My darling little Noah boy tore it up in motor therapy today. I was so proud! He was super hungry by lunch time and managed to eat an entire grilled cheese sandwich. Then, he snacked on some goldfish crackers.

My eyes got huge and my heart was about to leap out of my chest, and all the forest animals (in this Albuquerque desert) burst into song because I heard the most wonderful sound… crunching.

Oh yes! I saw his mouth open and close and his teeth split those goldfish into tiny morsels. What joy, what bliss! I am hoping and praying this is just the beginning for our sweet baby Noah.

I see visions of sugarplums- er, diced chicken and raw carrots maybe- dancing in my head!

Thank you Jesus!

The girl is brave. And fun. No denying it.

Today was a long day since my dear hubby had to work late. The boys and I had a blast playing together and I’m enjoying their ages so much. Tonight I was sitting on the couch folding laundry, when Sammy came riding into the living room on a little tyke bike:

Sammy: “Hi Mom, I’m home from work!”

Me:”How was your day, sweetheart?”

Sammy: (Big sigh)… “Oh, I couldn’t get my computer to work! The internet was soooo slow!”

Me, trying not to laugh: “Oh that’s awful!”

Sammy: “I know it, I couldn’t even watch a movie about airplanes!”

Me: “Well, I’m glad you’re finally home.”

Sammy: “Me too. Oh no! I forgot to get gas!” (Turns his bike around to do one more lap around the house).

Me: “Did you fill er up?”

Sammy: “Yup. Got diesel.”

Me: “Does your car take diesel? You can’t just put diesel into any old car you know.”

Sammy: “Mom… it’s JUST a bike.”

Ahhh yes, and back to reality. Hahaha! I love it.

The other night as Renée and I were about to drift off to sleep, we began discussing the merits of a particular interesting idea:

The Bacon Stand!

I mean, we have hot dog stands, so why not a bacon stand?

“Yes, I’d like a cup of bacon, please!”

Or maybe:

“Three slices, half-fat, double-greasy, extra tangy, 1/3 crunch, please!”

Quite honestly, the possibilities are endless.

Would you buy bacon from a bacon stand?

Dear Noah,

Two years ago, you were literally thrust into this world before you were ready as the result of an unfortunate car accident. You had no time to prepare for the challenges that awaited you. After being born five weeks early, you took up residence at the hospital neonatal intensive care unit as you fought the uphill battle to gain weight, learn how to suck, and how to eat. You needed a little extra help, which the doctors were able to provide you. I remember the day that you were finally released from the hospital to come home with your Mommy, Daddy, and brother, all who were so excited to finally have you in your own bed that we had so carefully prepared for you. We were all so very happy to finally be together.

But the challenges were not over; in fact, they were just beginning. You fought as your stomach consistently rejected food and forced you to endure so much pain and discomfort in your little form. Your Mommy and Daddy spent so many nights crying for you and praying that God would bring relief and healing to you; looking back, He was saying, “In My time.”

Yet when you smiled, it was like someone was lighting up the room with the brightest lights ever.

We had every conceivable test run to see if we could help you. Praise God—the rest of your body was working fine. You certainly perplexed us! But we loved you more than anything else in the entire world.

When you had an unfortunate run-in with an avocado and went back to the hospital, we knew it was time to move forward with an option that we thought we would be able to bury. God gave us the peace we needed to know that what was before us was ordained.

Shortly after your first birthday, you had a surgery that would change your life forever. For the first 10 days, you thrived and we saw a new baby—you must have felt it too. There was no pain, no vomiting, no screaming—just joy! You were so happy, all the time, and for the first time we thought that life was going to be oh-so-different.

Then came the uphill battle of having your body adjust. Day after day, hour after hour, your little frame suffered from the agony of dry heaving, but praise God, after a number of months God gave you relief—suddenly, the pain stopped. Yet through the pain and hours of therapy that still continue, you persevere and show the world the joy that can only come from the Lord.

Now, look at you: you’re learning to walk with your braces so well. When it hurts and you’re crying as you take those steps, you keep going. You’re eating little bites of mashed food with your mouth and watching us as we demonstrate how to chew. And the most joyous: your laugh! It is quite honestly the most infectious laugh I’ve ever heard, and Sammy makes you laugh the most. The two of you are best buds and your mom and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Noah, you have a sparkle in your eye and a zest for life, and you just go for it. I know God created you like this because He knew how much you’d have to endure. It’s hard to contain within this space the attributes of your personality and character that I simply adore. Mommy and I are so proud of you: for everything you have accomplished despite the many obstacles you have faced. How evident it is that the hand of Jesus is on your life, even at such a young age! We love you so much, and we have so much to be thankful for concerning you. You make our’s the happiest family ever.

God’s blessings to you, Noah Paul, as this year continues!

One of Samuel’s biggest challenges is control over his hands. Like any other little boy, he feels the need to touch everyhing he sees, wherever he is. This is, of course, problematic when shopping!

So Renée and I typically try to involve him when shopping, havig him help bag vegetables or retrieve boxes or cans off shelves. However, there is [at least] one store where touching is explicitly verboten: Hobby Lobby. This is because everything is “breakable.”

Thus, Sammy doesn’t like going to Hobby Lobby.

But that doesn’t keep us from trying to get him to go. Renée was really egging him on last Wednesday, asking just him to go with her while Noah and I stayed home. The conversation went something like this:

R: “C’mon Sammy, let’s go!”

S: “I think Noah wants to go and I can stay here with Daddy.”

R: “Sammy, I really want you to go with me.”

S: “Maybe Noah wants to go.”

R: “No, he’s going to stay home with Daddy and you’re going to go with me.”

S: “I can’t go with you, Momma.”

R: “Why not?”

S: “Because… I’m allergic to breakable things.“

So as anyone can tell, things have gotten a little dusty around here. Sadly, devoting time to our blog has been a been a lesser priority with all of regular “life” just happening around us. I’m hoping 2010 will be different.

Here’s a short “life” update.

Noah

Of course, the biggest occupier of time is our little-almost-two-year-old. At the beginning of the year he was doing horribly, but now he’s making some great progress: he’s gaining weight, he’s beginning to eat more and more through his mouth, and he’s walking more and more each day. He gets therapy three times a week, which keeps Renée and Samuel quite busy. He is such a joy, though, and keeps almost a permanent smile on my face as I hear his almost constant joyful laughter. What a difference from a year ago! Praise God!

Traveling

Because Noah is doing so much better, we’ve been able to travel for the first time since his birth, almost two years ago. First, we went to Houston for Thanksgiving—on an airplane. Samuel and Noah were simply ecstatic and loved every minute of it. We visited for two weeks and saw lots of friends and all of Renée’s family and generally had a very relaxing time.

Then, a couple weeks ago, we visited our friends down in Claunch, NM and immensely enjoyed our time conversing, riding horses, and feeding cows (Sammy especially liked that part).

Over the Christmas holiday, we took a last minute trip to Arizona to see my extended family and had a great time visiting my older brother and his family, as well as several aunts and uncles on my Dad’s side. It was a short trip but well worth it.

I think we’re done traveling for a little while now, but it was fun to get out of New Mexico.

2010

We’re on to the new year and looking forward to what God is going to do with our family. We’re still going one day at a time, but these days our days seem to be a lot happier—thanks to God!

I just got back from the thrift store, where I scored five cute winter skirts. I bought them without trying them on (will they fit? Some are labeled a size 2, others a size 8)? – oh, the risk! …but when I got home, every single one fit.

AND, I was able to shop with the cutest lil smiley baby who didn’t put up the slightest fuss. He came home with some well-fitting shirts too! Sweet.