Sing For Joy

Spring Break Photos

Sometimes the girls really love each other:

Sometimes, not so much:

You know they were just playing around, right?

Gracie in the President's Seat in the Cabinet Room ( At the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock ).  Ellie couldn't sit there because she cannot be President.  She was not born in the USA. 

Gracie's favorite dessert during the trip:

This is where they would have spent the whole time we were at Joe's cousin house if we would have let them:

They had so much fun on this one, their Daddy ordered one for us-but ours will have the netting on the sides.  It is a joint birthday gift to both the girls.  They are going to "flip"  when they see it.  We actually have a place in our backyard made for a trampoline-no grass, all rocks, surrounded by railroad ties.  The former owners of this house had their trampoline there. 

One last picture from Spring Break.  I'm not sure which "kid" enjoyed this event more:

Quick update

There is a lot going on here and we're headed out of town tomorrow, so I wanted to write while I have a few minutes.

The sad news:

Joe's Grandmother passed away early this morning at the age of 97.  We have been expecting this news for a few weeks.    It is good her suffering is over and she is in Heaven.  Of that I am certain.

The happy news:

We have purchased a "new to us" van!  It's another Honda Odyssey-4 years newer than our current one and 75,000 less miles!  It is ALMOST  Carolina Blue.  We did not choose the color-we bought it from a man who works with Joe.

Ellie had another teacher spend time with her last night and she was able to talk to her!  She also talked to a new friend at church who is also a member of our church.  That is answered prayer-that Ellie will have a friend she can talk to in Sunday School.

The Today Show and People Magazine did stories this week on Selective Mutism.  I am so excited to see it getting more attention so more people will understand it-or at least not say, "I've never heard of that!"   

I've got many things to do before we leave.....I hope to post more often again starting in the next week or two.

San Antonio

These are just a few from our trip to San Antonio for New Year's Eve.  I'm hoping this will work since we've had a number of issues with our new computer!

A family picture at the zoo.  It's a big deal that Ellie is smiling because a complete stranger took the picture.  That's a step forward for her!

Happy girls.  This was New Year's Eve at  Mexican Restaurant.  They were so silly that night and had a great time.

"GHOSTS" at the Alamo

One of the best pictures we took all day at the zoo.

An unusual pair.

My favorite "exhibit" at the zoo. 

pictures from Michigan

Gracie went with Joe one of the mornings he went squirrel hunting.  ( I'm so thankful my husband likes both hunting and going to places like New York City.)  This was taken just as they returned.  Ellie went the day before but we didn't think to get a picture. 

We set up the tripod to take some family photos while we were there-hoping to get one for our Christmas Cards.  We even tried to include Sadie.  This is what happened when she ran off right before the picture was taken.   If I wasn't partially blocking Gracie, I might have used this in our cards!

Ellie got her hair cut this week with a new but subtle style.  We both like it.  My girl is growing up.   

More pictures a little later!

Where have I been?

It's been awhile since I've posted something new.  I've been making the rounds and commenting at other places, but not putting anything new here.  I thought I'd at least start with a few pictures.....
Ellie recently asked me to braid her hair one night when it was wet-this picture shows the result the next morning.  It looked pretty on her and she loved it.  It's nice to see her taking an interest in her appearance more often.

Joe recently sent all 3 of us our own flower arrangements.  Here's Ellie sitting in front of mine and hers.  Mine are on the left-beautiful white orchids. Hers are called peruvian lillies, according to the package.  I've also seen them called freesia.   I knew the girls were getting flowers, but I didn't know I'd be getting some, too!   He sent Gracie Gerber Daisies.

She was so happy to have flowers from her Daddy.

Ellie is doing great with her expander.  I'm no longer having to turn it twice a day.  It has caused a gap to open up between her two front teeth and the orthodontist says that will close up over the next couple of weeks but that her back teeth will continue to expand.  She will get her braces on Nov 16th and probably wear the expander until January. 

The first 6 weeks of school is over already!  Last night was homecoming and we went to the game.  The daughter of one of Ellie's teachers won Homecoming Queen.  I couldn't help but notice she was not wearing any makeup.  All 5 girls were beautiful. 

Last weekend was our trip to Dallas/Ft Worth where we surprised the girls by my Mom being there.  They were literally SHOCKED when they saw her.  And at first, they both thought all the plans we had been talking about for the weekend weren't going to happen, like going to the Ft Worth Zoo-but we did and they were happy.  It was a warm day and the animals were doing a lot of sleeping, or just hanging out.  The girls enjoyed feeding the birds. 

