Happy New Year's Eve

Today is kind of a sickie day at the Spellman house. Nothing major, just pink eye has struck the two older kids and has given their mom and dad "pink-eye phobia" - you know, the subtle plant into your subconscious that makes you think your eye itches and pushes you into washing your hands all the time...I am sure that Avery is bound to get it too, maybe just a step behind his brothers, but lets pray that his little body fights it off!

So the afternoon is spent in the lap of luxury - movies in bed...that's what we do on sick days - these days don't come very often thankfully so we really make of day of it when they do. On the way to pick up the prescription we even stopped off for a milk shake - have to make these days as tolerable as possible, right?! But you know they aren't feeling quite right when they can't even finish a milk shake - they'll be better tomorrow. And the eye drops went in without much of a fight at all which is indeed an answer to prayer...

Huston is curled up on the bottom bunk, they are watching Willy Wonka (the old version with Gene Wilder).

As you can see, they really don't look bad and they are doing just fine - as long as Isaiah has his tiger...









And as long as Huston is wrapped up warm and gets his rest. He's too much like his mommy - he can be a bear if he doesn't get sufficient sleep.








Now onto mommy stuff - a few years ago - actually probably more about 5-6 yrs. ago my great Aunt Gwen Huston (yep, that's were Huston gets his name) passed away and I was very fortunate enough to receive one of her rings. For those of you who may have never met or saw my Aunt Gwen, she was a beanpole - so skinny, probably never broke 100 lbs throughout her whole lifetime. So needless to say that ring was too small for me to wear! I could put it on my pinky, but am not the pinky ring type. So with my Christmas money this year I finally had the ring sized, and it is so pretty. I love it. Here's a picture of my beautiful and special "new" ring...

I like having this constant reminder of her on my finger. Should have done it a long time ago, but you know how easy it is to put things off - why is that? Anyway she was a really special lady and I am honored to have her ring on my finger to start off the new year.

Sunday Morning

Isaiah, Huston and Avery all spent a good majority of the weekend with Papa and Grandma out "in the country." Huston fell a little bit under the weather yesterday afternoon so he came home and spent the night in his own bed, but the other two stayed the night with the grandparents. We all were reunited again this morning at church.

Isaiah has been having a bit of "separation anxiety" with me here recently. It was really bad before Christmas, but it seems to have settled down quite a bit here lately. One of the last hold outs is Sunday school class. He hasn't wanted to go for the past few Sundays. He always has fun and enjoys it once I drop him off but the period of time leading up to that point is rough. Who knows what is causing it for sure, I have my suspicions that it is a combination of several different things, not the least of which is a new baby on its way.


Here is how he looked this morning before class...notice Huston is pretty ready to go, Isaiah doesn't want to think about it!











Here are Huston and Avery in their classes...Avery is in the striped shirt on the right if you can't make him out.











Huston was keeping busy working on a paper about the wise men. His class can be pretty large at times, but he really enjoys it.

God is good

This is the scene that greeted us this morning when we woke up...the snow fall didn't last long, and it was so wet and fluffy that it quickly melted away after it fell, but is was so beautiful coming down. It is so nice to see beauty even in the deadness and sleepiness of winter.

Christmas 2007

Here are a few snapshots of our Christmas this year...it was nice a spread out, a little bit here, a little bit there. Spent the weekend before Christmas in Iowa with the husband's family...sorry no pictures of this part of Christmas yet - didn't have the digital camera at that time! We came back home for Christmas morning and then on to Christmas afternoon with the folks...



Here are some pictures from Christmas morning...the older two tore into their stockings right away of course. We don't do "Santa" - we told the kids that anyone who gives a gift is Santa Claus - we wanted the gift of Christmas and the focus of the holiday to stay upon the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. So we don't do big gifts and they know why, they also know that these gifts were from mom and dad. Now as you will see later, these children are not deprived! So many giving family members to bless them in so many ways!




Avery took his time and checked everyone else's stuff too. Steven helped him discover his own stocking.












Huston enjoyed his walkie-talkies. He also was interested in what was in everyone else's stocking a little bit more than what was in his own. He loved the dragon that Avery got more than anything...it will now invade the castle that they have already. Every castle needs a pesky dragon.

















Now on to my folks' house for Christmas afternoon fun. More stockings for all the kids. The boys cousins came to town from the St. Louis area. It was a mess of paper, kids, toys and a dog...

We had lasagna for Christmas dinner and pie for dessert - cousin Austin made yummy chocolate cupcakes with his mommy (Auntie B) with Christmas green frosting for us to enjoy too.












Just to prove that the kids weren't the only ones to receive gifts...

There were about 15 of us enjoying Christmas together. My brother, his wife and three of their boys were with us...their other foster child spent the holiday with his birth mom.









Last night we took Richard (my father-in-law) out for his birthday dinner and came to our house later for cake. That is when "Papa" and "Grandma" revealed even more Christmas for the boys. Here is Isaiah showing off his new tool set - real tools, just child sized...they also got a workbench that will go in the garage sometime this spring. So Uncle Daniel or Papa or Grandad will have to be giving some lessons on woodworking over the next couple of years. The younger boys will have to join in later.










They enjoyed the safety goggles though...












Well, that's about it with Christmas. I won't bore you anymore, but we did have a very nice time and the boys really enjoyed the many things family blessed them with. Thank you family! Like I mentioned before we try not to make our focus of the season on the gifts, but all that is given is certainly appreciated.

The Start of Something New

I have been keeping track of a few friends and their families through their blog-sites and thought I would give it a go for ourselves. Just thought it might be an easier way for long distance relatives to keep track of what is going on around here - and maybe a fun new hobby as well. Warning: I have no idea what I am doing - just kind of blindly taking a stab at things - hoping I stumble upon a way to accomplish the goal of easily keeping family (and maybe some other interested viewers) informed.

I do not promise insightful readings or great pearls of wisdom...just day to day happenings with an occasional rambling thought or two. Enjoy!