Notes from the Fox Family

an Unlikely Missions Partner

2012-01-20T11:50:00.003-06:00

This is my Dad… see that shirt he’s wearing… it’s going to help bring a little boy home, a little boy who doesn’t even know it yet is going to be welcomed into a loving family and raised by two parents who simply adore Jesus… partly because of that shirt.

If someone had told me two years ago that I would be working alongside my Dad on a missions project I would have probably laughed and said something like… “Yeah if that Mission is to catch the largest raccoon or make the biggest wood pile in Casey County…”

But then something happened in the Fall of 2010 my Dad met Tedi. A sweet little espresso skinned boy with eyes that, we would later realize, would change the hearts of many. My Dad played with him, talked to him and realized the great responsibility his daughter’s best friend had been given. That afternoon near a bounce house in my back yard my Dad’s heart was softened.

As word spread among our friends and family that Nat and J.T. were again being called to adopt, my sweet Dad, not familiar at all to the adoption process and in his thick Casey County accent innocently asked “Are Natalie and her husband going to order another one?”

Me, trying to stifle an eye roll and smirk, because I knew his heart was sincere, said, “Well Dad it doesn’t really work like that…”

I explained the process and watched as he considered the measures my best friend would have to endure to make this desire a reality. The conversation ended along with my parents visit and it wasn’t until last week when I got a call from Natalie that God started working my Dad into this story….

The Hendersons have been approved for the Both Hands Project where they and their team of “do-ers” help make repairs to a Widow’s home and the money they raise from “sponsorships” goes directly to their adoption fund! You can read more about the project here but can I just tell you this… it all started because a man wanting to adopt asked his friend to sponsor him in a golf scramble and the friend refused… his reason… “I’ll sponsor you if you do something worthwhile.”

How convicting is that? How often do we sponsor golf scrambles, beauty pageants, silly little things that have zero impact on furthering the Kingdom?

Here’s where my Dad and I come in… We are joining forces with the Hendersons as part of their “WORK TEAM” to help make the repairs to the Widow’s house. My Dad, who isn’t a “churchy” guy, is going to use the gifts the Lord has blessed him with, carpentry, painting and all around handiness, to help a sweet, precious little Widow and bring our boy, Tedi's brother, home!

Isn’t it funny how God works? My Dad would never be one to stand in a auditorium and raise his hands in worship… but boy is he going to worship the Lord with his hands on MARCH 10… I just know the Lord’s going to be smiling as I work alongside my unlikely Ministry partner that day!

Would you join us in prayer for this project? Would you consider sponsoring my Dad and I?

I would love to send you a letter with more info! Please let me know if you are interested! Or if you’ve heard enough and you are ready to join with us now simply click below!

So much more than a tree.

2011-12-29T14:48:00.001-06:00

So from the moment we put the last Thanksgiving leftover plate in the dishwasher my heart just had this unsettled feeling... it was time to start in on the Christmas Crazy and I just wasn't feeling it. I had so much to be thankful for yet felt so empty... With an undiagnosed heavy heart I started in on assembling the tree. I mulled it over...Maybe it was the sadness we had just walked through with Jay's family and the loss of his Grandfather, maybe it was the reality of some unexpected expenses, maybe it was that Christmas with two "little" girls seemed to be fleeting then maybe I thought... it was the fact that our Laundry Room ceiling just collapsed and my husband is covered in drywall dust and there is no way he's going to be able to help me set up this stupid tree! Or maybe it wasn't any of this...

OK at this point I could tell you that I had this awe inspiring Jesus moment where I said Yes, Lord, it's all about you and celebrating YOU. But here's what really happened... I was on a pity party, let's go over the list again, emotional, sad, frustrated and did I mention I had just re-started Birth Control so add some hormones to the mix... I walked into the Laundry Room where (right here is where I'm gonna need you to pretend we are NOT a ministry family) my husband is patching our collapsed ceiling, covered in drywall dust and has just accidentally stepped into a pan of drywall mud...

"Jay, can you help me get the tree in the stand."
"No I can NOT help you I am KIND OF BUSY... (the original statement may or may not have had an additional um... word or two.)
"Please, it will ONLY take 2 SECONDS...
"NO"
(Vent of frustration by Me that may or may not have included additional um... words)

I proceed to the living room determined to "win" the battle with the tree when finally I break down, loose it, kick the tree and say something along the lines of "LORD, I'm pretty sure Jesus wasn't born so I could cuss over a tree."

