Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Okay, the big reveal!

Before

Parker and Noah with their long locks. This has been the style for a while, with the occasional trim making it a wee bit shorter from time to time.

After

Parker and Noah with their new dos. These are definately "boy cuts".

Parker has thicker, wavy hair. I am not in love with this look on him, but he likes it...... so I'm happy! I just think it's going to grow out too fast and he will need trims more often because it is not as short. That's all.

Noah has thinner, wavy hair and I really like this look on him. Tell me he doesn't look just like Tommy Jr. here?? Okay, some of you don't know Tommy. He's a cousin. Ummmm....here-

Tommy Jr. ~ handsome cousin extraordinaire!

Penguins

Last week we went back to the Aquarium because the new penguin exhibit opened. No, I don't need much of an excuse to take off on a Friday afternoon and take a quick field trip. Pretty much anything will do....strawberry picking, shell collecting at the beach, a sale at Children's Place....just kiddin'! Although, as long as I have the kids figure out the discount...isn't that school??? Hee, Hee.

Big sister decided she'd like to take the afternoon at the Aquarium too, so we slowed down near The College long enough for her to jump in the van! :)

Here is the enormous Penguin exhibit. No, really, that's it! The entire exhibit. See, I told you I didn't have to have much excuse! Obviously, we didn't join the Aquarium for the penguins!

But, I think you will agree that the pictures from this trip came out much better than the last. That would be because of my new camera, folks! I ended up with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC H-10. It has a 10 x zoom, but it's still just a "point and shot". A complicated point and shoot, but still a throw-in-your-purse-and-go camera.

If I had tried to take this picture with my other camera it would have come out completely black.

Isn't he cute??? Can I have a horsey?

We had another great time and we loved having Lizzie with us for this trip!

Wednesday Prayer Meetin'

Sorry I'm late! For those of you interested in an update, my mother is improving. She is still in pain and still unable to "do" much other than sit or lay on the couch. Good news....it's Masters Week and that woman LOVES to watch golf, especially if Tiger Woods is playing! So, I have a good idea what she's doing this week! Feel free to head over to the Prayer Meetin' and leave your requests or pray for others if needed. I love what SS has to say this week.

In this year of "firsts" for our Claire I have paid more attention to the celebrations we hold. I didn't realize until this year, how often we do celebrate something.......birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. The last 6 months have revolved around one party or another, beginning with Lizzie's birthday in late October, moving through the boy's birthday, then Claire's, which lasted 3 weeks! Then of course we had Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Chinese New Years, Valentines and now we approach Easter! Easter.

For us, Easter is more than a party....an egg hunt.....a basket full of candy. Easter is an Honor. It is the day we remember that we do not have to be separated from a perfect God because of our impurities. In His infinite wisdom, The Father knew we would never understand Him or that unless he came down here and explained it Himself. Some of us still have trouble with it. Jesus lived....and ultimately died, so that we could be forgiven. So that we can have a life, at His side, when we die to this world. If we choose that way. So, it is an honor to remember that sacrifice. It is an honor to know that He loved us so much that he would choose to walk among us. To teach us and endure the persecution and terrible pain of being rejected and then tortured to death so that we could be accepted into Heaven. And, I am honored that I can pass this knowledge....this Truth on to my children.

But....right now Claire....well, she will remember the Easter Egg hunt on Friday with her friends and another one on Saturday with her cousins. To her it will be a party and candy....this year. But as she grows in age and size, she grows in understanding too. It is amazing to see her learn and grasp new concepts. I can not wait for the day when she reaches out to take hold of God's promises for her life. The day when she understands the Sacrifice, The Passion!

Pray for our family, that Paul and I would be the parents that we were meant to be for these children. That we guide them in The Way, not just any way!

Also, remember Hannah?

Yes, that Hannah.

I got an email from her mother, which I have yet to get around to responding too, but that is not the point. Hannah had a follow-up MRI of her brain. It showed no change....meaning Hannah does not need surgery!!!! Hurray for Hannah! And, I think we get to see her and her family on Sunday. Hurray for us!!!

Spring has Sprung!

All winter long the earth was bare;

The crumbling leaves were brown and red.

It seemed that flowers everywhere

Had lost their petals and were dead.

Then, God, you whispered, "Time to rise!"

And every field and every glen

Heard your sweet call from out the skies

And stirred and woke and lived again.

