Flower Girl

Every once in a while you come across a teacher that ends up being more then just a teacher. Last year Gabby had that experience. We met Kate Berge at a get together for new students and Gabby loved her from that moment on. About a week into school we had an ice cream social where we get a chance to talk with teachers and staff. Kate came up to us and said, "I know this is a little weird, but can I ask you a person question?" I was intrigued, so of course I said yes ;)! "Are you guys LDS?" I sat there stunned. I managed to stammer out a yes and then asked how she knew and what she knew about LDS people. She said that when she taught preschool she met a family that were LDS and they had become friends. She said she figured we had to be because of the way Gabby conducted herself and how she openly and unabashedly spoke of her love of God and her family. That was a real compliment and our friendship grew from then on. Gabby invited her to church and she came. We had her to some other functions and Gabby even brought her a Book of Mormon. Then with everything that happened last year with Evelyn she was there for Gabby and our family and we grew even closer. During the summer I got an email from her saying she had gotten engaged and wanted Gabby to be the flower girl at her wedding!! We were thrilled and this opened up more opportunities to discuss the differences in our religions (she is Roman Catholic) and have some very open discussion. I have to admit I was a little nervous about it, but Gabby was never worried at all! We went to the showers, the rehearsal, everything and we had a blast! I was so honored that she would want my sweet little Gabby to be a part of her wedding, but not all that surprised. (Gabby is pretty special :)!) She treated Gabby like a princess! She even had her come get her hair done the day of the wedding with her. (All the kids got to come tag along since Nate was at work and I couldn't find a babysitter two days after Christmas).
Here she is all ready to go!!!



 I tried to get some pictures of her coming down the isle, but I wasn't in a great spot and I didn't have my good camera :(.

Coming into the isle with the Bride's mom (who is currently battling stage 4 breast cancer..:(!)

Gabby and the greatest teacher, Mrs. Kate Berge Duhanich!

At the reception Gabby was the first one introduced and she had to walk through all these people she didn't know, but it didn't phase her at all. She is a pro at this! 

After the dinner there was dancing, which I have to say was Gabby's FAVORITE part! I think Nate was super embarrassed to be out there, but it made his little girl happier then he will ever know!!

It was a fun experience and not one that I think any of us will ever forget! I am so proud of my little girl and the wonderful person she is! She is such an example to me and I am so grateful to have her in my family forever!!! I love you Gabby girl and am so proud of you!!!!

Fun with Grandma

The week before Thanksgiving we were lucky enough to have Nate's mom and step dad come for a visit! We were so excited to have them here and to be able to spend Thanksgiving with them :)!

Gayle got here first, and the weather was so nice for a change!

Raking leaves quickly turned into a fun party with Grandma!

 Luke decided Grandma needed to have some leaves for lunch.

 Then Gabby and Lily jumped in to help.

 Grandma proved she could hold her own again three kids though! :)

 Evie woke up from her nap and decided she liked the leaves as well!

 We love family!

Goofy time!

 Evie is such a little thrill seeker! She loves it what Nate throws her up, hangs her upside down or anything that makes mom cringe and say "Be CAREFUL!"

 

It was nice to get outside and just have some fun together!!

Faces

I love these faces. Especially today, in light of everything going on in our world.

While Nate's mom and step dad were here (more on that later :)!!) we took some fun pictures in the leaves. I just love to look at these pictures and realize how lucky I am to have these four incredible kids.

They are beautiful children, inside and out! How thankful I am for them in my life!

A story about a Girl

I have been wanting to write this post for a while now, but I have never known just what to say. I still don't, but I feel compelled to write it anyways.

This is one of my beautiful sisters.

Her name is Oriana and she is as dear to me as anyone can be. Her husband, Travis, is also someone whom I love and respect more then words can express. The story of Oriana starts way back to when I was a young girl. I was the only girl, with three brothers. I wanted a sister SO BAD! Finally, my wish was granted when I was almost 9. (And then a few more times after that for which I am equally grateful!) She was the best doll I had ever received and the whole family just adored her, but I like to think no one loved her as much as me. (I love all my sisters, but this story is about her.) Fast forward to the year Nate and I moved to West Virginia for med school. I was pregnant with Lily and more then 2,000 miles away from my family. I missed them all so much. With in the first two months we were there the most amazing missionary was transferred into our area. Everything about this young man impressed me and told me he was someone special. Then I get the strangest idea to have him write my sister who is a senior in high school. Now before you go making any judgements, realize I have NEVER done this before and will likely NEVER do it again! I know the rules and I did not want to introduce a distraction, but the prompting was persistent. We grew to know Elder Taylor more and more and found out just what an amazing man and missionary he was/is. He was such a blessing to us in West Virginia all those miles away from our family. Fast forward a year and a half and Oriana and Travis, Elder Taylor, got married. It was amazing and I couldn't have been happier for them. Then a few short months later Oriana got sick. Really sick. She went in to the doctor several times and he kept sending her away saying it was a UTI. She finally went into the ER and immediately was taken back for emergency surgery. Her appendix had burst a while ago and she was septic. It was a grueling surgery and she lost a fallopian tube and had significant internal scarring. A few months later a miscarriage. Then years of infertility. Two rounds of IUI's and now she finds out the only remaining tube is scarred closed. My heart is breaking for these two amazing people.