There you have it folks... all wrapped up into a nice (or well, really... not so nice) one liner. The statement that caused me to come to a screeching halt, walk away from the tree, re-group and re-think what Christmas was going to look like in the Fox Den. And once that happened the Lord provided so many things that confirmed the cause to my "empty" feeling... and ways to deal.

I read an amazing article here and here's where it clicked... she read my mind...
"We all know it. We all feel it. Every year we bear this tension. Each December, the world feels off kilter. But in the absence of a better plan or an alternative rhythm or - let's just say it - courage, we feed the machine yet again, giving Jesus lip service while teaching our kids to ask Santa for whatever they want, because, you know, that's really what Christmas boils down to....What if a bunch of us pulled out of the system? What if we said something very radical and un-American, like: "Our family is going to celebrate Jesus this year in a manner worthy of a humble Savior who was born to two poor teenagers in a barn and yet still managed to rescue humanity."

Then, now this next part is hard because remember that guy, you know, the one with the drywall mud caked on his face? Well... the next day he said this to our church...
"During this season of buying, shipping, deal hunting, giving, cooking, scheduling and traveling we hope that you do not become disconnected with the reason our lives are different this time of year. I want to issue a challenge to you... WORSHIP FIRST! Christmas Sunday don’t open a single package until you have WORSHIPED. If you do Santa Clause, tell him to hold off. If you are a parent talk through this with your children and explain to them that Matel, Sony and Nintendo did not invent Christmas.

I believe Christmas Sunday is a great opportunity for those of us who would call ourselves believers in Christ to bring some perspective back into this season that so easily loses it..."

I can say (with what I pray doesn't come across as Pride) that this year... we here in the Fox Den... we WORSHIPED FIRST. We loved on us some Jesus... we retold the stories of his birth, we helped our church show his love to our community and we spent Christmas Morning...before a single gift was opened Worshiping our sweet Savior.

As we sat around Christmas afternoon, our girls playing with each of their 3 gifts, because, you know, Jesus got 3 so why should they think they get more ;) our hearts were full from worship...the simplicity of it was beautiful and I couldn't help but look at the tree and confirm my epiphany...

Yes Lord, Jesus was born for so much more than a tree...

Just one of the "changes" we made to our Christmas traditions.

a real thrill.

2011-12-20T21:29:00.000-06:00

Ok so if you "Follow" me on Twitter or are "Friends" with me on Facebook... I apologize... I know I've been blowing you up with this little thing called the "TIMEOUT" for Single Moms. So you know you want to know what it was all about...

Y'all it was seriously the MOST, COOLEST, thing I've been a part of this Christmas Season... So here's the deal, each year my church does this thing they call the "REAL THRILL" of Christmas, an outreach to the community, a way to say hey we love Jesus and we love you! In the past it has consisted of teams of people from our church positioning themselves at many of the local grocery stores and of course the "be all end all" of stores here in the C-veasy (if you are new here that's our little pet name for Campbellsville) Wal-mart.

While that is a really "cool" thing... God is moving in a mighty way in the hearts of our church deacons and this team basically posed the question... "Is free gift wrapping really the greatest need in Taylor County during the Christmas Season?" The answer was pretty clear... "REAL THRILL" needed a re-vamp... a chance for us to BE the hands and feet of Jesus to love on those that are forgotten in the shuffle of the Christmas season...

Now here's where I need to give you a little of the back story...Last summer God began to burden the hearts of many at LGC for a specific group of people here in Taylor County, the single mothers. The plan sort of birthed one random night in the youth room when a few of us were sitting around and we said... "What if" One desire of the group was to help ease the burden of the single mother during the busy holiday season...

I mean I have a partner to help me and there are still days I want to curl up in the fetal position and cry...

So my heart was so excited when I heard the ideas coming from this group I was Giddy... giddy I tell you. Fast forward a few months and God is rocking our little church's world and we are jumping at chances to share Christ's love locally...The restructure of the REAL THRILL was a perfect time to introduce a ministry opportunity that would reach out to single moms in our community. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was standing in the middle of our church cafe with a team of passionate volunteers, (seriously these Gals were ON. FIRE.) asking God to use us to love, really love, on these women for one night, pamper them in a way that would blow their ever lovin' minds!!!

