We've got a trail to blaze.

My pre-kindergartners are saddled up and ready to ride!

Wordless Wednesday

We are that family.

With multiple little people, multiple strollers, many questions, and lots of personality!

And you know what? We wouldn't have it any other way!

Just because.

I know it's been a while since you've seen these sweet cheeks!

Carter's song.

This is Carter's favorite song right now. I love love love to hear his little voice lifting up praise to our God, so precious!

Teachey Update

Doug did have surgery today to amputate his leg. The greatest prayer before the surgery was that his knee would be able to be saved. This was posted most recently on the Teachey's CaringBridge site.

The surgery is complete and Doug's knee was saved!!! Hooray! This is the "optimal place for a prosthesis" according to the surgeon. Now they must wait and see how his skin heals back. Worst case, he may need skin grafts...we'll know more on Saturday. But, the rest of his leg is no longer in jeopardy. God is good, all the time.

Please join in praying now that Doug's skin would heal properly, pray for rest and peace for Jenna and Doug, pray for strength for both, and pray against any infection or complications from the surgery.

Will you pray for this family?

Jenna and I met over 5 years ago when David and I moved to Atlanta, and I began working at The Heiskell School, where she was also a teacher. We became fast friends and spent a great deal of time together in and out of school. Not long after I became pregnant with Carter, she discovered she was also expecting Elie. It has been fun to walk through this season of life with a friend. Jenna has been a great encouragement to me as a mommy and in my walk with the Lord. Currently, she is staying at home to raise her girls. You can read all about that here. She's such a great mom and wife. My sweet friend, Jenna, and her family could really use your prayers. Here's their story:

Sometime around the middle of the day on Monday, Sept 20th, Doug was hit by a forklift at a Coke plant in Montgomery, AL. No one yet understands exactly what happened. He was rushed to the ER in Montgomery. Hannah Parker drove Jenna to Montgomery; they arrived at about 5:15 PM. By about 6, we found out that Doug was in surgery. His right ankle is broken, and he has three severe wounds on his left leg. The break to Doug's ankle is so severe that it is impeding blood flow to his foot, which is the doctors' primary concern at this point. Doug stayed in the ICU in Montgomery through the night and will likely remain there until at least tomorrow, when we hope that he will be transported to the hospital in Atlanta. The girls are at home now with Jenna's mom, Betsy. They're doing fine.

As of today, Doug is continuing to do well but the blood flow to the leg has not improved and the doctors have decided to move him to Grady for several reasons:

1. Doug's surgery is going to require additional tissue and skin as well as a plastic surgeon, all of which are available at Grady
2. the doctors at Grady are the best in the region and may be able to save more of his leg - PLEASE PRAY that if an amputation is required it will be limited to below the knee as there has been discussion today that it could require more of his leg.
3. Richard Pittman, a fellow Westsider and doctor at Grady has been in touch with the Teacheys all morning and has already talked to Dr. Moore who would be his surgeon at Grady and who Richard believes is the best person for this procedure.
Just in: Doug will be moved to Grady at 8:30pm Atlanta time by ambulance and will be transported to a normal hospital room until an ICU room opens up...another prayer request (for the ICU room to open up) and the current hold up. We are still praying that the Lord will save Doug's leg. The decision to amputate has not been confirmed and is still to be decided by the Grady doctors. Please keep praying that the leg could be saved. While Doug is already prepared to be a paralympian gold medal winner, we will continue to pray that his leg will be preserved and restored to health.
He has been a part of the discussions with the doctors, and though heavily medicated, is fully the Doug we all know and love. Please pray for Jenna, who has shown incredibly strength through all of this, but is desperately exhausted. Please pray for quick and easy transport to Atlanta and that all the logistics would fall into place.

Doug and Jenna have a CaringBridge site they are updating frequently. Go here to read more and to know how to better pray for this sweet family.

Wordless Wednesday

House Divided

This weekend, David's sister and her family are traveling from northwest Arkansas to the ATL to see us. We could not be more excited about their visit. It just so happens that their visit falls on the weekend when the dawgs are playing the hogs. A coincidence? I think not! Needless to say, our house will be divided this weekend. There has been a lot of trash talkin' leading up to the big game between the hedges, all of which I have been an innocent bystander, promise. However, I will admit that my children have perfected their dawg calling efforts this week with a little help from Coach Mommy!

Goooooooooooo dawgs! Sic' em! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!

Wordless Wednesday

Miss Heather's PreK

My sweet friend, Shannon, popped over from the elementary building today to take a picture of my class! Aren't they so cute? If you have been praying for us, keep it up because we are off to a great start! So far, my favorite moment has been this cute, little curly-haired girly calls me Miss Feather! So cute, and I don't have the heart to correct her!

Story is 4 months old!

Happy 4 months, sweet Story!

These months have gone by so quickly, especially this last one. It seems like we were just commemorating your 3 month birthday.

The last month of your life has been a whirlwind. Here's what you are up to at 4 months of age:

• Daddy took you to see Dr. G. today to make sure you are healthy. You weigh 15 pounds 9 ounces, 90th percentile. You are 26 inches long, 95th percentile.
• You are wearing size 2 diapers and mostly size 6 month clothes. We are still squeezing you into some 3 month dresses still.
• Your hair is almost all gone, and what is coming in seems to be very light, much lighter than your siblings. We shall see if we have a little tow head after all!
• Your eyes are bright and blue. It does not appear that they are going to change either. They are so much like Carter's but darker in color, just beautiful!
• You are rolling over from front to back and back to front.
• You love your play mat, your swing, and just playing on the floor.
• Tummy time is still not your favorite, but you are doing a great job of holding up your head.
• You are grabbing toys and beginning to hold them.
• You love to hold and play with my hands. Sometimes, you try to eat them!
• You love to put your own hands in your mouth.
• You talk a lot, especially just after your bottle; it's the sweetest thing.
• You laugh really hard when we give you lots of sugar under your neck.
• My favorite thing you are doing right now is when I lean in close to you and kiss you or talk to you, you like to put both of your hands on my face. It's the sweetest thing!
• You eat 6 ounces of formula with 3 teaspoons of rice every 3 hours during the day.
• You sleep from 7pm until 7am with a bottle at 10pm. We start your day at 7am with a bottle, and you usually go back to sleep for a couple of hours.
• You take 3 - 4 naps most days, but your longest nap is still in the afternoon with everyone else. We are thankful!
• You like to cuddle and be held. I'm going to enjoy that as long as I can too!

