sisters.

I love having girls all pretty close in age. Their conversations are precious (some of the time). Other times they make my blood boil.....thankfully today was a mostly precious day...

On Friday we'll officially be past the terrible 2's in our family. Our baby will turn 3! Still can't get over that one....I feel like we're just entering the middle season of enjoying our kids while they live in our home- past the babies, before the teens.

(I remember when taking this thinking "I wonder how many more dress up dances Celia will participate in...are we past her half-way mark? I hope not.)

I think I'm going to love this season......7, 5, 3.

Celia at 7- one minute she seems still so little, dancing around in a bathing suit with her sisters....then the next she's talking about how Arlo thinks she has a crush on James (she says she doesn't :) good thing- boys are not welcome on the scene quite yet). I love how she continues to burst with creativity. She's naturally nurturing and helpful, loves to get lost in her stories. She loves to rock the skinny jeans and still styles Molly's hair each night before falling asleep.



Bennett at 5- continues to surprise me. Typically known for her magnetic personality, she's also quite tender and sensitive- She wore blue pants to school one week because its Kira's favorite color. (Kira didn't notice and B was heartbroken). Her passion is people. She lives in her own imaginary land where there's sure to be lots of girls (she never plays with little people boys, or polly boys.....don't even mention Ken to her). She's the one with the most thankful spirit- She's quick to make a mess and the quickest to cuddle.



Camilla- two days shy of 3. She's feisty- a little Napoleon sometimes so she can keep up with her bigs. She my outdoors-y one. Loves flip flips or cowboy boots. Can be caught sleeping on the Colonel's dog bed some afternoons. She's imaginative and perhaps a budding teacher- re-enacting school regularly. She'll only drink milk if its chocolate. She sleeps with 3 purses on her bed and 4 stuffed dogs. She still seems so tiny to me, can't believe she's almost 3.



Today was a slice of heaven for us- with the warm sunshine lately we've spent most of our days outside. Today after lunch we headed outside with books and blankets. The girls put on their bathing suits and played in the sandbox. I read aloud to them In Grandma's Attic and then slept while they made sand castles. I wish every afternoon was this easy.

busy bee

Can't believe she's almost 3!

Brown Dog.

Dad called Dave this morning while we were having lunch with some friends. Dave took the call outside. They had to put Cooper down this morning.

13 years and 1 week.

That's how long she lived. Sweet Cooper- she was a great dog- but its not exactly how good she was but what she represented to me. See, I came home from college from freshman year in April. A month too soon- due to my struggles with depression- I was losing at the time.....and I remember thinking "what on earth am I going to do with all this time and nothing to do?" I wasn't due to work at camp til the middle of July- so after much deliberation my parents had agreed to get me a puppy. Sadly, our 2 Springer Spaniels both died on the same day just the August prior- about 2 weeks before I headed to Clemson. My parents, more than I, knew what puppyhood was like but I was just thankful for a distraction from the tears.


Fast forward 13 years later- my 3 girls love her- Mom and Dad kept my girls just this past weekend, and on Saturday when we picked them up to head back to Charlotte, we stayed a little late for Cooper's birthday- she was now a teenager as Celia pointed out. We decked out in hats knowing it might be her last birthday- she wasn't in the best health, but we weren't sure how much longer she had.



As we were leaving we had explained to the girls that they needed to make sure that they said goodbye to Coopy because she was old and sort of sick. The bigs were ok- but Milla sat by her and cried- "Coopy, you always die....I pray every night you (not) die." Milla loved that brown dog enough for all of us- sweet Cooper let her climb all over her.


All this week Camilla was asking about Cooper, more so than normal. We kept telling Camilla we didn't know when Cooper would die and just Thursday Mom was telling her that maybe she'd be with us a whole lot longer but God knew what was best....

Tonight we had to tell them that Cooper died. Clearly, Camilla took it the hardest- I hate how much she knows about death already- I hate that for 1/3 of her life death has been a regular topic of conversation in our home- yes it has its benefits- it keeps us eternally mindful, but its just sad to see my sweet almost 3 year old cry at death- really knowing what it means- thankfully not to the degree that some friends know but still, in her little almost 3 yr old brain she knows its finality on this earth.

