9-11-01

I originally posted this last year, September 11, 2011, on the ten year anniversary. I read back through it and cried. Even now eleven years later it still has an impact on us all.

When you marry someone in the military it doesn't matter if they are active duty, guard or reserves, their job is your life. As the wife of a full-time Air National Guardsman, I never imagined that something that happened in New York City, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania one day would change my life for years to come.

I had just celebrated my 25th birthday and was eight weeks pregnant with our oldest child. Mikie and I were helping keep the children of a friend who was on a prayer walking trip in Africa with other ladies from our church. That week Amy stayed with us, she was in high school then.

Mikie went to work at 4:30 that morning and I had dropped off Amy and went to school. After my fifth graders left my class, another teacher came to my room and told me, "A plane has crashed into the twin towers in New York. Don't say anything to the kids, no one knows what's going on." By the time I could turn the tv on it was lunch. I was in shock. I tried to call Mikie and no one answered. Sometime before school was out he left a message in the school office that he didn't know when he would be home.

Honestly, the next week was a blur. Amy was so scared, her Mom was in Africa with no way home, Mikie wasn't home and we didn't have any idea what might happen next. That night she crawled in bed with me and we prayed. She wanted to watch the news reports. We watched for a few minutes and cut it off.

Mikie called late that night. I don't think he was supposed to call. He suddenly had went from being an aircraft mechanic with the Air National Guard to sitting on a fence with a machine gun. He came by school the next afternoon for a minute. He was home long enough to shower, change uniforms and pack a bag to go back to the air base. I don't remember how long he was gone before he got to come home again.

Amy's Mom was gone an extra long time, I don't remember how long, 7-10 days I think. Cody called sometime that week and wanted to come stay with us so he could be with his sister instead of with a friend. Church was packed both morning services, just like every other church in America that following Sunday.  Life would never be the same.

As I began writing this we were watching the documentary about 9/11. Our kids were asking questions, Mikie and I are experiencing some of the same feelings we did that day. This morning in church, Pastor Bob asked all those who are in law enforcement, fire department, first responders and others in those service jobs to stand. I looked behind me to see our friends Clark and Teresa standing in uniform, their seven year old grandson's face buried in Papaw's leg. Ty, like my kids, doesn't understand. The girls kept asking me why I was crying. Now they know. Michael, whose six, told us, "I wish Adam and Eve hadn't ate from the tree of good and evil cause then there wouldn't be no bad guys."

The past 10 years have been full of deployments, children added to our family, new jobs on base and those typical life changing experiences. I pray my children never face a day like that one. My day wasn't as memorable as others but it has still impacted who I am today.

Christmas Picture Fun -- With a Giveaway!

Sometimes we need friends, sometimes we need mentors, sometimes we get both in one person.

Back last winter Maggie found herself with a new best friend, Kellie. Their friendship started in Girls in Action at church. By summer break they were inseparable, spending several days and nights a week at each other's houses. They are so funny together and love hosting tea parties, luncheons and teaching all kinds of things. Through their friendship God has blessed me with a friend and mentor her mother, Wendy.

While Kellie is Maggie's age, Wendy's oldest three are college age, so when I say friend and mentor she has been there done that once already and now we get to do it together. I love the idea of having a friend who has experienced things with her kids before and then we get to experience them together with these two spunky girls. I know where Kellie gets her caring, loving heart from. (Sorry Greg.) Both of these Gals are a blessing to our family.

Wendy has started her own photography business, Wendy Iven's Photography this past year and I am obsessed with her photography skills. She is an amazing photographer. Last Saturday evening she came over to the house to shoot our Christmas card pics. We had scheduled and rescheduled on both ends for several weeks and finally got an hour that we could do them. Kellie came along to help and spend the night and we were keeping Ty that night so we had extra hands to help with all the animals.

I decided this was an us picture night, nothing fancy, no matching outfits, just us and some fun. I had put greenery on the mantel and a cheesy Christmas tree. I had wanted to finish it but it didn't happen. Nonetheless, we shot. For an hour we laughed, we cried, we laughed, we were scratched, we laughed, we heard sounds from the cat we had never heard before, we laughed, we were licked by the dogs, we laughed, we chased the bunny, we laughed, forgot the fish, moved the furniture, did I mention we laughed? We had an awesome time!

As Mikie went out to bring our almost one year old dogs, Maximus a Great Dane, Blue Healer mix and Lou Lou an English Mastiff up for their part in the pictures, Wendy asked if Mikie was adventurous. Now if you know Mikie you know when he shoots you the smirky, wide eyed grin he is gonna take what you just said and embarrass you. He asked what she meant and she told him she had brought Christmas lights to tie us up in, before she could say anything else he just grinned really big. Then we both knew where that was going and Wendy quickly said the kids were going to tie us up, gag us and it would be a "silent night."

An aside to this picture: I called Wednesday night to check on Kellie and Wendy since they weren't at church and after 30 minutes of listening to Wendy laugh while trying to tell me about this picture she was working on it popped up on Facebook. I'm thinking if she laughs as hard while she works on them as she did while taking them I may send them out for New Years. :)
I'm joking because she is very punctual and quick with her clients pictures!!! Okay and I have to admit I absolutely love Michael's hilarious expression in this photo. He looks like a little mischievous man.

