It's Safe to Say It...

But I think we've bought our last box of diapers at the Hensley house!

I simply cannot believe it. I have been buying diapers for 7 years straight. That's right, an almost 5-year-span of birthing 3 babies and then the years that followed in changing their diapers until they learned to use the good ole' "potty" have finally reached an end! A few weeks ago, I decided to entertain the interest Mary Claire showed in using the potty, and I readied myself for potty training...a jar of potty treats, a doll who is also "potty training", a brand new package of big girl panties, and we were ready! I tried my best to make sure I had a few days to give this my full attention, and to my surprise, she has done very well with it! Going "#1" in the potty was learned very quickly and we're making good progress with "#2". :-)  I think now it is safe to say that I won't be putting diapers on my Wal-Mart list anymore!!!! YAY! I wish everyone could hear the way she yells, "I did it, I did it!" after she "goes potty"! She even congratulates and praises me when I go potty! :-) "Yay, Mommy!"

Another milestone I am thankful we have reached, and I am sure my wallet will be thankful, too!

Here's a picture from the swim lessons we took with our friend, Faith, a few weeks ago.

I like the way they sat together on the chair for their snack. I can just picture them in the years to come doing this same thing. No doubt talking about "girl stuff", and probably mortified at the thought that Mommy would dare mention their potty training days on a blog! hehe

Wrap It Up!

Friday was my official last day of sumer vaca from school! We spent our last week doing "last minute" swim lessons for Mary Claire and taking her to Kindermusik Camp. I guess you could say it was "Sister's Week!" At least that's how I explained it to her big brothers. After all, she's done her fair share of watching and waiting on them in the things they have been involved in.

Friday afternoon, Jan decided to take off from work a little early and treat us all to an afternoon at the movies. As I was frantically getting everyone ready for this, I noticed the right side of my throat felt a lttle sore, but didn't let that slow me down...Off we went!

We enjoyed the movie...Side note: This was Sister's 1st movie! (I wasn't sure about taking her in because she's only 2 and neither of the boys was this young when they sat in a real movie theater, but being the sister of 2 older brothers has led her to experience some things a little earlier.) She did great! I wish I had had my camera to snap a picture of her sitting in that big seat with the tub of popcorn in her lap.

By the time we grabbed something to eat after the movie, I had begun to feel worse. It wasn't just my throat hurting now...I was beginning to feel kinda achy. So, upon returning home, I took 2 Ibuprofen and told Jan I was going to lie down. I managed to put Mary Claire to bed, but Jan put the boys down. The night that followed was awful! Saturday morning found me in pain and very feverish. My mother drove me to the minor med in Cordova where the doctor diagnosed me with a bad case of strep! Yep, that's right. Strep throat. That's how I have wrapped up my summer vaca! Happy to report, though, afer 24hrs. of my meds and some rest, I am feeling more like myself and am anticipating my return to work tomorrow.
It looks like it's gonna be a busy and very HOT 1st week of August! (Have you seen the temps in the forecast?) We'll be spending our afternoons by the pool for sure!

I know many people will be beginning a new school year soon, so best wishes to everyone for a wonderful 2010-2011 year! Here's a few pictures that I don't think I've posted from our Summer 2010!

My little "fishes" have spent countless hours at the pool this summer. They can't seem to get enough of it!

Mary Claire in her "Learn to Swim" suit which I highly recommend instead of arm floaties for little ones. Two of mine have learned to swim faster this way. "Little Miss Independent" can swim away from me in this suit without me being too much of a nervous wreck, and she's just 26 months old!

I know I've posted about the boys' swim team this year, but this is a shot of John Owen competing in his first backstroke race. He did so good! Jonah even got his own write-up in the local paper for being the youngest competitor at the swim meet. I have it laminated and have already put it in his scrapbook. We are so proud of both of them! 

This red flag will be one way we remember our beach trip of 2010 and the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.

Our only family shot at the beach. As you can see, the wind was blowing pretty hard and while it felt good, it didn't make picture-taking very easy.

I took a picture like this one last year andit is amazing to see how much they have grown since!

(Plus, this way, you can't see how MISERABLE Mary Claire is that her feet are actually touching the sand!!!)

See what I mean?! Oh, precious memories! :-) I'm laughing, she's screaming and crying about the sand.

I think that years from now when I look at this picture, I will still laugh about it. Maybe one day she will, too.

I snapped this shot of our "clan", and everytime I look at it, my heart sooo wishes we weren't short one special person.

Mrs. Sue, Mamaw, I wish you had been with us at the beach, and I wish you were here right now. We miss you. I don't think Jan or I have truly processed the reality of what has happened to our family this summer.

Mary Claire made a couple of friends at the beach this summer, but none as special as John Henry from Texas! A special kiss for John Henry!

Maybe subconsciously, they sympathized each other...he being the youngest of 4 sisters and she being the youngest of 2 brothers, I don't know!

One of my favorite pictures of Jonah at the beach!

Mary Claire, that John Henry might like you, but I know someone else who loves you unconditionally and thinks you are the most beautiful girl ever!! If you are ever unsure of who that person is, just look back at this picture...it's written all over his face.

Well, I guess that just about wraps it up! Summer vacation has ended, another school year is beginning tomorrow.  I will openly admit that 2010 has been somewhat of a hard year for us although I will not recount all the details here and now. Who would have dreamed we would experience such things in a relatively short amount of time? But we go forth from this day with the confidence that God is there with us even in the hard times. I believe our relationship with Him is deepened in those hard times. I know not what tomorrow holds, but "let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God." (Isaiah 50:10)