We celebrated Tilly's second birthday. . . a couple of times. Here you are with Mama at Mimi's Cafe, after having Tilly's birthday breakfast.

Miss Courtney came over to babysit, so Mommy and Daddy could attend Miss Kathryn's wedding.

We spent lots of time outside once the weather started to cool off. You love the baby Bjorn, thankfully.

We attended Carter's very first soccer practice.

You rolled over for the first time. I love this look on your face, so surprised after you rolled over, like "what just happened!"

You, along with your brother and sisters started school for the first time. Yesterday, was your first day to stay with Miss Jeanne and baby Eli. Miss Jeanne reported to Daddy that you were such an easy and good baby. You took two great naps, and you ate all of your bottles! Good girl, Story!

Your big brother, Carter, quite possibly loves you more than anyone. He loves to hold you, and he talks to you in the sweetest voice. I think you like him too.

Here you are with all your siblings. I like to try to get a picture of the four of you each month, but it is tough to get everyone smiling or even looking at the camera.

All of you are growing up way too fast. But Daddy and I are so thankful to along for the ride. We are having the most fun as your parents! We love you!

THREE preschoolers!

Can you believe it? We have THREE preschoolers this year! It does not seem possible. Wednesday was our first official day, and for the most part the day went very smoothly. Carter, Summer, and Tilly were so excited to go to school. This will be Carter's third year at The Heiskell School, Summer's second year, and Tilly's first year. Tuesday night we made sure all snacks and lunches were packed, all clothes were laid out neatly, and all little people were in bed early!

Summer, Carter, and Tilly on their first morning.

Carter, age 4

Summer, age 3

Tilly, age 2

I snapped this picture before school began today in the teacher's lounge. It's so hard to get a good picture where everyone is smiling at the camera or at least looking, ha!

Don't worry, Story is not to be forgotten. Tomorrow she will be 4 months old, so she will have a post all on her own. She's doing great though!

Wordless Wednesday

Well, here we go!

Gone are the days of sleeping in, wearing pajamas all day if we want to, eating lunch every day with Daddy, heading to the pool in the afternoons, and snuggling with my children all day long. Tomorrow is the start of a new season for our family. We are going back to school! However, the school part is not so new for us. This will be my eighth year teaching, Carter's third year in preschool, Summer's second year in preschool, and are you ready for this? Tilly will be going to preschool for the first time! We can't wait for this season to begin.

I love the times of year when the seasons change. I love when summer is coming to an end and fall is beginning, when the air turns crisp, the leaves start to turn, school begins, and football season takes up most Saturdays. I love winter because it brings the birth of the baby Jesus and lots of time with family. I love the chance of snow and seeing your breath outside. I love when spring comes, and all things are new. I love the new plants, the green grass shoots, planting a garden, and the warmth from the sunshine. I love summertime because all of my children were born in the summer, and this represents a sweet time for our family when we can all be home together. I love the thought of the beach and having the sand between my toes.

Speaking of seasons, a brand new season is beginning for me and our family. After much prayer and faith leaping, David and I decided that I will not be working full time this year. When school begins, I will not be going to my home for the last 5 years in the basement of The Heiskell School. I will no longer be teaching third graders. Instead, you should look for me in the preschool, where you will find me at the top of the stairs teaching pre-kindergarten! What a great change this will be for me and my family! Please, if you dare, follow me on this journey as I begin a new season in my life. www.missheatherodell.blogspot.com

I think we are in for quite a fabulous ride!

Just in case.

You were not awake today and missed the one thing our family of six has been waiting on all summer long. And just in case, you had other things to do today and missed seeing the excitement taking place between the hedges. And just in case you weren't aware that the dawgs were playing today. You have come to the right place!

Boy, did those silver britches look good!

Final score: Georgia 55 - Ragin' Cajuns 7

What a great game!

We started our morning off right practicing our dawg calling. I have a few favorite quotes from today that I want to remember!

Carter: Summer, it's time to watch the dawgs play! Let's go call 'em!

Summer: Mommy, I'm ready to call the dawgs some more and I want to put up both hands!

Carter: Daddy, how do we pray to the dawgs?

Daddy: No, Carter we don't pray to the dawgs.

Carter: Yes, Mommy taught us how to do that this morning. We raised our arms and said Sic 'em cause they don't feel well.

Daddy: Oh, you mean Mommy taught you how to call the dawgs?

Carter: No, Daddy, Pray!

All day long.

This is the sound you will hear echoing throughout our home!

It's finally, football season, baby!

And we can't wait to see the dawgs play!

Go dawgs! Sic 'em! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!

Happy Birthday, Haleigh!

Happy Birthday, Haleigh!

Have a super fun time celebrating your birthday this weekend!

We are sad to miss out celebrating with you.

We love you!

The itsy, bitsy spider.

Sadly, we seem to have forgotten some of the words. However, if they were going to forget the words to a song, I would rather it be this one than "Jesus Loves Me!"

P.S. Thanks, Miss Courtney, for the videos! We love and miss you!

Wordless Wednesday