The Tooth Fairy visits!

Well we were given the heads up by the dentist last month when the girls had their check ups that Nichole had two loose teeth, but she told us it would probably be 3-6 months before Nichole actually lost them. Ended up being more like a month! Of course, I missed out on it. Daddy would check the teeth each night before she went to bed and she began wiggling them with her tongue. Low and behold while watching Monday Night Football, Colts versus Dolphins this past week, I was sent a picture saying "Told you so" meaning I was warned that she would lose them while I was out of town. Oh well, I guess it was time for Daddy to be around for a first that I wasn't around for. Not sure there are any of those until now. Anyway, she was excited and her new teeth have already begun growing in there and she's already told me that her top left front tooth is a little loose! Man, when did my baby grow up??? I can't believe in just a few weeks she'll be celebrating her 6th birthday! Where does the time go? The tooth fairy had a $5 and a $20, needless to say, she only lucked out with the $5 but we'll be sure to tell the tooth fairy to keep smaller bills on hand :)

The picture I was sent right after they came out. A few days later, the new teeth are already coming in!

Hope Now by Addison Road

I was driving today to have lunch with my little sister and her basketball team at her school and heard this song that I can't seem to get out of my head now. Still struggling daily, make that hourly while being here in South FL with the reality of this settling in, but God is in control. Be sure to check out "Operation Breath of Life" from my blog post below. Oh and of course, this song is now the first song you hear on the blog, so stay for a few and listen in.



If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours

(PRE-CHORUS)
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

I am not my own
I've been carried by you all my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
(Repeat 2x)

(CHORUS 2)
You've become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free

Operation Breath of Life

I wanted to find a quick and easy way (is there ever a quick and easy way about anything in life anymore?) to blog about my dad's journey, so this is it.

Operation Breath of Life

Not that anyone that checks this isn't already on Facebook and doesn't already get the 177 emails I sent out about my dad, but sorry, what can I say, I love him and I want everyone praying for him. Last night in church, the pastor spoke from 1 Peter 5. Verse 10 reads as follows : "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast". This is what I want for my dad.

Anyway, check out the blog and keep up if you so choose, but if nothing, else just please remember him in your prayers.

One of the dearest men in my life.

So a girl always has two men in her life, well if you're me you do. I couldn't have asked for a better husband or a better father. Unfortunately, as time goes on and each day passes, one of those men is hurting more and more. I will save myself some time and simply post on here the email update I sent out to some friends although probably anyone that reads this got that email anyway. So, here is the latest and please continue to pray! I love this man too much to be ready to let him go just yet! He's got some work yet to do here on Earth. But it's all in God's hands.


Hello everyone. It's been a while since I've sent an update on my dad and I wanted to let you all know the latest. He had an appointment this past Monday at the Mayo Clinic and they are very concerned with his test results. I don't know what all the numbers mean and such since there are always so many numbers and tests, but I just know that he went from being at the bottom of the list the last time he was on the active list (another story for another day), to being in the top 1/3 at least b/c of how bad his results were. He is on oxygen 100% of his day now (2 liters/min for @ rest, 8-10 liters/min walking and 15 liters/min while exercising, b/c they still want him to continue to be healthy while waiting). Being on the oxygen is a tough thing for him b/c I'm sure it feels like a burden and while he was not surprised by the test results b/c of how he has felt the past few months, the decline he's had in a mere 3 months is incredibly drastic and if he continues to decline at the same rate, he's been given 6 months. Even as I write that it's tough. One of my friends today asked me how I felt about it all. I have very mixed emotions I'll be honest. From anger, to frustration, to sadness and hope. No one would want to be in my head right now let's just leave it at that. They'd never be able to find their way around :) Honestly I'm really writing this email to simply ask for prayer. There is nothing more that can be done right now as we wait. I talked with a friend the other night and it's tough to say, but I found myself thinking how I wanted to start praying for the family of the donor b/c their loss will be my gain, but my dad needed a transplant like yesterday. He has decided that if in 4 months they have not received a call, they will look at moving to Jacksonville to live closer to the Mayo Clinic in hopes that something will come up sooner rather than later. Kylie will be well taken care of and will stay in South Florida and will be surrounded by friends and family who will help her through this journey. She's one tough cookie! I will be traveling home next week sometime simply b/c I feel it's something I may never get to do again and while it breaks my heart, I will not take the girls. Eric is going to stay here with them and keep Nichole in school and them on their routine. It's imperative that my dad not get sick, so bringing the kids in, even though neither one of them is sick at the moment, could only lead to disaster. As of Friday my dad will officially be on the active list and will wait for the call. We have been overwhelmed with the support he has received in working out transportation for him to get to the Mayo Clinic at a moment's notice. He told me tonight that they have like 9 airplanes and 2 helicopters at their disposal and if airports are closed for some weather reason, they have back up plans. It's amazing how detailed of a plan they (with the help of my dad's best friend) have printed out for everyone involved. Again, I know there isn't much anyone can say at this point to make any of it better. Even though I struggle daily with how God is handling this or allowing it to play out, I know he's in control and he knows why it's all happening.


