Our True Love

To Our Daddy:

The man who loves endlessly,

our Prince who dances tirelessly.

Happy Father's Day.

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Soul Food

Music is a sweet, strong bond that Kevin and I have always shared. It's medicine to our souls and seems to be just as powerful for our kids. I've learned to never underestimate it's reach, for good and bad, especially when it comes to children.

Here's some soul food as we approach Easter...

We're Not in Kansas Anymore

You're right.

I'm completely behind on my family scrapbook and an update is well past-due. I can't wait to talk about the new love in our life that is only 3 months old but 30 pounds...nevermind, that was last week, he's a solid 45 by now I'm sure. Rhett has a buddy to lap up water puddles with and it's adorable. Natalie gets to play superhero and rescue her brother and sister from The Giant One's hugs and kisses on an hourly basis. Lainey can put Clyde, the 30 year old plastic dog, back up on the shelf now.

Ahhhh, Lainey, that's better!

Rudy as a puppy.

I need to write about how awesome Lainey is doing and how we are living an almost normal life for the first time in 3 years...seriously, before I forget all the good and bad of our journey. I'VE GOT TO WRITE IT ALL DOWN and tell you how her new pediatrician is doing just that! A portion of the doctor's new book is devoted to Lainey's medical journey and the road to recovery we are now on. To be continued...

(she hasn't lost her kinky curls, this was the work of a curling iron)

Wait til you see pics and video from Natalie's first dance with her daddy, and hear how she's reading FIRST GRADE level books as a preschooler (this might be normal but so cool for Mommy and Daddy to hear!)...and I can't forget to bore you to death with endless footage from our recent family ski trip with our sweet friends, the Moores, where Natalie learned to ski and was skiing the blues faster than me, which isn't fast, but still she was brilliant out there and yes (deep breath), I'm absolutely bragging...I just couldn't be more proud of the little lady (and athlete) she is becoming.

And Rhett...he steals my heart more every day. I love that he loves sucking on doodle bugs and knows no fear of physical challenges. Now, the car wash and big blue hand on Praise Baby DVD are a very different story. We're working through it, right homie?

My baby is a gum chewer

Helping us clean the garage out...

So many stories I want to tell you about but...*big long sighhhhh*...what a whirlwind, no tornado, life is right now. I've learned a little bit more about surrender with every child, which is incredibly difficult for (what used to be) a type-A personality. When we started the journey of three kids ages 3 and under, one of them chronically ill, I started learning to let it go or lose my mind (...wait a sec, I think I might have done both...ok, who do I talk to about a refund??) In the process of surrendering I've found myself completely embracing the craziness that permeates just about every waking minute in this season of life. Things are so out of balance most of the time yet I love it and am finding J-O-Y in surrender, joy in CRAZY. THAT is CRAZY!!

Still all the noise around me tries to push and guilt me into a life of "balance" and for a second I start to compare my abilities and deficits as a mother to other mothers I see around me. But somehow (by His grace) I keep feeling that this temporary imbalance in life is just where I am supposed to be and I feel so grateful that our house is full of LIFE and madness. I would give our life a great big hug if I could. And a kiss. That's what I've been thinking about lately...

Then I stumbled across this gem of a read last night. http://wholeheart.typepad.com/itakejoy/2010/03/balancing-life-is-oversold.html

It made me feel all warm and fuzzy so I wanted to share...it is written by Sally Clarkson, whose Mom Heart ministry has changed my life and, in turn, it has changed our home.

Pucker up LIFE. I love you.

Just Because

**Because Lainey is becoming one with this 30 year old plastic dog who answers to Clyde.

This dog has been passed down through Kevin's family and Lainey takes him everywhere she goes. She even tucks him in at night, careful not to pull the sheets up too high over his nose. Isn't this picture sad? Cute and sad. Honey, doooo something, please!!!!!

**Because my adorable daughter and animal lover is only a human part of the time now.

For extended periods of time, Lainey will not speak "human" but only bark and pant and try desperately to get her message across. Thank goodness Natalie can interpret. She brings me toys in her mouth and "asks" me ("whoof! whoof!!") to play fetch with her. She will not break character and even demands to drink her water out of a bowl and insists on being led around by a leash. Can you see the collar with leash attached? And that's her getting a drink. She does have a flare for the arts but when should we start to worry??

