Water Fountains, Food and Fun!

Meme is visiting us this weekend and we have had lots of fun! Yesterday we had a morning outing to a local park where the kids played on the playground and we had a nice picnic. Today we traveled to the Riverwalk in downtown Greenville to enjoy the beautiful day and the water fountains. Little did we know there was a big bike race underway. The kids really enjoyed seeing the bikers race through downtown. There was even a 3-6 year old bike race which was just precious to watch. Joshua wanted to be out there with them so badly. Maybe when we return from France.

Playing in the fountains was the highlight of the morning. The kids had a blast! It took Sophia some time to warm up to the water... despite the temperature already being close to 90 degrees. Joshua immediately started frolicking in the fountains and falls. You will see in the slide show that the first half of the pictures are of a wet Joshua and dry Sophia then all of a sudden Sophia takes the plunge. Joshua invented a game to see if he could dodge the spouts of water... He came up to me and, very matter of fact, told me that "the goal of the game is to not get wet." Goal of the game? Who is this kid? Then, Sophia raced over to me with a grin on her beautiful face... "Mommy, are you PROUD of me for getting wet?". Yes, sweetheart I am so proud.

Emily was such a joy and a little trooper. We were out way past time for her to go down for a nap and she was in such sweet spirits. Lots of smiles and giggles. She enjoyed her first taste of macaroni and cheese and pomegranate gelato. Life can be so good.

There's Always Moes

This has been a very strange week and it came to a culmination tonight. I can only hope it is all down hill from here. It all started almost two weeks ago now with Emily's ear infection. I said in an earlier post this week that she had returned to her normal self but I spoke a little too soon. She kept getting these strange rashes which would reappear and disappear and I kept having this internal battle with myself (and an external one with Freddie) as to whether or not I thought it was a reaction to the antibiotics or if it was just a viral rash.. take her in (and spend another $25) or wait it out.. take her in... wait it out. Oh the turmoil. I finally ended up making her an appointment but it was going to be at 8:45am on the same morning I had an appointment with my OB/GYN. The thought of getting all 4 of us ready to make it out the door by 8:15am and then coming home to leave again was just too much. So, I canceled the appointment. Bad Mom? Maybe. But she is ok now... and even seems to truly be back to her jovial easy going self. Well, except for the night awakenings... need to come up with a plan there. You would think that with her being child #3 I would have no qualms about shutting the door, turning down the monitor and calling it a good night's sleep... but, alas, I can't bring myself to do it. What if her ear is still bothering her? What if she is cold? What if she really is hungry? I mean, she hasn't been eating as much recently. What if she is just scared? There really is no more difficult job than motherhood. Where is the instruction manual with the decision tree?

So, why the OB/GYN appointment, you ask? I found a lump in my breast. Just typing that out or saying that makes my skin crawl and a wave of nausea wash over me. Thankfully, I have been very blessed my entire life with good health. I have had the flu a couple times and mastitis twice but that is about the extent of my poor health. I have had incredibly easy and complication free pregnancies and deliveries. I am only 29 (I am hanging on as long as I can to my 20s). Thus far, I have lived with this sort of invincible feeling. That is, up until this past week when my mortality became very real to me. Cancer can't happen to me. I am going to live to see my children grow up and get married and have children of their own. Freddie and I are going to live in the beach house and grow old together. Death is not right around the corner for me. And, thank God, it appears that it really isn't. My OB believes it is just fibrous tissue but I am going to have an ultrasound next Friday just to make sure.

Part of our schooling this week was to read a book The Storm in the Night which touched on the subject of fear. We did family devotions in the evening and discussed fear and how the Lord says do not be afraid. He is with us always. He did not give us a spirit of timidity. The Lord is in control. He shall never leave us nor forsake us. I know all of these truths. Yet, when faced with just the potential of having a life threatening disease, fear got the best of me. I am not afraid of dying. I look forward to the day I get to meet Jesus and live in perfect peace with Him. I do, however, want to see my children grow up and I want to grow old with Freddie. This experience made me realize that all of these images of our future.. these hopes and dreams and ideas... are just that. They may never come to fruition. We aren't promised tomorrow. We only really have today. Am I living every day like it is my last? Am I enjoying God and all of the blessings he has given me today? Or am I worrying about tomorrow? The latter often weaves its way in and out of my day. God clearly instructs us in the Bible to not worry. It is a very real way of showing lack of faith. I once read - Worry doesn't take away the sorrow of tomorrow but it does take the joy out of today. So true.

