Once again, Memphis weather throws us a curveball. Two days ago we were outside in shorts and a tshirt playing in beautiful sunshine. Yesterday, we were drenched with rain. And today, we got snow. More snow than Memphis has seen in quite a while. We probably got about 4 inches or so. We took full advantage of this chance to play in the white fluffy goodness!

We built a snowman...it's an upgrade from last year when we used a cheetoh for his nose. This year we used a real bonafide organic carrot!

Nathan wanted to name him "Mr. Snowman" and Kaleb had the ingenious idea of calling him, "frosty." We never agreed so I guess he remains nameless. Any suggestions?

We made snow angels.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that my child looks completely flat. It's like he's deflated or something. I must get him to teach me this amazing new weight loss trick!

We ate snow. Not any snow. Just the snow that stuck to our gloves.

We posed for pictures. For once, I am NOT behind the camera.

We stared in awe as the tiny little flakes flittered out of the sky

We threw snowballs...lots and lots of snowballs.

We caught snowflakes on our tongues.

And what did sweet little Aubri think of all this....

Well....

Let's just say that it wasn't her cup of tea. Maybe next year?!

A gymnastics kind of birthday

Tonight we had Nathan's birthday party. We had it at the same place as we had it last year....River City Gymnastics. It was so much fun. Nathan had lots of friends join him on his big day.

Those who attended were: Mommy, Daddy, Kaleb, Aubri, Grammy, Grandad, Emma, MaryAnne, Escher, Hayden, Jackson, Luke, Caden, Noah, Devin, AJ, London, and Liam

We jumped on trampolines, dove into foam pits, walked on balance beams, swung on rings, flipped over giant balls, climbed rope walls, ran around, ate pizza, sang Happy Birthday, devoured cupcakes, and opened presents.

Nathan got: A bug vacuum, Batmobile, Madagascar DVD, Aquaman figurine, Spiderman Yatzee, A tub full of Mickey Mouse games, Hot shots basketball, and a remote controlled car that works on land and water.

Not to mention that he got family presents earlier in the day: lawn fishing game (from mommy and daddy), Bibleman DVD and action figures (from Grammy and Grandad), The Mystery Machine (from Little Grandma), Scooby Doo action figures (from Mommy and daddy), money (from Big grandma), and a hockey set (from Uncle Joshie).

What a fun day....no wonder they are sleeping so soundly!

one year down....

...and hopefully many more to go.

I'm referring to the amount of time that has gone by since my dad's seizure. It was last year this time when Josh and my dad came down to celebrate Nathan's birthday. The day before his party we went outside to play. Aubri (just 6 months old) was hungry so I came in to feed her some rice cereal. I plopped down on the living room floor and began to spoon that lovely mess into her tiny....but welcoming...mouth. Josh followed me in to keep me company. Then came my dad. He sat on the couch and we were all watching basketball. The rest of the story is forever etched in "glorious" detail in my mind...

