The Perfect Christmas

We had a great Christmas! It wasn't about the gifts.... It was all about being together. We have been so busy with life - David is gone so much, I am working on several projects at school, the kids are running from activity to activity.... But, this Christmas was a slow, relaxed, and perfect day as a family together. I loved it!
We started out at 7 am opening presents. That took about 2 hours or so because we took turns opening 1 at a time and playing with it for a while before the next one was opened. Justice took about 45 minutes to play with each toy before he would open his next one! It was funny.
We finally got around to eating at 12 pm. I made homemade cinnamon rolls... mmm...mmm...good! Then we played more and took naps, and played some more til bedtime.
Courage got a wii Mario cart game - so david and he played for hours. The girls and I made homemade crafts and danced the day away. Justice got a tractor from Santa that he played with for hours on end. Oh, and I found a great treasure at Once Upon a child. It was a complete train table with accessories. The price was insainly awesome! I love 2nd hand stuff!
David got some golfing shirts and shoes so he won't be embarrassed anymore at the country clubs with his Dr. friends. And he gave me a gift card and jewely box... unfortumately no jewely inside, but he on the right track now.
I just loved hanging with my peeps!!!

One of the scariest nights of my life!

I am fine back in Ohio now... The flight was great. I sat by a wonderful man and had very stimulating conversation the whole flight home. His name is Joe.
Anyway, after such a great flight, I expected a wonderful welcome from my family at the airport. To my surprise they were not there waiting for me. So, I figured they were driving outside the terminal to pick me up. I waited to get my bag at the luggage claim, then went out in the 20 degree weather to see if I could find them. They weren't there. I thought that was odd. So, I waited..... and waited... and waited. It is not like David to be late. And it is not like him to just pick anyone up at the curb. I became very worried.
To add to my fears, Detroit and Toledo just had the worst snow storm of the season. And, that night we were getting an ice storm with freezing rain. I waited for over 2 hours. I obviously new something was wrong. David and the kids without a doubt should have been at the airport to get me by then. My worst fears passed through my head. I feared they had been in an accident on the slippery roads. They had no way to contact me or anyone else because I had the cell phone. I wasn't able to contact anyone either because the cell phone battery was dead. All I could do was cry and wonder. No one in the airport was helpful either. They wouldn't let me make phone calls, and they didn't care I was sobbing and shaking out of fear for my husband and children.
After 2 1/2 hours, I decided I needed to take action. I couldn't just wait at the airport - waiting for them to never show up. I had to find them. If they were in the hospital, I had to go be by their sides. I was just so worried that the injuries were serious...
So, I took a shuttle to the car rental company. I was sobbing the whole way. The people there were much more helpful and caring. The driver of the shuttle said he would pray for us. I appreciated that. And, I was praying the whole time also that my family was OK....
So I rented a minivan because that is what walk-ins have to rent, (what a rip!) I also got a GPS because I was in Detroit and had no idea how to get out of Detroit, nor did I know where the hospitals were that I was determined to find.
Driving away from the car rental I just cried and prayed for help and guidance. I was just about to get on the highway leading towards Toledo when I got the impression that I should drive by the airport terminal one time. The GPS wasn't working yet because of satellite reception, so I did decide to go back to the airport, after all. All the while though, I was madder than you can imagine at the stupid GPS because it was taking away precious time that I had to find my family. As I drove through the terminal, I saw our suburban! I couldn't believe it. I completely broke down. I park the rental in front of the suburban, ran over to it, and opened the door. (This is 3 1/2 hours after my flight came in) To my utter joy, my kids were inside and not hurt. David was in the airport looking for me... ( I was ticked that he left my kids in the car alone, but he was very worried too and not thinking straight...and I was just glad everyone was OK.) I ran into the airport and saw David going up the escalator. I was far away from him so I just whistled. Luckily my whole family knows my whistle, and he immediately turned around and ran down to me. Sobbing I just ran up to him and buried my head in his chest as he held me.
I told him that I had rented a car to go find him and the kids, so we needed to return it. The car rental place was very helpful and just voided out my rental. They were all concerned for us... That was nice.
After I got into the suburban with my family we were able to figure out what had happened...
DAVID WENT TO THE WRONG TERMINAL! I could have killed him! He thought I was on the same airline that I took to AZ. But, coming home my airline changed. That is why I had sent him the itinerary. But, he didn't pay attention to that detail. So he and the kids were at the luggage claim for 2 hours waiting for me to show up. They were going up and down all over looking for me. Apparently there was another flight coming in from the same place I did (on that airline) at the same time. But, that airline was delayed. After the luggage claimed emptied and the conveyor belt stopped, my husband and kids started to get really worried. David asked if there were 2 luggage claim points in the airport. The people working there told him that the one he was at was the only one... So he didn't know what to do. Finally after much more time, David found someone there that had a laptop. He asked to use it and checked the itinerary again, this time noticing the changed airline. He then asked where that airline's baggage claim was and was told that it was at the "other" terminal. Upon hearing that, he quickly loaded the kids up in the car and drove over to my terminal baggage claim. But, I wasn't there. I was getting the car rental at that point. IT WAS 3 HOURS LATER! So, David thought that maybe I went to check the other terminal for them... So he drove back over there to find me. Of course he didn't find me though. Then Faith suggested that they say a prayer to find me. She did and they decided that maybe they should go back to my terminal one more time. That prayer was said at the same time I had said a prayer and was about to enter the highway. But, I felt I should go back to the airport. So we both showed up at my terminal within a couple of minutes of each other. Our timing was perfect and we found each other. One minute off, and I would have passed by the terminal to head home and the hospitals, and David and the kids would have never left the airport all night. I thank my Heavenly Father for the power of prayer and answering ours!!! We were all safe. Very much shaken up... but safe and together.
Moral of the story... Believe in the power of prayer and get cell phones for everyone in the family! We are in the process of getting me one now...

