New York City - 2009

Yet again mom, Kari and I have made our yearly trip to New York City. We had a great time despite the rain all day Saturday. We walked ALL over the city -- what felt like miles! We hit Greenwich Village, Financial District, Wall Street, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Herald Square AND Kari and I managed to squeeze in a show that she won tickets to. Do you wonder why I came home exhausted?? :)

These are some of the pictures from our visit.

Central Park in the Fall

Greenwich Village - the apartment building where Friends was filmed

This is mom VERY happy with how far we had to walk to find the Friends building... NOT!! :)

At Washington Park Memorial - Greenwich Village

The Longacre Theater where we saw Burn the Floor -- GREAT show!

Cameras weren't allowed in the theater so this is our "contraband" photo!

Herald Square

The largest Macy's in the world - 7 floors full of STUFF!

The ever amazing Brooklyn Bridge - so much more impressive in person.

Smiling even through the rain :)

Our framable picture from this trip -- I love these women with all my heart! :)

Jackson

Today was the first day for a new 2nd grader at our school. He is in the classroom right next to mine. His name is Jackson. Jackson has Downs Syndrome and is autistic. He spent most of his day in the Special Education room with an aide. I saw him in the hallway a few times and found myself staring at him. When I went to lunch, I stopped in the Special Education room. I stooped down and got myself on his level. (He is about the same size as Abraham). I said "Hi Jackson!" Jackson looked at me, got up and came over to me... and out of the clear blue, gave me the biggest bear hug around my neck. Oh my heart! I totally lost it within 5 seconds of his hug. I was in tears and had to remove myself from the room to compose myself. All I kept thinking about was my sweet Moses... this little boy could have very easily been him, with his light blonde hair, being petite... God allowed this sweet little boy, who is non-communicative, to communicate HIS love loud and clear to me. It was my touch of heaven today.

Thanks Father for the physical touch from Jackson today.

Patterson Mill Homecoming Football Game

Yea, so I'm a bit late with this! But better late than never I guess :)

About 3 weeks ago, the high school where my students go had their homecoming football game. Since this is a milestone year for me (my first class is graduating!) I wanted to go and see these kids play and cheer. The fact that it was homecoming was an extra added bonus!

We took along Alex, my nephew, and he was very excited to go to a REAL football game! Course he thought he could buy a jersey or trading cards with the players on it -- too cute!

Abraham was more interested in playing with some of my former students, girls of course!

We had a great time together... even better cause Patterson Mill won and one of my former 5th graders won Homecoming Queen! Go Stash!

Before we left, Uncle Mike showed Alex how to tie the flies that he fishes with.

Go Huskies!

Alex loved watching the game.. and we DID end up buying him a PMMS shirt!

My sweet Dani girl- she paid her cousin $3 so that Alex could have one of the footballs that the cheerleaders threw into the stands! I had her brother, Anthony, my first and third years of teaching. She has a special place in my heart! :)

Sofie was my student 2 years ago and Abraham attached himself to her throughout the game. He had a good time playing with her.

Abraham and all his girls!

We went to Barnes and Noble yesterday. Michael checked out the magazines... and Abraham and I headed to the train table in the Children's Section as we always do. Only yesterday Abraham and I were joined by not one, but TWO sets of fraternal boy twins. My heart immediately froze.
If I were being honest, I think about Moses probably every other day. I wonder on a daily basis what it would have been like to have two boys around. But yesterday it smacked me in the face. To add to the slap, as I talked to the one dad, he shared that his boys were born after his wife was on 6 weeks of bedrest at 26 weeks. Man did that strike close to home.
Abraham played with these 4 boys for a good 30 minutes before I could take no more. It just put me in a place of wishing things could have been different. My humanness and perhaps my mother's heart makes me wish that even though he had Downs Sndrome, he could still be with us. I'd give my right arm to have him with us, healthy or not.
Some days are harder than others... yesterday was one of those harder days.

