A Fun Fourth Birthday!

We had an excellent day celebrating Maggie's fourth birthday! Mags helped me make chocolate chip pancakes and eggs for breakfast; then we went shopping for a birthday present (Maggie picked out a guitar, which she calls a violin, and has played it all day); then we got Happy Meals; then we came home and rested; then we went out to eat (Maggie picked the restaurant--"Jiminee's"--otherwise known as Jim & Nick's); then we went to church. We just got home and snacked on the Halloween donuts our Fancher friends brought Maggie this afternoon. A GREAT day. :-) Here are some pictures...

Mags enjoying her Happy Meal!
A birthday kiss from little brother
Hanging out with Mommy at Jiminees :-)
With Daddy
Our four-year-old!
One tired birthday girl!

FOUR!

Our Maggie turns FOUR tomorrow. I still remember four years ago like it was yesterday. The day before Maggie's birthday, I had a completely regular day. I got up, went to teach my sweet classes of eighth-graders, and went to my regularly scheduled 36-week doctor's appointment that afternoon. (I remember starting a new lesson on direct and indirect objects and being so concerned while driving to my doctor's appointment that the kids didn't get it and I needed to reteach it the next day.)

I got to my doctor's appointment and had high blood pressure. For the second time that week, my doctor checked me into the hospital for some monitoring and lab work. My blood pressure wouldn't go down, so she decided to keep me overnight and induce the next morning. I remember apologizing profusely to my principal and assistant principal on the phone for taking off a month early. I also remember, among worrying about other things the night before Maggie was born, being concerned that my school kids would NEVER understand direct and indirect objects. :-) I had no idea how God was about to change my life.

After a LONG day on October 20 (I was induced at 7 a.m. and Maggie was born at 9:12 p.m.), we met our sweet girl. From the time I laid eyes on her I could think of nothing else. She was taken quickly to the NICU for some routine monitoring since she was "pre-term," and the nurse brought our healthy baby girl to our room a couple of hours later. I will never forget those first few minutes Jeff and I got to hold Maggie. Such a precious time...no words can describe it.

We are so thankful for Maggie and the sweet little girl she is becoming. We love watching her grow and learn new things, and we feel unbelievably blessed that God has entrusted us with her and with Miller. Tomorrow will be a wonderful day full of reminders of just how blessed we are.

Happy fourth birthday, Maggie!


Four years ago...

Jesus is My Best Friend...

Nap Time

I told Miller it was nap time and then went to get a diaper to put on him. This is how I found him. ;-)

All Dressed Up

These are some pictures we took before a friend's wedding yesterday (Miller isn't dressed up because he didn't go...but he's still cute!). I guess we dress up every Sunday for church, but we're always rushing out the door and never think to take any pictures. We also take very few pics with both parents in them since one of us is always taking the pictures. We'll have more family pics taken soon...

Hope everyone has had a great weekend! It surely has been beautiful!

Kids' Rooms

Jeff's parents just moved and were kind enough to let us use two of their guest beds for Maggie and Miller. Here are pictures of their new "big boy" and "big girl" rooms. Miller is still sleeping in his crib for now, though. He's happy there and sleeps well, so we're not ready to move him to the big bed just yet. Oh, and Maggie's curtain rod, umm, fell, last week. ;-) That's next on the to-do list.


Thank you, Pop and Yaya!

Zoo Trip!

The kids and I had a fun trip to the zoo today! Here are a few pictures...
Miller...VERY happy about playing in the splash pad and eating raisins
Boosting his immune system (aka eating raisins off the ground at the zoo) Yes, eww. :-)
Miller was trying to keep Maggie warm. Her lips turn blue when it's under 80 degrees.
Two-headed giraffe...sort of.