Meeting Sweet Ayla

Lydia was so excited about getting to feel the growing baby (on Anne Elise's birthday weekend).

What a lovely mother and baby!

This photo will be a classic as these cousins grow and become close friends. :)

Ayla (at home) is tiny and beautiful!

Hi Ayla- so nice to meet you, sweet little niece!

J.T. loves to play with Ayla.

McCain Beach Trip

Cousins: Russell 3, Anna 15, Ross 10,
Bethany 12, Lydia 7, and Fre 18.

We were delayed in joining the McCains at the beach this year due to a virus (plus poor Aunt Liz, who got it from us). When we were finally cleared to roll out, Russell buckled himself in his car seat with his blankie and bear before we had even eaten breakfast. He was READY to see his cousin Barrett (with Russell above) and his grandparents!

Reflection on the photo above: How many years until you all will walk away to college and your lives beyond that? We savor our long days and short years of raising you. Our goal is for you to 'fly' successfully.

Nice sand pile, bro.

Fun to stomp on.

JT notes this photo is reminiscent of Newton's concept of himself as a rapt child wandering along the beach, picking up a pebble or a shell, while the vast ocean of truth lay undiscovered before him.

My brother-in-law (Bill), DadDad, and my brother's baby Skye.

MiMi playing ball with Russell.

Our first year in this adjoining duplex.

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

We had a super-fun beach week with the McCains. We missed Uncle Jim and Aunt Pat, as she had a terrible fall last month in Arkansas. We were in a different duplex in North Topsail this year. The best accomodations so far: the adjoined duplex gave us space and privacy. This place had a covered porch on two sides with seating for 15 outside, so we enjoyed dining al fresco each night! Our new neice, Sky, was a delight- just like her older brother! We enjoyed time with everyone, including Yahtzee with Anna and Roller Skating with DadDad, Russell, Ross, Lydia, Jen, Anna, and their precious, adopted Ethiopian exchange student, Fre.

Summer 2009

With the Bishops following Caldwell Academy's Graduation ceremony

We celebrated Fre's graduation and Russell helped me keep up with my regular duties:

Russell and Austin, Baseball, Elmo Event, Lydia's Diagrams

Three-year-old buddies Russell and Austin ask to play together daily. They plan to grow up and play professional baseball together. We'll be there cheering for 'em! Below, they got a chance to run the bases together following a Grasshoppers game.

Austin sits with his parents, Jenny and Glenn (J.T.'s co-worker).

Daniel, Ross, Tyler, Lydia and Gracie (friends from our local school).

Lydia likes to write things down and draw diagrams. Above, she decided to write a "To do" list on the white board in her bedroom. Items include: Make bed, do homework, do piano, do clothes, go to soccer (Tues. and Thurs.), eat food, and watch T.V.

How did Lydia respond when J.T. declined to cut up a peach for her, saying that he doesn't eat peaches and doesn't know how to cut them up? She reappeared with this note for J.T. (it's a top-down view of a peach).

Russell turns 3! Birthday Letter

Uncle Phil, Ross, Lydia, Jen, a very pregnant Anne Elise, J.T., and Russell celebrating the birth date that Russell shares with his dear Aunt Anne (on our back deck).

Snuggling with Daddy in a Police costume from Gamma Beth.

Hanging out with Uncle Bish.

Happy Birthday dear Russell, Happy Birthday to you!

This is a special year: You turned your birthday number (3 on May 3rd). This didn't happen to your Dad until he was 12, to me when I was 22, and neither of your siblings have yet reached this once-in-a-lifetime milestone!

As you'll learn, you arrived on your due date which is also your wonderful Aunt Anne's birthday (she's 35 and quite pregnant- very exciting!)

In this birthday letter, I'd like to share a Bible verse (may the Bible always be your source of guidance):
“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”- Zephaniah 3:17

Russell, you continue to develop beautifully. We're looking forward to the start of your school career in the Fall (you are ready for two years of Preschool- just hope I'm ready to let you go. You are such good company to have underfoot and to chat with in the car and on errands! Recently, we went to pick up Uncle Phil from a trip. On the way, we stopped at the CVS on Fleming Rd. As I reached to unbuckle your car seat, you spread both arms and asks incredulously, "This is the airport?!?!"

Today, Mrs. Smith (retired neighbor next door) said she enjoys watching your antics out of her bathroom window! She recalled a day in which you had on sunglasses, a baseball cap over your curly blond hair, and a backpack that seemed bigger than you! Truly, this sounds like you every day of the week! You walk the kids to the bus stop with Dad each morning at 7 AM (ug). On a rainy day this week, you pulled your yellow raincoat on right over your backpack and you looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, for real. You change shirts 5 or more times per day (clothes hound?). Today, you came in with one button of your new shirt already fastened. Since Daddy, Ross and Lydia are away on a Scouts overnight (yippee!), I must conclude that you just mastered your first button. Well done, Buddy!

You don't stutter but you've taken to saying "Um...um.. umm" while you think of an answer. We're trying to end the diapering phase of our lives but you have no interest in going along with our plans. Huggies are just fine with you but please call these new ones (appropriately) "Pull-Ups." They are NOT "Diapers", Mom! Recently, you declared, "I not a grown up yet... When I grow up, I will drink Coke." This reminds us of the 1961 poem by a now famous British woman (Jenny Joseph): "WARNING: When I am an old woman I shall wear purple."
You seem to love babies. Like your own father, you and Ross will be GREAT Dads someday! You spotted a 3-month-old in a store recently and said to me, "We could have her over for a play date... if you want to." As we were leaving that aisle, you used an endearment that Lydia and I say to you but we've never heard you utter: "That baby is a sweetie pie!"

I must say that you are very assertive about what you are trying to communicate. For example, you held up a water bottle and asked me, "Did you put water in here?" I replied by asking, "Is it empty?" Russell tossed aside my question, clearly enunciating: "What I am asking you is... Did you put water in here?" Psychologists' kids....
I'm going to close your birthday letter with our family's lullaby (I saw Kim Hill perform her song at a local Focus on the Family conference while I was pregnant with Ross and it touched my heart. When I tell you I love you, I usually add one of these lines for emphasis!) :

I love you up to the moon
And I love you big as the sky
I love to watch you when you sleep
I love to hold you when you cry

One day when you're older
And taller than me
I'll say I watched you grow
Like a beautiful tree
...
And one day if you rise up
And call me blessed
I'll say it was a joy
To give you my best

'Cause I love you up to the moon
I love you big as the sky!

Love,
Mommy :)

Russell weighs in at his 3-year-old checkup

Spring 2009 ScrapBlog Pages

Jen's Oldest Pals

April 2009

I got away for a fun weekend at Glade Springs (WV) with several buddies. This photo was taken during out lunch at Tamarack.

Left to Right in photo above: Anne (3 kids, lives in Charlotte), Beury (3 boys, lives in Winston-Salem, (Me- 3 kids and living in Greensboro), and Kathryn (3 kids, lives in Lebanon, VA). Absent and greatly missed: Lizzie (one son, lives in Dalton, GA).