Pumpkins

Look what I grew!

Carving pumpkins!

ewwwwww

Almost done.

Up to no good!

Happy Stinner Pumpkins!

Pumpkins

Everyone knows that this year was the first year I planted a garden. I did this to prove to myself that I could. Unfortunately it was such a wet gloomy season that we lost a lot of tomatoes and cucumbers. We had a great season for green peppers, yellow squash, zucchini and of course pumpkins. This was exciting to me. I always wanted my own pumpkin patch and trust me that's just what happened. What I didn't know is that pumpkins take over EVERYTHING! They grab a hold of all your other vegetables and lay on top of them or strangle them to death. Needless to say by mid September the Pumpkins had morphed my garden into a pumpkin patch.

The kids had a blast scooping all the "guts" out of the pumpkins. Alex kept saying "swimey". Max tried to taste it and Emerson just wanted it off his hands. Austin however, was superman. He reached right in and scooped out pumpkin guts like that was the best job in the world. We carved our pumpkins with happy faces, since they where happy to give their pumpkin lives for our enjoyment. After some intense cleaning we roasted the seeds and tried them. The triplets didn't get it and Austin pretended to like them but they just weren't big enough to really enjoy. Oh well, maybe next year. We'll have to grow one of those 2000lb bad boys that win all the awards every year! HAHA, wishful thinking!

Now it's time for Halloween. We have this discussion with people every year. We approach Halloween differently than other people. We don't "celebrate" it as a holiday but rather embrace it as a day of fun and games for our kids. We allow them to dress up in fun, non-demonic costumes. Last year they where all animals and Austin a character from Star Wars. We are not real big on trick or treating, so we travel to friends and families houses for treats. We know we can not completely shelter our children from the evils of the world. So we choose to teach them right from wrong and turn something that might be harmful into something fun and innocent. I know not everyone will agree with me. Most Christians choose to ignore Halloween like it doesn't happen. But I choose to let my children enjoy the day and ignore the gore!

Our 1st Vacation!

The Great Wolfe Lodge

The Lobby. Animiatronics. So cool! The waterpark.

Alex on our balcony.

Austin on the balcony.

Maxim on the balcony.

Emerson is a big man in Daddy's shoes.

Max & Alex on the walkway above the pool.

Ut oh...dumping water!

My little Jedi's having a light saber war in the room.

Griffin made himself at home!

So did Austin!

Our 1st Vacation!

OK, it's not OUR 1st vacation but it is our 1st vacation with 5 children in tow! Anyone with several kids can tell you it is INSANE to travel with small children let alone 5 under 6 years old. It requires an immense amount of prep work, and when you get to your final destination you realize all the things you forgot. I was fortunate to not forget much. However, it's always the truly vital things that you seem to leave behind. In this case, the bottle washer. Yeah, yeah...doesn't seem like a big deal, right? Well, you travel with 4 bottle dependant kids(the triplets only need one for nap time and one for bed)and only 6 bottles. Do the math! It's tough to wash these fancy schmancy Dr. Brown's bottles with no brush. Being the MacGyver mom that I am, I bought an extra tooth brush in the gift shop and fashioned a bottle brush! Oh yeah, who's cool and genius now?

So anyway after a week of preparation we where off. We packed our van so full I was afraid the children weren't going to fit. Well, we all fit. Barely! There where bags in every nook and cranny. Off we where to The Great Wolfe Lodge in Niagara Falls, Canada. Seeing that we live less than 30 minutes(not including the wait time in customs) I figured we would be there in less than an hour. It ended up taking us a little longer than that since my hubby pulled a "I know right where it is, I don't need no stinking directions!" on me. HAHA, OK enough harping on David. We only got a little lost. After a quick stop for some more accurate directions we made it there after an hour and a half.

It was a little overwhelming at first. Everything is huge and there are people everywhere. The kids where relieved to be in our suite at last. They immediately began running from end to end checking out all the cool stuff. Their little area had bunk beds. Every wall was painted to look like the inside of a log cabin. There was raccoons and bears painted everywhere and of course wolves. They spotted the fireplace and banged on that. They climbed up on the tables and banged on the walls. They explored the bathroom and than discovered the safe. Let's just say it had buttons and made a cool beeping sound. I doubt if anyone will every be able to get it open again. The boys made that priority one!

