Home Inspection

Rainy days

We had a really rainy weekend and the children made the most of it. I should have taken a picture of Sam also. He played frizbee golf in the rain with the scouts Saturday and came back wetter than the children.

Scott is really enjoying the pogo stick that he found in our backyard and so far no one has been hurt!

Abigail and Allison play together so well! They couldn't be more different.

We are anxiously awaiting to see if our home will actually sell at the end of this month. We changed agents and in less than a week had a new offer and we hope (again) that we will be able to close at the end of the month.

Sam has finished his month in Atlanta, but will probably be going back for another two week round before he finishes at MCG. We enjoyed visiting him there. The children loved Dad's cable TV and visiting the zoo.

Match Maker Make Me a Match

We are moving to Jackson Mississippi!!!

This has been a lot like waiting to have a baby. At least that is the closest thing I can relate it too. I was mentally, emotionally, and even physically exhausted after finding out the news. A great wave of relief has been slowly coming over me and we are starting to be able to look forward. We really appreciate everyone who has prayed for us and even fasted for us.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We were so happy to receive nativity costumes from Grandma Miller! Sam was on call through Christmas Eve and Christmas and the weekend after, but he didn't have to do into the hospital too much so we had a great time together.

Scott saw the girls playing dress up and he wanted to dress up too. Now he is asking for a knight costume because the girls have princess dress ups. Sam didn't want to get the girls the foo foo skirts and crowns, but now he admits that they are pretty cute. It was really difficult to get them to wear them at first, but now they love them.

We hope this holiday season finds everyone healthy and doing well!

Happy Halloween

I finally felt like celebrating Halloween this week! I have been so ill now that we are expecting number four and I haven't been excited or happy about anything for so long. But I was able to start and finish Scott's Jedi costume, bake cookies for Scott's class, take Abigail to a birthday party and take all the children Trunk-or-Treating this past week. Sam was able to be home to carve pumpkins Thursday and he came home this evening to go Trick-or-Treating, but then he had to go back to the hospital for in-house call. Sam is about to start another round of interviewing and we have been practicing together. The children really got into carving pumpkins as you can see in the pictures. Their personalities were very visible in their approach to pumpkin carving. Scott pulled both sleeves up and dug both hands in to pull out the pulp. Abigail didn't want to get her hands sticky and asked to use a spoon, which she enthusiastically used. Scott has loved being a Jedi. At the church party there were several other Jedi there and they were having star wars all over the cultural hall. Abigail loved her lion costume. We were worried that Allison might be afraid of Abigail in her costume, but she just laughed at Abigail. Allison was a ducky and Abigail coached her on saying, "quack, quack!" What a change six years and three children make! I don't think Scott touched any candy until he was close to three years old. This evening Allison reveled in her candy hoard and had two suckers in her mouth and one in each hand and was trying to open more candy.

Fragrant Air Lightly Lingers

I have been wanting to write and put it off too often lately. Perhaps President Monson’s words about putting off for tomorrow have impacted me a bit. The children are doing well though this seems less and less to my credit and (if possible) even less to their credit, and more to angels who must be watching over us, much like Elder Holland described. There seem to be more and more days when I seriously consider parenting strategies along the lines of survival of the fittest. But there are moments of bliss and satisfaction. Like when Abigail is riding her bike in the rain and singing Alvin and the Chipmunks and asking to take the long way home, because its just so much fun. Or suddenly realizing that Scott got up and started on his bike without my help after sooo many times when I would support him and give him a push. (He has graduated to a bigger bike with handle brakes and gear shifts.) Or when I’m laying down and Allison does a belly flop on my face, because to a 21 month old this is a perfectly acceptable form of affection. My favorite perhaps was Allison refusing to let me help her with her prayer this evening. I stepped out of the room for a moment and returned only to find Abigail kneeling next to Allison helping her pray. Scott also makes such heroic efforts to be helpful sometimes. Like this evening, knowing how frustrating it is for me to herd everyone to bed, he offered to lay out the clothes for the girls so they could start getting dressed. Allison managed to get her pants on right side out, but was very proud of herself. Sam has finally learned what it means to have a Daddy’s girl and I am loving it. As soon as Sam comes home Mommy is second best in everything. Daddy must change her diapers, pick up items she throws on the floor at dinner and help her into her car seat. But Allison is grateful because on the other hand she will do just about anything Daddy asks her including massage his head with dryer balls.
The weather here has been marvelous. This last week it was finally down in the fifties in the morning, though it still gets up into the high eighties during the days. The children are shivering and putting on jackets in the mornings, but asking for their bathing suits in the afternoon. This is a picture of Abigail with our container garder we are doing here. Sam has been enjoying a rewarding football season, though he has less time than ever to enjoy it. Both Alabama and BYU are undefeated. Scott and Sam are both proudly wearing their team attire. Sam and I were able to go on our first date for a long time, because he has been on call or busy most Friday nights. We played golf and we played it horribly, but we really enjoyed it.

The Essence of Abigail

I just wanted to write this happening down not because it was unique, but because it so typifies my sweet Abigail. While changing a messy diaper of Allison's I asked Abigail to take the tightly wrapped soiled diaper to the garbage. She stared at me deep in thought for probably twice as long as it would have taken to accomplish the task. Then she slooowwwly replied, "Yes," and took the diaper. One second later she was back with the dirty diaper in hand and sobbing hysterically. She had bumped her ear on the door handle of the bathroom. So much drama for such a small task I feel like I need some sympathy.

We have survived Scott’s first week of school and so far I am pleased with the organization and professionalism in his new school. I am really enjoying riding bikes to and from school. Abigail bikes four miles on days when we take Scott to and from school. The exercise is good for Scott and it helps us all reconnect before we get home. I am not having as much fun with the children, but I am restoring order to my home. Sam is working on a big presentation so yesterday I took Scott and Abigail to see Prince Caspian at the cheep theatre while Allison slept. I think Scott’s biggest hero was The High King Peter because he was so upset at the end of the movie when it said that he wouldn’t be returning to Narnia. Abigail is becoming very helpful around the house and loves to clean and restore order to things almost as much as me. I am reading “John Adams” by David McCullough and I love reading to Abigail the parts about Abigail Adams. Allison continues to amaze me and others with her advanced behaviors. She puts the silverware away for me perfectly, gets her shoes on when I say its time to go, and is mastering the most difficult board puzzles that I have in the house.