6, 4, and 2

In case you are wondering what these numbers mean, they are the number of inches we trimmed off each of the girls' hair this afternoon. Megan and Grace have been begging me to trim their hair, but we had to wait until after their dance performance so we could get their hair up in a bun without too many fly aways. Now that the performance is past, we decided that today would be trim day. Hence, a "new look" for a "new year." Our finished products!

Leah sat and watched me trim her sisters' hair before she asked me to cut her hair to look like "Ga-Ga's" (her pronunciation for "Megan"). This was her first hair cut, so the pictures below document that bit of history in the life of our 3-year-old.

Before..... During...... and After!

~Wee

Winter Wonderland

We are still covered in ice here, with the temperatures near zero, but are so thankful for a warm house and electricity! There are still many people in our area that are without power, some since last Friday. On Friday, when the area first lost power, we were only without electricity for 3 hours.

Everything ran fine until Sunday just after lunch when we lost power once again. Upon arriving home from church, we gathered all flashlights, kerosene lanterns, candles, matches, and extra blankets so we'd be ready, with light and warmth, when the sun went down. However, none of that was needed as our good friends called mid-afternoon inviting us to their house for dinner since they were operating with a generator.

After dinner, Alex and I came back home to pack up overnight necessities, turn off the water, drain all pipes, and transfer food from the freezer to a cooler in the garage. We were thankful for warm food and beds that night, as well as making memories with our friends! Thanks guys! The girls hanging out with Holly.

Electricity came back on in the early morning hours yesterday and we have been okay since. Below are some pictures of the ice around our place. When the sun shines through it, it actually is a glorious sight to see.

~Wee

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to you, our family and friends! We so enjoy receiving your cards and pictures at this time of year!

Megan turned 10 in August and is in 4th grade. She reports that her favorite subjects are Math and Language Arts. She is our tomboy and appears to be a “natural” when it comes to athleticism. She made several baskets in Upwards basketball this year and also did a good job on the defensive end. In May we had our home school track and field day, where Megan came away with blue ribbons in every running event for her age level. Her “speed” was also instrumental on the soccer team this Fall. Throughout the year, Megan enjoys ballet and tap classes, piano lessons, swimming, reading, helping in the kitchen and the garden, playing games, scrap booking, making cards, and lest I forget, running.

Grace turned 8 in April and is in 3rd grade. Her favorite subject is Reading. She chose an American Revolution /Colonial theme for her birthday party. (It’s fun to squeeze in “school” even in a party setting!) She, too, was in Upwards basketball and, being one of the oldest on her team, made several baskets and showed great leadership skills. She played soccer this Fall, scoring a goal in the first game. Her strong point was playing defense, which Coach praised her for at the end of the season. He stated that it takes great courage to not back down when the ball is coming your way. Grace loves reading, ballet and tap classes, piano lessons, coloring, cooking and baking, swimming, scrap booking, and making cards. She is a natural nurturer and is drawn to little ones. She’ll be a great babysitter in a few years!

Leah turned 3 in July. She does her best at keeping up with her sisters and just loves to be incorporated into their play. She loves books, dollies, playing “house” and "store," hide and seek, helping out where needed, and doing her “school“ along with her sisters. She loves calling Daddy on the phone and when he comes home from work each day. I so enjoy her cuddles, hugs and kisses that are so readily available yet at this age! Her current favorite book is Curious George Goes to the Hospital.

Alex continues to balance our two chiropractic offices and stays very busy, squeezing in training seminars throughout the year as well. This summer, soon after arriving at the cabin in Michigan, Alex was struck by a tree limb that fell 25-30 feet. He had a crushed collarbone and a punctured lung and spent the first four nights of our vacation in the hospital. We are thankful for his complete recovery and for God's provisions for us during that time, complete with people to trim our own trees once we arrived home.

I continue to stay at home and home school the girls, and consider it a great blessing to do so. I am keeping up my massage business by working one day a week at our office, as well as fitting clients in on the side. I manage to squeeze in scrap booking about twice a year at our bi-annual retreats. I have enjoyed journaling on our family blog and sharing what our family is doing as things happen. Come back and visit us! We'd love to hear from you!

