Spring Break 2010-Day 1

So today is the 1st weekday of Gracie & Katie's Spring Break. We slept in a little bit which was nice and took our time getting ready. We then spent a large part of the day with Cindy & her boys. We wanted to let the girls meet 'Molly,' their new puppy. She is a sweet puppy but a bit big. I thought the girls did pretty well with her considering her size and energy. She is doing a great job learning from their training and will be a great dog for their family. We also ate lunch at good 'ole Chick Fil A and walked to the park to feed the turtles & fish and play on the playground. It was a beautiful day, full of enough sunshine to feel a bit burnt (of course, I burn easier than most! LOL)

After spending time with them, we got back into the van to head back to San Antonio, er I mean, Katy. We joke about Katy actually being San Antonio compared to how far away it is from her suburb of Houston. It's about a 40 minute drive but well worth it to spend time with a friend, right? Gramps & Gramme were waiting for us when we got home for a visit, so the rest of the day was spent with the girls playing with them in the backyard and at our nearby park. Chris & I walked down to another of our neighbors to talk about what happened last week; trying to spread the word to keep everyone aware & safe.

Tomorrow will probably bring some rain for part of the day. We look forward to going to the rodeo tomorrow night!

Katie walking Molly. Cindy was actually right next to Molly on the other side since Katie wasn't so confident or comfortable with her. I just figured Cindy might not want me to post her picture from behind. Just trying to be a real friend! LOL


Ellie was trying to feed the fish & turtles, but the Honey Nut Cheerios kept sticking to her hands!


What a sweet boy Collin is to play with Ellie. She has most males wrapped around her finger! LOL

Emotional Overload pt. 2

So in an effort to document my feelings about this past week and its events, I continue to write.

I am a homebody. Really. I truly enjoy being at home with my computer, some tv, books to read, my FAMILY. I don't really mind being at home by myself (with the girls) during the day. I don't like it at night as much. Really don't like it overnight, but during the day, I'm good. Well.....all that has kinda changed. Now, I don't truly feel at home in my own home. I feel like I can't completely relax.

We have been blessed with beautiful weather this week which has helped because it's been so pretty, it has helped me relax as I look outside my windows. Someone asked me if what happened has caused me to question where I live. It really hasn't. I love our house. I like our neighborhood. I like our area of Houston. I think this is a bad thing that has happened in a nice place.

I am sad for the people who did this. I am sad for them that they feel this is okay. I think of them as children. What was their childhood like? Do they come from a "good family" and have broken their parents' hearts with their decisions? Do they come from a "broken family" and are just following in the footsteps of their parents? Did no one take the time to teach them about God? Did they never go to Bible Class and sing, "I love to pat the Bible"? Do they have a mother who prays for them? Are they married? Did they destroy our back door and sense of privacy & security and then go pick up their child from school or grab some milk from HEB on their way home?

This whole thing STINKS. I mean, really. It's not just the THINGS that were taken. It's the sense of unease & the sense of fear. It's the INCONVENIENCE. It's Chris taking time off of work to deal with a repairman or my fear or making lists for insurance agents. It's thinking about what color a back door should be painted, not to mention the trim and whether we should use trim that matches the original trim or should we go with something new? It's having to learn all about an alarm system to try to keep out the bad guys. It's trying to figure out how much to value Chris's grandmother's pearls for or the diamond from my grandmother's engagement ring. It's not like we can really replace those items. It's shopping for Katie's birthday gifts and wandering over to the Wii games and thinking maybe she would like a new one, and then remembering we no longer even have a Wii because someone stole it. It's having to listen to Chris tell the girls that some people broke into the house and stole some things from us and having my almost 6 year old immediately tear up, wondering if they stole "Mickey," her favorite Mickey Mouse blanket. It's watching your 9 year old act like she's okay but thinking she is probably more upset than she wants to let on. It's watching your 20 month old laugh and play in the backyard mere minutes after this happened and marveling at the way a baby can be right with you and not have a clue the seriousness of what's going on.

Tomorrow will mark 1 week since it happened. I keep thinking, "What if......?" What if I had stayed home to take a nap because I had the house to myself? Being a stay at home mom, this doesn't happen often and is a rare treat. Make that WAS. I'm not sure I want to be here alone anymore. What if Chris & Ellie had come home earlier and found these people in our driveway carrying out a pillowcase full of our grandmothers' things? What if I had come home earlier?

