Madelyn and Jack...

Madelyn and Jack have quite the relationship.  Jack, technically our first child, has entered the adult stage of his life, and spends most of his day sleeping.  Madelyn on the other hand, our youngest, refuses to take naps and is usually the last kid to go to sleep at night with us.  In some ways they are the exact opposite, and yet these two have quite the endearing relationship.

Jack lays around most days, sleeping on the rug in the middle of the floor.  He will be 13 in the spring and we know our years with him are limited.  I guess in a way our years with our kids at home are all limited.  We've seen Jack slow down in recent years, but he still has his moments of energetic bursts.  His sight is starting to go and he now has this irrational behavior of barking at the wall when he wants food.  In my human justification, the wall he barks at in our kitchen when he wants to eat, is the same location of where we used to keep his food in our previous home.  Maybe he's just remembering the days of our previous home.  

While he's aged and is definitely in his senior years, Jack still is super patient and doesn't mind all the extra pesters he gets from his little sister.  Often when Jack is in the middle of a deep snooze, Madelyn will pull up next to him and start poking him.  Then she'll move onto shaking his collar or picking up each of his legs.  Most of the time he sighs, with annoyance and then just lays there and lets her do her thing.

Since day one Jack has been a very great dog to have with the kids.  He's very loving towards them, allows them to play however they'd like with him and lately is very happy when he is ignored.  He's very busy getting in lots of rest.

Each of the kids have bonded with Jack and while he definitely doesn't get the attention he got before the human kids came, he has been such a great dog.  We are thankful for the memories each of us have gotten to create with him and we hope for many more.

Until next time,

Angie

Summer Police Academy

This summer Gabe was able to participate in a summer training program with a local police department.  For a week he was exposed to the many different roles within the police department, getting a first hand introduction to the jobs, responsibilities and tasks that each person within the police department are charged with.

Gabe has been interested in police work for a few years, even as a little boy he pretended to be a police man and arrest the bad guys.  This program was a great way for him to see exactly what a career in police work entails.  

At first he wasn't sure about it, before the first day he asked me what it was all going to be about and why it was all day.  However that first evening after the program, it was clearly he was hooked. He got to learn about the SWAT team, the forensics unit, the bicycle team, patrol units, detective work, the undercover unit, even the gang unit.  Oh and how could I forget the K9 group.  

At the end of the week they invited the trainee's families to come and hear from the chief about what they had learned as well as watch a summary video that showed highlights from the week.  Here are a few photos from the program we got to attend.

It was clear Gabe was interested, he sat in the very front row each day and from what I could tell from the recap video, asked a ton of questions.  Sitting in the front alone tells me he was soaking up all he could.

The Chief of police went around and asked each student what they were most interested in learning when the program began and then what they had learned and found most interesting.  Gabe talked about the requirements to become a police officer and how competitive it is, and how the gang units have to know so much.

At the end they took a picture of the crew that got to complete the week's training.

 I'm so glad he was able to be exposed to such a high quality program.  He learned so much, gained some exceptional career insight and was able to challenge himself through some of the obstacles they put them through.

Hopefully next summer Michael can try to enroll in the same program.  He was very interested in all Gabriel learned and asked even more questions.  Hopefully next year.

Oh and the girls liked it too, especially the statues outside the station. They talked to them like they were real!

Gabriel proudly displaying his certification of completion.  Who knows maybe some day he will be a police officer!

Until next time,

Angie

Haircut 1 : Wimpy kid 0

Gabriel is a tough guy.  He can play ball, get hit in places where I know it has to hurt like no other.  But when it comes to getting his haircut, he seriously has the wimpiest responses.  Maybe it's that he has the most sensitive head, I'm not sure.  Either way, I thought it was just that he complained like no other when I cut his hair. 

My mom and dad have been here for the past few weeks helping us and being that my mom is a professional hair stylist, I asked her if she'd help me cut the kids' hair.  Michael and Isabelle had no issues and their cuts went smoothly.  Then there was Gabriel.  Here is a collection of a few photos from when my mom endured the process of cutting his hair.

Seriously could he be more dramatic?

Before! Totally in need of a haircut!

Seriously!  Look at him.  I promise all mom was doing was cutting his hair.  How could anyone respond like that?

It gets better!

At this point we were all cracking up.  He was so wimpy!!!

And then I told him I was going to post this to the blog.  Funny how his reaction changed.

Guess it really didn't hurt all that bad.

Silly boy.

Until next time,

Angie

Summer Swim Team...

The three older kids have been swimming their hearts out most days this summer as we returned to swim team for the last few weeks.  This year Isabelle joined her big brothers and while we told her this year is just about learning and having fun, she's been doing a great job!

The boys continue to love swim team and are always competing to see who can beat who and if they are faster with each passing week.  

Here are a few pictures from the last few swim meets.

Gabriel getting ready to race.

Isabelle is in the middle lane with the pink swim cap.

And after the race, she tells them her name and gets her time sheet to take to the ribbon table.

Michael has made a "friend" at swim and she is an incredible swimmer.   Both of them 

And here's a shot of the cheerleaders who sit on the sidelines and sweat while the others stay cool in the water.

We only have a few more meets til the city meet and then swim will be wrapped up for another season.

Until next time,

Angie

Summer dayz...

So far this summer we've had quite a few days at home. 

The kids have been spending a lot of time together and it would be fair to say they are sick of each other. They seem to fight constantly but I try to hear what my grandpa would always say, "If they can fight that means they are healthy, so there's a blessing in that." 

Some friends recently shared this cowgirl outfit and Madelyn loves it.  She repeats "YEE HAW"  over and over. 

We've spent time at the library playing and checking out books.  

Madelyn also enjoys playing dress up in Isabelle's clothes.