Back to the photo shoot, Mikie brings the dogs to the porch, Maggie catches the cat and Mattie starts to get the bunny out. When I opened the door the dogs bound in and straight to Maggie where Green Eyes begins to scratch her and jumps out of her arms. Somehow she manages to get her and lock her in the bedroom while we chase the dogs all over the house. Lou Lou dug her claws into the hardwood and Mikie's hollering quit pulling her she's scratching the floor. Maximus is trying to pull the trash out of the can, Ty was trying to get out of the way. All Wendy and I could do was laugh.
Mikie sat in the floor and we finally got Maximus and Lou Lou to sit. Wendy tried to put the santa hat on Maximus but Mikie ended up with it. After licks, laughs and Lou Lou kicking Maggie out of the picture this is the preview Wendy sent.

While we waited on Mikie to put the dogs in the basement and Maggie and Mattie to get the other animals Mollie, Michael and I took a break. Can I just say, "I LOVE this picture." I think it's Michael's only sweet face pic in the whole bunch!

Then it was time to take the pictures with Green Eyes the cat and Mia the bunny and the fish whose tank we cleaned and downsized but forgot to put in the pic. I don't have a preview for those, but they weren't the funniest shots either. After that we were gagged and tied. And the kids tried to figure out how to spell NOEL, and showed their signature expressions. Then there were the friends pictures with Kellie and Ty.





The creepiest picture of the night has to be one of the faves on Facebook and Pinterest. The "Grinch!"

After it was all over, Wendy started packing her camera gear up and Mollie asked her to take one more. Mollie doesn't like to have her pictures made so Wendy couldn't miss it! Obviously I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures and I know Wendy is busily working on ours and other families too. 

I know many of you haven't had your Christmas pictures taken yet. Now's your chance! I'm giving away a sitting fee for a one hour session with Wendy of Wendy Iven's Photography with a value of $50. This is good in the East Tennessee area, she is based in Jefferson County but will travel within a reasonable distance. You don't have to use it for Christmas pics, but it would be a great time to get them done. 

To win you need to do any or all of the following and come back to this blog post and comment that you did them:
1. Follow Wendy Iven's Photography blog.
2. Follow Wendy Iven's Photography on Facebook
3. Follow Mommy to 4 MJ's on Facebook
4. Follow my blog mommyto4mjs
5. Tell me what kind of pictures you want Wendy to take.

So you have 5 chances to win. You receive one entry for each of the above that you complete and comment about on this blog post. Facebook comments will not be considered.

Contest ends December 1st.

Have fun looking at Wendy's awesome pics and Good Luck!

Disclaimer: This post is my opinion.  Wendy Iven's of Wendy Iven's Photography did not provide me anything free only a really great time while she took our pictures. The pictures I receive I purchase and the sitting fee I am giving away is paid for out of my pocket. Wendy is a great friend and I want to see her business flourish so let's help her out.

Chaos in the Sanctuary

I told myself I wasn't going to do this but it is far too funny to let it pass.


Our two oldest daughters had the pleasure of spending Saturday night with the Worley family. The Worley's have five children ages two through eleven, four girls and that sweet little two year old boy. 


When me and the youngest two arrived at church this morning, I sat in our usually pew, (Mikie was at drill), and the kids went a pew back to sit with part of the Linsley family.


The choir made its way through the hall as the Worley crew, plus my two and another young lady shuffled into the pew behind, in front of and beside me. We joked about them beating the choir into their seats. 


The worship part of the service was fairly calm, other than sweet J turning her pocket inside out to drop her change in the offering plate. Then deciding that she only wanted to give a dime. I can't tell you who the deacon was at the end of the pew waiting on the offering plate because I was laughing so hard. 


As Pastor Bob started into his sermon, I hear this sound, singing, talking, maybe a cell phone, I couldn't tell. I notice my youngest was under the pew and the four kids sitting on the pew where she was supposed to be were giggling. While everyone around was checking their cell phones, I'm snapping my fingers to get her attention. Her stuffed animal that she swore was broken and didn't make a sound had suddenly revived itself with some French love song. Once it was passed to me I realized the switch had been broken off and had to make a not so discrete exit to the hallway to leave the animal. 


Back in the sanctuary that sweet little two year boy of theirs got upset and very loudly informed his mom that his dad had told him not to talk. Dr. C. got up to take him to the nursery and my pew of girls and I thought they were going to meet the floor. We still aren't sure what happened but there was a pretty good lunge and sudden straightening.


Michael asked to go to the potty so I let him go alone. In a minute J (same age as Michael and possibly a little too flirty together), needs to blow her nose. So K let her go out to the restroom. Six minutes later Michael and J return with grins on their faces. I asked if they had been in the bathroom together, which I was told no, that she had waited on him in the hallway.


After service Dr. C told me he only needed little C potty trained not J, (Michael has helped potty train 3 little boys in the last year. Were thinking about starting a potty training business.) 


Pastor Bob does an awesome job at ignoring the chaos on the first three pews, and so far hasn't asked any of us to move to the back.  


And in the words of the oldest Linsley child, "when your family, my family and the Worley's are together, the best you can hope for is a scene."




Disclaimer: 
1. I used initials for the other families because I didn't ask permission to pick on their kids. 
2. It probably isn't as funny as it was if you were there! 
3. Mollie found her singing dog on the table in the hallway. I didn't throw it in the middle of the road like someone had figured I did.