Holding hands

Lydia radiates joy. I love walking with Lydia to the bus stop in the morning. She bundles up in her bright pink coat, her pink hat and mittens. Puts on her pink backpack. Gets out and puts on Roxie's leash and says mom lets go!!! She opens the door and Roxie all but pulls her on a dead run out the door. She turns back and yells mom can I hold your hand. She's up ahead because for a moment I stop and lock the door. She's looking back at me with one arm stretched out at me and Roxie's pulling her other arm in another direction. I catch up and she takes my hand. As I grab her hand I think I am grateful for this little hand that is willingly out stretched to me. I know it won't be long and she will want to walk to the bus stop alone. But for now I take it, she smiles a huge smile and we follow the dog to the bus stop. She gives me a big hug as the bus arrives and off she goes happy and content to leave her mom and puppy on the corner waving goodbye. I walk home with no little hand to hold, knowing that I and Roxie will walk to the bus stop at 3:30 and find that same little hand to hold. Praying that today will not be the day she wants to walk without her hand in mine.

Our Family is Unique

We are a unique family as you can see!!!!!!!

This year our family is focusing in on Change. We want to change in good ways. We also want to focus on what makes us who we are. We felt we needed to start with a statement of who we are. What makes us unique as a family. In the business world this would be their mission statement. Last night in Family Home evening we discovered, created and wrote our family's mission statement. This statement will guide us in our year of change.

Our Family is Unique:

We are true to our standards through service and obedience. We increase our knowledge and develop our talents to increase our joy and happiness now and in the heareafter. We unify our family by working, having fun together, and embracing our individual attributes.

Just as a side note we will be using many of the ideas we found in the book The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni.

pondering the past looking to the future

The first of January is a day of contemplation. Seeing the past looking at the future. This year I make no new year resolutions. I've broken too many of them. This one thing is for sure that the new year, 2011 will bring change. Change determined by me and change that is forces me to act. I know that this year I will change, my children change and Bill will change. Jessica will graduate from OHS and go onto college. Emily will become a senior and run her best 5k ever. Willy will hopefully become an 8th grader and show us some amazing guns. Austin will become a 6th grader and show us some amazing skills. Lydia will become a first grader and will read her first books. I am encouraged that it will be an amazing year of change.

Willy Birthday 2008

Willy Turned 11 this week. He's very happy to go from cubbies to boy scouts. He got a bicycle to get him back and forth to school.

Here are a couple more shots from Oatlands

These are other images from Oatlands. The weather was perfect.

Oatland's invitational Race

Emily is running cross country this year and doing quite well. Yesterday she had her personal best. She ran 3.1 miles in 24 min and 40 seconds. Her personal goal for the end of the running season was to be under 25 min. She has had a wonderful time and likes to show off her "gun show" by flexing her biceps and her calf muscles.

We've only been able to attend one of her races but expect to go next weekend to her race at Albermarle invitational. The last two invitational meets she has run Varsity. She is a freshman so she has quite a bit time to continue to improve. She has made a lot of social growth as well.

While she was warming up for the race, we went on an outside tour of the Qatland's plantation. It is so beautify that they often hold weddings there. It was one of the plantations owned by the Carter King family. They were the wealthiest family in all of Virginia and owned most of the northern region. Many of the sites we visit have some connection to the Kings.

Here are some more

Here are some more shots from Sky Meadows State Park. It is located on land once owned by Lord Fairfax. It is a beautiful place.