Wrestling for Chloe

Chloe 'tackles' Claire a LOT. Claire loves to be chased & doesn't mind the initial tackle, but does NOT like when Chloe just lays on her. Honestly, I wouldn't either. Sadly I believe she has learned this unladylike behavior from her sister, Stella, who is the QUEEN of tacklers. Stella tackles everyone & the dog. Sadly I believe Stella has learned her unladylike behavior from . . . Papi. He likes to wrestle & though Abi & Jillian understand more the appropriateness with the littler ones - Stella does not. Until Stella and Chloe learn how to 'release' their victim, I guess I will be doing a lot of rescuing. Maybe I need to teach Claire some karate moves. All for future videos.

Tooth Fairy

Abi you have lost 7 teeth already.  Once you feel a tooth somewhat loose, you begin to 'work' on it.  You ask me to check how loose it is, and to give an estimate of when I can pull it out.  Now, you are the type of girl who screams bloody murder if I need to pull out the smallest splinter from your foot.  But, pulling teeth seems to tap into your courage & you will endure quite a bit of pushing, prodding & pulling to get that stubborn tooth to come out.  I am amazed every time.

Poor Jillian is becoming quite distraught that none of her teeth seem to be loose.  After all she is 5 years old, and these things should be happening . . . right?

Anyway, you were very good about finding an envelope & getting your tooth ready for the Tooth Fairy.  Something has happened with the past 3 or 4 teeth, and you are not as focused on the Tooth Fairy.  So, with this last tooth you asked me if we could put ALL of your past teeth into an envelope (thank goodness I had kept the past 3 teeth) for the Tooth Fairy.  After you placed your teeth in the envelope you looked at me and asked, "Mom is the Tooth Fairy real?"  To which I replied (and I thought quite wisely), 'What do you think, Abi?'  "Well, I think you are the Tooth Fairy."

What could I do but laugh.  You laughed with me, and I asked you if you still wanted to put your envelope with teeth under your pillow.  You said, 'Of course!'  

Sad to say, but the Tooth Fairy was a bit tired last night & completely forgot about all of those teeth.  So today you asked me, 'What happened to the Tooth Fairy last night?  She forgot to get my teeth!'  I replied, 'I guess the Tooth Fairy was tired.  She'll probably come tonight.'  What did you say?

"Mom, you are the tooth fairy - don't forget!'

So, before the tooth fairy forgets again - I have some teeth to get!

Mish Mash on a Sunday

Stella got sick on Friday night - I was NOT going to go into details, but . . . Stella has a habit of crawling in bed with Abi & GiGi. So I woke up to Stella crying, and the first thing I heard when I walked into the room was Abi. 'Stella puked on me a few times.' she said so calmly I almost didn't believe her. Well . . . to cut out a few chunky details, Abi had to change pj's, and I had to wash part of her hair & face. GROSS. I have never seen someone with such a good attitude after being puked on - truly amazing. I hope she got that from her mother. Stella spent the WHOLE day Saturday sleeping & woke up this morning slightly subdued, but definitely back to Stella. Yeah, we 'missed' you girl!

All that lovely info to say that I did not go to church, & stayed home with the younger 3. Now everyone is playing & am sneaking a few moments to post something. I took a fun video of Papi yesterday & when I uploaded it, I found some other fun pics on the camera. So I'll include it all today.

Chloe & Claire are teetering dangerously on the brink of giving up their daytime nap. I am VERY sad about this. Whether they sleep or not, they stay in their room for some . . . quiet time. Though I can hear them giggling, yelling, jumping, and rocking their cribs. Almost every day I go in & this is what I see - pillows, blankets, pacifiers & sometimes clothing on the floor. Lovely. I am thankful you girls have NOT taken off your pampers, and I have to admit that at times hearing you both in there together makes me smile (the smile does fade in the evening when you both are complete cranks though).

These next set of pics will be Jillian's. Jillian, you LOVE to take pics & I always enjoy seeing what has 'caught your eye'. I usually delete most - for various reasons. This day though, you decided to capture your doll house - I thought you'd enjoy these pictures later in life. I have, though, deleted the thousands of pics of people's butts that you think are SO funny. Mommy, especially does not desire this part of her to be . . . documented.

