We had snow last week.  The last couple of times we've had snow, I didn't like it.  It was too cold and windy and wet.  I had fun this time though.  It wasn't as cold, and it wasn't windy at all.  Daddy pulled us and pushed us down hills on the sled.  I took handfuls of snow and put it in Daddy's bluejeans, and tried to run away.  Daddy tried throwing snowballs, but it was powdery snow and didn't do anything.  I even "dusted" all the steps, and the swings, and the porch, and everything.  Daddy used our broom to sweep the drive way, and then Britt took handfuls back to the driveway.  It took him a little while to catch on to Britt's scheme, but it was very funny.  We are suppose to get some more snow next week.  I hope it's enough for a snowman this time.

I have been 4 for a whole week now.  I had a great birthday.  I got up and snuggled with Momma, we talked about it being my birthday, and I told her what all I wanted to do.  Then she got up and fixed me cinnamon rolls while I watched Little Einsteins.  We played some, while Momma and Daddy got the old car seats out and the new car seats installed.  Then we went to see a big movie.  We watched "The Rise of the Guardians" and we even got popcorn since it was my birthday.



Then, Daddy asked me if I wanted to go to Cracker Barrel for supper, and I said, "How about Red Lobster?"  Daddy was sure that Momma put me up to that, but she didn't.  Daddy reminded me that I could have pancakes for supper at Cracker Barrel.  I asked him if I could have sausage too, and when he said yes, I said lets go there.  After supper, Daddy got me a toy knife from Cracker Barrel.  It's really neat!  I used it to open my cards and presents when I got home.  Momma read my cards to me, and then I opened my presents.
















We finished up the night with eating some more of my "cow tractor birthday cake."  After a bath, Ruth went to bed, and Momma let me stay up a little longer to play with my birthday presents.  It was an AWESOME day!

I guess I really do have to pack my hospital bag.  I've been putting it off, to be honest, I've kinda forgotten what's suppose to go in it.  Besides as long as it isn't packed, I won't need it right?  Speaking of the hospital, I had an interesting conversation with one of the nurses who was working when we went in for the tour to check out the birthing suites.  She asked questions about what we preferred during labor, and how my previous two labors had been.  After a little bit she said, you really are a red head aren't you?  We talked a few more minutes and I learned a few things I didn't realize.

I've always heard that science has shown that we are more sensitive to drugs - that we are more likely to hallucinate when they knock us out, and yet most red heads need about 20% more anesthesia.  (Which explains why the novocaine at the dentist and the lidocaine after birth, never has really helped me at all.)  Additionally anesthesiologists have scientifically proven that red heads have lower pain tolerance levels than the general population. I knew that the red gene is a mutation of the blond gene, and something about that particular gene makes you more likely to develop various skin cancers and other inflammatory diseases (even if you aren't as pale as most of us are).  I also knew that we are more likely to have low iron and bleed heavily when cut, during periods, and hemorrhage during surgeries (hence the doctor wanting to up my iron before birth).  This also accounts for why we bruise excessively and never know why.  Gary has occasionally lamented that people probably wonders if he beats me, with my supply of weird bruises.

However, I learned a few interesting things from the nurse.  Apparently we also have quicker labors, and that might be related to the hemorrhaging during labor in that the uterus is more elastic meaning it contracts alot, but doesn't contract down as quickly.  Also, we are more likely to have endometriosis and experience complications from several different drugs used in labor.  She also told me that we produce more vitamin D from the sun than the general population, and are more susceptible to both heat stroke and the cold.  I had never heard this before, so I came home and did some research, and discovered that the mutation in the blond gene I have heard about is mostly true.  Officially it is a mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor gene, or MC1R, and because it's rare and isolated lots of study has been done.  Science has proven several of these interesting facts, and several other studies have shown correlations that with more study might connect the remaining "facts."  It's really amazing, as I assumed alot of these things were just old wives tales about red heads.  In fact, my mother has warned me if we have a red headed child to expect unwanted people coming up to rub their heads, that some tale considered it "lucky" and people did it to Matthew as a child all the time.

Additionally the nurse mentioned that red heads are on the decline.  Only 2% of the world's population has red hair.  (Scotland ranks highest with 13% of their population.)  But because red hair isn't a gene, but a mutation of a gene it's not passed on at the same rate that other hair colors are, and by marrying non-red heads the mutation is slowly leaving the gene pool.  Some scientist estimate that there will be no more red heads by 2060.  That seems a little far fetched, but it's amazing what all you can learn from labor nurses that is basically not related to giving birth at all.  However, one thing science has not proven... that our tempers are actually any more fiery than anyone else's.