Josh and I started talking about him working out and going to the gym. He was telling me about it when my dad interjected. He started talking about basketball stats....but every couple of words he uttered something about a straight line. It was weird. It was scary. Josh and I just looked at each other as if to question whether or not dad was pulling our legs and just being goofy. Then, Josh started to leave the room. I looked at my dad in the eyes and said, "dad...you are not making any sense. ARE YOU OKAY?" He jerked his head all the way to the right....his right arm drew inward and upward...and he said "I think so". At that moment....I knew something was terribly wrong. I ran to get Rayden yelling, "Come help...I think my dad is having a stroke" When we got back inside, Josh was saying "Call 911, call 911" and was holding my dad while he seized. I grabbed all 3 babies and darted for the bedroom. Rayden called 911 and talked to the paramedics and laid my dad down on the couch. I was never so thankful to be stuck in a room with kids in all my life. I did NOT want to see one more second of what was happening in my living room. I set the boys up with a computer game and used my cell phone to try to call a friend to ask people to pray. Only....I couldn't remember anyone's phone numbers. I also couldn't remember how to use the phone book of my cell phone. All I could do was grab my babies and pray. So I prayed...and prayed....and prayed. The kids were well occupied so I snuck out to see if the EMTs had arrived yet. They had not. My dad wasn't shaking violently or anything, but he was kind of quiverring and his breathing sounded so scary. His cheeks were limp and so they were flapping as he pushed air in and out of his lungs. I went up to him and put my hand on his face. He was cold and clammy. His eyes were open and he was looking at me. I didn't know if he could see me or not, but I just stroked his face and said, "Don't worry daddy...help is coming...our God is bigger than this." The ambulance came and they took him away. Josh went with him and Rayden offered to stay with the kids so I could go to. I declined. I feel bad about that now. Josh had to do that by himself. He was so strong and brave. I was terrified. I stayed at the house until someone came to get the kids and then I went off to the hospital. When I got there Rayden was waiting for me and our pastor, Danny, was already there. One thing that man is gifted at is being there for people in their moment of need. I went back and joined my dad and brother. I followed them as they wheeled my dad to his curtained area. I remember looking at josh and grabbing his hand as we walked. Silently I was telling him that we would get through this together.

The next few days were crazy. A doctor pulled us into a room to tell us there was a mystery "spot" on my dad's brain. I found out my dad had a girlfriend. I had to rely on other people to care for my kids and do all the prep work for Nathan's birhtday party. I was a wreck. I was panicked. I was scared. So many thoughts flew in and out of my mind...

-is my dad going to die?
-how can I really know that my dad is saved?
-is this genetic?
-will this allow for my parents to get back together?

Anyhow, long story short (or I guess shorter)...my dad is fine. The "spot" on his brain is from the radiation he went through a few years ago for cancer. He has to take medication now for the rest of his life, but any future seizures are unlikely.

This event marked a beginning for me. Actually, a few beginnings. It certainly marked the beginning of the most difficult year of my life. It marked the beginning of a struggle with anxiety for me. It marked the beginning of a newfound respect for my brother and my husband. It marked the beginning of the Lord showing me how He is intertwined in every aspect of our lives.

I guess I am writing about all this in the hopes that it is somewhat theraputic for me. I still have nightmares about that day. I can still see him lying on the couch when I close my eyes. My heart still stops for a second when he pauses on the phone.

I am glad that we are a whole year away from that day. I will be glad when we are 2...3...7....20 years from that day.


Praise you, Lord, for how you watch over us and care for us. Praise you for being good. Praise you for carrying me. Praise you for restored health. Praise you that you are working to restore peace and rest into my life. Praise you...just because.

Let the birthday fun begin!

Just 3 days from now our sweet little Nathan will be 4. I can not believe it. Even more shocking than this sweet little babie turning into a little man is that on the same day we will have 2 4yr old boys in this house. From Feb 22-Apr 28 the boys are the same age....yes...that means if you do the math, they are just 10 months apart in age. Actually, if you want to get really technical, they are 9 months and 26 days apart. Crazy...I know. But, honestly, if I had it to do over again...I wouldn't change a thing. Just another evidence that God does indeed know what He is doing.

Anyway, I'll do some super sappy "I love my sweet Nathan" post on his actual birthday. For now, I just want to post these pictures signaling the beginning of the festivities. I love how a birthday is never really a birthDAY. It's more like a birthWEEK. Celebrating the life God gives us is so much fun!

Today, Nathan got a package from PawPaw. I let him go ahead and open it. How do you tell that face "no...you have to wait 2 more days"? It was the Batcave. Kaleb exclaims, "Holy Cow....it's batman." Nathan's response...."Oh my goodness....it's awesome!" They have not stopped playing with it ALL day.

Thanks PawPaw....it's the perfect gift....and it kicked off the celebrations beautifully!

Love me some zoo!