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009! May the Messiah King be real to you this season!

Much love,
Alex, Lorelei, Megan, Grace and Leah

She Made It

Well, today Leah experienced something that even I have never experienced. I noticed a spot on one of her bottom molars so took her to the dentist. Since she would barely open her mouth for our family dentist to get a glimpse of the tooth in question, he referred us out to a pediadontist. That appointment was last week. After an exam of her teeth, the pediadontist recommended a possible crown. Along with that came having to give her an antihistamine/anti-anxiety med two hours and one hour before her scheduled appointment.

Basically after that appointment, I was a mess. First of all, I was devastated that our 3 year old has cavities. (All of our girls' back teeth have such deep crevices.) Secondly, the thought of what she was going to have to go through was gut-wrenching! I called a friend of mine and she read scripture (in Luke) to me where Jesus warns about worry. I was reminded that whatever God is doing in Leah's little mouth, He is doing it for her good. Then she ministered to me in prayer as she prayed for me, our family, and little Leah. By that evening, both Alex and I felt more peaceful about what we were going to have to do.

Today was the appointment day. Soon after Leah woke up this morning, I had to administer the anti-anxiety drug. She did very well, considering its bad taste. Even before I had to give her the second pre-appointment dose, she was looking very tired. We didn't sit in the waiting area long before the assistant opened the door and said, "Leah." Leah wrapped her arms around me and clung to me. I had to pry her arms from around my neck and hand my baby over to the lady. Then Leah started to cry. After the door closed, I turned my chair around so I didn't have to face the front desk gals and sat there, looked out the window, and cried. After a bit, I pulled out my Bible, which I took along fully knowing I'd need it to get through the long 30 minutes.

I read in Psalm 91, a chapter that I memorized last year, but had actually stopped the habit of reciting it to myself. My Mom reminded me recently to meditate on the truth of those words and the promises contained therein.

5-10 minutes later: An assistant came out to me and handed me a piece of paper that discussed child restraining, basically a papoose looking board with straps at the ankles and wrists. I couldn't help it -- the tears started to fall all over again. I asked how Leah was doing and if I could go back with her. The lady didn't say no, but stated that there were already three assistants in the room. I guess holding a child's hands down constitutes "child restraining" and they apparently needed permission to do so. The other option was to go to the hospital and have general anesthetic done. Knowing this was not an option for us, I told her to do what they had to do. (I'm actually surprised she could understand what I was attempting to say between all my crying. Kind of funny now that I think about it, she did have to ask me to repeat something.)

Anyway, I continued to read on into Psalm 92 and just after reading vs. 4b-5, "I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts...," the assistant came out to me once again and said that Leah had calmed down quite a bit, the nitrous oxide was working, and they were getting things done quickly.

Probably not even 10 minutes later, the original assistant that took Leah back came out and told me, "She's all done, that I could go on back, and the dentist would talk with me about what they did." The dentist was waiting for me when I got back there. He asked how I was doing. To this I answered, "Not good." This has probably been one of the hardest things I have had to do as a Mom! He was a very compassionate and understanding man; he explained to me everything that they did and assured me that Leah did great.

The tooth was as bad as he thought it would be. When the decay was cleared away, the nerve tissue was exposed. They did a therapeutic pulpotomy and put a stainless-steel crown on her tooth. I am thrilled to report that Leah has done great since the appointment and seems to have no side effects from the meds she had to be on this morning. As we were leaving the dentist's office, Leah said she was hungry. Her appetite has also been good the rest of today. Leah has taken pride in opening her mouth wide and showing us her "new tooth." The first time she looked into the mirror and saw the color of it, she had a look of slight surprise on her face.

So, that's where my heart is this evening as I reflect back on this day. Allow me to share the words that ministered to me this morning once again to you ~~ "I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts...."

She made it....and I did too!
~Wee

Edited to add the following: When I was brushing Leah's teeth tonight before bed, she once again pulled out her mirror to check out her tooth. I then showed her my lovely teeth with all the silver fillings, and she said, "Oh, you have one right there like me. Me have big one like this (demonstrates by putting one arm way above her head and one arm down below); you have baby one."

