Eagerly anticipating

 I woke up this morning knowing that Our Lords birth is right around the corner.  I didn't feel the anxiousness of the past few days - my new found phrase "myriad of things to do" did not cross my lips, and I snuggled with my Abby

 Stephen's school party was over and the 655 dozen cookies that I baked where gone!  I finally finished some projects that I knew would take time and lots of love, and gifts are wrapped.  I'm feeling peaceful!  (That could have something to do with the Grace I received through the Sacrament of Reconciliation!) 

 And did I mention today is my Nephew's birthday?  Yep, and I get to see him!!  That could also account for the peace and joy!

So this morning, The Maddox family will continue to prepare our hearts and our home to receive Our Lord on Tuesday!  We are in full eager anticipation!!

OH Cinnamon rolls, how I love you!!

 When we first looked at this house I walked right into the kitchen and imagined myself making these yummy Cinnamon rolls on these wonderful long counters!

 Like all good things, I had to wait until the right opportunity and the perfect helper!

 Once Advent came around, I knew I must get these delious rolls made and ready for our first Christmas morning at our own house.  These rolls are amazing, freeze well, and are so easy to pop out and warm up for any occasion!  These Cinnamon rolls are the Pioneer Woman's recipe - and they are unforgetable!!!  Like I told my friend yesterday "if I can do it, anyone can do it!"

What I love most (ok, second to the yummyness) is that this recipe makes a ton of rolls, enough to freeze, hand out, or just keep pulling them out and eating them up! 

 Of course, how could I fill the house with this amazing smell and not let the big ones dig in - but the rest of the crew will just have to wait until Christmas morning for the rest!

Happy Advent!!  Christmas is just around the corner and this family is ready to Celebrate Our Lord!!!!  God Bless!

Because everyone needs a laugh!

Still waiting on our Christmas card?

Hope you get it before Christmas :)

 

My hope was to get our cards out early so everyone would have our new address.  So if you need our new address, please facebook me, email me, or text me.  God Bless!!

I promise, I haven't "run" away!!

 Ok, Ok, I know it's been over a month since my last post.  But I promise I have a really good excuse.  See a little over a month ago we bought a new house!!!  Whoo hoo!!!  The downfall....we just got Internet.  I won't go into that horrible story, but just be glad I did not have Internet and the ability to blog about it!!

 To say the least, like usual, the Maddox family has been busy!!!  I finished the race (thank you again for everyone's support and prayers) we bought a house the next week and then two days later Stephen brought the flu home from school. 

 All that being said, really I am so happy.  We all are.  It's been a great transition for the kids.  They love the new house, and of course the big 5 acres of yard to play and dig in!!  Please don't let me get started on how much our dog loves it!!  He was made for the country!

 I dont' know if it's the swing set that Cecilia has to climb up everyday, or the feeling of stability, but something has really changed.  She has made major progress!!  I am just so thankful for all the words that come out of her mouth, her movements, the little things!!

I promise, I will do my best to get back on the blog train.  I miss keeping all of you up to speed on our wonderful, crazy, loud life.  God has blessed us in so many ways.  I will up date you on the new house and all the fun that has gone on.  And of course, I will give you some funny Christmas picture "trials" haha.  Getting this group to sit still for a picture is truly entertaining!! 

 

Until next time!  Happy Advent!

13.1 down..... now what?

 So I did it!! I still can't believe it, but by the pain in my thighs I know I ran 13.1 and I ran it hard!  I'm not going to go through the play by play, but I want to, but I won't :)  It was just an amazing experience. I was so happy that all my kids where there - we don't have a lot of pictures, but if it was between Alan having his hands on the camera concentrating on me or having the four little ones there, I totally choose the little ones!

 My brother, his wife and my nephew made the hike over from Huntsville - that was amazing!!! 

 

So here are the highlights. 

 On the way to race Stephen decided it was the perfect time to sing his favorite song.  He wrote it.  He loves it.  It's a rock song.  It goes a little something like this: ( please sing in a very loud hard rock melody) " Rock down in the Raaace" say that over and over and there is his song :)

 

I actually ran into an old Troy teammate at the starting line. Haha, what a small world!

 

Seeing my sweet family cheering for me and screaming "go mommy" as I started!  It was cold and there were a lot of people there!!  Not to many little ones that early

 

The last two miles was the hardest!!! Ahhhh, that last mile had the worst hills and I thought my legs would stop moving - they didn't, thank God!

As I approached the finish line I heard my sweet family, that was amazing!  I looked up and saw my sweet babies, hubby, brother, sis-in-law, and oh so cute nephew.  That took my breath away!! 