Now that you've had your fun science facts for today, I suppose I should get around to actually sharing the information I got at my doctor's appointments.  First off I had an ultrasound on Friday, because they thought I might have excess amniotic fluid.  We've never had an ultrasound so late in pregnancy before.  It was different, because no mater how they zoom out and position the thing, you can't fit all of baby in one shot.  They couldn't even fit all of the stomach in one shot.  We are in the 95% for fluid, but nothing excessive.  The heart rate was 144, and everything looked pretty routine.  Today I actually went back and saw the doctor.  Nothing new to report, though we were very surprised to find a heart rate of 124, she thought surely that was wrong, and got a new doppler, since it's alot lower than it's been, but the second doppler reported the same.  We both agreed that we hope that we don't go into labor with Gary gone, but it could be any day now.  Ruth was 20 days early - that would be like having this one tomorrow.  If we were to go over, we've talked about a possible induction on the 22nd, just so I can make some plans toward that end.

7 Weeks

I'm just getting around to introducing the newest member of our clan.  It's been a busy few months.  Gary bought me a husky pup, back in October, as a very early Christmas present.  (It's also my Valentine's Day, Birthday, Mother's Day, and Anniversary gift.  Gary told me if I was very good that I might get something next Christmas.)  I named her Nakita, but the kids mostly call her Kita, so it's stuck.

11 Weeks

I've wanted a Siberian Husky for nearly 15 years.  I think out of all the dogs out there, that they are absolutely the best family pets.  They were originally trained by the Chukchi people in Siberia, and are very little changed from that time.  They were trained to be long distance pullers, but to work on very little food.  They had to be able to run in snow storms, think fast, and find the safest routes, even if that meant not following direct orders.  They lived largely in the homes of the people, and were raised with their children, even sometimes being used as "baby sitters."

12 Weeks

They haven't been an overly popular breed until the last few years, but they first came to the attention of the public when Nome, Alaska was struck with a diphtheria epidemic.  The medicine to cure it didn't make it in by boat before the ice settled in for the winter.  They were unable to fly it in due to snow storms and poor visibility.  So the decision was made to bring it in by dog sled relays.  Twenty mushers ran over 674 miles, in 5 1/2 days.  Leonhard Seppala covered the longest and most treacherous stretch, including running over the shifting ice where the Berring Sea was frozen over.  He with his team of Siberian Huskies lead by Togo, had won alot of long distance races over the past three years.  He handed it off, and the final leg was made by another musher with his second best team lead by Balto.  Many of the mushers suffered sever frostbite, and some of the dogs died making the run.  And they have captured the public attention ever since.

15.5 Weeks - 3 Months

They are highly intelligent dogs.  They had to be able to know in dangerous situations where to find the best footing, and keep their drivers safe.  Kita is no exception.  She has learned several commands very quickly, and you can see her mind working to figure things out.  They eat much less than the average medium to large dog breeds, because of the unique way their metabolism works.  They conserve energy in a variety of ways and some science has recently shown that their mitochondria may adapt to do the same amount of work on varying levels of food.  If the science proves true and can be broken down that might give us the science to heal all sorts of diseases.  Huskies are highly food oriented though, and so it makes it easy to train them with food.  While each dog has their own personality, by and large they are very good with children.  Kita nips a bit, but is getting better, other than that she's great with the kids.  In fact, Britt is convinced that she's his dog, and no one else's.

4 Months

The big draw back to Huskies is that they can be escape artist, and if they are loose they run and run and run, and 100 miles down the road realize they aren't home and don't know where they are.  Some Huskies can be diggers, in that they dig 4 feet deep holes for the fun of it, or to just lay in.  By all indications, while Kita likes to grub (use her nose to dig out and eat stuff), she doesn't really actively dig.  If I can get her to the point where she doesn't pull so much on the leash, we'll be doing GREAT.  With the loss of the job, we didn't board her for the long Florida trip.  She has done great in the car, both napping at my feet and riding in her carrier in the back.  Gary tells her that she's as bad as a cat, as much as she sleeps.  She is very mellow for a husky.

