The big one

The big ONE.  For Elsie, our precious Goddaughter.

What first birthday is complete without a hysterically crying baby?

Oh sure, here's some cake, Tess.

Her first baby doll.  Little girls are AWESOME.

The doll clothes have to come off immediately, especially the hat.  Yep, just your average little girl here.

Ta-da!  Look at me!  Spirit hands!

Come on girls, just give us one good shot.

Elsie: Emma, what interesting boots you have on.
Emma:  Thanks, but I think they're trying to burn holes in our retinas with this incessant picture-taking.  Just don't look directly at the camera.

 

 

Elsie: No, I don't see anything in your eye....
Emma: Shhh.  I'm faking.  Maybe they'll give up.

Elsie: I'm bored.  Are we done yet?  I'm taking your advice and not looking at the camera.  But wouldn't it be faster to just take one good picture and be done?
Emma: Elsie, I told you, DON'T LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE CAMERA!  As someone older, wiser, and able to talk with my hands, just trust me.

Emma:  See, they're about to give up.  I can taste the freedom.  Look how close I am to sliding off the couch...
Elsie:  Does freedom taste like that cupcake?  If it does - peace.  I'm out.  I wonder if Tess left me any under the table....

My very favorite time of year

Although it's Emma's third Christmas, it is the first Christmas that she understands a little bit about what is going on.  She knows who Baby Jesus is in a nativity scene.  The theory behind our Elf on the Shelf, Barbara, is still a little advanced for her.  However, Emma totally understands the Christmas tree.

We have an Advent calendar that Emma has thoroughly enjoyed making.  Gluing on Santa's beard is thrilling!  Cotton balls and glue, people.  It's magic.

Emma has her very own special Christmas decorations in her room that used to be mine.

 

 

 

This Playmobil set wasn't mine, but I wish it had been.  I would have loved playing with it, as I'm sure Emma will.  In fact, she already enjoys playing with Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  We're trying to get her to leave the rest of it alone until she's older...lest the stable come a-tumblin' down!

 

"Wook at da wight!"  (There's a little lantern that glows when you press the button, and it's on a timer - you don't even have to worry about the battery running down.)

 

 

Christmas is a crazy time of year for everyone, and our little family is no exception.  But I'm ok with going to bed with our den looking like this:

 

 

 

because instead of cleaning up, we got to play with and hold Emma like this:

 

So do yourself a favor tonight: don't clean up your den, and leave the dishes in the sink.  Instead, glue some cotton balls on Santa's beard or play with Jesus, Joseph, and Mary with your child, grandchild, niece, nephew....or any little child for that matter.  There are a lot of people in Connecticut who would trade a clean den floor, an empty sink, wrapped presents, and folded laundry for just one more day with their beloved children.





In so many ways...

....Emma is much stronger than she realizes.  If she only knew how strong she was when she didn't even know how to WILL herself to be strong.  Which means SHE'S not strong...it means that her Maker is strong.

But Emma does now know how to show us her physical strength.  She works out.  I don't mean at therapy, I mean at Nan's house.  With one-pound weights.

By the way, those skeleton pajamas glow in the dark.  If I was a tad more creative on the fly, I would have filmed this in the dark so that all you could see was bones flexing and a tiny, raspy voice saying, "Stroooonnnngg!"

Check it off the list

A visit to Chuck E. Cheese is a parental rite of passage that we can now say we have completed.  It was not the nightmare that most people envision.  Our nephew Mason celebrated his birthday at Chuck E. Cheese, and he was pretty much a blur of birthday excitement the whole time.  Emma enjoyed herself, too, just at a little bit slower pace...

Anndie and Emma wondering why they're spinning and everyone else is standing still.....

 

 

 

Emma knew it was good....no need to watch it go in

Who's having more fun here?

 



 

 

 

Our precious angel.  In the toddler area, there's a platform and a slide that Emma couldn't get enough of.  Granddaddy and I are still trying to figure out how to get one of these in our back yard...

Priorities

I know I haven't updated the blog in quite a while, and I do have a lot to update you on....but my priority today is to tell all of you to look at your loved ones, especially your children, and love them to pieces.  Look at God's creation in front of you and hug them and TELL them how much you love them.

May God bring peace and healing to the families of those who lost loved ones in Connecticut.

Tiger Tailgating

Lighter house, lighter hearts

I am amazed at the outpouring of love for Cynthia and her family.  You all have responded as one body of Christ, and I am making sure that Cynthia and her family realize that we’re not just a bunch of people donating stuff to make ourselves feel good, but we’re doing all this because Christ asks us to love each other and give to each other and help each other.  You have all certainly helped Cynthia tremendously.

Let me just try to remember everything you’ve accomplished:

Kitchen table, with chairs
High chair
Washing machine
New coffee table
Leather sofa and love seat, with reclining seats
Power turned back on, Duke Energy debt paid off
Numerous hot meals
Untold number of toiletries and household needs
Lots of clothes and toys for the kids
Queen mattress, box springs, frame, and bedding
Floor lamps
Your time, compassion, energy, muscles, and talent have been donated as well…and Cynthia appreciates these things just as much as the tangible items.

