Rainy Day

Today we have had the most rain since we've been living here in Houston. As of right now we have received 1.89" & it continues to rain. So, knowing it was to rain today, outside activities were out of the question, so we planned to go to the Houston Children's Museum. Obviously us & 1/2 of Houston had the same idea. We arrived at the museum shortly after 10 & they opened at 10. We knew we were in trouble when there was a line to get into park. As we entered the museum it was pure madness!!! People everywhere. KIDS everywhere. We enjoyed it for a while, then decided that we would come back another day when it isn't so busy. Having a pass allows us to do that. Thank you Nanny & Poppy for that! We did have a little fun today & Eli always enjoys it, but we look forward to going back when it's not so busy.

Eli in the Vet clinic getting ready to take care of a puppy.

Eli shopping at HEB. He wanted to have some crab.

When we decided to leave, Julie & I thought we would stop & eat some lunch at Chick-fil-A so that the boys could play in the indoor play area. The highlight of the stop for Eli was the cow. He was OBSESSED with the cow. Had to say hi about 50 times & before we left he said goodbye to her about 6 times. When he thought he wasn't going to see her one last time before we left he threw a fit. Oh the joys of a screaming child in a restaurant. If you ever want everyone to look at you somewhere, just have a toddler with you. Guaranteed at some point they will all be looking. We survived, but I was happy to get home. :-)

Eli with "his best friend"

Today being Wednesday we found out where Dan will be next week. Thankfully we will have him home for this weekend. He will be home tomorrow night. However, he will be leaving Saturday/Sunday night at midnight. He has to report to Lampassas at 4am. Originally we thought he was going to be in Gonzales, but then they changed it. Oh well. He will be working next week Sunday-Saturday, so most likely will not be home next weekend. We will enjoy the moments this weekend as we welcome in the new year with our family all together.

New Years...do you have any "resolutions?" How about goals for 2011? I think of them as goals. I do have some. I am so thankful for the fresh year to start aiming towards those goals. I will share along the way of what is going on in my life. Just know that I value your friendships & cherish your encouragement & prayers as this year is bound to bring many new adventures for me.

I'll end with one final note. My son has been speaking "his" language a lot lately. When I asked him today what he was saying...he told me, "I'm talking to Ms. Susi in her language. I miss her." (For those who may not know, Ms. Susi was his teacher in Newburg & she is from Germany & would sometimes speak German to the kids.) All I know is...my child has an active imagination!

Christmas Pics

As promised I am attaching some Christmas pictures. For those of you who have Facebook I will be posting more Christmas pics there.

Eli & I got Daddy his favorite hunting game for the Wii. Here Daddy is teaching Eli how to shoot the gun to play the game. Eli had a lot of fun playing with the gun. He kept telling Daddy before Christmas that we got him a shooting game. It's a good thing Daddy's ears aren't always attentive to the little man. LOL.

Eli playing with one of his dragons that he got Christmas morning. He LOVES his dragon stuff!

The first gift he opened Christmas morning. The camera from Aunt Allie, Uncle Brian, Dee-Dee & Be. He loves his camera. Here he is telling me "this is the camera I always wanted!" We opened it right away & he has been taking pictures daily. Most of the pics you can't tell what they are, but he is having a blast with it!

He opened his dragon castle on Christmas Eve while Skyping Nanny & Poppy since it was from them. He adores this castle. He has already had hours of fun with it!

The "Santa" gift. His big truck to ride in. Eli calls this his monster truck. So, on Christmas day we went outside to ride it a little. It was very cold out so we didn't last long, but since then he & I have taken it on some pretty nice rides, although I end up steering it still. He can't keep it straight. :-) With time I guess (I hope).

Overall a wonderful Christmas for 2010!!!

All Done

Christmas is over. Now what?! It seemed that the countdown to Christmas was helpful to me in so many ways. Now, I am counting down until my parents come to visit in February. I am really looking forward to having them here for the time.

Christmas day was a joy. Elijah was so excited when he came out & saw the presents. He was so cute with each item. I will post some pictures soon. I would say his favorite items are...the dragon castle from Nanny & Poppy, the camera from Aunt Allie & Uncle Brian, his jeep from Santa & his dump truck from mom & dad (and the other dragon pieces). He has been playing with his dragon stuff almost constantly. He especially likes his dragon from Scoot & he bought another dragon with money that Mam-ma & Pap-pa Great Davis sent him. He carries them around with him non stop.

The last two mornings Eli has been asking about & looking for Scoot. He is convinced that he is still here. Today he told me that Santa is going to come. I just laughed. I told him next year. So now, I am on a mission to get the tree down. He associates that with Santa. It has to go.

It was wonderful having Dan home for the long weekend & we are looking forward to another one this weekend.

1 SLEEP!!!

On the 11th day of Christmas...
Poinsettia...The Poinsettia's association with Christmas comes from Mexican legend. The story goes that a child, with no means for a grander gift, gathered humble weeds from the side of the road to place at the church alter on Christmas Eve. When the boy delivered his gift, the congregation witnesses a Christmas miracle as the weeds turned into brilliant red and green flowers. While the focus of many at Christmas is on giving the perfect gift, the Poinsettia reminds us that it is not the grandeur of the gift that matters.

And on the 12th day of Christmas...

