The Maryland McMillins

memorium

2010-05-31T10:23:00.003-05:00

"freedom is never more than one generation from extinction. we didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. it must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same, or we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the united states where men were free." {ronald reagan}

2 for 1

2010-05-31T08:49:00.002-05:00

we were, ahem, struggling with nap time on a recent fine sunny afternoon...struggling as in, they wouldn't go to sleep because they wanted to be outside. i remained firm as i know my boys and they need sleep! i made them stay in their room until a certain time and when i came to get them up this is what i found...

2 for 1! all of the sheets, blankets and pillows were down on chad's trundle bed! oh well, at least they took their nap which made for a pleasant evening. :)

adventures with gigi and grandpa

2010-05-31T08:38:00.002-05:00

hmmm...what should we get to eat?

chad's face says it all...we love steak and shake especially with gigi and grandpa!

after our swim at the community center

helping grandpa wash towels at the community center

swimming in indiana

2010-05-31T08:32:00.002-05:00

the fantastic four

joshy bear's first time swimming...he LOVED it!

he splashed and laughed so much!

michael is getting braver and braver!

just because he's cute...

2010-05-31T08:30:00.000-05:00

sailboat regatta 2010

2010-05-31T08:20:00.002-05:00

proud of our big brother!

michael's sailboat and awards - 2nd place for speed and also raciest-looking sailboat

michael sanded his boat and chose to paint it blue. he wanted orange stripes so mommy helped with that part!

what a big boy! we are very proud of him, not because he won awards, but he did his best for Jesus and had a GREAT attitude...you would have thought he won first place!

*someone* forgot the camera for the actual event, but we do have video that should be posted soon...it was SO much fun! the kids blew their sailboats that were placed in gutters (sealed at both ends) filled with water. it was hysterical!

how to not make a mess while eating ice cream on a hot day...

2010-05-31T08:17:00.001-05:00

...eat it in the bathtub! :)

mommy's tech geeks

2010-05-31T08:15:00.000-05:00

fun with friends

2010-05-31T08:02:00.003-05:00

mommy made a fruit pizza! it was sooooo yummy!

katie and josh hanging out on the deck

the boys on the teeter-totter

proud papa with his baby girl

chad and snickers...doesn't snickers look thrilled? :)

chad really would like to have his own doggy!

mommy's day 2010

2010-05-13T20:27:00.002-05:00

i was royally spoiled on mommy's day this year. my day began with breakfast in bed - scrambled eggs and blueberry muffins made from scratch. pete and the boys gave me lots of cards, coloured pictures, dark chocolate, new earbuds for my ipod, joshua's charm for my mommy's necklace, and, best of all, lots of hugs and kisses! after church, i was treated to spicy chipotle for lunch...yummy!!

good morning, mommy!

my 3 little mcmillin men

they're growing up too fast!

i'm so thankful for the gift of children. mommyhood is the hardest job i've ever had, but it also is the most rewarding job i've ever had.i'm also thankful for the gift that was my mom. although she is no longer here on earth, her legacy and memory lives on. i pray that i can follow her example of being a Godly mother.

chad turns 3!

2010-05-13T20:19:00.002-05:00

waiting on my cake

here it is!

slide

2010-05-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

don't be fooled by joshua's facial expressions...he really does love it!

playing with our leapsters...

2010-05-13T20:14:00.001-05:00

...together!

i have a picture of my sisters sitting like this reading books...love it!

rub-a-dub-dub...

2010-05-13T20:11:00.001-05:00

...three mcmillin men in the tub!

washington, d.c.

2010-05-13T20:07:00.002-05:00

ww2 memorial and lincoln memorial in the background

washington monument

on the metro

have toes, will travel

2010-05-13T20:05:00.001-05:00

what? they're really tasty (and clean)!

the many faces of chad

2010-05-13T20:01:00.001-05:00

nice.

...aaaaaannd, we're back!

2010-05-13T15:46:00.002-05:00

easter sunday 2010

so, it's been a while. 2010 has turned into quite the busy year. january was spent with a wonderfully long visit from the bachmans (yep, 11 people stuffed into our tiny, 1062 sq. ft house -it was FUN, though!) we said a tearful, painful goodbye at the end of the month. michael was also enrolled in emmanuel christian school (ecs), and will start 1st grade this fall. *sniff, sniff* february 15th we marked the one year anniversary of mom going home to heaven. how can it be a year? in some ways, it seems like forever since she's been here, and in other ways, it seems like yesterday we were saying goodbye. the bachmans were able to come back for one more quick visit...we miss them greatly because four years is a long time! we know cameroon is where the Lord wants them, and that is the best place for them to be! march was spent celebrating paula's birthday. we are continuing mom's tradition of family birthday dinners. i felt this was the month that i came out of the fog of grief. not that i'm done grieving for mom, but i don't feel like i'm separated from everything and moving in a foggy slow-motion anymore. this could also be attributed to chad not getting up in the night anymore - SLEEP! by faith, we listed our house for sale too. it's time to move on to a bigger house. april was full of doing home improvements, getting rid of accumulated junk, colouring easter eggs and celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. because of His sacrifice, we know we will see mom again in heaven and spend eternity with Christ. this is separation is only for a time. chad also turned 3 on the 17th. we had an aquarium themed party with the family. pete also began a new phase of work that involves travel, but, in the end, we get to spend a lot more time together as a family and the extra pay will cover michael's tuition for a full year - praise the Lord for His provision and goodness to us. may has been busy too! carnival day, choir conference, ladies conference, mother's day and just life has been keeping us hopping! my mcmillin men thoroughly spoiled me on mother's day. after 9 months on the market, we praise the Lord that mom's house is under contract and closing will be on the 27th. His timing is perfect even though it's not always our timing! Lord - willing, pictures of our adventures will magically appear over the next couple weeks.

michael is excited about school. he is such a big helper, very thoughtful and a great big brother to chad and joshua. he's very tender-hearted and is easy to correct. he is reading longer books very well and is starting to read aloud to his brothers and mommy. he did great in little lambs this year and finished his Bible memory book 3 mo. early! chad is maturing, has a great vocabulary and is full of energy. while not-so-easy to correct, he is our little comedian. some of his sayings are: blelly (belly), awwww man or awwwwww please? when he really wants something, calling brussel sprouts "broccoli balls" - and he loved them, super hero chad to the rescue, etc. he is learning how to spell his name, counts to 30 and loves to colour (as evidenced by the new artwork he left on the dining room wall today!) he is learning to obey, stay in his bed and be a helper even when he doesn't feel like it. joshua is an eating machine! he still nurses at least 4 times a day and eats 3 meals of solids. he loves the sweeter vegetables/fruits and is working on the other vegetables. he will get to start dairy next month. he has struggled with full-body eczema since january, but, praise the Lord, is doing much better. we have our skin care regimen that we have to stick to, but so far it seems to be working and he is a much happier baby than before! he loves his big brothers and grabbing their faces. he does NOT like to lay on the floor and roll over. he prefers to sit up and play with his toys or stand in the walker. he has not even attempted to crawl, but is starting to try to scoot on his rear while sitting up. he accidently scooted in the slippery bath tub the other day (i sat him up instead of laying him down) and i could see the lightbulb go off - hey, i can move! :) he splashes a lot during bath time and grins. he is starting to try and pull up too. he doesn't have any teeth, but hopefully will soon. he loves his mommy, and prefers her to everyone else! pete is enjoying new challenges at his work and traveling for his job. he is still teaching sunday school to the college and career, and just started a new series on Biblical ethics. he is such a good daddy and does great at spending time with them so mommy can get a little quiet time! amy is just busy. :) some days, i really don't know where the time went! i babysat a little girl from church during the march and april before she and her family moved with the military. i suppose i'm now in crisis mode trying to keep the house in show condition with 3 little ones!! that's a job in and of itself! we've had two people interested in the house, but no contracts so far. i just started helping out in my aunt's insurance office while she is in between receptionists. this has worked out so i work when pete has extra time off from his job. i love our church and have greatly enjoyed being back in choir after taking 6mo. off after joshua was born. i will be starting to play the piano again soon too. i've been going on visitation on thursday evenings with our music minister's wife and have found it to be very rewarding. there is even child care at the church while we are out and about. i love being a stay at home mom, and even with all its challenges, wouldn't trade this very busy time with the boys for anything!

thanks for keeping up with us even when we've been absent! we're baaaaaaack! :)

glimpses of Christmas 2009

2009-12-31T10:27:00.005-05:00

sleep in heavenly peace

playing rummikub with grandpa

cooking with gigi

cheeese!

boy cousins

christmas eve with great grandma

generations

conversations

sorry!

my first Christmas!

it's reeeaaallly hard to get everyone to look at the camera!

mcmillin boys with gigi

opening presents with daddy

my first Christmas ornament

goldfish and gum - great stocking stuffers!

mmmmm...gum!

excited about Christmas!

joshua gets a fleece blanket too!!

