It's Fall Ya'll!!!

We are back in Alabama this week because Dan had to go TDY to Europe and because it is Troy's homecoming week. It is peak leave season here in the south and has been a gorgeous week. I'm thankful that I get to celebrate this Veteran's Day with my daddy (USMC) and my husband (USAF). And I'm thankful for the time that I got to serve our great nation. Thank you all who have served and continue to fight the good fight. You are appreciated.

P.S. As for the back of my hair, I WILL have Dan take a picture of it :) I didn't realize so many folks wanted to see it! I am flattered that so many of you want to see it and read my blog.

Halloween Fun 2011

We had a fun Halloween. Here in Louisiana, we have a great bunch of neighbors and live in a subdivision full of young families so trick-or-treating is always a great experience. This year was awesome because both kids - Noah and Ellyotte - were excited. Well, Noah was over the moon to wear his Power Ranger costume and Ellyotte was just excited because he was so happy. We had a great time. And Dan didn't disappoint with his costume at all, either!

Here, There, just...Everywhere

These past two months have been INSANE! I literally just unpacked my suitcase for the first time since August. Not kidding. 4 Alabama trips, 1 Florida trip, 1 Ohio trip, and 1 trip to South Louisiana for a Troy game. We are tired. But, we are happy, safe and thriving. I am thankful.

I am back into another school term with Troy University and of course, love it. It is such a nice "adult" outlet for me. I truly don't know what I would do without my link to the world of higher education!

We have had such fun this Fall. Troy games, lots of laughs and memories at the Waters in Alabama with my family, a GREAT trip north to Ohio for my sister in law, Annie's surprise shower I helped put on (I'm gonna be an AUNT for the first time! Due 31 December! WHOO HOO!), and so many fun moments with our two kiddos. They love each other very much and constantly make each other belly laugh. And having Noah as a big brother, Ellyotte is guaranteed to be a tough child. She gets kicked and rolled around all day! And she loves it.

My beautiful beach girl - 15 months old

Right at home in the sand

Nothing compares to the beauty of the Florida Panhandle

Go Troy!

Two peas

Enjoying the view from the press box at the Troy game

Ellyotte and gorgeous Aunt Kelly

I got to meet up with one of my lifelong friends, Trish, and her kids while at the condo in Panama City Beach. We were supposed to go from Alabama to Nashville but my BFFs kids got sick there and so we postponed our trip and went to the beach with my folks instead. I hadn't seen Trish in ages. She was a cheerleader at Troy back in the 90s and was my gymnastics and cheer coach. We have been friends for 20 years now and I love meeting up with her whenever I can! We flew kites with the kids on the beach and just loved seeing one another. Isn't she a knock out?! And she has three babies!

View from my folks' place

Noah is stll so into the Troy Sound of the South marching band but he's also decided he wants to be a Troy football player when he grows up. So when he's not marching all around the house, he's throwing the football and practicing his hike. And the kid is so entitled: he expects to be on the field constantly when we are at the games. He doesn't understand that normal kids don't get to sit in a luxury box or go down onto the sidelines during the games! He even got to be on the field of the Super Dome in New Orleans last year when Troy played in the NO Bowl! He's a mess.

We are continuing to miss Bella (please see my previous posts), Noah's friend who went to Heaven on 17 September. Her Tiger class is not complete without her there. They talk about her and remember her every day. Today's Halloween festivities were fun but her absence was noticed. Through this tragedy, I have made great friends with her mommy and daddy. It is wild how two babies born worlds away (Noah in Hawaii in Feb 2008 and Bella in England in April 2008) could end up in the same small MDO class in Bossier City, Louisiana and through the passing of one of them, two mommies could become such good friends. I am thankful for the Paquettes and admire them immensely for how they are going on with life without their Bella here on earth. But Janelle is doing well as she can be doing while grieving and yet pregnant with their baby boy, Noah. Please remember her and Calvin in your prayers.

Bella's backpack hook at school

The Tigers miss Bella

Happy Halloween!

I am thankful to have a good friend who lives in England because I am able to avert future crises: Ellyotte has a kitty that was given to her when she was born. To say she can't be separated from that cat for a second is an understatement. Wouldn't you know the cat is no longer made and is out of stock worldwide. I finally tracked ONE down in a boutique in London and my girlfriend ordered it, had it sent to her house and is mailing it to me to save on the astronomical costs of shipping directly from the boutique. The other night, Ellyotte got poop on her kitty right before bed so I had to wash it. Of course it wasn't dry before putting her down so we had to distract her enough to get her ready for bed. We literally watched her sort through all of her passies and babies in her crib (over the video monitor) and start screaming uncontrollably. Elly is not a cryer so it was pitiful. I ran into the laundry room, turned the dryer up to high and prayed the cycle would hurry! I ended up giving her a wet kitty but she fell sound asleep. All was right in her world again. So, if you run across the Gund Huggybuddy Kitty then hook me up! I will pay you back! We need lots of back ups :) And THANK YOU LESLEY! You rock.