The Nativity. Amidst all the festivities, let us not forget the true meaning of Christmas. Here is a favorite quote: "Christmas is a time for remembering the Son of God and renewing our determination to take upon His name. It is a time to reassess our lives and examine our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Let this be a time of remembrance, of gratitude, and a time of forgiveness. Let it be a time to ponder the Atonement of Jesus Christ and its meaning for each of us personally. Let it especially be a time of renewal and recommitment to live by the word of God and to obey His commandments. By doing this, we honor Him far more than we ever could with lights, gifts, or parties." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

So, who would have thought that one day in October, when I went out of my comfort zone & actually spoke to someone at the park, that I would meet a fantastic friend?! That day, October 8th, the Lord brought into my life a precious family. The Meads family just made our first Christmas here in Texas very memorable. These 12 days have been amazing. I have been so blessed by the generosity, creativity & love that has been shown to me & my family. I can only pray that our friendship will continue to grow & blossom. God truly knew what He was doing that day at the park. Thank you again for everything!

For those of you who were enjoying this journey with me, know that it was wonderful on all accounts. To receive the gifts each night & to know that people were also being blessed by reading. I intend to someday pay it forward & I hope that each of you will consider that too.

Well, Christmas Eve has been wonderful. We visited friends today & had family & friends visit us today. Lunch was amazing with our Ham, potatoes, homemade noodles, green beans & of course, cookies. We had a great time. Nothing too over-rated, just right! Eli opened his gifts from Nanny & Poppy tonight & what a great time he has had! Then, church service this evening was fabulous! Pastor Phillip brought an incredible message on the story of Want. We want so much, but God already gave us our need, Jesus. Happy Birthday Jesus! We are so glad we can celebrate you!!!

Merry Christmas to all. I pray that you enjoy everything you are blessed with, but most importantly, I trust you will enjoy the moments you share with those you love & who love you!

3 More Sleeps!

On the 9th day of Christmas I was blessed with...
The Gift! God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. (inside the gift bag) What can I give Him poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb. If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part. What can I give Him...give my heart!

On the 10th day of Christmas...
Gingersnaps! Now that all the Christmas symbols are complete, here is a delicious old-fashioned Christmas treat!

This gift tonight was actually delivered by a person! Don't get too excited, but no, it wasn't from the giver, but rather a friend who was asked to bring it by. Hmmmm. Eli was awake as we were eating dinner as the cookies were brought & he was so excited! He wanted a cookie, so after dinner he had one. Of course, I did too & oh my goodness...those seriously are the BEST gingersnap cookies I have EVER tasted. Honestly, I have not tasted gingersnap cookies that yummy. I know Dan wants some tomorrow when he gets home...but...hmmm...I'll try honey :-).

I still am so overwhelmed & blessed by the days of Christmas. They really have been so meaningful to me.

Well, Dan comes home tomorrow night! YAY!!! Although he has to go back to San Angelo on Sunday. Eli & I are thinking about making the trip with him next week. Not sure we are going to yet, but we are thinking about it. I am just so glad to get him home for a few days! I can't even tell you.

Something for thought today...

We can learn a LOT from children. Today I was reminded about how children don't hold grudges. When a child gets mad at you for something they quickly forget about it. They move on. Laughter isn't far away & soon they are hugging you & loving you like nothing ever happened. When do we allow that to change in us? When do we become people who hold grudges? Children give people 2nd & 3rd & 4th...etc...chances & we as adults, well, what do we do? God gives us chance, after chance, after... Somehow I think the children have it right.
Why do I put this in tonight? Well, it's almost Christmas. Is there someone you are holding something against? Are you not giving them another chance? The only person you are hurting is yourself!

5 more sleeps!!!

Today was a good day. Yesterday Dan informed me that I would have a delivery today & I couldn't leave the house until I received it. Hmmm...that's odd. I was figuring it was flowers, but didn't want to ruin the surprise by asking him about it. I did ask if I would have to sign for my delivery, to which he just said, I don't think so. Well...today I hung around the house for the day. About 2:30 my delivery came...beautiful flowers. (see the pic below). However, the card just said "Merry Christmas." What?! Hahaha. I figured they were from Dan, but I emailed him, told him I received my delivery. He told me they were an early gift from he & Eli for taking such good care of them. How sweet. I needed that smile after my weekend. Thank you Honey. Love you!

Today was more baking. Yesterday when I ATTEMPTED to melt butterscotch, well, I couldn't. I was so frustrated. I called my niece in tears because I had just wasted butterscotch. I know, something so silly, but to add my missing home with that, it was just the straw. Today however, my butterscotch melted & I was able to make my chow mien noodle cookies. They are so good. As you can see below, I also made wedding cookies & pecan tassies! Now I have to decorate sugar cookies & who knows what else I'll get into. It was nice to bake. I can't wait to share some of the cookies with those around here.

My wonderful niece, Sarah, brought me lunch today. A delicious burrito. Oh my goodness it was amazing. From a place called Mission Burrito. Similar to Chipotle, but oh so yummy. It actually ended up being my lunch & dinner. Thank you Sarah for the lunch & for visiting with me today!

The gifts have continued. Yesterday, day #7 I was blessed with...

An Angel. It was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men. May we all do the same this Christmas Season.

And, on the 8th day...

The Bell. Just as the lost sheep are found by the bell, it should ring all mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.

Every single day I receive another gift I am amazed. I am reminded every minute of the reason for this season. What a gift it is that God gave us, and now we celebrate it. How fantastic.

