It has been a busy couple of days starting with Abby abd Katie coming to hang out with me yesterday. I begged Karla for them and got the impression that she was a bit unsure about leaving 3 babies with me but we did just fine. Auntie Ann was originally coming so I could go to the doctor but instead ended up staying for most of the afternoon and helping me out with the girls. By 2 p.m. Abby was at school and all of the babies were sleeping. Auntie Ann spoiled the kids by bringing Happy Meals for them and it was nice for me to have an adult to talk to - that doesn't happen very often in my world.

Lizzie and Annie hanging with Mommy on the floor!
Katie - what a sweet, lovable baby she is - I love spending time with Katie but get overlooked completely once Uncle Bob comes home.

Beautiful baby girl!

My gorgeous goddaughter showing her exhuberant side!

Auntie Ann and Abby steal a snuggle!

Annie Bananie wants in on the action when I was taking pictures of Lizzie this afternoon.

Lizzie was bathed, dressed in a cute sleeper and packed and ready for her afternoon date with her godmother. She came back happy and loving Auntie Meg!

My beautiful girl ready for her date!

My girl - she's full of life!

Those tiny fingers give me the chills!

Annie and Lizzie holding hands - baby fingers are SO perfect!

The babies hanging together!

Peter and Annie watching a show and holding hands - how cute?

Molly and Abby having fun!

Bob and I were lucky enough to go out alone for a few hours last night for our anniversary and it was heaven (Thanks to Grammy and Papa for babysitting) but tonight was even better because we got our kids and Abby and Tyler all to ourselves. We haven't had a sleepover since Lizzie was born and both Bob and I have been really missing the kids.

The big kids with their 3D glasses on watching a movie tonight!

Abby and Molly snuggled in for a movie on our bed!

Pete and Tyler watching a movie and hanging out - Peter was so excited to get to spend some time with Tyler - he has really missed him!

Annie had to get in on the action - they were laughing and giggling the entire night!

Now I'm off to bed before the baby gets us up at the crack of dawn!
GNM - ILY!

What about Bob?

This is my blog, my journal for my children and it would not be complete without an entry dedicated to their father. What better day to do that than our 4th anniversary. Everyone who knows us knows that I was not the least bit interested in Bob when we met. Through his persistence and God's grace we managed to find our way into each other's arms and make it through the first rocky year. The first year of marriage is hard enough without the added stress of no alone time and 2 demanding children. Add to that a new house, stress around having more children and my moody temperment and it is purely miraculous that we made it through that year. And then came the pregnancies - wow - was that rough on my poor husband? Through everything Bob has remained steadfast in his love for the kids and I and strong in his faith. My favorite thing about Bob is that he brings our entire family closer to God each and every day. I like to say that he invites God to the dinner table with us by making him a family member just like the rest of us. He has taught me so much about living my life in a positive God - loving way and I admire how he parents our children so much. I love how kind and generous he is with his time and energy. I love that no matter how tired he is he always rises to the occasion and makes things fun and enjoyable. I love that when I'm down for any reason it makes him sad - even when I'm being irrational and stupid. I love watching him with one of the babies when he has no idea I am there and seeing the pure joy he gets from his children. I love that he easily accepts his imperfections and works on them constantly but is incredibly tolerant of other people's even when they are hurtful and mean. I love that he listens and genuinely cares what I have to say. I love that he considers my brother one of his best friends and says unabashedly that he would do ANYTHING for our family - especially considering that my family makes up 98% of our family. I love that he respects my relationships with my cousins even though he was never close to his own cousins. I love that he is constantly planning for the years to come and can't wait to see what the "empty nest" years bring for the two of us. I love that he doesn't need an occasion to tell me how he feels about me or that he counts our blessings daily. I love that when it feels like the world is crashing down around me he can find the right words to remind me of how lucky we are. I love that he checks in on me every single day at 11:30 no matter where we are or what we are doing. I love that he understands how hard marriage can be and is committed to working hard on ours - he puts our marriage before everything except God. We have been very fotrunate in that my parents and cousins are always willing to babysit and help out with the kids so that we can have time to ourselves. I feel so lucky to have found Bob and I can't wait to spend the next 40 years with him, no matter what those years might bring - if he can put up with me for that long! I hope that each of my children is lucky enough to find a partner as giving and wonderful as their father and I hope that they are paying close attention to his example. Bob is one of a kind - a treasure, for sure and I thank God for him everyday.

Happy Innauguratoin Day

Whether or not you voted for Obama Inauguration Day is pretty amazing. Outside of election Day it is one of my favorite days of the year. Patriotic holidays and events are so moving for me as an American and a mother. The fact that my father and husband both served our country in the military only adds to the pride I feel in the democracy of America. To think that 50 years ago my children would not be able to attend the same school and today we have an African American president is amazing! We had an inauguration day party with cupcakes and Obama berry soda thanks to Auntie Ann.

I love watching Bob with the babies - here he is bonding with Lizzie one night - I couldn't stop snapping away while I was watching them!


Closing her eyes and getting ready for those stubbly kisses!

Loving her Daddy!

Annie Bananie eating an inauguration day cupcake - the day before inauguration day - sorry, Auntie Ann but we could not convince the kids to wait so we had to make a second batch the next day!

Silly frosting faced girl!

Annie and the twins in the swing!

