One Tough Chica

On Saturday, our family participated in the River Run for Orphans. It is a run that brings together people from all different churches to raise money for orphans around the world. Runners and walkers gather pledges from friends, family, and others, then walk or run a 5K course along the River Trail here in beautiful Colorado.

Jerome ran last year, and gathered pledges to run again this year. Feeling a little under the weather lately, I opted to be a course marshall with the kiddos. Pushing a double jogger 3.2 miles with an extra 60 lbs of kiddo did not exactly appeal to me. Although there were many tough individuals that did run the race with kiddos. They are so much tougher than me...

Before the "real" race, there is a kids 1-mile fun run. About 5 minutes before the start, Katrina decided she wanted to run. Good thing we put her tennies on her this morning. She was very excited to put her little number on her belly, and lined up at the start with Daddy.

She ran/walked the ENTIRE 1 mile course. I wasn't sure she'd last one lap, let alone 4. When she was done, they gave all the kiddos medals. She (according to the paper) came in 22nd, but definitely was first in her own mind.

When Madi saw big sis finishing the race, she decided she wanted in. So, she ran the last 30 yards to the finish line, collected a medal, then ran back to me. She also decided that she came in first. Didn't know we had a tie, but ok!

Violet got to spend most of the morning with one of her new favorite people, Miss Kayla. Kayla is the daughter of our new Pastors of Student Ministries, and an absolute joy.

After the kids race, the girls and I positioned ourselves on the course to cheer them on an make sure no one fell in the river. We all did our jobs marvelously, I might add. But, you can imagine my surprise when I got to work this morning to discover this wonderful article in our local paper about the race, featuring this lovely photo of my speed demon husband.

Yes, there he is on the right, starting the course. He's so cute. No, they don't give out medals to the big kids. Jerome was disappointed, but he took it well. The girls slept with theirs, and wore them all day Saturday. What a great morning raising money for a wonderful cause!

Thankful Thursday...yes, I'm still here

It has been so long since I've written a post. My life has been so busy lately. I'm working full time, then I come home, fix dinner, hang out with the kiddos, put them to bed, study for an hour, then drop into bed exhausted. I'm studying for my life & health license for work. Not that I want to, mind you. But it was "highly suggested", which translates to "DO IT".


So every night, about 8:30, I curl up on the couch with Jerome's laptop and immerse myself in the exciting world of life and health insurance underwriting guidelines. I know, you're all jealous. Your day seems so dull in comparison to my glamorous life. But really, ladies, I'm just like you.


Anyways...


So, I've been studying. And studying some more. And then, just for something different, I study from the book. I cannot wait for this test to be over. I like having my evenings. I like being able to chill on the couch with my hubby, maybe watch something on tv, maybe do a little horticultural work on my FB farm (darn you Sommer & Billy, for getting me hooked). Blog. But I know this is good for me. In the "a root canal is good for you" kind of way, but still good.


What in the world does this rant have to do with Thankful Thursday, you might ask? Honestly, I don't know. But, I do know that I am thankful for the peace that surpasses all understanding. Even though my days have been literally filled to the gills lately, I am peaceful. I am joyful. I am content. And it feels good.


I promise, I will get back to the blog updates. Our kids do so many weird and funny things, I can't not write them down. But, for now, it's back to studying. At least tonight is home group night - an awesome bunch of people, some sugar-free dessert (don't even get me going on this Healthy Challenge I got suckered into), and some good time to dig into God's thoughts. Gotta love it!

Thankful Thursday: God is Faithful

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" (NIV).


"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Genesis 50:20, NIV).


I SURRENDER ALL
Words by: J.W. Van Deventer and Music by: W.S. Weeden
All to Jesus, I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee,
my blessed Savior
I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now

All to Jesus, I surrender
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
Let me feel the Holy Spirit
Truly know that Thou art mine

All to Jesus, I surrender
Lord, I give myself to Thee
Fill me with Thy love and power
Let Thy blessing fall on me

All to Jesus I surrender
Now I feel the sacred flame
O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!



* Just a couple of thoughts I've been pondering lately.

Thankful Thursday ... Madison Lollipop Sucker

On July 27, 2007, our darling Madison Lily entered the world. She was born two weeks before her due date, and a week before our scheduled c-section date. I should have known then that this little girl had a mind of her own!

My contractions started in the middle of the afternoon, and by evening we knew we needed to head in. At the hospital, the doctor (who in my opinion did not want to come in and do a c-section at night) gave me some medicine to stop the contractions and sent us home around midnight. Well, the medicine worked until about 5 AM. The contractions came roaring back, and we were at the doctor's office at 9, and checking into the maternity ward by 10. Madi was delivered, uneventfully, around 12:30. And we were smitten.