Thank you , God.

Amen ~ Ben Aronin

When I was little, my sisters were Baptized together. Some family friends had been chosen as God parents. I had been Baptized as an infant and had my own wonderful God parents, but I remember being insanely jealous that day, because the girls got Bibles. My God parents had not yet given me one. My mother must have realized it, because later that day she brought me an old children's Bible. It had been hers and in the front it said " Presented to Brenda Lee Barton by Mother on August 1952". My first Bible! It made absolutely no difference to me that it had belong to some else first. It was a King James version, adapted for children and full of pretty illustrations. The best part, in my opinion, it had prayers in the back. There was a prayer for everyday of the week and others for special occasions. I loved the prayers and every day and night for many years I would open to the back and recite some of them. The poem above is one of the prayers from that bible...which, by the way, I still cherish. I guess it's almost time to pass it on....

Isabel insisted on using her parasol in these pictures. She got it in Epcot....at China... the fall before we got Claire. Claire wants her own and so the children think that is a good excuse to head back to Disney World!

Claire is so proud when she stands by herself!

My handsome boys....they got hair cuts yesterday, so these are the last pictures taken with the long locks. I'm sad, but....they do look more like boys now.....shaggy boys, surfer boys, but....boys.

As you can see, I finally got a new camera. These were taken Palm Sunday. The new camera is still a "point and shot" but it has a lot of bells and whistles that the other didn't. It is taking me some time to figure it all out. So far, so good! We've had a few days of spring break here, so I'm trying to get in some hobby time and learn a few things about it.

My Apologies!

I want to apologize to my huge fan base the handful of people that actually read about our goofy lives here. I did get back home from my parent's house over the weekend. My mom is about the same. Actually, I guess I need to call her for an update. She's texted me twice to tell me what I left behind. Whose mother texts them? My parent's crack me up! But, her condition did not improve while I was there, so I doubt she's had a sudden recovery.



I've been MIA because it's just been one thing after another this past week, including two doctor's appointments with not so great results. First the boys had check-ups which included booster shots. The check-ups went fine....the booster shots have caused both boys to run fevers for two days now. Just what we needed after recovering from the flu a mere 3 weeks ago. Really. Then Claire-Bear had a follow up with her orthopaedist. Dr. H is thrilled with Claire's progress! But.........she had a follow-up x-ray of her pelvis and it doesn't appear to be forming correctly. I don't fully comprehend what she was saying yet, but the gist is that the bone isn't growing enough over the socket to keep her leg bone in the socket when she gets older. I know I've just impressed you with my medical talk. Right? Anyway, the good Dr. thinks that if she doesn't see improvement by next appointment, Claire will need surgery. Then I talked with our therapist, and she thinks we should get a second opinion. So, I'm not sure yet where that leaves us.



Now the doctor's appointments are behind us, but I'm working. Yes, I said working. I actually work for two days every year and I even get paid. I know you are laughing because it's only two days! But, if I have to get up before 7am it's work! I am the coordinator for standardized testing for a large homeschool group in my area. That means that I set up testing for a group of homeschoolers, order the tests and I administer the 9th-11th grade test while a group of other testers administer the rest of the grade levels. So, no time to take pictures or update until Friday.


But, I did what to let you know that I'll be back! Plus I owe this person a really big public apology and I needed to get on here and make it.

That incredibly beautiful blond, is Sara. The cutie in front is Isabel's bestest friend, Maggie...but this is about Sara, so focus. Sara is an amazing friend, and she makes this possible at my house!

For 8 years, that woman has willingly directed the musical education of my children. Which is pretty amazing, I think. No one else has made that kind of investment in my kids that wasn't related! And, anyone that makes it possible for smelly, goofy, prepubescent kids like my twin boys to make noises that are beautiful..... rather than the other kind of noises boys that age make, is heaven-sent in my book!

Last week, in my hurry to get to my mother, I completely and totally forgot about piano class. We stood her up. I am totally ashamed to admitt that I didn't even remember until I walked through the door on Saturday and saw the piano! And, that makes it look like we take piano lessons for granted, which is totally not the case! Thank goodness for Facebook, Sara knew we were out of town and what was going on! But, that's no excuse and we want her to know..... I want her to know, that I really, really appreciate her. Y'all just don't even know!

And yes, I totally stole that picture off your facebook.