The boys, while they don't let me take their picture as much as they used to, have been busy perfecting their survival skills and recently built this fort in our backyard they were going to play "survival" in.  With it being around 110 outside I told them I didn't think their shelter would hold up to the elements and keep them from burning up.  What do I know though?

A dear friend dropped off some summer activities for the kids to play with and they were thrilled, so was mom.  It gave them activities to play and kept them busy from fighting for many hours.

Summer is going by very quickly and its crazy to think in just over 4 weeks they will be going back to school... but then again, who's counting (mom)!

Until next time,

Angie

4 years ago tonight, I held you for the first and last time...

Four years ago tonight we were surrounded by our family as we prayed for you, we wished harder than anything for a miracle and we begged God to let you stay.  I think the doctors and nurses knew our time was limited and secretly I think deep down inside I knew too.  I wanted to believe it was a bad dream, one that we'd wake up from and find you healthy... instead we faced minute after minute of our worst fears unfolding and we longed to do anything we could to change the situation. As we went through the moments, almost numb to the reality we were living, I found myself humming the song, "How Great Thou Art."  Maybe that was God telling me he was with us.

Four years ago tonight Noah, Dad and I got to hold you for what would be the one and only time with you connected to wires and tubes keeping you alive.  We vividly recorded each moment of feeling your skin pressed up against ours, your strength to turn your head even as your daddy held you close and we prayed that God would give you the strength to overcome your greatest obstacle and let you stay.

Tonight I think back to that night and all the memories are still so fresh, I grieve your loss still to this day.  Noah, while life has continued and we have found joy and happiness again, I will always miss you, always love you and always long for you to be with us.

Four years ago tonight, Isabelle met you for the first time and our boys tried to understand what it would mean that we most likely wouldn't get to bring you home with us. Dad and I tried to be strong for the big kids while our hearts shattered inside.  We hugged each other, we prayed together and we took photos, ones we knew would be few in number... but we did it to cherish the time we did get and to have images that I cherish more than money or any possessions one can buy.

It is our family photo, of real raw emotion, of sadness, shock, and desperation that our wish could still come true.

Tonight as I go to sleep and wake up to the reality that another year has passed with me not getting to hug or kiss you good morning, I try to change my mindset and replace it instead with hope that someday we will get to be together again.  Noah, no matter how many years passes, I want you to know that your life continues to impact me, our family and even the larger world.  I believe your legacy lives on and as your momma that makes me happy.  I try to live a life that would make you proud, a life that lives not only for me but also for you.  To carry on giving thanks for the blessings I have and when I can try to make the lives of others better, for your life and presence here made our lives so much better.  

Noah while the memories of 4 years ago tonight make me feel sad and long to have you here, I vow to wake up tomorrow and search for the rainbows you leave for us to see.  NO matter how many years pass, you will always be my baby, you will always be longed for, and loved more than you'll ever know.  

Missing you always and forever my precious baby boy. 

Love you always,

your momma

Worlds best babysitters... or so they say.

This past weekend I signed up the boys to take a babysitters class at a local hospital.  They were surprisingly very interested in taking the course with the hope that they can "get rich babysitting kids"  

I was glad to hear they were interested and thought the course was great given that in 5 hours they would learn first aid and CPR as well as basic life saving skills, all while learning about how to take care of kids.  Gabriel went into the class thinking he already knew everything... "seriously mom this is going to waste our time, with having Madelyn and Isabelle, we know everything."  

Michael was very serious about the class, took his notebook in and planned to take lots to notes. I told them I wanted to hear all they learned.  After dropping them off we went on upon our day til it was time to pick them up. 

As they came out of the class Michael proudly held his completion certificate and walked with a new stance of confidence in being trained.  The first to open the car door, his first words were, "I'm officially the world's best babysitter." I laughed jokingly and said, "I'm sure you are."  

And then Gabriel got in the car.  Unlike Michael his first words were, "Oh my gosh that was SO embarrassing."  My thought was, I'm guessing you aren't the "world's best babysitter" then?  

The boys had a lot to share with us and talked over each other for the first 10 minutes of the car ride.  Michael pulled out his notebook and recited his notes and what he learned, quizzing me.  To his surprise I actually knew the answers.  He said, "Geez mom you would be a good babysitter."  

After arguing with each other for a few minutes, finally Gabriel said, "Michael let me tell mom what happened."  Michael started laughing in his high pitched squeal.  I knew this had to have something with the "so embarrassing" comment.  

The story Gabriel shared was they were learning how to change a baby's diaper and Gabriel thought it had it all under control... for he was around when Isabelle and Madelyn wore diapers.  Turns out in reality he didn't change too many (actually none).  As they were putting their diapers on the babies, Gabriel's teacher shared with him that he had put the diaper on backwards.  In his attempt to switch it around quickly, he pulled the diaper off, picked up the baby and the baby shot poop all over his shirt and onto his face!  Yes, just like they show in the movies!

Gabriel said, "Mom it was the worst thing ever and I almost threw up all over!"  Everyone in the whole car started bursting out in laughter.  It was HEEE-LARIOUS!!!!  Gabriel, now smiling, looked at me and said, "MOM IT WAS NOT FUNNY!"  Especially since most of the class was filled with girls his age. 

He went on and on about the details of exactly what transpired.  Meanwhile, Michael interjected that he was the fastest in the class to change the diapers and won a prize.  

Gabriel was concerned his nice shirt was ruined.  I explained that his experience isn't all that uncommon in reality and he needed to be prepared it could happen again. 

The boys are ready to begin their babysitting services and I told them Dad and I might have to try them out.  They offered us a discount for their services since we are family... we only have to pay $6.00 each per sitter per hour.

In their words, "Mom'that's quite the deal, especially since you'd be getting two of the worlds best babysitters."

Until next time,

Angie