 

As the race began they announced Team John.  John was the "named" runner for the run.  He is a young boy, around 8ish, who is a UCP child.  The team was about 20 men and women who alternated pushing him in a jogger the entire 13.1!!  They announced the team and I had seen them earlier, and I just started to cry.  I think all the emotion and work and Cecilia just flooded me.  I was standing next to my old team mate and honestly I'm so glad it was someone I knew so people didn't think I was crazy.  

 

But I wanted to say thank you again, b/c those tears weren't just b/c I am an emotional wreak.  It was b/c I knew I wasn't standing at that starting line alone. I knew that all of you were there with me, that Team Cecilia was there.  Thank you for that!  Thank you for your love, your encouragement, your support!!  I am forever humbled!!!

 

God Bless you all!!! 

I am done writing about running, this week has new adventures (plus running, b/c I think I'm addicted and my legs need to feel better so I know I must run, but I won't write about that)...... :) 

Little thoughts

 So last night was my last run before the race...... wow!  I can't believe it!  First I can't believe that I would ever in my entire life say that 3 miles was an "easy short" run.  That is just absurd, but true :)  I hope and pray I can keep some of this endurance up!

 I was on the Life Without Limits Half-Marathon website the other day www.ucprun.org, I read an awesome comment from a runner last year.  She was an older woman who had run her first half and it sounded like she was a volunteer for UCP.  She said that everyone told her that the last two miles would be the hardest.  As she approached the last two, it was hard, but she started to think about all the children with limitations and special needs and how hard they struggle everyday and push themselves to the limit and keep pushing, after that she stopped struggling and pushed through. 

 What a great motivator.  I can understand, and I know I will have many thoughts over the course of that run this Saturday.  But I pray that I finish strong and that maybe I've made a difference for someone! 

I want to end my last post before the race by saying Thank you!!  Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me through this training!!  Whether it was comments online, emails, texts, words of encouragement, every bit has helped and I am so grateful!!  I also want to give a big shout out to my Mother-in-law Shirley.  90% of every night run was made possible by her.  Alan and Stephen have been out late for football , or Alan has had to work late, and after putting the kids to bed Shirley has been there so I could lace up my shoes and head out the door.  Thank you so much Shirley, I truly appreciate it!!! 

 

Don't forget you can still join Team Cecilia and donate to UCP of Mobile by clicking on this UCP link.  Please make the dedication to Team Cecilia and at the bottom please put Mobile AL as the local office.  Thanks so much!!! 

Join Team Cecilia!

*Updated!!!  click here to go directly to the UCP of Mobile website to donate today*

Just put "Team Cecilia" for the dedication, and select Mobile for locale UCP

 

I want to begin by thanking everyone who has supported us during this training.  I remember coming home from a run shortly after we had received Cecilia's diagnosis.  I had tons of energy and desire to do something, but what?  I knew and still know that we are completely blessed in so many ways.  Cecilia is doing amazing and continues to impress me daily.  But I still needed to do something.  I told Alan I wanted to start running 5k's to raise money for UCP (United Cerebral Palsy).  I started searching for runs that any UCP sponsored and I couldn't find many..... but I came across one for a half marathon.  I laughed and told Alan that I had no desire to ever run that far!! 

 

I'm not sure what changed my mind.  I think it was the challenge of the race, the training, the preparation, the time that I would need to put into it.  I knew that it would be an amazing accomplishment, and something that I could be proud of.  I knew that all of my children will struggle with something in their lives and I wanted/needed to be the example to them that they can do anything, big or small!  So all that being said, as you know I committed to this half marathon, and here I am two weeks out - sick as a dog - but ready!! 

 

So what can you do now?  Well, first please continue to pray for us, pray that I don't get hurt (as I'm sure you remember my broken arm was not the easiest thing for my little family to work around).  I ask you to pray for the many, many children the UCP help around the country.  Did you know that 65% of the children that UCP works with do not have cerebral palsy.  This organization helps all children with any number of limitations and special needs.  There are so many children out there that rely on UCP as the sole provider for their children's therapy.  One neat program that UCP of Mobile has is camp SMILE.  Camp SMILE is a true summer camp for children with limitations and/or special needs.  They get the opportunity to ride horses, climb walls, hike, canoe, anything a traditional summer camp experience would contain. Camp SMILE also encourages family members to attend camp also.  What an amazing opportunity for so many children.

 

So today, I ask you to pray, ask yourself if you and your family would be willing to join Team Cecilia.  By joining Team Cecilia I am asking you to donate some of your treasures to help others.  I am running 13.1 miles, can you join me and match every mile I run with $1? 