Last Saturday we went to the zoo. The weather was beautiful so we wanted to get the kids outside. This was our first trip of 2009 and our first trip since Aubri can walk. She had a ball...we all did actually.


Here is Aubri chasing ducks....the girl has an unusual obsession with ducks!



All my men....at the zoo enterence.

In the gopher hole!

Nathan....in an egg.

My babies....riding a cow?!

A beautiful day in February

Memphis weather is C.R.A.Z.Y. On Thursday it was 75 degrees so we decided to go to the park. The boys were even able to wear short sleeves and no jackets. We had a blast. It's so fun now that Aubri can run around. She loves the slides so much! It was funny...the boys decided to pretend that the giant slide was a rollercoaster. They took turns being the man who takes tickets. They would stand at the bottom of the stairs and holler, "Tickets! Tickets please!" Then the other one would come up and pretend to hand the man a ticket. He would let the patron pass and proceed to "punch the ticket" just like Tom Hanks' character on Polar Express. Their imaginations are so wonderful!

Kaleb got to use the digital camera...he did a pretty good job.

Nathan's turn to take a picture. Not too shabby!

The weather was beautiful on Thursday, but today it was only 38. It'll climb to 55 tomorrow and then 69 on Wednesday. This Thursday they are expecting the high to be 42. No wonder Aubri has yet ANOTHER ear infection and Nathan has a 103 fever. How are you supposed to stay healthy in this ping pong weather.

Join us in praying for these sick babies! This is Aubri's 3rd infection since her tubes in mid December. Pray that it will not affect her hearing and that she will begin to outgrow this problem. Pray for Nathan too....may his fever break in the night and he can be healthy in the morning. His birthday is on Sunday and his party is in just 5 days...I want him to be totally well as we celebrate how precious his life is!

For my brothers...

If you are not in my family you might not understand this post. But, if you are....you will LOVE it. This is the huggabunch. I don't really want to explain it....I'll just show you how my kids are gladly passing along a tradition that me and my brothers started long ago.



I have so many awesome memories of my brothers growing up. I liked to torture them....like any bossy big sister...but I also loved them and wanted to protect them fiercely. Here are some of my most vivid memories...

- playing "whippersnappers"....a game Josh and I made up in which you use small tree branches to help you be a firefighter as we fought off the "wildfires" that my dad built in a giant metal barrel
- rescuing Jacob from our swimming pool after he jumped in to swim with his big brother (he was only 3)...I was mad afterwards because I didn't have a swimsuit on...I got my clothes all wet
- making up rollerskating dances to Paula Abdul songs
- tricking Jacob into touching a hot stove (I didn't say they were all happy memories...just vivid)
- I once ran away from home because I was jealous of all the attention the new baby Jacob was getting. I hid in the tube slide at the elementary school for 3 hours. I packed my "going to grandma's" suitcase with a blanket and 3 packs of smarties. I eventually just came home. Ironically, I came home because I missed Jacob.
- When I wanted to get my brothers to do something that they didn't want to do I would hold their Ninja Turtles or Power Rangers over the toilet and threaten to flush them ( I was not a terribly nice big sister sometimes)
- We made videos for my grandma and mailed them to her. One had an original rap on it....the lyrics were pure genius...."Grandma, oh granny, you have a big fat fanny. You have blue eyes....and jiggly thighs" I guess you'd have to know our little grandma to understand that this truly was hilarious and well received
- Josh, Rayden, and I rode jet skis with a school of wild dolphins in Destin, Fl
- We used to love the song, "the cat came back" I am sure my parents both hate that song to this day
- As much as I hate to admit it....the 3 of us were crazy about WWF wrestling. I even took Jacob to an event in downtown St. Louis and held a sign that said, "pimpin aint easy!"
- I will never forget my high school graduation. Afterwards I was so excited and bouncing up and down until I saw Josh across the room. As I approached him I could see he had tears in his eyes...as I hugged him I completely melted. I knew I would miss him like crazy. My senior year (his freshman) was when we really became friends.
- At my rehearsal dinner the night before Rayden and I got married I was hugging everyone and getting ready to leave to go out with my girls for one last night as a single lady. I got to Jacob....he burst into tears. I shared a similar reaction. Everything would be different....he knew it and so did I.

