Our Jack-o-lantern

Dear Jack Jack, our Halloween baby,

It was Halloween 5 years ago.  I was a week overdue, miserably pregnant and sooooo ready for you to enter our family!

You arrived at 5:32p.m. (I will always remember the exact time because it was the same as our address in military time 1732)  

Your birth was such a wonderful birth....

Since I was a week overdue we scheduled your induction for Halloween morning.   I knew what to expect, the laboring started slowly throughout the day.  Daddy, Nana and Omie were all there waiting with me, excited to see you enter the world.  In the afternoon I had asked for the epidural right at the point when I couldn't tolerate the pain any longer.  I remember the relief of that wonderful epidural (what a sweet thing), being able to rest and relax until the action really started.   As things were gearing up for your entrance in the world Daddy ordered a pizza, but by the time it was delivered it was also that time to push.  So, the room smelled like Daddy's favorite pizza for you to enter the world!

Daddy had delivered your brothers (at a different hospital) but when it was time for those last couple pushes he and the OB/GYN were being overly polite saying "you go ahead", "its o.k., you".   While I was waiting for those last couple pushes, that can hardly be held back,  I said something to the effect of "Andy! you delivered the other boys, get down there NOW!"   That ended their politeness and Daddy got into position to deliver you.  Daddy was the first person to hold you, our third son.  It was wonderful and blissful.  We were all overwhelmed by your sweetness, our love for you and the miracle of that moment.  I will never forget that feeling. 

About an hour later the big brothers came in with Pops from trick-or-treating to meet you,  Drew was dressed up as Superman and Juddy was a race-car driver.  They were so excited and even offered you some of their candy.

   

Jack, your name did not come to us immediately.  We had a list we were talking about but became distracted when your jaundice became very severe.  You had been born with a high billirubin level and it only increased in your first day.  They took you from us and sent you to St. Mary's hospital in Madison to try and get the blood levels under control.  It was scary and sad that they wouldn't let us ride with you in the ambulance to the hospital.  We met you there.  I was so sad when I saw your incubator and it said, "Baby Boy Rikkers".   You looked so large compared to the other babies in the NICU....the nurses said you were a giant there being born overdue.   But you were very sick.  They poked and proded at you  with needles and it made us incredibly sad, but we knew they were doing exactly what your little body needed. 

On your 3rd day, while you were in the NICU and we stayed at the Ronald McDonald house, we thought about your name more.  One of the nurses said you were a little Jack-o-latern because you were born on Halloween and were glowing a yellow-orange color from your jaundice.   That comment along with the fact that we just loved the name Jack sealed your name.  When you were born your face looked like an old man and reminded me of my grandfather.  Right after you were born Nana said you reminded her of her father Poppy just as I was about to say the same thing.   Which is why your middle name is Anderson after that side of the family.

We came home from the hospital on the 5th day.

So incredibly grateful that the NICU had been able to treat your jaundice and prevent any damage.  We are so grateful for your health.

And look at you today at 5 years old. Equal parts spunk and sweetness.  You give the best hugs and snuggles.  So spirited, mischievious and at times stubborn...know what you want and don't want.   With a laugh that is so absolutely contagious.  You feel things deeply and love big.   

We feel so honored to be guiding you in this world 

We love you sweet boy...

Happy Birthday Jack Jack!

We Love You!

Daddy....it is your 40th birthday and

today and always.

birthday love.

It's my 38th birthday.....  I am excited for this new year in life and oh, so grateful for it.  

This birthday greeting from my sweet, dear friend Margo just arrived.  How lucky I am to have love in my life.  And this reading says it all.....Had to share it because I love it sooo much and feel so surrounded in love today.

