Little Lamb Lovey, WHERE ARE YOU????

Tuesday was an eventful day as well. It just seemed to be one Alfalfa Moment after another. The day started off with me having to take Graci to the ENT because her ear was still draining and she was still snotty even after a round of Omnicef and Floxin drops. Jenn kept Emi and Pay for me while I was gone so that was great!

We get all the way to Brookwood and I put her in the stroller, but left her lamb in the car because I didn't want germs on it. Thankfully, the doctor was running on time and the appointment went by quickly. We still had an infection so ear drops, antibiotic and decongestand was precribed again. Since it didn't take as long as I had thought it would, I decided I was going to go ahead and drive the rest of the way downtown and surprise our NatNat with a visit from us. We drove around and around and finally found her building. I texted her and waiting for a reply but Graci fell asleep in the car while I was waiting. So.... I had to go ahead and leave without even seeing Natalie. Ended up she was in a meeting anyway so the timing was just wrong all together.

My next stop was Hobby Lobby to pick up something while I was on my home (instead of driving out of the way to go by and get it). Graci was still asleep when I got there so I just carried her, her little lamb (lovey), and paci inside with me since I just had to pick up one thing. We were literally in there maybe 5 minutes. I put her back in the car and proceeded on my way down 31 making my way back to Jenns.

I decided that since I still had an hour before Jenn wanted me to get the girls I would go by my dad's shop and see if he wanted to do lunch. Now this is a very important point in my day that I COMPLETELY forgot about. I ran inside and the timing wasn't right for my dad either :(. One of his mechanics was on vacation so he was a little busy, so no lunch with Paw either. I had rolled down the window for my dad to talk to Graci but he opened the door for a minute too.

Off we go again. I decided that I needed to get Graci something to eat because she was getting pretty fussy. I proceeded on down 31 and decide to do Zaxby's. I called another friend to see if she could meet us for lunch but you guessed it, the timing wasn't right for her either. Graci and I headed into Zaxby's to eat - just the 2 of us. Had a good lunch and finally we were on our way to get sissys.

I get to Jenns and convince the girls it was time to leave. Jenn walks us out to the car and I started explaining to her how funny Graci was with her loveys. I was telling her that Graci won't use the lovey I had made her anymore, that she just wanted her lamb. In doing this, I was looking for her lamb and IT WAS GONE!!!!! I started to panic. It was 12:30 and nap time for all of the kids. Graci didn't want her paci, her bottle, her other lovey but only her lamb, and it wasn't here. So off we go again.... I started to retrack my steps and the last time I could remember it was in Hobby Lobby. Precious Jenn decides to get in the car and her Brooks were going to ride with us so I didn't have to get the girls out to go in and look for it.

We called Hobby Lobby and no one saw it inside the store or in the parking lot. We put the portable DVD player in the car, Brooks' seat in the car and give everyone juice and head up to Hoover. The whole time I am trying to retrace my steps and I just feel like some part of my day was missing from Hobby Lobby to Zaxby's but honestly could not remember it. We pass my dad's shop and my dad in his car on the way to Hobby Lobby. I search the whole parking lot and all inside Hobby Lobby and it is nowhere to be found. I am really trying not to have a breakdown at this point. And Graci is still screaming too. At this point, I decided to call the girl that had given to Graci and drive to the store she bought it from and just buy another one. (Side note: I had called her first thing that morning to ask her to buy another one for Graci and I would just pay her for it when I saw her this weekend - ironic huh?)

So off we go again. We drive to the other end of Valleydale Road to the store and you guessed it, they no longer sell that type of blanket. Breakdown occuring now!!! Graci is still crying but Emi and Payton fell asleep and Brooks was just eating chicken and watching the movie. I resolve to the fact that we are just going to have to do without it and try to carry on with life without our lamb. Sad day....

We make it back to Jenns to drop her and Brooks off so I can get home and get Emi ready to leave again for gymnastics (back up in Hoover again). I have used almost a whole tank of gas in the surburban by this point so I knew Bryan was going to love that. I get home and get her ready and thankfully Daddy gets home in time to keep Graci and I just take Payton with me. Jenn and I get on the phone together and start searching the internet and Ebay and finally find a lamb that is the exact one we lost. Of course, I express order it so it will be here in a couple of days. It was worth it to me regardless of the price, considering Graci was still awake at this point and it was 3:00. I explain to Bryan what our day was like and told him to just try to get her down for a nap if possible.