On a lighter note... Joshua went to his first "big boy" birthday party tonight. Mom nor Dad went with him. He is actually on his way home now and I can't wait for him to come home and tell me all about the Star Wars movie they watched. He has been so excited all day. Sophia was heartbroken when he left with a group of his friends. She cried and desperately wanted to tag along. So, I decided to have a girl's night complete with dinner out, mani/pedi time and Shrek 2 (her fave). She wanted pizza so we headed out to this little pizzeria down the road. We checked in with the hostess and I asked for a high chair for Emily. They were out of high chairs so I told the server that it was ok we will just go somewhere else. She asked if a booster seat is ok and I politely declined as I couldn't imagine that would go well at all with my 8 month old who has just started to sit up well and likes to crawl everywhere. No problem.. we can just go somewhere else. No no no she says... and she runs off to find an alternate solution. I am confused as to how one could solve this problem considering there were no other unused high chairs in the restaurant but Sophia, Em and I hang out at the table. A few minutes later a big burly man came around the corner in an exasperated tone of voice saying "Ma'am, I am sorry but there are NO OTHER high chairs.. I only have 3. I have never had it happen where all 3 high chairs are used at the same time." I tried to interrupt him to tell him that I told the lady we would go somewhere else... that I didn't ask her to try to find another high chair in a building where there were no other high chairs. But he kept repeating himself and acted perturbed when I told him that we were leaving. Then, he asked me if I had a chair in my car I could bring in to use. Um, no. And sitting in a booth in a busy restaurant with a two year old and an 8 month old unrestrained was also out of the question. I have to admit I had a thorny internal response to this incident. I was not loving that man in that moment. I could not believe that somehow I was the target of blame, in some weird way, for them not having an extra high chair. It was quite surreal, the whole experience. Sophia was almost in tears leaving and wondering if we were still going to get pizza. Sure! We will head over to another pizza place.. we certainly aren't lacking any around here. Into the car seats we went... 3 miles down the road.. out of the car seats again. It was almost 7pm by that point. I approached the hostess station and hear "That will be a 20-25 minute wait. " No way. Emily could erupt with sleepy tears at any moment and Sophia is starving by this point. So, back to the car we went. We headed down Woodruff Road and Sophia said from the back of the van "We can just go and get ice cream.. there are a lot of chairs there!". I literally laughed out loud. I should have just taken her up on that but we headed to Moes. You can always count on Moes as having a plethora of high chairs.

We left Moes around 7:30pm and Emily was still in a great mood and Sophia was so charming so I decided to brave the grocery store. We have nothing in the house for breakfast and we didn't this morning either and my conscious wouldn't let me feed my kids Dunkin' Donuts two days in a row. We get there and I can't, for the life of me, get the belt buckled around Emily's rotund belly. Sophia is desperate to get into the big basket of the buggy and people are crashing shopping carts around me like I am not even there. Anxiety starts to well up inside of me. So, I paused getting the belty clicker thingy to work and I scooped Sophia up and put her in the back of the shopping cart. Totally against shopping cart law, but, oh well. Finally I some how figured out the belt and Emily was secure and we were off. I was just going to pick up a few things to get us through tomorrow, but, we are here and no one is melting down so I find myself going down every aisle tossing things into the buggy. Poor Sophia was quickly becoming buried under Lucky Charms, pork tenderloins and Gerber baby food. As long as she had her "money" (ie coupons from the automatic dispenser) she didn't seem to care that she was drowning in a sea of groceries. I didn't either as long as she didn't squish my bread. We finally checked out with all of my necessities and $140 later we were leaving the store. I followed the bagger who is taking my groceries out to the van and begin buckling Sophia into her car seat and I hear this man who is toting a case of Coors shouting "Something something is so cheap.. you should get some". I thought he was telling me I should go back in and buy a case of beer. Huh? So, I quickly scanned my surroundings and brushed off the creepy guy feeling and raced around to the other side of the van to make sure Emily is buckled and I almost got hit by another van who is going down the wrong lane of the parking lot and trying to park right next to us. "The Cheerios, can't believe they are only $2"(to two other young girls walking out of the store)... "you should get a box or two of those Cheerios! They are never this cheap." What? Who says that to random strangers? So, I finally get everyone situated and I get into the van. I just wanted to go home where it is safe and people are nice and not too strange and buckles clip together easily and people don't yell at me. And, sad to say, mani/pedi time nor Shrek 2 ever occurred. But, all in all, despite the oddness of the evening, I think a successful GNO was had.

Climbing the Walls

Rainy days don't stop us from having fun... or from defying gravity. If you can't go outside and play and be free... climb the inside of the door jambs. That is what Spidey Josh says. Maybe I should add the disclaimer "don't try this at home!".