Last year I read 74 books, but didn't manage to read all the way through the Bible.  That's a bit convicting that I found time to read stuff that is a good enjoyable read, but not the one book that really matters.  I started, but never made it all the way through the Old Testament.  I could point out that the stuff I read, I read when the kids are running around like banshees, Gary has the tv going, and every appliance in the house is running.  I could argue that that sort of atmosphere isn't really conducive to studying the Word of God.  But, Gary often makes fun of me, for being buried in a book, and having trouble getting my attention.  I could point out that often times at night, I'm too tired and mentally foggy for the challenge of reading the Bible, and that as everyone who knows me knows, in the morning my brain doesn't work at all.  However, all of these would be lame excuses, and attempts at justifying my bad habit of not reading my Bible daily.

At Little Union's New Year's Eve service this year, I heard two sermons that really could have been preached to me and no one else.  (Though I hear, that most everyone got something very meaningful from them.)  First Bro. Chris Taylor spoke from Mark 4:38, how the disciples were crying "Carest Thou not that we perish?"  Bro. Chris's point in a much nicer more elegant way was - how stupid, of course He cares.  He talked about how sometimes we allow ourselves to be so overcome by our problems and circumstances that we say things we ought not, and really begin to believe that He doesn't care about us.  I have struggled with this, after all, who am I that God should notice or care for me.  He is so great and above us, and I am nothing.  Next, Bro. Silas Ford spoke from the next verse on "Peace, be still."  This part is what truly hit home for me.  He talked about how our days are filled with "busy-ness."  Sometimes it's good things that take over our lives at the expense of better things.  Sometimes it's just daily life.  Sometimes it's the distractions of the world.  He encouraged us to think of the mental busy-ness as well as the physical.  I confess, I'm the world's worst about playing the worst case scenario  and taking every possible problem WAY, WAY too far in my mind.  It's a running joke with me and Gary that my brain has no off switch.  No matter what is going on in life, he can pray about it and be asleep in seconds at night, while I struggle to pray, leave it with the Lord, and go on to sleep.  I was pretty convicted by the sermons, my one "resolution" for this year was to keep my focus more on the Lord and carry my worries to him and leave them there, and that I would do that by trying to spend more quiet moments in mediation, and actually read the Bible through chronologically this year.  (Something I've wanted to try for a while.)

I'm a little behind in my Bible reading.  I'm not able to sit down and read every day.  My mornings are still the worst time of day between morning sickness, the pregnancy SPD, and just my personality.  Some nights I'm just to wiped to do more than veg out with Gary and watch a little tv.  But, I am making it a part of my days.  This week I've finished up reading in Job.  Everyone knows the general story.  Satan being Satan, is looking for trouble, and God points out his faithful servant.  Satan then wants to have a field day with Job, which God allows.  Satan is sure that he can crack him, and thus begin all of Job problems.  Job loses everything, and three friends show up to comfort him.  While they are wise and get alot of things right, they are pretty miserable comforters, and don't get to the deep truth of who God is.  In the end God steps in to put things back in perspective, before restoring Job to more than he had in the beginning.

However, I got so much out of this book that I've never really noticed before this particular reading.  Job's friends really do have alot of truth in what they say, but they are convinced the only reason for suffering is sin in your life.  While sometimes we do suffer for that reason, sometimes we suffer just because there is sin in the world, and not due to our specific actions.  The thing that really got me, was that Job is constantly begging, demanding, pleading for God to tell him WHY he is suffering.  I'm not even going to tell you how many times I have asked that question over the last several years.  Why are we out of work?  Why are we STILL out of work?  What am I doing wrong here?  Is this punishment?  Is this just bad circumstances?  You get the idea.  We know why Job suffered because we get the intro, but if you'll notice, God never gives Job the answers to his questions.  The lesson God gives is that He is God, and we can't even begin to approach Him or understand His ways.  The lesson from Job, is that no matter where we are in life we should trust God, and have faith even though we don't have all the answers.  We've evaluated things we've done in the job search, and we can see some areas to improve upon.  We continually try to evaluate the way we are living to better follow Him.  But, when it comes down to it, we don't have all the answers to why we were unemployed for so long, or why we are unemployed yet again.  However, we can continue to trust and follow to the best of our ability, and "when I'm tried sufficiently I shall come forth as gold."  If God so desires, He can bring forth good even from this.

