"Life is GRAND"....

A week ago, we were finally able to get away and reconnect as a family. Since my beloved sister's diagnosis of stage 4 ovarian cancer just 6 months ago, to the birth of our daughter, our hearts have truly been pulled and tugged in every direction imaginable. Ellison was born in the middle of a "storm" in our family, but God has answered my prayer for her - that she would be our "calm in the midst of the storm" - and she truly is. Honestly, it's been pretty hard to breathe since Elliot's diagnosis back in late September. But, GOD is our HEALER - HE is HER healer, and I believe in the depths of my heart that she is going to be healed in God's most perfect time and way.

In ministry, there is rarely time to just "slip away", but we managed to do just that this time. We needed it desperately - physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I needed to reconnect with my God and my family. I needed to breathe deeply, and "drink and taste" the promises of my Jesus, whom I worship.  "O taste and see that the LORD is GOOD" (Psalm 34:8).

Our family has been enjoying vacationing at the Grand Hotel Spa and Resort in Point Clear, AL for many years. We have been going there since I was in college with my Dad's work every other summer...., and we LOVE it. Elijah Brooks has come to love it just as much as we do - maybe even more!  He plays every kind of game imaginable at home with his trucks/tractors and we always have to pretend to be "at the Grand". He knows every square inch of the hotel and grounds, and even some of the workers names and calls them by name. We were supposed to go this past July for a business trip, but my grandmother passed away and we never made it. We rescheduled our trip for the fall, but when my sister got sick suddenly, we canceled our trip again.  So, we decided to reschedule it again for the week after Elijah Brooks got his cast off. We thought it would be a great time because it would still be in the "off season", it would be a great way to celebrate his endurance through his own trial, we needed some uninterrupted family time, and momma needed a break!!

So, we loaded up the car (how is it that 1 more tiny child can add that much more stuff to our vehicle?), and headed South. Our kids did A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I couldn't have asked for anything more from them. Elijah Brooks was as happy as I have ever seen him, limping around the resort. He didn't care that he still wasn't able to run yet, he was just so happy to be there. And sweet little Ellison, acted as if she was a world class traveler. This was her 1st trip and far exceeded our expectations.

As soon as we pulled into the gate, I could feel my stress lifting off of my shoulders. And, it stayed off of me for 3 days!

God knows just what we need, and is so good to provide that for His children. May we always find rest in His embrace, and may we cling to His fingers just as my daughter clings to mine. 

These gorgeous trees are everywhere

Sunset on the Bay

We went kayaking one morning

He loved sitting on this jet ski.  It was anchored in the water and was used for rescue purposes.

Sweet baby girl playing

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She has discovered her tongue!

Walking in the sand proved to be tricky since his balance is still alittle off, but I thought of it as "good physical therapy" for him! He looked like a little sand crab walking sideways.

I am pretty sure he rode his bike at least 5 hours a day. This was all he wanted to do, and was thrilled he could get back up on a bike since the cast came off. He loved renting a bike and changing bikes each hour so he could ride a different color each time.

I was fascinated by this blue heron. He was posing for pictures on the pier.

This just makes me happy.

Waiting patiently for a cookie at the 4:00 tea time. One of the traditions that I love at the Grand is that each afternoon at 4:00, men in Civil War uniforms march around the hotel grounds. They end their march at a canon where someone gives the history of the hotel during the Civil War and the canon is fired. Following the firing of the canon, each guest is invited into the hotel lobby for hot tea, coffee, and cookies. I love a good tradition!

And this is how Ellison enjoyed "tea time"! 

Jay is eating this up - his baby girl up on his shoulder.  She truly is a snuggler.

Family of 4!  We all LOVE the outdoors.

Playing croquet

You can really tell in this picture he was not wanting to put much pressure on his right leg.

"Easter 2012"....

"I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.........

The day after his cast came off. He was excited to go to an Easter Egg hunt with some friends, although he was worried he wouldn't be able to run like the other kids to get his eggs. Break a momma's heart WIDE open.

Easter Egg Hunt #2 at church

This is how sweet Ellison felt about the Easter Egg hunt!

Easter baskets

We made Resurrection Buns on Good Friday evening, put them in the fridge, and cooked them Easter Sunday morning. We did this last year, but Elijah Brooks understood it so much better this year and was able to tell the entire Easter story while we made them.

"hollow center" - Jesus was not in the "tomb" anymore!  I just love this. Whoever made this one up did good :)

"Miss Priss" sitting pretty in the bridal parlor at church.  AKA : my nursing room!

