It's been a while!

I thought that I would blog the exact moment that my "baby" became a little girl... It was just a look but right in front of those big blue eyes I saw a glimpse of the women that will one day stand before me. As she does her stinky pants dance there is more form and beauty to her movements... she speaks with clarity and she loves deeply.

The Princess of the House!

Athan had a bladder scan on Thursday. They found that she is worse on her right side with some improvement on her left. Her intestines are GIGANTIC for a little girl. We have scheduled surgery for November 11. We have also scheduled an appointment for a Pediatric GI doctor on November 3rd.

The funniest part of our morning with Athan happened while we waited for Dr. Koo to come talk to us. I told Athan that she looked like a princess, then that sent her mind reeling. Athan: "Our house in my castle, Caedmon is the knight, Holland is.... (we decided she would be a lady in waiting)... you are the Queen and daddy is...( I suggested the King, Athan said "no") Daddy is the dragon!" Mommie: "Why a dragon? He should be the King." Athan: Daddy is the dragon, so that Blake will come fight him before he marries me!"

Ryan & I LAUGHED & LAUGHED!

That is our Athan... a princess to the core!

Garrett Fun!

Sunday night after youth group... the kids and I hoped in the car and drove to Appomattox for a few days with my family! Martha, Myself and Holland stayed up until 2 in the morning! Then somewhere in the middle of the night Uncle Fleming hear the cry's of Holland and she ended up in the bed with them... HHMMMM, "who does that sound like?" Martha and Athan made deviled eggs, Caedmon and Fleming carved pumpk... not I mean watermelons, and Berni and Holland discussed the importance of having BFF's or "beep beeps"! Caedmon was all smiles when Sky showed up!! Caedmon: "Nic & Sky are my best buds. We could go hunting one day, you know, I can use my money and buy a real gun... we can kill bears, foxes, chickens... you know."
Athan played the entire day by herself! She LOVED the Barbie house that Uncle Fleming wanted to throw away... "did you see the joy in her eyes?" Now you can NEVER throw it away.
Holland had fun talking to EVERYONE! Of course until it was picture time! She & Athan colored with PaPa, and she danced around and sang the morning away!
Sky painted Taylor's nails! The kids swam. I taught Martha "13" and she beat me! Nic and Jordan played guitar hero with the kids! Then bath time in the "rocket tub!"
Nic cooked the veggies, Barry and Donna brought the salad, Mom made corn pudding, Daddy brought the rolls, Berni made Sweet Tea, Martha made pasta salad and deviled eggs! YUMMY... I am sure I forgetting something... Oh Yeah, Fleming grilled the meat, chicken, steaks, and pork!
It was so much fun! We love all you guys!

They helped me!

Holland despises going to the doctor's office... in fact when we see the nurses in the grocery store she starts to panic. But yesterday, I had to take her to the doctor because "her ears stopped." She feel asleep in the waiting room... I was hopeful. Then we were called back, her gripped tightened around my neck her legs clung to my waist... our dear sweet nurse came in and wanted to listen to her heart beat... then it was on! Screaming, arms swinging. The nurse just laughed thinking that it would get better... the nurse...so young, so innocent. She left the room and Holland was all smiles, she wanted to sing songs and count the mickey's sister's on the wall. Dr. Susan approached the room, silence fell over the jovial child. She covered her ears and buried her face in my chest. I held the SCREAMING girl down for the ear exam that showed we were going to need to clean out her ear... Dr. Susan looked at me "do you WANT me to clean out her ear?" with the resolve to unstop Holland's ear I looked her in the eyes and said "I can handle it if you can!" So with the strength of a nurse, a doctor, and a mother who was thankful for the late night saturday wrestling matches that she watched with her dad that now provided her with the maneuver to wrangle her screaming, kicking, child down the cleaning began! Could you hear her SCREAMING (or maybe your soul shook at some point yesterday afternoon)... it was like nothing I had ever heard before. After a few tries her ear was clean and she was calm... they offered no prize, only a bill... and with the snickers of the other nurses and the receptionist commenting on her big eyes and lungs we headed home!
Holland got home and when asked what happened at the doctor's office... her response was "they helped me!" I wanted to cry.

