Update on the Kids

Isabella is getting very close to crawling! She gets what she needs by rolling, pivoting, or army crawling! The girls love to play in the playroom together and recently Gabby is the Mommy and I am the little sister and Isabella is the baby. A lot of times our "Mommy" has to go shopping and "Barbie" baby sits us. We can go on like this all day! I love to watch Gabriella role play but to be honest it is like watching a mirror of myself!

The boys have been playing their guitar every night and we have been having some nice evenings with some Praise & Worship music Isaiah has been working on. Isabella loves to watch them play and we all sing together. Moments like this, I will cherish forever. Thank you God!

Florida

I packed up the kids and took them down to Florida to see Grandma, Grandpa and Great Grandpa! We had a very nice time although a bit on the cold side for Florida, compared to what we left from it was paradise.

We were able to spend a few days in the pool and on the last day before going Isaiah met this wonderful family with kids his age and they played all afternoon in the pool. We went to the Holy Land Experience and the kids were enthralled by the Passion Drama of Jesus. It still sparks conversation with them.

Isaiah golfed at a real course with Grandpa twice for the first time in his life. First score was a 69 and he improved his second time out he shot a 55! Way to go Isaiah! Gabriella shot a hole in one on her last round of mini golf, thanks to Grandpa's foot being in the way!

Isabella, our sleeping beauty, would not sleep on the airplane even though it was nap time! Her first flight, she cried a lot, but then the remainder of the flights she did great. She will sleep all day if she is at home in her crib or in a pack and play somewhere else, but forget those days when she would fall asleep in her car seat or anywhere else. She was diagnosed with a double ear infection while down there, but considering not feeling the best, she was a very good little girl! She turned 10 mos while down there and the kids insisted we sing to her and have ice cream in celebration of her 10 mos. birthday! No, she did not get to taste it! She will get her opportunity for her first dose of sugar once she turns one!

Despite a car rental fiascal the first night, we had a very smooth trip. Isaiah was a big help! One of the funniest moments was when we first got to the airport, we had just checked our bags and I looked back and there is Gabriella behind me and her carry on bag was a 100 feet away, I told her she forgot her bag and to go get it. We all stood there while she went back to get it. She bends down and gets out her "Barbie" phone and puts the phone between her ear and her shoulder and talks to "Barbie" as she proceeds to put other things in her back pack and starts to walk, oblivious to the reality world around her as she walks in front of people. Such a classic moment!

Last night seemed like such a special evening with the kids. It was just an ordinary night with helping with homework, reading books and playing with the kids. But I had a moment where in the depths of my heart I felt so blessed to have this opportunity to raise these beautiful little creations that God truly has a special plan flaid out for each of their lives and I get to be a part of it! They are each little miracles and truly do have a personal story about how each of them came to be here.

Isaiah sereneded us with his piano and guitar and of course Gabriella had to perform her songs as well which were wonderful! I went upstairs for a brief moment to help Gabriella and Isabella started to cry (something she does anytime I leave her sight now). I came down to find her smiling ear to ear as Isaiah was playing his guitar singing her a song just for her! It was so sweet watching the two of them.

Our Hour at Church

The kids and I went to church this morning and we were on time! That can be viewed as a bit of a miracle in itself. There was no Sunday School today so the kids went to church with me. They were very good.....with a few everyday occurrences that happen daily in our house which seemed to happen all in our church service! Gabriella decided to have a power struggle with me since she found gum in my purse and after I told her "no" she proceeded to dump it all out, then she "found" a piece she said was unwrapped, telling me she can't find the wrapper. I of course gave in and let her split a piece with Isaiah. You should have seen her smile from ear to ear as she chomped on that gum! Then we went up for communion and a family blessing and Isaiah tells the person who is serving the communion "No, I can't, I have gum". I have some work to do in that area! Meanwhile Isabella's nose was constantly running and I thought I was doing a good job at keeping it wiped until I looked down at my shirt and was disgusted by all the snot all over me. She started to get a bit fussy and so I put her up near my shoulder and then the next thing I know, a man comes up to me and says "your daughter just puked all over you", I look down and sure enough I have puke all on my shoulder and all in my hair (we were sitting near the front, bad idea with kids, I know). I then cleaned it up and said to the kids lets go (church was just getting over) and I looked down yet again, and saw my pants were coming undone in the front! I am utterly embarrassed that this all occurred in one hour plus at church but to be perfectly honest this is my life and I wouldn't trade it for anything! I love these beautiful precious gifts from the Lord!

We have been going a bit stir crazy being confined indoors due to the kiddos not feeling so well this week. So today we headed off to Adventure Peak with their cousins to burn some built up energy!

I think Gabriella has changed into about 8 different pajamas in the last 24 hours. She has this thing...as soon as it starts getting dark, she changes into her jammies. Lately it has been several different ones in a matter of a few hours. She makes me laugh at what goes on in her little mind....Today, I saw her going upstairs with a few different bags along with her winter jacket, hat and sunglasses on. I asked her what she was doing and she replied (with a bit of a sigh like I should know)....."going to school". I took a picture of it since it was just way too cute. I love her imagination!

Isaiah on the other hand is much more black and white which I love too. He is creative in the ways he draws, paints, plays the piano and build legos. He loves to find out how things work. Right before going to bed on New Years Eve night he retired his blue blanket! The blue blanket he has had from birth!

Isabella we are still trying to figure out, but so she loves to smile and her new thing is since she still is not crawling, is rolling, pivoting or doing what ever it takes to get something including whining! Whining when Mommy leaves the room or when someone else but Mommy or Daddy are holding her.