Strange Birthday -

This was a strange, strange birthday for Nolan. We'll have a grand celebration next weekend.

He did get to talk to both BreAnne and Krista. Josiah came over for lunch and back again for ice cream.

Mike, Jamin and Arielle went to chapel.

The others are all sick - varying degrees. I'm hopeful that they are well enough to go to the Basketball Award Dinner tomorrow night. Zander will be....Nolan seems to be on the upswing. Stacia is about the same, but coughing a lot more.

I'm not sure about Jared....I guess he IS better....but he's still not feeling good. Maybe I'll just swing over and drop off gifts and we'll have to miss the dinner. We shall see. Each day everyone seems much better.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

TEN Years Old Today!

In our family, the age of 10 is a turning point. Yes, Nolan is still possibly a child...but we've learned the time between 10 and 18 moves very fast. If Nolan holds true to form, and I see no reason to expect differently, he'll be a full-fledged young man within 2 - 3 years. How we have loved the years of 12 - 18 with each of our children. (We love the older years too - but we aren't so thrilled with the leaving home or leaving behind part which seems to happen sometime after 18).

Ten is also the age when a military "child" is old enough to be issued his very own military id.

Nolan has a gentle heart. Many days his quiet comments or giant hug give me the *umpf* to finish my Mommy Day strong.

Nolan is determined! Nolan has had to battle with a speech impediment. Oh, the pain it caused my heart to watch other children tease him. While it hurt, Nolan never let others' trouble understanding him stop him from talking. He's worked HARD the past 6 years to master his speech problem. He has exhibited an amazing attitude through it all. I've watched Nolan win over the hearts of 3 speech therapists. ::wink:: He's quite a lovable gentlemen already.

Nolan is stepping up to the plate. We've discussed how we expect him to be moving from childhood to being a responsible young man. That's our challenge to him....to be loyal, brave and true...to take the initiative to help out, to begin taking more of a leadership role with the youngers, be more aware of being a protector of the younger girls' hearts and reputations (because the older boys are leaving home)....He's rising to the challenge. We've made some comparisons this year in school to being a child, a page, a squire and finally a knight. I expect to see Nolan moving steadily from Page to Squire in the upcoming year.

Nolan, it's a joy to be your Mom.

And...because I'm feeling nostalgic (knowing that Josiah is 20 tomorrow and was 10 just yesterday)...and I post current photos of Nolan quite often....here are some of my favorites from past years.

4 years old - Iditarod Headquarters, Wasilla, Alaska


I've always melted when looking into these eyes!


2004 - 5 years old


2004 - Nolan (5) and Zander (2)

Happy birthday, son. We'll have a big family celebration when you (and your siblings) are well.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Psst...the airplanes are to honor Nolan's Christmas/Birthday gift (radio plane) and Josiah's sky diving....his birthday is next.

Birthdays Galore

2003 - Zander 1, Nolan 4, Jared 9, Jamin 12, Josiah 14....My how the years rush by....

We have 5 boys (and 4 girls). All 5 boys have birthdays between 4 Jan and 20 Feb.

You will have to watch closely to catch all the birthday headers and tributes this week. Friends know that I'm usually fairly frazzled by the end of Feb....but this year I'm doing fine. I'm ahead in Bible Study. We're enjoying life....even with being sick.

We've done various things for birthdays - celebrated each day, celebrated one BIG day, split youngers and olders...this year we were going to celebrate Nolan and Josiah's tomorrow - it may be their last time to share their birthday - but with so many ill we are tentatively planning next weekend.

Preview of our next couple of weeks:

8 Feb - Nolan's birthday

9 Feb - Josiah's birthday

10 Feb - Mom's birthday

11 Feb - Zander's birthday

14 Feb - 25th Wedding Anniversary

20 Feb - Jamin's birthday

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

New Prayer

{I'm documenting Mommy Moments, which is after all the purpose of this blog.}

Years ago the children began saying, "God bless the cook" at the end of each mealtime prayer. I love it. I can never receive too many blessings, let me tell you.

Stacia has been vying for her turn to pray for quite some time. She has been coming up with the standard, "Thank you for this food, God bless the cook."

This last week her prayer changed. We've heard this about 4x now...and none of us have laughed...though we have smiled big at each other when we raise our heads:

"God, thank you for giving Mommy a little girl - me - that is such an angel. God bless the cook." ::snort:: Josiah was over last night and when we began eating, he looked at me and said, "Did she say what I think she said?" ::snort::

I DO tell her that she is my special gift from God. That God knew I needed one more little girl and gave her to our family. I didn't expect it to become a mealtime prayer.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

"Mmmmmmm.....that tastes good!"

Stacia has to be one of the sweetest patients I've ever met. She consistently tells me thank you when I take her temp or give her meds.

She STRUGGLES with the meds. Each and every time she has told me she feels all better when she sees me coming.....but as soon as she is finished...she throws her arms around me and says, "Mmmmm....that tastes good. Thank you, Mommy."

It does make me wonder how much stock I should be in her compliments of my cooking abilities.
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Illness Update

I suddenly realized not everyone is on Facebook or Yahoo groups with me. LOL I showed the fateful, darling, peaceful, sleeping photo of Zander on Wed. THAT was the start of a wild couple of days.

Thursday Nolan woke up with a fever. He's been down since. Jared had a sore throat but played ball Thursday night.

Jared woke up Friday morning and had a fever, was wheezing, was noticeably distressed when trying to breathe, had a sore throat, and said his chest was tight. The base had me take him to a walk-in medi center. They did strep swabs, flu swabs (didn't know they could do this), chest x-rays and made him wait on a table for quite a bit of time. I read a whole issue of Family Fun and a chapter out of the book I brought with me AFTER they called us back. ::snort::

They were confident he had pneumonia. Then they were confident he had the flu. His oxygen level was 93 when we left.

Needless to say, he missed the game. He was relieved when coach reported that all the older boys on the team they were playing were ALSO out sick. The team won 23 -8. This was to be his last game with SACHSA as we won't be here next year. He was disappointed.

We are praying that he feels well enough to attend the Basketball Awards Dinner on Monday night.

Jared woke up this a.m., did the inhaler and went back to bed.

Stacia announced a bit ago, "Mommy, I don't feel well." She has a 100* fever. I'm praying the four of us that are well do NOT catch this.

We were to have a big birthday celebration for Nolan (8 Feb) and Josiah (9 Feb) tomorrow...but it isn't going to happen. We aren't going to go far away for our 25th either. IF the kids are well we may take the trailer out locally.....and we'll do birthdays next weekend....or maybe not...never know how these things are going to turn out.

Thanks for the prayers.
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Before there was fever - there was Basketball

I bought these hand clapper things, horns, pom-poms etc for Thurs/ Friday game. I ended up missing Thursday game and we all missed Friday. I wonder what I will do with all these things...I'm moving. I don't need to take them with me.


Certainly the night before.... LOL


Mike played with special effects

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.