Johnny Boy

Last night I was saying to Dan how much I love babies.  I've been surprised with each child how much I have adored each of my babies.  I'm just not really a baby person, so it surprises me every time!! Before I had Isaac I just had no idea how I would feel and was afraid that I wouldn't be cut out for this baby thing.  And then I looked at his round little face and I couldn't have imagined loving anything more. When I was about to have lily, I thought that I would just be too overwhelmed having two under the age of two to really enjoy another baby.  And then she came and again I was so shocked at how much I not only loved another baby, but how much I enjoyed her as a baby.  When I was pregnant with Johnny, I was really feeling worried about entering back into this baby phase.  As I thought back it felt like it was going to be a struggle to again go through all the diapers and spit up and waking up in the night and nursing non stop, especially with Isaac and Lily being at such fun and demanding ages.  Well, yet again I have been surprised.  I am totally in love with this little baby boy.  I love every time he wakes up and looking into his eyes and hearing those sweetest noises in the whole world that tiny babies make.  I love that he is so simple, his needs are simple, and the only way to be with him is just to look into his eyes and be with him.

It has been such a joy to welcome Johnny into the family.  It's strange that it's only been two months and I cannot imagine life without him.  He adds a dynamic to our family that is wonderful and beautiful.  Children are truly one of the greatest blessings that God can give.  Thank you God!!

Isaac and Lily have embraced Johnny wholeheartedly.  I guess that they do pretty much everything that they do wholeheartedly.  They are all over him all the time, which is both so sweet and endearing, and also kind of driving me crazy :)  Isaac is surprisingly sweet and gentle with Johnny.  He is always kissing him and singing this little song to him that goes like this, "I love you brubber (brother), I love you brubber, I love you brubber."  That's it...just over and over and over.  Again, amazingly sweet and also kind of driving me crazy.  Lily is always singing, not just to johnny, but whatever she is doing she is singing (which melts my heart EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!) but if johnny is crying she will always include him in whatever song she may be singing at the time.

We love you Johnny and are soooooo glad to have you in the family!!!

A Lily favorite from today:   I told lily that it was time to go for a nap and she said, "what I hate about naps is that you aren't with your mom... what I love about naps is that you get to snuggle with your blankies."  Priceless!!  I have the best job in the whole world!!

First day of school

Today was lily's first day of pre-school at Wheaton Bible Church.  Isaac's first day of kindergarten at Madison school was a week and a half ago.  I cannot believe that my babies are in school!! We are so proud of these two little people.  What gifts they are to us.

Today when I was taking Lily to preschool we miraculously got there ON TIME, and no one was crying, and Johnny did great keeping quiet the whole time :)  Lily was so proud of herself on her first day.  She went out to the car ten minutes early and sat in there with her back pack and her shoes on, all buckled in and ready to go.  She walked into her class proudly and gave me a kiss and hug and off she went.  So grown up!!  Isaac and Johnny came with me to the parents meeting.  As the director of the school was telling us what kind of snacks we could bring for the class, Isaac would lean over and whisper to me which ones Lily would like the most, and that we should bring those, namely - popsicles.  Then as the parents introduced ourselves to each other we were told to share what our child likes to play with.  Isaac from a few rows back gets my attention to let me know that I should tell all the other parents that Lily likes to play with dolls.  What a sweet big brother he is.

On Isaac's first day of kindergarten he got to wear his favorite pair of skinny pants.  (the only kind of pants that he will wear).  Dan took him out for a special lunch at McDonalds before his first day.  Isaac was also so proud of himself as he stood in line with all the other kids on his first day.  He has been loving kindergarten and has even gotten "pinned up" twice (which means that they teacher was encouraging him for good behavior).  Mrs. Bailey has told us that Isaac is doing great, he is very diligent and has a great attention span.  On the first week of school he ran a whole mile during gym class and came home from school VERY sweaty that day.  

I think that I have only cried myself to sleep twice since he has started school.  I wasn't expecting to feel so emotional, but it has really gotten to me a few times.  I can't believe that my first baby has started real school.  It's so hard letting go.  It's so hard knowing that he is only going to be walking out the door of our house more and more.  I have cherished these past five years, having my sweet Isaac home with me, more than I will ever be able to say.  He is such a gift!!

