Are These Two Brothers?

From the moment Ezie was born he reminded me of his big brother Z. He was a little smaller and he has his own personality no doubt, but I couldn't help but have flash backs of my life 5 years before. As he grew, he changed, and his eyes were so blue and everyone thought he looked like J. So I thought, Hmm, I guess he won't look like his brother after all. That stage didn't last though. For the past 5 months J and I can't help but be amazed at how much Ezie reminds us of Z at that age! So I got out the photo albums yesterday, and I apologize because the first two photos of Z are just a picture of a picture taken on my phone, so they aren't the best quality. 

Z at one week and Ezie at two weeks.

Z and Ezie on their birthdays

Z at 15 months and Ezie a couple days ago (15 months)

Now, I understand all babies look alike to a degree. I also realize you can take pictures of someone making the same face angled the exact way and find similarities, that is NOT what I did here. These are  just pics that I pulled together and was SHOCKED when I put them side by side. I could show you dozens more. Seriously! These brothers have their own unique ways about them and they are not identical, but still, I just can't get over the resemblance. Ezie eyes are totally a different color than Z. Also, Z had a lazy eye. The above photo of him is one of the last ones where he doesn't have glasses. So even though glasses don't change the structure of your face they do change the way you appear. From this point on the side by side photos will be a little easier to distinguish whose who for that reason if nothing else. 

Maybe they'll change more and look nothing alike. Or maybe when they are grown Z will have contacts and  people will get them confused all the time. Only time will tell. Either way they are both adorable. I love my boys! 

May 2013. Z- 5 years old, Ezie- 7 months.

A Visit From The Cold And Aunt Flo

In case the title doesn't already indicate, this post will have a tad bit TMI. Believe it or not there are a handful of gents that read messy mom and I would hate for them to not get a fair warning.

First off, after our holiday trip to Texas we were welcomed back with some dangerously cold weather that kept the schools shut down two days in a row.



 Having surprise days off is always a treat so I hate to whine about it, but the bitter sub zero days are nothing like the fluffy white snow days where you can play outside. So we went from being trapped in a car on our way to Ohio to being trapped in the apartment.  

It wasn't so bad. J had made a big pot of chili and being in the apartment felt spacious after being together in the car for 24 hours. The trouble hit when after two years of no period (thank you pregnancy and breast feeding) I started my cycle. Of all the times, it was the morning that the inclement weather hit. When the dangerous weather was predicted we got food, we got diapers, we made sure we had plenty of toilet paper. What didn't we have? Pads. So first thing that Monday morning I had to send J out into the freezing, windy, icy warfare for one thing and one thing only (but lots of it)! He did have to phone a friend call me from the feminine hygiene aisle while he stared blankly at the endless boxes of pink, but he managed to stock me up. Man of year I tell ya, Man of the year.

So back at the camp J and I were discussing the actual temperature verses the "feels like" temperature. 



You know what I am talking about. On the news or your weather app, or whatever, it will say the temperature outside is 45 degrees, but feels like 32. Or this one is called "real feel" (which I had never heard before).




Where does this "feels like" temp come from anyway? A quick search on google tells me it is

 “the temperature at the reference humidity level producing the same amount of discomfort as that experienced under the current ambient temperature and humidity”. 

Um, yeah right. You can get all scientific if you want, but I think I know what's going on here. It's the same way I got 7 hours of sleep, but because all 3 kids were in the bed it FEELS LIKE I only had 4. Or, I know I had a full breakfast, but I am a busy nursing mom, so when I pass by dunkin donuts it FEELS LIKE I am still hungry. I can just imagine the hard-nosed meteorologist that came up with this. He's sitting outside all bundled up in his winter coat and he mentions to his intern "Whew, it's got to be like 20 degrees out here!" The nerdy intern responds, "with all due respect sir it's actually only 37". "Yeah, well it FEELS like it's 20 and I am putting that in the forecast!". 



Whether it's sleep, hunger, or the forecast the "Feels Like" is almost never for the better. It's always something like 90 degrees, but FEELS LIKE 108.



 Very rarely do I think or READ that it's 95 degrees outside, but don't worry it feels like 80. Then again when I am on Pinterest and I'm short on time because I need to be cleaning it somehow FEELS LIKE I have all the time in the world. Speaking of which, I really need to get off the computer. This has been a fun discussion though. Stay warm friends. 

Big Announcement

Okay, so first of all I am not pregnant. I am the guilty party that always assumes that someone is pregnant when they make a statement like "big announcement". And I'll admit, I am always a little disappointed when the announcement is anything other than having a baby. Now that I have gotten that out of the way let me explain what the less-cute, but still life-altering announcement is.

In the past 2 years that we've been mostly unemployed it's felt like the 40 years that the Israelites wandered in the desert (I almost said dessert. 40 years of dessert wouldn't be so bad). In this season of uncertainty so many people have told J who he needs to become or what he needs to do. They are encouraging words, but it only makes it more confusing when there is so much conflicting advice. He is a talented musician, minister, carpenter, designer and more. The problem is he hasn't been able to find a way to make a steady income with any of it, despite everyone agreeing that he is amazing and should be able to rake in the dough just by looking at a job opportunity. Unfortunately that is not the case. As you all know we came to Ohio with our basic necessities and no plan other than to get SJ into a good school with a good audiologist.

