Happily Ever After...

Every wedding is a Royal Wedding with the bride and groom as king and queen making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future. Our Royal Wedding is August 27, 2011. (squeal! that's less than 4 months away!!!!!)

Unfortunately, Chelsea isn't just gaining a husband. Bogey wants to be in on the family love too. Really badly. I think he's trying too hard to be accepted, but that's just me. He's so excited about the wedding, the new apartment, and the hopes and dreams of a future plopped right between the two of them. OR .......maybe not. See ya Bogey- it's the FLOOR for you buddy!

With four little ones, someone is bound to get sick. On a holiday weekend. Surprise! It happened!! So we have made a little pledge to save the festivities when such a conundrum occurs and celebrate another day. What I'm trying to say is..... we moved Easter this year. Shocking , I know. Fevers, sore throats, coughs and parents children whining don't bode well for Easter egg decorating, hunting for sugary treats, and the like. So it will be our four girls who will be dressed to the nines in their adorable Easter attire and everyone else will be wondering why............ NEXT SUNDAY. Which is also when the egg hunt and decorating will be done. Easter dinner? Yep, it will be next week as well. Now ya'll are "in the know" about these things. We did however decide that it was cruel and unusual punishment to not dole out the Easter baskets, since we have been talking for over a week about the meaning of Easter and why we celebrate, and how Easter baskets have absolute...

When I moved from Colorado to Virginia at age 11, I made 2 best friends in my neighborhood. Annie lived in the townhouse next door, and Denise was just a few townhouses down. Little did I know at the ripe ol' age of eleven, that these girls would become a constant in my life. Fast forward 30 years, and we are still the best of friends. We have grown up together, have done stupid high school stunts together, and shared life's many ups and downs. If anyone has my back, it will always be Anne and Denise. Growing up, Annie's mom was the neighborhood watch. She wasn't part of the neighborhood watch, she WAS the neighborhood watch. Nothing and no one could come in or out of our little culdesac without Mrs. Harrington noting it. When we were young, it was comforting. When we were teens, it was ominous. You didn't have to wonder, you KNEW Mother Harrington was watching. The wonderful thing was, Mother H didn't rat you out. She would wait until the time was right, invit...

 When we first got the twins, I would have never, never, NEVER thought that she could sit up in a bumbo seat. Ever. My sister bought her this one, and I wasn't sure if we'd even be able to use it. How wrong I was. She sat in that thing like she OWNED IT . For a whole entire Barney video. It's a funny thing about Miss Celia- Will. Work. For. Barney. Always.  Twin switch!!! Is it me, or at times are they looking more alike? Scroll up and down, and see what I mean. It's kinda weird. Twins that favor each other... who woulda thunk it?!?   "I don't know what all the fuss is about.  I'm just sittin' here. No big deal." "Yippee for Celia!!!!"

A note left on Mommy's desk this morning..... Well, tell me how you REALLY feel!!!! HA!

Adorable smiles. Holding hands while waiting for dinner. Transferring bracelets from one hand to another. It's a twin thing, and it melts my heart. I'm so thankful they were kept together. It is not always the case. Please join me in praying for this family and for the tough decisions they have. I cannot imagine being in their place.

 We were thrilled Ryan asked us to host a surprise engagement party after he popped the question. Chelsea thought they were making the rounds to both parents houses to show off the ring. She was shocked that ALL the family was at our house, and a smathering of dear friends too. There was LOTS of hugs. and lots of gawking at her beautiful ring. and the words "my fiance" we uttered 3,999 times just in case anyone forgot. We didn't of course, but it was a cute reminder that... THEY ARE ENGAGED!!!!!  The girls were excited to show them the dessert buffet.  We made them practice cake cutting to perfect the art. No time like the present, I say.  They will kill me for this lovely photo, but it is picture proof that they won't be slopping each other with cake at the wedding. At least, I don't think they will. Maybe they are saving that weird fun tradition for the real cake?  The father of the bride making a  heartfelt toast to the new couple. With sparkling ci...

 Aria Dawn Joined our family in May 2005  Gianna Christine Joined our family in  May 2007 Celia Diane and Sofia Elizabeth Joined our family in November 2010 And without further adieu we are proud to announce our newest daughter.... Chelsea Diane The love of our son's life. Engaged today. Joining our family Fall 2011. We are beyond excited.

Apparently everyone in the family wants to Go-Go. Who would think of putting a DOG in a gait trainer?!? Certainly not these partners in crime , ahem... cousins. Nope, not them. Aria insists this wasn't her doing. Never. Bentley MADE her do it. And who on earth told Gianna it would be okay to ride on the front of the Go-go just 28 hours after surgery?? Why, Bentley of course. That naughty little dog is a bad influence on my sweet girls. Our dogs don't eat their homework (yet) They encourage deviant behavior. Sigh ... With influences like this, right in our home, what in the world is a Mom to do?

~The Dr wasn't sure how many more expansions he would be able to get out of this rod. A new rod placement is almost as big a surgery as the initial implant. ~He came out of the OR and said he thinks, since she is petite, that they can get FOUR MORE expansions. That's roughly 2.5 years that we don't have to dread a BIG, UGLY surgery. Amazing......I'll take it. ~Greg warned him that she would be asking to play soccer when she woke up. The Dr. thought about it and said that if it were a boy asking, that boys are pretty aggressive at 5. Since it's a girl, and girls tend to be more "polite" that she can play a season. It will be her ONLY season, but we get to check off one more thing she CAN DO off her list. She will be so thrilled. ~Sometimes the pain of surgery is diminished by the relief of the expansion. Gianna made it 7 months this time, and she was waking up regularly in pain for a month or more. She needed this surgery. Consequently, she is feel...

Monday, April 11th 7:30 AM Surgery number six. She just turned 5. That's six surgeries in 4 years home. They have saved her life. But there is no end in sight. So when I look at her sweet, peaceful face... As much as I DREAD this for her... Without these surgeries... Her smile would not melt my heart day after day. Her giggles wouldn't echo in our hallways. Her compassion would not touch each person she knows. So I am thankful for surgery after surgery. It gave me the gift of Gianna. She knows why she is flying to Philly today. She is not afraid. She is excited to ride on an airplane. She's thrilled to have buddy time with Daddy. She is hoping to see a friend who is "Just LIKE ME" named Madigan. Madigan is having her surgery the same day. God is good like that. She is excited to see her favorite doctor. She can't wait to see what Mommy has packed for her as a surprise. She has the uncanny ability to endure tremendous pain and only see the good. But she know...