Thursday, April 29, 2010

Thankful Thursday


I am thankful for these guys...

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Home

It is nice to travel.

It is nice to be home.

It was nice to visit my old "home" of Minneapolis after 3 long years.

It is not nice to miss a flight by 5 minutes, stare at the plane still sitting at the gate and realize that you have to spend another night in a hotel with a very, very tired 21 month old. Five hours of sleep is not enough for little boys. It causes hysterics on the 7am flight home the next morning.

We are getting a new home.

We close on our house on the 30th and move the next day.

I have a week and a half to pack my entire house. with a toddler. who likes to help. alot.

I am excited about the new spacious (for us) house and even more excited about the HUGE fenced in backyard complete with play set.

Packing does not make me excited.

My belly is getting pretty dominate. Should make for some interesting moving habits.

Maybe this moving will burn off all this candy that I can't seem to stop eating. How did this stuff get into my house? I should probably pack that up first.

I am still glad to be home.

Friday, April 9, 2010

The Daultons

Most Sundays when you pull into the kid's cove parking area at New Life Providence church you will see a bright orange cone reserving a single spot at the corner. Sometimes you will see a conversion van pulling into that spot, filled with kids. What you don't expect to see is who comes piling out. Two late 50 year old parents, the man with a big bushy mustache and friendly smile and the mom, gathering and holding onto the kids coming out may not be such a surprise, but the kids are. They are all between the age of 26 and 11 years old. There are 7 of them. 3 of them are 13 years old. They are all laughing and yelling and racing towards the door. They are bright and bubbly and all of them have Down Syndrome.

I have attended New Life for 3 years and noticed this family many times. The older kids watch out for the younger kids. They are mischievous and friendly. The youngest girl randomly came up to me one Sunday, hugged me and told me her mom was down the hall and than she left. We had never meet, but I was waiting in the hall for Ryan and she must have thought that i needed a hug and she wanted me to know her mom was just around the corner. I have wondered about this family. The love that the parents have for these kids is visible. They will get loud at times, but the father is ever patient and kind. It is truly touching to watch him interact with his kids. You can't help but smile when you see the Daultons come into church.

All 9 of them live in a small house. Extreme Home Makeover is considering them for their show. I can not think of a family more deserving. Here is the synopsis that is on their facebook fan page describing the family:

All supporters of the Daulton family getting Extreme Home Makeover to re-do their home! The Daultons have 12 children, 5 "homegrown" and 7 adopted. One of their birth children and all 7 adopted children have Down Syndrome, including Emily from Ethiopia and Jack, Philip, and Anya from Ukraine. They have been involved in their community for years, starting the local Compassionate Friends Chapter and running it for 18 years. They are also active in Special Olympics, Down Syndrome support groups, and promoting adoptions, particularly of children with Down Syndrome and other disabilities. They work with orphanages in Ukraine, helping people adopt children and also organizing short term missions trips. The names and ages of the members of the Daulton Family currently living in the home are:

1. Dave Daulton, age 56
2. Janie Daulton, age 58
3. Tommy Daulton, age 26
4. Ben Daulton, age 20
5. Emily Daulton, age 15
6. Philip Daulton, age 13
7. Jack Daulton, age 13
8. Lani Daulton, age 13, and
9. Anya Daulton, age 11


Go to the their facebook page, become a fan, and while you are there, check out those pictures! Tell your friends and family to do the same. I can only imagine the testimony they would share on national television! The more fans they have, the more support they get, the more that ABC will consider them for the show. Become a fan today!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=109428552418856&ref=nf


Monday, April 5, 2010

21



My baby is 21 months old. In 3 short months he will be turning 2. Shortly thereafter he will become a big brother. Time seems to have flown by and I watch my little man and marvel at how big he has become.

The sweet white little baby legs have turned into knobby knee little boy legs, complete with random bruises.

His baby curls are gone and his little mouth is full of teeth.

His vocabulary increases every day and he has begun to do some "imaginative" play. He loves animals and making animal noises and he has a strong affection for Sesame Street, especially Elmo.

He makes us laugh every single day and tests his boundaries.

His favorite activities are helping me with the dishes and doing the laundry. Seriously. He will drop whatever he is doing and run to the kitchen if he hears the water running or the start of the washing machine. I bribe him with doing the laundry. It works like a charm. Let's hope this continues into his teenage years...

Some of his favorite things to say are:

" It's a hat!" while putting anything and everything on his head.

" Mel-Mo, cookie, melmo, cookie, melmo!!!" all the while his voice getting more excited and louder. (Melmo is Elmo and Cookie is the Cookie monster)

" Un, Two, Tee, GO!!!" and than running to whoever hears him. He loves counting to 3.

" Mommy, Daddy, Ack!" he will repeat who is in our family over and over again, especially in his crib after he wakes up from his nap.

"I don't know" said with shrugged shoulders and a furrowed brow. It is so cute. Sometimes I ask him things, just to hear him say that.

Said in a whisper, " Mom. Hi. Hi hi hello. Mom" The only time he calls me Mom is when he is whispering.

" Ummm...delishshsh" Ryan taught him that. Ryan thought it would be funny. So now, whenever Jack eats something he likes, it is delicious. "Belly" beans are especially delishshsh.

There are lots more, but I won't bore you all night.

While many things have changed in the last few months and many more things will change in the coming 3 months, one thing remains the same. He will always be my little baby boy. My first born. My handsome little Jack.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today
By Charles Wesley, 1739.


Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say: Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply: Alleluia!



Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; Alleluia!

Christ has burst the gates of hell: Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids His rise; Alleluia!

Christ has opened paradise! Alleluia!



Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Once He died, our souls to save, Alleluia!

Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!


Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!



Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven! Alleluia!

Praise to thee by both be given; Alleluia!

Thee we greet triumphant now; Alleluia!

Hail, the Resurrection, thou! Alleluia!