While at gymnastics my mom calls me and says she is going to head to Hobby Lobby to check again and to ask each register if someone had happened to turn it it - thank heaven for Mommys and what they will do for their children :) My brother and I were watching Emi when the phone call from heaven came in - it was my dad!!!! Here was the missing puzzle piece. I had forgotten I had gone by my dad's shop that day. When he had opened the door, the lamb had fallen out on the ground and he found it!!!! I started crying all over again, but definitely tears of joy. This meant the one I ordered would be the backup in case this ever happened again. Which I pray it never does!!!!

**Now to explain the memory thing.... I was diagnosed with epilepsy back in 2001 and I have it in my temporal lobe which is where your memory is. This is one of the effects of my seizure. Loss of memory... some long term and some short term. Jenn was amazed by this and said she didn't realize I had this problem. Welcome to my world Jenn :) I know it made you exhausted but I'm glad you go to experience a day in the life of Shannon**

And the week goes on....

After talking with my precious sis-in-law, I decided I really did need to blog more about my week this week. It will be entertaining for most of you to read, boring to some, and therapeutic for me to type. You all have read about the beginnings of my Sunday so I will just pick up from there.


Sunday after church we head out to eat in the storms. My poor husband got caught in the middle of them while trying to join us to eat. Thanks to me for not giving in and just going home on such a lovely day. We ended up having a good lunch and the afternoon really wasn't that bad from what I can remember. I didn't get to take a nap, which I really wanted, but that is to be expected nowadays.


Monday is when we headed to the McWane Center. As you can see from my earlier post, we had a great time, but there was so much that happened that day that was behind the scenes, so to speak. I was running on time (which doesn't happen that often with me anymore) to meet my mom and Jen downtown. Of course, we get to I-65 and there is a wreck that has happened and I can't get off the interstate to get downtown. We ended up being on the interstate for an hour!!! The girls were so excited and they didn't quite understand why everyone was just sitting still and not driving. Thankfully, Graci did fall asleep and get a little cat nap on the way. PTL!!!

We finally get down there and it is completely packed so we had to park on the top level off the parking deck. We get parked and get inside and see my mom joyfully waiting for us. Another praise in my book! Once getting inside and making sure everyone has gone to the bathroom and Jenn and the boys get there, we are finally on our way in the place. While checking in we realize I was giving the wrong passes that my mom had paid for so they would have to print out the correct ones for me to pick up when we were leaving (and of course I forgot to pick them up). We proceeded in the doors and the fun began ... finally (only almost 2 hours since we left the house).


The kids really did have a great time looking and learning about all the cool stuff (and we were only on the first floor). Graci was even enjoying herself running around and trying to keep up with her sisters and cousins. It was exhausting for all of us trying to keep up with all the kids but we did it and we had a great time. We played for a couple of hours and then decided it was time to do lunch.
Here's the highs and lows:
*Mom took Brooks and Emi to the potty
*Jenn and I ordered lunch
*I took Payton to the potty
*Brooks had a meltdown about sitting arrangements
*Sit down to eat and Payton pitches a fit because she doesn't want pizza
*I go order her some chicken
*We finally are all eating
*Payton has to go to the potty again - Jenn takes her
*Will gets Dippin Dots for $3 a pop so the others want them too
*Mom counts out her change so we can get one more for them to all share
*Payton spills her chocolate milk all over her hair, shirt and floor
*Emi pitches a fit because she can't go see the movie (but just looking at the picture scared her)
*Lunch is finally over and Will, Jenn and Brooks sneak off to the movie
*Mom takes Graci home for me (YEAH!!)
*Emi, Payton and I went to the "Just My Size" area and played for a while
*We also walked downstairs to the World of Water area and walked around there
*We finally left after a very long morning
*Both girls fell asleep before getting out of downtown and slept through us getting Graci and all the way home
*Get home and unloaded and then get ready to leave again to go and teach class at the gym

I'm sure I missed something, but that is pretty much all I can remember now.
It was a very, very long day, but yes, we will go back to the McWane Center anytime someone wants us too. It was worth it!!

Meet Information

We finally have the gymnastics meet information. Emi will be competing on Friday, March 7 @ 4:00 at Hoover High School (next to the Met). She is the first group of the meet so they will be starting at precisely 4. We would love to see you there if you can make it. If you can't join us, be praying for confidence for Emi and for me to be calm and not to stressed for her :)

McWane Center

My parents gave us the best gift for Christmas - year long passes to the McWane Center and we went for the first time yesterday. We had a great time!! Jenn took Will and Brooks and my mom also met us down there. It was a little crowded since it was President's Day but we still had a great time. We were there for almost 4 hours and probably could have stayed longer if the girls (and myself) weren't so worn out.
Here are some pics from the day:
Brooks, Will, Emi & Payton driving the airplane:
Emi testing out the bed of nails:
Payton pulling herself up with the rope: Graci loved the touchable tornado tunnel And of course I had to ride the bike across the air The girls in "just my size" playing in the sand Playing with the butterflies on the screenWhat a great and fun day!!!