First Day of School

Today was our first day of 4K at home. We had lots of fun and hopefully the kids learned something new. The best part was we were able to spend lots of time together being silly and having fun and making new memories. Emily seems to have fully recovered from the ear infection that I never posted about. She has been a little monster this last week and I am blaming it on the ear infection she was diagnosed with last Tuesday. Today she was finally back to her normal jovial and sleeping well self. Praise the Lord for antibiotics! There is only so much inconsolable crying and night wakenings, which were finally a thing of the past, a Mommy can handle without going a little bonkers. Please see my other blog - http://ecolepage.blogspot.com - for more details on the first day of Ecole Page à la maison 2008.

Fall Soccer Practice

Wow! What a gorgeous almost fall day we are having today! It is glorious. I love the feeling in the air about this time of year where you can almost smell the start of fall. The wind has a special feel to it and the sun is starting to cast different shadows. You just know autumn is right around the corner. With autumn comes the start of new extracurricular activities and we put Joshua into soccer this fall. Today was his very first practice. Last fall Joshua played for the city on a 3 year old league where they just learned and practiced the basic soccer techniques - trapping, shooting and passing. I think those are all encompassing and the correct technical terms... not sure. I never played soccer. The word "practicing" may be giving the 3 year olds a little too much credit... they ran around and they may have been lucky enough to have foot contact with the ball a time or two. It was quite amusing to watch. This year, in the YMCA 4 and 5 year old league.. they will actually play in real games. But really, who am I kidding? It will probably still be a lot of running around aimlessly and coincidental contact with the soccer ball. But, that's ok! I am not trying to produce a future soccer star.. really, I'm not!

Precious Soccer Spectators

Friends

We hung out with some friends this past week and the kids had SO much fun! They enjoyed playing in the pool with a slide, making paint out of sidewalk chalk, and torturing a "tickle" bug. No, I have no idea what a "tickle" bug is... Hunter invented that name, I think. However, every unidentifiable bug we have come across since then is labeled a "tickle". Their Mom introduced us to frozen Gogurts which cooled them off on this hot summer day. They are now a huge hit in our home.

Joshua, Savannah (whom Joshua adores) and Sophie Bug


Joshua, Savannah, Sophia, Summer and Hunter

Clermont-Ferrand Geography Lesson

I found this breathtaking photograph of Clermont-Ferrand. Still very surreal to think this will be our home in just a few months. The large black structure you see standing out in the picture is the Cathedral Notre-Dame. It is constructed of volcanic rock. The town appears to be in a valley with the Chaîne des Puys running along side. The Chaîne des Puys is a north-south chain of cinder cones, lava domes and maars in the Massif Central of France. The Puy-de-Dôme is one of the large lava domes in the Chaîne des Puys. It is approximately 10km from Clermont-Ferrand. Clermont-Ferrand is the prefecture (ie capital) of the Puy-de-Dôme department of France.

*Information collected from wikipedia*

Who knew dentist appointments are fun?

Joshua and Sophia both had dental appointments bright and early this morning. I am happy to announce that they both did a fabulous job! The hygienist was very impressed with Sophia's eagerness and bravery. Both of them hopped up on the tables and settled in for their examination. They go to a pediatric dentist and I must say I was very impressed. It is very kid friendly. Joshua was stoked when he first walked in because they have this little tree house like loft area and there was a tv with Playhouse Disney showing. They use very non-technical, thus non-frightening, terms with the little ones to describe the procedures. Joshua and Sophia were able to wear super cool sunglasses during the cleanings... Sophia was a little sad she couldn't take them home. The best news of all is they both had very good checkups! No cavities! Joshua did get bite-wing xrays which showed his permanent teeth under his primaries... hard to believe in a year or two he will be losing his baby teeth! :( It really does seem like just yesterday we were anticipating his very first pearly whites. They had a fluoride treatment and I was instructed not to brush their teeth until tomorrow. Joshua was so disappointed that he was unable to brush his teeth tonight. I am hopeful that his enthusiasm is directly related to his personal concern of the health of his teeth and gums but I am suspicious it has more to do with the new Spiderman toothpaste we purchased at the grocery store following the appointment. We will see if he is as anxious to brush his teeth in a week or so.

Look What I Found?

Life is about to change around here yet again! Look what I found when I walked in to get Emily up from her nap the other day...

She is standing up on her own now!!! Isn't she just precious?

We Heart Rainy Days

Who says rainy days can't be fun? This was the first real rainy day we have had in a long time. So, instead of singing Rain Rain Go Away we suited up and went out to play! It was so much fun. Sadly, I haven't ever done that with my kids before. This will definitely not be the last time.

Emily was jealous she couldn't play too.

