Cousins

Yesterday we decided to get out of the house TOGETHER...what a concept, huh? So, we walked down to the park by our house, loaded with blankets and munchies! Dan, Kelly and the girls joined us for some well needed time together. Since Dane has been born we haven't been able to hang out like we used to, so during RSV season we will have to take full advantage of good weather days at the park. It was great to see Mallary, she is already smiling which is about the cutest thing in the world...I don't care if you have a normal full term baby or a preemie with potential disabilities, there is a small boulder lifted off your shoulders when you get the first smile from your little one. I remember when we got our first smile from Dane, I was so thankful for an answered prayer, my continous prayer was that he would have the ability to love us back and that first "real" smile was like a big ol pat on the back from God reminding me that he was still in control. I was glad to get to celebrate in Mallary's smiling chubby face!

Our sermon in church yesterday was about complaining...after really thinking about how much complaining that I do I realized that I am a big complainer of little things that I really have no control over, most of the things that I complain about are the minor things in my life. When it comes to the big things I tend to see my glass as half full, quick to give thanks for the good that I know will come out of the situation at hand. But, boy oh boy, do I need to work on not complaining about the little things. Pastor Trev said "complaining stops our becoming who God wants us to be." Another subtle thump on the head I needed from God, reminding me to be joyful in all situations...no more WINE with my cheese...heck I would rather have a beer anyway!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I think that Dane enjoyed his first Thanksgiving, though hopefully this Thanksgiving will not resemble Thanksgivings in the future! Hopefully next year we will be with all of our family where he can play with his cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course Grandma and PapPap! His lungs will be healthy and strong enough to handle a flu bug. Until then we spent today playing games and eating, avoiding "large crowds and small children", you guessed it at home! Since this is one of the few occasions that I knew that all five of us would be home together with out interuption...I forced the gang to head down the street to the park for some family photos. Gage complained the most...he used to be the one that LOVED to get his picture taken but he will be 17 in 6 weeks and the time of me forcing family photo shoots are coming to end...and too quickly for my liking! Anyway, Dane for the most part was more facinated with everything but the camera, we did manage to get some decent pics. We have a had a day full of laughter none the less...we all laughed so hard we cried during dinner, but that is a story that you had to be there to appreciate so I will spare you the details...just know it included 3 of us spitting food on our plate.

I have given the kids an assignment to make a list of the top 10 things they are thankful for, it should be interesting what they come up with this year. I remember when they were both little and you would get a turkey of their hand print sent home with the fingers/feathers filled in with all that they were thankful for, the lists were always sweet and simple...you know, Mom and Dad, house, food, water, and God were pretty much always the list. We will see if those will still round out the top 10!

So much to be thankful for this year, I'll spare you my list because it's a doozey!

Got Kleenex?

My sweet Aunt Terry forwarded me this the other day. She warned me that I would need tissues before I opened...boy that was an UNDERSTATEMENT! I started watching it the other day when I realized that I needed to continue watching on a non make-up day! So, this morning I sat down to watch the entire video (it's about six minutes long) and was in awe of what a wonderful job this father did of telling this heart breaking yet miraculous story. It was worth every tear...after watching the story, please come back so I can share a quote from the father of Eliot.


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After watching the video I clicked on to Eliots blog page. I was inspired and wanted to share this entry. Eliot's father, Matt Mooney wrote:

