Tis Been Awhile...

Well seems like ages since I've taken the time to post...first and foremost Happy Birthday G'ma!!! My grandma Austin celebrates her birthday today so I had a nice chat with her this evening which was a great ending to a wonderful day.

Our day today started out chaotic and hectic like most mornings, all of 5 of us trying to find shoes and clothes and tights and ties and jumpers (sweaters). I really should have a better system but alas it's one more thing I have yet to get around to doing (story of my life really). Every morning its the same routine, I get up around the time the kids do, fix breakfast-which involves pouring cereal and milk in a bowl-and while they are eating (and I'm telling them to hurry and eat and stop talking) I make their lunches. Then we all trek upstairs and while they are brushing their teeth (or playing in the sink, which ever the case may be) I'm laying out their uniforms for school. Then I try to get myself dressed and ready to go for the day as well. Ty is on is own! LOL Well today there was an exception...I had to also fit in curling Emma's hair because today, at school, she was an Angel in the class Nativity Play! She was very excited and nervous because her daddy and I were going to be at school to watch the play. Since Mary Helen is back home in Virgina for Christmas Ty had to work a couple hours in Longford this morning, so we dropped the kids at school, drove to Longford, he treated a few people, then we drove back the 45 minutes to be at the school to watch the 20 minute play. She was absolutely adorable! What we could hear of her was adorable anyway...there was a little Angel in front of Emma swinging her angel wings back and forth in front of her. We could barely hear Emma's line (in Bethleham, your saviour was born today!). She was fantastic and of course the STAR of the performance! When they were all finished, we got to take her out of school an hour early so all 3 kids got out of school at the same time today (yay!!!!) and we popped home for just a bit to change clothes and then go and see santa at the new shopping centre in town. The kids were so cute! They each told santa what they wanted for Christmas-a digital camera for all three-and even Austyn sat on his knee for picture, without tears this year! That was monumental for her! We were very proud! We did a little Christmas shopping, then all went to dinner together! We had an exceptional family day together today. Everyone was very good, listened to us, didn't walk too far away from us, no whining that they were tired/hungry/feet hurt...etc... It's after days like this that I am reminded just how lucky I am to have been given such an awesome, wonderful family! I am truely blessed! I know that sounds terrible, I know that I am blessed and I feel it most of the time...it's just easy to forget when life gets so hectic and chaotic, which seems to be more and more these days. It's good to get little reminders from time to time!

You know its funny too, they never seems to stop amazing me either! Little Dagan, the other day said something that literally brought tears to my eyes! We were at the church Christmas dinner last week and with all the kids gathered around the pastor asked everyone (Dagan is one of the youngest) about Christmas, why is was important and why we celebrate, etc...and in the middle of everyone answering the questions Dagan pipes up loud so all could hear....It's Jesus' birthday and he died for our sins so that we wouldn't have to go to hell! He was so cute, his little voice was so pronounced and clear and he was so serious! Absolutely adorable...I had to smile! I just love it when they do little things like that without prompting, just speak from their little hearts and they mean it too! Very sweet!!!

Ok well that is about all I can think of to ramble on about just now....I'm sure I'll think of something else as soon as I post this! Stayed tuned here though...we will add a video of Emma's play as soon as we get it uploaded (Thanks Mom and Dad Russell for the early Christmas pressie)