I was talking to Eli tonight about Christmas. He was jumping up & down because he was so excited about it being almost time. I was explaining to him that Christmas is Jesus' birthday. He said, "Jesus was born in Heavenland!" We talked a little about Jesus being born in a manger & about how we celebrate his birthday. Eli asked, can it be my birthday? I told him it isn't your birthday, but we celebrate his birthday. I think we may have a birthday cake now for our Christmas tradition.

Lonely. I've been feeling very lonely lately. One thing it has encouraged me to think of is what I should do. Had I known last year what I know now (about where I am), I would've taken time to enjoy the moments with people more. I would've taken time to love more. I wouldn't have worried about the silly things, but the moments with those I love, I would've made the most of every single minute. So, that has made me think I need to do that now. We never know what journey we will be on next, so...making the most of the one we are in/on now is a MUST. So, on the positive of being lonely...I get the TV all to myself...I'm learning more about me...I am keeping my tear ducts clean...I am learning how to cook...I am practicing being positive in all things. Sometimes I succeed, other times I don't. LOL.

Until next time...enjoy your moments. Hope your done shopping! :-)

6 Sleeps

I can't believe that Christmas is so close! The time has gone so quick. I just realized this weekend how much I really need to do to prepare for the weekend. Oh what fun!!!

So...my days of Christmas continue. I really can't express how much this has blessed me. I really am struggling with missing home & this has helped me a lot! I feel so unworthy of the generosity shown to me. So...On the 5th day...

The Santa Ornament...Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good we feel during the month of December.
I thought that was wonderful! The tin, (By the way, is filled with M&M's) also has Santa on it.

Then on the 6th day...

The Candy Cane...The Candy Cane represents a shepherd's staff. The crook on the staff helps the shepherd bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The Candy Cane, therefore, is a symbol that reminds each of us that we are our brother's keeper.

Eli was still awake when this day came last night. He was SOOOO excited when we went to the door & this was on our rug. He went running outside saying, "Mommy, who is it?!" It was really cute. That was the first time he was awake. He continues to want some of the chocolate inside the candy cane, but I have told him we can have it on Christmas eve. (I need Daddy around when he has chocolate. ;-) ). He kept asking me who left it there. His idea is Santa. He told me that Santa was loving me. It is a Santa Bubba...just maybe not the Santa you think.

I'm excited to see these days through to the end. I know I keep saying it, but I'm still in shock.

Today, Advent week #4...Love. "Worship Fully, Love All" Pastor Doug read the love chapter. He talked about how Christmas is Love, but Love is more than a feeling. Love is more than loving the lovable. He reminded us that People need loving the most when they deserve it the least. WOW. Love is the key ingredient in the true Christmas. God loved us enough to send his son. Pastor Doug continued to challenge us to show love this Christmas. Not necessarily to ones who it's easy to love & not necessarily for them to know it was you. We can show love anonymously. (Kind of like someone is doing to me right now). He also asked us...if you could on Christmas day give away the one gift that you got that you really wanted. Could you give that to someone who truly needed it? Hmmm.... Love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." I Corinthians 13:4, 7 (NIV)

What a blessing it has been for me to go through the advent weeks this year. So many challenges to me. Thank you Lord for the things you taught me.

Other than that stuff the weekend was a bit normal. Eli continues to be afraid during the night & has ended up in my bed with me almost every night this past week. He talks about it through the day & states that he won't be scared, but...ends up "hearing a noise." What can I say? He's my son.

Eli informed me today that he changed what he asked Santa for. He said he now wants a big dragon thing. I asked if he still wanted the big riding truck...his reply..."Of course, but I also need a big dragon thing." LOL. Good thing Nanny & Poppy got the dragon castle for him.

Scoot continues to be looked for with excitement every morning. Today he asked me if I put him where he was. I just asked him what he thought...he told me, no, you can't touch him. He flew there. Phew. Got out of that one. LOL. That little boy is so full of energy. :-) Gotta love him.

Eli CDC 2010

This is a video that I took on my phone of one of the songs at Eli's program. Enjoy. :-)

Days of Christmas Continued

The miracle of Christmas for me continues as Day 3 the knock on the door came & when I opened it here is what I received...
The note reads...The candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.

Then last night day 4 the knock on the door revealed...

The Wreath...The wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.

WOW. Okay, so I know I've said it before, but again it bears repeating. This is amazing. I have never felt so giddy about something that is happening to me. Okay, so maybe I have, but not in a while. I truly feel blessed. In some ways I really want to know who it is that is blessing me with these things, but then in other ways I don't want to know for fear that I will feel the need to "repay" the blessing. I could never return this blessing. Honestly, this has provided happiness, joy, smiles, excitement, delicious goodies, warm smells, anticipation and just a feeling of being loved. I wish I could do this for everyone in my life at some point. It really has shown me a whole new side of Christmas! Honestly. I know the real reason for the season & I believe that. I enjoy the Santa side of the season with my little man, but this...bringing me back to remind me of all the symbols & what they mean, it has provided new life to me. I have to be honest, I have been skeptical about when it will end. Really, the symbols...are there 12? I guess I will wait & see. I will keep you all posted so you can enjoy the journey with me.

Elijah---my dear precious child has been quite the handful lately. He hasn't been sleeping well again through the night. He is scared. He keeps telling us there are monsters & wolves in his room. It has been trying as I don't do well with little sleep. I'm okay for a while, but day after day after day, well...that is a different story. He has been ending up in bed with me more than I would like lately. I try to get him to go back to his bed & take him there, but he ends up back with me. I've been averaging about 4 hours of good sleep a night lately, which is okay, but I'm hoping he gets through this stage quickly & we can get back to normal. It doesn't seem to matter how much he sleeps, he is usually awake by 5:45-6 each morning. Today he did sleep in a little longer which I was SOOOO happy about!!!

