My Morning

I have never been a morning person. I love my sleep and my bed way to much. I now have to be a morning person as Eleanor's school bus picks up at 7:05!! I am then chasing Jonathan and Christopher to get them out the door at 7:40. However, there is a part of the morning routine that I love and gives me feel wonderful and so very blessed. It is when I go upstairs and into Andrew and Jacob's room to get them up. As soon as I go in, Andrew jumps up with a huge smile and says "Mummys" (Stuart is Daddys, not quite sure as to why suddenly we have both become plural!!) Then I look to Jacob and I get the biggest smile and giggle from him. I could not think of a better way to start my day. If during the day I ever get tired and frustrated I think of their smiles and their shear excitement at seeing me and the world is good again. Everything else seems to no longer matter. I can't wait to see the two of them grow up together, but I can wait to see them grow up. I love them how they are now, and love to watch the way they interact now. But also imagine them playing and talking together in a few years time. I know they are going to be trouble, as my brother said, "You can see who is going to be the brains and who is going to be the muscle!" Though I think they are both going to be equally adept at plotting and carrying out their covert operations!!

As a side note, Jacob has discovered his toes and they taste really good!!

Trouble Andrew and Jacob Style Take 2

Back to School

After 13 weeks off for the summer, the kids headed back to school today. Eleanor is now in the 4th grade at Creek View Elementary, Jonathan is officially a big kid and started the 6th grade at Webb Bridge Middle School, and Chris is a 10th grader at Alpharetta High School. All 3 being at different schools means 3 buses, 3 sneak-a-peaks and well just about 3 of everything! Eleanor was very excited as she headed out with her brand new backpack stuffed full of her school supplies for the year. Last year the bus stop was our driveway, but this year they have moved it across the street so they have to line up on a narrow sidewalk. None of the parents are happy so a phone call to the transportation people will happen today. Two of the other kids from our neighbourhood are in her class, which she was pleased about. This is Jonathan's first year at middle school. This is a big step as he will now have a locker and will have different teachers for each subject. Each kid has a homeroon teacher who they report to each morning and whom they go to with any problems or help. Jonathan's teacher was at the elementary school last year so is a familiar face. Chris headed off this morning as thrilled as a teenager gets about school, which is about nil! This morning was the first time he has seen this side of noon since the last day of school! I am currently enjoying the peace and quiet. Both Andrew and Jacob were very good this morning and slept in long enough for me to see all the big kids off to school. Andrew asked for Thomas the Tank Engine to be put on as soon as he got up and Jacob has been lounging in his bouncy seat most of the morning.

Family History

Several months ago I started work on Stuart's family history. This work has fascinated and thrilled me. For so many years I never thought I would be interested in doing family history, or thought that I would have to, as my sister and mother are the geneaologists in our family. Both of them have completed a massive amount of work on both my parent's sides of the family. A while back Stuart expressed an interest in looking into his family. What a shame we did not do it then while we were still in England, as additional research needs to be done in London. Fortunatly, with the help of ancestry.com I am still able to get a lot of the work done. I have found so many wonderful and interesting relatives in Stuart's family. Both sides of his family are Jewish and are from what was the Russian Empire and is now modern day Poland and Lithuania. I am very grateful that so far all immediate relatives left before the war and were not caught up in the Holocaust, though I am ever mindful of the family members who were left behind and their descendents. So far, I have been able to do alot more work on his Dad's side of the family. I have had difficulty working on my mother-in-laws side, but know I will crack them as I know they want to be found as well.

I had decided to put the family history aside for the summer while the kids are off school, but Stuart bought me Family Tree Maker, and I haven't been able to resist. I just love the thrill of finding someone who has proved to be a bit elusive. I have also decided to try on concentrate on small parts of the family at a time, as I have been working all over the place and now find myself strugling to remember who is who!

I know this will sound a bit cheesey, but absolutely do your family history, it changes how you feel about yourself when you know where you came from and learn of the sacrifices made and the bravery of those ancestors who because of them, you are where you are today. They got you here.

A Life Can Be Short But Full

In the early hours of Sunday morning a family in our Ward had their two week old daughter called home. She had struggled to live from the moment she was born. These are times when it is such a blessing to be able to see and know of Heavenly Fathers eternal plan for us. Her father stood and bore his testimony and spoke of his immense gratitiude he had for the time that they had been able to spend with her. He said he was grateful for the knowledge that she has gone home to the Celestial Kingdom and that he as her father knows she is safe. He said he was grateful that she would not have to suffer the temptations of this life and didn't need to worry about the choices she would make in her life. I am amazed and greatly admire this brothers faith and strength at such a sad and testing time. Many would question their faith, he has embraced his. He bore this testimony in the same meeting where another family were blessing their new baby. I have been inspired and humbled. She only lived a short time, but left behind a great legacy. My thoughts and prayers are with this wonderful family.