Spring Preview

(doors open)

There was a high of 70 today and there was an amazing breeze to go along with it.  After lunch, the girls and I headed outside.

Olivia rode her bike for the first time by herself.  Super sweet!!  But even sweeter was when she realized what she was doing.  "I ride my bike!"  Absolutely does.not.get.better.than.this.

A friend asked me on FB if I had a camera attached to my forehead:).  No, but boy I can sprint to my room to grab it when I see that I need it!!  Thank you Laura for the very kind words.  Richard is the one who started me on all of this, and yet I'm not so sure he even pays attention.  Oh, well:).

Yes, today was a perfect little preview of Spring.  We are all so very ready for a new season.  In more ways than one!

Enjoy ...

(flowers from our sister) 

(hot enough to need our water)

(flowers in our hair)

(bike rides)

(unhealthy leaves that we think are pretty)

(and learning to put on)

(and to take off ... and that would be dead grass on my floor, btw ... one of the "plusses" of children able to go outside!)

(new buds on my hydrangeas)

(wind in my sweet little miss's hair)

 

(hilariousness as Kate tries to get on Hanson Ellis's back and then Hanson Ellis attempting to stand up once she's on!)

(and I think we're at 623 on the jumps ... just so we could say we jumped more than the boy down the street ... you know, it was for a good cause:)!)

And last, but definitely not least, if you'll look over at my Praying for Our Troops list, you'll notice that MAJ Lewis is, as of today, home again with Lorrie and their kids.  We are all praising God for this reunion!  Tears well up in my eyes as I know all too well the range of amazing emotions going on right now. So, so wonderful!

Welcome Home Jeremy!

To God be the Glory!

Why Preschool Is a Good Thing

It is Winter Break here in Georgia.  We've taken a little break the first part of this week in order to catch up on some projects around the house.  Today was our first attempt at a full school day this week.  It is not that easy to manage the little ones while teaching the older ones.  At least not for me.  I feel like I'm constanly repeating myself.  I'm either repeating what I've asked one of the older ones to do or I'm repeating what I've just taught them because the little ones are singing on the fireplace (their stage) or riding tricycles through the house or having a very loud and lively discussion (as only a 2 & 4 year old can).  OR I'm repeating picking up, cleaning up or even getting little people dressed.  (and let's not forget  repeating rescuing them from danger ...)

Preschool is a good thing for us over here at 57.  We would all surely go crazy and never learn anything if it were not for it!

New Glasses

I have just one photo on my desk.  This is it.  

It is Parker on the ottoman in our living room in Monterey, California.  Parker was a good baby.  She slept all the time.  We, on the other hand, never slept for fear that she was going to wake up.  Oh, the irony!  

Parker has always been our daughter to be off by herself doing her own thing.  Sometimes I wonder what she's up to.  Today I walked into her room and saw this.

My own cheering squad!  And look, I even won a couple of trophies:). 

I had to laugh, you know I did.  I have no idea what she was doing, but it boosted my esteem for sure! 

Parker got new glasses today.  I wish I could have had a camera to record her feet dangling and kicking as the pharmacist tried the glasses on her face.  She was so thrilled!!  It is rare that we see the cuteness of Parker's heart.  She is holds everything inside.  Very quiet.  Very reserved.  She's just going to be our late bloomer.  I get so frustrated at her lack of confidence.  

She is just like me.  

But then I know that just like me, she'll be just fine.  

Seeing her so openly happy today was sweetness in every way.

She can just be the cutest thing.  

Every now and then I see her.  Hmmmm, it is wonderful.  I am thankful for such a priceless moment. 

True joy in the trenches. 