Even though this whole thing stinks, there have been so many blessings through it all. The word, "humbled" came to my mind today when I received one of these blessings. I was sitting at my desk at work where I only work typically 1 day a week for just a few hours. The secretary who usually sorts the mail brought me an envelope. It was addressed to me c/o my workplace. It was postmarked Houston. I was curious as to what it could be b/c I don't receive personal mail at work other than pay stubs. I opened it up to find a letter, written but not signed. Inside the letter was cash. Cash that the person said they hoped would help me recover something that was stolen. It made note of the fact that I cannot be replaced nor can my precious wonderful family. Wow. I was a bit stunned & shocked and tossed it to my friend sitting next to me to read and then had to tell my other friend who wanted to know what we were gawking at. LOL We all marveled at how nice that was.

Seriously stunned. Shocked. Surprised. Humbled. Blessed. Thankful.

Who does something like this? Someone who loves my sweet family and wants us to know it but someone who does it with no intention of being recognized for what they have done for us. My first instinct is to try to figure out who it is from, but if the person wanted us to know they would have told us.

I read the note to Gracie & Katie tonight and told them about the money. I want them to know that someone was so sweet to us and talked about how WE should do the same for others when they need it.

Last week, a friend called and told us a very specific way he wanted to help us. It wasn't even really presented as an option. He wanted to do something to help us & had an immediate way to do it, so he called with the offer and delivered something to us 2 days later that helped our girls deal with this just a bit easier. Well, that makes it seem like too small of a thing. It was a really big thing he did, and we appreciate it so much. He didn't just think that he SHOULD do something. He didn't just TALK about doing something. He just DID it. I already had a great amount of respect for him, as did Chris, but this just confirmed our respect & admiration for him (and his wife!)

We have 2 friends who spent many hours on Friday and Saturday working to put in our new back door since our other one was useless. They had other plans for Friday evening, but they changed their plans to hammer, saw, sweep, and ponder as they installed a back door. Their wives included the girls & I in their dinner plans and took the girls for ice cream and sat on our couches with me late into the night just keeping me company and letting their children play with my children. Another friend provided some comedic relief during the night as well!

I have a friend who has told me to expect some dinners from her; to use whenever we need them.

I got a phone call from the principal at G&K's school today. At first, I was a bit worried, wondering what in the world could be going on. Neither Gracie nor Katie are the type to be sent to the principal's office! She had heard what happened from one of the teachers at the school. Not even one of Gracie or Katie's teachers. (I think she is one of the Student Council sponsors, so she has been with Gracie some.) Mrs. J called to express her concern and see if there was anything they could do for us. I have heard some parents complaining about her for one thing or another, but I've never had a problem with her and really appreciate her taking the time to call about this. Things like that earn major points in my book!

2 of neighbors came over, bringing cake & gifts to help us feel better. They included a sweet note along with their phone numbers. We've lived here over a year and a half and had never met them. They live about 2 or 3 houses away.

I am mindful & appreciative of those who have offered their help and prayed for us.

All of these kindnesses serve as a reminder of who we should be loving like. Christ. We should love others as Christ loves us. He died for us. God sent Christ, his son, to die for us. It makes me think about how I respond to people in need. Friends who are hurting. Friends who need a 'pick me up.'

Honestly, I MISS having a flat screen tv in our bedroom. I miss hearing Chris & the girls laughing as they play the Wii. I miss having my own laptop. I do. But you know what? Those are THINGS. My family is safe. Scared & nervous maybe, but SAFE. All of these THINGS aren't near as important as we sometimes think they are.

One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you..........." God knew we would be burglarized before it even happened. He knew we would be upset but knew we would be safe. He knows things we will learn from this. Hopefully, we will learn what HE has planned for us to learn and will put some things into practice.

I'm not saying we won't replace any of the things we lost. I'm saying that I think I'm looking at some things differently. I'm saying that I want my daughters to value PEOPLE more than THINGS. I want my daughters to grow up automatically offering help to people. I want to do better at that MYSELF.

I want to NOT BE SCARED in my own house. I want to feel at PEACE and comfortable again. I know it will come. It's been less than a week.

I am thankful for GOD keeping us SAFE. I am thankful for all of our friends who love us. I am thankful for the opportunity to grow & learn. I'm not saying I want it to happen again (LOL) but it DID happen, so we might as well learn from it!

