9 months

It has been 9 months tomorrow since our precious baby girl joined our family. She is such a blessing and adds a wonderful dynamic to our all boy family! I'll share a little of her fun tricks and new things by way of pictures.

One of Maddie's favorite things is to empty all her toys from her toy box. Who ever thought we would have so many girl things in the house!?!

She loves to play "tent" with anyone who will.
The boys love to see her get all excited and it can get a little carried away, but...

she has learned to carry her own. Above she is "wrestling" with Nathaniel. She actually got in this position on her own and then just laid on him!

She has enjoyed being twins and hanging out with her newest cousin, Lucy. OK, maybe their mommies have enjoyed the twin thing, but they do look cute together! Above Maddie is laying a comforting hand on Lucy to encourage her to smile for the camera.

Her nickname (given by my Gramps), is Scooter. Maddie refuses to crawl and howls when put on her belly, but she can get anywhere she wants and fast by leaving her right leg out if front of her and tucking her left to scoot around. She's a cute little scooter!

She has learned to pick up food with her hands and really does enjoy eating. Yesterday when I took her in (she has a mild croup) she weighed 21.5 pounds. She's a chunk. I realize by the 4th one I should be more organized and tell you how she ranks with the boys at 9 months, but I'm not. I don't remember them being that big, but I honestly can't remember and I don't feel like digging out the numbers!

She absolutely loves bath time and could play all day in the water. She kicks and grins and gets all excited!

So there you have it. Our little Miss Maddie Anne will be 9 months old. She's growing and changing and just absolutely the best 9 month old anyone could ever ask for.

We love you Maddie and can't wait to see how you will change and develop and grow in the next 9 months!

It Went Well

Yesterday was mom's mastectomy. The surgery went well. The doctor gave a good report. It was a blessing that our whole family was able to be there. My brother, Jay; sister, Joanna and I were all able to be with dad in the waiting room. We had tried to go back after they had mom prepped and ready for surgery, but the nurse said, "Only 2 at a time". We kids said we would rotate. But then as Jo and I were in the waiting room with our babies. That same nurse came out and said, "they want all of you to come in and pray". What a special time of prayer. Jay lead us as we thank Jesus for his love, protection and blessing on Momma. We are truly blessed that our whole family knows Jesus personally. What a blessing!

Dad told the doctor, before he took mom back, that he (Dr. Cassel) had people on at least 3 continents praying for him and mom. He thanked Dad, another blessing about this day. Mom's surgeon is a Christian. Praise the Lord!

It was an outpatient surgery and so mom was home last night. She also had the port put in for chemo during that surgery. As I was helping mom get dressed in the recovery room of the outpatient area, we praised the Lord together for His guidance for Dr. Cassel and for His protection on Mom. She took a little longer to come away from the antestetic this time, but she was ready to go home.

It was a long night for her, but today she did great. Short naps and rests throughout the day, but longer periods of being up and moving. She's eating well and she looks good.



So Phase 1 of her treatment is behind us. She will recover for 3 to 4 weeks before beginning phase 2, chemo.



Thank you for your prayers for us. As we counted in the waiting room we came up with at least 4 continents where mom was lifted up in prayer. Thank you for your prayers

Answer To Prayer

On Friday I asked all of you to pray! Thank you so much for your prayers. My mom went in to see the surgeon this morning and he reported that there was no infection and that he didn't think there had been. Did you get that - It wasn't just that the infection had cleared up, but there hadn't even been an infection! Isn't God good!!

The Oncologist is the one who had examined her Friday and started her on the antibiotic. So when the surgeon checked today he said she was ready for surgery tomorrow morning. When mom questioned him about the fever she had, he didn't know!

Well we know that Jesus answers prayers and we prayed for no delay in treatment! Thank you Jesus for hearing our prayers!

Now I come to you again and ask that you petition the Lord for a good surgery tomorrow. I will go to mom and dad's tonight. My sister is there now. The surgery is scheduled for 11am. I will continue to keep you updated!

It's so weird, and yet familiar

Today was not the greatest day of my life, nor will it probably be the worst. As I sat in the exam room with my parents, taking notes as Dr. Williamson (the oncologist) spoke, I couldn't help but think back to 2 1/2 years ago. This was all so familiar. I remember sitting in a similar room with Ryan and Holly, again taking notes. It seems like all these terms should be new and yet I have heard them before. Chemo will be 20 weeks total: 1 every 2 weeks for 8 weeks, then one a week for 12 weeks. Each chemo day lasting 5 hours then the day after coming back in for that white cell booster shot. It was all so familiar.

