Today...

Today, I walked into an elementary school I had never set foot in. It felt different. It smelled different. It was different.

Today, I listened on the "other side" to teachers giving over views of the school year.

Today, I have to accept the fact that she will start "big" school on her own. She will not go to school with Matt and Molly. She will not attend Simpson, the school that we bought our house in Georgia for. She will not be taught a curriculum that I know "like the back of my hand". She will have to go to Cedar Ridge Elementary in Eden Prairie, MN.

Today as I walked in that unfamiliar elementary school and faced a sea of unfamiliar face and accents not like mine, I resisted the urge to pack up and run back to Georgia as fast as my van could carry us. Today, I faced the unknown and stood in line with everyone else. Today, I prayed fervently under my breath for the teacher Maddie will get, for the friends and enemies she will face, and for the grace she will need to survive it all.

Today, I need to remember my lesson I learned from my pirate. I am trying really hard not to begin the litany of "why" questions again. I am trying let go of my "dream" of Maddie growing up and attending school with the kids she has known since birth, the kids that she has attended preschool with, the kids she went to church with, the kids of my friends. I am trying not to worry if the kids will pick on her for her accent or not. I am trying to embrace completely being out of my comfort zone. I am trying to assure myself that this is just as good of a school as Simpson. I am trying to "Trust in the Lord with all my heard and lean not on my own understanding....".

Today, I know that God has a plan for Maddie. I know that He is holding her tight in His hands. I know that He has her best interest in heart. I know that He loves her even more than I.

Today, I registered my baby girl, my Mad-pie, my shopping buddy, my little princess for Kindergarten.

Tomorrow, I will do better. Tomorrow, I will embrace Minnesota and not ask why......I pray.

Eating my words.....

Would you like to know where and over what, I had to eat my words? Oh, come on...I know you want which one of my "rules" I changed. I'll give you a hint.....

Here are pictures of Maddie and Sam before we walked to where I had to eat my words.

This is a picture of Maddie making the trek.......

This is a picture of my leg as I made the trek. Sam and I were behind Maddie and Wade....we were a little more reluctant to go where they were headed. In case you aren't familiar with the anatomy of the pant leg of snow pants.....that is indeed snow up to my knee.

Okay, okay enough teasing. I will let you know what we did, that I swore I would never do nor allow my kids to do. Here are Wade, Maddie, and Sam doing the unthinkable.....

What, you still can't tell. Okay....let me brush away some of the snow so that you can see what we were standing on......

Yes ladies and gentlemen, that is ice. That is the ice that now makes up the pond behind our house. And yes, that is a crack on the ice. However, it is not a crack through the ice. Very important difference.

I have told everyone that there was no way I or my kids would step foot on ice. You see, I said that before the months of 20 degrees and below. And before the two weeks of below 0 temps. Oh, and before last Thursday. Did you know that it was colder here than in Antarctica? Really.

I wish you could her Wade impersonating my shrill instance on NOT going out on the ice. I guess it came down to, if you can't argue your way out.....might as well join 'em. I fell victim to peer pressure. Strike that....I fell victim to "family" pressure.

So, I digress. I joined in with all the other neighbors that were loving the "warm" (read 18 degree weather). Yes, I met some of my neighbors while standing (very stiffly for the fear of slipping) on ice. After Maddie made her great impression on the neighborhood, I didn't want to add to our repertoire.

And here are pictures of my southern babies enjoying a very Minnesota activity.....playing on ice.

And finally, here is a picture of Maddie making her way back home. Face all red and chapped, but happy from meeting a neigborhood girl her age. And yes, the snow is really that deep....above Maddie's knees.....almost up to her coat.

You know you are a "real" man when.....

......you are able to sit on the "pot" and tell "Pin-cess" (Princess) all about life's woes.

Let's not even mention that fact that Sam hasn't learned how to dress the "pin-cesses" yet. Therefore, she is clothed as she is. I tried to get him to put her down, but apparently he was "telling pin-cess how to catch udder pirates". Very important.

What do you do when it is -30 out?

Maddie likes to play in the water.....

And she turns into a turtle....

So does Sam.....

Sam likes to peak through crutches. Why, don't you use them to spot "udder pirates" while wearing your organs outside?

Maddie likes to see how tall she is.....

Both kids turn into rock stars in cold weather .....

Sam takes playing the "ma-tar" very seriously.....and heaven forbid you are another little boy who wants the pink "ma-tar".

Rock stars in action.

Dancin' and playin'

Sam moonlights as a fireman, when he isn't a rock star, in cold weather.

After playing and singing everyone needs to go and cook in a cafe, right?

Did I say Sam was a fireman? I meant he was a bus driver.

Cutest bus driver, I ever did see.

Maddie only looks to be that much taller because of her boots. She dressed herself today...apparently she didn't get the cold weather memo. Note her tights and not pants.

What do we do when it's -30 out? Why, we go to the Children's Museum of course.

