Our chances to balance the gender numbers around here were obliterated this morning. Just as I suspected, we are having another boy.
But I have nothing to complain about. I'm thrilled actually. I always said I only wanted boys. Then of course I changed my mind. The Lord blessed me with a girl. And now I get another boy.
Besides, as I reminded Richard, even though Miriam has such a sweet disposition, not all girls come that way. My only concern is coming up with a name.
family pictures
Jo: saying to Richard "Are we really having another one?!"Richard: finally able to laugh about having another one
Cameron: enjoying the moment while he is literally "front and center"
Eli: really could not care less about these pictures, or anything else in life for that matter
Miriam: thinking "the next time my mom tries to put these cute little boots on me, she will discover that she has left the tissue paper toe stuffers in them and right my my little feet are really squished"
FUNdraising
FRIDAY NIGHT
MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA
5:00PM
5:00PM
Over a month ago a group of people who cared about the Halladays got together to find unity in trial and to put their grief into action. Because friends and family closest to Mark and Kim wanted to be available for Kim's more immediate needs, that left a handful of us in the slightly outer circle to put together this fundraiser.
I've learned so much. I've met amazing people. I've become closer to people I already knew.
I've worked really really hard.
So even though I don't like to beg, I'll beg. Please come tomorrow! Please make my efforts and the efforts of others who have worked hard worthwhile. But especially, come help out a family in need.
It is a Silent Auction at 5:00. Look for a football signed by Coach Pete and the #4 ranked 2010 Bronco team, BSU football and basketball tickets, day passes to Roaring Springs, season passes to Bounce in Meridian, and Meridian pool, restaurant gift cards, spa gift cards, family activities and a weekend stay at a beautiful cabin in Island Park. I promise there is something for everyone.
At 6:00 is the Chili feed with cornbread and dessert. The cost is $6/adult, kids $3, and only $20 for a family. Our Treasure Valley community is a small world and I'm sure you will see someone you know. (Even if it is just me.)
Thanks!
I believe in MIRACLES
I'm a cynic. Ask Richard. He can hardly get through a story without me getting hung up on some irrelevent detail. I think I've told you this before.
Getting personal, in my prayers for Mark I mostly prayed for Kim. To put it bluntly, I didn't have enough faith to ask for a miracle. At least, until a few days ago. Two friends of mine who shared their tremendous faith with me, got me thinking. Maybe it's possible. Maybe the faith of those praying for Mark (like Richard told me) would be consecrated on his behalf. So last night I prayed for a miracle. Of course I asked, that if it be the Lord's will he would allow it. But I asked for it.
I'm not taking any credit here, there are hundreds of people praying for him. But what happened today made this experience personal to me. God hears and answers prayers.
Last week doctors were "keeping it real" with his wife. They even suggested that she start thinking about withdrawing the means that were sustaining his life. She asked them about miracles, they told her they had never seen one.
Today Mark spoke. He answered questions. He is still here. He is coherent and responsive. His existence is meaningful. It has been an amazing day full of joy and hope. I am so full of gratitude. And I've learned an important lesson. Doctors can present you with facts and science. But God can grant miracles.
Getting personal, in my prayers for Mark I mostly prayed for Kim. To put it bluntly, I didn't have enough faith to ask for a miracle. At least, until a few days ago. Two friends of mine who shared their tremendous faith with me, got me thinking. Maybe it's possible. Maybe the faith of those praying for Mark (like Richard told me) would be consecrated on his behalf. So last night I prayed for a miracle. Of course I asked, that if it be the Lord's will he would allow it. But I asked for it.
I'm not taking any credit here, there are hundreds of people praying for him. But what happened today made this experience personal to me. God hears and answers prayers.
Last week doctors were "keeping it real" with his wife. They even suggested that she start thinking about withdrawing the means that were sustaining his life. She asked them about miracles, they told her they had never seen one.
Today Mark spoke. He answered questions. He is still here. He is coherent and responsive. His existence is meaningful. It has been an amazing day full of joy and hope. I am so full of gratitude. And I've learned an important lesson. Doctors can present you with facts and science. But God can grant miracles.
my official prediction
I had a few minutes of downtime at work yesterday so I sat down at the computer and pulled up our patient list. Thousands of names for me to look through for ideas! You can search by first name, so I just started in the "A"s and scrolled down, writing down the boy names and girl names I liked.
After getting through about nine letters I looked at my list. I had six female names listed, and only one male name. The only male name I had written down, I had crossed off about five minutes after writing it down.
This baby is definitely going to be a boy.
After getting through about nine letters I looked at my list. I had six female names listed, and only one male name. The only male name I had written down, I had crossed off about five minutes after writing it down.
This baby is definitely going to be a boy.
