Bryan's Not-So-Excellent Adventure

Bryan broke his arm yesterday--helping John put down a plywood floor in the attic area over the garage. Bryan went up the attic stairs (one of those sets that pull down from the ceiling) and stepped out on an unsecured 2x8. The other end of the board went up, and Bryan went down.


Bryan said he landed straight--feet first, and he credits his gymnastics training for keeping him from getting more hurt. He landed on his feet, immediately bent his knees and rolled backwards. At that point, his arm got bent in a wierd way and when he got up, he told his Daddy, "My arm is broken."


John hauled his power tools and Pal, our yellow lab, back to the truck. They flew to our friends' house, where the power tools and Pal are living until we get into our new house, and rushed Bryan to the emergency room. All of this before noon.



His arm was broken just above the wrist. One bone was fractured, the other was a clean break all the way through (ouch!).

JT, Luci and I were at a Wiggles concert 75 miles away when we heard about Bryan's accident. We got to the hospital just as Bryan was waking up from his anesthesia--they knocked him out in order to re-set the bones. Here are Bryan, Luci, Daddy and JT trying to comfort Bryan.

Bryan was feeling pretty good at this point--the pain medication worked really well. He had to stay overnight for observation since he was put under with anesthesia. Because it was so late in the day when it was administered, they wanted to make sure he had no adverse reactions.

Bryan is home now, feeling fine...He's left-handed, and tells me that he can't do his school work since he broke his left arm...but somehow, he can play video games?? He also says that he needs chocolate covered donuts and a new dvd that just came out. He got the donuts and just might get the dvd.

Luci's Language

It has been so fun watching and listening to Luci as she learns to speak. We started out with some basic sign language, which helped to ease her frustration in communicating with us...she shrieked less frequently. That meant I wasn't getting scared out of my wits and jamming on the brakes nearly so often as we drove through town--hearing that shriek is scary!

Luci uses her sign language to tell us what she needs. Yesterday, she used it to call the boys to dinner. We told Luci to go "tell the boys it's time to eat." She ran down the hall and knocked on their door. When they opened the door, Luci put her fingers to her mouth in the "eat, eat" sign. They knew what she meant, and came to supper.

We quit counting her words when Luci got to 50 that she used correctly and consistently. She is far beyond 50 now. Today, she used two new words that were clear as day--"cook" and "blanket."

Yesterday she saw a picture book with Bert and Ernie on the front cover. You remember them from Sesame Street. She recognized Bert--Luci pointed at him and said, "Papa!" (Frankly, I think Dad's skin tone is not that yellow. Just kidding, Dad!)

Luci knows who owns what in this house. She will tell you whose swimsuit she is holding, whose sock that is on the living room floor (she's a great tattle-tale, boys!), whose computer this is, and who uses the pots and pans. But her favorite word, beyond comparison, is "MINE."

Tank-You!

The other day, John drew out a simple house plan and showed me where he wanted to put extra insulation.... around Bryan's room (so we wouldn't have to listen to his video games).... around JT's room (so he wouldn't hear the toilet flush or hear the TV from the living room).... around Luci's room (and here John said, and I am pretty sure he was joking!, "So we won't hear her crying).

I looked at Luci and told her, "I love you, Luci." She looked back and sweetly said, "Tank you!"

John and Bryan spent Saturday morning putting up the insulation. Bryan worked just as hard as John did. Bryan let J.T. know that, on the next house, J.T. gets to put up the insulation with Daddy.

**The kids' bathtub and our shower are (is?? it sounds wrong either way) installed. We picked out a big whirlpool tub for our bathroom, and now we are trying to figure out a surround for it. I'm not sure about tile everywhere--I want a country look. **There are stairs to the basement now, so that makes the trip downstairs much more pleasant. **I'm having fun choosing colors for the walls. John would be happy to make all of them the same color, but I am trying to dissuade him from that idea.

Mama Luci

This was such an adorable thing to witness. Luci makes a very good mama to her baby Mulan doll. She loves wrapping it up in a blanket and giving the doll a bottle. A doll with a doll.

This is the same rocking chair that Mom and Dad got for me when I was little...it is very old, but I won't say just how old. The boys used this rocker, too, but there is something special about a little girl rocking her baby doll.

J.T.'s Birthday Party

J.T.'s birthday party was Saturday. It was the easiest party I've ever given for the boys' birthdays--just cake and ice cream, goody bags made from things we had on hand already, and let the kids play in the apartment complex pool. Well, maybe Bryan's was easier than that--have his friends spend the night.

On the side of the pool, from left: Bryan, Nathan Riley, J.T., Rachel #1, Casey Brooke, Hannah, Rachel #2. In the water, from left: Bradley, Britt and Tyler.