I wish I had newborn pictures of her to show you, but unfortunately my evil computer downstairs is not allowing me to email pictures, burn a CD of pictures, or copy pictures to a flash drive. Yes, I've tried them all. The evil computer does not like me. But I digress..

I joke that if I would have had Madison first, I would have stopped. She screamed for literally the first two weeks of her life. I had MAJOR breastfeeding issues, and struggled with depression to boot. And, yet, I could still look at that sweet little cherub face and fall in love all over again. I think I learned a lot about how much God loves her during those first few months. God loves me, too, no matter what. And I adore this beautiful princess, no matter what.

Here she is in Paris last January with her daddy. She was such a trooper on that trip, battling jet lag and crazy parents who drug her around a strange city every day for two weeks.

She hadn't yet taken her first steps by the time we took that trip, but she did figure out that she could reach and play the piano in the apartment. And, true to Madi's nature, she preferred to do it half naked.

That trip (Yes, we took a 4 year old, a 1 1/2 year old, and a newborn. Yes, we're crazy.) was also our girls' first experience at Disneyland. We, of course, had to buy the ears. And isn't Tigger appropriate for her?

Nowadays, she models the same ears with her adored sister Violet.

Pigtails have always been my hairstyle of choice for Madison. They just reflect her spunky, ornery personality so well, don't you think?

Now that she's a big girl (in her eyes) she can often be found hanging around my parents' ranch...

... dressing up as the cutest sheep EVER (thanks again Jill for the beautiful pic)...

... or just hanging out with her sisters, waiting for a bath.

Madison is truly a gift from God. She is a three-year-old version of me, which my mom loves. She is stubborn, confident, joyous, hilarious, discerning, and truthful to a fault. She will not hesitate to express her opinion, but is learning to submit her VERY strong will to ours (yes, Dr. Dobson is my best friend right now). She is the sweetest big sister, and the orneriest little sister. She is fiercely loyal and protective of those she loves. And, those she loves, she loves deeply. She is also becoming much more expressive in her love for us, which just melts our hearts.

We joke that Madison will rule something someday. Whether it's a company, a country, or the world, we don't know. By the way, if someday, on the news, you hear that she really has taken over a country, please don't call us. We probably already know. But she is so strong, and so confident, that I know God will take her amazing places through leadership.

It's so hard to be three. You're a big girl and a little girl, all in one package. But Madison loves every minute. Well, most minutes.

My darling Madi, I love you more that I could ever possibly express in words. My prayer is that you will grow to trust your Daddy unfailingly. That you would follow His leading and His will. I know you will accomplish great things. My prayer is that those things are for His glory. You are so many different things, all in one toe-haired spunky package. Thank you for being such a darling little blessing in our lives. You are truly a gift from God. I love you baby!

P.S. In case you didn't know, Madison Lollipop Sucker was the name Katrina told the nurses right after Madi was born. It stuck.

Hair Cuts!

We (the girls) desperately needed hair cuts. It had been far, far too long. I can kind of trim bangs. Ok, I can't really trim bangs. I just pretend, and hope for the best. The girls are only 5, 3, and 1, and they've already had some pretty special Mommy cuts. They need Miss Ronda.

Miss Ronda has cut my hair since I was 5, and she is the only person who has cut the girls hair. Yes, I know we're spoiled. I've already told her that she's never allowed to retire. Ever.

So, we all needed cuts. Katrina went first. She is totally girly, and really starting to get into the primping thing. So she loves that Miss Ronda has long nails, and rubs her head. I think Katrina even started to fall asleep at one point. But, point a camera her direction, and she's all grins.

Her hair turned out really cute. We had to compromise between her idea (at her ears) and mine (below her shoulders). It's a good thing Ronda knows how to negotiate.

It ended up being a little longer in the back than we were both expecting, but Ronda thinned her hair quite a bit, so I think it will be ok.

Next was Madison's turn. Madison LOVES sitting in Miss Ronda's chair. She absolutely does whatever Ronda asks, is totally patient, and doesn't even whine. I know, I know - who is this child and what has she done with Madison. I've personally threatened to take Ronda home with us.

Madi thinks Ronda is just about the funniest thing in the world. She was talking up a storm, telling her all about her little life. Of course then I had to translate, but that's ok. It was fun to watch.

Do you see how still and obediently she is sitting? Does she do this when Mom is cutting her bangs at home? Noooo, of course not. At home it's a roping competition at the rodeo. At Ronda's - perfect obedience.

And I got my hair cut too. You can see my new hair cut (my dad is calling me Shorty now) in my profile pic. And what, you may ask, were Jerome and Violet doing? Well, Jerome was catching up on his celebrity gossip...

Actually, I have to give my hubby huge props. He sat through the entire almost 3 hours and patiently attended to the girls with me. There is no way I would have been able to do it without him there.

Violet tried to steal the show...

... sat on the patio with Madi...

...climbed on...

... sat on ...

... and climbed off the bench many times ...