Ok, well sorry for all the rambling, I have a feeling this email is completely jumbled, but like I said, it's just a taste of what's going through my mind. I am asking that you please just continue to pray for my dad as he goes through this step in the journey and for the doctors that will be performing the transplant hopefully in the very near future. The running joke is that we hope to spend Thanksgiving in Jacksonville. Not that I want to spend my 30th birthday sitting bedside in a hospital, I'll take the gift of having my dad around for another few years versus the alternative any day.

Thank you all in advance for your continued support and prayer.

Christy

Labor Day Weekend-Myrtle Beach

Just before Labor Day, we got an invite to stay beachside at a condo in Myrtle Beach with some friends. We figured why not and packed up for an overnight trip to Myrtle Beach a few hours away. I had never been so it was fun to see and go shopping at the outlets! The kiddos all had a blast playing together, swimming, playing on the beach and at the aquarium. I think Eric had the most fun hanging out with them while my friend Ryndee and I went shopping though! Ok, so maybe not, but we did find some great deals that we wouldn't have found with 6 kids in tow. So we would have found them, just not peacefully. Thanks hon! :) Anyway, we got some shopping done once we arrived and then headed back to get all the kiddos ready for the aquarium. Our girls love this sort of thing. Granted, we came to the conclusion we'd never have paid full price to get into this place, but it was worth the time we stayed there for the price we paid.

Most of the kiddos gazing at the fish

Mr Wyatt. He's such a cutie pie!

They kept trying to pet the sting rays. Eventually Chaustin did, but not sure about the other kiddos. We kept asking if they wanted to swim with them, but the answer always seemed to be no.

After playing in the sand and in the water with Daddy for a while, Emily decided to stay at the water's edge and just watch Daddy as he ventured out to body surf. It was a bit chilly and overcast but we got a little sun.

This is what Daddy said would "warm you up", at least in Emily's case considering she's our hypothermia child. She turns colors after being in the water for a few minutes unless it's bathwater.

All the girls were making sand angels

While we were in Myrtle Beach, Daddy wanted to go on an adventure to see if the house he lived in over 25 years ago still existed. So the first night we were there, we went on our own and Ryndee took the girls back to the condo with her. We found it after passing the area once and drove back but it was too dark to see anything, so we decided to take the girls back the next day.

The girls by the back entrance to the neighborhood Daddy lived in when he was the girls' ages.

Ha, we were out on the balcony one night and saw this group of people. Daddy felt better knowing I wasn't the only crazy one who tried to get cute beach pictures :)

All in all we had a fun time. The weather wasn't the best but we got to have a nice peaceful adult dinner without cutting up anyone's food but our own and the weekend was worth it just for that :) Glad we got the invite and we ended up staying two nights instead of just one, but it was a good time. Now it's the getting back to reality thing that isn't so fun...

Few randoms

Due to this not being on lock down the way our old blog was, I'm not going to post some of these pics, but I'll post a few of the girls we took when we went out by Daddy's jet a few weeks ago before his name gets taken off of it. Ok, so after looking through the pics, you only get one of them and one of some salsa we were sent by friends in Colorado. We wanted to show that the salsa is making it's way around the country.

The girls infamous intake shot

The girls will usually sit down and exercise with us (Eric mostly) when we work out. Nichole sat down to do "Ab Ripper X" from P90X and she actually did very well with it. It was funny to listen to the few comments she made during the 15 minutes, like when she held her stomach and said, wow, this hurts. Haha.

Happy Birthday Grandma Hornsby

September 4, 1927 a very special lady known as Grandma Hornsby was born. I have to honestly say that I don't know much of her history as a child or growing up simply because when you talked to her, it was never about her, it was always her wanting to know how each person she came in contact with was doing. To this day it breaks my heart that the girls never got a chance to meet this wonderful woman and get to see who made such an impact on me in my life. Nichole was lucky enough to have a Christmas present waiting for her when she wasn't even 2 months old though and it was a blanket Grandma Hornsby had personalized for her and even though she never met her, Nichole loves that blanket and wants it to sleep with every night. Good thing Aunt Kylie found it in New Hampshire and mailed it back to us :) I know I've said this before but every time Nichole asks for her blanket if it's in the other room or something, I remember the line people told me at Grandma's funeral... "One angel has passed but another was born to take her place". Now let's be realistic, Nichole is no angel ;), but I think they have a special connection even though they never met and each time Nichole snuggles with her blanket it reminds me of how Grandma always was there to wrap her arms around us and love us no matter what. So, that being said, Happy Birthday Grandma. We miss you still. I'm sending a smile across the miles and will always continue to count my blessings! Thank you for the influence you had in my life! I love you!