I have been staying busy with my usual things....playing for church on Sunday mornings, children's Sunday School, Bible Study....This Tuesday I will attend the Mentor/Mentee kick off.  I know I'm a Mentor, but I'll find out that night who my Mentee is.  I'm nervous and excited! 

We're still waiting for true Fall Weather here.  Maybe it will come 2 weeks from today-when something else we've been waiting for will hopefully arrive-the squadron Joe is deployed with is scheduled, as of now, to return that day!  He has just come down with a cold, after making it this far without getting sick.  Hopefully it won't last too long.   But, sick or well, we'll take him back whenever he gets here!

Back Safe and Sound

It's Friday the 13th-at least for a couple more hours here in TX and I am in my own home and will sleep in my own bed again tonight.  I arrived back in town yesterday afternoon after a great trip-but it is good to be home.  I am so thankful for the safety we had on the road, all the way to NC, each time I drove to another city from my parents house, and my trip back here this week.  The girls are still in NC and continue to enjoy their time there very much.  As a matter of fact, they were all going to see a local production of Thoroughly Modern Millie tonight and they were excited about that. 

I enjoyed being with my family so much.  I was able to see my Mom and Step Dad, my Dad and Step Mom, my Grandmother, my Aunts and Uncle, cousins, sister and nephews.  It was also great to visit the church we belonged to while we lived there.  I was there 3 Sundays in a row.  The first Sunday, I went alone and no one knew I was coming.  It was fun to see the surprise look on people's faces when they recognized me.  I even sang with the choir that day.  The next two Sundays the girls were with me.   As much as we enjoyed being there again,  I felt even more that we made the right decision in joining the church we did here. 

I purchased this really cool thing called an IPOD while I was there.  I don't know if you've ever heard of one-not many people own them, but it just might catch on.......I had a great time downloading songs last night and even more fun when I listened to the songs on it today while I walked Sadie.   Sadie, by the way, was very happy to see me when I picked her up from our friends' home yesterday and she couldn't wait to get in the van to come home.

The evidence of all the rain this area has had while we've been gone is extremely obvious.   The rose bushes out front are very tall and everything is green.  We also have peaches for the first time on the peach tree in the back yard!

Joe sent me an arrangement of flowers that arrived today.  What a great surprise that was.  White lillies and Red Roses. 

I brought home some things from my Granny's house and I've enjoyed finding places for them in my own home.  A small chest, her Silver Service, and another big box of many different things I still have to empty.   Something else very special came home with me from her house as well that I will write about later.   

Pictures to come soon!

Bullet Post

Things are going great here in NC.

We have been:

*swimming-Ellie especially has made great progress with her stroke and learning to lift and turn her head to breath

*boating

*shopping

*movie-going  ( Evan Almighty-really cute)

*eating out-good, fresh, seafood

*visiting with old friends and teachers

*spending time with my sister and her boys

*celebrating my Granny's 87th birthday!  My gift to her was having the newspaper delivered to her room everyday and she was very excited.  She lives in a Senior Citzen's Apt complex.

*playing Putt Putt golf-Gracie and I played this morning and, after I didn't count the swings where she completely missed the ball, we ended in a tie!  She had 3 holes in one!

*talking to Joe-he's doing well, despite the A/C breaking in his office today.

*boogie-boarding in the ocean-the girls did this for the first time ever last week and they love it!

More posts to come as time permits and pictures to come after I'm back in TX.

We're here!

The girls and I arrived safely to NC Tuesday evening around 6:45.  Our trip really couldn't have been better.  We dropped Joe off early Monday morning-6:45-and we started our trip here immediately. The goodbyes were quick, but not without tears.  Gracie kept going back for more hugs from her Daddy.  But the girls were excited to be on our way, too.  We were able to make it all the way to Tuscaloosa, AL the first night.  I drove 800 miles and didn't feel tired until the last few minutes of the trip.  I felt covered in prayer the whole way.  Our Sunday School class surprised us Sunday morning and the women prayed over me and the men prayed over Joe.   It meant so much to us.  The girls were great on the trip-they couldn't believe how long it took us to get out of Texas, and they would get so excited everytime we hit a new state. 

Joe made it safely to his destination, too and he reached me on my cell phone yesterday afternoon-just before he was going to bed.   This morning I found a card for our anniversary-which is today-in my suitcase.  It's been 15 years of adventures I never thought I would take, but I'm so glad I have and I look forward to many more.