**Because Ginger, our first baby (and resident crabby old lady),

has had enough of the kids' lovin'.

She's always preferred us and was around long before any of the kids came so she's been gracious to put up with them for this long. She's always liked Natalie since her world didn't change a whole lot after bringing her home from the hospital...they shared a bed at naptime for goodness sakes! Wow, how everyone's world, including Ginger's, was totally rocked when the 2nd kid arrived! I don't think she appreciates the 2nd kid's doggie impersonations either. Or Rhett's french kisses.

**And because we don't know what to do with ourselves now that we are getting sleep for the first time in 2 years...we are excited to be picking up a new Dickerson baby on Christmas Eve! My Honey and I decided a few months ago to start researching which new dog we wanted to make our family pet. We had so much fun on our search! What a surprise this is going to be for the kids on Christmas Day. Hello baby Labradoodle...

These pics were taken at around 4 weeks I think?

We've been getting updates on our baby every week since he was born and we can't wait to finally hold him and love on him. This dog (horse...it's on target to be large and in charge!) will be raised on slobbery kisses, sticky hands, and lots of lovin'...esp. from Lainey, the animal whisperer. The breeder says he's super playful and a little bit feisty...sounds like a perfect fit for our family.

Now we just need to figure out how to drown out his barks and whines as we open gifts Christmas morning since he will be the big finale! Then, how will we keep him from jumping out of the gift box? And how can we keep that Rudolph nose on him?? Just kidding. We'll be easy on him...for a minute anyway. Hang on Ginger! Your world is about to flip one more time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Preparing Him Room

Because of Lainey's difficult summer, her lung doctor advised us to cancel our trip to Disney World and stay away from large groups of people for a while longer...so we brought the Princesses to them. And what a night it was as we celebrated Natalie's 5th birthday and Lainey's 3rd!

Almost every one of the girls' cousins came in for the party and the night was full of girly fun...and some macho fun for the boys too.

It was a night I will never forget. The horse-drawn Cinderella coach was the highlight...well, one of the highlights of the night. Seeing my girls' faces when they opened the door and saw Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel standing there was priceless. I cried a couple of times that night.

It was a beautiful cold night with the stars and moon shining bright, complete with knights, dragons, and even a pirate!

Now, with this being the "Year of the Princess" in our house, we talk a lot about the way princesses behave (they do NOT tee-tee outside like Ginger!), how Daddy is Mommy's prince, and the princes who will come one day for Natalie and Lainey. It's a topic that Natalie, the romantic, especially loves.

Well, my world has been flipped quite a bit since having kids (exactly God's plan I believe), especially over the past two years as Lainey's health troubles escalated. God has used some of the most unlikely tools to shape me, one of the latest ones being, "The Jesus Storybook Bible."

***

Thanks to the suggestion from one of my sweet mommy friends, Erica, I bought this children's Bible and our storytimes quickly began revolving around this beautifully told love story. A story about a Prince who was coming after His lost treasure. Kevin and I would often read ahead once the kids were asleep and most every story ended with tears streaming down my face (and Mr. Man fighting back the tears). Below is an excerpt from the introduction...

God wrote, "I love you" - he wrote it in the sky, and on the earth, and under the sea. He wrote his message everywhere!...And God put it into words, too, and wrote it in a book called "The Bible."

...No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne, - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!...There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.



And at the center of the Story, there is a baby...and this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend..."


This is the baby whose birth we celebrate this Christmas season, "God's Great Rescue Plan" for the world. What powerful words we sing this time of year that proclaim the wonderful truth: "Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth." I've sung it a thousand times but this year is different...in part to this children's Bible and the picture it has painted of Jesus' love and His pursuit of us. I can say my soul has caught just a glimpse of it's worth. Really, what a love story.

I'm so grateful I'm learning I can trust this Prince with my little princesses.

May we prepare Him room this Christmas.