MINE

I love being called "Momma" instead of "Aunt Sonia".  I love that kisses on the lips and back rubs are appropriate.  I love not having to love my children like i have to love my  nephews, niece and Godchildren from a respectable distance, reserving their very best love for their parents.I love the difference of a mother child relationship versus an aunt nephew niece relationship.    I love that I am the giver and recipient of that "very best love", or as Katherine would say, that "very big love".  Although my babies have "belonged" to many, I love that they first belong to God, and that He has chosen me.  I get to be their momma, and Randy gets to be their daddy.  We get their "very biggest love", and I just love that.

Where Do I Begin? How To Sum Up 2010

The past month has been somewhat of a whirlwind, and I'm not sure I can do it justice in a blog, but here goes.
Earlier in December, we had a grease fire in our kitchen, which  resulted in a lot of smoke and extinguisher chemical damage in our house.  therefore, we are currently staying at the Best Western down the road.  We've done our best to keep life as normal as possible.  Friends have been great, and the kids have been real troopers.  A week later, we had some sort of water leak upstairs that resulted in a rain forest coming through to our downstairs living area.  Another insurance claim, another deductible, but all in all, it's going to be OK.  We've got our hotel room decorated, celebrated Katherine's 7th birthday with a tea party at an adorable Tea Room called Time Well Spent, instead of the tea party I had planed for our house.  Randy's mom, dad, brother and his family came down to celebrate with us, and we had a great time.  
We don't have a date yet for our move back home, but I do hope it's soon.  I miss our house, and all that it represents.  Although I miss the house, wherever my family is, well, that's home.
More later!
Sonia

Out Of The Mouths Of My Babes...

Kids seem to say funny things, especially when they think no one is listening!  Last night, Katherine was coloring in a Bible coloring book.  I was enjoying the somewhat off tune melody she was singing, and soon recognized it as "Jesus Loves Me".  It went something like this:  "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so, Little ones to Him belong, they are SWEET but he is strong...".  I couldn't help but smile- what an apt perception of how Jesus is, and who He is to children. 
In school, her class has been studying Squanto, the English speaking Native American.  We looked up some info about Squanto on the internet, and then my little song bird began belting out another slightly off key tune that went like this:  "I love Squanto, Oh Yes I do, I love Squanto, and so should you, I love Squanto, I love him sooooo, I love Squanto, He was an Indian....."

This morning, Will is home sick.  We were having some "quality time" watching Good Morning America (well, I was having quality time, he was begging me to put in the  Inspector Gadget movie ...).  the song "tonight's Going To Be A Good Night" came on.  Will asked who sang that song, and I replied, "The Black Eyed Peas".  It's funny how brains work.  He left the room, came back a few minutes later and said, "I've never heard of Black and White Peas.  Why are they called that?  Do you eat them?"
OK, maybe not ROFL funny, but it brightened my day to be able to enjoy their innocence just a little bit:)

I Love You

I love you when you're happy, 

I love you when you're sad.

I love you when you're happy

and I love you when you're mad.

I love you when you're when you're sleepy,

and when you're wide awake.

I love you when you're well,

and when your temp I have to take.

I love you when you giggle,

I love you when you cry.

I love you in the dark of night,

when you snore that little sigh.

I love you when you wonder,

and I love you when you know!

My love for you will NEVER leave,

no matter where you go.

I love your from the top of your head,

to the soles of your shoes,

So, my darling sweethearts,

MOMMA'S love you CANNOT lose.

Grandparents, Apples And Traffic

I realize this is a bit random of a title, but that's how our whirlwind weekend can best be summed up.  This weekend, we went to the Upstate to visit my grandparents and see their new "digs".  They have recently moved from where they lived for 64 years to a town about 5 hours away.  It's a much nicer place, closer to family, and they seem to be satisfied.  We stayed with some of our very best friends, and always have a great time when we're together.  On Sunday after church service and a very tasty lunch at a place called Pompous Pig, we took off for an afternoon of apple picking in the mountains.  We had a lovely time, the weather was wonderful, and the apples picked right from a tree (my very first time!) were so delicious!  After we paid for our bushels, the kids shared an apple cider slush and Randy and I shared a muscadine slush.  Both were wonderful!  Pictures will hopefully follow soon.
What should have been a 4 hour ride home turned into 8.  There was an accident on the interstate that resulted in 1 fatality, several injuries and a closed down interstate.  We got so excited once we saw the REST AREA 2 MILES sign, but it took us an hour to get there!
We finally rolled into our "hood" about 1 am, and we all promptly fell into bed.  Be it ever so humble, there's NO place like home!
When we turned into our neighborhood, Will, somewhere between awake and sleep, mumbled, ahh, home sweet home:)

DNA

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while.  There seems to be very little computer time these days.  Instead, my time is spent picking up legos and puzzle pieces, washing clothes, playing in the yard, trying new recipes, and experiencing our city through the eyes of our children.  I have to say, I do not miss "my computer time" one little bit.  

As Randy and I watch our children grow, we continue to get to know them even better.  There are times that we just have to look at one another and laugh.  Tonight I looked at Randy as we were sitting in the rocking chairs on the porch finishing our iced tea from supper, and watching our children play.  I commented that it was amazing to me that although  we had absolutely nothing to do with their conception, it seems at times that they sure do have our DNA running through them.  I caught myself saying, "She's YOUR daughter", when K did something really silly that Randy would have done.  Other times, I see myself in each of them.  
How great is our God, that he would knit us together in so tight a weave.  
Praise Be To Jesus!
 

Cards

Since our family shower last week, today is the first time I've been able to sort through our cards.  I wanted to put each child's cards in a box for them to read later.  There are so many beautiful cards, with the most touching and heartfelt words ever.  One particular one, however, that touched me personally, was one that said; "It's never been a question of if, It's always been a question of when", and the inside says, "And now is your time". 
What more can I say?