One Week!....

 Well, yes, I did once again pirate these off another persons web page.  I am not ashamed!

My camera has laid dormant for some time now...well, except for at the hospital.  When Mandy shared these pics her cousin took, I snatched them for my memory book.

  The girls are madly in love with their brother.  Cannot say that I blame them.  He is a joy.  A little bundle that they hug and kiss and hold constantly.  He just accepts the affection and stares at the ceiling!

 As for Mandy and Tim, they are learing to be a family of five.  It is different.  No time to nap when the baby naps, and of yes, all that extra laundry!  Is it worth it?  Resoundlingly YES!

 This is a peaceful baby!  He rarely cries and is endlessly content.  

He makes you want to stare at him all day.  

Who does he look like?  Everyday is different!  

Who loves this baby with her whole heart....Finley.  She was born to mother!  She has always been like that.  

Who else loves this baby more than anything?

All of us!

He is our Christmas blessing!!

Now They Are Five...........

Ater what seemed like more than eternity our baby finally arrived.

Typically we do not worry about getting "the call" during the day.  It is when it is time for bed that I crawled in and wondered how much sleep I would get before the phone rang....and so it happened!

It was 3:15 a.m. on November 28th that my phone went off and it took about one second to answer it and greet Mandy with "Happy Anniversary to me!!!"  I knew immediately it was a boy on the way.  After months of really feeling like we would be welcoming another girl, the date confirmed boy in my mind!

I made it to Tim and Mandy's house in a matter of ten minutes and when I walked in the door they walked out!   The first text said she was at a 5 so I let the girls sleep and got dressed...and washed my hair of course!!!  The girls were up and we ate breakfast, dressed and headed out the door the another text...she is at a 9-10!  Pouring rain, slick streets, and two girls ready to get to the hospital...and we were truly afraid we would not make it.  Little did we know!

It would take another 4 hours for that baby to make an entrance.  

It was beautiful.  I never imagined that seeing the birth of a baby, other than my own, would be so amazing.

I am so grateful we did not know what we were expecting.  

The beauty of his birth and hearing Tim exclaim "Welcome Matthew Joseph" will be forever engrained in my memory.  

He is perfect.  What baby isn't?  

They miracle of being tucked away inside someones tummy one second and being a living, breathing creature the next is something that only confirms the majesty of God. 

The perfect hand of our Creator sends us these beautiful little humans.

How can you doubt His plan for us?

The girls are invited in and after a quick diaper check, it is confirmed they have a brother!

It was a terribly cold and miserable day but the perfect day for the arrival of our first grandson.  I think the impact has just begun to hit me.  I did know that it was a boy the minute the phone rang.  The baby had been trying to make his way into the world for over a week.  He passed over five family birthdays, Thanksgiving, and his due date to arrive on November 28th.  It was our 45th Anniversary and 28 is the number his Uncle Matt, his namesake, wore at the Naval Academy for four years on his football jersey.  Too many things lined up for this to be just a coincidence.  

Life does not always fall into place as we plan.  The picture that I had of our family is nothing like what the reality really is.  Our reality is as it was meant to be and we have found so much joy in the life we do have that we know that God is good.  Someday we will understand all of the "whys".  Until that time I will just continue to appreciate what I have because what I have is very, very good!

Matthew Joseph Shubzda

8 lbs. 12 oz.

November 28, 2015

12:37 p.m.

Still A Family Of Four........

It is Thanksgiving Eve and we are still waiting.  I waited in California for 12 days for Brooklynn's arrival, all the time emailing lesson plans to a not so good substitute and I survived.  Somehow this baby is making me anxious.  I want him/her to arrive, but surely not as badly as the parents do!

 While Mandy and Tim made a trip to the doctor today...hoping that she would be sent to the hospital, I spent the day with the girls.  Yes, they are very eager to welcome a baby.  To pass the time we cooked (for Thanksgiving) only burning two of the pies and making a huge mess in the kitchen!!!

 But, we were not just making pies, we were making memories.

I have two little homemakers.  They love to cook and sew and do everything I love to do so entertaining them is not so difficult.

We moved from the mess in the kitchen to enjoy some fun in front of the tree.  A little Christmas music, and a little laughter.  

 Whatever Brooklynn finds comical, Finley does too.  

 On to another part of the house and a little tent building.  Finley's favorite game...let's play family.

 Give me your best mad face......

These precious girls were only here three hours and it took me three more hours to repair the damage that was done!  And I do not care.  There is such a short time to childhood and such a short time to Christmas.  