Leaving in a H0nda Ody$$ey

......and driving to North Carolina next week!   I have been busy packing, printing directions and researching hotels the past few days.  The paper and mail are on hold, friends are prepared to check on things with the house, the neighborhood boy is set to mow the grass, Sadie's temporary home with church friends is ready for her and the movies for the portable DVD player have been set aside!  The day we actually leave depends on Joe's departure.  As of now, his plane could be leaving Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.  It's good we're driving and can be flexible!  I hope to get to our final destination after about 2 and half days of driving.  If things go as I have planned, our overnight stops will hopefully be near Jackson, MS and Augusta, GA.

I'll be back here in TX in about a month and during that time, blogging from here will be much, much less than normal.   In the meantime, I would so appreciate your prayers for safe travels for Joe in the air and the girls and me on the ground.  Pray that there are no troubles with the van, that I don't get lost and that everything goes well.   I'm excited to see my family, visit our church in NC and enjoy some time relaxing, looking at the ocean.    Thank you for your prayers!   

New York-Day 4

Monday was our last full day in New York City and the weather was beautiful.  I got out of the shower around 8:00 and put on my fluffy, soft hotel robe.  ( No, I did not bring it home with me.)  I looked out the window of the front of the hotel and across the street into a huge office building with lots of people already busy working.  We walked two doors down from the hotel and ate at a place called -Perri, you will like this-Duke's cafe for breakfast.  Eggs and Bacon and potatoes-good fuel for a long day of shopping and walking.   Our first stop after breakfast was to 5th Ave and the American Girl Store.  Ashley and Victoria needed souvenirs from our trip, too!  ( Those are the names of Ellie and Gracie's dolls they got for Christmas in 2004. )  Ellie's doll Ashely got this outfit.  She  ( Ellie )  loves it.   Gracie's doll  Victoria got this one.  I also got Gracie the same outfit in her size as an early birthday present.  She turns 9 this coming Sunday! She loves hers, too.  A couple of t-shirts later, we were done.   We walked down 5th Ave some more and stopped in a couple more places, including Sephora and the Metropolitan Museum of Art gift store.  They had beautiful scarves in there.  Joe bought himself a tie.  After a stop at Rockfeller Plaza

and  Anthropologie-(what a fun store, especially if you are a size 2!) we stopped at McDonalds for me to get a fountain diet coke-yum-and then dropped our bags off at the hotel, then headed to Central Park.  It was too pretty of a day in the city to not go there.  We walked right through the area that takes you to the zoo and also ended up right by the statue of Balto.  A place I had been before with the girls and it was neat to be there with Joe.  Of course we had to get a picture. 

The trees in the park were beautiful.

We weren't exactly sure where we were going, we just wanted to be in the park and enjoy the day.  We found the Sheep Meadow, quite by accident, but what a great find it was.  To lie in the grass, barefoot, on Monday afternoon.   

We made our way to Ground Zero and Wall Street that afternoon. We got on the subway-going the right direction-and we were joined by a class of 5th graders on a field trip and 3 teachers.  I cannot imagine taking children on a field trip on the subway and feeling relaxed about it, but those teachers seemed to be.  We started talking to one of them, a young girl who had just finished her masters degree in literacy the night before, and we talked to her so much we missed our stop and had to ride the subway over to Brooklyn and back!
George Washington patted Joe on the head while we were there as if to say, Keep up the good work. 

Isn't this flag beautiful?

I was so glad to get to take Joe to the chapel near Ground Zero-St. Pauls.   It is a beautiful place, full of history, including where George Washington went to church. I always come away from that area feeling sad, too.

Our last night in the city was spent going to dinner at La Grenouille, the place my Mom and Step Dad had given me a gift certificate to.  It is an absolutely gorgeous place with impeccable service and amazing food.  It was fun to get all dressed up.

One of the other patrons that night was none other than Sidney Poitier!!!!  It was thrilling to see him in person, but I kept my excitement to a minimum after my inital surprise of seeing him walk in, that is.  He was with 3 other people and I did not recognize any of them. 

After we ordered, we were given tiny bowls of a cold artichoke soup-delicious.  My appetizer was risotto with morel mushrooms and parmesean cheese.  Also delcious.  My main entree was Dover Sole and Joe had Halibut.  We both enjoyed our meals very much.  Dessert was the best.  He had a Grand Marnier Souffle' and I had a Chocolate Torte.  You can't turn 40 and celebrate without chocolate!  It melted in my mouth.  It was a wonderful end to our trip and I will always remember it.
We were happy to fly home to our girls the next day, but I could have easily been talked into staying a little longer.