Birthday Treats

Mom, Kari and I have started a new tradition for our birthdays. Instead of buying gifts and dragging the WHOLE family over to Mom's place to celebrate (you KNOW how much fun that is for the men!), we have decided to have a girls day... DO something together. Last year, we went to NYC for Kari's b-day on her request and had an amazing time together. We went to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We hit Time Square at night and the next day went to the Top of the Rock to have an amazing 360 view of NYC. We ate pizza and went to FAO Schwartz. It was SOO much fun!

Well this year we have decided to to NYC again but this time we want to see a show. 5 Minutes for Mom is having a giveaway for tickets to a Broadway show that looks like something we'd like.

So this year I'm gonna try and win these for us... nothing like a free Broadway show eh? :)

Wish me luck!!

Back to School 2009

If only I had a student who would do this tomorrow!!

(thanks Mel for the picture!)

Tomorrow is the first day of school for the kiddos and I have to say that I am quite ready to get back to the routine and "normal-ness" of school! I got to meet many of my students tonight at Open House and it just reminded me again of how much I really enjoy my job. I have been entrusted with 24 kids, for 7 hours a day, 180 days of the year -- what an incredible mission field I have! I pray each year that I will be the teacher that these students need and that I will be love them with the Father's love. Tomorrow will be no different...

Naming our boys

Just today I have stumbled over the blog of a dear sister in Christ who has gone through the heartache of losing a child, as I have. Her blog certainly struck a chord in my spirit as I spent nearly an hour reading through her many posts, all of which have been so encouraging to my mommy heart. One of her recent posts asks about how the names of your children were chosen. I thought this would be something I could do for posterity sake! So here goes...

Michael and I hadn't really thought too much about names in the beginning stages of being pregnanat. I think the shock of parenthood was still on us! We had thought about naming Baby A with an 'A' name and Baby B with a 'B' name but decided that was a bit weird! Once I went on strict bedrest we became more intense on thinking about names for the boys. And once we had confirmation that Baby B had Downs Syndrome, that made it a bit different. I was intent on having names for the boys that had some kind of meaning. Michael thought of the name Abraham. I wasn't so keen on it because it was a BIG name for a little boy (and it means Father of Many.. yikes!) But in the end, I really liked it. Abraham's middle name is Connor which was Michael's grandmother's maiden name.

Moses' name on the other hand was decided a bit differently. Since Abraham had a Biblical name we wanted to give Baby B one too. Michael jokingly threw Moses into the pile with the rest of the possibilities. As I laid in bed for those wonderful (HA!) 5 weeks, I found a meaning of Moses that fit him perfectly -- Created for Special Purposes. I knew that was to be his name immediately. We already knew he had Downs Syndrome but we also found out that he had a severe heart condition as well. We felt (and still feel) that God gave him to us for a reason and that this name would fit him perfectly. What we didn't know was that we'd have to give him back to God so soon after he was born. Moses' middle name is Mackay which is the last name of a singer from a band Michael likes. (Fugazi)


So I guess Michael basically picked out the boys names! But have no fear... if (or when!) God gives us a girl I have a name all ready for her... and NO I'm not spilling the beans now! :)

Chalk the Walks

I took the kids to Chalk the Walks at our local library last week. I had thought it would be something that they'd enjoy -- well, I was 1/3 right! Alex and Abraham decided it was much more fun to dig in the dirt to see what treasures they could find. Oh well! You can't win them all!

Chloe on the other hand thought it was cool! She and I drew HER together. It was her idea to lay on the sidewalk for me to trace her body outline. I did that and then she and I filled it in to look like her. I had fun with her! Honestly though, she is pretty easy to entertain, especially when it comes to art stuff. Next time we'll just make it a girls day!