One of the books I read at the tail end of last year, brought home this message again.  I shared it with Gary when I was reading it, and he told me that was blog worthy.  In Janette Oke's book Spring's Gentle Promise the man that the story centers around is trying to keep the family farm going through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowls.  After several years, they have gone through their savings, they have sold off all the livestock they can, they have no seed left for future plantings, they owe money to the doctor and the general store.  He has taken a government works job days away from his family just to keep them fed and on the farm.  He feels like a completely failure, and is at the end of his rope when he comes across a verse in his nightly Bible reading.  I immediately recognized it, because it's the verse at the top of our blogspot.

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. -Habakkuk 3:17-19

The realization he comes to is that while he is to do his best in providing for his family and the service of the Lord, it's God that is his strength.  He doesn't have any strength in and of himself.  He also comes to realize that no matter how bad things are that God can provide.  And rather than spending all this time depressed and worried and trying to handle things on his own, he can rejoice in all the blessings that he does have from the Lord's hand.  To me it just reinforced that lesson that I should be stressing less, trusting more, and enduring current circumstances in faith.  I suspect this lesson is one that I will never completely learn, but I do hope to improve.

Britt,

Happy 4th Birthday, little man!  The changes of the past year have been remarkable.  You have grown in so many ways, from nearly being potty trained to becoming "my big helper."  I've come to accept that part of your personality is to retreat to Momma rather than charge into the fray.  Anytime you are in a situation that you are unsure of, you are eager to join in, but you tell me that you "need" me along.  However, you have gotten braver at talking with people you don't know - the lady at the supermarket, the doctor, and other kids on the play ground.  Sometimes it crosses into ultra clinginess at home, like when you don't even want to go upstairs to get your clothes without someone to come along with you.  But I love it when you crawl up in my lap and sing the song from the end of Tangled to me, and hold my hands just like Eugene and Rapunzel.

You are close to Ruth as well, still telling her what games to play and where to go.  She for the most part obliges you.  You enjoy "reading" books to her, and cooking with her in ya'll's play kitchen.  You have an active imagination and are always pretending to be either some superhero or a Disney character.  You wave your sword around, swing your shield and leap off of furniture.  You especially love to wrestle and beat up Daddy.  And yet, you still like to have your time to be off on an adventure on your own.  Even now, in the Indiana winter, you like to go out in the yard, and I can watch you waving a stick and talking to yourself as you explore the world.

You have been developing a real attitude lately, and often only comply with directions with a patronizing "ohhhhh-kayyyy."  You often can't be troubled to do simple things, like put away your cup and plate, or pick up your dirty clothes.  On another hand, you have the most tender heart.  You come most mornings to the bed to have a little cuddle time with Momma, and you often ask how I'm feeling and if the baby is ok.  You stop to tell our new baby about dinosaurs and superheroes.  You are thrilled when you get "high fives" back from the baby.  Some days you say you want another sister, and other days, a brother.  Either way you are excited to meet this new one, and even insisted last week that "I need to be at the hospital with you when the baby is born so that I can take care of you and the baby."

Your Daddy and I hope that you keep that sweet spirit, and don't become hardened by the world and calloused to the pain and troubles of others.  We hope that in time you will grow to be more independent and willing to stand strong, even if it means you have to stand alone, without Momma.  I of course, look forward to the day that you can complete simple tasks without 47,000 reminders, cajoling, or threats.  In the meantime I will enjoy cuddling with you on the couch and watching Tangled.

We love you, so very much,
Momma

Less than a month till our due date.  This past week I've been working like crazy to catch up on all the stuff that we haven't actually done yet.  I'm started to wonder what I have been doing for the last 8 months.  Monday we had our doctor's appointment, baby had a heart rate of 130, and everything looked great in the office.  They asked me to start taking an iron supplement since my iron was at the low end of normal.  One of the perks to being a red-head is that you are more likely to bleed heavily, so to be on the safe side they want my iron count up at the high end.  So, after my doctor's appointment we took a trip to CVS for iron, and a host of other stuff to get ready for labor, the only thing I haven't found yet is my red raspberry leaf tea.  I then  had an appointment to see the chiropractor, and that helped immensely.  I almost couldn't walk or stand up straight after the car ride down and back.  I hope I don't have any more pregnancies with this SPD because it's miserable.

This morning, Britt came to the bed for some cuddle time, and we talked together like usual.  The subject of his birthday in three days came up, and I asked Britt what he wanted to do for his birthday.  Here's how the conversation went.