Happy 6th Birthday, "Katie Boo"

What can I say about our sweet Katie Boo? I mean really, she is amazing. I know I'm completely biased, but she is creative, brilliant, sharp, witty, beautiful, & sweet. She likes to know that we're close by but is independent enough to go to school with no hesitation. However, if you start talking about her going off to college, she starts crying. She says she is going to build a house in the backyard and live near us forever. We'll see how she feels about that in about 10 years...or less! LOL

A typical day will find Katie inventing something with a box, string, & paper. It will find her enjoying some television on Disney Channel...'Phineas & Ferb' being one of her favorites. It will find her playing in the backyard, practicing baseball. It will find her inviting us to "book club" or a "party" she is creating. It will find her giving us hugs and wanting to "be with us." It will find her dancing around and teasing with her Daddy. It will find her playing the DS or Wii (well, if the Wii hadn't been stolen anyway.)

She is a pro at school, just like her sister, yet...different. She & Gracie are night & day in personality, yet both so wonderful. Katie is our little social butterfly and such a tom boy. I just washed & put Toy Story sheets on her bed that she got for her birthday. There was a time I never would have bought something like that for her...my little girl...but they made her so very happy, and you only turn 6 once! She loves to be with her Daddy, loves to play baseball with him in the backyard (she will start playing softball in April!) She has her friends who are girls and likes girly things, BUT she also has quite a handful of friends who are boys (one of her favorites is 16 years old...LOL) and likes "boy" things, too. The girl loves Toy Story and Spiderman, etc.

She has turned into such a wonderful little reader! She wants her turn at reading from the Bible if Gracie is asked to read their Bible Reading to us. She still needs some help with some words, but she is definitely a real reader, and we are so proud of her! She has done such a good job with learning her memory verses for Bible Class. Her favorite song is, "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High." I love to see & hear her sing during church! She likes to write stories and even wrote a song the other day. Very cute. She has a mind for math like I've rarely seen. The card I found for her is perfect! She can figure out mathematical things in her mind quickly & with little hesitation...definitely NOT like me! She is a problem solver extraordinaire! She definitely thinks outside the box. I'm a little jealous of her really, and the way her mind works.

I love Katie's smile! Not her frozen, fake smile she sometimes gives for pictures, but her genuine, joy filled smile. The smile she gives when her Daddy does something she thinks is hilarious. The smile she gives when her favorite 16 year old, "Juice," picks her up and talks to her. The smile she gives when something exciting happens. I LOVE to hear her deep laugh. It just makes me think of innocence & joy filled childhood. I love her passion! True, her passion sometimes gets her into trouble, but focused on the right things, it will serve her well in life. She is full of drama and just so much fun.

THANK YOU, GOD for blessing our lives with Katie Brooklyn Shanks!
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Chris stayed home this morning for a bit, so she got pancakes for a birthday breakfast.

Her gifts await!

She was so excited to come downstairs to see her presents this morning.

She got a cute dress from Grammer & Pappy. She also got a Toy Story "snuggie" that I haven't gotten a picture of yet.

She said we need to wait until Spring to fly the kite.

She enjoys listening to cd's at night, so this cd can be added to her collection. She already read some of the book before school. I think she will spend many happy hours curled up in her new chair.

Emotional Overload pt. 1

So Sunday night during church, I had to get up & leave because I got upset. The whole weekend had been difficult, but during that time, I was mentally going through my jewelry box, thinking of what was in there. (I know, that's not what I was supposed to be thinking about during church.)

All of a sudden, it hit me: Bigmother's baby ring! I have had my grandmother's baby ring for a long time and have successfully not lost it, so to think that I may have lost it this way was just too much. Chris was home with Katie, who was sick, which was yet another reason for stress, so I immediately called him to have him check in Gracie's jewelry box. He thought he found it, thankfully, but we weren't sure until I got home and could make sure that's what it was. I am grateful that her ring was safe. I am grateful for the friend who knew me well enough to know that I needed someone to follow me and cry with me.

They did get my other grandmother's (Maw Maw) watch which was special to me. She actually let me have it before she passed away. After she passed away, I was blessed to be able to have a pendant that had a small diamond in it. The diamond had originally been in her engagement ring. To think that someone has that is very upsetting. It wasn't a large diamond; it won't bring anyone much money, but it was special to me. I've always kinda wished I had her garnet ring. My cousin, Andrea, has it. I am so thankful she does.