Day at the Beach

Abraham and I spent a day last week at Rehoboth Beach with a friend of mine from school, Theresa and her 2 girls, Sadie and Vanessa. Sadie and Abraham go to the same day care and Theresa and I have been informed that they are going to marry each other! We actually quite approve of the match! :)

We had to take them to the Fun Land for some rides. I made Theresa ride the Teacups with them...

because Abraham had already gotten me on this ride and it went super fast forward and backward and nearly made me sick! :) oye!

They started out on different sides of the ride... then Sadie scooted over next to Abraham.. next thing we knew, Abraham had his arm on the back of the ride and she was sitting right next to him! My little flirt! :)


Goof ball!

Let's Stay Together!

Eight years ago yesterday, Michael and I made promises to each other that we intend to keep for a lifetime. It was one of the happiest days of both of our lives! What a blessing to marry my best friend, the one that makes me laugh, one that knows just what to say to calm my anxious spirit, my Babe!

We have seen many seasons in our short 8 years together. God has been faithful to carry us through the ups and the downs and to make us even stronger as a couple. It has only been His great love and care for us that has kept us together.

I look forward to many more years spent being with you, Babe, laughing with (and sometimes at!) you, crying with you but most of all just simply LOVING you with ALL my heart.

I Love you more today than yesterday.. but not as much as tomorrow! :)

ps. Let's Stay Together by Al Green is "our" song! We played it as we walked back down the aisle as husband and wife.

Happy Birthday Chloe Abigail!

My niece Chloe's birthday was this past weekend. After racking my brain, trying to figure out what to get her I finally decided -- NOTHING! I decided to take her out for a "girl day" for her birthday. So we went out yesterday. I took her to this cute little cafe that also has pottery painting on the side. Chloe is quite the artist so this was right up her alley!

She of course chose a giraffe with tons of LITTLE spots on it -- probably THE hardest piece to paint. Unfortunately this giraffe ended up on the floor in 3 pieces :( We couldn't have a BROKEN giraffe for the b-day girl so we started a new one!

Chloe and me with our giraffe twins!

We ended our day with a snow-cone!

I had a great day with her. It is a privilege to live so close to both her and my nephew and to be able to do things like this with them. They were MY kids before we had Abraham.

It's been a while since we returned from PA and the funeral for my Great Aunt. We (my family) are slowing getting back to normal... whatever normal might be. Simply being home and around those we love without the stresses we had been feeling is so great.

The time we had in PA was good, for all intents and purposes. It's never easy to let go of someone you love so much. But the number of people that came out to honor Aunt Hazel and to remember what an amazing woman she was, was incredible. I mean WE knew she was a generous and kind woman... but it was neat to see that others knew too!

The service was performed by Aunt Hazel's minister and she did a great job. (yes, SHE!) The hope that we have in Jesus was evident in her words and the Scripture that she used was some that my mom had read to Aunt Hazel in her last days.

Many of our family (mostly cousins) from MD and VA were able to drive up and to be with us. It has been a long time since we have seen them, so that was good to visit with them as well.

We will always remember and miss Aunt Hazel but we praise the Father for the confirmation and peace in our hearts in knowing that she had accepted Jesus into her heart only a month earlier. For a woman who lived her 97 years thinking that she was good enough to make it into heaven.... to open her heart and accept and believe HIM a month before she got to meet HIM face to face -- this simply proves to me that GOD'S timing is perfect -- HE doesn't need me to draw someone to Himself -- and it's never too late. Praise Him for His great love and mercy!

Mom, Pat (my grandfather's fiancee), Kari and Me

Kari, Mom and Me

Kari, Pappy and Me

Abraham and Uncle Scott

Life is not measured by...

the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.Maya Angelo
(** This was something that I wrote a few days ago and put on my Facebook page but wanted to include it in this email.
Mom, Kari, Abraham and I will be driving to PA tomorrow for the viewing and funeral for Aunt Hazel. She stepped into the arms of Jesus yesterday. The viewing is tomorrow afternoon and funeral Tuesday morning. We would covet your prayers as we travel and are face to face with the many memories we have of her.
Thank you!
Erinn

Ps. Aunt Hazel told the nurses on Friday that she was going to heaven tomorrow. Guess she was ready!)