Momma:  What do you want to do for your birthday?
Britt:  Blow out candles.  You can blow out one, and I can blow out one, and Daddy and Ruth can blow out one.  And we can make wishes.
Momma:  What else would you like?
Britt:  Some pointy birthday hats.
Momma:  Is there anything specially you want to do?
Britt:  I want it to snow, we can have a snow party!  You can make a snow tiger.  Daddy and Ruth can make a snow cat.  I can make a snow horse, and a snow table, and a snow bed and we can cuddle.
Momma:  I don't think I would like a snow bed, it would be cold.  I like warm beds.
Britt: I can make some snow curtains, and we can put them all in a big snow house.
Momma:  Is there anything special you want to eat?
Britt:  After cake, we can have donuts.  Then I can make some snow pizza and snow strawberries, and snow chocolate and we can eat them in my snow house at my snow table.
Momma:  Other than play in the snow, is there anything you want to do.
Britt:  We can have a big snow party and call Lilli, and Aunt Joan, and Uncle James, and Aunt Heather, and Brystal and Julia, and Memaw, and Mister, and Grumps and Ahna, and maybe Uncle Benji too.
Momma:  I don't think they will make it, it's a long way from Florida and Alabama.
Britt:  Oh, well, what about a big movie, can we go see a big movie?
Momma:  That sounds like something we might can do.
Britt:  Good, oh and we should eat chicken sometime too.

So everyone who knows me, knows I dance all the time.  Any time I hear music I'm dancing.  I love to spin in the living room to the music on the commercials or shows on tv, a bop around in my carseat to the radio, and even to Daddy's embarrassment, I dance on the bench at Church during song service.  I like music alot.  I dance by myself, with Britt, and sometimes Daddy agrees to dance with me, though he never lets Momma film it.

Momma was taking all the video off the video camera today, from Christmas, when she discovered a few things that she had forgotten were on there.  We thought we would share them with you today.


(Note: 5/30/2014 - This is one of the videos I lost when One True Media closed down.  It was corrupted on the old hard drive and only the audio remains.  It was so funny.  Mean old Momma let Britt play with the vacuum at the house on Tom Carr Lane, and then since it was on, Momma plugged it in, and Britt had a come apart.  He climbed the couch, and attempted to climb the half wall.  Daddy was videoing and laughed till he had tears running.  Momma didn't have to tell Britt to leave her vacuum alone, for months after that.)














These pictures are from this past August, and Momma took them with the video camera, because Daddy had the good camera in Indiana.  She was busy packing boxes, and thought I was taking a nap, when she came to pack up some of the bathroom.  Only to discover that I had found the makeup.  It reminded her of Unca Nick when he got into Grandmother's makeup.  She laughed at me the first time, but next time I got into her make up I got a spanking.  I'm not sure why it was only funny once...

Sorta.

As I've said before with Ruth and with Britt, picking names with Gary is impossible.  I suppose I don't help matters by wanting a Biblical name with meaning.  However at 35 weeks, we have finally picked names.

The List we started with...

For a boy, we've narrowed it down to two names - William David again and Ethan Lynn.  William David would have been Ruth's name if she had been a boy.  I'm not sure I think it fits this time, but that might mostly be because I'm not feeling boy vibes this time.  It was really the only name that jumped out and grabbed Gary.  And since names never do that (except for Gary Britt Cunningham, Jr, the Third, which is a name he will NEVER get to use EVER), I guess that means we should go with it.  Though I prefer Ethan.   We both seem to prefer older more traditional names to trendy modern names.  Gary of course prefers shorter names - Britt, Ruth, and Will or Britt, Ruth, and Ethan.

William means "strong defender, protector, or resolute guardian" in German.  David means "beloved."  Little one you are very loved.  You are named after many good, strong men.   William is a family name on my mother's side of the family, and we know and respect several brothers in the Church named David.  Lynn may first have come from the Scottish Gaelic Linn or the even older Celtic Ienna but both mean "from near the waterfall pool or lake"We hope that you will protect your family and those who cannot protect themselves.  That you will be strong for others to lean on and able to withstand the troubles that come with this life.  We hope you will be a defender of the faith, never giving in on doctrine or the truths of the Bible, but knowing in the non-absolutes that you can be flexible.  We hope you will have the wisdom to know the difference.  While, your Momma and Daddy love you, and your many aunts and uncles and grandparents love you, Britt and Ruth love you, we hope most of all that you will walk in such a way that it can be said that you are truely a man after God's own heart.