Here are some cute pictures from the fall fun we have been having. I love making memories and taking pictures but the uploading and sorting through the pictures is not something I enjoy doing! SO I will post more in the upcoming days.

The Highest Honor

Genesis 6
7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.

We knew when we named our Noah that we wanted him to have a Biblical name and a family name. That was the tradition of the Beall side of the family and we wanted to continue it.

We chose the name Noah after the Bible character we all learned about from an early age. He was righteous, blameless among men. And Noah's middle name was after my grandfather who was born in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland in 1898. We absolutely couldn't think of two more incredible and God fearing men than Noah (Bible) and my Papa Eddie.

When Noah was born - after 41.5 weeks of pregnancy and 36 hours of painful, induced labor that resulted in an emergency C-section (I had a high fever and Noah's heart rate had dropped significantly - a very scary situation) - we knew our baby was special.

I learned at 20 weeks that Noah had a clubbed foot, thus we had to go into Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii for monthly ultrasounds of his foot. We SAW that his foot was deformed. Then at 34 weeks, we SAW that Noah had not one, but two clubbed feet. We met with the pediatric orthapedic specialist and had a follow up set up with him once Noah was born. Through the advances of modern medicine, we SAW our boy's deformity. Because of the visual, we were afforded the opportunity to pray for our boy. We prayed day after day, moment after moment that Noah's feet be "righted."

We had an ultrasound at 36 weeks to confirm the deformity and we actually saw Noah's hair floating in the ultrasound. Our tech (who we loved very much; she helped us through some difficult times) said: "That boy looks like he's on fire!" Low and behold, when he entered this world finally, his head was emblazoned with the most incredible red hair.

Thus, we knew from Noah's entrance into this world - and given the strongest of names - we had a "winner" on our hands.

Fast forward three plus years. Noah is in school in Bossier City, Louisiana 2011 and has been since we moved here in 2009. He loves his class, and we do too. As his mom, I can't imagine a better place to have my kid going day after day. One of Noah's precious little class mates is named Bella Paquette. Her mom and dad are Air Force like us. Noah loved Bella very much - he talked about her daily. Bella went to be with Jesus at the end of September (see my previous posts). She was too sick to remain here on earth with us. Bella's mommy is 5 months plus pregnant with her little boy. Bella was able to know that she would have a little brother before she passed away.

I have been in touch with Janelle, her mommy since Bella went to heaven. While we were visiting Aunt Annie and Uncle Todd in Ohio, Noah ran out to their yard to let his balloon go so Bella could play with it in heaven. He talks to her daily, as well as prays for her and her mommy and daddy.

I got an email from her mommy just 2 days ago letting me know some astounding news: per Bella's request, they are naming her little brother (to be born in March 2012) Noah. Her mommy wanted me to know that Bella loved her friend Noah enough that she wanted her little brother to be named after him. I wept when I read that email. It is one thing to live your whole life and then have a building or a baby named after you. It is an entirely different thing altogether to be only THREE and have a child named after you.

To say that I am a proud mama is an understatement.

Communicating

Last week, I realized I had 1200 Facebook "friends" and it freaked me out. So I started to go through and delete those I wouldn't even recognize if I ran into them on the street.... Daunting task when there are two babies running around your feet. Then I realized that in the 6 years I have been on Facebook, I had thousands of pictures posted of myself, husband, friends and now kids. Even more overwhelming trying to go through and individually delete pictures.

Thus, I deleted my entire Facebook account. Yep - the whole darn thing. Years of posts, pictures, and friends gone into cyberspace history. It was really a weight off of my shoulders!

I have received some nasty emails from "friends" who thought they were individually deleted. I reassure you, that wasn't the case so please (if you read this) don't send me another email asking me why I deleted you!!!! It hurts my feelings!!!!

If we were Facebook friends and you haven't received a new request from me, please know it isn't personal. I will remain diligent about blogging because it is an outlet for me: writing. But I don't think Facebook will remain something that I am actively participating in; again, don't take it personally! Just find me here if you want an update ;)