OK, I am back.

Where shall I begin to catch up? Let's start with the eye injury incident. A couple of weeks ago, Caleb and Adam were running through the upstairs turning out lights for me when they rounded a corner and collided with one another. Caleb's forehead hit Adam right above his right eye and busted it open. It was a small wound and he is pretty tough and cried very little, so I just put a couple of sterry strips on it to hold it together and went on about my business. Then about an hour later, Caleb comes to me to say, "Uh, Moma, you'd better look at Adam's eye." Sure enough, there was blood oozing out of the strips and running down his cheek. So I called the nurse and, of course, she says to take him to the ER. Adam and I grabbed some books and toys and headed there where we began the LONG wait to be seen. Remembering how quickly they got Caleb taken care of with his thumb, I asked Adam if he could scream or cry some but he said he just couldn't do it. So we waited...........and waited.......and Adam started to fall asleep.......and we waited. About 2 hours into the wait I went to check on our progress where the nurse told me there was a trauma that came in back there and we were looking at hours of more waiting at this point. Adam's eye had stopped bleeding so I made the call to go home and then take him to the sick clinic at our doctor's office early the next morning.
Friday morning, I woke up every kid at 6:30 so we would be the first patients seen at the doctor's office. It just so happened that the doctor who was on call that morning forgot to wake up and we ended up waiting for over an hour (3 kids in a VERY small room) to be seen After all of that, she said that the sterry strips looked fine and we could go on about our day. I was relieved and worn out to say the least. THEN, Friday evening, Caleb accidentally hit Adam with a golf club IN THE SAME SPOT! Well, actually, about an inch below. Luckily the "busted open part" was secured under the sterry strips from the night before. He did look rough to say the least though. I have a great picture but need to get it off of Lorie's camera.

He looks just fine now and I am amazed at how fast it all healed.

Up next, we took an awesome trip to Gatlinburg and Dollywood, courtesy of Mimi and Grandaddy. The first day, Lorie, Moma, Annabelle and I went shopping at the outlets while Grandaddy babysat the other kids for us. He took them to the pool, then to Chuckie Cheese and a few other places. At one point of their excursion, Adam looked up and said, "Are we loafing Grandaddy?" He told him yes and then proceeded to impress them beyind all belief by purchasing an M85 airsoft gun. The boys were astonished and thrilled! So they walked in with this gun all hyped up on candy and such from a glorious trip loafing with Grandaddy.
It was a sight!


That night Uncle Jonathan, Beth, and the Pittman fam arrived and the next morning we all went to Dollywood. It was really really fun! Mimie and Lucie (whom Annabelle calls "duh-duh") rode the elephants. Annabelle rode...nothing, except the merry-go-round. (but not on a horse, we had to sit on the bench like retards)

Only Jonathan Chuck and Beth's stomachs could handle this ride. It was like the pirate ship/dragon ride at carnivals except it spun at the same time.


I am quite sure that keeping Adam's eye soaked in "theme park water" helped it heal so quickly!
Since Annabelle was terrified of all of the rides, I let Caleb win her a duck in one of those games they ask to play all day long. She loved it, but I can't seem to find it now.
Caleb is not much of a daredevil yet when it comes to rides. He will ride like a maniac on his four wheeler doing wheelies and all but won't do anything more exciting than the Veggie Tales roller coaster at Dollywood. It is the control thing I guess.
Oh my, I haven't mentioned the latest stage in Annabelle's life where she would rather not be any further than a few inches from my hip at all times! The family was so helpful in tearing her off of me for a minute or two and distracting her so I could have a break. Truly, I don't mind it too much, cause I know it won't last long and how can you mind the fact that someone in this world wants YOU and only YOU.


Every Dollywood day must end with 10 consecutive rides on the obnoxious ride called the Rampage. The kids love it because they get ridiculously wet. Grandaddy was sucha good sport to ride it with them over and over.












I have lots more to share but I need rest now. I will finish this up later.