Coach Pete
It can be frustrating for a fan when you buy into the BCS politics and you want your team to run up the score to earn those so-called "style points" and the coach pulls the starters at the end of the third quarter.
But then you remind yourself that the BCS is a greedy money-based system and that you are lucky to have Coach Peterson as the coach of "your" team.
As Richard and I analyzed the workings of the college football ratings and how TCU made their spread as big as possible I was suddenly grateful for Coach Pete's appreciation of the bigger picture. I pointed out to Richard the message it sends to the players when you allow them to tromp on a team and destroy their morale unnecessarily just to selfishly make your case to some arbitrary computer program. Contrast that with the messages the BSU coaching staff imparts to their young players about sportsmanship, love of the game, and apathy for all things corporate.
As we lamented the latest BCS rankings and felt sorry for ourselves that TCU is ranked higher than BSU even though we beat them last year, Virginia Tech is doing awesome, and Baylor and Utah didn't turn out to be so good afterall, I said again- "To heck with it all!" I am going to take on the Coach Pete mentality and forget the national championship and sit back and enjoy the rest of this record breaking season.
There was a great article about Coach Pete and the Broncos written by Pat Forde here. It made me proud to be a Bronco fan. And to the point a friend made on Facebook, I wouldn't trade our coach for any record or ranking.
Let's hear it for the classiest guy in college football.
But then you remind yourself that the BCS is a greedy money-based system and that you are lucky to have Coach Peterson as the coach of "your" team.
As Richard and I analyzed the workings of the college football ratings and how TCU made their spread as big as possible I was suddenly grateful for Coach Pete's appreciation of the bigger picture. I pointed out to Richard the message it sends to the players when you allow them to tromp on a team and destroy their morale unnecessarily just to selfishly make your case to some arbitrary computer program. Contrast that with the messages the BSU coaching staff imparts to their young players about sportsmanship, love of the game, and apathy for all things corporate.
As we lamented the latest BCS rankings and felt sorry for ourselves that TCU is ranked higher than BSU even though we beat them last year, Virginia Tech is doing awesome, and Baylor and Utah didn't turn out to be so good afterall, I said again- "To heck with it all!" I am going to take on the Coach Pete mentality and forget the national championship and sit back and enjoy the rest of this record breaking season.
There was a great article about Coach Pete and the Broncos written by Pat Forde here. It made me proud to be a Bronco fan. And to the point a friend made on Facebook, I wouldn't trade our coach for any record or ranking.
Let's hear it for the classiest guy in college football.
11 months
Sometimes I feel so guilty about how short Miriam's tenure as youngest child will be. In fact, I didn't even do a "10-month" post because I was too busy announcing the upcoming birth of her new sibling. They change so much so fast at this age. It doesn't help my guilt that my camera is broken and I am unable to capture these precious weeks of her life.I'll just have to write about her. Beware, I'm smitten.
Aside from being plagued with a nasty diaper rash and a new tooth erupting, she is delightful. She is very active, on the brink of taking her first steps.
During the summer our family was at a swimming pool and Richard and I commented about how we didn't have any really daring children. Neither Cameron or Eli would go down the waterslide or jump off the diving board.
Miriam will be our daring child. She has wiggled out of her carseat, fallen out of the swing and now is climbing out of the high chair. Buckles are a necessity, and perhaps if you are a better mother than I, you have used the buckles religiously for all your children. But Eli was always too lazy to try to remove himself from such places so I relaxed a little on strap/buckle usage.
Anyway, she is a very good-natured child. She has never been "high-maintenance" when it comes to the attention she desires. I think this is a blessing from Heavenly Father because attention will be on short supply in a few months. She is starting to be aware of herself, meaning when she says or does something and we laugh, she'll do it again and again. She is also a great sleeper, which is another blessing because sleep will be on short supply in a few months too.
Oh no! I can't even write a post about her without referring to baby #4.
Poor, poor Miriam.
Eli-isms
On Saturday night during the trick-or-treat our friends the Wests made homemade root-beer for everyone. It must have been on Eli's mind. On Sunday the Sacrament bread was a very dark brown color and Eli said, as reverently as he could, "It's root-beer bread!"
Tonight during dinner Miriam was making some not so reverent bodily noises. The boys cracked up laughing and I gave Richard an icy look that sent the message "You better not laugh too!" He maintained his composure, until Cameron accused Eli of the dirty deed and Eli shouted out "Cameron says it was me who fainted!" Even I couldn't refrain from chuckling at that.
Tonight during dinner Miriam was making some not so reverent bodily noises. The boys cracked up laughing and I gave Richard an icy look that sent the message "You better not laugh too!" He maintained his composure, until Cameron accused Eli of the dirty deed and Eli shouted out "Cameron says it was me who fainted!" Even I couldn't refrain from chuckling at that.
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