We now have a small cash reserve after Duke Energy was paid off to purchase any additional items that are not covered by donations.  Here is my latest list of remaining needs:

Clothes dryer
Clothes dresser for Cynthia (she made sure her kids all had them before she did)
2 kitchen chairs
Area rugs
Vacuum cleaner (even a small one would be fine)
Ironing board
Trash cans – 13 gallon kitchen and smaller
Queen sheets
Full sheets
Twin sheets
Crib sheets
6 NEW pillows (maybe I’m being uptight, but old, donated pillows are DISGUSTING, in my opinion)
Size 18 clothes for Cynthia (she’s not that concerned about herself, but I’m telling you: she needs clothes)
XXL coat for Cynthia
Shoes for kids, sizes:
                Girls’ toddler size 4
                Girls’ child size 1
                Boys’ size 6.5/7
                Boys’ size 4.5
Clothes hangers

You wanna know something funny?  This whole thing started with me saying that our Sunday School class could probably get together enough money to buy her a kitchen table, chairs, and a high chair.  Now look where we are.  You know all those Christian quotes about God’s laughter or anger or whatever when we make our own plans and he takes us in another direction?  I’ve never quite been in a situation where I’ve made what I thought was a pretty good plan, and He’s carried me in that same direction…but 20 times further than I thought I would go.  With the exception of the items listed above, God has used us to ALMOST get Cynthia back on her feet. 

Here are a few tidbits about the kids: the youngest little girl who is 5 has the mental capacity of maybe a 15-month-old, but she is capable of laughing and imitating.  Precious.  She thought it was funny when her big sister got in trouble.

Cynthia disciplines her children appropriately.  There is structure in the family, and the children are mannerly.  The 11-year-old little boy reached out to shake my coworker, Leigh’s, hand when we dropped off Cynthia’s bed and said, “Thank you so much for helping us.  Thank you for helping my mom.”  That same little boy was THRILLED with his new clothes and the dresser in which he has them carefully folded and organized.  I guarantee you that your drawers are more full than his, but he was still amazed at how full his drawers were.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  Today I am thankful for all of you and for the love of Christ that I have seen blanketing this deserving family.

A Very Heavy Heart

As I posted a while back, I love this time year - all the busy football games, Thanksgiving, and the mother of all things happy: Christmas.

But for the last 9 days, my heart has absolutely been dragging the ground with fear, dread, and worry.

There's a precious family that our church and one or two other churches in Greenville are trying to help.  It's a mom named Cynthia, and she has four children: 2 boys (11 and 8) and 2 girls (6 and 5).  Two of the children have special needs, and one of them is severe.  The youngest girl attends a wonderful place in Greenville called The Meyer Center.  I can't quite put my finger on what her disability might be, but she doesn't speak or stand, and she wears 18- to 24-month clothes...at age 5.

They have been homeless, and Cynthia couldn't get a job without a high school degree, not to mention that she had to stay at home with the 5-year-old all the time (until their social worker got her enrolled in The Meyer Center).  Cynthia is now working towards getting her GED.  The social worker was also able to obtain housing for her, through the Department of Social Services somehow.  They have just recently moved into the house, and the social worker reached out for help for Cynthia because the next step for this loving, precious, caring, wonderful, and let me repeat LOVING mother is





removal of her children.






The house had no furniture, but we and another church have provided beds, a sofa, an entire kitchen full of household goods, clothes, and some toys.

Then the lights went out on Friday.  And when the lights go, so does the heat.

You can probably guess that if you can't pay rent, you also can't pay for utilities...yet that debt follows you.  Cynthia has accumulated a large debt to Duke Power - $2,800.  The majority of it is fees and penalties (doesn't that just infuriate you??)  Combined with Cynthia's history and due to some issues at this house with the prior tenant (which of course has nothing to do with Cynthia), Duke Power will not, under any circumstances, no way, ever, ever, ever turn the power back on.  Not even to put her on a payment plan.  Clearly, the State will take her children if there's no heat and light.

Many of you loyal readers have heard all this from me sometime this past week in person, including this revelation: I woke up Saturday morning at 6am, sweating under my duvet, sheet, and quilt...and I immediately realized that Cynthia might be awake because she's freezing.  Do you see why my heart is so heavy?

I have collected approximately $1,200 to help with Cynthia's needs.  There are all kinds of things they need, but the power is first and foremost.  I have ZERO confidence that paying the Duke Power bill will ensure that the power will still be on next month.  I have no idea if Cynthia has any income.  I have had people say to me, "Well, she MUST be on welfare."  "She must SURELY get food stamps, and that's considered income."  "Does she even have a way to pay for the power if it comes back on?"  "Has she gone to Miracle Hill/United Ministries/GAIHN/SHARE/The Salvation Army, etc, etc, etc?"  I don't know.  I don't know what her income is, I don't know what she will do next month, I don't know what she did last month, and I don't know how in the world she would even get to any of these places that everyone thinks she should go.  I don't know if all this is a waste.  I don't know if we are throwing our money and donated goods away. 