(i make one for all the boys - they love them!)

wrapping paper is better than any present

blisters and boo-boos

2009-12-30T01:33:00.004-05:00

i love being a mom to boys but one thing that has surprised me so far is that we have yet to have any major injuries or trips to the er. (and i would like it to stay that way !!) chad, my wild man, seems to be trying to break our streak though - in the space of a few days he injured fingers on BOTH hands. we have all had this weird cold that started in october - it goes away then cycles back and hangs on and hangs on... anyway, i had to run the vaporizer in our room one night for joshua's stuffy little nose. (looong story on why joshua's crib now is in our room) chad decided to get up in the night (he is now suffering from night terrors. i had them as a kid per my sisters, but i don't remember it.) anyway, i took joshua out to the living room so he could sit in the swing to sleep - he seemed to be able to breathe better - when i heard chad crying and screaming. he came running out of our room and snuggled right up to me on the couch. he is in a non-snuggling phase now so i knew something was wrong but couldn't figure out why he was crying so much! chad finally told me he hurt his finger, and we discovered he had put his finger on the steam vaporizer - something he has been told not to do over and over again. it looked a little red but not too bad. we finally all went back to sleep and woke up to fingers that looked like this...

i watched them very carefully and put neosporin on them at night. they ended up healing very well with no scarring or infection which is amazing to me because of what a two year old does with his hands and what he touches!!

i have no photographic evidence of the second injury that occurred a few days later. we have door handles that look like a french door handle with a curly-q at the end. somehow, chad got the tip of his pointer finger on the other hand stuck in the curly-q. he was screaming (the boy has quite a set of lungs, let me tell you!) and i was trying to look closely and get it out when he jerked his hand and pulled it out on his own. he ended up ripping across the nail deep in the bed. of course, he cried, and it was bloody, swollen and gross. i tried to put a "bandie" and neosporin on his "boo-boo" because of previously noted things he touches only to discover chad HATES bandies around his fingers...he wants them to be flat. lovely. miraculously, that nail healed pretty well. he did end up losing most of the nail about a week later when it grew out some and the partially torn nail caught on his jacket (OUCH!) and i had to remove the rest of the broken nail.(thankfully, daddy was home to hold him down for his mini operation!) so see, my four year nursing degree has not been wasted by staying home with my children! ;) he has healed from that pretty well too. i love my boys - never a dull, boring moment around here! ;)

merry CHRISTmas!

2009-12-22T20:53:00.003-05:00

it's a marshmallow world that we live in...

2009-12-20T10:46:00.002-05:00

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?

2009-11-17T10:46:00.003-05:00

...you didn't know babies come from pumpkins?!?!?

{no babies or pumpkins were harmed in the taking of these pictures. however, a bath was required.}

relaxin' with dad

2009-11-17T10:45:00.000-05:00

bedtime stories

2009-11-17T10:43:00.001-05:00

{excuse the finger up the nose - boys! :/}

aaaahhhhh, my own crib

2009-11-17T09:44:00.003-05:00

joshua finally gets to sleep in his own crib instead of the pack n play!!

(excuse the highwater sleeper - he's growing sooo fast!)

the boys

2009-11-11T10:19:00.002-05:00

getting ready to go to the park

look how big i'm getting!

rear view mirror...objects in the mirror may appear to swing on things differently than they appear

family fall festival at ebt

2009-11-10T23:35:00.002-05:00

our church had its annual family fall festival on november 6th. it was cooold but so much fun as a family and church family. i won 1st and 3rd place in the bread baking contest!!! we headed outside for some more fun...

they had a ball python that chad LOVED but i will NOT have a snake in my house! ;) no pigs this year either...swine flu fears???? ;)

obstacle course and pony rides

2009-11-10T23:29:00.002-05:00

whew, i made it!

run, baby, run

fooling around while standing in line for the pony rides

again, what's with the not looking at the camera?!?!? mr. doug and ms. lori are his sunday night teachers and he LOVES them!

chad-a-rumpus LOVES pony rides - michael just does it so chad doesn't get ahead. compete much?

hayride

2009-11-10T23:23:00.004-05:00

the dynamic duo

triple threat

there's my pumpkin - i made his hat!

a family photo that left us blinded by the flash

progression of a smile

2009-11-05T14:05:00.003-05:00

isn't he delicious? ;)

jellyfish invasion...

2009-11-05T12:47:00.003-05:00

...at the naib {national aquarium in baltimore}!! michael loves the jellyfish scene in finding nemo. when we saw they had a special jellyfish exhibit at the aquarium, we loaded the boys up and went on pete's day off. i highly recommend going during the week - there were hardly any people there on a monday. we had so much fun!

michael was very anxious to get to the jellyfish so we didn't take a whole lot of pictures. we found all the characters from finding nemo - stingray, clown fish, anenomes, blue tang, puffer fish, angel fish, etc. chad was SO cute when we saw the stingrays - he said, "teacher!" because mr. ray is the teacher of the "school" of fish. ;)

BIG shark's mouth

no strollers are allowed so pete and i did a lot of babywearing! ;)

tangle of jellyfish - their tentacles were in a knot and they swam together

michael and his beloved jellyfish

an ENORMOUS sailboat in the harbor

my hands may be very full, but so is my heart!

hand stamps - we left for lunch and got stamped on the way out so we could come back for the dolphin show. they have a potbelly's in inner harbor. pete and i love this place-the only other one we know of is in lafayette, indiana. we decided to go for lunch instead of eating in the aquarium and it turned out to be a comedy of errors. the food was great, the company was not. it was packed with a ton of business men {we looked very out of place}, joshua screamed the whole time because he wanted to eat too, and michael and chad took a million bathroom breaks. i ended up nursing joshua while we ate and mortified a ton of men in there. {don't worry, i was well-covered} we had to scarf down our food to make it back for the dolphin show on time. {we were running to get back in} but we had lots of fun and made memories...even saw the fire department divers in the water of the harbor. i thought they were training so we took the boys over. then we saw the cadaver dog - they were looking for a body so we made a hasty retreat!

dolphin show

2009-11-05T12:38:00.002-05:00

he will NOT look at the camera...grrrr

waiting for the show to start

josh and mommy snuggling

josh spent most of the day like this

the boys loved the dolphin touching the ball

3 bugs and a momma bug

daddy and chad got SPLASHED by the dolphin on our way out

see how wet i am?

random chad moments

2009-11-05T12:34:00.001-05:00

i LOVE to do laundry...

...see?

this makes mommy happy - i'm finally sleeping in my big boy bed {even though i gathered every extra blanket and stuffed animal that i could find to sleep with}

random joshua moments

2009-11-05T12:31:00.001-05:00

holding my head up

brother shared a sticker when he really shouldn't have!

sunday best

2009-11-05T12:28:00.000-05:00

look what my mom made me wear!

i just wanted my old man sweater on - much better!

month two

2009-11-05T12:23:00.000-05:00

mom, can't i bathe in peace?!?!?!?

i already outgrew my baby tub! i love splashing with my right foot!

rub-a-dub-dub...