We headed to the water park shortly after arriving. They where a little overwhelmed, OK a lot. There are tons of people. There are pools and tubes and water slides and geysers everywhere. The water is shooting out from all angles, the walkways overhead had cannons and hoses and a huge bucket that dropped hundreds of gallons of water on those below. Not to mention that the noise is just deafening. Alex loved it. He put those floaties on and off him and Austin went. They where looking all around and splashing up a storm. Max was OK, but a little apprehensive and Emerson wanted no part of the water at all. He just clung to my chest and wouldn't let go. I know my poor little man was just freaked out by the whole thing. Griffin on the other hand was a fish. He tried several times to dive out of mine and David's arms to get in. He would splash and laugh.

After an hour or so we headed to the room and got ready for dinner. This is a huge undertaking with 5 kids. Swimmy diapers off, clean diapers and clothes on. Mommy get dressed, daddy get dressed, Austin get dressed. Get sippy cups ready, get diaper bag packed. Everyone back in the strollers and head to the elevators. Now breathe! Briefly.

Can you imagine the look on the waitresses face when we said "A table for 7 please, with 4 high chairs." It's the same look we get everywhere we go, utter confusion. The boys don't eat out much but they seem to like the immediacy of buffets. David arranges everyone while I get food. By the time they sit, VIOLA, food is served. They are not used to having to sit stationary and eat. They do a free range thing in my house because they escape anyways. So after some minor melt downs they settled and ate. This was pretty much the same routine for every meal.

We got a ton of comments. Mostly, are they triplets? I got a "Are those quaDROOPlets?"(misspelled just like she said it). I answered everyone kindly and got a lot of "God Bless You". I even met a man in the elevator who also had triplets age 4 and a 5 year old. I was happy to be able to relate to someone even if it was only a 45 second elevator ride. We smiled sweetly when exiting feeling each others angst. Mostly people just stared and quietly counted to themselves. It's almost like "do my eyes deceive me? I must count!" HAHAHA! Yes there are 5 kids...all boys!

The second day we went to the water park several times. Emerson decided he wasn't afraid and that he too was a water baby. By the end of the day we almost had to fight them to get them out of the pools. They loved it! All 5 kids just splashing away, smiling, laughing and enjoying every moment. They loved running up and down the long walkways up above the park. They spilled water on people heads and took getting hit with water cannons with a grain of salt. We even got the huge bucket of water dumped on our heads several times and they just laughed and ran except for Griffin who smiled and splashed in a big puddle of water!

The 1st nights sleep was a little stressful. Alex was awake most of the night. I'm not sure if it was because of the new surroundings, the excitement of the day or the fact that he kept falling out of bed! OK, so they are definitely not ready for beds yet! It seemed every 5 minutes I was picking someone up off the floor. The next night I got smart! I pulled the mattress off the pull out couch, put it on the floor and surrounded it with pillows. We even pulled the mattress off one of the bunk beds to block off the stone fireplace. It was a make shift floor crib. Anyway, it worked out great and the boys, David and I got a good nights rest.

The last day was uneventful. After a hearty breakfast, of which most of it ended up on the floor if the restaurant, we packed and headed to the water park. The kids splashed and played for a couple of hours. Austin even made a friend that he was swimming and playing around with. The boys swam until they just about passed out. We changed everyone fast and by the time we headed out of the park area 3 of 5 where snoring! We grabbed some lunch to go and headed home just this afternoon.

I am pleased to say we made it over the bridge and home in less than an hour. Good thing since the kids where all exhausted and I seem to have contracted a terrible head cold. All in all it was a wonderful three days. My boys where amazingly well behaved and we proved to ourselves that we can still go out and have fun with 5 kids. Now for some much needed relaxation, and who knows maybe we'll tackle Disney next time....MAYBE!

SUPER KIDZ!

trying...

almost there...

steady...
UP!

I love this picture of Emerson. He was reading his book so seriously with this hat on!

Morning activities.

" Don't go to school Austin, stay and play!"

SUPER KIDZ!