Eli had his Christmas play at school on Thursday. It was really cute. I wish I had pictures to post, however, all 3 sets of batteries I had with me for my camera would not work, UGH & I was too far back to get a decent photo with my phone. So...the pic below is of Eli in his classroom after the program for a little party. Eli didn't smile the entire show anyhow...he kept trying to see me & couldn't. He even had his teacher looking for me. It was really cute, but I wish he would've participated. At least this time he didn't move around like he did in Newburg this past summer. :-) I guess I may have to face up to the fact that he may not be a performer :-(. Oh well, whatever he wants to be is good with me. So, on that note...school is out for the Holidays & so now I am trying to think of things to keep my active 3 year old busy. Should be fun.

As I post this you have 8 more days until Christmas! I can't believe it is almost here!!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Days of Christmas

I am going to start this blog out with the fun stuff that has happened to me the past 2 days. On Monday at 9:30PM I received a knock on my door. I was on the computer chatting with a friend & thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest. When I finally built up nerve to go to the door I first looked through the peep hole & didn't see anyone, so I debated even opening it. Well, needless to say, curiosity got the best of me & I opened it to find...

The Fir Tree. It was a rice krispy tree. The paper reads..."The pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven.
(BTW-after deciding to eat it...it is DELICIOUS!!) Eli & I are loving every bite!

So...last night I wondered...hmmm...will there be a day 2? Well, around 7PM knock on the door...this time I was not so scared, but by the time I got to the door, they were GONE. However, this is what was there...

2nd day The Star...the paper reads...The brilliant star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise.

So...I am in awe of this. The pure fact that someone has picked us to do this to is amazing. I have an idea of who it may be, but I am still in shock. Dan told me maybe this was God's way of giving me something to look forward to each night so I didn't focus so much on being "alone" right now. I can't help but feel that is true. I will keep each of you posted on what happens next. I am excited about this! BTW--the star is a metal one...like the one's we had on our house in PA, so...I am so excited about putting it on our home here. Amazing how this has been so encouraging! Whoever it is I pray God blesses them in a great & mighty way!!!

In other news...Yesterday morning Elijah woke me up with pleasant vomiting all over my bed. The night before was rough with him coughing so neither one of us slept well, then that. Well, after that he seemed to be feeling fine. However, we stayed home for the day & enjoyed a day of laundry & a little cleaning. Today he seems to be back to his normal ornery self. Today's temp was 75 degrees & beautiful even with high winds. We joined our friends Julie & little G at the park for a while. I can't believe we were out in flip flops & shorts/carpi's for December 15! Amazing!

After the park we were running errands & Eli seems to be obsessed with snow lately. He asked if we were going to see Mam ma today. I told him no & he just said...I want to see the snow. So, Dan thinks sometime he is in Northern Texas I should go visit for the week so Eli can see snow. We shall see...

Christmas is only 10 days away!!! Good news...Praise the Lord Dan will be home for Christmas Eve!!! WOO HOO!!!

:-)

Although the night was rough & not much sleep was had, today was wonderful! When we got to the school today Eli put his stuff down & walked right into class. No hesitation, no crying, no stalling, nothing, but a disappearing boy. Literally I turned around & he was gone. So nice! Then when I picked him up he told me that he had so much fun at school today! YAY!!! What a great day! Thursday they will have their Christmas party & then he will be done until the new year. I am also so happy that he is making new friends. He talks about Seth & Tristan all the time & the teacher told me today that he & Seth are best buds. Double Yay!!!

On my journey today I had a coupon for Toys R Us to save $15 if you spent $150...well, I knew that I didn't need $150 worth of stuff, but I thought I would stop & see if I could find anyone with a cart full of toys to give it to. Well, I did. I saw this older couple shopping & they had 2 shopping carts full! I am not sure if they were grandparents or what...they had a list that they were checking things off of, so I asked them if they could use the coupon. They were so appreciative. The lady was so excited about it. I left the store empty handed, but my heart was full.

Scoot...tonight as I was rocking Eli he was watching Scoot (who was on the TV today). I asked him what he was doing...Eli smiled, "I'm watching Scoot get ready to fly to Santa because I'm tired." Awww...how cute.

Christmas...I really think Eli is going to be so much fun this year. I don't think he really understands about what will happen on Christmas day. Today we received a package from Nanny & Poppy that had some gifts for him. So, we put them under the tree. He was so excited because there was more than 1. Oh the child is going to light up on Christmas morning. I can't wait!!! His favorite bed time songs right now are Santa Claus is Coming to Town & Away in the Manager.

12 more days!!!

Happy Birthday to Dan's sister Sandy! We love you.

Gum & Joy

Gum. My son is addicted to gum. He LOVES gum. He constantly wants gum. So, Saturday morning after breakfast I was doing some cleaning & Eli was outside playing came in & wanted gum, so no harm. Well, he came in a little later & was playing in his room. I finished cleaning & told him I was going to shower. While I was in the shower...my precious little man showed up with gum all over him. Oh what a joyous occasion in the Davis household. Needless to say, he won't be having gum for a while. :-)

However, speaking of gum...while we were on our way to the grocery story Saturday afternoon Eli was talking to me about Pennsylvania. He pronounces it Pennstavainya. He asked me if Mamma & Pappa were on their way to us. I told him not yet...well...he said, they are going to come & Mamma will have gum! HAHAHA....He was plotting already.

