What fun! What fun!

Christmas was very fun with Matthew this year! He had such a good time playing with his cousins! We started in Saturday and Grandma Barb's and then went to my parents house in Chicago on Sunday until Tuesday. My sister and her two kids who are Claire, age 5.5 and Patrick 2 and my brother who has Sophia who is going to be 2 on March 3rd were all there. My parents have a huge basement with more toys than we have! Plus, lots of open space! Matthew would just run and run! He slept so great because he was so worn out! I was sad we all couldn't be together longer! Caroline just hung out and layed on Papa alot! She was really fussy on Christmas night, then she pooped and was out like a light for the rest of the night! She is officially in her crib now! She has been going down for the night at 11 until 4:30 am and then eats and is down again till 7! Not bad!

My parents are heading to their FL condo next week and we won't see them until April. I am bummed! I love my parents so much and miss them if I go too long. My mom and I were talking about how girls are so loyal to their moms but boys basically ditch their moms in favor of their wives. I wonder if that is really true, could it be that Matthew could love someone more than me....NEVER! :)

Here are some Christmas pics! They are of Matthew with Sophia attacking my brother, Michael. Caroline laying on Papa and Claire and Sophia and Papa just chilling out!

Hold them close

I am feeling blue today. I just checked in on a little boy whose web page I have been following for over a year. I know about him through a mutual friend. He is 3.5 and has cancer and they found out today that its progressed. So, basically their Christmas present today was to find out that next year they won't have their little boy. Yet, his mom, keeps her spirits up and is hopeful that God would cure him. I am too, this little boy has surpassed all the time limits the doctors have given him, I hope God has big plans for his life to continue here on earth. Also, little Cameron, who I have mentioned in earlier blogs has had a whole host of new problems come up, nothing life threatning, but his parents are just beat from the host of mulitple doctors and specialists they see weekly and never knowing what issues will come up from week to week.

Through hearing all of this news, I just wish that I could somehow take away the pain these people are feeling. I just feel so badly for them and feel like I wish I could do something. Then I realized, PRAYERS! They so work! Lately, God has really blessed my prayer life with bringing specific people and very specific convictions about these people to my heart. Its an awesome feeling to feel like the Holy Spirit is prompting me on behalf of someone else! So,say a prayer for little Gage and little Cameron and their families. That no matter what 2007 brings them that they would depend on the strengh and peace that only Christ can provide!

Merry Christmas!
Sorry if this is a downer, this is life for these families!
Sue

Missing grandma

Hi
Its me again, two posts in two days. I am feeling quite accomplished, I just made a batch of cookies and a egg casserole for tommorrows LAMBS food fest! As I was baking today I was overwhelmed with a sudden memories of my grandma and how she would come to visit for the holidays. She would always arrive around the 18th and stay until the New Year. It was always such fun, she would bake, tell me stories and yes, sometimes in those teen years, annoy me with her "look"! The "look" is notorious now with my mom, sister and I. She had this way of saying with one glance, "Knock it off"! So today, as I sat baking I also sat tearing up kind of longing for those days. I know Christmas will be more fun with the kids as they get older, its just that right now it seems like a lot of work and that I am not enjoying it as much as I used to. So, I called my mom and told her how I was feeling and as usually she put in all in perspective. She said that it just changes. That there were things that she missed when she was my age and was starting the traditions with us that are now so cherished to me. That seemed neat to me, that maybe one day, Caroline will get teary thinking about her grandmas and all we did as a family! I mean if you can't make your children cry as adults what kind of parent are you?:)))))
Merry Christmas!

SUE

Accomplishing anything!