Me with Great Aunt Helen (in chair) and Great Aunt Hazel

My Great Aunt Hazel is one of the kindest, most generous women I know. She would give you the shirt off her back - she is always thanking others when they do anything for her. She has a quick sense of humor and can enjoy a good laugh. She has a collection of watches. I don't know if she did it on purpose but she probably has 30! Aunt Hazel has great taste in jewelry. She has been very shrewd with her money and investments. She is a no nonsense kind of woman.

I remember spending time with her and my other Great Aunt Helen during the summers growing up. Kari always stayed with Aunt Helen, playing cards until the wee hours of the morning. Aunt Hazel and I would stay up watching TV then go to bed, only to be up early in the morning. We would go to one of their homes (right across the street from each other) for breakfast. It was the best.

Aunt Hazel taught me to crochet and to do some needlepoint, neither of which I still remember! What I do remember is the crocheted skirt and matching vest she made me when I was about 5 - dark green with a red ladybug on the front of the vest. I was quite the fashion statement!

And I love her with all my heart.

Which is why my heart is breaking to know that she is not well, in fact Jesus will be calling her name very soon. It makes me sad to know that she is alert enough to know and understand all that is happening in her body, how it is shutting down slowly.

Yet in the middle of all my sadness, there is great rejoicing -- yes rejoicing!For all my life, my family has talked about Jesus and lived Jesus to my mom's family - my great aunts, grandparents, uncle. And all my life both of my great aunts have had views on God that just didn't mesh with Scripture. Either they were good enough to get into heaven or everyone went to heaven.

About a month ago, Aunt Hazel was watching a pastor on TV talking about faith. She brought this up to my mom in talking and said that what the pastor was talking about really struck her and she believed. In other conversations that my Mom has had with Aunt Hazel this week she believes in her heart that my 97 year old Great Aunt accepted Jesus that day when listening to the pastor. I mean WOW! What a total God thing. Who'd have thought that for 35+ years we have been talking about Jesus and here, a month before God takes her home, she opens herself to Him!

So tonight I am sad knowing that my sweet Great Aunt is losing her battle -- yet I am rejoicing that her life will begin anew in Heaven with her Heavenly Father.God is good ALL the time and He is faithful to carry out HIS plan in our lives -- even if it seems like He waits until the last minute. His timing is perfect. Thanks Father for the peace of knowing where Aunt Hazel's eternity will lie.

Uncle Scott and Aunt Hazel at our wedding - 2001

Vacation to Georgia

We enjoyed time with Michael's mom and some of his siblings. I don't think that a day went by when someone DIDN'T get in the pool with Abraham! He is such a water bug! Keeping him out of the pool was hard :)

Swimming with Grandma Kay

Just Chillin'!

Michael's brother Elliott became Abraham's new playmate! They were joined at the hip for most of our time there... and they BOTH loved it! Elliott and his girlfriend Stacy made the "mistake" (I think they meant to!) of mentioning Chuck E. Cheese to Abraham and ended up taking him for a little to play. It was so nice to watch Abraham spend time with his family, especially aunts and uncles that he rarely sees. Makes me wish we lived closer...

The poor cat got chased all around the house by Abraham. He even tried to read to the cat, and that seemed to work!

Elliott's girlfriend Stacy brought her dog Sabre with her. Sabre kept trying to eat Abraham's popsicle and Abraham wasn't having it!

Grandma Kay and Abraham - Grandma Kay took Abraham to his first 3D movie -Ice Age - and to Chuck E. Cheese also. They had a great day together while Michael and I got a day to ourselves. It was nice to get away just the 2 of us and know Abraham was loving on Grandma Kay! :)

Abraham with Grandma Kay and his Great Aunts Susan and Marianne


Aunt Emily and Bubba

Dinner with Emily, Stacy and Elliott

John, Susan Kay, Marianne and Michael