... and tried to steal Miss Ronda's candy.

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite

Every year, on July 14th, the French celebrate Bastille Day. It is their independence day, marking the day that the Bastille Prison in Paris was overrun by revolutionaries in 1789. It signaled the start of their Revolution, echoing the sentiments held by the newly-formed United States. Now, all that marks the location of the Bastille Prison is the Colonne de Juillet, seen below:

In Durango, there is no better place to celebrate La Fete Nationale than at my in-laws bakery. Every year, J-P goes nuts for the few weeks before July 14, ordering massive amounts of food, and generally running around like a chicken with his head cut off.

Not that this is different from any other day, but I digress...

Anyone and everyone is invited - and if you've come once, you're invited for life. There is always plenty of food...

... but you must be willing to let go of your gastronomical predispositions. There are escargots (snails), fois gras (duck liver pate), rochfort and brie (cheese - stinky cheese), and plenty of desserts. The girls were very brave and tried everything this year - I think Madison ate more escargots than her Pepe!

Years ago, food preparation for the party was a family affair, literally. It used to take all of us the better part of two full days to have everything prepared, and most years we still weren't ready when people started showing up. Now, J-P has gotten smart and had his staff prepare everything. They also staff the event, refilling the food trays and pouring beverages. We (especially my mom-in-law) can all enjoy the festivities a little easier now.









Violet, of course, ate bread.







This is our friends Chelsea & Pete's son Josiah. He came, didn't care much for the crowds, but fell in love with J-P's new delivery truck. So he sat in it for the better part of the evening.








And Josiah's dad Pete, auditioning for the new J-P spokesman model role.








Here are Kim & Phil Farrington, dear family friends and baker/cake decorator (Kim) and handyman (Phil) extraordinaire, enjoying the chairs under the canopy. It took us ten years, but we finally figured out that renting chairs and canopies was a smart idea.

Katrina and Celine took a little break from running around with the rest of the kids.

And Madison showing off her favorite part of the evening - dessert!






J-P does this really neat trick where he removes the cork from a champagne bottle with a sword. Well, usually it's really neat. This year, someone had stolen his good sword. I know, I know. Only my dad-in-law has more than one sword in the house. But, really - who steals a sword? Probably the same people who stole his truck. Did I forget to mention that? Someone (we think ex-employees who were politely told to not return to work) stole the orange-sherbert colored van, never to return. We suspect that the van is somewhere in Mexico in bits and pieces. But I digress.


J-P's bottle opening trick was a bit trickier this year, as the above-mentioned replacement sword was not nearly as sharp as the usual blade. But, he is a stubborn man, and eventually beat the bottle.

It really was a wonderful party, and one I am (weird to say) starting to actually look forward to each year. There are a lot of really neat people that we just don't get to see that often. And, if you're interested, the party actually made the Herald. No, not the police blotter. Although that has happened before. But not this year. No, there is a lovely photo and write up here if you would care to read a guest's perspective.

Only My Children

Today is Madison's third birthday. Brilliant Mommy scheduled a doctor's appointment for both Madison and Violet for first thing this morning. Please understand, I didn't think she was going to get a shot.


Madi LOVES Dr. McGrath, and was so excited to get to go. Violet just kept saying, "dcter", having no real idea what a "dcter" is. Well, we got to the dr's office, only to realize that our appointment was in their new satellite office 10 minutes away. As I tried to hurry up and get them to the other office, Madison thought we were leaving without seeing Dr. McGrath, and promptly started crying. She got better when she realized that he was playing hide and seek, and we were it (oh, the things you come up with).


Well, we got to the new office, got a drink out of the fountain (always exciting in our world) and went back to the room. This is where Madison the fearless turned into Madison the giant chicken. Violet had to go first on EVERYTHING. Height, weight, head measurements, the works. Luckily, they've stopped measuring Madi's head. Don't need to cause the poor girl any more trauma than necessary.


We got the measurements done, then Dr. McGrath came in. Violet suddenly remembered that the last time someone put a stethoscope to her chest, she spent two days getting poked in the hospital. She cried. That made Madison cry. Poor McGrath did the exam as fast as possible - he hates being the meanie. Then he quickly exited the room before the nurses and needles came.


We decided to "shoot" Madi first since there is the distinct possibility that she will pass out. But she didn't! She was very brave, only cried a little, then was ok. She only got one shot. Violet was next, and the poor girl got four. But, she was very brave too, and got over it quickly. We gathered our stickers from the amazing Miss Laura, nurse and friend extraordinaire, and headed to the car.


In the car, Madi realized that Violet had four band aids and she only had one. And she got mad. Seriously? She pitched a hissy because of it. Then Violet, just to be a stinker, decided that the band aids looked better on her forehead than her legs. So she put them there. And grinned and giggled the entire time Madi cried over not having as many band aids.


Sigh


Only my children...