I DO know that she almost cried because she thought we were going to leave her house last night without giving her candles.

I DO know that she was grateful that Russell and our friend Bill picked her and her kids up across town to bring them home because their ride home failed to show after several hours of waiting.

I DO know that the kids obediently listen to their mama when she takes "the voice" with them.

I DO know she fought back tears when we prayed with her, that God would keep her safe and watch over her and her children.

Here's something else I DO know, as told to me by my friend Amy Martin: (read this carefully)

Jesus did not go to the cross and ask God if all of us are worthy.  He did not think, "This is happening to me, and there are people who are going to let it go to waste."

How dare we think the same thoughts about a suffering human being.  Shame on us.  We live in a world in which generous people are scammed every day.  No one in this little "project" is being scammed, nor is anyone's money going to waste.  No one's money is wasted when, to quote my wise friend Amy again, "From the light of the candles to your prayer before we left, Jesus was in that room...when you're standing in a cold house with only candles burning, and four kids with their heads bowed hearing a stranger pray for them, you can't help but feel the presence of God."

I know that times are tight for many people, and I know that you are being hit at every possible moment to give, give, give.  At church, at work, at your kids' school, on the sidewalk, on the radio, on the news, in the paper, and now, here: online.  Maybe you work in an environment that is all about helping the needy.  I do not, so maybe this is God's way of putting someone in my path and in the path of others who don't regularly encounter the needy face-to-face, in the shadow of candle flames and amidst the fumes of a kerosene heater that Cynthia wasn't too sure how to work (scary, huh?).  But I'm asking you here, on an unofficial, unincorporated, unaffiliated personal blog to help this family, not because it's the season of giving, but because a family is cold and in the dark...BUT THEY'RE TOGETHER.  Please help me keep it that way.  Christmastime isn't all that relevant to them, with the exception of someone showing them the love of Christ.  I don't have a link to a paypal account, no fancy secure online giving site.  Just me.  So copy the url to this blog and email it out, to whomever will help get power back on and keep it on.  To give, email me at marybethyoung@hotmail.com, or send a guestbook message to me on my blog, right there on the left. 

PS - How does this relate to Emma?  How DOESN'T it?  I have grown up in a family that has given to the less fortunate in any and every way you can imagine.  I fully intend for Emma to learn the same lesson.  Some people would classify her as less fortunate.  In some ways, yes, she is.  But she will NOT grow up expecting a handout because of her disability.  She will learn to accept help when she needs it, but I'm going to do my best to ensure that my child gives more than she gets.  Although she did not understand why we had food in the car with us (even after several explanations), or why we were in this strange home with candles and she couldn't take her coat off, I pray that she will remember it one day and why we were doing it.

That's our girl

I handed Emma orange pom-pom's that I picked up for her at Wilson's today, and she said it all by herself, without any prompting from me.  I swear.

Just in time for Thanksgiving

Well, it looks like I'll get our Halloween pictures posted in time for Thanksgiving.  Busy, busy, busy.

I ended up taking more pictures of other people's kids on Halloween than my own, but they were all cutie pies.  One reason is that Emma couldn't focus on one thing (like looking at the camera) for more than one second.  I stayed jealous of Emma and Elsie all night because they were all bundled up in I think four blankets and laid back in the wagon.  To top it off, they were being rolled around in order to collect candy.  For free.  Isn't that the life?

Pumpkin Rose got her own chariot as well:

Now it's just lots of cuteness:

Emma finally was in a combo sleepy/sugar-crash/too-many-camera-flashes-in-my-eyeballs daze.

Happy Hawoween!

Doroffey says, "Happy Hawoween!"

Elsie the Raccoon says, "Look how long your hair is!  I wish mine was this long..."

From one giraffe to another

So Emma has this cute little Halloween outfit that has black and orange giraffe print pants.  I've been making sure that she wears the heck out of it because I refuse to waste money on a Halloween outfit that she will only wear a couple times.

That led to a somewhat tacky moment of motherhood.

The world has been watching Autumn, the pregnant Masai giraffe at the Greenville Zoo, for some time now.  When she finally gave birth to Kiko, her baby boy, everybody wanted to go see him.  Including me and my mom.  So off we went.  I met Mom, Dad, and Emma at the zoo and got to see sweet Kiko about 20 minutes before they put him up for the evening.

Guess what Emma was wearing?  Her giraffe print pants.  How embarrassing.  I took my child to see a new baby giraffe wearing giraffe print.  That's like buying an I (heart) NYC t-shirt when you show up at the airport in LaGuardia, put it on in the airport bathroom, and wear it around the city for a week.  Oh, well.  Maybe everyone was so focused on Kiko that they didn't notice our mini-Kiko in her stroller.