Nathan, after seeing that all the neighbors bags of leaves had been dumped out and played in, “Sam, did you dump those leaves out?”
Sam, “Well, if I say yes will I get a spanking?

When it was time to schedule Millie for her 2 month check-up, I signed Nevi and Sam up for their yearly check-ups as well.  I knew that it would be challenging because the two girls needed shots.  I asked Nathan to pray for us and headed in.

Upon arrival, our hilarious pediatrician announced that all three children would be getting numerous shots, and “Boy do I feel bad for you!”  I set my strategy and did not tell Sam or Nevi  until it was time for the shots.  Nevi took them like a trooper.  She just laid there with huge tears in her eyes.   Sam immediately starting crying, and by the time he was on the table, it had turned into screams and I had to put a passive restraint hold on him to keep him still.  It was terrible.  He looked at me with the most scared eyes and kept yelling, “mommy don’t let them!”

When it was all over  all three little ones were crying and we headed out the door to Target .  Sam and Nevi each got to pick out a very little toy as a reward.  Nevi immediately picked out a “Hello Meow Meow” toy, and it took Sam about 45 minutes to settle on a super hero figure.  They were both very happy.

Fast forward a few days…  Sam was looking through a toy catalog and said, “Mom, I really want this toy.  When is my next shot?”  !!!  I guess it wasn’t so bad afterall.

Our sweet boy turned four last week!  We celebrated with the usual doughnut tower cake for breakfast with Grandma Sue, Papa Sam, Aunt Mim and Uncle Danny.

He had a great “GI Joe Batman party” party with friends at the park.

Today at the doctors office for his 4 year check-up, the doctor asked him if he was eating well and then made Sam list off his favorite foods.  Without a seconds hesitation he rattled off ,  “sweets, snacks and candy!”

Here are some facts about Sam right now:

• His speech is improving, but he stills says “yittle” for little and “nola bar” for his favorite snack
• On that note…  he is a terrible eater.  LOVES snacks, but not much else.  Meal time takes some effort.  He HATES meat of any kind, unless of course, it contains nitrates (sausage, bacon or hot dogs).  When any meal is over he will ask for a snack!
• He never wears a shirt unless we make him.  He is very curious as to why they are important.  He has big dreams that he shares on numerous occasions to open a restaurant called, “No Shirts Allowed”  We’re hoping it’s for only boys!
• On a weekly basis he will come up to Nathan or I and tell us what he wants to buy us for our birthdays.  Nine times out of ten it is a pair of sheets in a pattern we might like (Batman for Daddy and flowers for Mommy.)  I am not sure where he got his love for linens!
• When he does anything he doesn’t like he rubs his head – just like his dad!
• He loves the library.  He always picks out books for daddy while he’s there.  The last one he picked was titled, “Barbarians”
• He has the best laugh – it always makes me start laughing.

What a blessing to have had four laughter filled years with this boy.  I pray for many more to come!!!

This has been a very busy fall for us.  Having a baby during Nathan’s college coaching  season is less than ideal.  Most days we are lucky to see Nathan for 30 minutes or so.  Soooo… for the sake of  posterity, and to set the record straight, I am going to answer the question I get every day…

“How do you take care of five young children by yourself?”

The answer:  AN AMAZING GROUP OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

I don’t think a day has gone by in the last 71 days that I have not been the recipient of an act of kindness.  We’ve eaten wonderful meals prepared by friends, Millie has received adorable gifts to keep her looking cute, Nathan and I have been given generous gift cards for restaurants so that we can have  time together,  I get a weekly call from my sister-in-law to help put kids to bed, my mother-in-law takes the young ones regularly so that I can get a break, my car pool friend has graciously carried more responsibility with pick up, friends with their own young ones have taken mine for the morning, two very special  people (Jodi and Melissa) have flown out to  be my personal slaves visit and help, Joni has even come over to wash my dishes while I put the kids to bed!

I read over this list knowing the I have missed things, but also being a little self-conscious that I am boasting.  This is not the intent.  I never want to forget how supported I have felt.  I never want to look back and think I survived this time by my own strength.  I never want to forget how God heard my prayers of anxiety and provided for me.  I never want to waste an opportunity to help another person in need of an extra hand – it has meant more to me than you can imagine!!!

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

It was New Year’s Day 2009  in D.C..   Nothing out of the ordinary was taking place – the older kids made crafts and put on a play.  The younger ones destroyed Marci and Will’s living room  with cowboys and knights 26 times or so.  We took a walk to a great park for a picture of all the cousins.   I think we even ate some leftover chinese food from New Years Eve.   I never really thought too much about the fact that I didn’t feel quite right and seemed to be a little emotional.  Without much thought I told Marci that I wanted to stop at a drug store on our way home from the park.  I bought a pregnancy test and laughed to myself thinking I was crazy to waste the money on one,  still not thinking it could actually be positive.  I took the test and received the results VERY Quickly.  Time seemed to stop – my mind going crazy – FIVE kids!  FIVE tuitions!  FIVE seats to fill in our van – oh my word, we’ll be too big for a minivan!

243  days later  I had a very different attitude…  God saw fit to grace Nathan and I with a beautiful new daughter, Emillie Joy!  From the moment I looked into those beautiful little eyes, I was in love.  How could I have ever been anxious about that New Years Day surprise?  8 weeks later as I type this, she is laying next to me and I couldn’t feel more content.  Tired and overwhelmed? yes, but filled with JOY nonetheless!