 

If you would rather lace up your sneakers, then I have another option for you.  Coming this January UCP of Mobile will be hosting its 2nd annual 5K on Dauphin Island.  If you have never run or walked 3.1 miles, then I think this is the time to start.  I would love to see all of you out on the Island in January. 

 

If you would like to support UCP today by joing Team Cecilia, click on the picture below, it will pull up a different page, print it - fill it out, mail it in :)  How simple is that!!  If you have problems printing out the form (I know there is a better way to get a file up for you, but I can't figure it out at the moment) please call, email, or message me on facebook and I will get the form to you ASAP! 

 

Thank you all so much!!

 

 

THE ORIGINAL TEAM CECILIA!

Football mania!

 This little family of ours has ventured into a whole new stage....the football stage!  That's my big guy, #17, we got the memo about the black pants a little late :)

 This amazing, hilarious, little - big guy is my new favorite football player.  And let me tell you, he loves it!!  Stephen is so in the zone when it's time to practice, or play.  He's not the fastest on the team, or the biggest, but he gives his all.  I don't make it to the practices, but Alan says he's all in.  He listens to the coach, he tries hard, and he is having a blast.

I'm finding it funny, as a mom who was a former athlete and a very competitive person, that I have a hard time with these little 5yr olds have such and intense practice/game schedule and routine.  But Alan would disagree - and I'm gonna give him this.  I know nothing about football.  All I see is my little baby out there, all dressed up like a big boy, getting hit, pushed down, pulled by his mask and yelled at...... but I guess its a boy thing.  Stephen never complains, and is up ready to do it again the next day. 

 

I'm so not ready for this!

So I noticed that there are some very cute, loving, sweet faces that have been missing from my posts.  So Here they are :)

This family wouldn't be the family it is without everyone, and though these past weeks have been full of Stephen and Cecilia activities, I promise these two little ones have kept me on my toes....

 Especially this one!  Oh Jude the Dude, what will we ever do.  I have decided to build him a climbing wall in the new house....now to find the budget :)  But the other day, Alan heard Cecilia scream for her life during nap time and he ran in - guess who had climbed over the side of his crib into hers???  You guessed it!  Oh, my little wild man!

 And this sweet girl is loving the extra attention while Stephen is away - but she misses him so much!!  She is slowly learning her new role, and testing all boundaries (like any good three year old would!)

So off I go, hopefully I will post again soon with some football pics of Mr. Stephen man!  God Bless!!

Why I run, and how you can help!

 So here's the deal, I am not a runner!  I have never been one.  I ran b/c my coach told me to - and that's about it!  Since I no longer have a coach and my pants seemed to be getting tighter and tighter I started running for exercise (and Alan would tell you it makes me a little nicer person)

 This weekend I ran my second 5K!  I know it wasn't fast, but it was most certainly my personal best! But that is not the reason for this post.  I was waiting to gain the courage to commit to something else..... a Half Marathon.  WHAT AM I THINKING????  I have never run more than 4miles at a time.  That being said, there are a few more reasons why I've been running these days.  As a mom, I have a need to do something - to take this energy for Cecilia and do something with it.  I can't take her hemorrhage away, I can help her, and help her I do, but I can not fix what has happened.  What I can do though is run.  I can run for children that can not run, I can run to raise awareness of organizations, hospitals, children, I can run to maybe one day look at my children and say "look, don't stop, work hard, push yourself, you can do it and I'll do it with you."

So at this moment I have not committed to a particular race, I have mentally committed to a weekend that has two races in it and I have started training.  But I'm in a mental battle.  Why am I doing this?  I think I just told you, but the whole idea of a half marathon came b/c I was looking to run for United Cerebral Palsy (b/c they are an amazing organization that helps any child with a disability or limitation!) and I ran across a race for a half marathon and I thought - "I can't do that, I don't want to do that!" then I said "One day Cecilia will tell me she can't do something and she doesn't want to, and I will have to prove her wrong!"  Anywho, that race is over 6hrs away and there is another one in New Orleans for the Children's Cancer hospital, and lets be honest - that too is an awesome thing to raise money for! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 No matter which race I do, I am committing myself to help UCP.  

  So many families out there don't know there is help for them, whether large or small. They struggle to help their children in the best way they can and there are so many outlets for these children and resources for their families! Cecilia would not be where she is today if not for her private therapist, we are blessed to provide that for her. Not everyone can do that, and I want to help in anyway I can. I will be running a race in January for UCP of Mobile, please keep your eyes open for that and any other race or fundraiser that you and your family might want to participate in! Thank you so much.