2009-11-05T12:19:00.002-05:00

...three little men {closely supervised} in the tub.

month one

2009-10-02T10:37:00.002-05:00

where did september go?

five

2009-09-27T19:32:00.004-05:00

happy birthday, michael! how can you be five already?

joshua's birth day

2009-09-16T08:46:00.003-05:00

joshua logan mcmillin was welcomed into this world on 2 september 2009 at 0758 via c-section - another breech baby! he weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 20 1/2 in long. he has dark hair (mostly in the back) and we have no clue what colour his eyes are! somedays they look grey and somedays they look blue - will he be the first mcmillin boy to have blue eyes like daddy?

it was weird to walk into labor and delivery..."um, we're here to have a baby..." it was nice to plan ahead though and have all my housework done. zane and pam (and family) stayed at our house with the boys and brought them in to the hospital each day. the boys had a blast with them and aunt lala (paula).

i had a new ob this time, dr. oh, and we love him!!! he did a great job with my c-section. it hardly took any time at all! even though you can't feel pain with the spinal, you can feel pressure and pulling. i cannot begin to tell you the relief once he was out! august was a long, miserable month for me! he peed and cried and looked wiry, but long. dr. oh talked to me through out the surgery and came around behind the drape to talk to me when he was done. recovery went really well and i could feel/move my legs rather quickly compared to chad's delivery. pete brought the camera to me so i could really see pictures of joshua. he was smaller in weight than we expected (dr. oh said i had tons of amniotic fluid) but he is longer than the other boys. his face is like michael's and his head is like chad's - a good combo. his eyes are all his own though. our room was on the newer side of the birthing unit and spacious. pete brought joshua to me and i put him up on my belly so i could really get a good look at him. i held him up and said his name and he immediately opened his eyes and looked right into mine...love at first sight! ;)

i'm recovering very well and quickly thanks to all my help - pam and family, paula, pete, in-laws coming soon. this 2nd c-section has been so easy. my first one wasn't bad at all, but i'm amazed at how easy this one has been! the big boys - michael and chad- are adjusting very well too. they LOVE to hold and rock baby, chad especially. we've enjoyed spending time with the bachmans too and are so thankful they could be here during this special time. we miss mom greatly, but being together helps.

i can't believe joshua is 2 weeks old today - time goes too fast! we are so thankful to the Lord for a safe delivery, healthy baby and mom, and increasing our family. joshua was such a surprise, but the best one i've ever had!! all our boys are a gift from God!

*i'll probably add more to this when i have more time and remember more! ;)

when i grow up...

2009-08-20T13:33:00.003-05:00

summer has been busy and hot. blogger has given me trouble...more than i have patience to handle so i've been posting our pics on facebook. i want to get back to blogging, i will get back to blogging. 13 days until the scheduled arrival of joshua...i'll have time to blog while i'm recovering from a c-section with 3 boys under the age of 5, right?? actually, we have loads of family coming the whole month of september so i just may have time! we are so thankful for family!!

i don't have any pics to post today, just something michael said that i want to remember. he asked me what i wanted to be when i grew up...i said, "a mommy", and was flattered he thinks i'm still young (which i am - age is just a number!) i asked him in return and he said:

"i want to help sick people get all better, but i want to be a scuba diver and someone who makes spaghetti too!"

love that kid! ;) today he wants to add dentist to the list. not sure where that came from!

the question of the day...

2009-06-24T08:48:00.002-05:00

...do they celebrate birthdays in heaven?

if so, happy birthday mom/nana!!! we love you and miss you so much!

randomness

2009-06-22T06:54:00.002-05:00

daddy and chad (taken by michael)

a cheeser and a grump-a-rump

CHEESE!

happy daddy's day

2009-06-21T12:51:00.003-05:00

what makes a dad

God took the strength of a mountain,

the majesty of a tree,

the warmth of a summer sun,

the calm of a quiet sea,

the generous soul of nature,

the comforting arm of night,

the wisdom of the ages,

the power of the eagle's flight,

the joy of a morning in spring,

the faith of a mustard seek,

the patience of eternity,

the depth of a family need,

then God combined theses qualities,

and when there was nothing more to add,

He knew His masterpiece was complete,

and so, He called it... Dad.

we love you, daddy!!!

michael, chad, & baby joshua

thoughts

2009-06-07T23:22:00.002-05:00

happies

joshua rolling, kicking, punching

vacation starts on saturday

hubby taking off work on my birthday

birthday week - thankful for another year of life

pam and family coming back to town this week

four family birthdays to celebrate - luke (from may), aunt cathy, mine and pam's

cold watermelon that beckons me several times a day

ceiling fans that keep the house cool so i don't have to turn on the ac ...yet

chad staying clean and dry for days and nights on end...i can't remember the last diaper i changed!

michael becoming more independent with chores and tasks - he's such a good helper

really liked new OB

saddies

worrying - baby ok? vbac or c-section? overall health? future?

chad's strong will and not transitioning to big boy bed well

small, cramped house that is just going to get smaller once joshua is here

michael still having a problem with sharing

missing mom every day

irritated that i can't get everything done in a day!

pregnancy insomnia...i need sleep

people changing...and not for the better

blogger not letting me upload pictures!

on death and life and comfort

2009-05-15T10:43:00.004-05:00

today marks three months since mom went to heaven. some days, i think the grieving is almost done as i know where she is and that she is really living. but other days, like today, it seems the weight will crush me. last week, the boys were with pete so i decided to stop by her graveside and see how everything looked. now, i know she isn't there. her body may be, but she is not. there were three other funerals going on. i quickly found her spot and was glad that things looked much better... no grass growing yet, but the dirt was at least even and her silk flowers are still colourful and not faded.

side note: three weeks after mom was buried, a lady at church asked me when my mom was getting her headstone and did i know how terrible her gravesite looked?? um, this is NOT what you say to a grieving daughter. yes, i know it looked terrible - they just put her body in the ground. i politely told her that we have already ordered her headstone and that the cemetary was working on getting the gravesite evened out (she was buried in cold february, for crying out loud). this is also the lady who keeps telling me how huge i am and so-and-so isn't nearly as big and she's due before me. um, yes, thank you for pointing that out. first of all, this is my third baby (not so-and-so's first), i was already heavier when i got pregnant because i've been taking care of my mom for two years which meant no time for me or exercise (have you ever tried to run two households?), this wasn't a planned pregnancy (although we are thrilled!!!), i'm doing my best to not gain excess weight, i'm also short - i just carry big in my belly, and, above all, we are to compare ourselves to Christ, not others. sorry, i just get tired of hearing it almost everytime i'm at church! it makes me want to hide after a while!

i guess i was looking for a little comfort going to her graveside. i wanted to tell her the baby is a boy, and we are naming him joshua logan. our sonogram was wonderful, but at the end it was so bittersweet. the u/s tech asked how many sets of grandparents so she could print out pictures of joshua's face and it all came back. there's only one. so i sought comfort. but guess what? she isn't there and it was okay. i did find comfort in the fact she is not in the ground when it's cold and rainy. she is alive and living more than we on earth ever have lived!

we went to indiana for mother's day and had a great time, despite the sickness we all were afflicted with while there. i'm so thankful for pete's family accepting me as family. i thought of mom briefly but didn't dwell on the fact that she wasn't here. it didn't hit me until we were coming home. i had a dream about her while i was napping (i dream about her ALL the time) and was so sad when i woke up. i kept seeing her face as she was dying. don't get me wrong, her death was very peaceful and wasn't traumatic at all. i just couldn't forget dropping liquid morphine inside her cheek every hour, putting lip balm on her lips, wiping her brow, listening to the rattle and hearing it change, watching the last few breaths, listening to the last beats of her heart then nothing, watching her lips drain of colour, and her face relax, listening to pam saying "it's okay, mom. go be with Jesus", closing her lifeless brown eyes that used to sparkle so much, seeing 8:21 pm on the clock every Sunday evening ... sometimes, it is all so fresh, like it happened yesterday. and i kept thinking about the little life inside me that we had just found out was there...death and life.

