she sassy!

Hannah LOVES her daddy!!!

Being silly...these PJs were Isaac's, then Luke's, and now Hannah's and I love them!  She found Isaac's Jake hair and put it on while she walked around saying, "Jake!"  Did I mention how she makes me laugh?

This was after Disney on Ice, we went to help Tante Soo Jin move, and Hannah was exhausted...she climbed up on this cooler on her own and said, "Bed.  Night night."  But with Hannah's busy personality this nap only lasted a few seconds.

Hannah LOVES gymnastics, she will watch it on tv and she will copy her brother's tricks as best as possible.  Many times a day she will get on the floor and start practicing her "Mastics."  Last week while driving Luke to gymnastics I was talking to him about his class, Hannah jumped in the conversation and said, "Love you, mastics."  She hangs on everything she can, and when she sees a bar she can reach she will reach her arms up and say, "Swing!"  She is dying to hang and swing on the shower curtain rod.

Here she is demonstrating her love of her accessories, high heels and a necklace that she found while playing at Emmy and Gumby's.

Hannah is busy, always on the move, so shopping has become a challenge, she will NOT sit in a regular basket any more, I cannot get that belt tight enough to keep her from standing up.  She will stay  in the special baskets like at HEB, but this particular day she was so tired and decided to go night night behind Luke. (notice her shoes on the back of the basket, that's her newest thing...she won't leave them on!)

 

Hannah is proving to be our most challenging toddler, but she also has the biggest personality, which can lead to some great fun and great laughs!  Sometimes you have to get past her throwing herself on the floor tantrums to be able to enjoy her sweet and cuddling moments.

Feast Fun!

This past week the boys both celebrated Thanksgiving at school with a Thanksgiving Feast.  It was a special time to spend sweet moments with the boys and their friends as we think about the things we are most thankful for.

Luke's feast was calm and precious.  It was held in his classroom, so I went early with another mom to set up the table and get the food ready.  Luke did so well, I was nervous how he'd do seeing me there, but he was great!  He saw me in his room, but then he had to leave again, and he did not hesitate.  Whew.  Then they came back to see the feast set up and he was all ready to dig in to the yummy food!  I haven't gotten up to his class often, so I really enjoyed seeing him interacting with his friends.  After they ate they all sang us the cutest song..."Hello, Mr. Turkey."  I remember Isaac singing this song as well, but he was always so shy at school so he didn't sing or do many motions.  Luke had no shyness at all, he sang and danced along with his friends/teachers.  I loved it!!!  I'm so thankful that he has adjusted to school so well, he is truly growing and changing daily!

Isaac's feast was bigger and busier, but still so great!  Some of the other moms and I all got there early to set up their class table in the cafeteria.  We put paper on the table, like a table cloth, then dished out the food.  It was early in the morning, so I wasn't sure much would be eaten, but the kids didn't hesitate to dig in.  They started the feast with a small program, they sang the cutest songs on the stage.  Isaac was so excited about this, he talked about it for days before and sang the songs daily.  His favorite songs are "Just a boy and a girl in a little canoe" and "Three little teepees."  Once on stage he became so shy and nervous.  He did sing, and did do the motions, but with great hesitation.  I'm proud of him though, it was a big group and a big audience, and he did his best!  After singing they sat down to feast, and like I said they did dig in!  Isaac chose his seat based on the cupcake, he wanted orange icing.  No surprise there!  There were a couple of kids absent, so Luke joined in the feast, all he wanted was the cupcake and the popcorn...again no surprise.  Oma was supposed to come babysit Hannah and Luke for me that morning, but the weather got nasty, so she was delayed.  She did make it up to us, but just joined us at the school instead...which was wonderful.  Isaac loved having her there, and Luke and Hannah had a blast joining in the fun.

We have so much to be thankful for this year; it's nice to take some time to reflect on our blessings.

Family Pictures 2013

This boy's smile can light up the world, but sometimes you have to work extra hard to get it...this particular day he was all smiles for us.

Our baby girl, not such a baby any more.

This month Carl and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage, so I wanted to get a picture of that.  :-)

Our 5 year old...he's getting so big!

This one cracks me up, Hannah was not at all sad so I'm not sure why she's making this face.

 

A couple of weeks ago a long time friend took some family pictures of us.  Briana and I have been friends since junior high, and although she lives in San Antonio we try to stay in touch and catch up when they come to town.  Her parents live on a beautiful piece of property in Dobbin, so we headed out there for her to share her talent with us.  I will admit I was very nervous about how it might go, family pictures with three kids ages 5 and under...could get messy.  Thankfully, the kids were so well behaved and cooperated really well with what we asked.  Briana captured some great shots, we will treasure these forever!

Disney on Ice

Last April Kristin and I took the three big kids to Disney on Ice and it was a blast!  When the show came to town again we knew we had to get there.  There's something magical about Disney and the show is incredible.  The kids love seeing the characters sing, dance, skate, and be silly.  The show is filled with characters and stories they know, but there were also a few that they did not know.  That didn't matter, they enjoyed every minute of it!  Luke's favorite part was Goofy, "Because he did silly things!"  Luke did laugh hysterically at Goofy...love that kid and his love for all things silly.  Hannah loved seeing Minnie and Mickey, her face would light up and she got a giant smile on her face every time they came out...she'd yell, "Minnie!!!"  It was precious!  I was very nervous about taking Hannah, but Carl ended up having to work, so I had no choice.  I'm thankful it worked out that way because Hannah did great and really enjoyed herself.  Isaac's favorite part was during a scene from Mulan, I think, they were acting out a war and shot a cannon...he loved that cannon!  It surprised me, but my boy is starting to really like the true boy things, like shooting.  He enjoyed every bit, he was captivated the entire time.  I know I say it all the time, but I'm so thankful for our sweet friends, Kristin and Taylor, and I treasure these precious moments and sweet memories.