This one goes out to my Daddy......

Hey, D.D. Remember all those times we watched the movie Ice Castles together? I think some of it must have gotten in my blood.


Because here is your granddaughter........


LOVING to ice skate.

Maddie and Kayla in action. They are so sweet together and stick close during the lesson.

Here they are holding hands going out onto the ice. Of course, this sometimes leads to one or other falling down.

Maddie and her ice skating buddy, Kayla. Yes, Kayla is really THAT much taller than Maddie....or is it, Maddie is THAT much shorter than Kayla?

Watch out Michelle Kwan......

Sam showing how to wear the helmet before Maddie's lesson begins.

Lesson learned from my pirate.

This is Sam. Sam is my baby. He is two but in a few short weeks is turning 3. Most days he refers to himself as "Capin Hook". Of course this title is replaced by "Erran (errand) Boy" on days he spends at the store and running errands with me.

The Lord has used Sam (and Maddie) to teach me many lessons through out my years being a mom. The most recent lesson was taught through one simple word. One simple word that my errand pirate boy uses all the time. If you are a parent, you know what one word a 2 year old uses over and over. What to take a guess? Why, it's "why" of course.

If I have heard Sam ask me "why" once a day, I hear it a billion times. In Sam's world, you can't just ask "why". No, no, no....."why" is always followed by "why, Mommy, why". Which is followed by, "but why".

Today I was complaining my way through yet another Arctic day. I am mumbling and stomping around....in true adult like fashion. I was cold. The kids had energy to burn but couldn't go outside. Wednesdays are non stop motion with school, AWANA, and ice skating lessons all in one day. Not to mention that I was running around getting immunization forms for Maddie's Kindergarten (don't even want to think about it) registration. Remember this summer's immunization quest? Anyway, I was deep in complain mode.

Did you read my post that tomorrow the wind chill is suppose to be -40? See, I have reason to complain, right?

What was I saying? Oh yea, back to why. So I was complaining (might I add to the Lord) about why He chose Minnesota for us. The conversation went something like this.....

"Why, Lord did you move us far away?" I am so cold and the kids miss being able to go outside and just play.

"Why, Lord, why did you have to move us where it is literally freezing half the year?" Virgina Washington D.C. or even Texas would have been better than this.

"But why, Lord did I have to leave all my friends, my kids' friends, my family behind?" Are you seeing a pattern here?


It hit me like a ton of bricks. I had become my 2 year old. At 29, when I should be mature and adult like in everything, I was regressing back to my toddler years. I might add, I had quite the whine going on too. I know I relearned that well from Maddie.

What do you answer your child when they ask "why" over the must mundane everyday thing? Okay, what do you answer your child when they ask "why" to questions you have answered a billion times? I usually start out with a great educational answer (or because I said so). Then, the more he asks, the shorter my answer becomes. Until finally I answer, "Sam, you know the reason." At this he usually just smiles. He isn't a dummy. He knows the answer, seeing I had just answered it 50 million times.

Do you know what? God answered me. Not in a booming voice. Not on a billboard (though that would make things easier sometimes, wouldn't it?). Not in fireworks. He used me to answer my own "why".

You see, God knew that I knew the answer to my "why". The answer was in the Bible just as it had been since the beginning of this journey. Just as it has been the million other times I had asked "why".

The answer to my "why" sounds a bit like this .....Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. And this...Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Maybe the Lord took away everything I held dear so that I would learn to lean on Him and Him only. Without many friends, the Lord and I sure do chat more than we used to. Maybe it was simply for Wade's career. Maybe it was for the kids. I don't know the exact reason. And that's okay.

So, while I can't see what lies at the end of this, Minnesota road, I do know that God is the one driving. He is in control. He has the road map and knows all the twists and turns, all the icy patches and spots of snow. All I have to do is answer my own "why" and fully trust in Him.

What is the answer to your "why"?

An up and coming politician?

Or just normal dinner table banter....you decide.

Mommy: Sam, let me see you take a big boy bite (of your dinner).

Sam (waving his fork in the air): Yummy Mommy. I wil-wee wike dis (I really like this). Dis is so yummy.

Daddy: Sam, you need to eat.

Sam (putting his fork to his mouth without any food on it): Tank to (thank you), Mommy. Tank to for this yummy food.

Mommy and Daddy: Sam, eat.

Wade claimed he was just like a politician...claiming it was the best meal he had ever had....even going through the motions, but never actually taking a bite. This scene ended up with Sam being in timeout several times and missing out on the playing of "Elefun" (a game that Maddie got for Christmas) with Maddie and I. I guess he is just as stubborn as a politician as well.

Though I try to connect most of the kids interesting moments, like this, to Wade (no offense Grandma and Papa...all done in fun). I will have to take full responsibility for this antic being from the more political Harrell side of the family. And if you ask my parents, the stubbornness comes directly from me and me only.

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In other weather related news.....the forecasted wind chill on Thursday morning.....a balmy -40. Try blaming that on global warming!!

