5 1/2 months!

The gals.

otherwise known as:

"Curious George", "no Neck", and "the Loafer" (in order of how they are sitting)

or

"Mrs. Brown Eyes", "Miss Evie", and "the Loafiest"

and even

"Livie", "the Head", and "Red Nose"

these are just some of the nick names I have called the girls lately.
I'm sure there are more.

Olivia, Evie, Sophie

Seriously though, we PRAISE GOD for the health and growth of the triplets and for the Stacey's sanity which has remained mostly in tact :)

Next up...sitting alone, crawling, and walking, can you imagine?

De-lurking my Blog

A few weeks back Dana blogged about National Blogger Delurk Week. Although it's old news I decided to do a little de-lurking.

In case you wondered what in the world I'm talking about...

The verb to "de-lurk" means to start contributing actively to a community (in this case a blog) having been a lurker previously.
Thanks to Free Dictionary.com

So how's about it?
Set yourself free, stand up and be counted, state your name, or just say hello.

when I grow up.

I recently asked my kiddos what future aspirations they have. What they told me varied from teacher (of course), to garbage man, to a princess going to a pink school (guess who that was).

When I was a child I went through all the phases. First plan was to be a teacher. Secondly, I wanted to work at a grocery store in the check out lane. I even had dreams of some high paying office career where I would wear business suits and heels. Maybe that's why I wore what appears to be a suit coat in one of my senior pictures---hideous. As the time came for me to make a choice about what to do with myself after high school, I strolled into the career exploration office at my school, literally picked up a brochure from the local community college and made my decision. I decided to enter the field of Occupational Therapy.

occupational therapy - physical therapy involving the therapeutic use of crafts and hobbies for the rehabilitation of handicapped or convalescing patients

In all honestly though I was really just hoping to make it through college and get my MRS. degree if you know what I mean. Enter Dan. All vocational aspirations vanished with the thought of being a wife and having babies!!! Yes, I'm sure all feminists out there are cringing right about now. Working after college in my chosen field was just a means to and end.

Fast Forward to today. I have many a conversation with Dan about what I will do when the kids are all in school if not before. I will need to provide some supplemental income. I feel like I did when I was a kid. What do I want to do when I grow up? Here is what I have come up with: (Dana, can you dig the bullet list?)

• Receptionist/scheduler/etc. at a medical or dental office
• Work in some capacity at a Salon--then I can change my hair so very often.
• Some how find a job in the educational system
  
• Start a little home business of making DVD slideshows for parties, weddings, etc.
• Lastly, and most appealing right now--working as a Barista at Starbucks.

I am totally trusting God to guide me to just the right job. I can look back and see His hand in what I've already done. Even if my choices seemed random at best, God alone laid out my path before I was even taking my first step down it. What a comfort and a promise.

Jeremiah 29:10-11 The Message
This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

Home again, Home again.

So before I left for vacay I promised a little photo of my very own "Dapper Dan"

It went a little something like this. Dan knew he needed a suit for the two "Formal Nights" on the cruise. I need to stress how much my husband hates wearing a tie, much less a full on suit. With much encouragemnt from our bro-in-law Scotty, Dan went to the local men's store and tried on a rather dapper ensemble. Upon returning home he realized how much he spent on the whole thing--$300 plus. I then proceeded to explain to him that that amount was entirely too much for one concrete man to spend on a suit that will only see the light of day at weddings and funerals. Off he scooted back to the store. He returned home with the same suit but with cheaper shirts and ties.

So without furter ado,
Dapper Dann-o!

Dapper Dan will return.

there is a good story and even better photos regarding Dapper Dan. But for now, I'm too busy to post them...see ya soon!

The Quest for Dapper Dan

No, not the hair Pomade

Or the play doll,

Not even the the Mobster criminal from the 1920s

Or this thing either. Isn't Google amazing?

BUDGET DAPPER DAN TORSO

I'm searching for my own "Dapper Dan"
To be Continued...

It's go time.

I won't have a ton of time to blog this week due to the upcoming vacation. So much to do...such a procrastinator I am.

SO, I just thought I'd post a little Holiday Photo Recap.

Thanks to all of you who gave of yourselves to us this Christmas season. We felt fantastically blessed by this great circle of family and friends!


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music player

if you want to hear the music on my blog and can't---you might need to download:

Quicktime for Mac
or
Quicktime for Windows PC

don't worry, it's free and legit :)

a 1st grade understanding.

Below is a reproduction of a note that Chase wrote to us while riding in the car to a Christmas party.

Der mom and dad,
Ime isod for Christmas and isod too opin prisbuts but do you nuow wut is the ipotvat it is Gud.

Can you translate?

I am floored by the amount Chase has learned in 3 months. Although his spelling isn't perfect, his ability to express in written words what is on his mind and in his heart makes me swell with pride and praise God for his teachers, and his willingness to learn.

Dear Mom and Dad,
I'm exctied for Christmas and excited to open presents
but do you know what is important? It is God.

Coming up for air.

The season is almost complete. Parties, food, planning, buying, wrapping, more food, celebrating, reminiscing, reflecting, it has been a whilwind of a month. Now is the time when I need to get my butt in gear. A new year, a time of renewal yet again. And I'm not talking about my ever changing hair color.

Amidst the enjoyment of the holidays I've felt a real need to sit and ponder what God has done in 2006, and open my eyes to His will in 2007.
Reflecting on my previous blog posts has been a good summary of 2006, but I see many gaps. I know what I blogged about but also the things I did not. My life is not perfect, nor are my thoughts, or relationships.
There are people out there that think blogs are just a method of self promotion--"hey, look at me, my kids, my shiny little life."
I tend to disagree with those naysayers. While putting ones thoughts out there for others to read and maybe comment on is a bit of a display, but I also see it a form of expression, a place to catch up on others, one little place that we can share of ourselves. Call it what you will, but blogging has been a rather positive experience for me. I don't intend to make my blog a complete revelation of my life, just a window into it.

Anywho, as I breathe in the air of a new year, I hope to keep focus on what is important and not find so much distraction on the little annoyances of life, you know, the "ordinary stuff."
(for more on this thought see Grace in the City)

Happy New Year and Blog on, my friends, Blog on.