Happy Birthday Beautifuls

To God be the glory, great things He has done!!

Hard to believe it has been a year...but it has. Decided to try something a little different for a birthday post. Hope you like (hope it works).

We had a big party for the girls yesterday. When I say big...I mean got a little out of control big. But a good time was had by all (at least I think everyone had a good time...did you have a good time? I had a good time, Mary Jane had a good time, the girls had a good time...we hope you did too. We took a ton of pictures, more than I could possibly upload, so I decided to try and collage them together in a little video, so people could see the little beautifulls smashing themselves into their cake.

Actually, these are only a small portion of the pictures, and there is actual video footage from the party, hopefully I will get a chance to post some of that later.

In the meantime, enjoy.

Odd sorts of anniversaries

So, it has been a year, a year since Mary Jane woke me up at three in the morning because her water had broken. And thus began the adventure. For those of you who might not remember the details, or for those of you who might somehow not know them you can go here to go back and reminisce.

Strangely enough the girls decided to celebrate this particularly strange anniversary in their own way. Mary Jane woke up at 3 AM, because, well because some part of her brain was acutely aware of that fact that one year ago exactly began the scariest time of her life. Me, being the sensitive guy I am, was snoring blissfully away. Men and women are just different that way. (Although I must admit that while writing this, sitting in the living room with Mary Jane and Emily, while they are watching a chick flick that I am trying to ignore, and right now there is a scene where the couple had a miscarriage and i will admit to you (but please keep this private...I really don't want this to get around) that I am a little more emotionally moved then I would expect, and watching them grieve and cry is bringing back vivid memories of stepping out of the hospital room at 4 in the morning calling my parents, Mary Jane's parents, and Emily and Paul (who were getting ready to take a train into town for very different reasons) and trying to keep it together enough emotionally to get the sentences out....maybe...just maybe men and women are not so different about these emotions. They both have them, but they experience these emotions differently, they handle them differently, and they have different triggers...but I digress)

Anyway, the girls decided to celebrate the anniversary their own special way. As Mary Jane got up to get out of bed Parker started screaming bloody murder, which scared the dickens out of Emma Jane, who decided to join the chorus. So...much like a year ago I was woken suddenly out of a deep sleep and found myself running into another room. And much like a year ago this marked the end of any sleep Mary Jane or I got for the rest of the day, and much like a year ago it was all Parker's fault (the stinker simply would not go back to sleep)

But unlike a year ago,

I had two beautiful, healthy, cute beyond words, baby girls to hold and comfort.

Unlike a year ago, I shed no tears, because there was no concern they would die.

And unlike a year ago it was easy to see the hand of God in all that He had provided for us, last year we knew it was there, we walked in faith, but this year we look back and thank Him for His mercy.

As I finish this post, getting ready to get them up for the nightly feed, I am overwhelmed by how blessed we have been. All the uncertainties, all the questions, we were asking one year ago, were answered by mercifully. Thanks be to God.

land of Cleves Part II: The Machados

So much to our delight and surprise the Machados decided to come down from Michigan and visit us in Cleveland. The land of Cleves is significantly closer to Schwartzcreek Michigan than St. Louis and so they decided to come for a visit while were closer. They came down Saturday night and hung with us, then came to church with us on Sunday, hung out through the afternoon before heading back. It was great to see them and give them a chance to hang with their god-daughter (Emma Jane), as well a chance for us to see our god-son (Samuel).

Always prim and proper, Marcos and Hannah pose with Emma Jane.

Meanwhile, their children sat entranced by a magical box that tells stories

Marcos and Hannah with Parker and Emma Jane

It has been eight months since Samuel has seen the girls, and yet he has found it no easier choose between them. (At least he has moved on from the smell their feet test)

It was wonderful seeing them. We had a great time.

Land of the Cleves Part I: The airport

Since we are naturally gluttin' for punishment, we decided to continue are streak of traveling while we can (AKA before classes start). And since it had been more than two years since we had made it to my home (Cleveland) we decided a trip to Cleveland was in order. Unfortunately we quickly came to the realization that driving all the way to Cleveland was just plain out for the girls. So we flew. Yes we braved an airplane. We were pretty nervous about it, but the girls did really well. It's a short flight and just when they were starting to get antsy we arrived.

most uncomfortable rocking chair ever!