Happy Birthday Freddie!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

We love you and hope you are having a great day at work!!

Sophia and the Pet Store

About a year ago Freddie started the tradition of having a date with his daughter at the pet store. Sophia adores all animals - her faves at the pet store are the puppies, rabbits, guinea pigs, spiders (eewwww!!!), lizards and birds. She has a special place in her heart for the ocean aquarium filled with fascinating sea creatures like the sea urchins, sea stars and sea horsies. Today I had the privilege of taking her on a date and we had a great time. I love spending one on one time with Sophia. She is so much fun!

Sophia pointing to the poor sea horsie caught in the sea weed. She was quite concerned about him.

Sophia inspecting a hissing cockroach!! (Double eewwww!!!)

Sophia and her turtle friends.

Parlez vous français?

Dang you tower of Babel! (insert shaking of fists) How much easier it would be if the entire world spoke the same language. :) Alas, I know God's plan is better than ours. Learning to speak a foreign language at 29 is trés difficile. I mean, right now, I don't even know if I used the right accent mark on that "e". And, there are about 4 different ways to say "this/that" depending on if the noun is feminine or masculine/singular or plural. Same with my, her, his, our, your, etc. Trying to figure all that out while trying to pronounce the words correctly (with a strong southern accent, no less) all while working with a very limited french vocabulary compounded with social anxiety (which exists even when speaking in English) results in sweat beads and waves of nausea. Exit pride. Enter humility. Nevertheless! I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity the Lord has given us. Give my kids a month or two and they can be my own personal translators, right? :)

What a Mighty God We Serve

I have not been doing to well with spending time with the Lord recently. There is no good excuse... even with three children you can find time if you prioritize. And, I am not talking about making time for a formal quiet time. I just mean talking to Him throughout the day. I am usually good about calling out to God when I am not having a good day with the kids but even then I sometimes turn to myself instead of Him. Anxiety about our impending move or starting 4K with Joshua this fall or Joshua's headaches or Sophia's disobedience... I just internalize it in anguish sometimes instead of giving it over to Him. What am I thinking? Little me... BIG Him. You would think it would be a given who would be the more appropriate one to handle these situations. We are such independent beings. Many people always say "The Lord won't give you anything you can't handle". I think that is untrue. The Lord will give you plenty of things you can't handle alone... but WITH him you can do all things (Philippians 4:13).

We had a sermon this past week at church about God's characteristic of being omniscient, or all knowing. It is one of those concepts that, if pondered over long enough, will place you in the corner sucking your thumb - as our teaching pastor put it this past Sunday. As much as it makes my head hurt to think about it, it is that much more comforting to know that the God of the universe knows everything that has been, that is and that will be. If sinful me can't be in control - which really is a blessing in disguise, isn't it? - it is good to know that a perfect God is!

Psalm 139 (from biblegateway.com)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, ^[a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to ^[b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Isn't this one of the most wonderful truths you have ever heard? The Lord of the universe, our Saviour, is with you always and is delighting and singing over you right now!

Zephaniah 3:17

17 The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

Playground Fun

The kids and I went to a new playground today. It was really beautiful.. butterfly gardens, water falls and plush green grass. The play area for the smaller kids is gated which is always nice when you have little ones. Emily went swinging for the first time ever in her life. Sophia, wearing her capri suns (Sophia lingo for capri pants) enjoyed pushing her like a little Mommy. Joshua met some new friends and he played super heroes and hide and seek with them. Josh and Sophia are very sociable and friendly but Josh is much better at approaching new children and initiating play... probably more the age than anything else. We packed a sack lunch of pb&j and enjoyed the morning outside together.

First Camp Out

Uncle Jason and Aunt Sandy held a super cool camp out last weekend just for boys. It was so much fun and we were all so excited the entire week before. Despite the 100 degree weather, the guys had lots of fun roasting marshmallows, making smores, roasting hot dogs, wrestling, grunting and whatever else boys do when they all get together in the wild. The girls let them have their fun and we had some fun of our own in the air conditioning where other people cooked our food.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

to the great grandparents house we went almost two weeks ago! This summer we are trying to visit all of our grandparents and the great-grandparents before our move to France the beginning of next year. So, two weekends ago we visited Freddie's grandparents and had a wonderful time. Here are a few photos from the trip...

And she's off!

Emily is officially mobile... scooting and semi-crawling her way around our home. She is adorable and just the sweetest baby. By far the most easy going baby of mine. She is just happy and if she is ever fussy she is either hungry or tired. She loves to suck her thumb and I think it is just the cutest thing. Her brother and sister adore her. We are so blessed and I am forever thankful for the children the Lord has given us.