I had a 'Mother's Bracelet' that I cherished. It was sterling silver with Gracie's name on it orginally. With the birth of Katie, her name was added, and then Ellie's name was added most recently. I loved that bracelet. They apparently swept that into the pillowcase, too. I mean really, what are they going to do with it? They probably threw it away somewhere; don't see how they could sell it with those 3 specific names on it. It was worth a small bit monetarily, but it was customized to be for me. Who else has 3 daughters with my daughters' names, so I don't see how they could sell it?!

I got up this morning to take a shower & dry my hair before Chris left. I never do that, and it was about 45 minutes earlier than I needed to get up, but I could hardly stand the thought of getting in the shower with him not home. Not yet. Today is the first time I've been home alone without him other than a short while when he went to the store last night. I can hardly bring myself to leave the main part of the house where I can see the back door. I am making sure to have windows & blinds down here open where I can see out and they can see me in here. I stood at the front door and literally stared at the yard guys working on my neighbor's yard. Just in case. I wanted them to know that I was here and that I was watching them. It's probably not fair to them, but right now I find myself suspecting just about everyone I see in the neighborhood.

I'm sure I will say more later, but God's words are better right now:

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Katie's 6th birthday party

Amid all of the negativity of the event mentioned in the previous post, we had Katie's 6th birthday party. It was already planned and actually served as a nice distraction to all of the bad that had happened.

Gracie's teacher from last year, our beloved Mrs. Shah, once again provided a precious cake for the event. We used Katie's Toy Story figurines to add to "Andy's room" for her Toy Story cake. As usual, the cake tasted as delicious as it was cute!

Katie was just a bit excited, can you tell?!

We had the party at a gymnastic place which is great for the parents & kids alike. The kids have a great time, and it is such an easy party for the parents! The coaches entertain the kids and even serve pizza, cut cake, and write down the gifts.

Ellie enjoyed having one of her little friends there to jump around with.

Chris thought he would be cool and jump into the foam pit off of the trampoline. Too bad he lost his glasses in the process! It took our friend, Kerri, and the coach to help him find them! LOL

Our little daddy's girl had a fun time!

She can be a Mama's girl, too!

She was so excited that her teacher came to her party! What a sweet teacher to do that!

One of the things I love most about Katie is how her face shows such complete joy when she is happy! She is a passionate child...with each & every emotion!

She had a little problem blowing out the candles and needed Daddy's help, but she sure had fun trying!

Ellie loved the pizza and cake!

Katie was blessed with so many fun things from her friends!

Buzz, and a great poster that is already proudly displayed on her wall!!
Jessie!

Toy Story blanket!

Fun, girly stuff!

Toy Story Lego army men.....and other things not shown. Such a blessing!

Thank you God, for our sweet ALMOST 6 year old (on the 10th) and her sweet friends who helped her celebrate her upcoming birthday!

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Poor Katie woke up sick this morning and has been running fever almost all day. She was feeling quite badly tonight. Our children have been hit HARD with sickness this Winter. Ugh! I'm glad she was able to enjoy her party before she started feeling badly. My guess is that Gracie 'shared' with her after her latest bout with sickness. :(

sad weekend

Wow. I do not plan to write a lot about this right now. However, I feel I need to document that last week, we were broken into in the middle of the day. Thankfully, no one was home. They took a lot of stuff. I am sad, a bit nervous, mad, & thankful...along with many other emotions.

I am on a borrowed laptop since ours were taken.

Friends have changed plans to spend hours helping us secure our house and have given to help our children be happy.

I will write more later. I am trying to remember that the thieves are loved by God and need our prayers.

Ellie's First Haircut

Today was the day Ellie got her first haircut! I kept putting it off, but it was way past time. Making an appointment to have the girls' pictures taken Saturday morning helped give me the nudge to finally get it done. Several people at church use this lady who comes to your house and charges very reasonable rates, so I called her & made an appointment for this afternoon.

Here are some 'before' pictures of my sweet Ellie.


Ellie did "ok" during the haircut. We let her "spray" her "pup pup" with the spray bottle and brush the puppy (and me!) with the big brush.

She did have some anxiety of course, but all in all did pretty well.

Here are some 'after' pictures. I was so happy that her curl stayed!!!!!


She was a bit confused by all of her hair that ended up on the floor! Her reaction was hilarious!