Papi was playing with you girls for a while, and then you went outside to play. He decided to 'watch' you from the floor. I know you may be shocked to hear this, but he fell asleep. Abi, being the caring child she is decided to make Papi as comfy as she could. I think she did a GREAT job. Sweet thing.

Over Christmas, Tia Sarah brought Gingerbread houses for you guys to make. You had a LOT of fun, and ate enough icing to turn your mouths toxic colors - cool!

Abi's friend Haruka came over, and her mom - Kazumi- brought some fun origami for us to make. A Santa & reindeer, and we made a few other fun random things. Alexa was here to help as well. (We'll be writing a post about Alexa soon!)

I received a GREAT devotional for Christmas called, My Utmost For His Highest Journal. It is taken from the bigger devotional of the same name by Oswald Chambers, and basically gives you the Scripture, a 3 sentence summary, and some space to journal. I have enjoyed this time. The other day said this.

'We look for visions from heaven and for earthshaking events to see God's power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we only obey and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that. It is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.' (italics mine)

Girls as I post these pictures & write about life with you girls & Papi, I do realize I see Jesus in the mundane - the glorious mundane. You see girls, Papi and I KNOW that God has guided our family here - to Dublin - for a specific purpose & we are excited to see what God has in store. We have made an active decision - almost daily - to trust God for and with our lives. As we live out that trust we see God very clearly taking care of us - loving us - providing for us - changing us - using us - molding us - guiding us - God is amazing. I am amazed at how God uses the everyday to bless me. I admit that I don't always see it, appreciate it, acknowledge it - but that doesn't negate that He is there blessing me - us. We serve an awesome God, and He will reveal Himself to us - if we let Him.

Wordful Wednesday - The Fisheye

Papi was testing a new camera lens called a 'fisheye'.  He had  lot of fun & got some funny pics. of you girls.




Love it when you all are playing and/or focused on something together.

Go Steelers!!

Girls, today is the perfect day to tell you about where I grew up.  Pennsylvania!  Today is SuperBowl Sunday & the Steelers are playing the Cardinals.  The Half-Time show is playing with Bruce Springsteen singing the hits that we can all sing along to.  The Steelers are leading & it is an exciting game.  And I would bet all 5 of you girls that Pap is watching the game right now.

Pap & Grammy are both from Pennsylvania - outside of Pittsburgh.

Pap went to Temple University in Philadelphia, and Tia Kelly and I both were born there.  I remember going back there in high school, and Grammy showed me where her and Pap had lived. Talk about a rough neighborhood - their apartment looked like a crack house. 

We lived about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is a beautiful city.  I have memories of Three Rivers Stadium, Carnegie Museum, & lots of snow.  Grammy took Kelly and I on the train to go downtown, and I bought my first cassette - The Go-Go's.  Until this point Kelly and I only had records (Michael Jackson's Thriller, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, Pink Floyd & others- holy cow this is the most random selection of music now that I think of it).  I think I can still sing all of the Go-Go's songs, and dance away to We Got The Beat!  Good stuff.

Now that I'm sitting down & writing - a FLOOD of memories is hitting me. So here are some highlights:

-  Living within 1/2 hour of grandparents, uncles & aunts

-  Spending every holiday, b-day, & event with extended family

-  Building a fort under the neighbors tree.  We 'borrowed' Pap's tools & cut a bunch of the branches so that we could play & hide under the tree.  Pap was not happy we forgot to return his tools, and our neighbor was not happy we hacked up her tree.  But boy did Kelly & I have fun!

-  We had an above ground pool that we swam in a TON.  I don't think Kelly and I had cold nerve sensors back then - yowsers - I would NOT be getting in that pool as early as we did as kids.

-  We took many trips with family to Atlantic City in the summer.  I loved the beach, and Nanny loved the Casinos.  Good combo.

-  Kelly and I walked through the woods to the local park for our softball games & practices.  I would NEVER let you do this now.  It is crazy to think of how we 'roamed' at a younger age.  It is slightly sad to think that it is just not safe like that anymore.

-  During softball games when it was Grammy's turn to man the refreshment stand - I ate a pound of shoe string licorice & swedish fish (and I wonder why I have cavities).

- Pap was a football coach & we would go to all of his games.  In the winter Grammy would pack hot chocolate & hot dogs & blankets.

-  We would go to Round Hill Park in the summer to feed the ducks & see the animals.

