Saturday Smiles

Some Days Are Diamonds!

Sawyer, age 7.5

My Favorite Days

The days when there is nothing planned.

Randy gets off work 'early'.

We take the kids outside to play.

We don't get enough of those days and we really should do something about that.

Mr. Serious

Yes, it's 90 degrees and she's wearing 2 shirts and 2 pants.

The True Essence of a Saw-Man

Do NOT let that sweet face fool you.

Pop-Pop's Mini-Me

The Dynamic Duo

Sometimes we do not get out of our pj's

Just Cause

I haven't posted any pics in a while and I have no new ones because I've been busy.  Trying to wind up school and preserve my sanity is about all I can do right now. 

So, I played with a picture I already had.

Happy Monday!

Happy, almost end of school!

Lame Excuse

It's not that I don't want to post.  It's just that I cannot find the cable for Judson's camera.  He went on a hike and took some great pics.  Wish I could show them to you.  Alas, 'the dog ate my home work'.

I will say, that Sunday Randy took Judson, Ansley, and Turner for a hike.  2 miles.

  Turner took a nap when they got home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, it was a good day.

My Kids, The World Travelers

We are always trying to open our children up to different experiences.  So, this spring break we decided to 'travel'.

First Stop:  Jungles and Safari!

 lucky for us, our cousins went with us!

2.  Next Stop, THE PARTHENON!

3.  Yet another stop, Paris!

I bet you're thinking, "I thought the Eiffel Tower was much larger"

(So did I)

4.  That brings us to our last stop, Milan!

Visiting with GiGi.

A Wee Bit Proud

For the past two years, Judson has participated in World Education Days. (http://worldeducationgames.com/)  This year he did really well in all aspects of the contest. He did exceptionally well in World Maths Day.  He was 10th place among US contestants in his age group.  For his efforts, they sent him a certificate and a medal.  We are quite proud of our little man. 

Easter

I just love family holidays.  Holidays when I can go back to my 'home town' and celebrate with family.  Easter is one of those holidays where I try very hard to get back home.  This year was no exception.  Many (but not all of my siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc) were there too.  We went to church.  Had a big dinner.  Hunted eggs.  All the things I remember from my childhood, that hopefully my kids will remember from theirs.

The 10 and under set.

My immediate family (minus about 9 who could not make it)

I know, way cool to have that many in your immediate family, right?

The egg hunters wondering how long I'm going to make them sit there.

After being on the road all day, I have nothing profound to say.

While I had a wonderful time, 

I'm quite happy to be home.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

More pictures to come.

Things That Make Me Smile

Judson's crystals.

(would have been better if I had focused the camera)

Ansley's collection but Judson's display

Just big, goofy, hairballs

Begging for a haircut.

A Lot To Think About

I have four very special and most wonderful children.  Each day they bless me with warm accepting smiles and hugs.  They understand that I am imperfect.  They don't care.  They are just happy that I am their mother.  How cool is that!

What I want most for my kids is to be allowed to grow and achieve all their abilities will allow.  I don't want to have to worry that because my  youngest has 'brown' skin (as he says), some vigilante will shoot him down.  Or some company may not hire him.  Or some STUPID mother won't let him date her daughter. I don't want his heart or his spirit to be broken. I don't want his life cut short.  http://globalgrind.com/news/michael-skolnik-trayvon-martin-george-zimmerman-race-sanford-florida-photos-pictures

I don't want to have to worry that my middle son will not be allowed to work or learn or have a girl friend or whatever he wants, because he has Down syndrome.  http://davehingsburger.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-saw-someone-today.html?m=1

I just want ALL of my children to be allowed to dream, and be, and grow, and achieve.  I want what everyone wants for their children:  Acceptance. 

Overheard Conversation

Had the best time today.  Our buddy, Charlie came for a play date.

This is just one of the conversations I heard today.

Turner:

"Charlie, you have to sound out words so that you can spell them.

MOSS

Mmmmmmmmm-oss

M-S-S.

Mom, How to do you spell MOSS?"

Mom:

"You mean the green stuff that grows on trees?"

Turner:

"No, the little things that fly around outside"

Mom:
"You mean MOTH.

