My original goal...

was a post a day for a year. But then life, and lost camera cords, got in the way and I fell short...by just a bit (or a hundred or so). Had I stuck to it like I had originally planned, this would be my six hundred and somethingth post. As it is, we are likely to hit 365 by the time 2011 rolls around. Did I happen to mention I have a slight problem with stick-to-it-ness?

Anyways, this week, as with most weeks these days, seems to have gotten away from me. So here is our week in a nutshell:

A trip to the orthodontist for rubber bands. Before Maddy got her braces, she couldn't wait to get them. After about 2 days, she really didn't like them that much. For about a month, she has been anticipating her rubber bands. It took about fifteen minutes this time to realize that they weren't all they were cracked up to be!

We welcomed our new "pet" to our family. Remember that girl in grade school who was always playing pony and galloping around the playground? Yep. That one. Hannah turned into that girl this week, except she wasn't a pony. She was a dog. See that look on Charlotte's face? She's thinking the same thing that you were thinking back in grade school as that girl galloped by you, neighing in the wind.

Parade of Nations
It's mission month at ELCA, and each class studied a country and then dressed up as the native people and paraded around the school. (And in case you were wondering, yes, it is a lovely way to start a full moon Friday) Ever since we went on our mission trip to Romania, we have studied the country of Romania and the Romanian gypsies.

We had the mail order catalog gypsies--so cute.

And the make do with what you got gypsies--just as cute.

And then we had our more innovative gypsies. This sweet boy saw videos, pictures, and books about gypsies, and his impression? What stuck with them? That they were dirty. Which pretty much is true. The first time someone's ever done this though!

The preschool classes dressed up as community helpers. The kiddos in Hannah's class were doctors. (Note the children sitting along the walls holding our their hands--yep, while we were walking down the halls in our Romanian costumes, kids of all ages were screaming and cheering for us, and slapping our hands in high fives. Did I mention it was a lovely way to start a full moon Friday?)

My little doctor. Love love love her.

The Hannah of old (of before school) would have been terrified and refused to walk. So proud of how far she has come!

Saturday came, and after a sweet two week break, we hopped in the car for a cheer competition. We drove to Houston County to watch Sarah's last cheer competition before Regions.

And this is the only picture I got. It's Hannah and Charlotte making a "tent" with the blanket.

Why, you may ask, did I not take pictures of the actual competition? Of Sarah and her team doing incredibly difficult stunts with ease? Of the awards ceremony? Of Hannah cheering on her big sister? Why do I only have a picture of my two sweet girls hidden under a blanket?

Because a cheer competition with an active toddler?

It must be the closest thing to Hell on earth.

First you climb up the bleachers and squeeze in to the 2 foot empty spot with your baby, folded astroller, diaper bag, toy bag, snack bag, four year old, and squirmy toddler. Then, you settle said toddler and start offering her snacks to keep her busy. You focus your attention for just a moment on the competition, only to look up to see fruit snacks stuck in the beautiful curly hair of the woman in front of you, your toddlers sticky wet hand reaching perilously close to said hair to pull them out. You are also fielding phone calls and texts from the only member of your family not to get sick yet, two hours away, who has now become sick and wants her momma. You manage to stick it out for twenty minutes, so that you can see your first born daughter cheer, and then make it down the bleachers, your four year old screaming "Don't leave me!" and crying hysterically behind you. You decide to hit the restroom for a pit stop before heading out to "play" and while you are taking care of your business, the toddler climbs under the bathroom stall door and runs out of the bathroom. Among glares and stares from toddlerless parents, you leave the gym and go into the commons area to "play" for two hours. Playing consists of running after the toddler as she tries to eat bark, trash, dirt, sticks, and decides that the trash can and the parking lot are the desired places to play. All the while, your poor neglected four year old does her cheers, begs you to pay attention to her, and sticks her hand in an ant hill.

In a nutshell...fun stuff.

Also this week, we've been doing a lot of this, giving Charlotte breathing treatments.

What a good daddy. My heart just melts when I see how sweet he is with her.

Our week ended with a cathartic church service this morning. My friend, Jim, was able to come to church this morning. Patient transport had to bring him, but he was there to be deacon of the week, in his words, "one last time." We sang his favorite songs, got to tell him we loved him, got to meet his family who had all flown in. And there were tears. Lots of tears. I wonder how I'll feel when he is gone, after mourning him so long and so hard right now. I do know that I've learned/relearned/realized during all of this that each day is a gift.

Even the cheer competition days.