Emma's 4th Birthday 9/1/09

Strike a pose!

Think ya might be too close???

I'm too old for this!

Ellie is a cheerleader this fall with the parks and rec down the street. She cheers for pee wee tackle football. I volunteered to coach her team and was trying to remember cheers from 20+ years ago. I run and stay in fairly good shape so I thought, no problem, I'll show them a few jumps. I stretched and was surprised to see that I could still do a toe jump. Wow, I can do a herky too. In fact every time I did them, I got higher and higher. What an idiot! I could barely walk the next day. Everything but my teeth hurt. But I promised a neighbor I'd take a "fire" class with her that day. So those of you who know me, know what I did. Yes, that's right, I sucked it up and took the class. A fire class, in case you don't know, is when you do aerobics with weights until your muscles are burning so bad, they feel like they're on fire. O.k., I get it, I need to learn to say no! But my stubborn (or stupid) streak wouldn't let me. I thought, just warm up your muscles and get through it, you'll be fine. I wasn't fine! I was sore in places I didn't even know I had muscles. My girls kept saying, "Why are you walking like that mommy?" They kept trying to get me in this wheelchair we have in our garage. Long story why we even have a wheelchair... Oh well, I survived. What is it they say? What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger! Really, does it??? Or does it just make you cry!?!
I'll have to post some pictures of the girls cheering, they are soooo cute! Emma isn't quite old enough to be on the squad, but she sure does a good job keeping up with them.

We don't have to move!!!

While we were house hunting in Mississippi, Keith got a call from Sieman's letting him know they recently had an opening in Athens! Keith wasn't even looking for a job. I had been praying fervently that God would open up something here for him so we wouldn't have to leave our boys or the house church that meets in our home. Sieman's had his resume from 5 months ago when he was looking for a job, before he got on with Diagnostica Stago. I'm so glad we don't have to move!!! Keith had his final interview the very day he was supposed to begin work with D.S. in MS (He'd been training up to that point.) On one hand, he felt bad because the company was so good to him and he hated to do that to them. But on the other hand, who knows how long we'd be apart, us here trying to sell our house and Keith working in MS all week and only coming home on weekends. I thank God that he provided income for us until this opening came through right here in Athens! What a miracle!

This will make you gag!

Earlier this week while Ellie was at school, Emma and I went with a few friends to the "Daily Bread" to serve food to some of the homeless folks in Athens. After everyone got their food, Emma and I sat down to eat. Emma finished first and walked around talking to everyone. She came back over to me and said, "What's this mom?" She had icing smeared from her elbow to her fingertips. Before I could say anything, she took her finger and scooped a hunk of icing off her forearm and into her mouth. I said, "Nooooooooo!" I asked her to show mommy where she got it from. She brought me over and pointed to the trash can that had icing smeared all over the rim and down the side. Ugh....... My gag reflex majorly kicked in! Good news though, she lived!

Back to School

Ellie started school last week and loves her teachers and her new school! They built a new school 5 minutes from our house. Emma misses Ellie sooooo much during the day!!! She will be 4 on September 1st, but I won't start her in pre-k til next year. I've got some make up time to do with her. I missed the first 2 1/2 years of her life. Besides, I don't want her to be the youngest in her class. She seems in no hurry. She just enjoys mommy time. She's been bringing up the past a lot lately. She said the other night, "Mom, don't send me back to the orphanage." I said, "Emma, you're my little girl forever, you're never going back there. You, Ellie, Drew, Alex and Tyler are my children forever." She gets real serious and sad when she says things like that. Like the thought crosses her mind and she needs to be reassured.
Ellie said the other night that I need to make sure I tell Tyler and Emily (his fiance) how to get a baby. I said, "How to adopt from China?" She said, "No, how to get a baby in their tummy since they are getting married." She has no idea... I just thanked her for reminding me of my duties. Whew! No more questions followed, so I narrowly escaped that one.