An "Alfalfa" Moment

The girls wanted to rent a movie this weekend since Daddy was out of town, so I was going to get Mary Poppins, but the movie store didn't have it. So instead, Caitlin (Bryan's cousin that was here for the weekend) suggested The Little Rascals. I haven't seen that movie in forever and I thought the girls would really enjoy it. I think Caitlin and I laughed more than they did but it was still a great choice, if not only for my new saying... An Alfalfa moment :)

In the movie, when Alfalfa is running in his underwear away from the dog and he says that it can't get worse than it was and then runs into the bullies. Then he looks up and says:
Just when I think it can't get any worse, the clouds open up and God looks down and says, "I hate you Alfalfa". I just thought that was hilarious and so that is my new saying... An Alfalfa Moment.

(Now some of you don't take that serious when I say that. I know God doesn't cause bad things and I know he doesn't hate me - just to clear that up for some of you.)


Now, let me explain my moment......

I don't know if it was just the weather today or if something was in the air but everything started off wrong and just kept going that way. I woke up late (and everyone knows that starts off your day in a mood). I was rushing around trying to get myself ready before everyone else was up and moving. I know all you moms understand that. I managed to take a shower, wash my hair, get dressed, get Payton dressed and her hair fixed, and my coffee made before Emi and Graci woke up. The whole time I am trying to keep quiet so we don't wake daddy up since he got home from Memphis so late. Payton said her stomach hurt so I had her just sit down while I got ready. Emi got up and I got her ready real quick before I had to go dry my hair. While drying my hair, Graci woke up so Caitlin got her up for me while I finished. Running around the house throwing the bag together and getting everyone's shoes on and trying to drink my coffee (which I didn't get to do until church) - we were sure entertaining to Caitlin. Payton said again that her stomach hurt and before I knew it, she threw up all over the table and then all over the floor. By this time it is 8:30 - the time I need to have everyone in the car. While cleaning all of this up and trying to calm Payton down, Caitlin gets Graci and Emi in the car for me (thank God for extra hands). I check Payton for fever, which she has none, and she said she felt fine and wanted to go to church. So off I go. I get downstairs with everyone buckled in and it is pouring down rain. I go to back up out of my garage and Bryan's truck is parked there so we can't get out. I also realize I have left without a paci and without a lovey - bad bad thing! So I run upstairs to get the paci and lovey and B's keys to move his truck.

At this point I look at Caitlin and I say:
"the clouds just opened up and God looked down and said, I hate you Shannon"

This caused us both to laugh at the morning and continue onto to Church. We weren't but 10 minutes late either and that was pretty good.

Choir was unusually chaotic but church was great and the guy leading the worship songs today was really good. I enjoyed him a lot. I just hope that this isn't a sign of how my week is going to be.

Prayers to share

Each night Bryan and I go in with the girls to put them in their bed. The girls each pray and then Bryan and I pray for them. It is a sweet time and one I cherish each day. I had to share some of the prayers from lately though. I know God is smiling down on them when He hears the voice of children praying....

They each start off this way and we just can't bring ourselves to correct them (too cute)
"Now I lay me down to sleep, I praise the Lord my soul to keep.... Thank you for...."

Payton's prayer:
Thank you for everybody in the whole world. Amen (precious and to the point)

Emi's prayer:
Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart so I can be born again so I can see Mary and Joseph.

Of course I cried and I can't wait for the day when she truly understands and becomes a Christian. It made my heart happy that she is listening to what we are trying to teach her. We are really teaching her about sins and forgiveness and why Jesus needs to live in our heart so we can go be with Him in heaven. This leads me to a conversation I had with her yesterday.

Emi had a hurt on her arm and she was whining about it on the way to gymnastics and I told her I would take care of it when we got there but there was nothing I could do while I was driving. So this is her conversation with me...

Emi: Mom, I'm ready to go to heaven and see Jesus

Me: I'm not ready for you to go to heaven yet, but why do you want to go?

Emi: I miss Jesus mommy and He can make my booboo feel better

Me: Jesus is right here with us and He hears you when you pray. Why don't we just ask Him to make your booboo feel better here in the car?

Emi: I know He is here with us, but I miss Him and I'm ready to go to heaven.

Me: Well I hope Jesus doesn't want you to go to heaven just yet, because I'm not done with you here. Let's just pray, okay?

Emi: Okay. Mommy, I need a bandaid when I get to gymnastics so you can take care of it there. Now can we listen to my music louder please?

Never boring with 3 kids is it???