A Prayer for our Husbands

I recently came across these words penned by Elisabeth Elliot and wanted to share them with you.....

Lord, grant me the vision of a true lover as I look at my husband. Help me to see him through Your eyes, to read the thoughts he does not put into words, to bear with his human imperfections, remembering that he bears with mine and that You are at work in both of us.

Thank you, Lord, for this man ~~ Your carefully chosen gift to me ~~ and for the privilege of being heirs together of the grace of life.

Help me to make it as easy and pleasant as I possibly can for him to do Your will.

Help me to help him be all that you have called him to be. Amen.

~Wee

The Polar Express

How fitting that the weather has turned extremely cold just in time for the girls' dance performance of The Polar Express this weekend! It feels like we're already at the North Pole!! They have worked hard since the beginning of November, with practice every Saturday morning (in addition to their weekly classes), learning their ballet number, all the songs, and hand motions that go along with them. They had two dress rehearsals this week. Three shows are scheduled for this weekend, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.
In this year's performance, they are "snowflakes" and, therefore, were able to wear their same costumes from last year's showcase (which was in May). This year's show is a mix of showing portions of the movie The Polar Express, ballet, tap and jazz numbers, acting, and singing.
The girls in front of the train on the stage.

Lots of "snowflakes"waiting to take their positions.
Leah was mesmerized watching the dancers on stage.
~Wee

On the Move

Remember our traveling nativity? Well, they're on the move once again, this time on the back of a semi.

~Wee

Hidden Inside

My recent trip to the dentist revealed that I have a cavity. To fill you in, allow me to back up to a year ago...

After the hygienist cleaned my teeth, she asked me if I had any problems. I stated that occasionally (rarely at that) when I floss, I feel a sensitivity between the teeth that I then pointed out to her. Her reply was (after she took another look at the x-rays), "Oh, there it is." Anyway, after the dentist came in to do his exam, we discussed the x-rays. My impression from our discussion, and the fact that it rarely bothered me, was that it was "no big deal, nothing to worry about." In hindsight, I think he was really saying, "It's no big cavity; just take care of it; all will be fine..."

I realize now that I shouldn't have taken his laid-back manner for granted. Not dealt with at the time, this decay has been given the freedom to grow and penetrate further into the tooth. Although still causing no problems, it was still there; it didn't go away on it's own. This week I had to go back in and have the decay drilled out. Since it was VERY close to the nerve tissue, it's a waiting game to see if the tooth will now heal on it's own.

So, while I'm waiting, I'm thinking.....about how sin in our lives is sometimes "hidden" to others, or to the outside world, but it is not "hidden" from our Heavenly Father who created us and knows every intricate detail about us. I'm resting in the fact that He knows if any bacteria has already creeped into the blood stream, and He has all power to heal the tooth if it is in His will to do so. And, while I'm waiting, I'm asking God to reveal any sin in my heart so it can properly be exposed to His light, drilled out and replaced with reflections of His character.
~Wee

The Nativity

With my brother's help yesterday, we got the house decorated for Christmas. I love the glow of the lights shining at night and the Christmas music playing in the background. Each year the girls spend hours playing with the nativity set, re-enacting the old familiar story or creating a new story in its entirety. I don't mind them playing with the set, but I do have to resist (at times) getting upset that our nativity never stays arranged "nicely." This is proving to be a repeat year yet again of arranging, rearranging, re-rearranging, you get my drift!

Today I walked into the room and found a camel and a king over on the fireplace. When I went to put them back, this is how I found the figurines! Notice the sheep perched upon the candles?...

...or, how about the bale of hay on the donkey's head?Still yet another arrangement! See the angel in the wheelchair?

By the way, all three pictures were taken at different times through this day alone!

~Wee

Happy Thanksgiving

Our family wishes each of you a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving! We have enjoyed the visit from my parents and my brother Wes. We have enjoyed the time together eating too much, playing games, sharing good laughs -- many blessings for which we are thankful! We miss those who aren't here.
~Wee