Long Time...No Blog

I have neglected to blog for so long that I don't know where to start. We had a wonderful Christmas. Emmy wanted to open everything and so so excited no matter what it was. John Robert really enjoyed the paper and bows. I enjoyed being together with all of our family. Time is so precious with those that you love.

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This week has been one of the toughest weeks that I can imagine. It started out fine, the kids were a little stuffy and Emmy had a cough that she couldn't shake that just seemed to get worse but we had family pictures with Amy Nichols and they were great! I made the kids an appointment with Dr. Baldwin for Monday afternoon to see if I could get something to help with the sniffles. We found that they had bronchitis. John Robert was swabbed for RSV but it came back negative. So we came home with a new "taxi cab" nebulizer and breathing treatments 3 times a day. This was frightning enough for me because I have never had to take breathing treatments myself so knowing absolutely nothing about them and having to administer them to my children was a new experience. Emmy sounded better and I took her to school on Thursday. John Robert still sounded terrible and acted as if he felt worse so I made another appointment with Dr. Baldwin. She agreed that he sounded terrible and he was swabbed for RSV again. This time it was positive. Then she told me that we were going to have to admit him into the hospital. That is something that I did not want to hear. I was terrified. He was dehydrated and needed stronger breathing treatments than we could administer at home. Rob got Emmy situated with Grammy and he got to the hospital for the part that no parent wants to see their child go through, the IV. They stuck the poor baby twice before getting a vein in his arm. He did amazingly well with his little arm taped to a board. He was too sick Thursday night to fuss with it. By Friday night however, we was ready to be turned loose. He was such a trooper though. We came home today. He is still a bit wheezy and runs a temp from time to time but over all, her is much better.

Times like this remind me of what is really important in life. All the work and running around that we do is so trivial compared to the time that you share with your family. It was wonderful to be home tonight with Rob and Emmy and John Robert. All too often, I get caught up in what all needs to be done around the house and the schedules and chores that I don't always take time to sit and laugh and enjoy the little things. I am so thankful for a wonderful husband who loves and cares for me and our children. I couldn't have made it with out his support. Again, my mom and Elaine have rescued me. It is such a blessing to have family to help in tough times. Dr. Baldwin was absolutely wonderful. She had worked endless hours but still took time to hug me and tell me that John Robert was going to be ok. God truly carries you through times that you can't walk through yourself.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a wonderful day! The weather was beautiful, my brother was home and my entire family was together. Nothing makes me happier! While Emmy and Nanny took a nap, John Robert and I went for a long walk. I showed him the places that I used to play as a child. We spent a little time at the creek just listening to it babble. We wound up on the swing where JR took a little cat nap. Granddaddy and Robbi joined us for a while. Three of my favorite fellows on one swing! I was in "hog heaven"! Things were so peaceful. For a while, I felt as carefree as when I was a child. I just sat there thanking God for the wonderful family that he has blessed me with and the peace and comfort that he provides me.

I always feel a little guilty around the holidays because there are people that have no family or food or comfortable home. Sometimes we take things for granted. I pray that God will bless those people and show me ways that I can help them if He would have me to.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Perhaps I will see some of you in the morning at 5am at Wal-Mart! (I know, I am crazy! I just can't pass up a bargain!)

Kids are such fun!

Emmy and Grammy and I went to Montgomery on Saturday for a girls day of Christmas shopping. Emmy has been wanting to go to Build a Bear so we took her. She wanted to make a turkey, but thankfully we talked her out of that one. She chose a monkey and named HER Freddie. Leave it to my child! She rode the Christmas train and the Carousel but backed out on seeing Santa.

Grammy gave John Robert a new hat that is absolutely adorable. I thought these pictures were cute even though he was wrestling with 2 new teeth that day was was rather out of sorts.

What would you do without family?

I am blessed to live next door to my parents and quite near Rob's parents as well. I don't know what I would do without my mother and mother-in-law to snatch me from the pit of incompetence from time to time. Like the other day, I had to leave for Alabaster at 6 am so Mother was going to take the kids to "school" for me. I laid out all of their clothes, down to socks and shoes. I had John Robert's bottles fixed and Emmy's chocolate milk in the fridge. I thought that I had made things as easy as possible on Mother and Daddy. About the time that I got to Montgomery, Mother called me to ask where JR's car seat was. AHHHHH it was in my car!!! She had a seat for Emmy and a base for JR but no seat! I called Elaine and she was already on her way to work, early and she said that she had put JR's car seat in her car the night before. God sure lined that one up perfectly because normally she would not have had his seat in her car. I'll tell you, I don't know how people with kids live away from their families. I know that you do what you have to do, but God knows that he needs to keep me close to our parents...for my children's sake :).

Anyway, I say all of this to say that no matter how hard you try, no one is perfect and everyone needs a little help from time to time. God reminds me all the time that he is watching over me and taking care of the things that I let slip through the cracks. What a wonderful God that gives you people to lean on and cares for you so! With all the other problems in the world, He still takes care of a little car seat mix up :).

Thanks Mom and Elaine. I love you guys more than you will ever know. I will never be able to repay all that I owe you!

Overdue Update

We have been so busy lately that I have not found the time to post. Here are some pictures of the Bulger Family Reunion and the Fall Festival at Red Oak. We had a wonderful time.



Princess Cinderella (she had to be Cinderella because her favorite color is blue)


John Robert the Sock Monkey with Heather



John Robert and Piper (how adorable!)




Emmy and her cousin Kaitlyn (boy are they into everything!)

The Mixson Family Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend. Lee, Kim, Kingston, and Zadie were at Gabby and Pop's. All four Mixson babies were together. If you think that two kids produce chaos, you should experience four! :) I wouldn't have had it any other way. You should try to get all four of them to look in the same direction and be presentable for a picture at the same time! Emmy and Kingston are 6 months apart and Zadie and John Robert are 3 weeks and 3 days apart. Although Zadie is older, JR is about 3 inches longer and at least 3 pounds heavier.

We don't get to spend nearly enough time with Lee, Kim, and the girls. We all have so much fun together. Next weekend, Emmy, Kingston, Aunt Kim, and I are going to Sesame Street Live in Panama City. Aunt Kim got tickets for Emmy and me for Emmy's birthday. The girls are so excited. I love to see them together! They have such wonderful imaginations and are so full of joy and life. There is never a dull moment with these two. Don't they look like they are up to something?? :)

Reflections of childhood

As I watch Emmy grow, I notice how quickly she is changing. She is so carefree. She is either incredibly happy (which is 98% of the time) or she is totally down (which never lasts long). As we leave Guardian Angel everyday, we pass by the "big kids" play ground and she always wants to play on it. I always say, "when you are a big kid, maybe you can." To which she responds, "but Mommy, I AM a big kid!" That made me realize, as a child, you can never wait until the next big milestone. Going to big school, riding a bike without training wheels, driving a car, graduation... Your family is all well and everything seems as if it will always be just as it is at that moment. As an adult, sometimes the milestones come at you more quickly than you are prepared for. Work, errands, and other commitments seem to make you long for the carefree days of childhood from time to time. I always look at it this way, things may be more hectic now and sometimes life is just down right hard, but I would never go back to the way things were at any other point in my life if I had the opportunity. I would not trade one moment with my husband and children for any of the happiest moments of childhood. Sure, I miss my grandparents who have gone on to be with the Lord, and I wish that my parents were in better health, but I know that God has a plan (Jer. 29:11). Love each person in your life as much as you possibly can. Hold them tightly each day, and thank God that he has blessed you with each moment that you have.