Finally

I know it has been awhile. There have been some friends that have been pushing me to update my blog, but I find it so hard to sit in front of the computer at the end of the day when I have spent most of it in front of the one at work. But Sean has been moved to 2nd shift M-F indefinitely, so I try to wait up for him and this gives me a good focus. Yes, that means we never see each other during the week. I leave at 7:45 am, he leaves at 2 pm, I get home at 4:30 pm and then he gets home at 11:30 pm. That's why I try to stay up. Maybe I shouldn't, since I don't get very good sleep any more, but I miss him...

In February was our semiannual Make a Blanket Day (MBA) at the mall. Mom created a pattern for her boo challenge quilt and Mary Balagna helped her and she and her husband came up with a beautiful name for it: Tori's Torrific Quilt!They secretly gathered the proceeds from the pattern as it sold at MBD, whether just the pattern or the kit, and gave them to our family! It was a lot too! What a blessing! And what a special way to remember our girl. Those ladies are so amazing! You should have seen all the work being done there! I would like to have more time to spend on that organization.Mom working hard at our paper piecing project.

Tori's Torrific Quilt Pattern made by Mom (Soni Uhler)

The kids with cousins in front of the one made and displayed by the patterns and kits for sale.

Our dear friend Sue Atteberry

Caleb celebrated his 6th birthday on the 12th of March and the Saturday following. He got to have a party and invited some church friends, family (especially his cousins), and his best buddy from school. He had a good time and loved being the center of attentions.

I guess the wish took some thought.

I love this picture! :)

I had training up in Chicago around my birthday, so I got to sit in class and enjoy the long trip home as my present. But the kids had made me cards and Sean got me flowers, the new Mary Higgins Clark book and a beautiful card, and he made me dinner (lasagna - mmmmm). It was wonderful to come home to that, though the training and trip itself was pretty good.

We spent Easter with Sean's family and it was wonderful. We got to spend time with his brother and his family too and we were so glad to do that. Besides the fact that my kids adore Danielle and Devon, we enjoy spending time with Tony and Crissy. They were here in Illinois after Tori passed away, but with so many people here, we didn't have much chance to spend with them. We got a new to us van just a couple of weeks before the trip, so we didn't have any worries about the drive. That is a relief!!
Here is Caleb on too much Easter Candy. It is lengthy, but very amusing. Enjoy!

Work ends for me soon! I am so excited! We are done on the 15th and the others don't go back until the middle of July and by then our baby will be here, so I won't be going right back. The little girls are done with preschool for the summer already! They miss the staff and the attention that they give them. The girls and Sean are meeting me tomorrow for lunch and are so excited! Well, Ms. Mary is too...

Isabelle and Daddy got to go on a special trip to Springfield with the Gifted Program of the Decatur Public Schools. I am not sure what all they did, but they had a wonderful time and I know they visited the state capital. Belle's friend Regan went too with her mom and they had a great time together. Sean didn't enjoy the bus ride so much though.


Belle and I got braces on the 30th of April.........Ouch! Ouch! She is taking it better than I am, but she does only have four brackets on top and four on the bottom, so that's my excuse. Plus I am older. She looks adorable! I need to get a better close up of her now. Dr. Cavanaugh was wonderful as was her staff. It wasn't easy, but they made it a good experience. Now if the sores in our mouths would go away....
Well, enjoy the pictures and video. Sorry it has taken so long to update, but it hasn't been an easy few months. Maybe next time I will add more pictures of Nora and Olivia. Oh! and baby. I do have picts, but I need to go to bed now... Love to all of you and thank you for your love and strength!

More Hair Cuts

Well, today I did it. I cut Olivia's hair. Not just trimmed it. She didn't exactly sit still either. If toddler hair cutting were an Olympic sport, I would get the gold! The left picture was taken tonight, Feb. 9, 2008, and the one on the right was taken in July of 2006. There is a little bit of difference in them :) I will try to put the movie on too if I can, but I am falling asleep as I type, so I am not going to try too hard. I spent the afternoon at the DeVisser's, and although Dorothy only needed a couple of things at the store, I am just tired. Maybe it's the drive up and back. I am out of practice driving long distances.

Sean is working this weekend. Bathing five kids should also be an Olympic sport. While I was getting things ready and making kids clean up the bathroom, Nora was downstairs being busy herself. We had breakfast for dinner and I hadn't gotten the food put away. She poured syrup in the juice pitcher and all over Tori and her tray. I failed to get a picture of that. I was too mad to think about it. I hate sticky things. Tori had it all over her front, her arms and her hair. Let's just say that she was the first in the bath. Grrr, this is what happens when Daddy is gone...