	July 19th 2011 "The Lessons ARE Love..."- Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie. Reading for today, July 19th... Lessons of love, that's what they are. We usually don't know what the lesson is while we're learning it.  Maybe we're not supposed to.  Besides, if we knew it, really knew it, we wouldn't need to learn it.  We'd already be practicing it in our daily lives. But even when we don't know what the lesson is, we can know one thing: it's a lesson of love. Courage.  Faith.  Patience.  Loving yourself when it looks and feels like nobody else cares. Starting over again one more time, even though we feel like we have started over more times they anyone should have to.  Forgiveness.  Compassion.  Gentleness.  Joy.  Each of these is a lesson of love. For many of us, the problem isn't that we haven't had love in our lives before.  The issue is that we haven't understood love.  Know this: not only are the lessons about love, the lessons themselves ARE love. So feel your feelings.  Struggle through your situations and experiences and emotions.  The struggle to learn isn't incidental to your purpose.  It's an integral part OF your purpose, your destiny, your reason for being.  Go through your moments of darkness and confusion, and trust that the light will come.  Through it all, rest in one thought: you're on track.  You're on your path.  You're connected to love. You're connected to God.  And the lessons you're learning are lessons of love. Thank you, for all my lessons of love through our friendship.  You might be the most important teacher in my life, other than Oprah of course. :) Happy Birthday, I love you so much, my soul friend. xoxo M

so sweet...

 so sweet.

such a sweet shot of our babes sharing a birthday.....8 years apart.   life is sweet.

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday sweet Max.  You are "2" and Jeni loves you...

Here you were 2 short years ago....

look how you have grown.  Somehow you are just as sweet and snuggly today.

I love your sweet spirit.  I love how deeply you love your Mommy, Daddy, Lily and Charlie.  I love your love of books.  I love it when you make me a cup of tea with a donut from your little kitchen.  

I love it when you want to be snuggled and tickled.... how you giggle.

I love that I loved you before you were here.   I love that your Mom is my best friend and shares you with me.  I love that I get to be apart of your life as your god-mother and have the privilege of watching over you as you grow, as you change before our eyes.

Happy Birthday Max

Surprise!

Now that is one surprised 9 year old boy! 

Yesterday we got him good.  Judson celebrated his 9th birthday on July 1st in Minnesota with family and also shared his birthday with his new sister.  Needless to say, he was missing the celebration with friends.  Finally, I was able to pull off a surprise party for him on short notice, via email and phone calls (getting a bit lazy with paper invites these days) and it turned out great!  The day before we had been to "cookie daze" in Ripon, and he and Drew spent the night (Omie's idea!).  Andy and I came home had all kinds of time to get things ready....the pool, all the balloons, etc!  Even the skies opened up so we could have the pool as the center of the party! 

Jud was so surprised that I think his initial response to the big "Surprise" was one of both shock and terror! 

He said, " You could have killed me!"  Good thing he has a young heart!

I heart faces is also having this week's challenge which happens to be "Surprise!"  How perfect.  This isn't a wonderful photograph technically, but I am just glad that balloon didn't land in front of his face as I took it!  I captured that moment of SURPRISE!

 

Double Birthday, Double fun!

July 1st, 2001 & July 1, 2009

Judson & Tessa share a birthday!

On this day Judson opened my eyes and heart as a mother.  I became a mother and my life was forever  changed.  I never knew I could love like this.  Happy Birthday my sweet boy, I love you more than words can say.

A world away our sweet girl was born in Hosanna, Ethiopia.  Of course, we didn't know it, but she had been born in our hearts long before.  We knew our daughter was on her way to us, but didn't know how or when it would be.  Tessa entered the world and made her journey to our family. Happy Birthday sweet girl.  You are a dream, you are a joy.  I am forever grateful that God brought you into our family and that I am your Mama forever. I love you forever.

With Tessa's birthday, I am thinking so much of Tessa's first family.  I send love and gratitude out to Tessa's first family for giving her life and bringing her into this world.  How I wish I could share with them how loved, how safe & healthy, and how happy she is....(I suppose that is why I share it with you.  To send it out into the world.)  How I wish I could give them that peace.