Ohio has some wonderful programs for job placement. You can't get government assistance here without being a part of the workforce coalition, which is the way it should always be (but I'll try not to get too political here). When a professional advisor sat down to talk with J about our situation, he presented the opportunity for J to go back to school. He could get a grant to cover the cost of tuition, and they would look at his skill sets, entry level pay scale, and projected growth in each field to see what the best career choice would be.



It's been almost 15 years since J has been in school. Returning to school has always been something he has kept in the back of his mind, but you know how the back of the mind works. Stuff stays back there forever, unless something happens that is jarring enough to jostle everything inside of you. Which is our story. Everything came down to a mathematical statistic of what would be pretty close to guaranteeing us some stability in the next couple years. I know it's not as simple as it sounds, but after so many doors seemingly shut in his face, this is the open door that we've been praying for. I am sure you've already figured out what the big announcement is, but this semester J has started going to school full time. He's going to Cincinnati State majoring in Computer Science and Database Management.


This is a picture of the Library although most of those books are for school. 

 It will definitely be a challenge, but IT work is something that J is good at and enjoys doing.  I love seeing him inspired and motivated again. You can see life in his eyes knowing that there is a light at the end of this tunnel. I am so proud of him. It takes a lot of courage to go back to school at 37 years old. The "it's never too late" mentality shows the commitment and dedication that he has to succeed. It won't be easy and we will all have to make sacrifices, especially J, but it will be worth it. If you know Dave Ramsey's teaching, then you know what I mean when I say it will be a season of gazelle intensity.


Most of his classes are online and since our apartment is way to chaotic to concentrate J goes to school at Starbuck's.

We are still unsure about how it is all going to work, but I know that it will. Jeremiah 29:11 says God has plans for us to prosper and not be harmed, to have a future filled with hope.


This was his first day going to the actual campus since enrollment. Yay! 

So a big thank you to all have been praying for us, and please keep them coming as we embark upon yet another chapter in our journey.

Retro Kindergartener

Z's school has several different dress up days celebrating how long they have been in school. I love costumes and vintage clothes so I took the opportunity and ran with it. Or, at least as much as I could without spending any money. Actually, I did spend about $5 total because I bought a couple items from the thrift store. Seriously though, the bell bottoms were in a 50 cents bin. You can't beat that!

His elementary school kicked it all off with 50's day which was on the 50th day of school. Of course there is the obvious Grease Lighting look with the white tshirt and leather jacket, but I did my research and this outfit is equally suitable.

It's kind of Richie Cunningham from Happy Days. 

Then we move into the 70's for the 70th day of school. Once again, I do realize they were expecting all the boys to come in tie dye (because that was the suggested attire), but after relentless online searches it looked like this ensemble could work.

This time the inspiration was more like Eric Foreman from that 70s show.

Then last week, after being bumped back several times due to snow, we celebrated the 80th day of school. That's right, the 80's. I am old enough to have a child dress like the decade that I am from. Weird. 

We went with Mario Brothers for this one because the game is from the 80's, and he needed a haircut anyway so I went all out and gave him a  mohawk. 

He looked adorable. The only problem was that everything that he said with the mohawk made him sound like a little punk. For example even though he might have said "I can't believe it's time for bed" It sounds more like a teenager voice "I can't believe you are making me go to bed MOM! That's totally lame. I have to fight for my right to party." Aside from that he looks cute. I have never shaved his head and I don't plan on it, so until it all grown back he will rock the hawk. 

We have one month left before the 4th and final dress up day. For the 100th day of school the students will dress like they are 100 years old! So instead of a blast from the past it's more like a portal into the future. I've got big plans for the little old man. Stay tuned! 

The Littlest Christmas Star

One of the greatest gifts I have received this Holiday season is being able to hear SJ talk. Last year she had ZERO words and this year when we walked into my parents house she saw the Christmas tree and said tree and star! she can say snowman (even if it's just snow, everything is called snowman). She says hot when we are warming up with a hot chocolate or at the fireplace. When she sees the jolly man in the red suit she says Santa- ho ho ho. She says help me when she wants us to open a new toy, and she says all done and sings a simple version of the clean up song after playing (not every time, but the point is she CAN).  The list goes on and I am so grateful and proud of her progress. She works hard and although we've hit some bumps in the road, I know better than to take any word for granted.

SJ had her first Christmas pageant this year. I bought her a special dress and a bow that jingled. She loved it and wanted to wear it around the house.

 

I tried to tell her, and sign to her, that she could wear it later, but she didn't understand. She cried. She grabbed the dress and screamed MINE! Then she signed Beautiful, beautiful. I felt so bad that I had to take it away and that we are no where near the place in our communication where she could understand "you have to save this dress for your winter program at school". I know that even a hearing three year old would more than likely still not comply,  but at least they would know why you were taking it away.

When the time came for her to wear the dress I curled her hair and my mom bought her new shoes. She was quite the Christmas princess as she stood on the stage that night.