but no, not really death. life and life everlasting. life on this earth is brief, over before most of us are ready. but what glory awaits for us, if we've accepted His gift of eternal life. comfort CAN be found...she's alive! she is perfect and whole and happy! she waits for us! comfort that my two-year-old remembers her and says, "nana" every time we drive past her house. comfort that this world is not our home, we're just passing through! comfort that her legacy will live on in luke, abigail, charity, michael, chad, priscilla, joshua and more to come. comfort that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. comfort that He has planned it all... but still, i guess the grieving isn't over and won't be for a while. i miss my mom.

blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

mom and i after her surgery 6/2008

my three sons

2009-04-30T04:18:00.004-05:00

i guess i better get used to hearing it. ;) we had an ultrasound of baby mcmillin #3 yesterday morning. i didn't sleep much as i was SO excited about finding out the gender...i had a feeling with this one that i've never had before! our u/s lady is the same one we had with michael and chad. she was excited to see us (again) and kept saying she was hoping for a girl...like almost everyone else we've talked to.

i climbed up on the table while pete wrangled our monkeys, i mean, boys. ;) now, with michael's sonogram we went through every.little.detail before she told us he was a boy. with chad, she measured the head, then asked if we wanted to know now...i saw the "outdoor plumbing" before "it's a boy" was out of her mouth. with this one, she again measured every.little.thing. i thought i saw something pretty early on, but the angle was weird so i didn't say anything. i think she couldn't wait to satisfy her curiosity! ;) we just love her...

she was SO good with michael and chad. of course, michael was super-inquisitive and got three pictures printed out just for him! beautiful head and brain, beautiful beating heart, beautiful spine, beautiful arms and hands, beautiful legs and feet, beautiful face that looks so much like chad, no cleft lip/palate. oh, and the baby now weighs 15 oz (don't judge a baby by the mama's belly) and our due date of 09.09.09 is right on with the measurements. then she said, "well, are you ready? i'm sorry but i saw pretty early on. have you every heard of my three sons?" it took a minute for it to sink in and we asked, "is it a boy?" she said, "yes!" and showed us the money shot. i thought i had seen that earlier and i was right!! i also had a feeling pretty early on that this baby was a boy. this pregnancy has been just like michael and chad's...same sickness, same time to start showing, same cravings, carrying the same, etc. of course, each pregnancy has its own quirks, but, for the most part, everything was the same. i didn't tell hardly anyone what i thought because i never had this feeling of knowing with michael and chad.

we've decided to use the name joshua logan. this is a name that nana, my beautiful mom in heaven, had picked out when we were choosing names for chad. we liked it, but wanted to use chad's name first. plus, we carry on the mcmillin tradition of our generation using old testament names. (yes, chad is in the Bible. check out the name nebuchadnezzar and look smack in the middle of his name! chad!) joshua means "God is my salvation" and logan means "from the hollow" - like the hollow of His hand. joshua was a big, and i do mean big, surprise to us, but not to God. we definitely wanted more children, but my mom was so very sick with cancer so we thought we would wait. we found out 5 days before she passed away that we were 10 weeks pregnant! i was able to tell her and she was so happy...but it was bittersweet. i find his name so fitting for this time in life... God has been our rock, our salvation in grieving and we feel held in the hollow of His hand. He is good. i told pete that i felt God gave us this baby so i didn't grieve myself to death...i was very, very close to my mom. also, because of His salvation, we can rejoice that this separation is for a time and then we will spend eternity with Christ and with mom. heaven is so much more real when a loved one waits for you there...

so yesterday was filled with joy telling everyone our wonderful news. i actually got to call my sister pam instead of sending an email to africa! it was bittersweet too, as there was someone i couldn't call and tell, someone who would have been so excited that it was yet another boy, someone who was usually the first (beside my in-laws) to get the call. i felt sad for a moment, then realized she already knew!!! i'm sure God had told her so many things when she reached that golden shore and feel that was one of them. so many people kept asking if we wanted a girl. pete and i have NEVER agreed on a girl's name and honestly, i didn't feel ready yet for a biological mother-daughter relationship with my own mom gone. but, if God had chosen that for us, it would have been just fine! He doeth ALL things well!

so, are you ready to see him? he's awfully cute!!! and, if you are still reading this, you deserve to see our joshua logan! ;) okay, here he is! (i'm pretty good at seeing things in u/s but don't feel bad if you can't tell what something is!)

3d of his face - he looks SO much like chad!

hi! beautiful arm and hand

beautiful feet

and the money shot - it's a boy!

the LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. psalm 126:3

family fun

2009-04-21T20:14:00.002-05:00

hugging cousins

hiding under the table

you can't help but smile

goobers

blast off!

two

2009-04-17T09:52:00.002-05:00

happy birthday, chad!!! daddy, mommy, michael and little baby love you lots and lots! ;)

while priscilla napped...

2009-03-21T22:07:00.001-05:00

five little monkeys

cousins

a new beginning...

2009-03-04T13:50:00.002-05:00

in february, we were surprised, yet excited to find out we were expecting baby mcmillin #3. we actually found out when i was 10 weeks along and a few days before my mom graduated to heaven. we did not plan this pregnancy, and i chalked up all my symptoms to the incredible amount of stress i was under while helping my sisters care for my mom during her final weeks...except the gagging and nausea wouldn't go away... i did tell my mom. i told her i wanted to tell her something. she was lucid at the time and told me," you're going to have a baby." i was shocked and asked her how she knew this. she said, "the Lord already told me." isn't He wonderful to be concerned about such a detail like that?!?! i should have asked her if the Lord told her if the baby was a boy or a girl!!! ;)

today we had a sneek peak at our little surprise and are thankful to report all looks well. praise the Lord the baby looks healthy, is VERY active (what a wiggler!) and measuring about 13 1/2 weeks...about 3 1/2 inches long. it was too soon to tell the gender - a big disappointment to michael. the u/s technician made up for it by giving michael his own picture of "his baby" which he put on the refrigerator when we came home. chad just kept saying "baby" over and over again. we were able to see the brain, heart beating (161 bpm), stomach, kidneys, two arms, two legs, two precious hands up near his/her mouth, two feet, a beautiful spine and a profile that looks just like chad!! we are so very thankful to the Lord for giving us this surprise...life amidst death...and look forward to meeting this new someone around 09.09.09! ;)

we love you, baby mcmillin #3, and praise God for His blessings on our family!

i will praise Thee; for i am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. psalm 139:14

the relatives came

2009-02-24T10:41:00.002-05:00

because mom's cancer was progressing quickly, my sister and her family were able to come home early from cameroon for furlough. praise the Lord, they were able to spend almost the whole last month of mom's life on this earth with her and us. while we do not understand His purpose in taking mom home to heaven, we can rest that He is in control and will comfort our grieving hearts.

in memorium

2009-02-20T18:32:00.002-05:00

june 24, 1948 - february 15, 2009

steak 'n shake

2009-01-14T11:59:00.003-05:00

we don't have a steak'n shake in maryland, so grandpa treated us to lunch one day. yummy!!

poor chad got his first brain freeze and cried so hard!

daddy shared his strawberry shake with chad...what a big boy! ;)

double date...mommy shared her strawberry shake with michael!

okay, really michael hogged most of it...

hey, where's my food?!?!

do you know the muffin man...

