Happiness is something you create in your mind, Not something you search for but can't seem to find. Not something that's purchased with silver or gold, Not something that force can capture and hold. It's waking up and beginning each day By counting your blessings and kneeling to pray. It's giving up thoughts that breed discontent And accepting what comes as a gift heaven sent. It's giving up wishing for things you have not And making the most of whatever you got. It's knowing that life is determined and planned And God holds the world in the palm of his hand. And it's by completing what God gives you to do That you find contentment and happiness too. Helen Steiner Rice

Stiches

So today I received the dreaded phone call from school..." your son hit his head and I think he needs stitches". ummm my brain was trying to piece together how I was going to get that done. I didn't really want to drive out to Yarrow to get him, even though the secretary told me it was bleeding a lot so I told her to "just put lots of band-aids on, and I'll take a look at it when he gets home". Yeah, won the worst mommy award for that one. Once off the phone, I realized that it was going to be me and five kids in the emergency as Gerard had a home visit again and would not be able to take Timothy after work. So I met the bus at a bus stop close to the hospital and went to check out the new emergency addition that had been added. It was high time to see it anyway. lol. The school ended up taping it together.He is soooo not impressed, the doctor said he needed to have stitches. He was trying to be so brave but ended up having tears, and he became my little boy again and sat on my lap. And of course, Niessa and Sharleen started crying too because big brother needed stitches. It ended up being a good learning experience for them, they watched the stitches going in and could tell that Timothy felt no pain. He thought it was going to be so bad, but it went remarkably well. He was talking to the Doctor and asked if he had started stitching and he was already halfway done. He ended up "sporting" four new blue stitches. The doctor was amazing, so calm, and just talked Timothy through the whole thing. What movies he liked and on and on.

It went OK with all of us at the hospital, Gerard came when it was all done,(of course, smile) and I was feeding Breanne in the waiting room. And then the crazies started as we were behind schedule for the evening. Thankfully leftovers were planned for dinner (funny how that was) so there was no time wasted with cooking, just heat up and run. And run is what we had to do to get Gerard out of the door on time. I gotta love my man, after a really busy day at work, a couple minutes of rest in the emergency waiting room, then he was right there in the "trenches" with me serving dinner, and dishes, getting the kids to read their books and all the other bedtime things. And then out the door still doing his tie-up....

Oma

I finally got out to Langley to let Breanne meet her great Oma. Yup, bad granddaughter for taking so long, I could list all the excuses why it took so long to drive out there, but they're boring and my theory is better late than never.

So it was good to see Oma again and spend some time with her. She now has 20 great-grandchildren. I am beat red b/c I am cooking hot, wow, I can't believe how hot it it is in there. And of course, there is the constant white patch of spit up on my shoulder. Somehow I always miss some of the eruptions and they catch me.

It is so nice to have some helpers, and they really do help. Here Niessa is holding Breanne for me a "job" that she never says no to. And Breanne is just so relaxed and content being held by her big sister. Gerard was supposed to be getting ready to go out for a meeting and this is what I find him doing, having a chit-chat with his littlest one. So let this be proof that it is not my fault that he is always late for his meetings...he says she's more important...and I tend to agree.

It's a Girl

Darryl and Malanie were blessed with another baby girl. We were all so excited for them, especially Mommy as Aunt Melanie was 12 days overdue and really wanted the baby out.

The girls enjoying another special gift from God. Congratulations Darryl and Melanie, may God give you everything you need to raise her to know Him.

ballerina #4

So the long-anticipated day finally arrived. The girls have been wanting me to put Breanne in this outfit ever since Aunt Theresa gave it to us.

And it is just the cutest little outfit. Now she has her own little dress-up outfit too.

...complete with little ballerina shoes.

Wacky Hair Day

Friday was wacky hair day at the kid's school. I could have been more creative with the girl's hair but they wanted the same thing, and I don't discuss wacky hairstyles before seven in the morning, so they got the same thing.

Timothy loved the rainbow in his hair. I had just cut his hair and somehow it ended up in a buzz cut as the look as I was trying to go for didn't work out,(oops!!) so he couldn't have all the little elastics in his hair which is what he wanted. Thankfully he was happy with this look. Good thing this only happens once a year as it sure takes more time in the morning.