OK, so we all know I am enamoured with my children. I turn into this oooey gooey mess when my children do something cute. I can't help it. Case in point...Alex has been talking up a storm. In fact, this kid has been talking up a storm since he was 3 months old. He's always had words to say and stories to tell. Now it's more his articulation that has me dumb founded. Most recently he looked at me and said "oh man, ut oh. Em di it on da for ge it agin". Did you understand that? No? Well, I have PH.D in Alexology so here we go..."Oh man, Emerson threw the markers on the floor again, pick them up". At dinner last night when asked if he would like a cookie for dessert Alex said "yeah" but than quickly followed it up with "Yes, cookie peeeeese". I guess he even listens to me when I correct him. How smart is he? He is the comedian of the group as well always making silly voices and faces. Emerson AKA "the pole vaulter" is still up to his amazing feats of daringness. He can fashion a ladder out of almost anything to reach the heights he wants. If he wants to get on the table in the living room, up he goes. I find pillows, bowls and the occasional diaper stack all piled high. But let me tell you, this kid really needs nothing more than his "monkey feet". He curls his toes around any bar or handle he can find and scoots right up. Maxim is quick. I turn around and think he's one place and he's another. I think I may call him "dash". I pull him down off the window sill(he perches up there and watches) and by the time I go to walk away, he's back. I find him hiding all over, like behind couches and in closets. When I turn around....zoom, he's gone again. That is unless our Deb is here. Than he can be found on her lap. He scared me to death last week. While I was vacuuming he somehow managed to scoot by me. After realizing he wasn't where he was supposed to be I frantically ran through the house(quite difficult due to my recent surgeries) looking in every corner and crevice. I ran to the basement and nothing. Panicking I stopped for 1 second to regain composure. Knowing he didn't get outside but fearing the worst I attempted to open the patio door, when I heard foot steps above my head. I ran into the attic(which is redone)to find him playing with toys in the attic living room. Man, what this kid gets into in less than 1 minute is unbelievable. All I have to say is Thank God I was blessed with patience.

Austin and I went to his schools Fun Fair this Saturday. It's nice to have some alone time with him. On our walk over we talked about school and new friends. He explained the rules of his new classroom and boasted about his new teacher. He's growing up so fast now. Almost over night he went from this annoying little kid to this intelligent, question asking machine. His curiosity is just unbelievable. He wants to know how the world works. I love that. He was thrill;ed to hang out at school with his best buddy Zack while I worked the prize table. School is important to Austin. He loves it. I hope it continues to be like that. I'm sure it will.

Now on to my SUPER BABY!!!!!!!! Griffin is the most unbelievable kid. It's like he's in fast forward! He now is free standing. this means he is just going from the sit position to the stand position without holding on to anything. He stands and plays with a toy, stands and watches tv, stands and plays with his brothers. He is 9 months old today! I know he will be walking in the next month. This is without a doubt. He has absolutely no fear of anything. He can crawl as fast as his big brothers run and he gets in the middle of playtime and fights. Could this kid be a greater joy in our lives? Nope!

Lately we have been really getting involved in our new church. It's wonderful to have a church family that cares and supports you. To be so involved with the direction a church is headed and to have such an intense spiritual connection to others is just such an amazing blessing. We our so happy our prayers have been answered. Positive spirituality gives you such an overwhelming sense of love. Rather than the negativity some people take from Christianity. I am very proud to be a part of such an amazing church family and to have our children be involved as well. God is good!

The Good, The Bad & The Snotty!

My bro & Jenna at his graduation.

Getting his diploma! Love the cap!
My lil' lamb!

Emerson...enough said!

Griffin wants out too!

Alex says..."I didn't do nofing mommy!"

Em up to no good!

Maxim trying to escape!

The Good, The Bad & The Snotty!

This past week was definitely adventurous! Between my escaping children and all the running around, I am exhausted. My brother Christian graduated from his high school program at Autistic services. We are so proud of him! He is now headed to a Day Program that is located next door to my mom. I was surprised at how emotional I got watching him get his high school diploma. It was like one of my own children had achieved this incredible honor. My brother is such an amazing man. He will turn 21 this weekend and I can't tell you how that makes me feel. I get choked up just thinking about it.