Life is interesting. It takes you all sorts of places. You live the first 18 years of your life with these people and then you are never guaranteed to even live in the same state as them ever again. I haven't lived near my brothers now in 4 years. Frankly, I hate that! I miss them. They are so dear to me and they may never know how terribly proud of them I am.

Josh....You are so amazing. I am amazed at your work ethic and your ambition. You are so smart and you have succeeded at everything you have set out to do. There is no mountain too high for you to climb. You WILL do great things in life. Already a published author and almost done with your PhD...you astound me! And beyond that...you are funny, so easy to be around, and kind. You have a quick wit that reminds me of my husband....I love it in him AND in you! You are one of my best friends. We have walked down unthinkably hard roads in the last year....there is no one else I would have wanted to walk them with me. You have been brave, strong, calm, and loving in really difficult moments. My love for you is deep. I would do anything for you. I thank the Lord that he gave me you as a brother.

Jacob...You are so wonderful. I feel like I am just getting to know who you are. You have so much life and spunk. You are fun to be with. You are really growing into a wonderful man. I have been so impressed with how you have matured through your fraternity. People look up to you and I know that they see in you the same leadership qualities that I see in you. I love that you are strong and tough on the outside...and just a big ball of mush on the inside. Girls will love that you are sensitive and are not so callous that you can't feel. I loved that at the moment I needed you this holiday break you came through. You really stepped up and for the first time I got to see you as a man. And what a fine man you are! What we walked through together was heart-wrenching. You did it with grace, class, and humor. I was glad to have you by my side. I hate that we are so far apart...maybe someday the Lord will see fit to let us live closer together. I love you and will ALWAYS be here for you. I thank God that I have you.

Siblings are special gifts. I am thankful for mine. I pray daily that my kids will treasure each other. I want them to be close and lean on each other. They are blessed and so am I.

Somehow I knew...

Call it "mom sense" maybe...but, somehow I knew that this day had a few more adventures left in it. And...I was right. Of course I was right....why would I be posting again if there wasn't another adventure to speak of. This adventure happened just after lunch. Let me recount it for you step by step...

1. I instruct the boys to go into their room and clean up all their rescue heroes while I clear away the lunch dishes.
2. I finish the dishes and go into their room (out of overwhelming love for my children) and offer to help them as they finish the cleaning.
3. Upon entering the room, Kaleb looks at me with a deer-in-the-headlights look on his face and says, "mommy, don't look at the window."
4. I look at the window.
5. I notice a 4 inch hole in the screen of thewindow. (I have all the windows open to "air out the germs" since it is 70 degrees here today)
6. My ornery....but honest....kids explain that Kaleb poked a hole in the screen with his finger and then Nathan made it bigger with a toy.
7. "what toy?" I ask.
8. Nathan points out the window and in our flower bed I see a small red car.
9. I explain why this was a bad choice and then calmly and lovingly spank their bottoms.
10. Hugs, kisses, apologies, and forgiveness is given.

I have learned several things through this incident...

1. There is always a silver lining (at least this adventure did not involve poop....at least that I know of!)

2. I need to do some weeding in the front yard.

3. Life is much easier when you calmly respond to the silly things your kids do.

4. Every incident in life can teach us something (I used this to (hopefully) teach my kids the importance of being good stewards of that which God has given to us)

5. I am not raising boring children....there is alot of life and spunk in this house.

6. I am grateful for my kids' honesty.

7. Hot wheels can very easily be pushed through screens.

8. Kaleb has strong fingers and a vivid imagination.

Well, it's now 1:15. Maybe I will see you again later today....although I hope not. I don't know how many more adventures I can handle.

What a start!

