Disney cont.

Jacob, Owen, and Phoebe being silly on the bunk bed of one of our cabins.

This was our last day, and I think we all wish we had a Papa's shoulder to fall asleep on.

Nothing but trouble.

We found one of the street shows highly entertaining until Phoebe started dancing. Then we found her highly entertaining!

Blogworthy by megan

Yesterday I picked Phoebe up from school as I do most days. As I was putting her in her seat, I noticed her looking at me funny. Then she started picking at my eyebrows. "Mommy," she said, "you need to get your eyebrows waxed."

What can I say? She was absolutely right. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that she is only two!

Blogworthy by megan

Okay, so maybe this isn't so "blogworthy," but I felt the need to blog nonetheless. The past seven days, in fact tonight is the eve of the last week's onset, I have been bound to my bed clinging to any amount of strength in my body. I was attacked by the flu. I don't mean that the bug came , swooped in for 24 hours, did its thing, and took off. No, no. This bug got me good. So good, in fact that I wound up in the hospital last week begging for some relief from all the "perks" the flu has to offer. After roughly six hours, a wonderful clear bag of magic fluid, several tubes of blood, a portly nurse that reminded me of my grandmother, some "What about here?" and "When I do this... any pain?" type questions, some waiting, a doctor whose glasses were so thick it made me a bit nervous (honestly), a few warm blankets to ease the chill of those rooms, and an explanation of what to do to get better, I was on my way home to recover.

I will admit that through all the discomfort that comes with an ER visit, there was a laughable moment at the end. In fact, it really was quite funny (and that's not the magic fluid talking, either). As the nurse was discharging me, she was going over some information on some papers about what to eat and taking it easy the next several days. I was kind of listening, but she really caught my attention when she said, "And there is to be no sexual activity until you are released."

Was she kidding? Like released from the ER? She actually had to tell me that in my disgusting, greasy hair, cotton mouth, dehydrated state that I should not engage in "sexual activity" until I am released???? I burst out laughing. I looked at my poor, equally exhausted, starving husband, and said, "Babe, you are going to have to wait until we exit the hospital before you even think about it." I mean, is that actually a problem to where they have to make that clear on the discharge paperwork? Can people really not wait until they are discharged? I just had to laugh. It was good to laugh.

It has been seven days, and I am still not 100%. I went to school today but I only made it half the day. I am slowly getting better... slowly.

"Nastics"

The last several weeks I have been going to my gymnastics class on Saturday mornings. It is a 45 minute class full of tumbling, balancing on the beam, jumping on the trampoline, hanging from the bars and rings, and so much more. We go through a series of circuits... I know, it sounds really intense, but it is really just a lot of chaos! What else could there be with 12 other girls my age?

Here I am getting ready to hang from the uneven bars.

And my favorite part of the class is always bouncing on the great big trampoline...

... then into the pit of squishy, foam cubes!

After class, we all wait patiently for Miss Courtney to give out our stamps. I usually get one stamp on each foot and one on each hand. It is such a big deal! I pull my pants all the way up past my knee to get my stamps.

My turn at last!

Blogworthy by megan

It has been a long time since I have picked up a book and been entirely captivated and in awe from beginning to end. I have had Same Kind of Different as Me sitting on my nightstand for almost two years now, and when "Blizzard 2011" hit Atlanta, I figured it was the perfect time to crack it open. My mother-in-law gave me this book to read, but, well, life got in the way and I never got to it. For some reason I feel like God didn't want me to read it two years ago. But he wanted me to read it now, and it resonated with me. It's about two "nobodies" in the world who become "somebodies" and the woman responsible for their most unlikely friendship. This piece of non-fiction is just one of so many examples of how God works in this world; he works through millionaires like Ron Hall just the same way he works through the homeless and impoverished like Denver Moore.

While Shawn sat and watched the NFL playoffs this weekend, I sat in the recliner with my cocker spaniel and my box of kleenex serving as my bookends-- my stabilizers. I cried my eyes out, not because it was a sad tale (which it was in parts), but because it was a tale of God at work through these two men who didn't want to be put to work. They had no say in the matter, but they decided to trust and let God lead the way. Pretty powerful stuff.

The other book I read while snowed in for a week was Speak. I have been wanting to read this because I want to incorporate it into what I teach my 9th graders this semester. It is perfect for high schoolers-- an easy read with topics such high school cliques, where to sit at lunch, not wanting to walk to the pep rally alone, parties, peer pressure, and the list goes on and on. It's about a girl with a secret. This secret has ruined her socially and continues to eat away at her to where her relationship with her parents is dissolving as well. It is a great story that I think my 9th graders will really enjoy this semester.

Snow Day 5

Today ended up being a snow day for Mommy, but my school opened up at 10 am. It was nice to go back and be with all my friends, and I KNOW Mommy had a nice day doing anything and everything she wanted to do. Daddy went to work, but came home kind of early. After Daddy picked me up from school, we went to a birthday party-- my cousin Ansley turned ONE yesterday! We went over to their house for dinner, presents, and cake. Here are some shots of the evening:

Nana with all of her ducklings.
Ansley was bright-eyed and loving her moment as we all sang.

And... the smash cake! Ansley went after it. We were so proud!

Happy Birthday, Ansley!

After we got home from the birthday party, we were greeted by Grandpa and his chocolate lab, Codee. Grandpa and Codee drove down to Atlanta from Michigan today, and they are officially official! Grandpa moves in to his new house on Monday, which is what Daddy calls only a chip-shot away. We are so glad to have him here!