“Little Millie”

9.1 lbs, 21 1/2 inches

I just handed Nevi her 3rd piece of pizza and asked her, “Where do you put all this food Nevi?”  She looked at me like I was crazy and said, “On my plate!”

Sam came down from his “nap” to have a snack with me as I checked my email. The following conversations were had in a 5 minute timespan over a bowl of Lays Classic Potato Chips.

“Mom, do you know what “pay” means? It means when the police come and arrest you and put you in the dungeon and put the arm things on you. That what the bad pay means.”

“Good pay means someone gives you money and it’s good.”

A MINUTE LATER:

He suddenly said, “Mom, watch me dance like a ballerina” – followed by a beautiful twirl. He looked up me and said, “A super hero kind of ballerina mommy, not a girl one!” OH yeah, I know what you’re talking about…

THEN:

Nevi, look there’s the baby’s belly button (pointing to mine) and said, “Nevi, there’s a baby in there, but it’s all covered up”

Our time together has been so different this year:   No trips to the East Coast to see family, no dips in the Atlantic or hikes in NC with cousins, but we have loved every minute of you!

We had some great birthday celebrations  (Nevi turned 2 and Jane turned 7!)

We enjoyed many visits from the ice cream man (Notice Nevi’s puffy eyes from crying out of fear of the “ife freem man”) at Aunt Mim’s house?

We had a great visit with Papa and Grammy

Some of us even learned new tricks!

We had a week full of fun with our DC and State College cousins

playing new games

Going through the slip and Slide

Spending lots of time in the water!

And many hours swimming, from the community pool with the Blacks, to a movie night floating on tubes at the club pool with the Darrah’s, and countless hours at Stan and Joni’s.  Once, Janie even said to me, “Do we have to swim EVERY day???”  Poor girl…

Elli loved to touch her toes to the bottom

Janie perfected her dive and made tons of new friends

Sam learned to swim on his own and “borrow” snacks from other members

Nevi waited patiently for Mommy to swim with her. She also learned to say, “Ring Pop”

SO LONG, MY FRIEND!  WE WILL BE ANXIOUS

TO SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!!

I was walking down the stairs toward the kitchen this morning as I passed Nevi walking up.  When she got to the top of the stairs, she said “Hol, Hol me mommy” (hold me mommy) and  I instantly got annoyed – why did she have to walk to the top of the stairs, just so I would turn around and bring her back down?  My body was sore and tired, and I wasn’t too happy.  Despite my feelings, I allowed her to jump into my arms, and as I did, she wrapped her little arms tightly around my neck and said, “You’re my est fend mommy!”  Translation:  You’re my my best friend mommy!

What a little wake up call for me – what if I had ignored her request and told her to come down on her own?  I would have missed the sweetest words ever!

Remember the game MASH?  The one where you picked your husband, his occupation, the car you would drive, the kids you would have, and the place you would live?  I always tried to pick a business professional, driving a volvo stationwagon, with 2 kids, living in New England.  In reality, I am married to a self emplyed landlord, driving a minivan (had to give up the volvo after 2 kids), with almost 5 children, living in Kansas???

And… I wouldn’t change a thing.

Today marks our 15th anniversary!  Difficult to believe that we’ve gotten this far already!

“Opposites Attract” would be the best way to simply sum up our relationship and it’s ability to happily stay intact.  The first year of our marriage (1st month to be exact) Nathan said a few profound statements that have stuck with me and gotten me through times when I would have otherwise been insulted:

1.  “Heidi, you can keep talking, but I’m going to go to sleep”

2.  After asking him why he never asks me any questions, he replied, “Heidi, you already tell me anything that I would ever want to know”

I laugh every time I think about those statements and how they are still true today.  He didn’t mean to be mean or insensitive (I don’t think) but it was the truth!  I can now happily spend time with him without saying much (if I wanted to )

Some of the facts:

• We’ve lived in 5 houses (the first 4 were in our first 2 years of marriage), but I’ve signed papers and closed on another 60 or so.
• Driven 10 different cars (Nathan says no more new ones for me until all the kids stop using sippy cups and the neighbors stop playing baseball with it as the backstop)
• Owned 1 dog, 2 turtles, 2 frogs, a short stint with a snake, 6 fish, and 2 hamsters – NONE of which are still alive (note to readers, We will pet sit for you if you need someone
• Have 5 children (Ok, technically this fifth one will be appearing in a few weeks)
• Owned 3 different living room couches – Nathan hating all of them.  I promise our next one will be leather and comfy!

Ok, if you are still reading, just a few more funny insights into this sweet guy:

• Just 2 DAYS AGO, while I was away on a short trip, I came back to witness that he had slept on my side of the bed.  I asked him about it, and he replied, “I always really like your side better, but I ‘ve never told you”  Fifteen years on the left side and I now sleep on the right side of the bed…
• A few years ago I mentioned wanting to make butterscotch cookies.  He went on to exclaim (ok, maybe that is too strong of a verb for Nathan) that those were his favorite cookies – now I wanted to know, WHY HAVEN’T YOU EVER TOLD ME THAT???!!!  If I had a favorite cookie and someone at home to make them, he would have known the first week of our marriage about it!
• We are about to have our 5 th child.  We think it will be a 4th girl.  We discussed names (last week) and came up with one we were both really happy with.  After deciding, he said, “That one has always been one of my favorite names!”  Again, why didn’t I know this when naming the other 3 girls???!!!

None of those stories are to give him a hard time.  If he was as vocal about his likes and dislikes as me, we probably wouldn’t be as happy as we are!

Praying that God would bless us with many more anniversaries together!!!