Today Eli was ready to go to church. When we got to the church he saw a boy getting dropped off & going into the church. (I would say the boy was probably 12 or so). Well, as soon as we parked Eli informed me that he could go to his class by himself & I didn't need to take him because he is a big kid. I chuckled but told him I had to take him & check him in. Well, as soon as he got his name tag put on his back, he turned, smiled at me & said, "Bye Mom!" Hmmmm, I hope he continues to be this comfortable.

So, today in Church...Advent week #3. Joy. Hallelujah the Savior is born! We also learned this week to "Worship Fully, Give More." You know we can give even when it is not monetary giving. However, we are a blessed people. Did you know that Americans only make up 5% of the population however, we use 24% of the energy. Also...Americans use on average 159 gallons of water daily per person while the REST OF THE WORLD uses 25 gallons daily per person. WOW. That is astounding to me. We were encouraged today to think of the needy, not the greedy. God created us to be satisfied when giving as He gives. Hmmm...when we give we will be satisfied. Wow. Acts 20:35 (GWT) "We should remember the words that the Lord Jesus said, "Giving gifts is more satisfying than receiving them." So, this year we are all encouraged to look at where & who we can help. Maybe it is our chance to hug someone to make their day brighter, or send a card to someone we know needs a smile, or ask someone to go out for a cup of coffee...or...maybe you can financially bless someone. Think about it. We complain about so much when we have so much. Just sayin'. I'm talking to myself too. Anyhow...once again, blessed by the service.

So...I can't believe Christmas is 13 days away. It was 75 degrees here on Saturday so it feels a little odd that it's December. I am enjoying it though, can't lie. Eli keeps talking about Snow...another thing he said that Mamma & Pappa would bring with them is some snow. I told him they can't do that, but hey....Pappa...can you help a kid out?! LOL.

Hope you have a great week!

E N E R G Y

5:45 AM may be a reasonable wake up time for some of you, but for some reason this body...this mind...this soul...this woman...doesn't particularly like being up that early. I am a night owl & for as long as I can remember I have been. In fact, I remember sneaking out of bed & sitting on the bed at night listening to my mom & dad talk in the kitchen, especially when we were having Revival at the church & we had an evangelist staying at our house. Oh, those were the days. Sometimes, I would just lay in my bed & read & read & read. I loved books & still do so that was my time to go through books after books. Anyhow...I'll stop rambling...I have enjoyed late nights. It is true though, that I would rather get up & get my day going so I can enjoy the rest of the day, but only on MY terms. LOL (ie...I was the college student that CHOSE 8 am classes).

Anyhow...last night I decided to tell Elijah that he couldn't get up until the sun was up. So, I told him if he was up & noticed the sun wasn't that meant he should be sleeping & he needed to wait until the sun woke up to get up. So, this morning at 5:45 (like clockwork) I hear him. He comes over to my bed...and he tells me: "Mommy, the sun isn't up, but I am." I told him he needed to go back to his room until the sun was up. So, he did. At first I thought, whew, that was easy...HAHAHA...Well, sunrise today was at 7:06 AM. We all know that it starts getting light out before that. So...for the next 25 mins this is what I heard:

E: "Mommy, the sun is starting to wake up."--1 min later

E: "Mommy, it's getting light outside." --next min

E: "Mommy, I have to pee..." --1 min after I laid back down

E: "Mommy, I think the sun opened his eyes..." -next min

E: "Mommy, is it time to wake up?!" --Next min

E: "Mommy, I have to go poop!"

After that...he went back to his room & until finally at 6:20ish I let him come over to watch TV. Wow.

My son has energy. Energy is sometimes a polite way of putting misbehaving too. For the most part his energy is good. I like that he has energy. Sometimes though...wow! I'm trying to learn how to handle good energy that turns into bad energy in a very short amount of time. We try to keep him moving & occupied to rid of energy, but some days, the more we rid, the more he has. So...we will keep chugging through this wonderful energetic stage! :-)

Today I received a beautiful surprise. Our family dearly misses our "kids" in PA. Tonight we were smiling because our youth sent us a gorgeous wreath! Thank you all so very much! We appreciate your thoughtfulness & it really brightened up our door.

Our beautiful wreath on our door

Scoot---still have been enjoying the fun. Today I laughed as I was "talking" to Scoot giving him some information to give "Santa" & Eli crawled up in front of Scoot (who is on the lamp today) and covered his eyes so he couldn't see me. He was very careful not to touch him, but oh my what a sight! Classic!

15 more days until Christmas!

PJ Day

Today was declared PJ day in the Davis household. Eli woke me up WAY too early once again (5:45am) and well since I couldn't fall back asleep by 6:30 we were out of bed starting on our day. I don't usually let Elijah watch TV past 10am, but today, well, he did. In fact today was a TV/Movie kind of day. While I was sorting through paperwork & cleaning out our computer room (which after 8 hours of work still needs work) Eli was entertained by Land Before Time, Dora, Diego, Max & Rudy, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse & Dinosaur Train. Yup...his favorites right now. The best part is, Elijah does play while he watches TV. At one point he was yelling for me to come see his rocket in his room, like Max & Rudy have. I have NO idea what the rocket was, but he showed me his Hess truck Helicopter. It was a good time.