Richard's Influence

Olivia was taking a nap.  Parker and Patterson were finishing up their President's Day presentation that they are going to, well, present to their Daddy tonight.  (I know we're a day late ... but it was a surprise and he was off yesterday, so we waited) Hanson Ellis and Kate were out back.  I walked onto the patio to tell them to come in.  Hanson Ellis was going to make some cookies for tonight's little event, and it was time for her to do that.  I look down off the patio and Hanson Ellis says, "Momma!  Kate knows how to swing by herself now!"  I have to be honest ... I have not taught her because I like to still push her.  It is nice to still be needed like that and it is a simple time that we can spend together.  Needless to say, Hanson Ellis did not share my joy in this activity, so she taught her.  She hurried Kate off the slide and tells her to show me what she can do.  I hooped and hollered on the outside, while my heart ached just a little on the inside.  Sigh, another little Davenport girl just grew up a little more.  But my heart was not aching long.  As soon as Kate was finished, she got down, looked up at me and repeated her Daddy's favorite new phrase "HIGH FIVE FOR JESUS!"  My heart was definitely smiling now:).  Love that man and love my girls!

Little Girls

Little girls being little girls is truly one of the timeless things in life.

(and having one of the two girls say that she had to scratch her head as she climbed into bed was all too predictable ... for those of you who know us personally, any guesses as to which girl said this?)

Relationships

"we're on a roller coaster!"

Today was such a great day.  Typically Thursdays are not like that and to be honest I've not had a great school day in a while, but today ... today was great.  

I don't write about homeschooling as much as I should, as much as I'd like, or as much as I'd thought that I would.  Homeschooling, well educating ... teaching ... raising our girls is my greatest challenge, but I'm not sure there is anything quite as near to my heart.   I am, therefore, uncharacteristically quiet about this topic.  But I will say that when the girls are busy learning and creating and listening and thinking and producing, I feel like I've got the greatest life on the planet.  Everyday is not like that, which I'm sure doesn't surprise any of you.  And when it's not, they are still learning and growing, but just not so smoothly or the way I had planned that they would and I just have to almost turn my thoughts on it off or I'll beat myself in the ground.  Anyway, today was pleasant and full.  And yes, a homeschooling Momma of five all going in different directions can have a pleasant and full day all in one.  And you know, we even had a peaceful dinner! (This is definitely not always the case, and sometimes I wonder if it is really beneficial gathering everyone down at the table to eat as a family every night ... and yes, we do this every night.)   Tonight Olivia talked about the fire truck collage she made at "school" today.  Kate talked about it being "Pink Day."  Parker shared her Presidents Day joke book that she made in school and gave us all a mini lesson on the one Prophet of God who never told anything good, "so when he did, everyone knew he was lying."  Patterson made sure she caught every family rule that was violated by her sisters "Um, Olivia is doing that with her pizza."  "Kate, you need to be quiet when Momma is talking to Daddy.  It might be important and if they can't hear that would be rude."  Hanson Ellis sat and devoured her pizza as any growing pre-teen who had just gotten out of tap class would ... and of course smiled and giggled as she enjoyed the show that was occurring around her.  

My girls.  They are learning so much about life and about each other.  They have a relationship that was not their choice to have and one that is still developing.  But they have a relationship that will develop and grow stronger with every day of their life.  I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave above their heads and make them always be loving towards one another.  But they are figuring it out and they are learning together and more than not I get sweet glimpses of them enjoying their relationship as friends and not just as sisters.  

They are so blessed to have each other.  And I am so thankful to have each one of them.

Relationships, as we all know, can be so tricky.  But as I observe my girls, I am reminded of how important and priceless they are.  The struggles, the hurt feelings, the forgiveness, the lessons in patience are all more than worth the joy and the bond and the love that is created in the end.  

Thank You Anonymous!

I wrote this last night in response to an Anonymous post on a blog entry that I posted yesterday and then deleted.  Here it is from my email inbox

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Here We Go": 

Oh, please! Put your big girl Army wife panties on and deal with it. 

Posted by Anonymous to five girls the army and me at February 16, 2011 5:47 PM

I wrote the post yesterday for me. It was the sort of post to just get something off my mind, yet record it so I wouldn't  forget the moment.  I know many of you read it before it was deleted, but for those of you who didn't, it was very brief ... only a couple of lines.  Anyway, it was not my intention to sound like I couldn't survive a deployment.  It was more of a response to an exhaustion of I just didn't want to.

