The Love Affair with Horses Lives on

Sariah and I were in downtown Newnan on Saturday for Girl Scout World Thinking Day.  When I picked her up from the church where it was held, I had to park really far away, which landed me on the Square, where these artistically inclined horses have been on display for some time.  Sariah, like many five-year-old girls, has something of a love affair with horses, so of course we had to capture the moments.  After reading this article, I now know what the horses are for, and am more excited about them, lol.

P.S.  You like her socks?  That's our girl for ya!

First Day of School

So I'm a little late.  Sorry, grandparents!  And note to self, the more kids you have, the harder it is to get the picture just so.  :)

Sam's Surgery in October

Waaaaay back in October, Sam had his tonsils and adenoids removed.

It's a decision we've made for several of our other children...but it seemed a lot more clear-cut with them.  For example, Hannah basically had strep for about 8 weeks and we couldn't get rid of it (which, eventually, is very bad for your heart), or Rex had chronic ear infections and a set of tubes.  

Sam never got ear infections.  But he was regularly getting sinus infection, and was just generally miserable all the time.  It was frustrating to watch, and we felt like it was seriously affecting his ability to learn to talk.  We had his speech evaluated twice, and both times, he was borderline but not severe in his speech delay.

We finally took him to an ENT, who tried various medications, but nothing improved.  He told us Sam's tonsils were big (a Haynes family trait, I'm afraid), but that he could go either way with leaving them in or taking them out.

At length, we decided to go forward with the surgery.  But as a mommy, I struggled with the decision, since it wasn't easily arrived out.  My mother fears were in overdrive, and I worried about all sorts of things going wrong.  He was the most miserable little critter during the week after his surgery that I continued to question our decision.

However...three months later, he is sooooooooo much better!  He doesn't get sick so often, and when he does get sick, he is able to resolve it without antibiotics, or even much congestion medication.  In fact, when the rest of us got miserably ill with flu-like symptoms over Thanksgiving, Sam sailed through it like a pro.  AND he talks like a maniac now.  

Pre-surgery "snacking."

Poor little man!  He was seriously miserable for about a week.  Sariah was a good big sister, and tried to keep him entertained.

More from the Temple Last Summer

Ah, true family love!

Man on a mission.

Old Favorites

Over the last weekend, I had ample time to listen to two books on CD: the first two books in the Harry Potter series.  It had been a long time since I had read them, and I remembered again how much I love those books and why.  It was like rediscovering old friends.  I still laugh at Rowling's wit; I still love her characters with all their idiosyncrasies.  I continue to be amazed at this crazy complex world J.K. Rowling created, how very detailed it is, and what an accurate perspective on people.  If you haven't read them yet (and if that's the case, where the heck have you been hiding?), do it; read them.  They are well worth your time, and some of the few books that live up to their hype.

Missing

I love Georgia. It is a great blessing in my life, and in the lives of our family (even if they don't always see it). I am in love with the hills and the pine trees and the fog, and I am in love with Southern kindness and hospitality and tradition and respect.

But every now and again, I find myself thinking of the things I miss from "back home" in Oklahoma: wide open spaces and sunsets that fill up the whole horizon. Bare tree branches against the sky. Country music stations that play old country. Folks who smile at you when you wait for them to cross the street. Sooner stuff everywhere, and upside down longhorns. Goofing off with my bestie, and being close enough to spend a day or two with our family.

They are precious moments. I pray that we are collecting them in our new home, too, even as I rely on the older ones to carry me through the new times.

Owwwwwieeeeee

I have a zit.  I never get zits anymore.  It's right under the nosepad of my glasses.  Yeah, I'm a happy camper.

Brrrrr!

My, how things have changed.  It's cold here. I don't think we've gotten below freezing yet, and I am cold.  Lizzi wore flip flops to school today while her classmates were bundled up like little Eskimos.  This afternoon, the wind was blowing (by Oklahoma standards, a gentle breeze).  Sam didn't know what to do with it; he found it very disturbing, and kept squinting at it and yelling at it.  I didn't even notice it, because it didn't take my breath away.  Many have asked if I miss real winter weather.  No.  No way.  Meanwhile, Bob's new fireplace is keeping us toasty warm during this bout of cold weather.  I love Georgia.

Guess Who's Been Playing with Photo Booth?

My favorite, for sure!

This is her ninja look, lol!

Literacy

Sariah is becoming literate on several levels. Not only can she write her name, but also mine, AND she demonstrates her computer literacy every time she prints off exactly what she wants. :)

Choo Choo!

For Christmas last month, Sam got some trains. He loves loves LOVES vehicles (and he has really good taste, too, btw), and he loves playing with the trains at the library. So, now he has his own track (or, as he says, teeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrack!).  Until this week, Daddy and Caleb have been the only ones to attempt setting up the track, but ladies and gentlemen, **I** set up this track...the only one that hasn't had any dead ends, because I am that cool, lol.  And yes, I know it would work better on a harder surface, but the bossman ain't having any of that, so for now it resides on the living room carpet.

Going...

...going...

...gone!!!

Sariah at the Atlanta Temple

I know I have mentioned repeatedly that Sariah is a bit of a diva.  But divas often make the best photo subjects.  Check out these pics from this past summer ('12).