The holidays are so hectic and while everyone else races to fill their calendars with holiday parties, lunch dates, and runs to the mall I just want to enjoy the moment.  I want time.  

I graciously passed off Thanksgiving to my sister in law the day before the actual event (out of fear we would be making a hospital run) and I am relieved.  I want to sleep late, drink coffee, mess up someone else's house this year and come home with no leftovers to store.   

I don't want to shop on Black Friday, and I am glad what decorating I am doing is done.  It is exactly a month until Christmas day and if I don't accomplish anything else this season, I will enjoy my babies....the two that are here and the one that I hope gets here soon!

I Am The One......

Yes, I am the one.  I am the one who thinks everything should have a season.  

I am truly angry when Christmas decor shows up at Hobby Lobby right after July 4th.  I think summer should last until after Labor Day.

BUT....

 I am also the one who wants to look at Christmas in my house from Halloween on!

I have been on a person self evaluation mission to decide why I want two months of the happiest time of the year...and that is it!  It is the happiest time of the year!

 This year it has taken a little longer to truly feel in the "mood" simply because the weather has been way too warm.  Today however it turned a bit cooler thereby justifying my need for twinkling lights and merriment!

 I also know that I do not work at the rapid pace I used to anymore.  I cannot get the house done in a weekend....or even two.  Thank heavens for retirement.  I can unpack a box or two a day and feel like I have accomplished something significant!

It makes me "merry".  It makes me appreciate the good humor of the man at the Salvation Army bucket in front of Kroger who is ringing his bell for the next 40 days or so.

I have immersed myself in the sappy Christmas shows on the Hallmark Channel all weekend and wondered why they draw me in.  I think it is because their Christmases seem to last forever.  I want to be like them.  I want things done and I want to curl up with hot chocolate in front of the tree and read without worrying about searching Amazon for another gift.  

I want to savor!!!!

So I am.  My goal is to finish before the arrival of grand baby #3 and then I can relax and enjoy that precious bundle.

What a gift!

Coming Soon!.......

Remember the days of the first grandchild when you photographed each week of the "baby bump"?

Yes, so do I!

Remember #3 and #4 when you realized that it was almost time for one of them to get here and you had no pictures at all?

 A few weeks ago at our Sunday dinner we decided a quick few picks were in order...much to the dismay of my daughter in laws.  You see Sunday is their day to go lazy...no makeup and hair wrapped up somewhere in back.  They agreed to a pic if I would just photoshop their heads off!

The sad thing is, you cannot even see their bellies!  They are hiding their tummies well...though neither is actually very big anyway.  Tucked up in there are my grand babies to be...gender unknown.

I am anxious to meet them both and hope for safe deliveries and healthy little ones.  

A new one just in time for Thanksgiving....

what a gift!!!

Before It Is Thanksgiving........

Before I have time to push post on this group of pictures it is going to be Thanksgiving and then shortly thereafter Christmas.  Oh my!!

So many events crammed in a short period of time and I want to enjoy the moments not watch them whiz by.  

I had to have Mandy sent me pictures from her iPhone of Halloween because I forgot my camera.

Not typical for me.  It is always with me.  Not this year sadly. 

 My little girls went with My Little Pony and Team UmiZoomie themes.

My Little Pony I recognize.  It has been around since my kids were little.  The other theme....not so much.  But Finlet was a proud Millie and as long as she knew what she was that is all that matters!

I have never been a big fan of Halloween.  My kids were.  They did not go with a regular treat bag....it was a pillowcase for them and they did not stop until it was close to full.  Then they would come home and sort their candy.  

I intend to embrace the joy the kids find in the holiday.  I was possibly deprived of enjoying the holiday as a child...I do not remember.  Neverthless I will celebrate with them and enjoy watching them get sugared up...and then go home!

Baby Face!!.....

Here he is...or she is.!!

This is baby Shubzda # 4...proud parents are Drew and Heather.

This is their 21 week sonogram and was I ever excited when I saw it.

This baby is half way to their birthday and what perfect little features!

We are excited....as you might guess.  Two new grand babies due within 3 months of each other and we do not have any idea what we are expecting.  Who does that anymore???  My family of course!

Names?  No one is sharing.  So, we don't know the sex and we do not know what we are going to call  them when they arrive.  Anxiety is beginning to set it.  I am ready to hold that newborn and smell that new baby smell.  I am typically not a newborn fan but it has been awhile.  I enjoy every minute of interacting with a 3 year old and 5 year old but snuggles are getting few and far between.  