I didn't post this response because I just wanted to think about it for a while.  And think about it I did.  And you know what?  I owe ANONYMOUS a thank you.  While I do not think whoever this person is did the "right" thing in posting a very mean comment, it really put a little motivation in me.  So, thank you to whoever you are!  I really did some soul searching last night and realized just how blessed I am.  God has provided me with so much strength and endurance.  In all of the years of deployments and babies, I've never had a maid.  I have been able to continue to homeschool my girls.  I've not had to take prescription drugs to get through a deployment or a reunion.  I've never cheated on my husband or even desired to.  I've never spent a night out at the bars with the girls living it up to escape reality, and I still manage to iron my shirts, wash my hair, make three meals and tuck the girls in after curling up with stories each day.  So again, thank you Anonymous for the encouragement you sent!  Now if you could just send me some new big girl Army wife panties, I'd appreciate it.  I think I've worn mine out.



Below is my response to "Anonymous."

(Daddy's home November 09)

Wow. So I just received my first classless comment.  Lovely.  I have this blog for me.  It is a little different of an outlet than my paper journal.  It is a glimpse into my life and a way I can hold myself accountable to remember my countless blessings.  Sometimes in order to do that we have to acknowledge our struggles, label them and then move on, only later to reflect and see the blessing in them or in the process of getting through them.

I am an Army wife.  I love being an Army wife because I love my husband and he is in the Army, so therefore that makes me love being an Army wife.  I posted earlier about our upcoming separation for training and then a deployment.  In the last 8 years my husband has been home 2.  This deployment will take him from us 18 months.  That is roughly 540 days.  Our oldest started Kindergarten during his first separation from us that was supposed to be just 2 weeks, but after his being gone a week and a half, a fellow Officer showed up at our door to get more clothes ... enough for a little over 5 months.  When he returns from this deployment, she will be halfway through the 9th grade.  On top of that, he is out processing his current duty station to be reassigned to the one he'll deploy from and then once his deployment is over, we are assigned to yet another duty station.  So, I get to experience selling our house and moving alone.  This is the first house we've ever owned, thus the first house we've ever had to sell.  No, this is not a worse case scenario, but there is a whole lot there to take in.  At least there is for me.  I don't know about ANONYMOUS, who so kindly encouraged me to "Put my big girl Army panties on," but for me it is all a little draining.  Am I unthankful for my life?  No.  Do I not see the blessings in my life?   Yes, I do.  Will I survive the next year and a half?  By God's grace, I'm fully confident that I will more than survive.  But am I excited about the separation?  Absolutely not.  Will I sit around and cry my eyes out?  Maybe some, but not non-stop.  Will I feel sorry for myself?  No.  I am thankful that God has given me, a sinner, a capacity to love and miss my husband, another sinner.  What an amazing gift that is!  Do I struggle with the balance of living each day now and not trying to "wish" the days away.  TOTALLY!  Sometimes I think it is almost impossible to find the balance there.  With all of the planning for the future, it is so difficult to remain focused on the present!

--- sigh ---

I do not deny that God has placed our family here in a civilian community for a reason.  I enjoy so much about being set apart from the military community, but I miss the comforts it brings in times like this.  I know, however, that God has us here to grow us in His likeness.  I am excited about the end result, but refining is so hard:).

I have served our country via the support of my husband.
I have served our country via countless volunteer hours in the Army.  I have been so graciously thanked by being awarded various awards and I was even so humbled to have received The Outstanding Civilian Service Medal.

I am not a wimp and I am in no need of big girl Army panties.  (and please tell me someone else is laughing at how ridiculous that statement is!!)

I am wife, who gets frustrated from time to time with her husband:), but who wholeheartedly adores him and enjoys having him around.  I love life and I hate war.  And I 100% believe that I absolutely do not dishonor my husband by saying that if I had a choice, I'd rather have him home.  There is no honor in stoicism, nor is there any truth in it either.

Whoever you are Anonymous, I will pray for you tonight.  You are a coward to comment so harshly without a face and you are out of line to pass judgement on another who you only know bits and pieces about.

To God be the Glory!