My beautiful girl all in pink.! I couldn't resist a few pictures with her Elvis do thanks to grammy running her fingers through it for hours on end!

Full body shot!

Sweet baby girl!

Looking at Daddy and Peter!

And there's our big Lizzie smile!

Daddy and Lizzie bonding !

Happy Inauguration Day, Peter and Molly!

Obama Berry soda and cupcakes before bed to celebrate a new president! Molly was very concerned because they did not show McCain yesterday and she wanted to make sure that he was not sad!She always cheers for the underdog!

Cheers to the new president!

Mommy gets hugs for her party planning!

Auntie Ann got the kids some soda for the occasion. They each got to bring one into school and Peter even brought Grammy and Papa's invitation to the Inauguration in.

And on any patriotic holiday you absolutely, positively HAVE to have sparklers! Yes, they were freezing but it was the perfect end to our celebration and they thought it was cool when all of the cars going by honked at us and cheered.

So regardless of who we all voted for our family is now in full support of our new president. We are thankful that he is a kind and good man. We also are grateful for President Bush and the 8 years of service that he gave to our country. Hindsight is 20/20 but not all that useful - I personally believe that he did what he thought was right for our country with the information that he had!

"The momentum of freedom in our world is unmistakable - and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can trust in that greater power Who guides the unfolding of the years. And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true. "

George W. Bush 2006

GNM - ILY!

A Special Blog by Peter and Molly

Martin Luther King Day is celebrated across the United States today and all of the kids are home from school in honor of this special occasion. This is a special day in our house as Martin Luther King Jr. is a hero of Peter's and a constant source of inspiration in our home. This is a blog dictated by Peter and Molly about Martin Luther King - enjoy!

Peter and Molly in Washington, DC this summer - in the background you can clearly see the Lincoln Memorial - the location of Martin Luther King's "I Have Dream" speech. I don't think it is any coincidence that the first African American President of the United States is being inaugurated one day after the celebration of Dr. King's birthday! Whether or not you voted for Obama it is hard not to feel awed by the thought that it wasn't long ago that black men and women had to attend different schools and drink from different water fountains and we have now elected a black man as our president.

Peter's Blog

Today is Martin Luther King Day and he was a great guy. He did good things for black people and white people, too. Martin Luther King wanted everyone to be equal and so he worked hard to make everyone equal. I am happy that they took all the signs down that said "white only" - that was a bad thing and MLK stopped it. MLK had integrity and responsibility - he had courage and love for people - just like Papa does. When other people said fight MLK said peace instead. If he was alive MLK would not want us to fight or be bad to any people in the world - he would want us to be happy in the world and love our family and people who are not our family no matter what color they are. I love MLK because I could not be Daddy and Mommy's son or Molly, Annie and Lizzie's brother if he did not make changes to the earth while he was here. I hope that I can be like MLK some day and love all people.

Molly's Blog

Today is Martin Luther King day and I am happy that I can go to school with black people because of him. MLK was a good man and made it so that all people can drink from the same water fountain and go anywhere they want on buses and stuff. MLK was a good person and he went to the white house and said the world has to be changed and then he helped change it but not with fighting and violence. I love MLK!

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

The newest Catholic in the World!

Lizzie had her big day this weekend and she was a perfect little angel! We had a wonderful ceremony and a great party after thanks to my parents and Aunts who did ots of cooking for us!

Molly and Daddy
Auntie Beth requested more Pictures of Annie in the swing that is supposed to be for Lizzie - here she is talking on her cell phone!

Annie in the swing - talking on a cell phone!


Auntie Meg got Annie out of bed before the Christening on Saturday!

Lizzie gets a kiss from her godfather!

Proud godparents!

Our beautiful little angel! Lizzie wore the christening gown that grammy, Uncle Pat and I, Molly, Annie and Tyler all wore!

Lizzie with her Mommy and Daddy!

All six of us ready for Lizzie's big day!

Elizabeth Mack ready to be baptized!

Baptized by Father Stu!

Our 4 beautiful kids!

Parents and godparents.

Lizzie with Auntie Meg and Uncle B - her godparents!

Uncle B loving Lizzie!

Auntie Meg got Lizzie this adorable little outfit to wear after her baptism!

Reillyn made his family debut at Lizzie's Christening!He was very cute and didn't mind being passed around at all!

Another Auntie Ann original!

The godparents cut the cake with Lizzie - May the Dear lord Bless, Lizzie!

Molly and Abby!

Father Stu performed a beautiful ceremony and we were so blesssed to have lots of family and friends there to celebrate - I have lots more pictures but this is the highlight reel! Uncle B and Auntie meg were wonderful godparents - attentive and loving, Grammy and Papa threw a great party for Lizzie and everyone held her and loved her during the party - what a lucky little girl.

We are very fortunate that our children all have wonderful godparents - you can only hope when you choose people for such an important role that they will be there for your children and guide them in the path that helps them to be as close to God as possible. We have been very successful in doing that and we feel blessed that all of our children's godparents surround them with love and prayer!

Uncle B gave Lizzie a Book of Saints and a card for her baptism and inside it he wrote a beautiful message to her. I'll end this blog with that message!

"Elizabeth, you are so perfect. I can't wait to see you grow and flourish in God's (and my) love. I Love you!" Uncle B

God Bless you, Elizabeth Mack Harding - Wheeler

GNM - ILY!