A little of everything...

I've been clearing my cell phone for my last few posts so here is a great big mix of items!!! The sadest part is that my camera has TONS of pics....from easter basically on but I don't ever sit down and put them on the computer. That is my to do this week. In addition to well a thousand other things?! On a better note. This pictures are awesome and do clue you in on to what is going on in the Goins' household!!

 

This picture was clearly taken before Hadley's surgery. Look at those checks and jaw?!?!?

A rare occasion when they are in the car and NOT screaming or crying.

 

Gwen and Parker got their ears pierced. It was quite simple. Not sure why we didn't think to do it as the girls were babies...guess life is about learning huh?? Hadley will get hers done. Maybe not until she is like 15 because she gets so worked up, but when she's ready we will go.

We got a motorized vehicle. Never thought we would. GLAD we did. Girls ride it nonstop. They love their "motor," and quickly learned the slow/ fast and forward/ reverse settings. So far no major casualties...they did hit the van once and Hadley smashed into a tree but no real injuries!

 Oh Parker. What can we say about this sassy girl? Sometimes you just want to get your point across but don't quite have the vocabulary you need. Momma, dada, night night, oh yeah, that, up, pat, pawpaw...those don't cover everything do they baby doll?? You continue to be the perfect ending to our family of five, keeping us on our toes and doing milestones waaaay faster than I thought possible.

Like, riding bulls for example. You are a girl of many talents!!  Uncle Joe is spotting Parker as she takes this wild ride!! After Hadley's graduation we went out to eat with grandma, grandpa, joe, stacy, and ella. It was quite a good time!

For fun, we FINALLY repainted my mom's bathroom. It has been with boarder and sponge paint since 2000. With her wanting it changed since....2006 or so. I decided, when they were away on vacation to make it my project. Little did I think about having to strip the boarder, killz everything, then doing a couple of coats...all with the help of three kids. Ugh. We survived and it turned out awesome. BRIGHT orange just like grandpa wanted :)

There aren't enough words for this shot. This girl is a trip...

Gwen had to get in on the action also...

Mark and I came across a little extra money outside of our budget and decided to get our tattoos. We really didn't end up spending much at all and somehow I didn't pass out lol. He got the dates (on the left) and I got the girls names. Can't say I'm running back to get more, but it really didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Mark however already has his next design and hoping for the extra cash sooner than not!

Lastly a BIG, BIG, BIG shout out to Mark. I am beyond proud of him and one day he will believe me when I say it. He decided to enter the Wassenburg Art competition held annually here in Van Wert. People enter from all over the area- michigan, indiana, etc. Each person entering could bring in three pieces that were evaluated by a jury and either entered into the show or "rejected." Mark got two pieces in!!!!! He didn't recieve any of the awards, but was one of the few that got more than one piece accepted. I am so proud of his work and continued ventures in wood working. He has items at a local store, now in the local art show and potentially at a holiday craft show. I am glad other people can see his talent because it really shouldn't be contained to just our house :) Even though I never get the pieces anyways. The one he is posing with is MY ring holder. Which I haven't ever gotten to use because it was at the gallery in Cincinnati now at Wassenburg. One day....one day.

Good work babe. This also leads into his father's day/ birthday/ Christmas present which I am filling out the paperwork for as I type...he is going to a weekend workshop in Pennsylvania at David Ellsworths house. An individual class/ educational opportunity. Anyone that does wood turning knows how big of a deal David Ellsworth, the pioneer of hollow forms is. Mark is ecstatic and I am so happy to be able to budget for him to get this blessing. I fully believe one day, with his talent it will be his livelihood, once enough people see what he can do :) Love you.

Hadley...All grown up.

I have really been slacking on our blog...probably because if I'm on the internet and tv at the same time we can't get a good signal. Oh Middle Point Cable how you have made me frustrated...

Anyways back to the post.

Hadley.

What can I say about this girl, now grown girl.

