The Rest of the Story...

A few weeks ago I blogged about going to Monterrey, TN in a blog titled "The Hemlocks". What you don't know is that I left out a very BIG part of what happened while we were there...




We only stayed one night. We got there around lunchtime, and stayed until mid afternoon the next day. The morning of the second day that we were there, we rode the Polaris into the woods a little ways, and then got out and started hiking. This area was called "The Enchanted Forest", and it was absolutely beautiful...stream and all. We were walking towards a covered bridge, and we were not on any trail, but just cutting through the woods. There were two people in front leading us, then Payton, Elijah, and me in the back.


All of a sudden Payton starts screaming. I look down and see bees everywhere! We had stepped on a yellow jackets nest that was hidden under the leaves, and they were MAD!!! Payton was right in the middle of them and Elijah was one step away. Amy (the only other adult in the situation) turned around and grabbed Payton and essentially got her into a clearing and started trying to get the bees off of her. I grabbed Elijah and went around the bees over to where Payton was. There were bees all over poor Payton! Even in her shoes and in the cuff of her shorts! It was the craziest situation. Both Elijah and Payton are crying, screaming, freaking out! We are out in the middle of the woods, a good ways away from the Polaris, and both of my kids are in bad shape. Payton got stung 3 times (it is a miracle that it wasn't more) and Elijah got stung twice. Nobody else got stung.



As a parent, I felt so helpless! Marshall wasn't there, and both of my kids were hurting and in need of me. Elijah wanted me to hold him, Payton needed attention too, and I am in the middle of the woods, a long way from anti-sting medicine, benedryl, ice, bandaids, candy, anything that might be of help. Did I mention that both kids are crying and screaming? Actually, Payton was just crying because of the pain, and it was heartbreaking because you could tell that it really did sting. Elijah was screaming and crying- things like "I want my dad" (who was in Atlanta) and "I want to go home!" (and we weren't leaving for several more hours). It was aweful. Needless to say that neither of them have been stung before, so ultimately I am also watching them both- waiting for some kind of allergic reaction. (Anyone remember the movie My Girl?) Definately not the most fun I have ever had.



So with Elijah on one hip and my opposite arm wrapped around Payton, we walked and met our friends on the Polaris, and got back to the house safely. But I am not exaggerating one minute when I say that both of my kids continued to cry because of the stinging pain for 30 minutes! Payton just kept saying "It really hurts." They each got in a cool bath, but in different bath tubs, so here I was going back and forth, trying to comfort both, but having to constantly choose one over the other, and divide my time. Then, after 30 minutes, they finally settled down and the stinging seemed to stop. Then they just looked like bug bites for a few days. No allergic reactions...thank the Lord.



So now you are probably wondering...ok, why is she telling us all of this now, right? Well, I told you all of that so that I could tell you this...



This past weekend Marshall and I went to the cemetary to see Odell. The kids were out of town with my parents. As we were standing by his grave, I looked down and saw a yellow jacket flying around in the grass around my feet. And then I realized...Odell will never have to feel the pain of a yellow jacket sting. Marshall and I watched him suffer greatly as they poked and proded his skin with needles and things. But now it is over for him. No more pain. He is free. What more could a mother truly want for her child? No scraped knees. No broken heart. None of the struggles of this life. He is free. And I can't wait to see him again!

Last Day of Summer

Today is officially my last day of summer! I have SO enjoyed this summer with my family, and am sad to see it go! Pre-planning starts tomorrow for new staff, so I have to go to work! Marshall doesn't have to start until next week, and Payton the week after that. And although I am amazed at how quickly the summer has gone, I am excited about working with first graders this year. It should be an interesting year.

Since today was my last day of summer we had to do something fun...right?
Brooke and Russ have a boat on Lake Lanier, so we spent the day on the lake tubing, swimming, and even picnicing on the beach. The weather was great! We had a blast.

Payton loved going tubing!

Elijah had so much fun he fell asleep while riding!

Payton and Brooke having fun on the tube!

Marshall and Elijah chillin on the boat!

The Hemlocks

This week the kids and I went on an overnight trip to Monterrey, Tennessee with our wonderful neighbors Amy and Rachel. Rachel's dad lives in a house that is more than 100 years old and sits right on the top of a mountain. As you can see from the picture above, the view from the yard is breath taking! He also owns more than 700 acres up there, including two different ponds to swim in, lots of land for hiking, and more fun than the kids could stand. He calls all of this The Hemlocks, and it has been in his family for generations.

Elijah enjoyed riding around to the different ponds and sites in the Polaris.

