All of us love you

Dear Oz,

While Poppa and I were visiting with Auntie Rachel and Uncle Andy in Fort Worth we were very fortunate to visit with your grandma and grandpa.  How bout that...all 4 of us in the same room talking about our sweet boys.

Your grandmother and I had such a sweet time visiting.  You may remember that she has been sick and I told her all about your sweet prayers for her health every night and how you always want to pray first  for her.  I told her about how you can read now and how you love to watch "How It's Made". 

Your grandmother told me that she has known your grandpa since she was 6 years old.  She laughed when I told her I probably wouldn't have even liked Poppa when I was 6 years old.

I think she looks really good.  She is feeling much better and I told her how proud she would be of all "our boys".  I tried to encourage her and your grandpa to come for a visit this spring.

We all 4 pray for you every single day.  That's a lot of prayer power backing you up Buddy.  Poppa and grandpa talked about your grandpa's new work shop.  I bet you and your brothers will love puttering around in grandpa's work shop when you visit them in Texas.

Just wanted you to know that the 4 special people in your life all love you and are so proud of you.

XOXO   Poppa and Diva

At the library

Dear Oscar,

I am so glad you enjoy reading.  I know that you enjoy the library.  You like the Lego's, puppets, doll houses, coloring , and many other activities the library offers.

Your mom is an amazing librarian.  She has the best book groups and knows the best books to read.  You are a very lucky boy .

Poppa and I pray that you will always enjoy reading and finding adventures and answers to your many questions at the library.


Did you know that you, Charlie, Mommy and Daddy have your faces on a library bus?  How cool is that?  When you first moved to Johnson City, Tennessee your parents spent a lot of time at the library while waiting to move into their new home.  They had their picture taken with you boys for a special reading program that Dolly Parton supports.   Every child in Tennessee gets a free paperback book every month until the child turns 5 years old. They liked your family picture so much that they put in on the special bus.

I've never personally known anyone who has their face on a bus.

Love you so much,

Diva

Band of Brothers

Dear Oscar,

This is one of my favorite pictures of my boys.  I love it because you are in the very center of the picture and all the action centers on you.  In case you haven't realized it yet your little brothers are crazy about you.  They love to have your attention. 

Your Diva has an older sister and I would do anything to get her attention.  She is 3 years older than I am so didn't really want to play with me if there was anyone else around.  We shared a bicycle which meant she rode it and I ran behind her or she sat on the seat and I stood and pumped us both.  If we had to share a candy bar she would split it and take the bigger piece.

As bad as that sounds I knew my sister loved me and she was the very first person I would turn to whenever I was in trouble.  I pray that you will be a good friend to each of your brothers even when they want to talk all night or play with your special toys.

Just remember to use your words first whenever you get angry or frustrated.  Diva has seen you grow and am so pleased that you are such a good helper, good student, and good friend.  May all your lights be green.

Your Cheerleader Diva

Rub a dub dub, 3 boys in a tub!

Dear Oz

Part of the getting ready for bed especially in the summer time was bath time.  You all enjoyed playing outside during the day but there is something about a nice warm bath right before bedtime that is very relaxing.  All of you enjoy splashing around and throwing water at each other.  Poppa usually was in charge of hair washing when Mom and Dad were gone.

I think you enjoyed getting Poppa wet as much as you enjoyed splashing each other. It was always hard to get you out of the tub.  Some times Poppa would have to let the water out or just scoop you up in his strong Poppa arms and wrap you up in a towel and pass you off to Diva.


Bath time was always full of splashes, crashes, wet floors, laughter and wet slippery boys.  These are some of the good times I always want to remember.

Know that you are loved and prayed for every single day.  "Cleanliness is next to Godliness."   I love my sweet smelling clean boys.

 Your biggest cheerleader....

    Diva

Winning and Losing...a hard lesson

 

Hey Buddy,

I'm adding this story about you because you won't remember it but I will never forget it.  This is a checker board.  Checkers is a very old game (even older than Diva).  Emma wanted to know how to play the game.  The object of the game is to "jump" the other person's checkers till they don't have any more left.  You like to win, so does your cousin Emma. 

Years ago when I first learned to play Checkers I first learned a variation of the game called "Give Away".  The object is to make the other person jump your checkers and be the first one to have none left.   This game teaches you how to set up moves on the board and helps you learn defensive moves when you play Checkers.  This is the game I am teaching you in this picture.

You were very quick to learn "Give Away" so it wasn't long before you wanted to play "the real game" with Emma.  Checkers is a harder game to play and it involves getting your checker to the other side of the board so it can become a King.  Once the checker is a king it can move in all directions.

Remember you are only 5 in this picture.  Emma quickly dominated the game and had many "kings".  You my love, were losing and most of your checkers had already been taken off the board.  You looked over at me with tears in your eyes and said,  " But Diva , I want those checkers to play too."  Needless to say, the board accidentally fell off the table shortly after that heartfelt statement ( by  your very clumsy Diva) so the game ended in a draw.  There are no losers in this family.

Happy Independence Day

Hey Buddy,

Happy 4th of July.  Diva and Poppa are so happy to have all our grandchildren together to celebrate the birth of America.  This is your cousin Emma's first time to be in America during Independence Day.  Here we are with all of us decked out in Red, White and Blue.  I love this picture because your Mommy wanted everyone to smile so she said, " Say Donuts" and that made every one smile except Henry who wanted to leave and go get one right away (see how he is trying to get down from Poppa's lap !)

We got to grill out in the backyard and you even had your very own Kid's Table.  I love that you are giving us "the thumbs up" signal that the hotdogs meet your approval.  Henry thinks he is a big boy so is all smiles.

Your Daddy set off fireworks in the backyard that evening.  They were very loud and Charlie didn't like the noise so is covering his ears.  Henry liked the noise and the pretty colors.  You wanted to help Daddy light them off  but Mommy says you have to be older before you can help.

These are called "Black Snakes" they start off round.  Once you light them they burn and the ashes look like a black snake.  The most surprising and funny fireworks your dad got was  called the Poopy  Puppy.  When he lit it it went off with a big bang that scared him and all of us and then a string of black ashes came out of the puppy's back side. ( So it looked like the Puppy had a poop).  You thought it was the funniest thing you had ever seen.  Poppa laughed and laughed.

 Do you remember the tank?  It had firecrackers in the back so they went off with  loud bangs.  Both you and Charlie covered your ears because it was so loud.  Diva doesn't like loud noises either, they always make me jump.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of the day. 

That afternoon all the kids went swimming in the back yard and played on the swings and fort.  It was a hot day so perfect for being wet and wild.  That evening we all went to watch the fireworks.  We met up with your friends Miss Heather and Jude.  She brought glow sticks for you to play with.  Mommy took these really great photos.

It was the very best day of the year for Poppa and Diva.  We love having our family together.  We did a Skype talk with Uncle Andy and Auntie Rachel.  Maybe next year we can all be together.  Won't that be fun?

Oz, you are growing up so fast.  I love watching you discuss things with Poppa.  Know that we love you so very much and are proud of the young man that you are becoming.

Your Diva