A post

So i'm too tired to post any pics (much i'm sure to grandparents dismay...sorry) but while i'm waiting for jude to give up and go to bed, and i have brad's laptop to myself while he's gone at a training meeting, i figured i'd at least write something.  Believe it or not, not posting regularly on my blog is one of the many things that i feel guilty about.

Brad is doing good as far as i can tell.  I think we've both been in a bit of a hibernating mode and don't really feel like doing much even though there always seems like there's LOADS to be done.  He's still loving school and all that he's learning and it's fun for me when i can understand things he shares with me.  Like today in his isotopes lab, they're going to start looking at food.  He was telling me how often times products will say they're from the USA when they're not and you can tell by looking at their isotopes...ok the way i worded it it sounds boring, but when he said it it sounded interesting to me.  He's a great man that bradley andrew newbold.  I really do love him and any time i get to spend with him i relish.  He still teaching Sunday School and i love watching and learning from him.  Every Sunday he teaches i can't help but want to say, "Yeah...that's my husband...he's pretty hott." Hahahaha brad will roll his eyes when and if he ever reads that ; )

As for me...i'm doing great...some days ; ) But to be honest, right now i feel like i'm hanging by a thread.  Nevertheless, i'm a very blessed woman.  I love my 3 little munchkins so much!  The other day (after a particularly sleepless night) i was just so down and SO tired and Emma was freaking out over ranch and carrots (i hadn't given her enough), Jude was spitting water everywhere and banging his spoon on the table, Emma's bus would be here any minute, and Eli wasn't going down for his nap.  I finally lost it and snapped at emma, then at Jude and took his spoon away and then they started bawling, and then i felt like the biggest jerk for losing it and UGH!!! I just collapsed on the floor and started bawling myself.  In an instant Emma and Jude stopped crying and slowly walked over to me.  Emma grabbed a blanket and pulled it over me and crouched down on the floor next to me.  Then Jude climbed up on my back and put his arms around me and asked if i was ok.  Their instant tenderness when i had just yelled at them melted my heart and made me cry even more.  After saying sorry to them and giving them big hugs and "i love you's" i hurried outside so emma could catch the bus.  She was hesitant to get on, and kept a steady eye on me from her bus window to make sure i was gonna be ok.  She even tried her hardest to sign i love you.  I've got good kids and a good husband. Where i feel i lack in so many personal areas, i sure feel blessed with the family i've been given.

Emma is my big helper.  She is definitely one strong-willed little girl.  We recently visited with a child psychologist from her school and have learned that her crazy outbursts are probably more than just being strong willed.  I have yet to have a follow up visit, and it's nothing so severe that the therapist wanted to label it, but she said something to the effect that her mannerisms and characteristics could be classified as asperger's-like.  But it's not asperger's...yeah i'm a bit confused about that diagnosis (well, it wasn't really an official diagnosis).  However it did give me comfort in knowing that i'm gonna have to handle her differently because part of the reasons for her freakouts are for reasons beyond her control.  She's such a beautiful girl though.  She's a huge help to me in taking care of her younger brothers.  She's so smart too!  A couple of weeks ago i decided to take the kids to one of the museums on campus.  We had to park a good distance away and part of the route we took was our old walking group route.  It was the end of the day so there's college students walking around everywhere, and just like her mother, Emma has issues with volume control.  So she's reminiscing how we used to walk this way for walking group and then randomly says:

"Hey mom, i remember when you had to give me bum bum medicine so my poops would come out, remember that?  Yeah, that memory was just bouncing in my head!"

and then she laughs. Then on the other side of the street she see's a man walking his pit bull but she thinks it's a boxer and says:

"Hey mom, look he's got a puncher!"

Good times.  Then today i picked her up from school and was asking her how school was:

Emma:  Good. There was this guy who came to teach us how to brush our teeth with his puppet alligator.  And mom, he was really handsome, i want to marry him.

Me: But Emma i thought you didn't want to get married

Emma:  Yeah, i think he had a wife.  I was just kidding.

I love her.  I wish i could remember more of the silly things she's said.

Jude. Oh boy, i love that little boy.  He is into everything!  He was banned from markers up til today because he kept coloring himself (one time claiming he was spider man after he drew black stripes all over his face) and everything.  He does not like wearing clothes and if he must wear clothes he prefers his swim trunks and shirt.  He prefers being naked with a cape and boots even though our house is pretty cold.  He is such a cuddle bug and often climbs into bed with brad and i in the morning.  He too says some pretty funny stuff although i can't recall them off the top of my head, although the other day i told him he couldn't do something and he smacked his forehead with his hand and said, "Oh my gosh, you have got to to be kidding me." Oh how i love him!

Eli is our happy little man and we all love him so much!  All you need to do is look at him and say hello and he'll smile.  He's a talker too and loves to be talked to.  We just started physically therapy with him on friday to work on his torticollis (big head + thin neck = one side of his neck is weaker than the other).  Hopefully we'll have him upright in no time : )

Well...i've written a bunch and hopefully one of these days i'll get around to pics.  I really am sorry that i'm a slacker.   love you all! xo