So tonight I'm sad- thinking about that brown dog- how in my years since having children I didn't delight in her as I once did- and also wishing I was with my mom.

The timing is just crazy because tomorrow we are going to get our own brown dog- it was already arranged- its just that it doesn't make it all better. But that's life, right?

my brother, the doctor

About 6 weeks ago I talked with my sister in law, Elizabeth (Wizzy) who told me that my brother had a pretty rough week at work- He's an ER pediatrician and sees the gamut of illnesses so I was curious what it was.

Liz shared that he was there (not on the case) where a high school student had doused himself with gasoline and struck the match. The next day he helped diagnose a dear friends' daughter with cancer. It was a hard week to say the least.



I'm thankful for Ben. That is an enormous understatement. He's been a great example and encouragement to me most of these 31 years of my life....I'm thankful that we are actual friends. Real ones. Not the awkward-talk-to-you-maybe-twice-a-year-on-the-phone kind. I'm thankful to see him use his gifts in a way that honors the Lord.

I remember it firsthand when C was almost one he counseled me over the phone- Ben in Birmingham and me at the MUSC ER around 3am. I saw him shift from brother to doctor. I was thankful to hear him say he wasn't sure if Celia was going to be ok or not but God loved her and would hold us in this- We had great news- Celia recovered quickly from what proved to be a really horrible virus that left her speckled with petechiae. But after spending her first Christmas at the hospital we got to home and shake it off. 6 years later and I still seek his counsel for Celia's medical mysteries...

I'm sure I call Ben all to often for medical purposes and could leave him wondering if that's the only need I have of him- his medical expertise. It couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm thankful for him for who he is and how walks through difficult things with people. Its his character that comes through. He points others to Christ in the midst of pain. I want to do that too. I'm thankful for his example....

This friend of theirs has not had that same story. What started as terrible stomach pain was eventually diagnosed as cancer. She's 4. Ansley. Her parents are dear friends of Ben and Wizzy's. Her father is a doctor himself and her mother is incredible as she moves through life with grace caring for 5 children.


Please join in praying for Ansley. She has a long road ahead of her. You can follow them on their blog but please don't just simply read about her- lift her up to the Father who is able to heal her.

cousin christmas

The Jackson clan came up for our version of Christmas with them! It was so much fun to all be together!

We started the first night with gingerbread men.

followed by Home Alone

and Christmas morning presents

Thank y'all for coming to Charlotte to celebrate!

Gingerbread Village

I love the idea of making gingerbread houses. In reality I love completed gingerbread houses.

Making them is a whole different story.

Enter Dave.

Thankfully his art major taught him to endure messes. My recreation therapy major taught me the importance of rules in a game.

SCROOGE!

The bigs and I got to see SCROOGE! this year at the Children's Theater-

It was my girls' first encounter with the Dickens' classic- I hope they come to love it like I do! It was darker than I remembered at times and highlighted the reality of hell but focused on a works-based happiness. I left thankful for the hope I have in Christ and that my eternity is not based on my works- but its only by grace that I escape what I deserve.

cowboy mills

Milla channeling Mommy.

African panties

While Dave was in South Africa Camilla decided it was time to potty train.
again.

So I told her Daddy would help when he got back so she started to say he was bringing her african panties.

Daddy did not disappoint.

talking to Cinderella about her success

tuckered out after an exhausting day.

Thanksgiving at the country

We spent Thanksgiving in Holly Hill again this year and it was great! The first night we got there and after dinner we adults were cleaning up the kitchen when we heard Usher blasting on the speakers under the shed. Samuel had climbed up onto the tables and started a cousin dance party.....as quickly as we could we joined in!

Here's Celia sketch of the dance lineup.

Thanksgiving morning Dave, Dad, and Ben took Samuel and Henry with them on the dog drive. All 3 men got deer! Here's Dave. Samuel helped him :)

eating outside year 3

Wizzy and Dargs

After dinner we had the hayride. Lazy River joined us.

Dave taught our kids to shoot this year. Bennett shot the .22.