People say you blink and it's gone, you'll miss this in the future, blah blah blah.

BUT HOW IS SHE FIVE??????????

Seriously. Still remember the pregnancy test, the first night in the hospital, driving home from the hospital...honestly, I feel like it was yesterday. She has survived the terrible twos, trying threes and funky fours. Now we have the fives....she fits the fives well. Periodically whiney, but aware of her behavior, able to rain it in when necessary. Also willing to get Gweny in trouble or point our her whining...but for the most part this helpful big sister. Always excited for an adventure and leading the way with Gwen and Parker on her heels. I am beyond proud that she is my first born and so happy at the progress she is making into a beautiful young girl.

 

This is a pic of her first bus ride for preschool locally. So...February.

 

 

Breakfast before her graduation day. SO GROWN UP!

 

This would be a cap and gown. My preschool graduate all ready for kindergarten!

On a random sick day for Parker or SOMEONE, I got to wait with Hadley for the bus at the sitter. Man, did I enjoy this. Wished I could have done it everyday....

Before mother's day weekend her teachers sent this home with her. It had an awesome poem with it which is on the fridge so I can't repeat it verbatim. Something about if I had a flower for everytime I thought how much I love you I'd have a garden to walk through forever.

 

Graduating preschool, driving now....hahaha

Long, hard day playing with my cousins....

She was our squealing girl, always so darn loud...then we found out why when she failed her kindergarten hearing test, headed to the ENT and learned she had fluid on her ears. For how long, we will never know. Tubes have been out, I would assume years now. Then we noticed she had tonsils the size of golf balls and was always having her mouth open....because her adnoids were massive also and she couldn't breathe through her nose. My poor, poor Hadley. A downside to being the parent is you feel like you failed. Overlooked the obvious, let them down, made them behind. Just absurd feelings that don't make sense, but they are still ever present. No one warned you of those emotions, feelings, or frustrations when you thought about having kids. So immediately we discussed what needs to be done and took the steps to do so. Many thanks to family for helping with pre-op appointments and post-op care. We went with the full package- tubes, adnoids, and tonsils....all taken care of in one foul swoop.

This is a shot on the way to Fort Wayne at 6 AM. She knows she's getting her "Tonkils" out and smelling bubble gum to fall asleep...still niave at this moment believing this is a good thing, which it ultimately is however no clue about the next ten days...

 



In the pre-op section she is starting to realize this may not be such an easy breezy thing. Getting very nervous, shy, crying. Still, tough as nails, willing to walk with the random nurse back to the OR without her mommy with only a few tears. In the background here is Dr Kaiser. A WONDERFUL provider that I am so happy we found here in this area...

In the recovery area I got to hear multiple children wake up in different ways from the anesthesia. Some screamed, some puked, but my Hadley...she just whimpered. The sweetest softest sounds. She was so mellow it broke my heart. Doing everything we asked...

She took the little nap the nurses told her she needed. Ate the popsicle, drank the apple juice, watched her barbie movie...a perfect patient she was. Two hours later and everything was done and we were heading home.

A big smile afterwards as we headed to McDonalds. Her request???????????

She ate her fries, drank her smoothie then wanted to go home...the hour car ride proved too much for her....

Once we got home she ate some more....and more.....and more. Then we took a three hour nap. PERFECT day for me :) Next it was off to get her sisters at the sitter, show Miss Pat her booboos and come back home to see Dada. Who, of course, had to spoil her like crazy since he wasn't there for the day....

Now on day nine she is getting better. She still guards her voice, which sounds alarmingly different, but has decreased her medications mostly just needing dosed after sleeping. I keep reminding her by Sunday she should feel more like normal. It was neat to see the difference in her hearing. At McDonalds she heard all the machine beeps, kept saying it was so loud and looking everytime she heard it. Praise God for tubes :) Hopefully all done before school starts and she risked really getting behind. Oh My Hads-McGrads...Much Love.