My Little Sicko

Well, it's day 6 of Livy being sick with what we think is strep throat. Which means I haven't left the house all week. It seems that her new hobby is following me around all day making this nasally whining sound approximately every 12 seconds, probably to remind me that she's sick. Ya know, in case I've somehow forgotten.

I'm so ready for her to feel better because my patience is wearing thin. I hate when she's sick. It really does break my heart. Thankfully she's not running fever anymore, she just can't get over that sore throat! I've tried giving her some lozenges to help soothe the pain, but she insists on chewing them up immediately instead of sucking on them. She hasn't eaten much. Grits, applesauce, macaroni, and lots of ice cream have been the main menu.

"Livy, what do you want for supper tonight?"
"I don't know. Just get whatever you want to get."
"Applesauce?"
"No."
"Ice cream?"
"Umm, yes... I suspect I will."

She suspects she will? What is she? 85? Anyway, we are looking forward to this weekend, a chance to get out of the house! Drew's team is playing a tournament in Hot Springs. I see sunshine, a tan, and maybe a little Hobby Lobby in my near future.

A New Kind of Thermometer

Late Friday morning, Livy told me she was tired so I told her she could lay down in my bed and take a nap. She never naps anymore, so when she actually fell asleep I started thinking something might be wrong. Then she woke up from her nap crying.

"Why are you crying?"
"I... just... don't... know..."
"Do you feel ok?"
"No, I feel sick."

I picked her up and she was burning up. I checked her temperature, and sure enough, she was running a fever of 101.1. I took a picture of the thermometer and sent it to Drew so he would know what's going on, and this is what I got...

 

 I just don't know what to do with him sometimes! Ha!

Dance Recital 2014

Thursday night we got to watch Livy show off what she's learned all year in dance class. I love that the studio she takes from has small classes which makes the recital that much sweeter. It's not a production. It's just an intimate, relaxed, family setting that is all about the dancers.

Believe it or not, I didn't take any pictures during the recital. I videoed each dance, but since Tara had a photographer there I didn't worry about taking my own pictures. I just got to watch and enjoy! We'll be able to order the action shots from Misty Byrd, and I can't wait to see them!

Livy Lou did a great job, but more importantly, she had a blast! The girl loves any chance she gets to wear make-up, and her "rainbow eyes" just made it even better! She was so excited!

I keep asking Drew what he's gonna do when she's a teenager. He doesn't want to talk about it.

AWANA Closing Program

Wednesday night was Olivia's AWANA closing program. We had practiced her Bible verse for 3 weeks and she knew it perfectly! She even knew what book of the Bible it was in.

God loved us and sent His son. -1 John 4:10

I think she got a little nervous in front of everyone and looked at her teacher for help, but once she got a hint she said her verse proudly in the microphone (after they lowered it down). We were so proud of her!

Pappy and Annie (Livy's most favorite people in the world) don't miss a thing!

Uncle Glenn and Aunt Bebbie were her Cubbies teachers. We are SO thankful for them!

Livy and Tatum were sporting their new Cubbies ribbons.

Tatum insisted on holding Livy.

And then Tatum wanted to take our picture. 

And then the girls took a selfie.

Pineapple

A few days ago I was in the kitchen doing dishes and I could hear the girls through the monitor in our bedroom.

"Charlotte, say p-p-pineapple. C'mon you can do it. P-p-pineapple. Say it girl!"

"Aaaaaooooooooooooaaaaaaa..."

"Mom!!! Charlotte said pineapple!!!"

What can I say? I have genius kids. 

Blossom Festival 2014

I kicked off this years Blossom Festival by walking the 5K with my gal pals. I'm pretty sure the best part was sporting our hilarious shirts... "5K Mommy - 3.1 miles of peace and quiet!" Ha! Love it.

In the meantime, Drew was at home getting the girls dressed and ready, and they were waiting for me when I crossed the finish line. Then it was Livy's turn to run!

I signed Livy up for the 1 mile Fun Run thinking she'd probably start the race, run a little, and then turn around and cross the finish line. So what if she didn't run the whole mile... she would still have fun and get a medal! But shame on me for not having more faith in my child.

The girl ran the entire mile!

She talked the whole time, cheered on her friends, and even picked a couple of flowers along the way. I kept asking her if she was getting tired and needed to walk a little bit. She'd stop running, take a couple of steps, and then say, "Ok, let's run!" 

Towards the end of the race I was really trying to pump her up...

"You are doing so good, Livy! I can't believe it! Daddy is gonna be so proud of you! You're going so fast I can hardly keep up! Look! We're almost to the finish line!!!"
"I know! I'm gonna be so proud of Walker if he wins!"

Sweet little thing. Always concerned about the people around her. The lack of competitiveness bothers her daddy but I just think it's sweet!

She crossed the finish line at 17 minutes. Literally the last one (the police car was bringing up the rear directly behind her). But I was SO incredibly proud of her! Three years old and she ran a mile by herself! One of the ladies in charge of the race told us she didn't have to run the whole thing, but I wanted her to have that satisfaction of knowing she did what all the other kids did. She earned that medal!

Then it was off to dance! Her tap class danced their Cuddly Duck dance in front of the stage.

Then after dancing, we had to rush to the parade line to ride with our steak cooking team. We spent the rest of the day with them hanging out and cooking for the judges while Drew was back and forth between there and the softball tournament. We had a great day with great friends!

My Husband

When my parents announced their divorce to my sister and I on New Years Day 2013, it was a complete and total shock. Seriously. They had never been the affectionate type to one another, but some people just aren't. That didn't mean they weren't in love, right? The thought of them divorcing had never crossed my mind... especially after 29 years of marriage.

But as the saying goes, things aren't always what they seem. My parents' marriage had been crumbling for many years, and I watched as the walls came tumbling down around them. The divorce process began semi-cordially, but just became more of a mess as time went on. There were some very intense moments of fellowship between our entire family. At 25 years old, I had never been directly affected by divorce but I quickly learned why God never intended for it to take place. It's messy. It's bitter. It tears families apart and sets them against one another. Sure, good can come after a divorce, but nothing is good about the actual process.

I've heard a lot of people question the sanctity of marriage when their parents get divorced. What's the point of sharing your life with someone when divorce is inevitable? Do wedding vows even mean anything these days? If my parents couldn't hold it together, then how am I expected to? All of which are valid  questions when it feels like the rug has been jerked out from under your feet.

However, I never felt any of that. Not for one second.

When Drew and I first started dating, I could tell we had something very special. It didn't take long for us to become best friends, wanting to spend every second together. It took me 5 months to tell him I loved him (I wanted to really mean it!), and after that we were inseparable. He was my world, and I would've married him right then and there.

Naturally, when my parents divorced, Drew was my rock, my support, my listening ear, my shoulder to cry on, my friend... he was everything a husband is meant to be. His loyalty and love for me runs deep and true, and that is a wonderful feeling... to have complete trust in someone. My favorite part of the day is when he walks through the door after a long day at work and gives me a hug and a kiss. I find comfort and security in those arms, and I can't say enough about how much he means to me.

When he looks at me I still get butterflies.

Just like I did 12 years ago.