It's official. This is the longest stretch I have had of missing home. Usually I can kick it & only miss home for a day here & there. Well, this time...I've been missing home for almost a week straight. I don't mean just casually missing home. I REALLY miss home. Elijah gave me tissues today to wipe my eyes. He keeps asking me "What's wrong Mommy?" I just tell him I miss home, but the sad thing is, after looking at some pictures of our home in PA with him today...(yes, I know that could be WHY after 8 hours of working in this room I still have work) he said he didn't remember our house in PA. I knew this day would come, I just didn't realize it would be so quick. Oh well. Anyhow...I'm sure I will kick this soon, but to my friends & family...I miss you. I love you & come see me! ;-)

"From Da Got"...This is Eli's version of the word Forgot. If we leave a room & forget something...he will tell me..."Mommy, you from da got ___!" It is too cute. I tell you that today because I think he has said that word more today than any day.

I gave Eli a new book today called "God Found Us You." It is an amazing book about adoption. Mainly about a mommy fox who wanted a baby & prayed & waited knowing that God would give her the right child. Eli & I read it a couple times & he informed me it is his favorite book. So, tomorrow for his Darling Duck of the Week time he is taking that book in, along with a couple pictures (one of he & daddy fishing, one with the day he came home & our family now) and he wants to take his frog with him. I am hoping the kids enjoy learning more about him in their circle time!

well...that is all for today. 17 more days until Christmas!

Happy Birthday to my dear Mom! We love you!

Zoo"tacular"

We love the Zoo. Who would've guessed?! Honestly, we have enjoyed each & every trip we have taken to the Zoo. Today, we went with our friends Julie & Garner. It was a great day! The weather was beautiful & they had a Member only "Peek" at a new part of the zoo called the African Forrest. We thoroughly enjoyed that part! The giraffes were Eli & my favorite. It was so much fun. We are looking forward to our next trip.

Our Favorites (for today anyhow)

Elijah & Garner posing with the Sea Lion

My little man loved the drums...my favorite pic of the day!

Other than the zoo there is really not much else to report on today. :-) Although I will tell you...this morning when I woke up it was 35 outside & our house was a chilling 64...so, I actually turned on the heat. Only for a bit. Just to take off the chill. Now it is 70 in here. No more heat for tonight. Tomorrow morning may be a different story. Although since we will be home tomorrow we may just light the fire for a while. :-)

Oh, almost forgot...Scoot...Oh my goodness...He was in the kitchen today on the blinds & this evening I noticed he was falling. So, I thought Eli wasn't paying attention & I went over to "help" him back up. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH. Eli yelled at me..."MOMMY, YOU TOOK AWAY THE CHRISTMAS MAGIC!" Hahahahaha. I quickly thought & said, oh, Scoot had to tell Mommy something, cause remember he can talk to adults?! Phew...that was close!


Okay...so...Happy Birthday to my sister Joyce. We love you.


18 more days until Christmas! Woo Hoo!!!

Go Faster!

Elijah's latest saying to us (either Dan or I) while we are driving is Go Faster! Today on our way home from school he told me, "Go faster Mommy, beat that car!" My child is obsessed with racing! I think he must get this from Pappa Rexroth! :-) We tell him that we are going the speed limit & he just tells us, well, go faster. Can't help but laugh. The fun we have!

Tonight while eating dinner Elijah told me that Texas is a long story, but...it's fun in Texas. That made me laugh. I asked him if he was talking about the trip. He just smiled & said, it's a long ride mommy. Oh yes Bubba...it was a long drive, but we are here. He just smiled. "I like Texas," he said. It's in those moments that I'm so happy to be here.

Also at dinner...my veggie eating boy wanted tomatoes. We have some cherry tomatoes & Eli was so cute. He told me he wanted to make them splash. I (having had to clean a stain from a brand new shirt last night-yes mom I DID IT!) told him that he needed to do it in his mouth. So, in all his cuteness he took the tomato & then smiled at me..."I splashed it in my mouth mommy!" Ahhhh...I could eat him up in those moments!

Can I just tell you how excited I am for Christmas? Elijah has really started playing with toys more lately. Tonight he was playing with his cars, talking & pretending. Oh what a sight. He was so well behaved again tonight! Praise the Lord! He busted his lip on the playground at school today, but he took it like a champ. It is a little fat & he told me tonight while I was rocking him for bed that he doesn't want to hurt himself any more. His mind is racing all the time.

In speaking of Christmas...what are your opinions on this? My child LOVES slushies or FLUSHIES as he calls them. So, today on our way home from school he asked for a "flushie" so I decided to stop at Sonic. Well, Sonic has happy hour from 2-4 everyday & we were able to get him a slushie for $.50 + tax. So....I'm thinking Sonic gift card for his stocking. What do you think? Too young? LOL?!

Scoot...Eli continues to be amazed with Scoot. Dan & I are loving Scoot & Dan asked me yesterday if Scoot could have 1 day off (Christmas Day) and then reappear the next day to prepare for next year. HAHAHA. I think the novelty would wear off, but it is fun while we are having Scoot around.

One final thing...I received notification that Elijah is the Darling Ducks Student of the Week this week! YAY! So, on Thursday he has to take in a picture of himself & some information & a favorite toy or... So...Mommy is on the look out for creative stuff. I will let you know what we decide! So proud of my little man!

On that note...19 more days until Christmas!