 Her part was to say "I love you mommy, daddy, Z, baby Ezie". She didn't quite get all that out, but she signed daddy and said "ma ma daddy. Deemah. I love you mama" and the reason she said Deemah is because that is her classmates name and she saw Deemah's mom in the crowd.

The next day at the school's Christmas party Santa gave her a present.



 SJ unwrapped it to find a simple paper back book called "The Littlest Christmas Star".

I smiled and was happy for her, but when I read it aloud I realized it was so much more than just a story. It was about a boy that wanted to have a big part in his Christmas play at school, but all of the major roles were taken. His part was to dress up like the Bethlehem star and he only had one little line which was "follow me". At the end of book it talks about the bright light shining down on him. The crowd cheered, and he knew then, that even though he may have had a small part, he was a BIG star. I would say that book was more than just a gift from Santa to SJ, I think it was also a gift from my heavenly Father to me. Seeing SJ in the winter program could have been a reminder for me of how far behind she is compared to the other kids in her class. She can't speak as well as her friends and she couldn't quite muster out the words they had practiced for weeks, but still, that night as she stood up there and spoke into the microphone she was my shining star.

In SJ's fundraiser letter last year I said "please join us as we help SJ reach her fullest potential and shine on" and so many people came together to help make that happen. In fact, I have a dear friend that wanted to donate, but wasn't able to at the time. When I saw her over the holiday break she gave us a Christmas card with a generous amount inside to go toward SJ's school. What she didn't realize was that it was the EXACT amount that we owe on her tuition from last year. Isn't God good?  I am so glad SJ gets to go to this school and I'm thrilled to see and hear the progress she is making. I can't even imagine what she will be saying next Christmas. Shine on my little star. Shine on!

Christmas Treasures

It was a very craft-full Christmas this year.



Now that Z and SJ are in school (including Sunday School) I had Christmas art projects coming home nearly everyday of December and we did Truth In The Tinsel ornaments on top of all that. It worked out well since I didn't decorate this year. The kids were always taping their art to the wall or putting things in our mini Christmas tree. It made our home feel a lot more festive having their contributions.


Z insisted we hang this wreath on the door. The assignment was to cut and glue 70 dots.

Some of the most memorable/laughable Christmas Craft moments were when...

SJ got a hold of the white feathers that were used for the angel ornament and she stuck them all in her head band.

Another Truth in the Tinsel LOL moment was when we made clay from scratch and my baby Jesus ended up looking more like a Russian Nesting doll. 

I loved this card Z made in Kindergarten class. The coke tab belt buckle is adorable. 

The inside said "Merry Christmas Mom and Dad. I love you and Christmas. Santa is cool. love, Z

This thumbprint ornament that looked like two candy canes shaped as a heart came with a poem and it was really touching. 

However, it was a slightly less heart warming when Z chimed in "It's too bad we all live in the same house. The kids whose mommy and daddy live in different houses got to make two ornaments." Well, what can I say? You win some you loose some. Sigh. 

On top of all the fun crafts Z's school does Santa shop, which is were the kids can bring money to school and buy gifts for their family. This is my first time experiencing anything like this, but it was really neat. Z had money from his chores so he cleared out his entire "Dave Ramsey Junior SPEND envelope" to buy presents for his family. Even though they were humble little gifts, the thought and consideration he put into it literally brought me to tears.

J got a mini tape measurer, which as you can imagine was perfect for him, especially since the kids broke his old one. Ezie got a little xylophone and he loves music and has had a blast banging on that thing. SJ got a princess pony with fairy wings. That was home run too.



Lastly, Z handed me my present. I already had a clue what it was, because he told me. But even though I knew it was a ring I constantly forbid him to give me anymore details. As I untaped the little package and pulled out the treasure inside Z announced "it's green, because that's your favorite color and then he slid the itty bitty ring onto my pinky finger. It was one of my favorite Christmas moments ever.

It never fails that some of the least flashy Christmases are the best ones. I am so grateful that no matter how crooked,  messy, or simple these little Christmas decorations and gifts may be, each one is a priceless treasure in my eyes. It doesn't get any better than this. 

2013 School Photos

One of my favorite parts of having children in school is the delight (or horror, but so far delight) of seeing the annual school picture. Z's school sent our package forms ahead of time and I figured they wouldn't turn out so I didn't order any, but when I saw the proofs I had to get my hands on some prints.

 This was his first school photo.

Then when SJ's turn came around a couple of months later the ONLY option was to order ahead of time. So, I chose the smallest cheapest package possible with exceedingly low expectations, but once again when I saw the prints I had to call up Lifetouch and beg them for more. They really captured a genuine small and the spark in her eye for this one. 

Lastly, even though Ezie obviously does not have any school photos yet, I took one year photos in the fall and had some equally adorable results. 

I am super frugal and some would even describe me as a tight wad, but there has to be some room in the budget for pictures. I like candid and artistic shots more than the traditional yearbook photo, but there is something about the nostalgia of these head shots that I can't pass up. They are little for such a short amount of time it's important to me to have a freeze frame of these milestones. Just look at them! Am I blessed or what?