Kissing frogs, 4ths, and kids....

I honestly can not remember the last time I sat down and blogged. I will blame it on Facebook but really it's just that life got a little crazy about the time I burned out on blogging. But I miss having this place to sit and write out more than a half sentence status at a time. So maybe I will come back to blogging.  At least for tonight I will pucker up to this blog and hope it becomes a principle in my days again. :) (Maybe I should add a cornball warning?)

As I type on this the eve of the 4th of July 2010, my mind is running back through the  4th of July's in my past. I remember so many in San Angelo at the church lake house watching fireworks, wet with lake water, eating homemade ice cream and hanging out with our church family. It was one of my favorite nights of the year. I have always LOVED fireworks! As a teen I remember spending the day on different friends ski boats in that lake. In between those times I remember quite a few fun family reunions at Lake Brownwood at the Sandy Beach Lodge on the 4th with my big family and the Stewardsons. We slept on bunk beds, played in the lake, some years we boated,  always heard lots of family stories, played cards, cooked and cooked... very fun times! I remember two 4th of July's in Nairobi, Kenya both spent at Gringos and then the Boldins playing spades. Then Rob, baby Kolby and I had a few Ranger game 4th of July's. When I was 7 months prego with Rhett we sat outside the Ranger game by some railroad tracks with the Jenkins to see the fireworks...Mark and Rob were convinced a train was going to get us..but it didn't! Remember that Susan? There have been lots of fun family fourths in China Spring. The one I am remembering right now is the one where I was trying to stay rested and cool while waiting to go in to the hospital the next morning to deliver baby Ella Kate! I blogged the night before. One of my favorite things about my pregnancy with Ella Kate was that she was my blog baby! So many of my memories of that pregnancy were blogged here and from time to time I love to look back on them! Ella Kate has changed the tone of my 4th of July celebrations as now I'm also getting ready for a birthday party!

Hard to beleive that in 48 short hours our Ella Kate will be 4, although most people say "you mean she's just 4?" Ella Kate is bigger than her age...and not in size! She is just bigger than life. She exasperates me faster and is by far my hardest child to deal with in many ways, yet she is also the funniest and makes me laugh more than any person on the planet.  I have a very hard time keeping a straight face around Ella Kate. I find myself quoting EK quite often and telling EK stories!  (Oh no!  I have turned into one of those Moms!) Ella Kate loves people. She loves her family,  her siblings, her friends, her dog, her teachers, her friends. Ella Kate is so happy to see people who are "in her world' as she calls it and is known for her "tight hugs."  When I asked her who to invite to her birthday party she literally tossed out about 40 names! How many almost 4 year olds do that? It is no secret that Rob and I weren't really planning on Ella Kate...but I am so glad God gave us Ella Kate! That girl is something else. She has blessed us all.  

I feel that way about all three of my kids. Biggest blessing to Rob and I since finding each other and loving Jesus. How do they grow up so fast? I think I want to talk a little about my kids.  Is that OK? :) 

Kolby. Miss Kolby is not a little girl anymore. At age 12 she is tall and thin and a master texter!  She wears the same size shoe as I did when she was born.  She LOVES finally being  old enough to be  in the youth group and loves dance.  Her long range dance goal is to be a Goaltender (drill team)  in High School.  Heaven help me, I'm already a bit nervous about that try-out and the fact that it is less than two years away!!! Breathe. Smile... Kolby is a such a great girl! Despite her issues with dyslexia, she  has yet to have a year end average below an A and loves, loves, loves to read. She is really excited about AP English next year. She also loves art but has decided to take choir and speech next year to broaden her horizons.  Kolby looses her shoes everyday. Many times we have to go in and basically shovel out her room. She is getting better at it, but it doesn't come naturally. I get that. Sadly she has also inherited my creative spelling..in fact her's is even MORE creative! God bless her! :) Kolby is a good hearted sweet girl who wants to please people and do the right thing. She wants to please God and is growing in that relationship everyday.  Sometimes I wonder how this girl got here? Where is my baby? Her sister looks so much like her that it's hard for me to believe my first baby is this sweet young women and I have another one coming up behind her. I know that God has great things in store for Kolby. 

And my Rhett, well, he is a boys boy. Loves sports, video games, sports, video games, a few other sports and did I mention games? :) Rhett is my easiest and hardest. He is a self maintaining type kid. Up and dressed before the rest of us everyday. Goes to bed when he is tired, no matter what is going on. Reminds me about things due at school etc. Does his homework when he gets home and doesn't balk too badly on his chores. But oh he has a temper! WOAH! And mixed with his competitive nature Yowza! When he doesn't want to do something, talk about something, or admit something., it's almost impossible to budge him. Don't know where that stubborn streak comes from? But Rhett is good natured 99% of the time and keeps it in check. Rhett loves school and HATES to ever be sick. He is a  very smart kid.  He even won a spelling bee this year~ for crying out loud! That is not in his DNA I assure you!!! Rhett can make friends with a stick, but is very loyal to his best friends and isn't one to go out and seek new people. His feelings are not easily hurt and he isok to let someone else be the star.  He loves his sisters and his family...loves our dog Lady! If he weren't mine, Rhett would still be one of my favorite kids because he is funny stuff. Just ask him to do his Gibby dance or impersonate an alien lizzard! Love that boy!

Man that was fast! I sit down and the words just pour out! But I need to get to bed so that's it for tonight. Nice to be home here in blog world.  Be back soon!  In the mean time Happy Independence Day America and happy Birthday my little Miss Independent! :) Night!