As I write tonight my heart is heavy. It will be a long road. It is only beginning. And yet, something the doctor said, "keep the attitude that this is just a part of life, not controlling your life". This cancer will not control any of our lives. It can't!! Jesus controls our lives. He is the Healer and our Protector. He will be our strength! He will sustain us when we can't go on. Praise the Lord He is at the wheel and in control of all that seems so out of control.

When I arrived today, mom didn't look well. She was flushed and fevered and hurting. After an exam she has been put on an antibiotic for an infection. This could delay things, which we don't want. Please as you read this, pray that the antibiotics will do their job and rid her of infection. She will go in Monday morning to the surgeon to see if she can proceed with the Tues. AM surgery that is scheduled.

There were lots more appointments made today and we haven't even begun the treatment phase. It is all overwhelming to think about, but mom and dad are doing well. They are tired, but hanging in!

Thank you for your prayers!

Dr. Who?

I took this pictures of Eli and Nathaniel a while back, but I just have to tell the story. Nathaniel had a cut, a very minor cut. It was a big deal to him so daddy took him up to the bathroom and sat him down so he could fix him. Eli yells to wait a minute and returns with his new Doctor Kit. He proceeds to check Nathaniel out and give him a through exam.

After the exam is over, Assistant Daddy puts a band aid on and Thanks "Dr. Adkins". Eli quickly says, "I'm not Dr. Adkins, I'm Dr. Pointment". I think perhaps this kid has gone on too many doctor appointments!

Visitors

This past weekend my sister and family were speaking in Payne Ohio at my Grandparents church. They spent the weekend with them. Granny and Gramps are only about 40 minutes from us, so they made the trip up to see us. Jo and Billy won't be coming to our house until April, so it was nice to introduce them to Ney!

Cousins, Eli, Lucy, Elsie and Maddie

Elsie loves to "mother" Maddie. She asks to hold her and wants to be right with her, it's cute!

Girl Cousins, Elsie, Maddie and Lucy

Lots of times we talked of having our kids together. Here we are with our babies who are only 3 weeks apart. It's funny how things work out. (I'm holding Lucy and Jo has Maddie)

Gramps, Granny and Maddie

Uncle Billy came too. The boys had him busy reading!

It was a quick visit, but a fun one. It's always fun to have aunts, uncles, great-grandparents and COUSINS around!

Hats, Hats and More Hats

Eli was so confused the other day. He wanted to wear a hat, but just couldn't decide which he liked better. He actually put both on.

Here is he sharing hats with Gramps.

He has also learned of Pap's great talent. Pap has this awesome ability to find money (quarters) in the boys ears. Eli just thinks it is the greatest thing. So he asked, "Hey Pap, can you find any monies in my ear?"

With the help of Gramps (Pap's pockets were empty), Pap retrieved the missing quarter growing out of Eli's ear.

Eli is also beginning to be quite the big boy (at least while Brothers are at school). He insists (some days) on dressing himself. And after a long few months of winter coats, finally puts his own coat and HAT on.

Tinkering

The boys got Tinker Toys for Christmas this year. Ideally they are not the best with Maddie scooting around, but they love them. Daddy enjoys them too. Below is one of his inventions that the boys loved. They liked that they could actually turn it and make it work. Tinker toys are so much more advanced than when I was young.

A New Beginning

I am about 13 days late on the whole New Year thing, but better late than never. You can probably tell by my delay that I am not a big fan of New Years Resolutions. I gave up even making them, or at least jotting them down.

I would love to look back in 12 months and be skinnier, healthier, smarter and wiser, but honestly - I have enough trouble going day by day.

Do you make New Years Resolutions? Do you vow to begin brand new once the ball has dropped? Perhaps you even think about it in December, "It really doesn't matter what I do now, because I'll start all over in a month".

Well it is here! Actually it's been here for 13 days, but I've been way to busy to even notice.

I'm so glad that Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever. That means in 2009 and 2010 and even in 2020. He will still be Jesus! Constant, Unchanging and The Creator of all the Universe!

I've been remembering a lot the past few days of my beginning. That is the beginning of my walk with Jesus. I accepted Jesus into my heart at 8 years old. My brother was instrumental in leading me to Christ. It was at that point when I said, Jesus I want you to come into my heart. I want all of you. I believe He came and has been with me ever since.

There was another point, much further down the road (while I was in college) when my life again began a new. It was at this point at an altar at Circleville Bible College that I allowed Jesus to have ALL of me.

See I think as Christians we get the 2 confused in that we think they are the same. When I asked Jesus into my heart - He did that - He came into my heart, but I didn't give Him all of me. It took a little while later before I realized that I needed Him to control every part of my life, not just bits and pieces here and there.