Over the past 11 days I have had 2 surgeries, one on each leg. I don't know why they call it a surgery. I would call it more a "procedure". What they did was Vascular reducing. It is a new version of "vein stripping". They make several small incisions in your legs and with a laser they reduce the main arterial blood flow in your legs. When I was pregnant with the triplets my body compensated for the 3 new lives I was carrying. I needed increased blood flow to sustain the pregnancy and my veins literally had to work overtime. Put that together with the fact that both my parents have genetically handed down bad veins and VIOLA, really bad veins! The doctor said my veins should be open .05mm. Mine where open 8.6mm. More than 8 times what they should. The blood in the veins started to back up and because of my active lifestyle I was rendered unable to walk by evening time. The pain was awful it felt like I had sandbags attached to my legs. As of today I am 11 days out from my first surgery and 3 days from my second. Leg #1 is feeling great. Still some tenderness at the incision sites, but much better. Leg#2 is still being contained in this extremely unsexy compression stocking. It seems much more uncomfortable than Leg#1. I'm sure it will be fine in a few more days. I can't wait to be able to run and climb the stairs again!

After my surgeries I was told to try and maintain my normal lifestyle without overexerting myself. I continued to take care of the kids, cook, clean, shop and do my daily activities. On Wednesday David and I took Austin to his first Sabres Hockey game of the season. We where supposed to be at his curriculum night at school but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend time with my #1 son. He gets so little one on one time. Well, he loved it! We had dinner at HSBC Arena(highly overpriced roast beef and frozen pizza), he thought it was so cool that he could sit on these high stools and see the ice while eating. We got an overabundance of junk food that kept him occupied while the Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2! by the time we got back to the car he was exhausted and whiny. It didn't seem to matter though since he still can't stop talking about what a great time he had.

Griffin finally had his follow up from his surgery. The doctor said it was a complete success. No more problems for my lil Grif. In fact, this kid is amazing. Not only is he crawling and pulling himself up on everything, he is now free standing. He can be in the middle of the floor with nothing around him and he just, stand up! This kid is gonna walk any second. He almost looks too little! He is not even 9 months old and he is trying to walk! SUPER BABY! He is babbling up a storm too! "Mamamamamammamamama", "Dadadaddadadadadadada" & the propeller(rolling of his tongue) are our favorites. Maybe it's because he's my last but I am so in love with this kid!

In the midst of surgeries, doctors appointments, hockey games and life, we all came down with a TERRIBLE cold. Let's just say there is SNOT everywhere! I wish I could say it's been a quiet week with sick children just relaxing on the floor but that has not happened! They are just as active and if you didn't see the snot dripping down their face than you would never know they are sick. I on the other hand want to curl up under the blankets and sleep for a month. Yeah right, that will never happen!

Escapees!

Yes, they are on my dining room table!

Emerson points out that they can jump to the China Cabinet from there! (I love their faces in this picture. Note Alex looking deviously happy and Maxim's look of "oh I never thought of that"!

Maxim chooses to hang from the light!
Emerson manuvered the chair to get on the changing table and play with the wipies!

Escapees!

I think my kids are going to be the death of me! This has been one of those weeks that I just want to crawl into bed and not come back out until they are grown. After the bus debacle with Austin was resolved I thought I was in the clear. Well, that didn't last long at all. On Friday my three "little angels"(I use that term loosely)decided it was time to stage a mutiny. They began with escaping from the gate that has held them in the living room for over a year. With a resounding "kerplunk" Maxim and Emerson where over. Alex tried his darnedest but was unsuccessful. In what seems like seconds I had one child climb on the changing table, flipping the light on and off. The other was on top of the dining room table literally hanging from the chandelier. After collecting my two small escape artists and returning them to their toy infested, peanut butter stained play area that I used to refer to as my living room I returned to pile of dishes I was trying so desperately to clean. Only to turn around and see 2 small faces staring back at me. They giggled and ran back to the dining room where again they climbed onto the table and where AGAIN hanging from the chandelier. In desperation, I turned on a movie...they escaped! Left the dishes to rot and joined them in the living room and they escaped again. I than decided to just let them loose. Maybe if I allowed them their freedom they would not try and get up onto the changing table and dining room table and they would be content to just play under my feet. Yeah well that didn't work either. They climbed and swung again. At one point all three where on the table dancing a jig and taunting me. I could see in my little Griffin's eyes(who was watching the whole mutiny unfold from his walker) that he too would be joining his brothers if his legs weren't so short!

