Chilson Family

Today is the final birthday for our family for 2014.  We celebrate Daughter #1's 26th birthday!  She has been such a joy to our family and is fun to be around.  She has been so good about taking the younger nesters to her home to spend time with them.  She took Daughter #7 home with her yesterday since the teens are gone to a winter camp in Southern Indiana.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAUGHTER! WE LOVE YOU AND ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY! MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH BUBBLES AND BALLOONS! XO   LOVE, DADDY AND MOMMA 

I can not believe we are at the end of 2013! I think back over the year and the many blessings that God has brought our way.  One huge blessing was Daughter #1 and her family moving back to Indiana.  After five, very long years for us, it was like a dream come true.  (I will save that for another day, just the thought makes me want to cry!) Anyway, the reason of this post is to celebrate Daughter #1's twenty-fifth birthday!  We were very surprised after having three boys to have a little princess!  She has been such a joy, which is her middle name!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR FIRST PRINCESS! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND ARE SO THANKFUL FOR YOU! XOXO      

Sometimes in my life I wonder if I have really made a difference in my children's lives.  I had a mother that gave up a nursing career to raise her babies.  She never regretted becoming a stay-at-home-mom even when money was tight.  So it never really came to my mind to be anything but a SAHM.  I had a couple of jobs as a teen.  For a very short time I was a waitress and worked at Arby's.  My "income" was mainly babysitting.  I had a full tuition scholarship to a Christian college in Florida, but never was really interested in becoming a graduate with a degree in anything but an MRS degree.  After a semester I packed up and came home to be a stay-at-home-daughter.  I babysat at home full-time for less than a year.  The the lady I babysat for decided to become a SAHM.  A short time later I became engaged.  You can probably guess the rest of the story...I got married, had babies--lots of babies--and lived ha...

Today marks the last of the birthdays for the year.  Daughter #1 turns 24 today!  It is so hard to believe she is that old!  It has been wonderful for her to be home this year for her birthday! Happy 24th Birthday Daughter (aka--Ditter Do) Daddy and I love you! 

They are here!  Daughter #1, Son-in-love #1, and Grandson are home!  They left Fort Bragg in the wee hours of Saturday morning and are finally home!  Not just for Christmas, but for good! It is so wonderful to have all fourteen of my offspring, their mates and babes all within a 40 mile radius! "Thank you, Lord, for the gift of family.  Thank you for the love that binds us together and the love that draws us together when we are together or apart!"

Life has been busy the last couple of weeks.  We have completed two weeks of school.  I love the structure of school because our day has a routine.  But, I sure do enjoy Saturdays and a long weekend!  Daughter #1 and Grandson came home on Friday for a "four day".  They will fly out to return to Fort Bragg, NC.  So we will start the count down to her final days of her coming home for good--ninety-four days!  That is so far away...but she will try to be home for Thanksgiving. I have no pictures yet of our weekend as a family.  Daughter #2, our photographer, has not yet uploaded/downloaded {whatever the lingo} the pictures she has taken. I started getting sick late Thursday of last week.  I felt horrible on Friday, left sinus and teeth hurt so bad.  I felt even worse on Saturday, right sinus and teeth!  I still had to go to the grocery!  By the afternoon I felt like I was finished.  But I kept going, until yesterday....

Just a few more days and Daughter #1 will be home for a visit with Grandson!  Fort Bragg, NC is too far away!  I am grateful for the time and energy she puts in to be able to come home for short visits. I am so very thankful for the Grands that I have close to home!  {I love all my babies...children, in-loves, and grands!}

A couple of weeks or so ago we took a day off school and made it a field trip since Daughter #1 was home with her hubby and my newest grand!  Almost the entire clan went to the Children's Museum.  We had so much fun, but not enough time! This is a picture of two of the grandbabies on their "horsie" ride!    Daughter-in-law #2, Daughter #1 Granddaughter #1, Grandson #3 