Our attempt at a family Easter picture.  Turned out to be more difficult than I imagined it would be, but we at least captured the moment!

THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL LIVE, THOUGH THEY DIE"!  JOHN 11:25

"Precious...."

This morning, Elijah Brooks said, "Mommy, you have lots of pretty on you".  I asked him what was pretty and he said, "hmmmmm, your shirt (with spit up stains all over it), your nice pants (which were yoga pants), and your toenails (which have purple, chipped polish on them).

"Beauty does not come from outward adornment"!!!  And thank goodness :) 

Love my sweet boy.

"3 Months...."

Our sweet Ellison Anne is 3 months old already. Where, oh, where have the past 3 months gone?  She has brought us so much joy in such a short amount of time. We had alittle bit of a rough start, but what newborn doesn't?  It is shocking for their little systems to enter this big, unfamiliar world.  It does seem however, that she has turned a corner and is settling into her new world. It is not quite as unfamiliar as it once was. Her reflux is much better, though she will still have "episodes" every now and then.  She still nurses frequently during the day (and is a champ of a nurser), but stretches her nights and is giving us good sleep. We have not tried a bottle yet. She has decided that her pacifier is not all that bad anymore!  After trying 8 different brands, we finally settled on the "Soothie" paci - it is the only one that she was able to latch onto.  She does not need her pacifier any time other than going to sleep. In fact, I don't even offer it to her unless it's naptime or bedtime, and even then, she spits it out as soon as she is asleep. I am not a fan of babies and toddlers having a pacifier in their mouths at all times of the day, so I really try to limit it's use to sleep. She continues to be such a cuddler with us, and we are eating that up.  She has a very sweet disposition and calm temperament, and has just recently begun to really try to communicate with us. She is fixated on our faces when we talk to her and she is trying her best to communicate back to us with coos and squeals. She is VERY easy to read.  Her signs of hunger and tiredness are unmistakable. She loves her own bed!  She loves her big brother so much, and the 2 of them already have a very special relationship. She also loves her bath - I mean, really loves her bath!  She gets so excited when I put her in her bathtub. Still not a huge fan of her carseat, but she is improving alittle bit. She continues to sleep on her tummy. She can roll from tummy to back/side, and is not far away from being able to roll from back to tummy.  I bet in a few weeks she will have mastered it (side note: I had to come back to this post just 1 day after I wrote it.  She rolled from back to tummy the very next day)! When she smiles, an entire room will light up, and when she cries, it will break a grown man's heart wide open! When she pokes her bottom lip out, it's pitiful!  She has also started being able to grab hold of her toys on her bouncy seat, and is very close to being able to grab her feet.

She is a precious gift from God, and we love her and her big brother more than anything in this world.

"Cast is....."

OFF!!!!!!!!!   We traveled to Birmingham last week for Elijah Brooks to get his cast off for good. He was alittle anxious about getting it cut off again (he was afraid of the saw when he got his long cast cut down), but he was a champ. There were a few tears, but not nearly as many as last time. He was very fearful to walk out of the hospital, so Jay carried him. His doctor told us that his fear was very normal and to expect it to last for several days. He told us to just let Elijah Brooks take things at his own pace and not to push him - but that he would try to walk when he felt comfortable.  So, that's what we did. It took him about 1 day before he was ready to try to take his first steps. He was very unsteady on his legs, but continued to take baby steps. His muscles are very weak, but hopefully it won't take too long for him to regain his strength. His foot also turns out now since that was how his foot was in the cast. His doctor said that is also to be expected for quite some time until his leg/foot get the hang of walking/running again. They said that physical therapy would not be needed, but to just let him be a 3 year old little boy and let his body naturally get the hang of walking again. It's been a week now, and his foot is still turning out to the side and he had a very noticeable limp.  I called his doctor just to make sure this was normal and they said that it was.  So, I guess it's just going to take some time. I had no idea how difficult it would be to have a leg cast on a 3 year old, and then for him to have to literally re-learn how to walk again.  I just assumed he would be up and walking normally, but it's not turning out to be that way.  So, we'll just watch him and keep trying to help him. I remind him to try to turn his foot straight when he walks, and when I remind him, he can straighten it. But then after a few steps, it goes right back out. I have been trying to help loosen up his ankle - I have a feeling the tendons/ligaments are very tight from being in the cast. I hope we will start to notice big improvement in the weeks to come.

At any rate, here are some pictures of our boy with no cast....., and hopefully no cast ever again!!!  (Jay tells me not to get my hopes up about that one)!  I am so thankful that this trial is behind us and has been overcome. 