2009-01-14T11:51:00.002-05:00

...the muffin man? the muffin man who lives on drury lane...

grandma's house is on drury lane! since grandma has moved into an assisted living facility, dad and mother have been cleaning and fixing up her house to sell. it has been A LOT of work!! the house is on the market, and this may have been our last visit there. (please excuse my appearance...we were going swimming at the communty center so i didn't bother to fix-up!)

i love the fireplace

bubby and me

christmas day with the crowells

2009-01-14T11:11:00.004-05:00

helping gigi make dessert (peanut butter buster pizza)

still helping

don't ask...it's an obsession

playing with the slinky on the basement stairs

what's better than a story with gigi on christmas morning?

guess what today is?

it's christmas!!!

reindeer boys (my aunt and her staff wore these at their office christmas party and michael loved them. donna went out and bought one for each of them. thanks, donna!)

wearing aunt edris out...she was throwing them up in the air...what a workout!

chad checking out baby beth...a girl cousin

hey, we had a baby while in indiana...just kidding!! this was almost-3-week-old katelyn, the daughter of pete's cousin. she was soooo tiny!!

mcmillin pileup

**thanks to gigi for her camera. our camera battery died christmas morning and of course we forgot the charger...whew, good thing gigi had hers! ;)

candlelight service at faith

2009-01-14T11:07:00.001-05:00

ready for church!

christmas eve with great-grandma

2009-01-14T10:55:00.002-05:00

with great grandma - she's 92!! chad was cranky...he feel asleep on the way over.

gigi and chad - i love this picture

great grandma with a grump-a-rump and a happy cat

"helping" open presents ;)

christmas with the mcmillins

2009-01-14T10:15:00.004-05:00

yummy christmas dinner...inside out ravioli, gigi's delish yeast rolls and more dessert than you can imagine! ;)
l-r: my hands ;), michael, pete, dad, james, beth, bobbi, chad...gigi was taking the picture

james, bobbi and baby beth

da boyz in blue...pete, michael, chad and dad

james and beth

chad's present - shirt and thomas trains!

michael's present - thomas underwear and thomas trains!

our presents - wallet, beautiful snowflake socks and moolah ;)

beth checking out her first baby einstein

playing with thomas (chad doesn't realize yet thomas goes on the mat, not chad!)

blowing out gigi's candles

christmas boys

excited by thomas!

chad really doesn't want to go to bed!

thanks, grandpa and gigi, for all our wonderful christmas presents!!! we're enjoying them greatly...and yes, i'm still figuring out how i'm going to use my christmas money. you know i want to stretch every cent out that i can! ;)

uncle james and aunt bobbi gave michael a thomas book and chad a cars book. we read them A LOT!!! thanks uncle james and aunt bobbi!

diana and aaron couldn't be with us at christmas. :( she too gave the boys awesome books that we read at least once a day every day. thanks, aunt diana and aaron!!

over the river and through the woods...

2009-01-12T10:42:00.003-05:00

...to grandpa and gigi's house we go!! we spent christmas week in indiana with family. our trip out was GREAT! we left later in the day than normal, but it ended up working out much better than usual. we stopped once for a drive-thru, then stopped for gas/bathroom/diaper change/throw away food wrappers. that was it!! we made it in record time with children - 9 hours. of course we were starving when we got there, but gigi had food for us to eat. ;) the boys were pretty wound up, but there were lots of toys (and grandpa & gigi) to get all that energy out! ;)

playing the piano with gigi

can you tell they're still wound up?

michael's new thomas jammies made by gigi...he LOVES them!

reindeer cookies

2009-01-11T22:34:00.001-05:00

my new christmas cookie for 2008 - cute AND yummy!

white house tour 2008

2009-01-11T22:00:00.007-05:00

pete and i were engaged 18 december 2001 while on a holiday tour of the white house. this was right after 9/11 and the tour had been closed to the public. because pete was stationed at camp david, the marines were allowed on the tour. so i rode down to d.c. with a busload of marines! ;) this was president bush's first christmas in the white house, and the theme was home for the holidays.

pete surprised me with another tour of the white house on 18 december 2008...exactly seven years later, president bush's last christmas in the white house. the theme this year was red,white and blue christmas. this time, we met a white house staffer who gave us an anniversary letter from president bush and then escorted us through all the security. it was lots of fun, very beautiful and we even found the tree where we were engaged! we were NOT allowed to take pictures inside, but saw several with cameras. pete tried to take a surreptitious photo of the tree with his cell phone, but it is horribly blurry. that's what we get for disobeying! ;) i kept the picture though, because we can tell what it is!

middle of the fence - president bush's limo leaving the white house

presidential motorcade

still the motorcade! ;)

pete and i walked FOREVER to the front of the white house

christmas tree on the mall

national christmas tree on the mall...looks better at night!

beautiful

the south portico

we're engaged!!! oh, and married too...

me and the presidential letter

bubby ... i love you!

thanks to pastor aikens too who helped pete with logistics! we had a wonderful time together...

gonna wash that snow right out of my hair

2008-12-17T01:09:00.001-05:00

monkey see...

monkey do!

these are a few of my favorite things...

2008-12-16T16:14:00.008-05:00

our ginormous tree

aaahhh, much better!

another view

and another

we collect ornaments when we travel and love remembering the fun when we decorate the tree. these are just a few of our favorites...

my marine snowman...i love him!

michael's "baby's 1st christmas 2004" ornament

usmc emblem

chad's "baby's 1st christmas 2007" ornament

mele kalikimaka...merry christmas in hawaiin. we bought it in hawaii on our honeymoon.

my starbucks red cup

my tiny new york starbucks mug ornament from our ny trip in 2006
eiffel tower...from paris trip with mom and paula 2003

official 2001 white house ornament...from when we got engaged 18 december 2001

trade towers ornament...ny trip with mom, paula and aunt jean 2005

pete's combat helmet...2003

light armoured vehicle...like the one pete rode in iraq...2003

michael's first trip to hershey park...2008

chad's first trip to hershey park...2008

snowflake...from our wedding 7 december 2002...we have lots left over!

snuggly brothers...snuggly snowmen

nativity...wedding gift from a dear friend who is now in heaven

michael's first handmade ornament ;)

stockings...from when it was just pete and amy

snowman welcome

we love CHRISTmas...especially when we remember we celebrate the birthday of our King and Saviour...

and the gift goes on...

2008-12-16T16:12:00.003-05:00

sunday the 7th was our annual sunday school christmas program. michael did much better than the slouch of 2007. ;) they sang a song..and the gift goes on... and he got to hold the gift. he didn't sing much. he was too busy looking at miss christy. ;)

see the red present? that's my michael...and the lovely miss christy is a little to the left of him.

holding tight

i'm still here!

yawning

still standing

hi daddy and mommy!

* sorry some of the pics are grainy. we had to pull stills off video. the lighting was horrible for the digital camera!

wedding guests

2008-12-16T16:10:00.001-05:00

the boys in blue

we attended a wedding on december 6th (thus our anniversary trip a week early). of course, we sat in the back, but i was impressed at how well the boys did. they made a little noise, but over all did great. they're growing too fast!!

anniversary surprise

2008-12-16T14:54:00.009-05:00

pete took me on a suprise two-day trip to washington d.c. for our anniversary the day after thanksgiving. it was GREAT!! our hotel was really nice and they even upgraded us when we got there. we love d.c...pete used to be stationed there and we went there on a many a date during our dating days...in fact, pete proposed in the white house while we were on a christmas tour. say it with me now, awwwwww!!!

pete bravely endured the national gallery of art for me. the fountain outside the gallery is turned into an ice rink during the winter. we didn't go skating though...i had a horrible sinus infection and felt bleh. we went ice skating on our first date, though. say it with me again, awwwwww!!!

pete wasn't the only tall object in town!

knowing my love of the smithsonian, pete took me (again) to the natural history museum. and knowing me deathly fear of sharks, took my picture next to the huge set of teeth!

on the mall...i love all the buildings in d.c.... so stately!

we went to dinner at the kennedy center and ate up on the veranda...inside of course as it was freezing outside. this is the lincoln memorial...

and the infamous watergate hotel...with setting sun, of course. awwwww!

washington monument from the kennedy center after the sun had set.

the jfk bust in the lobby

it's HUGE!!!!