After several stressed out hours, I called my sister Adrianne. I asked her to come watch the boys so I could go gate shopping. Hoping to find something taller and sturdier I set out to Babies R'US. I must have looked frazzled, because a sales clerk asked me if I needed help and I replied..."More help than you can give me." The poor girl unwavering, asked about my dilemma and I told her. She suggested an "Extra Tall" gate system to keep them contained. Of course...they where out. OK, so now what? I decided my main goal was to keep them out of the kitchen. That's all I really need right? Well after buying 3 gates, differing in size and height, I went home to install them. Success! The kitchen gate was extra tall and worked. I got a permanent gate for across the stairs that may work and a mesh gate for across the dining room. Well, I thought it worked. Within 5 minutes Emerson had escaped and knocked down the mesh gate. He was again on the dining room table and Maxim followed. OK, I give up! When David came home we decided to get an extra tall gate for the living room. We maneuvered what Babies R'US had, put it together with pieces left over from kitchen gate and fashioned an extra tall security gate. By morning I was excited to see if it would work. Within moments Emerson had scaled the new gate and was on the table. Finally I just removed the chairs from the dining room. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they figure out how to get up there again. Perhaps standing on each others backs?

Griffin standing at the new XX-tall gate(that the boys now hurdle themselves over)! Oh yes, he stands and let's go!

I wish I could say I have 5 angelic boys that sit and play all day peacefully and quietly. But that's not the case. I have 5 energetic young boys who are adventurous. This doesn't mean they are bad. They are just boys being boys. I know this time will pass. They will grow up and the days of frustration I felt will be replaced by new frustrations and challenges. I'm OK with that. I am doing my best to try and take it all in stride. I chalk all this up to experience now. Who knew I was a short order cook, a sheriff, a master craftsman and an engineer?

While I sat here typing this blog, Emerson again scaled the living room gate. He joined me on my chair and put his arms around me. This IS my life, these are my kids and I will do whatever it takes......It's all for them!

First Day of 1st Grade!

All ready!

So handsome!
Don't go, big brother!

Watch them go....

See them? Me neither!

First Day of 1st Grade!

It's official! Austin is at school! Phew! What a long summer that was. He was so excited to pack his backpack and put on new clothes and head off to that bus. It didn't matter to him where he had to catch the bus as long as he was on his way back to his favorite place...school. I know, I know, what kind of kid loves school that much? Well, mine does! He has been so excited the last week all I hear is, "mom, who will be in my new class?" "how do you think my new classroom will look?" "what time do you think lunch is?". He was just jumping out of his skin waiting for Tuesday to arrive. When it did he jumped out of bed, got dressed, brushed his teeth, ate breakfast and got all his supplies ready without me even having to ask! He was all ready. He looked at me and said, "take care of my brothers, mom. I'm going to school!".

We had a little drama with the bus stop change. Last year he was picked up and dropped off right in front of our house. It was wonderful since I had the three babies and was pregnant with Griffin. I just had to watch for the bus than run outside when it came. The little ones where never alone. But this year when I got the bus notification it said his new pick up was over 20 houses away! On our street where the houses are spread apart, this was a HUGE distance! Than the drop off was set across are busy street on the complete opposite side and 2 doors down! How was I supposed to do this with 4 little ones? I couldn't very well let Austin cross the busy street alone, I couldn't leave the boys alone either! I couldn't let him wait for the bus in the morning 20 doors down with no adult supervision. I was freaking out! I tried several thousand times to call the DOT but it was constantly busy. Even at 11:45pm...how is that possible? Anyway, David took him down to his new bus stop the first day and I couldn't even see him from our front lawn. In tears I watched as his bus past right in front of our house, just like last year. My big boy was in his seat waving away. Well, this just infuriated me! How dare they say my child had to walk so far, what';s going to happen in the winter and what could I do to change it? After my saving grace(Mrs. Debby) arrived I set out to the DOT. If they weren't going to answer the phone than they where going to suffer the wrath of this pissed off mom in person. I rang the buzzer...nothing. Did it again...nothing! I was really angry then! Well, after going to visit my husband a work he decided to accompany me back to the DOT to see if we could tag team them. Well, this time they answered. I was glad I brought David because I would have went in their guns a blazing. He was nice and calm. I was fuming! Especially when the supervisor said "I don't care what your home situation is, I don't care if you have 1 leg, that doesn't concern us". WHAT????? What kind of statement is that. I wanted them to know my concern was for my 6 year old. He was too young to cross a busy street and he shouldn't have to wait 20 door down for a bus! It was unsafe! That jacka$$...sorry! The supervisor than said to David, well, I will review it and see what I can do...maybe. We left with only one resolve, that his drop off would be across the street from our house instead of across the busy street. They said it was a software malfunction, yeah right! I was so enraged I called the Superintendent's office for our district. I was politely told that the DOT would handle any problems in due time. Whatever, they where useless too...Next thing, I'm going to the newspaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Putting our little ones in danger, for what ...time constraints? I pay more taxes than anyone else in my district because of the street I live on! They screwed with the wrong mom, now I'm really angry!