"I'm supposed to be napping"

"I want to be napping"

Actually, the only negative thing about the whole plane experience was the boarding process. All my life I have watched as those with special needs or wee little babes get to preboard while the rest of us shlubs dutifully wait our turn. Often I have looked on with envy thinking, if only, if only I didn't have to fight for a spot in line, just to get a seat, if only I could leisurely board the plane with the special blue boarding pass and the status of being known as a "preboarder"

All too frequently over the years I have seen other, undeserving, people try and worm their way into the preboard group. But I have just patiently waited, for I knew a day would come, a day when I would have a wee one and the coveted blue boarding pass would finally be mine. But alas it was not to be, because while I have multiple wee ones the aviation industry no longer cares about my boarding plight. Our "special status" comes after the preboards, and after the the first group of 60 people...then...we can board. Curses! Foiled in my life long ambition. Turns out I am going to need to be in a wheel chair or on oxygen to get the coveted blue boarding pass....and here's the thing. While I looked forward with eager anticipation to the day when I would have wee ones, I do not look forward to a day when I am in a wheel chair and on oxygen.

Oh well, considering that was the only thing to go wrong getting there, I am sure you can tell, it went smoothly. Thanks be to God!

Chicago whirlwind wedding trip

Sooooo...a couple of weeks ago we braved a trip to Chicago.  What would cause us to brave such a harrowing trip with two wee babes?  Why, the nuptials of one of my dearest friends, Scott Sexton of course.  What made this wedding especially fun is that it was a "Tower Player" wedding, and they are always sure to be chalk full of stupid silliness, as indeed this one was.

We had been looking forward to this trip and dreading it for some time.  Looking forward to it because, we would be seeing friends we had not seen in a long time, and others we can never see enough of.  Not looking forward to it because traveling to the city of Chicago was sure to be filled with all sorts of baby tensions.

Turned out, due to the hard work of other people, we had nothing to worry about.  The trip was made possible due to the hard work of Nana, she came along with us just to help with the babies (now that is unconditional love).  Nana flew to St. Louis, so she could drive with us to Chicago and help in the car, and then watched the girls in the evenings when we were at the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, and on Saturday night while we were at the wedding and at the reception.  Leaving us free to....

...to enjoy ourselves...and, for me at any rate, to act like...um....well...this guy...

The trip also wouldn't have happened without the gracious kindness of Paul and Emily.  They, because they are amazing people, gave up their apartment and allowed us to take it over with our motley crew.  (Thanks Paul and Emily!!)

On the last day, a bunch of us got together to introduce each other to our kids.

All in all it was a great trip

"Hey Paul"

"Yes Emma Jane"

"Do we have to go home?  We've been having so much fun"
"Sorry Emma Jane...all good things come to an end"

PS Paul's Birthday is tomorrow (the 24th) say happy birthday!

PPS Marcos Machado's (Emma Jane's god-father) birthday is tomorrow, say happy birthday!

PPPS  Steve and Becky Gadlin's wedding anniversary is tomorrow, say happy anniversary!

overheard

EJ:  Hey Parker...look at this

Parker:  Oh, wow....I remember these.  Seems like just yesterday we were bouncing away in these seats and now we don't even fit in them any more.

EJ:  Parker...

P: yeah?

EJ: I think it was yesterday

P: My how time flies

Ej: Tell me about it.  I heard mom and dad talking about taking these into the basement.

P: wow....things keep changing around here.  Hey Emma Jane?

EJ: Yeah?

P: Do you feel a breeze? 

"Hide and Seek" or "Don't call DFS"

Turns out the girls are getting quick. I was out of the room for a minute. Okay...it is possible that I was out of the room for 62 seconds. I actually think it was closer to 47.5 seconds, but I will give you 62.23 seconds at the most. Anyway, I left the room Parker was on one side of it, when I walked back in there was Emma Jane clapping her hands, laughing and excited to see me, and there was no Parker. Now anyone who has gone through this type of experience knows exactly what happened next...I went into immediate cardiac arrest. After giving myself CPR I began looking around the room, but not moving. My first thought was that clearly aliens had taken my baby, but realizing this was highly unlikely, my second thought was that she must be in the room somewhere. There is only one way in the room and I didn't pass her in the hall way. This meant I had somehow gone selectively blind. I could see everything in the world except Parker. Further reflection led me to realize this was just silly...clearly Parker had the power to turn invisible....or teleport. In the off hand chance it was invisibility I was not going to step anywhere until I was certain that I was not stepping on Parker. As I carefully scanned the room for an invisible telported alien abducted baby, I was startled to hear a slapping sound coming from behind me. Spinning about I found ...Parker...under the couchy chair. Or rather, I should say I found Parker's smiling head, the rest of her body was hidden under the chair. She was grinning away and slapping the ground having a grand ole time. When she realized she had my attention she too began laughing. It appears the whole thing was a joke on dad. I had thought Emma Jane was clapping and laughing because she was happy to see me, but really she just thought Parker's joke was hilarious.

Silly monkeys

65 years and counting...part II

Just a couple more pictures from the anniversary party. This first one is grandma and grandpa with all their grandchildren. We're lined up from youngest to oldest (left to right). Yes...that makes me the oldest.

These next two are just some pictures of the girls having fun with their cousin William (Heather's son)