Sunday, November 22, 2009

Visit from Gigi

Last weekend David's mom flew in, literally, for a quick visit! She was doing business in Augusta, so before and after her work we were able to spend a few days with her. It was such a treat! The children love their Gigi! We always forget to take pictures until the last minute and then it is nearly impossible to get everyone looking at the camera and smiles are just icing on the cake, so here's our best effort! Thanks, Gigi, for coming to see us. We are hoping you have much more business to do in Augusta!






Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Operation Christmas Child

Every year our church and our school participates in Operation Christmas Child. This is the first year our children have really been old enough to understand what it's all about. A Christian bookstore close to where we live even made this simple gesture of God's love easier by providing special boxes already put together! Our party of five went by the bookstore and picked up our shoe boxes. Then, while I was at a baby shower for a sweet friend at church, David and Gigi took the children to pick out gifts for their boxes. That afternoon, we all gathered around the dining room table to pack them. It was so much fun! Carter really had trouble understanding why the presents were not for him, but had a fun time putting them together anyway. Summer was excited to pack a box for a friend.








Sunday night we placed them on the altar of the church, excited about the possibilities that may come from our gift. Did you know that 20% of the children who receive shoe boxes ask Jesus into their hearts? Isn't that reason enough to pack a shoe box yourself? Check out this video if you need a little more convincing. Merry Christmas to our friends around the world! We are praying for the safe arrival of our shoe boxes, and we are praying you will know Jesus as your Savior this Christmas.



Tuesday, November 17, 2009

This is what happens when. . .Episode II

You might remember when I wrote here about our first "what happens when" episode. I figure there are many to come, so we will just keep a running post for the sake of remembrance. This is what happens when. . . Tilly is left out of bath time!


She has climbed in the bath tub fully clothed with her brother or sister twice in the last week! Our little Miss LOVES bath time and hates to think she is missing out on the fun. Carter and Summer don't quite know what to think of their baby sister's antics, but Mommy and Daddy think she is pretty hilarious! Thanks, Tilly, for giving us a laugh or two this week. Next time, wait your turn. We promise you will get your bath too!

Sunday, November 08, 2009

4 in 48

Four babies in forty-eight months, that is! Labor Day Weekend, David and I learned that we were going to be blessed beyond measure once again with the opportunity to be parents of another precious one. Yes, Baby O'Dell #4 is due to arrive May 17, 2010. Yes, we know what causes this and yes, this was planned! (You won't believe the comments and questions we get.) We are over the moon for this little one actively growing in my tummy! Having gone to the doctor twice now, we know for sure there is only one :) and we know this one is quite active. At our 9 week check-up during the ultra-sound our little one put on a show. He/she was kicking everywhere, putting his/her hands up to his/her face - it was absolutely amazing and precious! At only 9 weeks, can you believe it? At our 12 week check-up, Dr. B. had a tough time finding the heartbeat (which can be nerve-racking) because this little one was moving all over the place. I was able to hear lots of kicks and movements and finally a strong heartbeat; it was precious! Here are some sweet pictures of our little one. We were amazed at how much detail is visible at only 9 weeks! The One who created our baby is something else, wouldn't you say?
Profile shot, you can see the little feet in the air.
Another profile shot, this was during the "show." You can see the hands reaching for the feet. It was just the sweetest thing to watch our little one moving around so full of life already!
We waited a while to share our news because we wanted to be certain all was okay with our little one. Though, sometime after we knew ourselves Carter asked me out of the blue, "Mommy, do you have a baby in your tummy?" I was stunned and it took me a minute to come up with a truthful answer. I stammered, "Well, what made you think of that?" Thankfully, he was already on to the next thing! We did tell our children after our 9 week appointment and they were so precious! Carter fully understands what is going on and several times a day asks about the baby. One morning on the way to school he says, "Mommy, can you take a shower with your baby?" Another time he says, "Mommy, the baby is in your tummy right, not in your heart? So, Jesus can't get to the baby, right?" I said, "Well, buddy, Jesus will take good care of the baby because He loves us." He was okay with that response.
Carter was SO excited to find out he is going to be a big brother, AGAIN! It was really precious! He continues in his quest to be the most precious son ever with his random thoughts and questions about the baby!
Carter looking at the sonogram pictures of Baby O'Dell. We have lots of sonogram pictures around our house :) so he knew what this was a picture of, but he was not sure who was in the picture!
We bought a present for the new baby and had Carter, Summer, and Tilly open it along with the sonogram pictures. This is how we shared the big news! It was so much fun!

Our three little people together on the couch opening their "surprise!" As you can tell, Carter took charge of the situation; he usually does :)

Carter and Summer - they are BEST buds. This week Carter said, "Summer, you're my best friend, right?" Melted my heart! I pray they are always so sweet together.

This would be our first "congratulations on baby" present from my sweet co-teacher, Erica and her roommate, Amy. She was one of the first to find out, as I was freaking out just a little bit and needed to share! She and Amy, sent this edible bouquet to our family. I had never received one before and it was DIVINE! Thank you for rejoicing with us in our gift! We are so thankful!

Thursday, November 05, 2009

It's Been a Long Season

Remember when I posted here about how excited I was for football season to start. Well, it's been a long season for the dawgs and it's not even over yet. Last weekend, during the dreaded rivalry game, I tweeted, "At our house orange means yucky gators. Go Dawgs! Sic 'em! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!" Someone commented on my update saying, "It must be tough to be a Georgia dawg these days!" Are you kidding me? I LOVE the dawgs, even when they don't look so hot on the field in spite of their fun new uniforms. Let it be noted, I am a fan of the silver britches myself! Dually noted, it has been a long season, but it's never tough to be a dawg when you love the dawgs like I do. I was born bleeding red and black! The proof is in the picture! Even my children can call the dawgs with the best of 'em, especially little Tilly!

July 1979, I'm a little bulldawg!
I'm pretty sure we were meant to be together!

Monday, November 02, 2009

My Pumpkins

Kinda difficult to catch them all looking at the same time!
My littlest pumpkin knows what to do!
Tinkerbell found the candy!
Well, I think I may be the only mommy who did not take her babies to the pumpkin patch this year, and trust me, I feel terribly about it! In our defense, we did not have a single free weekend during the month of October and next weekend will be no better! Oh well - we did hit up the annual fall festival at our school, watched Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin, and we made it to our church's first ever Trunk or Treat! Not too shabby if I do say so myself! My pumpkins (AKA Woody, Cinderella, and Tinkerbell) had a great time. Thanks to Gigi for our rockin' costumes - they were a BIG hit with the children and the people in our church! Carter was so so excited to be a cowboy and he kept telling the girls over and over - you are SO pretty! He's the best big brother ever! Enjoy the pictures of our little pumpkins - if you ask me they are WAY cuter than any pumpkin you can find in a patch!

Friday, October 30, 2009

What a fun bunch!


Third Graders at The Heiskell School are celebrating fall in style! Have you ever seen a cuter bunch of cowboys and cowgirls?