This is one of my all time favorite pictures. It was before digital cameras were big I'm pretty sure :)

If I remember correctly, this was Grandma Hornsby on her 76th birthday, just a few months before she passed away.

Grandma and Grandpa Hornsby WAY back in the day :) SO in love!

I have this picture sitting on my dresser and I love it. She was always smiling and I know she's smiling down on all of us still. And probably sometimes saying "Dear John" :)

First Day of School

Ok, so I'm just going to quick add pics and I'll go back and blog this event later.

Utah Fun

Ok, so we've been back from Utah for almost 2 weeks now and it's been full throttle since then. With school starting, me working a ton and so on, I've had time to breathe and that's about it. So, here are a ton of pictures from our trip and just from those you can see how much fun we had! Thanks to the Wells Family for letting us crash at their house for a solid week! The girls did NOT want to leave and are wondering when Lexi and Ty will come to visit our house... your turn Katey :) Although, I'll let you wait and visit us in a new state.

We made it to Utah!! The girls were so excited to see Lexi and Ty and of course b/c of Miss Katey's creativity, we had an awesome welcoming party :)

We headed out on Saturday am to watch Lexi in a parade and dance performance. It was chilly! But the weather was AWESOME the entire time we were in Utah!

Seriously, who does that kid belong to? I just blame it on the inability to read considering the sign said "Feet First", but then again, since when do my children follow the rules? They had a blast on this bouncy slide. And yes, Emily rolled ALL the way down. She loved it.

This is how the girls walked out of the parade after Lexi's performance. So cute. They all got along great the entire week!

We made sure while we were there since Eric was TDY there that we got an adults night out and we headed to the dueling piano bar in Salt Lake City. It was a good time. It's my favorite place to go in Salt Lake City.

Our wonderful friends/host/hostess Jim and Katey didn't mind taking a picture with us. Well, at least they said they didn't :)

This would be our own makeshift water park! Katey and Jim celebrated a wedding anniversary while we were visiting so I gave them the afternoon off and sent them to Park City while I took care of all the girls. We painted nails, ate lots of junk food and played out back.

We had rest time with the girls so we could have some rest time too. Katey stole my idea when I started on the girls quilts, so they all have matching quilts. They loved it!

To go with their matching quilts, Katey had found them all matching outfits. See, you thought I was bad:) We tried to get them to do a mini photo shoot, but they would barely stop bouncing long enough to get a handful of pictures. And then there was Emily's attitude thrown in there a few minutes later. Katey saw that Emily wasn't just this cute, sweet and innocent 18 month old that left Utah a few years ago.

We got a good laugh out of this game the girls would play on the trampoline called "Dead Man". Or something like that. Basically the girls would chant some little bit and bounce until the person that was laying down and was "it" would get up and chase someone to tag them and they would be the next person to be "it". Well, every time Nichole was "it", Lexi would yell, "don't get me, I'm your best friend, get your sister". We couldn't help but laugh.

This was taken from my phone, but it's still a cute pic. This defined them for most of the week.

And of course, Katey and I had to take a picture of ourselves sitting on this way comfortable and relaxing swing underneath their porch.

The girls also performed a show for us. Gotta love Emily's pose here. What a group of girly girls! :)

My little sister, Aunt Carrie heard we'd be in town, so she made the few hour drive down with her fiancee Eric. She was entertained by the girls as well. Must say, I LOVE the background in this picture and the only thing that would make it better was to see white on those big hills;) Thanks for making the drive Carrie!

Katey would let me sleep in and this is how she kept the kids quiet every morning. Ok, not EVERY morning since I tried laying poptarts out but they just weren't into those after having donuts! :)

About mid way through the week Emily and Ty became the best of friends. Ty is just under a year younger than Emily and Emily had fun being the "oldest" and even got Ty to play ponies and house with her. Haha! Cracks me up! And nothing beats jumping on the trampoline in your pajamas either!

This is one fun group of kiddos who were all pretty well behaved for the week!

Ty and Emily playing "house" at the top of the stairs.

I have a feeling we're in trouble with these girls when they get older!

The last night we were in town, Eric had to do something with his squadron so I got together with our old squadron commander's wife from Hill. They have since retired there so it was nice to get to visit with her. Just stinks Mayo couldn't have come out with us!

So that's the wrap. Thanks again to the Wells Family for hosting us. We had a great time and made many memories. I'm sure once the topic of moving comes up again, Nichole will ask about our blue house. But once we find out our next base, I'm expecting to get an email with flight itineraries from Katey ;)