Uncle Beej helped Camilla

Celia did great-

Much to be thankful for!

5

This year for Bennett's birthday she wanted a cooking party with no cake.
So we made pizza and cookies instead. Chef Luigi and Chef Jacque helped us out- it was great!

morning

His mercies are new every morning.....

the pendulum swings...

I've had a busy fall- we all have, right?

For some reason I'm learning more about myself and my sin patterns in a fresh way this season-

I overcommit. (too.....)

For so long I honestly, pridefully, couldn't really understand fully what some of my friends talked about when they were overcommitted- "couldn't they just cancel something? .....Oh yeah they definitely made a mistake by agreeing to sign up for that...." I mean I was busy, active, and all that but didn't feel like I was sinking.

The Lord has chosen to humble me....I'm really stretched thin, involved in several fantastic things that its hard to figure out what to drop....Its been the focus of my prayer time with my friends and has dominated the conversations in our marriage.

Indeed this fall is uniquely different- I traveled out of the country for a trip and Dave leaves for South Africa in just 3 weeks..

But that's not all.

Its not even just the little things that have piled on- so with all of the processing I guess I'm struggling to understand what's behind my desire for activity.

One thing that struck me tonight was how intentional I was about making sure I'd be connected to friends because I homeschool my daughter. Homeschooling can be a very isolating adventure. Not for everyone, but for me its proven to be so. I specifically don't have a close community that I see on a frequent basis in the schooling world- its been hard for me to find my niche. In fact out of my closest friends in Charlotte I'm the only one with school-aged children. So since I knew I wouldn't have the regular interaction that can happen through schooling I think I just let the pendulum swing too far the other way.

Its been hard to wait for the pendulum to swing back- to hopefully find the balance between being home well and serving as well. I know I often commit to help because of the relationships that the opportunity will afford me, or what it may add to my reputation- my sin is so prevalent through my scheduling.....

Anyway, tonight again I'm sad.
Because I mismanaged my time.
my family's time.
my friends' time.

I want to do all these things well but feel like I'm failing in many of them.

Its one of those times when I just have to wait.
Not without hope- but to endure well.

Middle East

I had the opportunity to go on a trip to the Middle East to encourage some friends who work there- one is a teacher at an international school, 2 others live in a city and work with a preschool in a poverty stricken area and help train business men...also one teaches at a seminary....it was an incredible experience!!

I served on a team that provided teacher training in churches and a preschool. Specifically I spoke on how to incorporate play into learning (yeah Rec Therapy days!)...it was awesome!

some of the kids from the preschool

huge highlight: CHRISTY SEIFERT!

Hanaa- our translator and her husband- she was hysterical!

a mosque- we only had to cover here, it was so sad to be in a city of millions with thousands of mosques- the call to prayer 5 time a day calling the people to pray to their god- it was heartbreaking....

Christy Robb and I in front of the Ramadan flag-

the city street shots were incredible...so hard to capture

walking along the Mediteranean Sea

sweet Tom and Ann Hawkes

one of the helpers at the preschool, MaryAnn...

Arabic Phonics lesson

great local food

taxis and traffic everywhere- street lanes just a mere suggestion-
sometimes I felt like I was in a Bourne film!

We got to visit Christy's classroom at her school- see Aimee?! It was so great to talk and remember Aimee and process so much. Christy flew home for Aimee's funeral- I hadn't seen her since.

Starbucks :)

falooka (i know i'm spelling this wrong!) ride on the Nile river. A far cry from baby Moses floating in a basket- it was full of these party boats with DJs and dancing....

when in the Middle East.....

and then we got to travel to see the pyramids!!!

(cue the Bangles)

camel ride with Christy, never to be forgotten

smooching the sphinx

the oldest market in the world

Thank you to our hosts! And to the supporters who helped us get here- it was incredible! Huge thanks to Mamu for holding down the fort with sweet Dave! It was a fantastic trip- my heart has grown to love the muslim people in a way I hadn't known before- I feel the Lord has given me insight in how to pray more specifically for our friends living there- praying for the Lord to call the nations to Himself....