So as we begin 2010 - have you had a new beginning in Christ? Have you given Him every area of your life? Start this new year different (or at least start day 13 different).

Allow Jesus to have ALL of you this year!

Family Reunion

This past weekend we finally had our family together. That's 8 adults and 8 kids. It was great. Although it was a quick time, it was good and we needed it. I'll share some (okay, A LOT) of pictures from our time.

Lucy Mae Coppedge, isn't she adorable. That pretty hair is red too!

This picture was actually taken at the hospital last Tuesday when mom was in for surgery. That was the first the girls had met and we had seen each other. It was a nice distraction with mom in surgery. (Jo is holding Maddie and I have Lucy)

Elsie and Lucy

My 4 and her 2! Cousins together at last! We dreamed of days like this, when we would be adults and have our kids together. Fun times!

If you recall, Maddie has about 3 weeks on Lucy, but she also has about 6 pounds. They were so cute together in their matching dresses!

6 of the cousins enjoyed eating together and talking too! It really is fun to have them all together!

The next 3 pictures show lots of Uncle time!

Lucy meeting Uncle Ronnie

Maddie remembering Uncle Jay
Uncle Billy with lots of girls!

Aunt Tonya enjoyed some girl time too with Terra and Maddie (Maddie loves her Aunt Tonya)
Aunt Tonya and Lucy
Aunt Jo and Maddie

There was some time for some new things for Elsie too. Who am I kidding, everything is new to this little 2 year old, but my boys began wrestling with Daddy and Uncle Billy and Elsie loved it. She wanted to join in. Below Ronnie is "letting her win".


Elsie hadn't seen snow until her trip to the states either. We took her some snow boots. She didn't last as long as the boys, but I think she had fun.

There is always time for reading with Grandma. The girls are still working on getting their jet lag out, so that meant lots of nap time!

On a pretty regular basis I realize how hard it is to get 4 kids to look in the same direction and have a decent look on their face. Well...it's impossible with 8, but here they are.

Mom and Dad have had 8 grand kids in 8 years. One a year for the first 6, then skip one year but then last year there were 2! It's fun to have all 8 (ages 7 down to 7 months) together!

It's equally as hard, if not harder, to get 16 people to look in the same direction. By the time my camera got these there were already about 5 attempts - all were tired!

It was a great weekend! I love family and I love having them all together, even for a short time!

Heaven or Jail

So tonight as I was giving baths, Eli was instructed to get his PJ's. He proceeded to throw a fit and because Maddie was in the tub, I chose to ignore it this time (believe me if I had been free, it would not have ended the same). So Nathaniel quietly goes over and begins talking to him. Eli quiets and listens. The conversation went something like this:

N - "Eli you are making a choice. You are choosing to not obey and you are being bad. You have to decide, do you want to go to Heaven or Jail?"

Although I can't see Eli's face, I can imagine the look of fear and surprise that may have accompanied his timid, "what".

N- "You have to decide if you want to go to Heaven and live with Jesus, and obey mom, or if you want to go to jail with bad people".

To Nathaniel the choice seemed simple, who would ever choose Jail over Heaven?!?

Nathaniel proceeded to get his Bible and tell Eli the story of Creation. (I think because it is the first story).

When I called Nathaniel in to brush his teeth, he was so excited. "Mom, I told Eli about Jesus". I didn't know he was old enough yet, but I showed him my Bible and the story about God creating everything and he is big enough for me to tell about Jesus".

Then he looked at Sissy and said, "Sissy, when you get a little bigger, I'm gonna tell you about Jesus too".

Our little Missionary is hard at work and we know Jesus is guiding Him. Praise the Lord for opportunities to tell little ones about "Heaven and Jail".

Family Road Trip

The Sunday after Christmas we traveled to Ron's home. We haven't been out there for way to long and we were all looking forward to some time away and some family time. We had plans to see lots of aunts, uncles and cousins as well as have some Grandma and Grandpa time!

Our first stop was Aunt Barb's. She had lots of yummy food and lots of cousins, aunts and uncles visiting.

Ron's Uncle Jim and Nathaniel
Eli hit it off with Aiden!

Then we also visited Ron's mom's sister, Aunt Vickie and her family.
Sissy liked the Cat!
Nathaniel and Bianca

Our boys love the Ionno kids!

Uncle Mario and Sissy

Of course we had to find time for the snow

As daddy and the boys get ready you can see Grandpa in the background clearing a path

Mr. Snowman, Eli

It was really cold and Nathaniel enjoyed his hot chocolate by the fire.
It's always hard to say goodbye, especially when you have to tell Grandma goodbye before she goes to work.
It was a quick trip, but a fun one!