i was afraid it would topple over on me! ;) we saw "shear madness" after dinner. the play is a murder mystery that includes the audience. it was funny!

hall of states

hall of countries

we rode the metro everywhere... so much fun!

this is the longest, steepest escalator i've ever been on. pete had to stand in front of me when we went down because i felt like i was going to fall!

after a relaxing morning and more smithsonian gazing, pete took me on a lunch cruise of the potomac on day two. it was so much fun and really beautiful (and really cold and windy too!!).

on the upper deck

so happy together...and so cold!

hurry up and take the picture already!!

science observatory

self portrait in the blazing sun

washington monument to the left, capitol building to the right

mental hospital where john hinckly resides (attempted assasination of reagan in 1981)

we had window seats for lunch...

the war college...pete was excited.

our weekend went really well, too well, if you know what i mean! i was just thinking how great it was when the riiiiiiip happened. we were trying to find the metro from the mall and rounded a corner. evidently there was a small sign that was thigh-high on pete and he didn't see it. at first i thought he just ran into the sign...then the sound registered. i asked him if he was okay, and he showed me his pantsleg. i laughed so hard i could barely stand up!!!! fortunately, we were headed back to get the car and go home so he didn't have to walk far. ahh, memories! thanks, bubby, for a great weekend...i hope we can do it again sometime soon! 1207!

thanksgiving at nana's

2008-12-16T12:35:00.006-05:00

mom's organic turkey cooked by mwah

smashing potatoes

i didn't know pete was taking my picture!

michael setting the table

would you like a bowl, sir?

all done...what a big helper?

my from-scratch pumpkin pies - crust and all! no canned filling...i cooked a pumpkin and scraped it out. yummy!

the non-organic turkey for the rest of us. it was BIG!

the maryland electric knife massacre

ready to eat! he's such a poser.

another bug ready to eat!

fill 'er up!

aunt paula and the boys

you WILL hug me and you WILL like it! ;)

paula and i fighting over who was going to do the dishes.

aunt jean takes a nap...actually, at some point, all of us were napping. it was GREAT! ;)

check out the lump on the left side of chad's forehead...he's constantly running into things and usually sports a horn for a few days.

we interrupt regularly scheduled programming...

2008-12-16T12:09:00.003-05:00

... to announce that, after being 63 degrees yesterday, today it is snowing...and sticking to the ground! yay!!

it just started about an hour ago...

michael and chad are scheming...

...and planning how to coerce mommy to taking them outside. ;)

cameroonian capers

2008-12-12T16:34:00.004-05:00

four little indians

family fall party

zane witnessing

playing airplane...getting ready for furlough!!!!

luke and the chameleon

peek-a-boo

look what i found at market today!

6 years...

2008-12-07T20:45:00.004-05:00

...72 months; 312 weeks; 2,190 days; 52,560 hours; 3,153,600 minutes; 189,216,000 seconds

of wedded bliss...

surprise

2008-11-27T08:55:00.011-05:00

mom generously offered her house for me to host a surprise birthday party for pete on the 22nd. i couldn't believe it, but we pulled it off and he was totally unsuspecting! ;) i couldn't tell michael so it was tricky getting all the food made, mom's house cleaned and decorated without anyone the wiser. big thanks to mom and paula for helping!

surprise!

pete's birthday cake...they even copied his baby picture in icing. how cool is that?!?!

fran and mrs. hampton and the top of mom's head ;)

homontowskis and hoffmans

poor chad stuck in the corner with pastor hampton on the couch. oh, and the back of pete's head!

aunt jean entertains

singing and letting daddy blow out his own candle!

michael with the birthday boy (and the crooked lampshad that the boys always play with and mess up!)

and of course, aunt jean had to teach aunt cathy how to use her new bare minerals makeup during it all. paula is just a cheese. ;) hey, what can i say, we're vain. i get it honest! ;)

jeff wanamaker...someone who can see pete eye-to-eye.

the harms even came the whole way from fairfax, va. we miss them so it was great to see them and sweet new baby elena.

jean wanamaker was wonderful entertainment for the kids. from l-r: haylee, kathryn, megan, chad and michael.

we had so much fun. about 30 friends and family came. a lot of people were out of town or celebrating thanksgiving that day, but sent their well wishes. i was very nice to pete. i knew he would get me back when i turn 30, but that is not for several years yet! ;)

30

2008-11-27T08:55:00.010-05:00

to the best husband and daddy around...we love you and are so very thankful for you!! ;)

thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:31:00.004-05:00

thankful

God who created me, knows me and still loves me

Jesus who died an excruciating death, taking my place, so i may live eternally in heaven

the Holy Spirit, who makes sense of the groanings and prayers of my heart

pete, my husband who is beyond description and celebrating 30 years of life today

michael, my first born son and sensitive smarty pants (don't tell him i said that!)

chad, my second born son and smiley wild man (he already knows i call him wild!)

my mom, who sacrificed and still raised me when my dad left and didn't want us anymore

my sisters/brother-in-laws, who remain family despite time and miles

my father-in-law, who has become dad to me

my mother-in-law, who LOVES my kids and has much patience putting up with my crazy ideas, oh and accepting me with wide open arms

my mcmillin brother and sisters, who helped shape my hubby and made me an aunt two times over!!!

luke, abigail, charity, priscilla, beth and aaron...my nephews and nieces that will carry on family for my boys

aunt jean, uncle rick, aunt cathy for loving, supporting me and my family and spoiling us rotten

emmanuel baptist temple, my church family, who spiritually shaped me and now is shaping my tender-hearted boys

friends far and near (you know who you are!!) that hold us close as we do them

health, not to be taken granted

the close of 2008 is approaching, it's been a hard year

... and SO much more...

working on being thankful

for tribulation and trial

for cancer

for timing not my own

for a house still on the market and tight quarters

for weight that clings to my waist (and other areas), it means i carried and birthed two miracles and have plenty of food to eat!! ;)

okay, this list could go on and on, but the potatoes won't peel, cook and mash themselves! amidst the busyness of today, remember to be thankful!

happy birthday, mother/gigi!!

2008-11-24T11:49:00.002-05:00

working on our states puzzle

reading a book

letting chad try out the new skates

we love you, miss you and are VERY thankful for you. hope you have a WONDERFUL day...can't wait to see you at christmas! ;)

man's best friend...

2008-11-24T11:43:00.002-05:00

watching ice age at the hoffman's with snickers

snickers eyes are kind of freaky, huh? ;)

can i get an ooraah?!?!

2008-11-24T11:36:00.002-05:00

master clubs had military appreciation night, and daddy let michael wear one of his usmc covers. of course, both boys had to try them on for some pictures!

devil pup #2

devil pup #1

no, that is not your imagination. the cover is supposed to sit down across your eyebrows and michael's head was big enough in circumference to FIT in it at four years old. i told you he had a big head!

pearly whites

2008-11-14T10:28:00.003-05:00

michael had his first dentist appointment this morning. he did SO well! we watched daddy get his teeth polished first and got to see daddy's xrays. then michael got to sit in the chair. he was so funny! i'm loving the four-year-old stage a lot!

here's my teeth

counting teeth on spongebob squarepants - the office toy

counting my teeth - 20! (michael said 23, but he was close)

dr. porac was so good at telling michael about the different instruments and what he was doing. we love him!

open wide!

hmmm, what is that stuff?

balloon for a job well done

dr. porac said that michael's teeth looked great and that he did VERY well! ;) daddy and mommy have very clean teeth today too with no cavities...but we didn't get a balloon. chad wanted to join in on the fun - not yet, buddy!

my veteran...

2008-11-11T09:03:00.001-05:00

happy veteran's day, bubby...we're so proud of you and thankful for you! also happy birthday to the USMC yesterday...semper fi!!

family fall festival 2008

2008-11-10T11:17:00.005-05:00

waiting on my food!

"milking" a cow

tunnel exit!

two more tunnelers

racing on the obstacle course

michael and his pony

chad and his pony - he laughed the whole time!

smoky bonfire!!

family self-portriat on the hayride (the boys were tired)

we love our church and church family!!!

we voted!