M-O-T-H"

Turner:

"Charlie, you spell moss, M-O-T-H"

No pictures today.

Just lots of fun.

Those two are a pair!

Hope we didn't confuse poor Charlie.

He doesn't have the same speech errors that Turner does.

So he may think you spell MOSS, M-O-T-H.

We Like To Run

I use "we" in a loose sense, since I REALLY do not like to run.  Judson, Daddy, and Turner like to run.  Ansley is going to try running soon.  Sawyer and I are more the walking type.  Even when we try to run, it seems more like a walk.  Not even a fast walk.  More like a "I hope I can make it" walk. 

Today Randy ran in his 2nd marathon. Even as I am writing this, I have no idea how he did as we have not heard from him yet.  We did see him run though.  We posted ourselves at the 14 mile mark and waited.

Our patience was rewarded with a great smile.

I know how much work he put into this.

I am very proud of him.

I appreciate that he is also setting a great example for our children.

Setting goals

Keeping healthy

Pursuing your passion

Things We Like to Do

We are growing our own crystals using an egg shell,

Salt, Water, food coloring, and time.  We are waiting for the

water to evaporate.  It's been two days and the water is slowly evaporating.

(I think we all know who is doing this one)

Build 'houses'.

"Mom, we didn't have to dig a hole to get the mud to hold the sticks up.  We just used the hole from where the tree fell"

(Somehow, I don't remember the hole being that big.)

Thankfully, the pups knocked down the 'house'.

(I always knew they were good for something)

Track mud into Mom's house.

Look carefully at the dried up Georgia clay.

Face, legs, hands, clothes.

"I couldn't help it, I accidentally fell down"

How many times did he accidentally fall down, you might ask.

THREE.

I also took ALL 4 to the eye doctor.  Just for kicks, don't you know. (Only 3 had appointments, so one just came along for the ride)

Ansley needs glasses.  Judson does not.  Sawyer is about the same.

Funny thing.

While we were in the room you wait in as your eyes dilate,

Sawyer entertained the crowd.

One man was there with his daughter, who happened to be blessed with an extra chromosome of the 21st kind.

Another man had a daughter (who died 15 years ago at the age of 33).  She, too, had T21.

Another man was friends with the man whose daughter had died.

Let me tell you, Sawyer TRULY blessed those people that day. 

They all were smiling and happy and excited to see him and talk with him and just be with him.

And in turn, those people blessed me with their kind words.

"Love makes the world go round"

Great Weekend

Lots of fun this weekend.  Girl Scouts.  Boy Scouts.  Bike Riding. 

Not everyone can pull off this look.

Ethiopia hat AND bicycle helmet.

First casualty of the season.

Mr. Ambassador

I took Sawyer to the doctor yesterday.  He has a rash that will not go away.  Turns out, they were not too concerned with the rash but with his ear.  Apparently, he has an ear infection.  I could have predicted that.  Anytime I take him in for anything, ends up he has an ear infection.  He NEVER shows any of the typical signs of ear infection. (fever, pulling at his ear, etc)

What was unique about this visit was they had a visiting med student from Emory.  So, our doctor sent this kid in first to let him do the exam.   The guy was very new to medical study, probably 1st or 2nd year at most.  He was good with Sawyer and could understand much of what Sawyer was saying to  him.  As he was looking through the medical paperwork, he came across the notation that Sawyer has Down syndrome.  He had not picked that up via his exam.  He asked me when Sawyer was diagnosed.  I told him we knew he had the markers in utero but we chose not to have amnio because it would not change our life choice.  He seemed a bit surprised by that but voiced no opposition.

When the doctor came in, they went over his diagnosis of Sawyer's condition, etc.  I mentioned that he had not picked up on the outward signs of Down syndrome.  Our doctor said, He is new to medicine and we are trying to raise him up right.  Our doc went on to explain to the kid-doc how smart Sawyer was and what a good kid, etc. 

So my hope from this experience is that this kid-doc will look beyond what the books say and probably what his teachers say, and remember the smart kid he met once early in his career and REALLY see that the answers to life's questions are not always found in books.  Sometimes they are found in the heart.

*SMILE*