This is called the Cliff Field Pool. It is an awesome pond with a beach (he had the sand shipped in!), a slide, a paddle boat, a kayak, a rope swing and a diving board. Not to mention the catfish and large koi that are swimming around in the deep. Other than the beach, the rest of the pond is surrounded by a rock cliff (hence the name). It was awesome. We spent a lot of time here.

Payton and Rachel always have fun when they are together.

Everyone enjoyed the paddle boat.

Payton even got practice her skills in a kayak for the first time.

A good time was had by all...

VBS - Beach Party 2008

This week has been a buisy one as the kids have been participating in VBS at my parents church downtown. My mother has always volunteered in Payton's age group, and this year Elijah was finally old enough to participate too. The theme this year was beach party, surfin through the scriptures. Since I was available, I was the volunteer with the 1st graders, so we just made it a family affair. A fun time was had by all. They even got to touch some real ocean creatures. See pictures below.


Payton holding a starfish

Elijah with the shrimp

Surf's Up!

Questions

Why is it that kids are so good at asking questions? Payton has always been good at asking questions, and now Elijah keeps the questions coming as well. And it is always when your mind is tired and you are ready to "not think", plus it is so hard to explain things on their level. Anyways, I have been so amazed at some of the questions I hear throughout the day from my kids that I started writing them down, and here are some of my favorites...






Elijah-



How are apples made?


Why do things cost money?

Why does Jesus live in my heart? (7:45 AM)


How does a zipper work? (7:56AM)


Why am I white? (while standing in Taco Bell last night around 8 PM)
To which I reply..."because God made you that way!...why, what color do you want to be?"
and Elijah looked around at the people around him and happily said - brown!

How do brakes work?

Payton on the other hand asks really complicated stuff like...

How does electricity work?

What is the difference between a debit card and a credit card?

Or she will read stuff off of signs and ask what it means. She is learning a lot about advertising now that she can read.

Odell's Trees

When our son Odell passed away over a year and a half ago, we had an amazing outpouring of support and love from family and friends. In all this we received 3 trees to plant in honor of Odell...one is a dogwood, one is a red maple, and one a japanese maple. We planted these trees about a year ago and MY HOW THEY HAVE GROWN! We are just delighted that they have done so well, and it reminds us of how God brings new life, and also that Odell is growing up in heaven.

This is the dogwood last fall.

I love it because it is in the backyard where the children play.

These pictures were taken this past April. Aren't the blossoms beautiful?!?

We planted the red maple in the middle of the front yard, and I love it because whenever I look out front - there it is, reminding me of my precious son. Last fall when the tree was still small and just starting to grow, it was shaped exactly like a heart. It was the most amazing thing. It was God's way of reminding us that Odell's heart is healed now and perfect.

This is the tree last year...do you see the heart shape?

This spring the red maple has grown SO VERY MUCH! We went to the beach at the beginning of the summer and we were amazed at how much it grew just while we were gone. Here is a picture of what it looks like now...

*this is an update, I have just added this picture 9/8/08, because it has grown so much more even over the summer. **


We are very grateful to those who gave us these trees to plant in honor of our sweet Odell that we lost so quickly. And I know that it is no coincidence the types of trees they happened to be. The dogwood is beautiful in the spring, the red maple in the fall (not to mention is reminds us of his precious red hair), and the japanese maple is pretty all year round. Just so you know, we have not planted the red maple yet, and that is why I don't have a picture of it.


When Odell was at Egleston and we were 'living' in the CICU waiting room, there was the most beautiful red maple outside the window. Brooke took this picture because it was always so bright and breath-taking. I look forward to the day that Odell's red maple looks like this.

Our Fourth of July

The morning started early today as we all got up early so that Marshall and I could run the Peachtree Road Race. We dropped the kids at moms house, and dad drove us and dropped us at the start line. Marshall ran by himself, and my friend Renee and I walked together. Marshall and I have both done the race before, but it was the first time for Renee. The Peachtree was a bit more challenging this year as they have moved the last part of the race course and it is now uphill. But we did it!







The afternoon included going to an 80th birthday party, spending time with family, squeezing in a short but crucial nap, and of course going to see fireworks that night with the kids and some friends. By the time the day was over, we were exhausted!


My great aunt Christine and aunt Diann were in town from Johnson City, TN this weekend, so we enjoyed spending time with them while they were here. We went to the Georgia Aquarium on Saturday with the whole family and then on to the Varsity for lunch. It was a long buisy weekend and the kids are TIRED.

Elijah with his frosted orange.



This is not a recent picture, it is from a few summers ago, but it shows you my two precious aunts that were here this weekend. They are such kind women. I love them.