We are ready.  sheets are washed and blankets folded.  Bring on a new baby face!!!

Little Bride......

Finally...a new post on my almost non-existent blog.

Somehow time has snuck past me and as all these life events are passing me by.

 I forget to record them like I used to.

I really want to remember my little golden bride and spending the morning making a wedding dress for this special little girl.

Finley loves to sew!  That makes me smile because sitting at a sewing machines the greatest therapy ever.

  We went to the fabric store and after Finley touched every piece of fabric there was she chose this awkwardly golden cloth
 for the wedding dress she has been begging me to make.
It took us almost an entire day...or maybe we spread it out over several days, but we finally finished
this project. She was so proud.

Her patience is amazing.  She did not leave my side as we stitched and glued and ironed.

End result was an excited little lady with a big smile as she modeled her creation.

Her choice of a groom....her daddy of course!

I Am Six.....

Now We Are Six

When I was one,

I had just begun.

When I was two,

I was nearly new.

When I was three,

I was hardly me.

When I was four,

I was not much more.

When I was five,

I was just alive.

But now I am six,

I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six

now and forever.

 I love A. A. Milne. 

 I used to read Now We Are Six over and over again.

And now this precious poem applies to my first born grandchild.  

Oh sadness :(

There is something different about six...it is not five.  Five still sounds little.  Six does not.  

Brooklynn is mature beyond her now six years.  

She reads better than some first graders.  That is the work of her mom. Mandy reads with her daily and Brooklynn loves it.

Her latest passion is crafts.....

AND unicorns!!

Brooklynn still loves to hug, and laugh and play house.  Playing babies is her current passion because she is a big sister in training!

She has grown so tall that she needed a bigger new bike for her birthday.  She has finally mastered riding without training wheels.

Oh how i love this girl.

She and her sister have brought me more joy.

I would drop anything to play with her...

that is what grandparents do.

Happy Birthday Brooklynn.   Thank you for letting me love you so much and still having time to share your days with me!

Absent.......

It has been weeks...literally since I have taken time to sit down and jot down our activities.  

I am retired...but I manage to fill my calendar until there are few moments to think.  

All by choice of course!  

BUT...

I still want to remember all of the things that take hold of my days and with two new grandbabies on the way I want to keep all of my memories intact.

The Pope! 

 Four continuous days of watching this very holy man travel through three cities during his very first trip to the US.
No wonder there is nothing on my blog!!!
Even my non-Catholic friends found reasons to talk about this humble, unassuming man.  

I honestly watched every moment I could fit in.  I picked CNN since I knew our Catholic television station would give nothing but positive insight.  The result....

CNN's Anderson Cooper was awestruck!  To see commentary from a non-Catholic perspective was great.  Pope Francis traveling sandwiched between limo's and huge SUV's in his tiny Fiat made a statement.  He is not a man seeking power, but a man of humility doing the work of God.  He is more comfortable among the homeless than sitting in a State Dinner with dignitaries and so this is the schedule he choose.  

He did not condemn on any level but asked for humanity instead of hostility.  Words that we all should take to heart.

And....yesterday what I think will  be the last swim of the season.  

The water is 82 degrees and for me that is polar atmosphere.

Not so for two little girls who were dying to get in the water one more time.  

It makes me smile to see them enjoy everything.  Now that school has started I don't get that opportunity so much.

Life is just better with grandbabies.

I will make this next statement brief...we have a rat in our $40 trap finally.

I sent Sara out to take this picture....and even putting this photo on here made me squeamish.

Just to note...my husband actually threw the electrified creature on the grass and measured it at 15'" from head to end of tail.  It is for me the epitome of disgusting to know that this thing has been on our property for 10 months leaving rat tracks and droppings everywhere.  

We are armed in case he has any friends.  

And finally I have a pile of fabric that will soon be a quilt for grand baby #3.

I am not so sure I am a fan but with a smile on my face I am going to attempt to recreate a blanket from a picture I saw on Pinterest.  No pattern....just a picture.  Thank heavens for a helpful lady at a quilt shop that was patient enough to guide me in the right direction.

However, after ringing up a pile of fabric quarters that cost $116 that was probably the least she could do!

In the next week I am going to attempt to connect all of these pieces into something that resembles a picture and hope that when I am done it makes mom and baby happy because in the long run that is all that matters.

Project for the next few weeks....sew!

Blog for the next few weeks...probably not!