We fed them, we talked with them, we posed their kids for a Christmas picture, we painted their nails, we crafted with them, we loved on their babies... and we showered them with freebies... I'm talking BUCKETS of household cleaning products.

Just one of the groups of sweet Mamas

From the moment a mom walked through the door there was no question she was loved and valued by our church. And then we heard this..."I've never heard of a church doing anything like this...You guys are the happiest bunch of people I've ever met..."

There it was... just a glimpse of a burden eased... a load lifted... the crazy love of our Jesus, shared.

Boots, Bows and a Big Ol' Merry Christmas

2011-12-10T14:47:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas Y'all! We are so blessed with an abundance of friends who are very gifted photographers... the latest memories were captured by the very talented Kristin Sexton of Kristin Sexton Photography. If you live in the Lake Cumberland/Green River area be sure to check her out... she's great with kids and loves Jesus... what more could you ask for...right???

So I didn't call K with the intention of having "Christmas" pictures taken... actually my frantic call to her included a stressed out Mama with a sob story of how Stella's final front tooth had fallen out and how I MUST document this NOW before her others grow in and how I didn't think I could wait because they were about to break through... stress, stress, stress, (insert reassuring calm frientograper) 10 minutes later we are making plans to meet up at a local historical farm the next afternoon.

And the documentation of a Milestone began....

Then there was little Miss who was being well... herself. Framed 5x7 in my house... YOU. BETTER. BELIEVE IT!
These eyes... well... they are going to keep her Daddy in fits when she's 16 I'm afraid.

Seriously I don't think she could have captured the Tiny Divas' personality any better... here they are in all their Big Hair Bow, Cowboy Boot madness making their Mama proud.

No-what?

2011-12-06T20:04:00.000-06:00

November... where did that go? Seriously. I'm pretty sure the first part of it was consumed with a pity-party... My friend came, she left and here I was all alone to do ministry by. my. self. OK so we know that's not true... well the pity party is so true but me being alone (or let's be honest me doing real ministry) is so not true.

We've been slammed...
Highs - LGC raising $2,500+ for Orphan Sunday, Chris Tomlin in concert, Thanksgiving with our Church, Open Mic Nite at LGC (one word - hilarious) and did I mention UK beating UNC? For real I thought JFox was gonna die... he and his little guy-pals squealed. Loud.

Low- Losing Jay's Grandfather to a battle with Alzheimer's (good news, Heaven is blessed with a guy full of joy and rockin' Bluegrass Music),

I'm spent Ya'll... this whole serving Jesus thing is (at the moment) wearing me out. It seems like in the last month our calendars have been jam packed and our congregation, friends and families have needed us in a huge way. All while Jay continues plugging away as the Lone Ranger at LGC.

Now before you go thinking I'm complaining... hold your horses. I'm simply being honest... so if my Beauty Pageant smile seems to have faded a tad... or those dark circles under my eyes seem a little darker you'll know why. Is walking beside your Preacher Man hard? Yes. Would I trade it for anything? No. God called me to this, he gave me the challenge. And of course those answers are all cute and pretty and wrapped up in a nice little box (or maybe one of those cute gift bags with pretty tissue my friend Stephanie always seems to use) but the reality of it is... God's calling can be down right EXHAUSTING.

I have this little spit-fire of a friend... she called me out the other day...
Me: "Girl, I'm TIRED. We (J and I) are just so TIRED"
Her: "SO?!?! You're Tired. That means God is USING you." What do you want to be doing... sitting on the couch watching TV?" (or at least that's what I think she said)

Ouch! That hurt. She's right. Our church needed us, our friends needed us and our families especially needed us these last few weeks. Yes it's tiring but I'd rather put on the Big Girl Panties and deal than to think I wasted a moment to love on somebody...

Alright... with that said... I'm off to grab a 5 Hour Energy Shot or maybe some of that Zija junk everyone's always talking about...

Happy Friday!

2011-11-04T08:22:00.001-05:00

Friends... even at 5 and 6 can't be taken for granted. For as much as their parents love each other these little gals do too! So this weekend we will savor every dramatic moment knowing they are far and few between.

A Windy Reuniting and it Feels so Good!