Happy 5th Birthday Isaac

Happy Birthday Isaac!

Dear Isaac,

Five years ago today I met you for the first time.  From that day until today I have been surprised over and over by how much love I could feel when I look at you.  When the doctors put you in my arms, my cheeks actually started to cramp from smiling.  When I go into your room at night and see you sleeping, or watch you focus so intently as you build another amazing tower, or when I see you grabbing Lily’s hand as you head into a new group together; I am struck all over again by the beauty of who you are and who you are becoming.

Five years ago today, I couldn’t imagine a little boy named Isaac Orr.  I couldn’t imagine a blonde floppy haired boy that would make laugh at his witty little comments.  I couldn’t imagine a boy with such a sensitive and tender heart but the spirit of a warrior.  I couldn’t imagine your lanky arms and legs running down the street.  I couldn’t  imagine your little charming way and how you would make people smile.  I couldn’t imagine the way that you would love and take care of your little sister. 

Five years ago today, I held my first baby in my arms.  I stared at you for hours and hours.  I had never felt the kind of love in my heart that I felt when I looked at your sweet little face.  I can’t believe that it has been five years.  It’s hard to imagine life without you.  You are truly a gift from God; one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given.  I celebrate you today my son, Isaac Daniel Orr.  I thank God for making you and for blessing my life with you.  I rejoice in who you are my son.  I love you!

Love - Mommy

Isaac ate my cookie

I have to tell the story of one of my sweetest moments with Isaac thus far. It happened last night and I know that if I don't write it down I'll forget it. We had gotten home from Panera and he had a piece of cookie left in a bag. I told him that he could eat that one piece and no more (I also had a piece of cookie left). A few minutes later he came into the kitchen holding the empty cookie bag with a sneaky little grin on his face. I looked at him and said, "Isaac, that was not right you should not have done that". And he asked, "did I lie?" I said, "no you did not lie, you stole." "What did I steal," he asked? I said, "you stole that other piece of cookie." He asked whose it was. And I told him that he stole my last piece of cookie. (In my heart I was not angry at all, I just wanted him to understand that he should come and ask first and he should not just take something that he was told not to take). So he walked away. About five mintues later I heard a little voice calling from the next room. "I'm sorry I took your cookie." I walked around the corner. "What did you say?". He was peaking up from behind the couch with a sad little face and said again, "I'm sorry that I ate your cookie." I could tell that he was truely upset. I pulled him onto my lap and and I told him that I forgive him, and that God forgives him. I said that he does not need to feel guilty anymore. It's OK. And as I told him how much I love him, tears were just streaming out of his sweet eyes and crashing down onto his shoulders. My heart was just overflowing with love for this sweet boy.

As I told the story to Dan last night it became clear how beautiful and redemptive true confession is. How much more does our heavenly father want to hold us in his lap and tell us that it is OK. We don't need to feel guilty anymore. We don't need to hide. We are forgiven and we are loved. I hope that I will approach my heavenly father as Isaac approached me last night and that I will let him grab me up onto his lap and dry my tears and console my heart. Thank you Isaac for this beautiful story.

Lily's Birthday Party

Our sweet Lily Belle turned three exactly a week ago. We were actually on the road on the way back to Nashville from Chicago on her actual birthday. And thus far in her life, she has had more birthdays waking up at the Davidson's house, than she has at her own house (2 at the Davidsons, 1 at home). It's hard to believe that our precious little girl came into the world three whole years ago!! What an enormous blessing she has been to Dan, myself, and Isaac. We all love her so dearly.

Last night we got celebrate lily at her birthday party with all her Nashville friends. One super sweet story about her birthday party. We had been planning on having her party at the park just down the street from our house. Dan was sent out to the grocery store just an hour before the party. He called me to let me know that there were already two big parties going on at the park. So, we had to do a super quick change of plans. As quick as we could we cleaned the house and got ready for the party to be here. As we were in the midst of getting everything ready and running around lily walked up to me with the biggest tears in her eyes, and fighting back the sobs, and says with a big frowny face "mommy, no one is going to come to my party now." And huge tears started rolling down her face. I grabbed her up into my arms and tried to explain that Dan and I had called all her friends and told them to come to our house instead of the park. I told her not to be sad, and that we would have a fun party at the house. And these huge tears kept streaming down her face. In her mind, we had canceled the party, and all her friends were going to the park. As soon as she realized they were coming to our house, she was happy again and had a super fun time!! It was such a sweet moment.