Ethan means "strong, firm, solid, impetuous, optimistic, enduring" in Hebrew.  Lynn may first have come from the Scottish Gaelic Linn or the even older Celtic Ienna but both mean "from near the waterfall pool or lake."  There are 8 men with the name Ethan in the Bible - one is declared a wise man, and another is the writer of Psalm 89.  The big difference in meaning between William and Ethan is impetuous.  While being impetuous can be a bad thing if it's overly emotional or rash, it can also be used in a good way as in a great force to accomplish much.  I don't know what all you might accomplish in life, but the best thing you could ever do, would to be a wise man of God.  You would be named after the best and wisest man I know.  Your Grumps's middle name is Lynn.  He is a man who always carefully thinks things through, and then stands firm where God directs.
For a girl we've narrowed it down to two names as well - Katherine Faith and either Rebecca Joy or Rebecca Rayna.  Rebecca is my preference from the two, but mostly because it's a name Gary has agreed to not shorten.  I really hate the name Becky, and I don't like Becca much better.  I love, love the name Katherine, but Gary prefers Katie.  I can live with Kate, but not Katie. So we are thinking Britt, Ruth, and Rebecca, or Britt, Ruth, and Katherine

Rebecca means "connection, to tie or bind, to join, secure, to capture, or captivate" in Hebrew.  It also means "faithful, servant of God."  Rayna means "song of praise, or Song of the Lord" in Hebrew.  Rebecca in the Bible was many things.  She was beautiful, hard working, and compassionate.  Abraham's servant observes all of these things, when she comes to draw water, and when approached she not only gives him water, but offers to draw for his many camels as well.  She showed great faith when she set out to marry a man she had never met all on the word of some man that might or might not be the servant of her uncle.  We hope that you will grow to be a faithful servant of God.  That you will join yourself to the Church and grow a deep and meaningful connection to Him and His people.  While the world admires captivating beauties, we hope you will cultivate a captivating personality.   One centered in a good and Godly character.

Katherine means "pure" in Greek.  Our wish for you is that you will be like I Timothy 3:9, and hold "the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."  You will make mistakes in life and have set backs, but we hope that over all, you will try your best to have a good walk before God, and live a life of faith.  If our experience is any indication, walking by faith won't be easy.  Every time that you seek to try harder and do better, you'll be met with new challenges.  The tricky part is that you never know what's coming ahead, that you can't see very far down the road.  We hope and pray that you will continually choose to walk that road despite the difficulties, because it is the best road.

While we were in Florida we had Christmas at Memaw and Mister's house.  The kids were so amazed at all the presents under the tree that they wanted to open them the night we got there, but I put a stop to that.  I told them that it was too late, and I was too tired.  So, we made plans to have Christmas the next night when Aunt Manna could come over too.  So after crab legs, shrimp alfredo, salad, and Red Lobster biscuits for supper, we finally headed to the living room for the kids to do Christmas.

Momma helped me put my dress on the last night we were in Florida, and I told her, "Pwetty dwess, I go to da ball."  All of us grand girls got a Disney Princess dress for Christmas from Aunt Joan.  Brystal got Snow White, Lilli got Rapunzel, Julia got Aurora, and I got Belle.  Britt got a knight costume which he has determined is Prince Phillip.  We played all sorts of games.  First Brystal pretended to be a dragon, and Britt beat her up.  Then we got out the tent and made it the dragon.  Lilli and Julia took turns getting eaten and we all beat up the dragon, and pulled them out.  We also went into the tower that Aunt Patricia got Britt for Christmas and called for help, and Britt rescued us.  I mostly watched out the tower windows and sucked my thumb and played with my blanket.  Though it was fun to watch them all be crazy.

While we were in Florida, we went to our old house, and got out the chicken coops and runs from our old house.  I was very unhappy that my chick wasn't there, and I wanted to live in this house a long time.  I didn't understand why Momma told me that we couldn't.  I was a big helper though, Daddy would unscrew things, Mister would use the crowbar to pry them up and then I would pick up the sticks.  Momma says I was a good helper, but only for about 5 mins.













After I got tired of all that, they started cutting poles and rolling up the wire, so that we can build another chicken coop whenever we can have chickens again.  First, I pretended to be a chicken, so that we could leave the coop up, but when that didn't work I picked out a sword from all those farthing strips that we had pulled off, and Momma and I went for a walk down the dirt road.  We picked some oranges, and fed the cows, and talked to the bull, and then we shared a Dr. Pepper and some Pringles.  It was a fun afternoon.