2008-11-10T11:11:00.002-05:00

hey, where are our "i voted" stickers??

here we go...

...only pics out here, NOT inside!

election evening 2008

2008-11-04T22:23:00.011-05:00

*UPDATE*
12:07 a.m. okay, i caved and checked the news...so, obama/biden won. disappointed, yes. surprised, no. i feel that i must input here that the colour of his skin had absolutely NOTHING to do with my vote. if he had been a conservative, non-socialist politician who could prove his true citizenship and who really funded his campaign, then he would have had my vote in a heartbeat!!! i find it amazing in this "modern" age that the colour of one's skin still matters. i just see them as my fellow american; if they are saved, a fellow child of God, created by Him just like me. it really doesn't register. my real issue (and trust me, i'm finding it hard to find an issue i agree with him on) came down to life and the taking thereof. i firmly believe that life begins at conception, the moment an egg and a sperm are joined in the womb, and it needs to be protected! it is precious, a miracle and in the very image of GOD! to take that life, no matter how small, is murder. as a christian, as a mother, as a woman, as a human being, i find that unacceptable.

this campaign was long, waaaaaay too long. i, for one, am glad it is over. i'm thankful that we can elect a president...every citizen can vote no matter age, race, gender, religion, etc.... and we can do it peacably, without wars and bloody coups. we voted, we elected, now we can move backward, i mean, forward. ;) in all seriousness, we take this for granted. yes, there are major concerns at what will happen to our nation, but hey, there is always 2012!! that's the beauty of our political process - 4 years at least, 8 years at most. we can ride it out! ;) i'm still thankful for my country!!

obama/biden will need our prayers, and our country will desperately need our prayers...as it always does! while i may not respect the man and his lack of morals make my stomach churn, i do respect the position of authority that GOD has allowed him to fill for the time being. and guess what...our GOD is still the same. He never changes. His WORD is still truth. He will reign for eternity. this world is not the sum of everything...we have heaven to look forward to, to prepare for! so, i'm going to bed now. my 3 wonderful boys are snoozing and snoring (one not so gently!) and i go to sleep (with earplugs, maybe?) at peace, partly because the campaign is finally over, but mostly because God is good, so good ALL the time and GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL! all praise to HIM who reigns above...

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9:17 p.m. i received this in an email several weeks ago and kept it just for tonight. we are not watching election coverage - we're watching mythbusters on dvd!! yeah, we're science nerds...well, pete just likes to see them blow stuff up. ;) see, science IS fun!! anyway, i have no idea what is going on right now ...and that is fine with me. yes, we exercised our right to vote this evening and enjoyed every second of it. i didn't get to take a picture of me voting, but we didn't wait in line, the boys were angels as they were strapped in the double stroller, we didn't get any stickers as they were out (boo for us, but yay for so many voting!!!), we went to chick-fil-a because we heard a little birdie say we would get something free but we didn't and still had fun, we went to the library, checked in on nana, decided it was too late to get free starbucks coffee (VERY sad is me), put the boys to bed and settled down to learn more about amateur rocket propulsion! all this to say, no matter what, GOD IS IN CONTROL!!!

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

. . . and God approves this message!

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CHARGE

FINALLY....

2008-11-04T11:52:00.002-05:00

after what seems like FOREVER, today is election day!!! make sure you exercise your right to VOTE ... and remember to fervently PRAY for our country today. MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!

baby, it's getting cold outside

2008-10-21T10:05:00.003-05:00

the boys' room gets soo cold sometimes, so pete decided to weather strip their window. of course, the boys had to help - and totally destroy michael's bedding in the process!! oh well, it was nice and neat at one time today! ;)

daddy's little hindrances, i mean, helpers! ;)

chad would rather crawl out the window, i think.

an autumn afternoon

2008-10-21T09:46:00.003-05:00

i steam-cleaned our carpets saturday. it's the first time i've done it and i LOVED doing it. they are so clean and fresh! after i was done, we decided to take the boys and nana to a hot air balloon festival in white point, virginia while the carpets dried. it ended up being too windy (and soooo cold!) for the balloons to launch, but they did blow one up for us to see. the boys were terrified(as in screaming and crying) of the burner at first - it was rather loud up close and hot - but they loved the balloon once it was blown up! the drive was beautiful and we had fun family time. pete even treated us to panera bread on the way home since we didn't have to pay admission (it was late).

beautiful scenery

the balloon

getting a better view

nana and chad are amazed!

watcha doin' back there, daddy?

my balloon buddy

poor daddy had to give up his sweatshirt to help keep chad warm
we love fall!

g-a-p spells gap

2008-10-21T09:39:00.003-05:00

i found the boys some cute almost-matching gap sweatshirts at two different yardsales. michael was so pleased he could read what it said. he took chad's blocks and spelled it out on the piano. what a goober!

bros

maestros

2008-10-21T09:30:00.003-05:00

chad finally got up there by himself

didn't you know you can play it backwards too?

and chad tries to jump off...he has NO fear!

archery

2008-10-21T09:19:00.002-05:00

we've been helping out in our church's youth group since september. we are in between youth pastors right now so pete teaches the wednesday night group. our good friends kevin and josie hoffman help out too. it's lots of fun!! we had a huge teen activity - behemoth barn bash - with another church's youth group. we had a great time. josie and i tried the archery and we were pretty good - if i do say so myself! ;)

josie goes for it

i screamed and shut my eyes the first time i let the arrow go. ;) i thought it would recoil near my face, like pete's handgun (beretta 9mm). it didn't. ;)

i did much better the next time - hit the killshot spot on the deer! ;)

eat vs. sleep

2008-10-21T09:12:00.003-05:00

we've been having sleep issues around here. chad is almost ready to drop his morning nap and just nap in the afternoon. however, some days just didn't work out and he couldn't make it until after lunch...

sleeping at nana's

i heard snoring and saw chad's head bobbing everywhere!

and he's out!

la familia

2008-10-16T20:41:00.002-05:00

luke with frightful the bird (not even full grown!)

priscilla in the zinnias

playing a game...in german

silly priscilly

who are you going to vote for?

2008-10-06T23:56:00.002-05:00

yes, i dare to bridge the topic that even Christians don't discuss, being polite and all. it's almost the same lack of boldness that prevents us from opening our mouths to tell a lost and searching soul the Good News, that Jesus died and arose to save us from our desperate, wicked sin that we may enjoy heaven and His Holy Presence forever. are we so cold that we don't care enough about someone else's soul, where they will spend eternity? wouldn't we want someone to care about our soul if roles were reversed?

i've decided not to watch much election coverage as i don't want to get caught up in the spin ... easily manipulated poll numbers being thrown around as fact. harsh remarks about candidates' ages, personal lives, etc. i know it's easy to be petty - i feel very strongly about some things - why did you "change" your campaign emblem so that no AMERICAN flag is present? how can you be commander-in-chief of the best armed forces in the world if you have never served in uniform? why do you use the word change, but go no further to explain what that really means?

i remember the 2004 election coverage and feeling so hopeless - kerry had it in the bag, no way bush could win. and then he did...not just the electoral vote, but the popular as well!!! the newscasters were dumbfounded. how could this have happened? i didn't watch the democratic national convention, i only watched a little of the republican national convention, i didn't watch mccain - obama debate the first time, i didn't watch palin - biden debate, and i don't plan on watching mccain and obama go at it a second and third time. but, that doesn't mean i don't care, and i'm not going to vote. oh no, i will vote.

i am going to vote because that is my right as a UNITED STATES citizen. i am going to vote because five years ago my husband fought a war in a far-off, dusty land to preserve my freedoms (and yours) including the right to elect a president without fear. i am going to vote because i want my voice heard. i am going to vote because i choose to fight for family, for marriage as God intended it, for morality, for my children and future children yet to be born, for religious freedom, for the AMERICA our founding fathers intended, for the AMERICA i want for my children, for the AMERICA countless men and women have fought and bled and died for.

you may not approve of your party's candidate over some issues, but i urge you to check it out. find out their stand on issues that really count. see what their platform really is!! see who is really funding their campaign!! read it for yourself. educate yourself. don' be lazy and get caught up in the whirlwind of gas prices, race, war and hype! don't just not vote - that makes it even worse!

i knew who i was going to vote for very early on, but this put me over the top. i will no longer be silent and polite about voting. please, take the time to watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIdbYjmbFzo

i know who i'm going to vote for...do you?

take time...