2011-10-30T20:47:00.004-05:00

Rest, relaxation and Pizza Pie! That was our weekend. You see my friends... each year The. Best. Airline. Ever. (Southwest, that is.) offers a sweet little deal on tickets. Well... I spotted $40 tix to the Windy City, one phone call to my Frannie Friend (that is one little Puerto Rican who loves a trip) and the rest is history. We needed this Kid-Free jaunt oh so bad. But more than that we needed to see our friends, hug their necks (yes, I said the "H" word) trash talk each other and laugh until our bellies hurt and that is EXACTLY what we did. Well... that and eat. And Eat. And Eat. Seriously... we ate a lot! I can't begin to tell you every detail of the trip (and if I did some poor little pastors out there would lose their jobs!... Calm down, I'm kidding, sort of) or even show you a ton of pictures because honestly.... I didn't take many. I was too busy enjoying it! Here's to Chicago, Turning 30 in the Windy City and friendship that miles cannot separate!

JEEPERS! Stella turned 6!

2011-10-25T09:56:00.007-05:00

You see it all started with this...

what was meant to be somewhat of a "Gag" gift for my husband from his Mom last year at Christmas... it's no secret that boy loved him some Scooby as a young child. But when he discovered the Mystery Machine was filled with the first three seasons of his favorite childhood cartoon he couldn't wait to share it with his girls. So almost nightly the threesome share an episode of Scooby... it's their Daddy time and a chance to wind down and snuggle up to end the day.

So when Stella asked to have a Scooby Party this year how could I resist? I've watched this routine develop into a special time for my little family so what better way to celebrate our Big Gore turning 6???

We had a blast planning for the party... our home was filled with Mystery Machines and Scooby Snacks for nearly a week as we used afternoon craft time to create posters, centerpieces and Doggie Bags! Jay and I worked secretly on a "Mystery" for the kiddos to solve...

After enjoying Hot Dogs, Scooby Snacks and watching the first ever episode of Scooby Doo, "What a night for a Knight!" (circa 1969) Stella and her friends discovered that her gifts were MISSING and they had to solve the mystery!!!

The "Gang" ran from clue to clue until finally discovering the presents were hidden in the "MYSTERY MACHINE" (Uncle Charlie and T.T. were such troopers working some great magic on their van to develop a look-alike).

All in all a fun night filled with a great Mystery and lots of fun! See for yourself!

It's always a great time for Dress-Up

2011-10-21T09:12:00.000-05:00

Especially when your school is celebrating Fall with a Harvest Party! This year we are re-purposing some killer dance recital costumes for Halloween.... So here's our Little Penguin performing with her other friends from school!

Oh and then there's Little Bit who insists on wearing her costume if Sister is dressing up!

I suppose this is what Bees born in Texas look like!

Fall Break

2011-10-10T08:22:00.000-05:00

Stella has been learning so much about the pioneer era at school we took advantage of her Fall Break and continued the learning experience with a trip to Cumberland Gap.

Once we left Cumberland Gap we made decided to make the trek down to hit another National Park... Great Smoky Mountains National Park to do just a tad more hiking and hopefully spot a few bears!

But then we saw this sign... and we LOVE Maine so much we were very tempted to head down this trail....
But we just weren't quite prepared... so we decided to make our way up to Clingman's Dome the highest point in the Smoky Mountain National Park @ 6,643 feet!

We borrowed my parents camper and made a long weekend out of it.The girls love camping and we do to! It was such a great chance for some much needed quite and family time.We finished each night by the campfire...

2011-09-26T13:20:00.002-05:00

It was time... Jay and I had been wanting to share this with our LGC family for nearly a year so during this season as he finds himself with a platform and serving as Interim Pastor he did it... He challenged us to be...

We were fearful of how they would take it... concerned they may not want it... or worse, not care. The series based on David Platt's book, was filled with the idea of taking back your faith from the American Dream, learning how to live if dieing is gain.

One particular week rocked our world... God provided a chance for us to share Feeding The Orphans, a ministry we care deeply about, with our church family. Sweet Sydney O'Leary and her family shared their story with LGC of how God called them to simply step out in faith and he has used them to provide clean water, food and the love of Jesus to the children of Ghana. I can't tell you the emotions that ran through me that morning... from the first hug with Kristie, to their story, to her recounts of my Easter Challenge... but NOTHING prepared me for the reaction of our people... I walked into the lobby to find lines (yes, plural) of people stepping up to support FTO, I took a moment to soak it in... God moved in a mighty way that morning.