First Day of School

All summer long, every time that we pass St. Georges (where the kids to go school) I would hear, "MOM...how much longer till school starts???" It was so sweet to know that they were excited to start school. Isaac was returning this year and lily was starting her first year. We are so glad that Lily gets to have Isaac's teachers from last year.

Isaac's first day was Wednesday. The day was dedicated to "Isaac's first day of school." He got to pick any breakfast and so he choose crepes, and I think that he ate between 12 and 15 crepes. First day of school appetite I guess. When we walked in the school, I was prepared for tears and anxiety, but he walked right into his class and seemed so happy to be back. After school I asked how it went and he said, "Me, Boyd, and Porter played super-heros on the playground. I was ironman, Boyd was batman, and Porter was spider man. " In four year old little boy language that means....success.

Today was Lily's first day. This morning she was sad, saying that she didn't want to go to school. So, I said, OK...then you don't have to go, to which she replied...I WANT TO GO!!! Lily also got to pick whatever breakfast she wanted, and she also chose crepes :) Luckily I made extra yesterday and froze some. :) She was nervous when we got there but also very proud of herself. She wouldn't let me hold her or her school bag. When I picked her up, I asked how the day went, and she said, "I didn't cry, and I didn't have an accident." In 2 1/2 little girl language that means....success.

This morning at around 9:02 am I walked out of Lily's classroom alone. I walked down the hall of the school and got in my car alone. I felt tears in the back of my throat. It's funny that just about four years ago I didn't know what it would feel like to have a child, and today I can barely remember the feeling of not having them. As I ran my errands this morning, feeling sad, and looking at the other moms with kids in their carts, I was reminding myself that there was a time that I used to do everything without little buddies.

I think that one of the funny things about life, is how things are just always changing. It's exciting that the kids are getting older. it's exciting to see them figuring out things on their own and becoming more independent. And, I've been so looking forward to the idea of having some time on my own...but there's also a sorrow and a loss in the passing of time. A sadness that we all are moving on and changing. They will never be babies again. They will never need me again as they did in those first months and years. I am thankful for those first months and year, and I am thankful for my beautiful Isaac and Lily today. What precious gifts they are!!

football and movie night

It's so hard for me to imagine that just four years ago I didn't know two little people named Isaac and Lily. What a funny and sweet two little people they are.

Last night all four of us went to the TN Titans practice. Our friend Pete Ittersagen is on the team, which made it extra fun!! Before the game I made some "home made" Ittersagen jerseys for Dan and the kids. Just to note; even past 6:30 pm, it is nasty hot and humid here in middle tennessee.

We have started a new tradition in the Orr house this summer. It is called "movie night". It happens every friday. We eat pizza (that dan makes), we all drink coke, we have wrestle-mania (where jumping off the couch is allowed), and then we take turns picking the movie for the week. Each week I am surprised at how excited the kids get for movie night. The beauty of childhood :) (below is a pic from this last movie night...just before we all watched Tinker bell...lily's choice.)

One prayer that I have had for Isaac and Lily is that they will love each other as more than siblings, that they will love each other as friends. It was such a gift for me to grow up with a sister who was also my best friend. I'm sure it's too early to tell if God will answer my prayer, but from what I can see already, I am very thankful. Isaac and lily love hanging out all day, every day. They don't just play together in the same place, they are always interacting and creating forts and hide outs. They build things together and take care of lily's babies together, and play petshop together. Of course they squabble like all siblings, but they truly enjoy the other. One of my favorite things is when Lily calls Isaac her big brother. Like, "mommy, where's my big brother? I need him." And I also love that Lily calls Isaac "I-Z". A nick name that she created all on her own. So sweet. She ALWAYS calls him that.