2008-10-06T08:23:00.002-05:00

to stop...

... and smell the flowers!

big big boy bed

2008-10-04T19:15:00.008-05:00

it has been apparent for a while that michael's toddler bed phase was rapidly coming to an end. besides destroying the bed frame, he was just about as long as the mattress so we got him a new bed and bedding for his birthday!! we got his solid wood bed at tristate bedrooms (owned by a family in our church). they have great furniture - we especially like the kid stuff and i have my eye on a new bed for us after we move. if you live in the area, check them out!!!

old toddler bed...chad trying it out while michael plays with his leapster

squeezed in and set up (i'm going to rearranged their room!) both boys LOVED it!
they love to be on michael's bed together

now with new sheets...

...and chad, of course (don't you just love their jammies. they're army men, i mean, marines. :) i got them last spring at old navy for like $2 each. i love them!)

now we add the comforter. i kept the same "on the go" theme to match chad's crib set. however, the reverse of this is a nice plaid for when he's a little older or just wants a change.
this is how four-year-olds get in their new big bed. just so you know how it's really done.

aaaaahh comfy!

all tucked in and ready for sleep

checking it out

hey, mom, when's it my turn to get out of here??

i am so not ready for chad to be non-restrained for sleep! michael's new bed can be trundled, which is what we'll probably do when chad is ready to transition from the crib. toddler beds can be expensive and don't really last that long. i bought michael's at a yard sale, but he destroyed it so easily (that, and one night at Bible time, daddy decided to plop down on it holding a newly born chad. he went right through to the floor, and i had a hard time not busting my c-section staples laughing!) trundle beds use a single bed mattress (as opposed to a crib mattress) that can be used on a higher, single bed when the child is ready. and you can slide the trundle bed under when not in use so everything looks nice and neat and utilizes space well.

sweet dreams, boys!

4

2008-10-03T20:56:00.004-05:00

we had a GREAT time celebrating michael's birthday last friday. his birthday wasn't until saturday the 27th, but everyone's schedule worked better for friday. michael picked the menu - salad, spaghetti with homemade meatballs, garlic bread, lemon cupcakes (for him and chad) and uncle dennis' most excellent cheesecake for the adults. he received lots of thomas stuff to feed his current obsession. ;) the pics are all over the place because, well, he was all over the place!!

michael's requested lemon cupcake - the thomas is actually a candle. how cool is that?

mesmerized...he actually let us finish singing "happy birthday"before he blew out the candle!

yum - he licked the vanilla icing and took maybe three bites of cupcake...then went to play

thomas from nana on track - it makes train noises and has a working light

a birthday thomas from grandpa and gigi

a thomas card for a 4 year old with a shark's tooth and moolah from uncle dennis and aunt paula!

island of sodor thomas mat from grandpa and gigi

percy from uncle rick and aunt jean

harold the helicopter (and his hanger) from chad

a thomas napkin - he didn't want to get it dirty ;)

chad gets a cupcake too!

he smashed most of it in his mouth and wouldn't take his hands down until he was done chewing. i guess he thought someone would take it away!

then he proceeded to smash the rest. boys...i just love them, crumbly messes and all!

michael's birthday chair...empty, of course, because he was off playing.

thank you, thank you to all our family and friends that made his day special. stay tuned for what daddy and mommy bought michael for his birthday, along with moolah from other family members. it's exciting!!!!

happy birthday, michael conner! we cannot believe four years have flown by since you were *quickly* born and made us parents. who knew having kids was so great?!?!? we thank the Lord for choosing us to be your parents and adding you to our family ... you truly are a blessing with your quick mind, tender heart, great giggles, copious hugs and kisses...and even the many, many, many questions!!! we are so proud of how you are maturing each day with being obedient, being a great big brother and learning about Jesus. your prayers are so precious and etched in our hearts. we pray that you will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus and serve Him with ALL your heart and life... there is no better place to be, no better way to live!

the relatives came

2008-10-03T20:40:00.002-05:00

grandpa and gigi drove all the way from indiana for michael's birthday weekend which was last weekend. of course, a plethora of toys accompanied them. ;) thanks for coming to visit us! we had LOTS of fun and miss you lots and lots.

chad LOVES grandpa

gigi reads a book...again

working on our states puzzle

michael's first roller skates!

never to be outdone, chad had to give them a try too! ;)

a spoon, a bowl of yogurt and a boy...

2008-10-02T10:34:00.004-05:00

a 17-month-old boy to be exact... is NOT a good combination!

maybe if i don't look at her, she won't notice...

we will be working on better spoon control! ;)

family farm day fun

2008-10-02T09:54:00.005-05:00

warning: many, many pics ahead! farm day was lots of fun. the weather was cool in the early morning then got ridiculously hot as evidenced by pete's shirt soaked with sweat!

milking the "cow"

daddy and chad give it a try

fire truck!

the helmet was heavier than michael thought

sitting up in the rig

chad's first pony ride - he LOVED it - despite his facial expression in this picture!

michael didn't want to do it until chad did it first

petting farm

3 little piggies ;)

riding all by himself this year!

mommy and chad stuffed into the last one ;)

michael's balloon hat

silly

this is how we roll - balloons everywhere!

chad trying the hat on for size at nana's house - they fought over this hat for two days before i finally threw it away!

boys in a box and more productive use of time

2008-09-22T21:31:00.002-05:00

cheap entertainment

17 months old!

before...

...after.

two weeks ago, i thought i would do a little more canning. i canned another bushel of tomatoes (27 quarts) and two bushels of green beans (47 quarts). i don't want to see another tomato or green bean for quite a while. ;) i know we will enjoy them this winter...plus, it saves money and and i KNOW where they came from!

last week we had revival services sunday through friday with evangelist dave young. it was a really great week! his focus was on the home and families. we participated in a tv fast for the week too. at first it was kind of hard...i can't believe how much i would turn it on to watch the news or for noise while i was working!!! we ended up enjoying it quite a bit. pete and i talked a lot after the boys went to bed which was really nice. i had to be there at 6:30 every evening for choir, so it did take a toll. my aunt minnie passed away last sunday morning so her viewing and funeral were during that week as well. we are very sad about her passing, but know we will see her again in heaven.

saturday i spent the entire day getting the house cleaned and organized for our open house on sunday afternoon while pete was at work - he rarely has to work saturdays, but, of course, he had to work the weekend after revival and before our open house!! we wouldn't have scheduled an open house this weekend, but the local realty companies had a huge open house event...lots of open houses on the same weekend. ours went really well. the boys and i spent the afternoon at mom's and pete stayed at the house. we had several groups of people come through with a lot of positive comments. our realtor told us a lot of open houses didn't have anyone show up the whole afternoon. we have prayed over selling the house, and know the Lord has just the right buyer for us...and the perfect house for us to buy. we just haven't found it yet! ;)

the weekend before revival was farm day (pete's annual work event). i will post pics from it later. it was fun! later this week gigi and grandpa are coming for michael's 4th birthday party. we are enjoying the couple days' lull before more craziness. ;) needless to say, september has been incredibly busy...here's to a calmer october!!

little lamb

2008-09-22T21:22:00.002-05:00

michael with his first little lambs (master clubs) vest...chad joined in!

such a big boy!

happy brothers!

...and yes, i had a hard time sending him to the 4 year old class!! :( i have LOVED the three year old stage, but i'm sure four will be fun too!