Days with the Dorans

It amazes me that I am sitting at a computer typing. As all days of late, today was jam-packed! Jeff had parent teacher conferences until late in the evening. I picked up the middles and dinner and rushed home. (My dad was with Joe and Sean) I got home at about 5 and everyone ate while I nursed Sean, changed diapers and got everyone back in the car for T-ball practice (at 5:30) Thankfully my dad missed his Tiger game to watch the boys after practice because tonight was a very important day for Ali Jane... Tonight was the night that she has been talking about for a year... KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UP! After Joe went last year and got to go on the bus, she has been asking me almost every day (and I am not exaggerating here...) if it was time for her to go to Kindergarten... when could she go to Kindergarten... and when can SHE be in Mrs. ' Balanc's' class... (this is not how you pronounce Joe's teacher's name... but it is how Ali Jane pronounces it...) I know that Je...

I remember when Joe first got his bat . He was so excited about it he took a nap with it! Ali Jane has been holding her own with those boys and so today I let her get her very own bat. She was thrilled and couldn't wait to try it out with dad! She must have hit that ball and ran the bases a hundred times and wasn't very happy when it got too dark to play! Of course her brothers came out too, which meant she also got some throwing and catching practice. (And yes! The girl can catch too!) When we got her bat, Ali Jane spied a pink baseball glove and she told me that she needed a pink glove because brown was 'not her color'. Ali Jane reminds me a lot of myself growing up... I loved my jazz, tap and ballet classes but when it came to choosing between continuing to compete in dance or travel with the softball girls... I chose the bat! And I wonder what path Al will choose- there just aren't enough hours in the day for a princess who likes to climb trees... And a side no...

Though Earth Day has been around for 40 years, I don't remember doing much on April 22nd when I was younger... (but then I do have a horrible memory which is why I keep this blog and write everything down...) We recycle what we can, have taught the children to use water sparingly... (though the littles still take baths), and bring our own bags to the grocery store. There is much more we could do and I have a wonderful friend who is much more earth friendly than we are , but we're working on it. So today, we went for a walk to clean up a street near our house that was strewn with litter. I still don't understand how people can toss cans, papers and cigarettes out their car windows as if the earth were their own personal garbage can. Jeff was busy picking up and taking care of our yard, so I strapped the littles into a stroller (Z has been sick AGAIN, though the fresh air was good for him...), the bigs hopped on their bikes and we took a garbage bag with us to clea...

I love my dad- (who now is called Papa thanks to me...and I guess Danny too but I got him that name first...) His birthday was today and I was so happy that he got to have dinner with all of us! It was a crazy "Day with the Dorans "- It began with Jeff having practice at church, I had to run to the post office, then to a dear friend's baby shower, then the Bigs had practice, then Ali Jane had a birthday party and FINALLY we made it to dinner with Papa. I love that Sean shares a birthday with my Grandpa Jonasen and Zach came very close to sharing his birthday with his Papa- being born just the day before. Zach doesn't like to eat much but he sure loves his milk. He was drinking out of a cup (without a lid) a little after he turned one and we nicknamed him Darth Vador because he literally keeps the cup up to his mouth the entire time- breathing between swallows (sounding like Darth). Our little drinker was very comfy sharing a drink at the local pub. It was great t...

It's hard to believe that three years ago today I was laying on an operating table and watching in a mirror as they pulled Zach from me. I still remember how shocked I was to announce, "It's a boy!" because I was CERTAIN we were having another girl. Probably because Jeff had told me that if we had another girl we would be DONE having babies... (because if that had happened there could be a possibility of having three Ali Jane's at home and I think that scared him a bit!) When I remember April 16, 2003 I remember falling in love all over again. I also remember turning on the TV and learning of the horrific tragedy at Virginia Tech and I think of those families too today and know that April 16 means something totally different to them than it does to me. We are blessed and always reminded to be thankful for each and every day- every moment. One moment that still makes me smile was when my dear friend and HUGS coordinator asked if she could use Zach for a ...

I come from a baseball family- and love that the Bigs are going to be starting their first season of "organized sports." (I wanted to hold off on all of that until they were in public school- but since Al and Joe are so close, she's going to start with him...) It will be interesting because they are used to hitting from being pitched to- not from a "T". The Bigs missed their first T-ball practice because we were out of town and their next practice was cancelled because of rain- but we have been practicing. Joe has a great swing and though he is a lefty, he bats right... (not the greatest of combos) and Ali Jane swings left and throws right (a better combo) and well Zach... he's a switch hitter right now. He did a good job keeping up with the B igs . Jonasen has been doing great with grounders and flies and the amazing thing to me is that if he goes on the ground for something (he's going to be a diver and slider for sure) he'll throw back the bal...

When we arrived home from Florida, there was a special visitor waiting for us- Patches the Bear. Patches is a small bear who is traveling the US and Canada 'patching' hearts that have been broken by children who have left too soon. He has his own website here where you can read about all his adventures and links to other families like ours. In our family picture you will see we have four children (at home) and in my family picture I see we have six children (in my heart). It occurred to me that my latest 'patch' in healing had not been to the place that was so sacred to me in this journey, the Memory Garden at the hospital where I delivered all six of our children. So I packed up Sean and we were off to the place where I began documenting my family's history- in journals, one for a boy who heard every word, but would never read the pages, and the other for a boy who would one day be able to read his story and know what a true miracle he really was. Our first ...

After two days of driving I am THRILLED to say that we have arrived safe and sound at our wonderful home. The pups were so happy to see us and Rocky (Joe's fish) was still alive! (Though Ali and Z's both didn't make it... they weren't looking well before we left and honestly I'm surprised they made it this long from what happened during the 'Fish Tales' days...) Joe was the one who won the prize for being the best! He never napped the entire trip. (-except for falling asleep around 10pm on our first night.) He also only complained once that he thought he was going to be sick and that was after we had spent many hours in the car and I think he just needed to stretch his little legs and get some fresh air because he felt fine after a stop. It was also cute when we stopped on day one in Kentucky- and after a nicer place with no vacancy- we arrived at the most run-down place I'd ever seen. Joe said, "Well, this looks like it will be a nice place......

Today was our last day in Florida and while it has been a wonderful vacation- I am READY to go home. Overall the kids have been great- but today we pushed our limits. Last night Sean was up much of the night and Jeff stayed with him, so we let him sleep in and were extra quiet- even eating breakfast out on the patio. Because Ali Jane was feeling better, we went back to Universal and took everyone! Zach was a big help since he had gone yesterday... Actually three days of amusement parks may be one too many for our two year old. He was a mess much of the day- from wanting to ride in different strollers to having to be near Nana and Papa at all moments! The Bigs didn't want to get in this picture because they were anxious to get to the kids' part of Universal... (Joe had already filled Al in on the details so they sat and planned what they would do while my folks and Z met my brother's favorite cartoon family! DOH ! The first stop the Bigs made was at the Woody Woodpecker ...