What a start we have had to our week. Monday morning has already brought with it many unique challenges. First, as Rayden lifted our little angel out of her crib this morning he felt something squishy and warm run down his side. Upon investigation he recognized the sight (and smell) to be diarrhea. Straight off to the shower they went....in their clothes and everything. Problem one...solved.

On to the next adventure. Fast forward about twenty minutes to when Nathan comes in the room and proclaims that his belly hurts. He's been doing this off and on for about 2 days now. There is a throw up virus going around so we've been on the look out (although all 3 kids had it 2 weeks ago...you never know...we might be one of those "lucky" families that gets it twice this season!). We kind of blow it off (i know...great parenting...right?!) and start to make breakfast.

As I am flipping bacon I hear screaming coming from the boys bathroom. I call out, "RAYDEN...can you check on the boys" He runs over to check and emerges with a "oh...I am SO sorry" look on his face. I know I am in for it....he has to leave early for an important meeting at work and so I know that whatever just happened in the bathroom is MY responsibility. The next statement out of Rayden's mouth is what scares me the most. He says, "well, at least you'll have something to blog about today." Yikes.

I slowly walk to the bathroom and grab the door handle. I take a deep breath and crack the door upon. Just a crack and I know what's happening. The smell seeps out of the room and almost knocks me over. Flipping on the light only intensifies the problem. Now I not only smell what I am dealing with...I see it too. There is diarhhea ALL over the floor and potty. Now when I say ALL over the floor...that is precisely what I mean. It's on the tile, the toilet, the carpet, the stool the kids use to reach the sink. Sweet little Nathan just couldn't make it to the potty in time. I guess I should be grateful he at least made it to the bathroom. I can't imagine this mess right in the middle of the living room....ugh.

So, if that wasn't bad enough....I know realize that my sweet child felt bad about the mess and tried to clean it on his own. His method however, was less than perfect. There is so much toilet paper in the toilet that there is no water left...the paper has absorbed it all.

Sweet child, thank you for your help. You bless me with your kind intentions.

Anyway, upon trying to flush, water rushes into the toilet and is now overflowing all over the floor. It's mixing with the poop and it's making a wonderful swirly mess all over the place. Are you thoroughly grossed out yet? Good....we're in the same boat.

Rayden kisses my cheek and happily prances out the door to his meeting. I'm not sure he's ever been more excited to sit in a meeting in all his life. And, okay, he probably didn't prance per say. But it felt like it. Oh how I love that man...I know he would have cleaned up that whole mess without blinking if he could. Blast this new pastor and his desire to invest in his staff!

I'll spare you the rest of the details about how I cleaned it up. But I will say that anyone who wants to donate two new beach towels to the Hollis family it would be greatly appreciated! I couldn't deal with waching them....in the trash they went.

I think I have one more mopping and carpet scrubbing left ahead of me today....but the worst is over....I hope....it's only 8:45 am.

Pray for us....this could be a long day.

And hey...know that you are loved....I didn't take any pictures to post!

Picture tag

My best friend, Katie, picture tagged me. I have seen this "going around" and have enjoyed the photos, so I thought I would participate.

Here are the tag rules:
1. Go to where you store your digital photos and open the 4th folder.
2. Go to the 4th picture and post it.
3. Explain the picture
4. Tag an additional 4 people.


I am in love with this picture. How sweet that this is the picture that popped up. This is the Christmas concert for Kaleb's preschool class from 2007. This is in fact right before he broke out into some major breakdancing. The whole scenario is actually on youtube. You can check it out here...(it is in 3 parts)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbmVKcAtfi0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tguL4IPIyBg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMIWMOtHN3A

Most of you have probably seen these videos before, but it's worth another look. Now that we are over a year removed from this event it is even sweeter and more precious to me. God has given Kaleb such energy and "gusto" I just know God is going to use him for something amazing!

I am tagging: Allison Lee, Laura Brosius, Lindsey Broome, and Nic Tew