We found out yesterday evening that Daughter #1, Son-in-law #1 AND NEWEST GRANDSON are coming home for six days to visit!!!!! YAY!! We are all so excited!  They should be here early Thursday morning.  They plan to drive straight through from Fort Bragg, SC.  They will be tired but it will be so wonderful to hold my newest grand! Newest grand (Grandson #3) had an ultrasound on his kidney yesterday.  They saw before he was born one kidney was not functioning properly.  The ultrasound yesterday showed there were no changes and they would need to meet with a specialist.  I had Granddaughter #1 for a couple of hours today.  She was fussy, but such a joy to have.  I found out she like the play gym WITHOUT the boppi!  She was so much happier when the boppi was removed!  Ahhh!  Babies, LOVE THEM!!!  Big children, little children, adult children, LOVE THEM TOO! Life doesn't get much sweeter than th...

Daughter #1 is in labor and Baby is almost here.  It has been a day, and we are not even in the same state.  The Army sure has their own way of doing things with Mommy-to-be!  (I'll leave that one alone!)  Anyway, the long wait of the day is almost over! I wish I could run to her room and pick her up and soothe her fears, tears, and pains away.  I think this  has been harder on me than when I gave birth to her! I promise I will be back with news of our newest Grand and hopefully a picture!  And I promise it won't be two weeks!!!!

Today is Daughter #1's birthday!  She is 23 years old!  She is expecting her first little bundle in just the next couple of weeks!  Secretly, okay, not such a secret, I am hoping for today--she doesn't want to share her birthday!  (sorry kiddo, secret is out of the bag!)  "Ditter-Do, here is wishing you a terrific 23rd birthday!  We love you and can't wait for you to have your new little one to hold!"

I am thankful for the Red Cross.  Have you ever had to rely on them before?  This is the first time we ha ve needed their services.  My mother passed away today about 3:10 pm.  We spent the last 26 hours at the hospital taking turns in and out of her room.  (I will post another time about that.) When we realized that Mother's health was declining qicker than we thought, we had to make a decision to get a hold of the Red Cross to bring our daughter home from Fort Bragg, NC, where she is stationed in the Army.  She is expecting a baby in mid-January and knew we had to be quick to get her home before her air travel was restricted.  But too soon and the RC could deny travel until Mother was worse. Daughter #1 came into the hospital at 1:45 this morning.  She got to spend time with her Granny and be in the presence of Jesus when He called Mother home. I am very thankful to the Red Cross for their help.

I am thankful for Daughter #1.  She is in the Army, stationed at Fort Bragg, NC.  She and Son-in-law #1 are expecting their first baby in January!  I am thankful that she takes the time to drive 10 plus hours to spend time with her family! I love you Daughter #1, and I am very thankful for you!

I have a couple of pictures to share.  Here is a picture of our newest grandbaby! Introducing "Mildred Millie Maude".  No, that is NOT her name.  Let's just say when Son #2 and Daughter-in-law #2 decided on a name, before she was born, I would refer to her by her name-to-be.  Not once did anyone ever correct me that I was pronouncing it wrong until about 5 days before she was born.  Dear Son asked me to repeat  her name, not once, not twice, but three times before I realized he was "making fun" of the way I was pronouncing the name. He is not the only one who poked fun at me.  I guess I put the emphasis on the wrong syllable!  So, this ol' Mammi decided to come up with a name until I can either take speech lessons and learn to pronounce it, or a nick name!   {just a side note, Son is NOT impressed with my "name" for her.  oh well, life goes on!} Here is a picture of 8 of our nesters, and "guard" dog...

Daughter #1's baby belly... ...she is 14 weeks 3 days, as of today's date, 21 July 2011.  Maybe more than one? 

I forgot to post:  HAPPY 2nd ANNIVERSARY DAUGHTER #1 AND HUBBY!!!!!!!  {their anniversary was the 25th!!}

After a full day of Daughter #2 Graduation Open House, Daughter #1, stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC, called.  She wanted both her dad and I on the phone at the same time.  Well, you know what that means, BIG NEWS!  Yep!  Daughter #1 is expecting her first bundle of joy in January! Then Son #2's wife called to say she felt her babe move for the first time!  Wow!  Graduation Open House, news of a bundle of joy, and feeling the signs of life stirring within for the first time! {uh,for daugher-n-law, not me}  Yep, it was a blessed day!