HollieMae has Arrived!

We've had a great couple of weeks!  First and foremost I was able to witness the birth of HolliMae Ford in the early morning of March 8th.  It truly was an amazing event to be apart of.  I have never been around to see any of my nieces or nephews be born, so the fact that it to me until Cami's 5th to finally be apart of one is a long time.  There is something quite spiritual, divine and majestic as you watch a life go from in the womb to in the world.  I will never forget the feeling I felt as she entered this earthly life.  It has made me sit back and reflect upon my own purpose and what course I am on....something that I feel we all need a little reminder of ever once in a while (some of us more than others ;-) ).  I am so grateful for the fullness of the gospel.  Seriously. So grateful.

The week prior to HolliMae's birth was spring break.  We had our good friends the Bush's visit from Dallas and loved seeing them as always.  They are such good, good people.  Unfortunately one of theirs fell ill while here, but we made the best of it despite it all.  We went to the Bluebell factory, we heated the pool all week (just got that bill- eeek!) and the kids swam EVERY DAY of spring break despite the cruddy weather.  It truly was gloomy, rainy and cold all week.  Bummer.  Glad we were in good company or I may have gotten a little gloomy myself.  Tyler started throwing up Wed but recovered really quickly and miraculously no one else got it!  Thursday night I fevered all night with a major headache and back ache.  It hit so hard so fast that I was certain it was the flu.  I went in that morning and sure enough I was flu type A positive.  I've never had much success with Tamiflu, but I am sure it did it's trick this time as I was almost normal the following day!  I had to nap for several days afterwards, but man it was awesome.  Again no one else got it accept me.  LTM's for sure.

Due to our illnesses we didn't get back up to Conroe until past Friday.  Mom had been in town for over a week and we hadn't even seen her, but we didn't want to share our crud with their family, so it was a good thing. 

It has been so grate to hang out with Mom, Lyndsey, Cami and the new babe.  Seriously.  I love family.  Love, love, love them. 

Lyndsey came down from Cami's neck of the woods for spring break to house/dog sit for a family in our ward.  She lived in a mansion for a week.  Some of my kids still seem to be confused as they talk about Lyndsey's house, hahahaha.  So Lyndsey the expectations are set very high when my kids go to your next home :)  

She moved into Tyler's room and everyone is just LOVING having her here.  Tyler is particularly goofy around her.  He acts like he does when he's around a girl he likes!  So he must think she's pretty Hot stuff.  It will be sad when she leaves, but I know she is anxious to wash her hands of the Houston ISD.  I would be too, but I'm guessing she will have some bonds formed that she didn't even realize were forming once she leaves.  Serving people that are hard to love always seems to create some love.

We have been full swing ever since the break ended.  The kids are in the depths of STAAR preparation (the state standardized test), which I loathe.  We need all the prayers we can get that Audrie will pass her tests....this is supposedly a pass/fail year....if they don't pass they don't move on, etc.  If that does happen I will definitely fight it, but I'd rather not fight a fight I don't need to.  When we go up to Conroe this weekend we would like Shane and Dad to participate in giving her a blessing in regard to this test and her troubles in general. 

I feel that we've hit a milestone in this relay of dyslexia; that is truly how I feel it has been since her diagnosis.  Trying our hardest to keep up with the school curriculum while we do what we can to assist, teach and remediate...all while she is running.  But recently I have felt very strongly that we have done all we can, intervened, taught, tutored, etc.  Now the baton has been passed on solely to Audrie.  All the tools are in place, all the rules and strategies have been taught she simply has to apply them when doing her work.  Something that she isn't doing well right now.  So that has become my specific prayer; that she will apply the rules she has been taught.   If you feel so inclined, we can always use prayers for her.

I am still beaming after heading the news from Ali- TWINS- I just can't believe it.  For all those who don't know I have said for YEARS that if anyone has twins it would be Ali....and low and behold it happened.  Unbelievable.  Maybe those kiddos and I had a little thing going on in the preexistence ;)  I'm trying to convince them to move down here!  I can be the permanent nanny of all these babies!  My arms so ache for littles as my little turns into a big girl. 

Here is our latest Sammy funny from today:

As we enter the store Home Goods Sam asks "mom, when you eat a lot do you make babies?" I giggle as we step through the automatic doors and respond, "um. no honey." To which she replies as we enter the store in a loud and complexed voice for all to hear "THEN HOW DO YOU MAKE BABIES?"
I love her. She always keeps me laughing.  Always.