 

I know there are many who suffer with different types of infertility, and there are many who are close to me. But this is my baby sister! This isn't supposed to happen to her! And yet through it all, I am continually amazed at their attitudes and their patience. That isn't to say they haven't mourned or even been a little mad, but they are so resilient and so amazing. They continue to serve others, myself and my family included, and they continue to be faithful. I am in awe of them. I truly love these two and wish that I could do something, anything to help them.

They are going to make the most amazing parents, they already make the most amazing auntie and uncle!

Oriana and Travis, you both are amazing. I know this post doesn't even tell half of your story, and my words are terribly inadequate, but I want you to know how much I love and admire you both. You are an inspiration and an example. You are both SO GIVING and so loving and I have no doubt that you would give the very shirt off your back to someone in need, because Travis did that very thing to Nate when he was on his mission in WV.

They are now starting the rough road that is in vitro fertilization. I wish I lived closer so that I could be there and help in any way that I could.

Thank you for being such an example and thank you for being you.

 

And Oriana, thank you for being one of my beautiful sister by birth.

 

I love you!

 

*Oriana, I hope you don't mind I stole some of your pictures from facebook :)

Nine months old

 I have been terrible at keeping up with this blog!
Evie is already nine and a half months old, I had meant to do have her pictures taken when she turned 6 months old, but I just now finally got around to taking some pictures of my cute little baby! Evelyn is such a blessing to our family. There are no words to express just how much she means to all of us and just how happy we are to have her with us. She has so much personality. She really is a fighter, and not just with her health!! She is spunky, a tease, happy, loving, and just plain adorable! She loves to give "loves" by bonking heads and gives open mouth kisses to only a few special people (usually just mom and sometimes dad). She pulls herself up on everything but can't figure out how to get back down; so she just yells until someone comes for her. And believe me, EVERYONE comes running to her aid!! (She has two extra little mothers and an over protective big brother!) She loves to smile, and she knows when she sees someone in a white coat that she better try to run away!! (She actually does really well since she has seen at least 3 doctors a week since she was born...) She crawls everywhere and has made it up a few steps (we learned the hard way to barricade the stairs... ) She loves to play with her tongue, rolling it around in her mouth and sticking it out. She LOVES it when you blow in her face, and she has started sucking her lips in and making "denture" faces :)! She is in a word PERFECT! She makes us smile and laugh every day and we love her so much!

 

Sucking on her lips

 I LOVE this face!!

She laughs so hard when her daddy throws her up in the air, she is a little thrill seeker already ;)!!

These are her "nine month" pictures.

 Please ignore my fat face, but I had to get a picture with my baby!!

 Isn't she just adorable?!

 

Apparently we all think so! (This picture was NOT planned to be like this. We were all supposed to be looking at the camera, but somehow in this one we were all looking at Evie. It has become one of my favorites!!)

She really is such a good baby and we are all absolutely in love with her!

Gabby! For President!

I had to share this cute story!

 

In Gabby's English Language Arts class they have been learning about elections, much like the rest of the kids in the nation. They had to complete a booklet entitled, "If I were President of the United States". Each page started with a prompt. Page two is what made me laugh, "I would make a good president because : 'I am a Mormon. Mormons respect all things. (Nothing to brag about)'." Good to know Gabs, good to know.

Luke's Birthday Cont'

*It took me a while to finally post about the kids birthdays. Part of the reason is that I had to sew like crazy to get the kids Halloween costumes done. Then Hurricane Sandy came and knocked out power or four days at our house. Now we are trying to clean up water damage in the basement and living room and taking out all the spoiled food. So... better late then never, here is Luke's birthday :)!

 

Since Nate was working down in Akron (about an hour away) for October he wasn't always home when the kids were awake. On the evening before Luke's birthday (an hour past bedtime I might add... see Gayle I am not ALWAYS a fun sucker ;)!) Nate and I decided to give Luke his presents since we weren't sure if Nate would make it home for his actual birthday. (And Nate REALLY wanted to be there when Luke got his gift!!)

Luke has been reading a book series that is about a boy who is a Ranger. He only uses a bow and arrows, so naturally that is what he is now interested in. I think Nate is just as excited about this new interest as Luke is! (*this is a combined gift between both sets of grandparents and parents :)!)

Does he look excited?!





I think he knew he was getting it, but he still looked so shocked ;)!

 Nate had to be the first one to try it out, you know make sure it was safe for Luke and all.... !!!!

 Lily decided to try the quiver and arrows on for size. I LOVE this picture of her!!

When we went to the store to pick out the perfect bow for Luke they sale's man suggested the one that was slightly bigger since he was almost too big for the next size down. Unfortunately Luke can't quite pull it back without assistance! (So Nate has him lifting weights every night, I am NOT joking...!!)

 Good thing he has his dad to help him out!! I think this is a gift the whole family will get some use and enjoyment out of!

 One happy kid!

 We had to wait a few more days until we could have cake together, and again it was late at night, past bed time!

 Luke wanted a triple chocolate cake; so it is a chocolate cake with chocolate chips and chocolate icing with M&M's on the outside, all from scratch (except, of course, the M&M's). It was pretty awesome if I do say so myself! I think that face says it all!!!

I am so grateful to be the mom of this super kid! And I have to say I love having a ten year old around, it makes my life so much easier!!! Love you Lukie!! Thanks for making me a mom for the first time!!