This morning when David left with Austin for their mile long hike to the bus stop, I asked him to please ask the bus driver if any changes had been handed down. When my phone rang 10 minutes later I was shocked. It was David, he said he talked to the bus driver and there was a stop in front of our house starting tomorrow! I guess we will hold on calling the newspaper for now. The point to my story...Never just sit back and take crap from people. Get involved in your children's lives and well being! If you don't like something, speak up! We should never put our child's safety aside because someone says we should. Be strong, be bold, be...the best parents you can! What a difference a day makes!

Now my big boy is off to school. Completely unaware of the drama that unfolded on his behalf. That's just fine with me. I'm so proud of my 1st grader, what an amazing child I have!

Feeling Better/Labor Day

PBSSSSTTTTT! Too cute!Emerson and his ice cream cone. He still eats it with his hands...

Austin, Alex and Bradley in their "man cave"

mmmmmMax

Emerson taking a swim in the drink bucket. Too cold!

Up to no good! Turning on the tv in the kitchen while sitting on the table and apparently making rice!

Look who's crawling!

Alex thinks this is so funny!

Austin did too!

Feeling Better/Labor Day

Just a little update on baby Griffin after his surgery. He is healing quite nice. He hasn't had any complications at all. In fact after the first initial couple of days you would not have even known he had major surgery. Within two days of his surgery he began to crawl, fluidly. Within four days he was pulling himself to the standing position. If this kid starts walking this week I am having him tested because he is GIFTED! Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes.

We had a wonderful week. The boys are adjusting to their new room. We transitioned the boys from crib rails up to down. Hopefully this will ease the next transition which is toddler beds. They easily crawl in and out of their beds but have the stability at night of being in a crib. I decided to leave some toys in their room so they can play in the mornings instead of pulling clothes from drawers or getting in their closet. They seem to like the freedom that comes with being able to get down and play. The only downside besides having another room to reassemble and organize daily is they get up MUCH earlier. This morning it was 6:30am. They got out of their cribs and played for almost and hour before we went in to get them. I could hear them laughing and playing on the baby monitor. They are so cute talking up a storm in their together. I hear Max "Who's dat", "What's dat" and Emerson "No no no no" "jujujuju" (not sure what that is yet but he says it all the time) and Alex "Mommmmmy, Daddddddy....i uuuuupppppp". I hear alot of "ut oh's" and "nonononono" coming from there too. I'm not sure where the time went, but my babies are growing up so fast!

We had some visitors this week. Aunt Shelley(my very dear friend) and her son Carter came to see us. It's always so much fun to see them. They live in Virginia and are visits are usually only once or twice a year. Next month they will be moving to Atlanta, GA and we will probably get to see them even less. It's OK though, Facebook is a beautiful thing. I love you guys!

After church on Sunday we had a small get together of some friends and family. It was nice and intimate. Austin got to run with his cousin Bradley and burn off some steam. Those two kill me. One minute they are the best of friends, next thing you know they are fighting. It was a wonderful day with great weather. The pool was good for the 3 whole weeks we used it, but oh well there is always next year.


School starts tomorrow, Thank God! I'm am done with summer activities and am ready to settle into Fall. It is my favorite season! I'm ready for brisk nights and fallen leaves. Pumpkins on the porch(from my very own garden) and the smell of hot chocolate in the air! I can't wait to take the kids to the Zoo for our Halloween tradition and to dress the baby in a nice warm blanket for a family evening walk. My family is complete and whole for the first time. I'm so excited for the next step and what is to come. I say it so often but I can't help it...God has blessed us and we are so grateful!