Justice's 1st Haircut

Ok. So I caved and cut his hair. I just got fed up with everyone calling my son a girl. I actually cut his hair a few days ago. But, our camera wasn't working so I couldn't take any pictures then. I did get the dumb thing to work today though.... I don't know how, but it just started working again...

Anyway, to get the job done I sat him in front of the TV and put on a recorded Diego episode. Justice was cool with that. He actually liked getting his hair cut. He mostly liked it when I sprayed water in his face. (He has a thing for spray bottles right now.)

His hair turned out really cute. It is still long. But, more of a style - a BOY style. And, today there were 3 women who called him a boy... YIPPEE!!!

In these pictures his hair is not done right - like I would do it for church or going to the store... But, you'll get the idea. And, I had a hard time even getting him to sit still for a picture. I must have taken about 30 pictures to get these few that did show up right. The others are of his eye, or neck, or the wall because he ran away at the exact time I took the shot. Ahhh... I love the energy of a 2 year old! So enjoy. I am going to keep the nose picking one to show his future girlfriend. LOL!

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My son is not a girl!

I am getting a little annoyed that everyone thinks Justice looks like a girl. I clearly dress him in very tough boyish clothes. He acts like a boy. He always carries around a truck, car, train, stick, or ball. He sounds like a boy. So why is it that just because his hair isn't short everyone refers to him as a girl or the little sister? It happens every day. Today, it was Hope's preschool teacher calling him Hope's little sister... Gimmee a break.

Halloween was a one time deal and a girl was the look we were going for - as a joke because everyone thinks he is one already. But, he doesn't look like a girl to me, nor does he dress or act like one! I should put a tatoo on him that says, "I am a BOY!"

Stormy is a Cresap!

This post is for Tai and Zach... Everyone else, well... you can just look. The question is, "Who does Stormy look like?" I think she looks like a Cresap. She doesn't look like Railynn or Logan.

She has the same fat face and Zach and me. What do you think?

"NO PEEPEE IN THE POTTY!!!!"

"NO PEEPEE IN THE POTTY"

Justice is not quite ready to start potty training. It took a couple of days to get him use to underwear. Now he just likes to run around naked. We'll get there...

Happy Birthhday, Faith!!!

November 10th faith turned 10 years old!!! How the time flies...

She had a 'friend party.' We all went ice skating. Faith and Courage said it was the best party they ever went to. Hope and Justice absolutely loved it. I am so glad it turned out well...

Trick or Treat!

This is my 1st post.... It is a test sample.

Halloween was fun. We missed David. He was in Arizona with family. Oh, how jealous we were...!!!

Anyway, Halloween just wasn't the same without him. Faith went to her friends house so I dan't have pictures of her. But, here are some of Courage, Hope, and YES! that is Justice - MY SON.

He was a girl for Halloween. It was only funny to us and the people who know us. (Which aren't many out here in Toldeo...) Everyone else just thought i dressed up all my kids except for my baby daughter. LOL!!!