J.T.'s birthday cake--a helmet-shaped cake, decorated with icing tinted with cocoa powder and chlorophyll. J.T. wanted to be a sergeant, hence the ranking on the helmet. I had the night-vision goggle party hats and dog tags in my party box--all ready for the big day. I got the idea and directions for making the cake on the internet, but I don't have access to the web address right now. It was easy to do, and according to one friend, it turned out "so awesome." And no, John, I did not bake this in your Kevlar helmet!! But it looks like I did, and it tastes better than that. :)

Catching Up

We really did move. We have some friends who helped us and may not want to be friends any longer. Which is ok, since we found out at the reunion in TN that they are related to us--so they are stuck with us!
Bryan and JT dressed up at Shiloh. We were there with Mom and Dad and Katie and Laura. They got to hear a lecture about war-time surgery...and some ended up feeling queasy. Luci and I missed the talk so Luci could nap in the van. Birthplace of Which Famous American? (hint to family: this is in Waynesboro)
Audrey Vivian holding Luci Vivian.Charlie and Audrey the younger holding Maggie. Laura, Katie and J.T. Sorry it is so dark.
The "kid's table" in our apartment on my birthday. From bottom left, Bryan, Katie, Suzi, J.T. and Laura. There were 15 poeple in our apartment that night! Loud and fun. the lady downstairs was gone that evening (I hope she was, anyway! I didn't see her.).

Luci's first swim, ever. No, she does not have 4 legs! Those are John's arms, holding on to her.

Moving

Well, we are moving today. It seems that we have picked the hottest, most humid day of the year so far. It is brutal! We have two teens helping load a big UHaul truck and we all are hauling things into it, into the van, and up the stairs to the apartment. Whew!

We are watching the kids and each other for signs of being too hot--certainly don't want anyone to get sick from the heat.

We are also looking forward to Friday--because today is moving, tomorrow is cleaning the house and moving some things to the basement at the new house, and Friday is NO MOVING! Sleeping in--that's all that is on the schedule for the morning. After lunch Friday, we'll be off to my family reunion in TN. Really looking forward to that--my folks, two brothers and 3 nieces will be there.

Adorable!

Luci all ready for church. She's wearing one of the dresses from China. J.T. loves her!
Peek-a-Boo!

Bowing in Prayer

Luci has learned to bow when we ask the blessing for our food. It is so sweet to see! Next, we are going to work on closing those eyes.

Lori's Outfit

Lori, do you recognize this cute outfit? You gave it to Luci in September, just after she came home. It fits now!! It's a size 6-9 months. Thank you for this sweet little set.

Tangle

This is not sideways! The kids were wrassling (the Southern way of saying wrestling), all getting along, and this was the result. There are 3 kids in the picture. From the bottom up: Bryan, J.T. and Luci.

I am in the middle of packing, checking email, doing the dishes, making supper, taking photographs and adding to the blog. Luci just came up to me with a box of macaroni and cheese--I think she's hungry. I guess I better get off of here and finish supper before she starts chewing on the baseboards!

Going Off-Line Soon

Sometime next week we will have the satellite dish for our internet moved to the new property. I don't think I'll be able to post on the blog until we get into our new house. so if things here sloooow down, don't be surprised.

I plan on getting the boys' schoolwork started up in July (do you hear the moaning?) . It sounds early, but we've been out for summer break since the first week of May. We'll manage to keep busy.

Be sure to come back in late August or early September to catch up! (I may have withdrawal symptoms....)

Water Bottles

Specialty water for the reunion.

Family Reunion Cake

I plan on taking this cake to our family reunion. It has all natural colors in the frosting, and I am not sure that I like it. John said it looks really good. I guess it's ok--now that it is not next to the Wilton Cake Decorating book picture. Opinions are requested. Be honest.

Packing

They'll never find me in here. Packing is hard work?

This is fun!

Favorite Toys

Luci models the latest in summer hats.Now it doubles as a face mask.
Need a place to sit? Take off the hat.
Momma, nothing is safe now! I'm creative and I'm a climber.

Pwetty! Pwetty!

Today Luci and I did something really girly, something John would not let me do with the boys (ok, so I never tried this with the boys, I am not that nutty). We painted our toenails! Luci wore her sandals to church today and showed everyone. She even thought the toes tasted better with the polish on them. Hmm, I've got to try that.....

Two Different Kinds of Love

One there were two women
Who never knew each other;
One you do not remember,
The other you call Mother.

Two different lives,
Shaped to make your one,
One became your guiding star
The other became your sun.

The first one gave you life
And the second taught you to live it,
The first gave you a need for love,
The second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality,
The other gave you a name.
One gave you a talent,
The other gave you an aim.

One gave you emotions,
The other calmed you fears.
One saw your first sweet smile,
The other dried your tears.

One sought for you a home
That she could not provide,
The other prayed for a child,
And her hopes were not denied.

And now you ask me
Through your tears,
The age- old question,
Unanswered through the years.

Heredity or environment,
Which are you a product of?
Neither my darling, neither.
Just two different kinds of love.

-- Author Unknown

Finally!

Luci finally said "Love you" to me--in sign language.
She kept on saying it to everyone else in the house, but not to me. I think Luci associates it with "good-bye," as in "I love you, good-bye," which we say every time Daddy walks out the door. I taught her sign language, crossing her arms in a hug and then pointing to me. Here is her version.

Children's Museum

We had a Families with Children from China playdate today. There were just two families there, one of them was us! We met at the Children's Museum. The kids had fun. I got a family pass today, so we can go back throughout the year. Luci plays in the water feature while Bryan and J.T. build a house.
Bryan and J.T. work in the locks to move water traffic along the canal.
Luci tries to enter the toddler area, and sees two FCC girls through the window.
I can't explain this one.
J.T. hamming it up.