About the S'mores!

The first Russell camp-out fun. The day started with Chuck (former student) & Ryan setting up the Gould's tent in the back yard. Ryan started the fire. Then we got the hot dogs, buns, ketchup and relish ready for dinner! The wonderful thing about camping at home is that when you forget things... and I forgot things... you can just go back inside and get them! Caedmon, Athan, and Holland got their sleeping beds and toys out to the tent. Athan the packer prepared a basket for toys for everyone. It was time to eat! The dogs were yummy.
Then it was time for games! We played tic-tac-toe and Go Fish. Then we gathered around the fire and read another chapter in our book "The Little House in the Big Woods." Pa killed a bear who had just killed a pig.... what a great day on the prairie. Then to our delight we saw car lights come up the drive! Aunt Tina stopped by for s'mores!
S'mores do I need to say anything more! Tina helped Caedmon light his marshmallow on fire, Athan liked the chocolate, and Holland enjoyed the marshmallows. Our neighbor Nick came over for some yummy treats as well!
Time for BED! The kids got in their tent and with their crank light they told jokes and laughed themselves to sleep. Ryan and I played cards and as usual Ryan beat me! Time for us to go to sleep... then the "all-dog alert" was sounded. Dogs for MILES around sent out the alert. They barked & barked & barked... did I mention that they BARKED! Though the kids were sleeping through it, mom and dad could not go to sleep... so at 3am we picked up our sleeping campers and put them in their beds...and then we FINALLY went to sleep! When the kids woke up in their beds they were surprised and just a little upset with us... but then they remembered what a GREAT camping time they had and are making plans for another camping trip away from the house!

Athan's favorite camp out memory: "All of um... I didn't like when the dogs barks and you took inside, I wanted to stay outside by myself with everyone else."

Holland's favorite camp out memory: "I wuved all of tumb. Tna burned my marshmallows"

Caedmon's favorite camp out memory: "Burning my marshmallow!'

So we learned some lessons... but GREAT memories where made.

All About Holland!

Holland Joye Russell is 2 1/2 years old. She loves her baby dolls, milk, & her mommie (just ask her). She enjoys watching Elmo's World and sitting in mommie's lap. Holland has a blanket named "meme" and two babies... Two & Fat Baby. Her best friends are Hunter, Emma, Joelle, Lauren, Aedan, Charis, Charisa, & Tirzah. She and Bucky the "cat" do not like each other, Holland enjoys pulling her tail and Bucky enjoys biting Holland.

She loves to talk and tell knock knock jokes! Her chore at home is to put away the silverware and make her bed. She sleeps in the room with her sissy Afan and brudder Paedman. She has TinkerBell sheets and pillow case. For fun she likes to close the refrigerator door. She is a one of a kind, and we are thankful that she has stopped crying every moment of the day! She is our Holland Joye & comfort "blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4

First Day of School!

This week we have had our share of sickness... after our day of fun at the Lake, we woke up Monday morning to colds, fevers, aches and pains. So our plan to start school on Monday was delayed until the teacher felt better! So here it is the first day of school!

However, before we started I found Athan crying in the guest room. I could not begin to imagine what she was so upset about, as I held her in my arms, with tears streaming down her cheeks she says, "Mom, when I get married and move into a different house, it is going to be so far away from you, it will take you too long to get to my house." I know that when they are babys and we look into their longing eyes, we wonder "what are you thinking?" Well, I would never imagine that a four year old would have such things running through her mind. I assured her that it would be a long time before she moved and we could think about it then!

So, with the tears gone it was time to start school... first the pledge, prayer time, and then lessons! It was a good first day. The cats and stuffed animals learned a lot too!