"Ginny and I were recently reminiscing how we looked forward to checking comments when Eliot was here. It was amazing to see folks flock to the site and check in on a boy that most of them had never actually met. He had that way with people. We quickly learned that this whole thing was beyond us. A story was unfolding and we got to take part.Some of our favorite e-mails came from those who noted that they were not “religious” or told us how they “were not sure they fit in this group”; but they went on to tell how Eliot had taught them something or just brought a smile to their face. Some even elicited how they could not believe they were reading a blog that was written by a Christian living in the South. But all were drawn in some way to something. Eugene Peterson says it this way:“Everytime someone tells a story well, the gospel is served” All we have done is tell a story. The story of our son. And, oh, what a story it is. I have purposely made strides to downplay the God-card. This was simply because all I could do was get in the way with my feeble attempts. God was in the story. He did not need to be exposed. If you have found yourself drawn to this story and not really knowing why, I humbly propose that my son is only a vehicle to proclaim a story greater than his own. There is someone who loves you with a love larger than ours for Eliot. There is one who takes you with all of your flaws and delights in all that you are. He sings over you when you sleep and hems you in while awake. He destroys the worth-measures of man and pronounces you worthy. He is Jesus. He is the only way we have made it thus far and our only hope for tomorrow. Thank you, Matt & Ginny Mooney"

We too know that God has used Dane's story to reach people, I will never forget right after Dane was born my friend Beth telling me that people are talking to God...praying for Dane...people that haven't talked to God in a very long time if not ever. Right there I knew what ever heart ache that we were going to endure was going to bring glory to God. I totally underestimated how Jesus would reveal himself through Dane's story...but then I realized that Christ's hand is in ALL of our stories, we just need to take the time to share our stories and He will get the glory. Like Matt Mooney said..."God was in the story, He did not need to be exposed".

Happy 6 months! (adjusted age that is!)

Dane turned 6 months old, well if he were born when he was supposed to be that is! We had his nine month check up last week and he weighs 19.5lbs! He is in the 25th percentile for weight and 50th percentile for height...and that is for his actual age!!! So basically he has more than caught up to his peers in size! Developmentally he is 6 months, give or take a couple weeks. We are working on getting him up on all fours, which he will tolerate for a while then he kicks back out of it. We are also working on positioning him in ways to NOT let him arch his back...which is something that he has recently started and it's not a good thing. He has also learned that he can fight his positioning during physical therapy, his last session he spent crying and fussing. It's going to be an uphill battle and he is going to need to continue to be a little fighter, so I guess all that fussing is a good thing. I have to say that it breaks my heart to see him so miserable during therapy, but the fact of the matter is that I know that it is the best for him and I am soooo thankful that we have been able to have him in early intervention so early. He has cut his two bottom teeth and I think that he is working on his top two, he has been a bit grouchy so I am blaming it on his teeth...it couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that he just may be a tad bit spoiled. ;)

Dane also had his first RSV shot, which he will be getting every 29 days until the end of March. We have met our deduct able for this year, but starting in January we will have to pay the co pay for the shots...and our co pay PER shot is going to be $463.00! Fun huh? Right after Christmas and Gage's birthday. I was freaking out a bit, because we don't have an extra $463.00 per month in our budget...but somehow God ALWAYS provides, do you ever have those months where you look at your budget on paper and you are absolutely mind boggled over how in the world you are making it? Well this entire year has been like that, and here I sit, another month with all the bills paid! God is good!

NOT so photogenic!

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged, I really have been trying to get some cute pictures...but our little bugger has figured out when the flash is coming resulting in many many pictures that look like this:

TOO FUNNY!

Happy Halloween...a day late!

"what do you mean no candy for me?"

We finally got to put Dane in his Halloween outfit at around 6:00pm, it was too hot to have him in long sleeves during the day...go figure, the high was 85 yesterday!

Mom and Dad came over for dinner, Gage had to work, Katie dressed up as a Starbuck's barista and handed out candy (too cute, huh?)...then we ran out of at 7:30pm!!! I felt bad, we have never run out of candy before. I don't know if we had more trick or treaters than usual (I am usually out with the kids trick or treating so I have no idea what the usual amount is) or if Katie was handing out more candy than normal! Anyway, we had a nice quiet night.

I cherish the nights when we are all home together, if Gage isn't working he is out and about. Let's see, Monday night he went to YoungLife, Tuesday was youth group, Wed he worked, tonight he is going to worship band practice...yes, he is becoming a typical teenager! He will be 17 in two months, he graduates from high school next year...where did the time go?