Merry Christmas 2012!

Photo Card

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God's hand

Last summer I started thinking about sabbatical plans. An initial Google search lead me to two possible schools. By "happenstance," we visited one of the towns to celebrate my IL's 50th wedding anniversary. I went to a conference, and ended up "randomly" car pooling with the chair of one of the two departments. She helped me set up a visit. While I was visiting the campus in October, I received notice that a "hail Mary" grant I had submitted had been funded. While sitting in the hallway, waiting to talk to the aforementioned department chair. When we visited one of the area elementary schools, the principal was from the same very small (population: 657) town as Patrick's mom. While going through a tough time, I posted a scripture that spoke to me. The pastor of the church in sabbatical town posted a very helpful blog on the exact same passage that day. Last night I freaked out about not having housing, and about finding a good school for the kids. Today the postdoc in the research group I'm joining sent me a note, saying they're going on sabbatical and wondered if we'd like to rent their house. I'm very thankful that God has basically put a big "go here" arrow to Knoxville--I can't wait to see what God has for us there!

Dance Recital Dress Rehearsal Drinking Game

I don't drink, so this is mostly just for fun :)

Every time you're confused about the rehearsal schedule, take a drink.
When you can't figure out how to assemble the costume, take a drink.
When your child complains that their shoes are instantly too small a week before the recital, take a drink.
Every time your child loses a shoe or a piece of a costume, take three drinks.
Every time the director adds a costume or prop during the dress rehearsal, take a drink.
Every time your child complains of being tired, hungry, bored, take a drink.
If you are working backstage and someone else's child who you've never seen before needs help with costume, bathroom, or directions, take a drink.
Every time your child sees you from stage runs to you or yells your name instead of paying attention and doing their dance, give them a hug and file that memory away :)
Every time a child loses a hair piece or costume component on the stage, take a drink.
If your child throws up or has an accident on stage, take five drinks.
Every time your child is chasing imaginary butterflies instead of doing what they're supposed to, take a drink.
Every time you write another check (tickets, costume, DVD, T-shirt...) take a drink.

Every time you tear up, wondering when your child got so big, coordinated and beautiful, give thanks to God and take a picture, for this moment will not last.

Amazing what two months of lessons can do...

(for Henry, that is...)

Harmony lost something at lunch...

The "Big" number from Harmony's dance recital (at rehearsal)

Henry's "graduation" ceremony from an 1880's simulation

Mo Mor Mon!

I miss blogging. It helps me remember the day to day stuff that I don't want to forget.

So here's a nugget for today:

We had dinner at a house that had a trampoline. Once Hope got it to herself, she was saying "Mo mor Mon!" as she bounced...

Translation: No More Monkeys jumping on the bed!

Occasionally she asks to be put in her crib, and she holds onto the railing and jumps her little heart out, saying Mo Mor Mon! as she jumps.

Henry's gift to his teacher

...is a story he wrote. Considering how much he likes to write (not much!) it is a definite gift from the heart!

Mrs. F and the big, bad teddy bare

By Henry
Illastrated by Henry

(drawing on the cover includes Math City-->)
One time a gigantick bear attacked math cituy and Earth!
O.K. Here's how it started.
Astronouts found a teddy land ad started kating teddy bears from teddyland. The king of teddy land got mad . he siad "send the giant teddy bear to shrink and grow when he gets to earth." (drawing of king talking to the super-sized teddy bear)

(Next page: drawing of super-sized teddy bear, being attacked by Star Wars ships. speech bubbles with "it's nasty!" "we're dommed" "It looks like a teacher will save us!" with a caped, small teacher in the corner)

After the evle (evil) teddy bare retreated...it went to Earth!

Then Mrs. F uses her superpowers to blas the big bad tett bere back to his home plant, teddy land. (Drawing of people cheering and the bear flying from earth to his home planet).

Happy Birthday, Harmony!

Harmony turned 6 on Friday. How can it be six years already? She's a beautiful girl--not because of her appearance, but because of her heart. She finds joy in everything, and she's got a giving and prayerful heart. She's the one who most often wonders about our Compassion children, wondering how Leidy spent her birthday on Wednesday, praying that they'll have a good day, wondering what time it is where they live. She was insistent that she wanted things to send to Haiti instead of gifts for herself for her birthday party.

We celebrated on Friday by joining Mammaw and Pappaw at Chuck E Cheese.

On Sunday we had a joint party with her birthday buddy, Emi, at the pool.

She not only got some fun things for herself, she also received 102 items to send to an orphanage in Haiti!

How old is Hope?

Harmony's poetry

Gardns by Harmony
flowers are prite
Mud Putols are not
Gras is prite
Bees are not
Busssss
swush
swush

My cat by Harmony
My cat is vere sneke and quiit
She is amosing at hid and sek
She eats a lot
Meyo

Babes
Babes criing
Babes chasing
Babes Playing
Babes eating
Babes nice
Wah!!!

Grama
My Grama is fun
My grama plants
My Grana is tall
Yaaa!!!!

Lily
Lily is fun
Lily Plays with me
Lily likes me
Lily hugs me
best frend!!!!

Dogs
Dogs are fun
Dogs giv kissis
Dogs are fast
Wof!


My mom
My mom prays
My mom techis chemstre
My mom eats a lot
My mom is the sekint oldis.
I LOVE YOU!

Hope and Wags

Hope LOVES the Wiggles, especially Wags. She carries around the DVD case (when she can find it), points to the TV and begs until either we succeed in distracting her or she gets to watch it!

My OCD daughter...

I think it's just they way toddlers are, but Hope is completely obsessed right now with:
--washing her hands (we did it for most of the plane ride to Fargo (this was pre-"bathroom bomber")
--brushing her teeth
--putting on lotion
--having her hair put in pigtails (she really doesn't have enough hair to do them, though!)

Jeanne Robertson "Don't send a man to the grocery store!"

A friend shared this and it made me laugh out loud :)

Wordless Wednesday: Pizzas, prizes and pies night

Congrats, Henry, for selling enough Cub Scout popcorn to get to throw a pie in your leader's face!

Sleeding fun 1

We had lots of fun playing in the 17 inches (!) of snow that fell at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Uncle Mark helped forge a good sled run by the barns! Both kids enjoyed snow "snacks" as they went down...silly kids :)

Merry Christmas!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.
(Romans 15:13)
Merry Christmas 2009 from the Taylor Family

A Marvelous Plan

Harmony's Christmas dance program dress rehearsal! It was a very small stage, but they did a great job.

Conversation with Harmony tonight..

While tucking Harmony in tonight:

H2: Mom, is there another baby in your belly?
Me: No. (Guess I better get back on track with the diet!)
H2: We should have another baby. Jen has four kids.
Me: Why should we have another baby?
H2: So we can have a boy for Henry to play with.
Me: Well, they'd be at least eight years apart, so I don't know how much they'd play.
H2: So how do you know if there is a baby in your belly?
Me: uh...God gives it to you. Moms have ways of knowing.
H2: The baby should have the same birthday as Hope.
H2: But in December. December 16.
Me: You'll have to talk to God about that.


Oh my. First, I better get back to the situp routine and diet. Second, the kids have been eerily correct on talking about babies before they were born (though I am in no way, shape or form ready for/considering more babies!! I'm feeling definitely too old!!)