Right Leg.  His skin is very irritated from being in the cast and his muscles have atrophied.

The long blue cast and the short green cast "sleep together" in his room - just like he wanted. Go figure.

Just being silly - had just gotten home from Birmingham

This is the face of a little boy who is so happy to have his cast off - and who was just told he would be getting to go on a mini-vacation to celebrate the cast coming off!!  Lord knows we ALL needed a vacation after the past 6 months of our lives.

"Some recent conversations with EB"...

1. While at Sonic, Elijah had the workers eating out of the palm of his hand, just by being himself. He wasn't doing anything in particular, just being Elijah Brooks - dancing, singing, and loving life. Three of the workers came outside just to talk to him, and of course, he had a conversation right back with them. One worker named "Tawanda" came outside just to talk to Elijah Brooks and gave him 2 balloons. When she turned around to walk away, EB looked at me and said, "Mommy, did Miss Tawanda just please the Lord"?

2. While EB and I were playing an imaginary game of being two firemen named, "Bob and Chuck" (one of the hundreds of imaginary games we play these days),  EB - who was "Chuck", assured "Bob" that Jesus would be holding his hand through the fire and would protect him.

3. Recently, we were playing another game, and EB wanted both of us to be David and to fight Goliath. As we were fighting Goliath in the kitchen, EB said, "Goliath, if you don't start being nice to us, you are going to lose some marbles out of your jar".

4. He also has told me multiple times recently that he wants to marry me.  And also walks around the house saying, "I just love you so much Mommy".

5.  While working outside in the yard, a large dog was running loose in the neighbor -which happens frequently and which really gets on my nerves by the way. Elijah Brooks is terrified, and I can't blame him when we see a large dog running full speed towards us. I like dogs, but you just never know.  Anyway, I was trying to keep my cool so that EB would stay calm.  As he went leaping and bounding through our yard and EB was hiding behind my back, I told him, "don't worry about that dog. He is not thinking about us. He isn't thinking about anyone but himself right now".  Thinking this comment might help calm his fears, he quickly replied, "Well, he's being selfish. He should be thinking about other people"!! 

6. While rocking EB before bed one night he said, "Mommy, even when I disobey you I still love you"!

7. The other day I was getting dressed in the bathroom and EB wanted to help choose my clothes (T-shirt and shorts, my standard daily uniform)!  There was a pair of grey shorts in the bathroom and I told him I could just wear those. He picked them up and brought them to me. When I put them on, he exclaimed, "Mommy, they DO fit you! I just can't believe it"!!!  Keep in mind, I am 12 weeks post-baby so the body is not exactly back in shape yet. I don't think he even knew what he was saying, but in the context I just cracked up. I simply said, "Well buddy, I can't believe it either".

8. EB truly does love his little sister so much. He is always very concerned about her, and is always wanting to make her laugh.  A few days ago, he and I were in my bathroom and she was in her bouncy seat in the next room.  We were just talking and having a great conversation until he heard her starting to fuss. He very quickly said, "Mommy, I gotta go. Ellison needs me.  Ellison, I'm coming....., don't cry, I'll be right there"!  And with that, he took off from the bathroom.

9. While rocking him one night before bed, as is our routine, we were rocking to one of his favorite CD's (which is also one that I listened to as a little girl).  He has made up some very silly, nonsense words to this song and he and I sing it together each night and laugh.  Really, it makes no sense whatsoever, but we think it's funny. It's just kind of "our thing" I guess.  Anyway, this particular night we were singing it and he said, "Mommy, I wrote this for you because I just love you so much and I want to marry you alot of times".  Mommy, I want you to be the bride okay?"

10. Recently, my Dad was getting dressed in the bathroom and was putting on his belt.  Elijah Brooks was in there with him and said, "E-Daddy, I like your seat belt"!   Sweet boy was so innocent and truly thought he was putting on a seat belt.

"Kids pics"....

11 weeks old, and was happy as a lark that day

The next few were a quick attempt to grab pictures before church on Palm Sunday.

Had to try to get a picture of the bunnies on both outfits - only in the South can my big boy get away with wearing this to church!  And yes, he will wear another one on Easter Sunday!

She looks as big as he is in this picture! She's a big girl, but not that big!

He truly does love her so much, and she does him. I think they are going to be the best of friends.

This is how I found her today after her nap. I have no idea how she has already grown this much.  I honestly believe I have lost the last 11 weeks of my life in some dense fog!

My happy girl (11 weeks)