And now for birthday photos of the birthday girl in her birthday tutu.  I couldn't help it...

Brace yourself for tutu crazy cuteness!

the end

Drew- 7!

Our sweet boy, Drew, turned 7 on May 18th.  It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time goes.  Birthdays are always reminders of that for me.  Wasn't I just pregnant with you Drew?  Needless to say, he could hardly wait for his big day.  In fact, he was on a count down for the big day.  He had no idea he had this waiting for him!  

Drew- you are my sweet, magical boy.  I love how you light up a room with your smile, your eyes, your freckles (angel kisses).  You are fun, sillly and such a joy in my life.  I love watching you grow, I love walking and guiding you through your childhood.  I love being your Mom.  Welcome to your 7th year!

Drew is 6!!!

Our sweet boy, Drew, is now 6!  He is so proud to be 6 years old and proudly shares it with everyone he encounters.  He had a very nice birthday with a trip to Chuck E. Cheese with our neighbors, the Leuzingers, the night before the big day and then a family birthday party at home the next night.  He loved his batman cake, but the best surprise came when Pops showed up to celebrate with him!  Drew was thrilled!!

We love you so baby Drew....opps, your a big boy now!   

Pirate Party for Juddy!

How is it possible that my sweet baby boy just turning 7? Well, he is on July 1st. And since I will be off in Africa and Juddy will be on vacation with Daddy and his brothers, we had a early birthday party. It was our full on birthday kid party...there were 12 boys total. There may be something wrong with me to do that....but they all had a great time running around the yard for a big treasure hunt, playing on the pirate ship playarea which was decked out with flags and a skeleton. but of course they all had to gear of to be pirates with face painting and tattoos! Then they found their pirate gear (hat, hook, sword) in a trunk at the end of the treasure hunt! They all really embraced the pirate spirit! We had a pirate eye patch craft and painted little wooden treasure chests (which of course were filled with gold coin candy). The boys all got to hit the pirate trunk pinata and then we lit the pirate ship cake for Juddy! To finish off the party the boys "walked the plank" into the pool! Andy and I were exhausted by the end! But what fun!

Drew's 5th Birthday & Disney

May 18th....Drew is 5! How is the years zip by? We had a long celebration while we were in Orlando for my cousin, Rita's wedding. On the first day to Disney, Drew said "It's my birthday!", on the 2nd day of Disney, "It's my birthday!". We had an icecream birthday cake at our rental house and then Aunt Joyce bought a cake to celebrate Drew and Aunt Peggy's birthday after the wedding! On his actualy birthday, May 18th, we flew home early to WI and were able to open presents and Drew choose his meals....McDonald's and Pizza Hut! His favorites! It is hard to believe my little baby is 5. Time is going far too quickly. Drew is a wonderful, spirited boy with tons of charm, a killer smile and is always ready to give you a hug. We love you Drew!

Our time in Florida was such fun! We stayed in a great rental home not far from Disney with Nana, Pops and cousin Grace. It was so fun. The kids loved the pool and whirlpool at the house, but the highlight of the house was definitely the t.v. in the room with their bunk beds. A little bit of kid-heaven! We all had a great time at Disney. The kids really enjoyed seeing all the wonderful shows, characters and rides. Because it was Drew's birthday, they were able to "drive" the monorail with the driver....very special. Nana and Pops were so great to have with us. I think they loved seeing Disney with the kids and experiencing the magic through their eyes! It was a magical time at Disney for everyone!

We also were able to visit with our McCormick family. First, with Aunt Joyce and Uncle Don at their beach house in New Symrna. This visit brought back my own childhood memories of visiting the beach house when my Grandpa McCormick owned it. I really enjoyed sharing this with my boys. We were able to visit with our exteneded family with the wedding festivities, which was great. The wedding was just lovely....and you could see my cousin, Rita, is very happy and in love!