Today's Weather Report

I have heard, from many of you, that tracking the weather in Minnesota has become like a hobby. It is amazing how many people tell myself or my mom that they have started watching to see what the weather in Minnesota is. We appreciate knowing that so many people care about our well being and are interested in our lives on the "frozen tundra".

To save you having to look up the weather....just thought I would share. Currently (according to the weather channel) it is -20 but don't worry with the wind chill makes it feels like -30. The high today may or may not reach -1. That my friends, is rather chilly.

The funny thing....life doesn't stop for cold weather, snow or wind chills. The kids and I will still bundle up to head off to bible study. We also need to run and get some milk from the store. I was afraid to chance it yesterday because of the snow and the road conditions. Hey, I still can claim "just moved here" as the reason for my hesitation driving on the snow.

Hope that you are warm and cozy no matter where you are!!

Snow Snow Everywhere.......

To try and enjoy all the snow we have, we sent sledding on Saturday morning. We went with Sam's "buddy" (as he calls him), Jacob and Jacob's mom and dad. The hill that we like the most is at a local park. Therefore it is free...the best kind. Also, it is groomed daily. That way it is nice and neat without any humps and bumps. The hill is fairly long, but luckily the walk up isn't too steep.

Notice the orange netting and poles....the kids learned more about them than they cared too....and you will too in a minute.

Maddie loves to go down by herself on her red sled. According to her, the best part is when she turns around and around.

We tried letting Maddie and Sam go down alone on the "silver bullet". However, we will not do this again for quite sometime. A few feet down the hill, the sled started veering to the left. No matter how much yelling for the kids to lean, they didn't (or couldn't). So, we watched in horror as they hit not only the orange netting, but also the metal pole. Miraculously neither kids were hurt. Too bad the good ol' "bullet" didn't fare so well. It was off to the trash can for him. The kids got back on other sleds as long as "Sissy no drive", as Sam said.

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Here is a look at what we see on our back deck these days. As you can tell the snow is up to the seat in the chairs. The snow, in the seat, is up to the table. The snow, on the table, is almost " up to the sky", as told by Maddie.

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You may remember this picture taken on December 16th. It is Sam's car in the backyard. We haven't moved it. It has become our snow measure.

This is a picture of the same car taken today. Can you see it? All you can see is the top of the orange handle. Does that begin to explain the kind of snow we see around here? Of course, this picture doesn't take into account all the snow that is blown off the car by the high winds we frequently have.

What everyone has been waiting for......

.... pictures from our Christmas trip.


Christmas Party with Papa's Family....

Maddie and her cousin Sarah (not to be confused with my cousin Sarah you will see later)

Visit with Aunt Lizzy and Uncle Conard......

Christmas Eve with Ga-Ga and Granddaddy......

It's tradition....Ga-Ga and her Christmas sweater. Behind her is her new kitchen.....I LOVE it.

Uncle Nate and Maddie on Christmas Eve.

Daddy with one of my "favorite presents".

Traditional Christmas Eve dinner followed by driving around and "lookin' at lights".


Chrismas Morning at Ga-Ga and Granddaddy's .....

Wade and his gingerbread kids.

Maddie, not quite awake, on Christmas morning.

My babies ready to open presents.

Uncle Nate and Ms. Rachel

I received sweaters and snow pants for Christmas....perfect Minnesota wear.

Maddie and her Bitty Twin.


Christmas Day at Ma-Maw's.....

Annie and her boys, Chase and Bryce.

Grandma and Maddie opening gifts.

Grandma and Sam

Grandma and Maddie playing with the Nutcracker (Sam calls them robots)

Papa and Sam reading books.

Ma-Maw gave Wade a really special gift this year. She gave him Pa-Paw's law school diploma.



5:30pm Christmas Dinner with the Harrells.....

Ga-Ga, Ms Rachel and Sam opening gifts.

Maddie opening gifts with the Harrells.

A picture of some of the Harrells. Great Grands are in the fore ground.

Sheek Family Christmas.....

Grandma and Papa with all their grand kids. Notice Sam with his ba-ba and pooh. Sometimes even a pirate needs lovies.

Ma-Maw and Zoe.

Princess Lily as Snow White. She is so grown up now.

Maddie as Tinker Bell. Her wings light up.

Sam as Captain Hook. He wore this all afternoon and all the way back to Ga-Ga's, in the car.

Captain Hook giving a kiss to Snow White.

The whole Disney Gang.

Disney Gang take 2.

Visit with Uncle Ned, Aunt Claudia, Sarah and her babies, Ada and Margot.......

Ga-Ga holding Margot.

Maddie and Sam loved the babies. Maddie is holding Ada and Sam is overseeing.

Maddie and Ada.

Uncle Nate and Maddie.

Ms. Rachel and Sam waiting for their surprise (it was yummy cake).

Uncle Ned and Sam.

Sarah and Maddie.

Christmas back in Minnesota......