 

 

So, it's out there, I can't back down now......ahhhhhhhh - please help me with this!  I'm going to try and put something on the blog to show that I am training, please keep me motivated.  Ask me on facebook how training is going, shoot me a message, anything to remind me this is not about me!  (for something that's not about me, I sure wrote a lot of "me" in that sentence!) :)

 

*****For my running friends*****

HELP!!! I have a training program I found online, but if you have any other websites, books, anything that you can direct me to so that I can be better prepared, be a better runner, learn running techniques so I don't get hurt, anything please let me know!!!  Thank you!! :)  You can message me on facebook or email me if you want!

He is tooooooo little for this!!

 So today was the day, I am sitting here.... patiently waiting to go get my baby from his first day of school!!!

 I went out to get a new book to read and start a tradition, and I kept running across these books about being nervous and scared.... well those where not the books for us!

(sorry, this picture is too cute to leave out, and yet I can't get it to rotate!) Anyways, little guy was so excited that he basically ran into school this morning.  I hope that enthusiasm for education continues for the rest of his life!!! 

While you were out........

 Dear Mom and Dad, while you were out and left me and my family in charge of your home we decided to have a little get together.  No, no, not like in college or high school - a much, much more ummm dirty get together.  We decided to invite Daphne utilities and a local plumber over to check on a few things.

Hope you don't mind :)  Enjoy your vacation, I promise no more parties!

If you want to see how my parent's are doing, you can follow them on their journey up the East Coast at www.henryandjayne.blogspot.com

Enjoy your summer :)

Mother's guilt

Guilt is one of those things that can either push us further, make us stronger, or stop us right in our tracks. I hope this is a story of strength!

Latley I have taken up running again. I need this, it clears my mind, strengthens my body, and just makes me a nicer person all around :) While I run I think about so many things, I pray, I think about my children, but the one person I always think about at the end of my run is Cecilia. See after a good run I can finally get a good stretch on my broken arm.

And after 5 months, it still hurts, it's still tight and I only had it in a cast for 3 weeks! I pull my arm back, feel the pain of the muscels and then my heart begins to hurt. I have to take Cecilia's arm and leg and stretch it multiple times a day. She hasn't been on a long run, her body isn't extremly loose and warm and ready for a major stretch, and yet I need to get her stretched out. I think to myself, if this hurts me, and I only had my arm stiff in a cast for three weeks.....how bad can she hurt since it took me 9 months to realize something was wrong.

Guilt is a very strong thing. I choose to step up to the challenge, I warm her up as best as I can, I thank God for giving me this perspective, and I stretch her. I see her walk better, grab things with her left hand, and smile and laugh at how proud she is of herself!

Don't let mother's guilt stop you.

Not a professional

 I am not a professional at anything parenting... but I have tons of opinions!! :)  One thing that I love to tell other people how to do - but have not succeeded in doing it in the said way, is potty training!!  Potty training is sooo hard!!  I'm sure most moms would agree.  With this little girl, it has been next to impossible!!  I thought girls were easier??   Well, she is very strong-willed and with all the crazy changes in our lives I guess she decided to have a little control in her life....

I am proud to say that after constant talks, her holding it in all the time to the point of me getting extremely worried, and some tears (maybe mine) Miss Abigail Anderson Maddox has officially started going on the potty!!  She is not "trained" but let me tell you, we are sooooo much closer than we were a few days ago!!  Thank you Jesus!!

Hello again!

I finally called my grandmother (Memere) yesterday and I realized that I'm not the only one who reads my blog. This beautiful, amazing woman; who we once saw about once a week now only has this blog and facebook to keep up with my rascals

So I decided I needed to get back on the horse and try blogging again. I love blogging. I love telling all of you my stories, random thoughts, crazy moments, and so forth, but 2012 has been a bit crazy and scramble with all the moves and house decisions so I'm still readjusting. God is great, and I have some amazing children, family, and friends, so this to shall pass and things will feel normal again (or is this the new normal?)

Anyways, a few weeks ago we were blessed with a visit from my cute little nephew Henry L. Murphy III (a.k.a. Bing). I promised my mother, his mother, and myself that we would get a picture of all five of them....hahahaha! Children are hilarious

Not sure Bing thought Stephen was so hilarious (but don't worry Nikki, Bing had enough sense to get out of there before things got too rowdy!)

Happy Summer!

Did you know?

 Did you know that I love this guy?

I love so many things about him, especially how amazing of a father he is!! 

and well I love that he is as silly and crazy as me :)