-  We would go to Round Hill Park in the winter to go sled riding on big inter-tubes.

-  Running behind the neighbor's houses in a few feet of snow to catch the bus.  I was a little late & ran up the road after the bus.  It stopped, and as I climbed the steps I realized that it was the bus for the high school.  The buses were behind schedule b/c of the snow.  How embarrassing!

wow - girls - I have so many more things to share & you guys keep coming out of your room.  You are supposed to be sleeping. ugh.  I will continue a post of PA later - I hope.

Til then:

GO STEELERS!!!!

My Best Girl Friend - Happy Birthday Kelly

Tia Kelly is my best girl friend, and I have known her literally ALL of my life.  She is 14 months older than me, and we have always been close.  Grammy said we would 'talk' to each other while in our cribs.  I could never picture that until Chloe & Claire did the exact same thing night after night.  We always had something to talk about, and we still do.  We always shared a room, and I can honestly count the number of fights we had on one hand.   I have wanted to write to you about Tia Kelly for a while, but since it is her birthday - a perfect time.  Here are some highlights about your Tia.

-  Kelly is trustworthy.  I have always been able to confide in Kelly.  She has never been a gossip, and has always been available to me in whatever time I am going through.  This does not mean that she hasn't held me accountable, counseled, or warned me - all of which I need & cherish - but her love for God & for me is so solid that I can always count her words to be sincere.

-  Kelly has an intimate relationship with God.  Kelly has always had a passionate & sensitive spirit to the Holy Spirit.  Her life is not characterized by complacency, but she always strives to go deeper with God & to develop more of a listening ear to His voice.

- Kelly can take constructive criticism without taking it personally or holding a grudge.  I'm not saying that she enjoys hearing critique, but that she has an amazingly teachable and humble spirit.  She is a risk taker, leader, and an innovator; and yet she accepts criticism knowing that she can grow in depth and knowledge by it.

-  Kelly is a ROCK STAR of an aunt.  She has been there within the first week if not day of each of your births - no matter when or what country.  She has a love for each of you girls (all of her nieces & nephews) that has developed a special and lasting bond.  Plus, she is your ultimate source of fashionable clothes (mommy is hopeless in this area).

-  Kelly is honest, transparent, straight forward, & real. 

-  Almost all of the pics I have with Tia are with you or your cousins. 

- My mind is flooded with tons of memories - from childhood to present.  

Girls, as I think about the relationship I would like for you to have with each other - it is what I have with Kelly.  A sister who loves me, is dependable, active in my life, a Godly woman, and someone who I have a LOT of fun with.  There are so many things I have to work on so that I can model out do as I do.  Well, my relationship with my sister is one thing that I can 100% say, 'do as I do'.  I love Kelly, and feel so blessed that you girls have her for your aunt!

Blessings Tia, we love you!

Your Mother is a Saint

Alright girls, as you have probably have noticed I’m not a frequent writer on this blog (I’m usually the one holding the camera :), but since mommy is speaking at a women's conference in MI and I got to spend this weekend with you I figured I better jot something down.

I know your mom have written endless words describing your growth, laughs, questions and experiences so my focus isn’t going to be on you this time. I want to dedicate these next paragraphs to your mom.

The first thing that you need to know about your mom is that she is my English proofreader. So I apologize in advance for my abuse of this wonderful language of yours. However, beyond any numerical order it needs to be stated that your mom is a saint.

I know that the word saint invokes different feelings, but your mom is a woman who truly loves God, me and you. Your mom is a woman who dreams with the day in which you all will fall in love with your Creator. She talks to me about it. She plans/pushes/suggests traditions in our family in order to have you connected with God.

She watches what, when, how she say things, she tries to give you healthy meals, provide you clean clothes, have a nice house environment, spend dedicated playful time with each of you, assist you with homework, promote Spanish around the house, seek out opportunities for us to have fun “as a family”, get all five of you to church every Sunday, take you to church choir, school presentations, birthday parties, invite your friends over, allow you to try different local sports, play Nintendo wii with you, bath you, cloth you, read you stories and pray with/for you when you are in bed.

You see, right now she is sharing with probably over a hundred young women in Holland, MI. The reality is that every day she does just that with each and every one of you. She gives herself to you and to me on a regular, quiet and powerful way. Yes, I believe your mother is a saint.

Arturo