Hi
So, I blog stalk, I have no shame in it. I figure people have blogs so people can know stuff about them, if they were extremly private people they wouldn't even blog in the first place..right?! Anyways, I have been continously stalking the Hummel blog for so long I can't remember when I started. I am so in awe of what God has accomplished in their lives, in those babies lives. Its so inspiring and makes me want to just tell everyone how God has so blessed them. One of the most inspiring things about their story is that the mom prayed that one day God would give her a story. I am jealous of that because to be honest I would never pray for that. I would be too afraid that it might be something horrible and hard and that I couldn't make it. Then I remember that type of attitude really just shows that my faith is not where it should be. I CAN do ALL things through CHRIST who STRENGTHENS me! That means ALL Things, not just the mundane, ordinary things of life. Yet, I still can't pray for a story because I foolishly feel like I would be surrending those things most precious in my life, Jeff, Matthew and Caroline. The irony in it all is that I control nothing and thinking I do is just not having faith. Faith that, despite what lies ahead for me, that I would get through it if I leaned upon Christ and through HIM I would perservere!
Learning, learning, growing, growing!
S

Santa

Yesterday I took Matthew to see Santa. He loved it as he did last year! That kid fears nothing!! He was very well behaved and it was one of those moments that you love being a mom and feel like your the best parent in the world!!:) We're officially in panic mode around here, too much to do and with the weather being so mild this week, I am not feeling as Christmasey as I would like!

Caroline went for her 2 month check up. She weighs 14'4 and is 23 inches long, putting her in the 95% for weight and 75% for height. The doctor said she looks great! We're transitioning her into her own crib. I am sad about it. I liked having her in our room but she really is more comfortable in her own crib. The last 3 nights however she has woken up at 4 to eat and doesn't go back to sleep till 6ish..uggh! The nice part of that is that she is wide awake and super smiley so I have tried to embrace it and enjoy it..heck that's what coffee is for right!!

S

Its been a crazy year!

I was thinking today that I can't believe how much our lives have changed in the past year. Last year we had an 8 month old and no immediate plans for more. Now we have a 20 month old and beautiful 8 week old. I have admitted in past blogging to being afraid sometimes of the plans God has for me, I have to admit this past year has been pretty darn sweet. So incredibly blessed!

Here are some past and present pics!
S

Pictures

So here it is, after several attempts with Matthew NOT cooperating at all this is the best picture for our card. Caroline looks a little goofy, but hey she is 8 weeks,she still is a little goofy looking:) We love Squeaky, our nickname for her! I think his smile is cute though!
S

Christmas Letters

Hi
So I have sent out a Christmas letter the past couple of years and am wondering if I should bother this year. Other than Caroline's arrival ,which all of our Christmas card recepients already know about, we don't have that much news. Our lives our pretty much the same as they were last year, except that now we have 2 kids and life is crazier which I assume would be overstating the obvious if I should write I letter. Plus, I hate the pukey ones where people are say things like, " Matthew and Caroline bring us such amazing joy every moment of their lives." Maybe I will send one out that says, " We're shocked Matthew hasn't been admitted to the ER for a serious injury since he has taken to climbing all over everything and never listens to his mommmy or daddy, thankfully Caroline never got the horrid stomach flu that had the rest of our family puking and running to the toliet for days on end!:) Wouldn't you love to get a brutally honest letter. Yes, I think I may be on to something....

GO AWAY!!

Well since my last post the Matthew, me, my mom, our Pastor's wife, my friend, her son and Wes all came down with the stomach flu! On Monday night at 1 am Matthew woke up puking. It was so sad, he was so scared and kept looking at me like, "What's happening?!" Jeff camped out in his room with him to keep me healthy... ha! At 6:30 I started and was sick all day! I am still not feeling good, very queasy and no appetite. Which is good since I started Weight Watchers last Sat! :) Not a diet plan I would recommend though! Matthew rebounded quickly but is now having it come out the "other end" TMI! I swear we haven't been healthy in a month between colds and now this! Thankfully Caroline hasn't gotten it and I am LYSOLYING the crap out of my house in hopes that she doesn't. I wish I could dip my whole house in it. I have been stuck inside for the past week and feel very stir crazy.

Tonight is an office party for Jeff's work and I have a babysitter coming for Matthew and am taking Caroline to grandmas so that should be a nice break. Next week we go to Chicago and hopefully to the Children's Museum so I will post pics from that! Hope your family is not sick and that its not my fault!

SUE