Weekend Wrap

What a weekend! Dan has been home for the weekend which has definitely been a God send. By Friday night I was so exhausted within 20 minutes of Dan coming home I was in bed. I slept so well on Friday night. Friday, I had done some cleaning in our bedroom (one of the rooms that still isn't complete) and well, let's just say the dust got to me. I knew going to bed that my sinuses were going to be a problem on Saturday. Saturday was a beautiful day. I was awakened to my husband ripping the house apart on the outside of our bedroom. We found out within the first month of living here that we had a leak. Well, Dan had tried to fix it a few weeks ago, but it didn't work, so this weekend he decided to go deeper. After taking apart the outside he found a leak in the pipe for the outside faucet. Thus...getting the wall & our bedroom floor wet. Thankfully Dan was home this weekend & it was a GORGEOUS 80 degrees out so he was able to get it fixed. Elijah worked with him outside & ran errands with him to the hardware store & as the men got it fixed, I enjoyed some shopping. Okay...so I have decided that I miss shopping with people. I broke down in tears a couple times in the stores. I really wanted my mom, sisters, nieces etc with me. It was lonely. I think that is when I struggle the most. While I was out shopping I started to feel horrible. By the time of my last stop (the grocery) I was feeling awful. I was so glad to get out of there. When I got home Dan was almost finished with the outside. It was an all day affair & we are praying that it works. Since it was so nice out hamburgers on the grill was the perfect dinner. So, while we ate we all sat together watching Polar Express. Elijah was so cute. He had to shut off all the lights (he wanted the tree lights off too) because he wanted us to watch it like the "theatre!" It was nice being able to watch that movie together. It was my & Eli's first time seeing it.

Throughout the night last night Elijah joined us in our bed. I'm not sure that either one of us even realized it. In fact, Dan said that he didn't know until he rolled over & felt a foot on his hand. Here, Eli had crawled down between us to the bottom of the bed. Scary thing is we didn't even know. I think we were both tired (or it could've been the NyQuil I took before I went to bed). Eli goes through spurts. Last night we let him stay up past his bedtime & thought he would sleep...Didn't happen. Silly us.

Today...2nd Sunday of Advent. Last week the first candle for Hope was lit. We learned to Worship Fully. This week, the 2nd candle for Peace & we were encouraged to Spend Less. Do you know that on average Americans spend $450 Billion on Christmas? You know what is frightening about that? $10 Billion would provide the remaining part of the world with clean drinking water (the places that don't have) & would in return save lives. Can you imagine? All I can say is wow. Today's message focused on worship more, spend less. Jesus is NOT impressed with any earthly kingdom & neither should we be. Pastor Doug reminded us of King Herod. Now, all the earthly buildings he had are in ruins. It's not about the stuff. It's about our relationship with our savior!

Scoot has still been exciting. Today he was in Eli's room & Elijah was soooo excited to show me this morning when I got up. Tonight he told us that there are 2 Santa's. I'm not sure what he is meaning by that, but it is cute to listen to him talk. Dan has my gifts under the tree already so Eli is really getting excited for Christmas. He continues to say that Santa is going to bring him a big truck to ride on. We are so excited to see his face Christmas morning with the Jeep. I can't wait! Eli was with me when I bought one of Dan's presents & well...Eli told Daddy today we got you a cool...& I interrupted him & told him NO...don't tell. I think the cat may already be out of the bag. It's cute though, but hmmm....I don't think I can have him with me. LOL.

Well...20 more days until Christmas! Enjoy your time. Worship More, Spend Less!

Growing

So, I write this after an exhausting day. Sometimes I wish a 3 year old had an off button. Seriously, could I press the button for just 5 minutes of straight silence? LOL. I know, I know...enjoy the moments as they go way too fast & soon I will wish he would talk to me. But for now let me tell you I can always tell when there is a full or new moon on the surface.

Today, I decided to tackle Elijah's dresser & closet. I have been noticing shirts being too short for him & pants looking as if we are having a flood, so...I thought today would be a good day to go through them. We cleaned out the majority of his 3T clothes. I have been trying to pick up 4T's here & there. The problem is finding the pants that fit him. He is taller than 3T's but not quite at 4T's. The waist on 4T's are ridiculously big on him. In fact the waist on 3T's are sometimes big. 4T shirts seem to be just right on him. It is amazing to me how fast time has flown. I can't believe he is getting so big. We are just trying to enjoy the moments (however difficult that is sometimes)

Dan is on his way home for the weekend! Yay! 3 Weekends in a row is a treat. We are going to have a great time. The weather is supposed to be near 80 tomorrow & Sunday so I am sure we will spend a lot of time outside! Double YAY!!!

This morning Eli was so excited about Scoot that he asked me to take his picture with him. This is rare for my child as lately he does NOT want his picture taken. Anyhow...enjoy the picture. Have a great evening!

Elijah'isms"

"MOMMY....I FOUND SCOOT!" Eli came running into the bathroom this morning while I was taking a shower to tell me about where Scoot was. As soon as I stepped out he insisted that I come out & see him. He was so excited that Scoot was sitting in the tree. As I was getting dressed I could hear him chatting with Scoot telling him that he was sorry that he wasn't good yesterday, but if he could please tell Santa he will be good today. I just smiled & chuckled a little. This Scoot thing has been so much fun. Thanks Sarah for telling us about it!

Elijah cracks me up. This morning we were laying in bed & he just looks at me & says "Take a picture Mommy, CHEESE!" So, as you see below...I did. Quite a ham I have.

A few other "Elijahisms" (I know that is NOT a word) for the day were:

"Never mind, I CAN see my eyebrows!"

"Why do you eat ice cream like soap?" (no, we weren't eating Ice Cream...this was during breakfast)

"How do cough catchers scare me all day?"

Me: "Eli, who is your best friend at school?"

Eli: "Kaylee"

Me: "Kaylee?! That's so nice!"

Eli: "Wait a minute; who is Kaylee?"

I busted up laughing. Needless to say when we got to school I noticed that there isn't a Kaylee in his class. There is a Kaitlyn. No wonder he was confused. LOL

Sometimes I wonder if Elijah will be a vegetarian. I am so thankful that he eats fruits & vegetables though. Today for lunch he asked me to pack him ham, nuts, grapes & cucumbers. He ate all his grapes & cucumbers. For dinner I was having a spinach salad & chicken sausage. He & Maddie were having chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, carrots & oranges. Eli ate...celery, spinach, carrots, oranges & cucumbers. Hmmm...I made him eat a couple chicken nuggets just to try to have something of substance in his stomach.

Today...I had a facial. (Thanks babe). I really enjoyed it. The facial was more like a head to toe relaxation. It started with a foot soak...then facial stuff...scalp massage...shoulder, hands, arms, legs & feet massage. It was wonderful. I am just trying to decide if I prefer it or just a normal massage. Simply because the amount of stuff they put on your face really feels heavy to me. I am certain it is the moisturizer & well, I just don't handle moisturizers well...although maybe I should because the girl told me I may benefit from the anti aging facial the next time. Bahaha. I guess I'm getting old.

My friendly reminder...23 more days until Christmas!

Anticipation

Since moving to Texas, Wednesday has become the most anticipated day of the week. Simply because Wednesday is the day that Dan will most likely find out his assignment for the next week. So, today I am waiting with much anticipation to hear where he will be next week. -So since I started writing this blog & now I learned that Dan will be home this weekend! He will be working about 2 1/2 hours away next week. Yay!


Scoot was blending in today in Mommy's stocking. It took Elijah quite a while to notice him, but when he did...he was soooo excited. He has started talking to Scoot everyday, however, most times he whispers to him & I have no idea what he says. It really has been fun with Scoot around.



Last night at bedtime Eli was saying his prayers & this is what he prayed. "Dear Father in heaven, thank you for mommy & daddy finding me so I am not lost. Amen." I am not sure what he meant it or what he was thinking about, however, it brought tears to my eyes. I think about the gift that God gave us by blessing us with this little man. Finding him so he is not lost...I pray that Elijah will remember that feeling & "find" God as he matures so he will not be lost. The one focus that I have right now as Elijah mommy is to ensure that he is taken care of not only physically, mentally & emotionally, but also spiritually. We are praying that God will use this little man in a great way in his life. I am trusting that to be so.


This afternoon Elijah & I were working on his homework for preschool tomorrow. The letter they are working on right now is J. When he was tracing it I asked him what letter it was. He just looked at me & said "hook" and continued tracing. Hmmm... Also...at what age do kids decide if they will be left or right handed? Elijah continues to use both constantly. I can't even tell what hand he has more control with. I am just curious & will be interesting to see how it pans out.

We just got back from a nice long walk/bike ride. It is such a beautiful day out today. I knew we would both enjoy some time out. Elijah does so well riding his bike. I can't believe how big he is getting. When I was watching him ride I found myself thinking that his training wheels need to come off soon. Really? Wow. Time is flying by. How did I end up with a boy that needs to have his training wheels removed already? Unreal! To top things off his bike that we bought for him 6 months ago for his birthday is already starting to look too small for him. That is funny because when we bought it was big & Dan & I thought this will be great for him for a while. Haha. The joke is apparently on us now.


So, as most of you know I have a goal in life to run a marathon. That goal seems to have taken a back burner for me lately. Which is kind-of funny seeing how I THOUGHT I would have so much more time to exercise now. Although now the challenge is getting in a good work out while paying attention to a 3 year old. It's not that easy. When I run, I have to listen to music & get in my "zone." So, while it is nice that Eli can ride his bike while I run, the difficult thing is I can't zone out because I constantly have to make sure he is okay. Thus...I don't get into my groove. So...I've been thinking about what I can do in the meantime while Eli still needs constant supervision. Walking I can do. I can walk without music (although I much prefer it), but even if I have music I can walk & concentrate on him. So...I have always been a huge Breast Cancer Awareness advocate & always thought it would be awesome to participate in the Avon Breast Cancer Awareness Walk. Well, I've been seeing ads for it for the Houston one. It is April 16 & 17. This is a 2 day walk. In the two days you would walk 39 miles. The first day is 26.2 ( A MARATHON!!!) So, I am really wanting to do this!!! My hold up is...they encourage you to raise $1800 per participant for Breast Cancer Awareness, which I am all for, but that's a lot. I also am really not wanting to do it by myself & although I know other people will be there, but I would love someone to walk with me. Anyone interested in coming to Houston for the weekend to do it with me????


While eating lunch today Elijah made me laugh. My son is not really a ketchup eater. In fact normally if there is ketchup on something he won't touch it. So, today he asked for ketchup to dip his cucumber in. First off I said no you won't like it. Well, he asked again & again. I gave him a dab of ketchup on his plate. He proceeded to place the cucumber in it & took a bite. The look on his face was priceless. He then agreed, that was yucky! Oh that was a great moment!

To end today I would like to remind you that Christmas is only 24 days away! :-) I think I'm going to wrap gifts tonight when Eli goes to bed! Woo Hoo!!!