But it didn't stop there... our people began to challenge US. We want to help they proclaimed... and now we find ourselves in the midst of a church-wide campaign joining forces with Feeding The Orphans for...

Click on the image for more details but simply stated... gather your change and let's make a CHANGE in the world. Matthew 25:35 – For when I was thirsty, you gave me a drink.

"LGC may we no longer be a church of rhetoric but a church of ACTION." - J Fox

Fall Field Trips

2011-09-21T12:48:00.000-05:00

A Fall field trip... oh so great for the Big Sis. Our first stop... Birthplace to President Abraham Lincoln. There's so much to be learned...

"My earliest recollection is of the Knob Creek place."

It was at Knob Creek that Abraham first saw African - Americans being taken south along the Louisville - Nashville Turnpike, to be sold as slaves, an injustice he would spend his life trying to right.

Stella and her classmates counting the 57 steps of the memorial... one for each year of Lincoln's life.

An official photo-op once she gain "Junior Ranger" status at the Linocoln National Historical Park, a pretty big deal in the Fox Family.

After gaining so much knowledge for the day the kiddos headed out to a local farm to find some of their favorite Fall treats... a true gentleman (Stella's buddy Isaac) helps a Gal with her pumpkin.

Finally, a quick hayride was in order before we could call the day complete.

5 million minus 1 (more)

2011-09-19T12:20:00.000-05:00

We are doing it again... I say "We" really it's "They." But thankfully they choose to include us in the process. Nat and JT have decided to adopt again and we couldn't be more excited. Almost two years ago we saw this face for the first time...
And our hearts were forever changed. Recently Jay spoke at "AWAKEN" our college ministry, and he recalled the day we first saw this picture. I couldn't help but cry... he's right, it was one of those life changing moments that you will never forget where you were when it happened.

So we are doing all we can to help our friends raise the money they need to get this little man's little brother home! What does that include you ask... well we went back to a favorite from Tedi's adoption fundraisers and busted out some ornaments, the design is different but they seem to be a hit once again. We worked an entire Sunday painting, cutting and mod-podging.

Ornaments aren't the only thing they have now so be sure to click on over to 5MillionMinus1 and check out all the different ways to help bring home Little Man. If you go... be sure to tell them Emily said you HAD to get the UK Blue adoption shirt!

It's out finally...

2011-09-16T07:26:00.004-05:00

She left that little thing dangling for well over a week.... dreading it I suppose. We called her Nanny McPhee. I guess I should have wiggled it a little more often but I just couldn't do it. Right now it seems like time is moving at warp speed and I know each tooth is one more step past "Babyhood." But the time came...she couldn't eat, it hurt she said. So in walked our local Superhero and with one good tug it was gone. Daddy's are good for so many things...don't you think?

Family Photo

2011-08-26T08:56:00.002-05:00

What do we look like in her eyes? Daddy wears a polo, Mama rocks the button-down and The Tiny Divas sport dresses and some killer nail polish of course....

all about her.

2011-08-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

a class project...a bag... all about her. what she likes, what she does for fun, anything "Stella."

-Broadway Music
-Dancing
-Summers on the Lake
-Her Trip to NYC
-A Nightly episode of Scooby Doo with Daddy
and most importantly...
-The Wizard of OZ and Sparkly Red Shoes

That pretty much sums up Miss Stella. "She is worth far more than Rubies." Proverbs 31:10

a Lobster TALE.

2011-08-16T09:02:00.000-05:00

"Mama, where's my Lobster?" It's been nearly a month since we arrived home from our vacation and to be honest this is the first time my mind has even registered "Lobster." They were so cute perched there on the girls' beds when we arrived in Bar Harbor, a little welcoming gift from Great-Gran yet now for the life of me I can't remember even packing them for the trip home...

"Stella when was the last time you saw them?"
"Oh! When I put them in the drawer at the house to take a nap." By house she means the town home in BAR HARBOR... and by drawer she means the dresser that I stored absolutely nothing in and in my frenzy of packing didn't double check before leaving...

A few quick emails and phone calls and one week of waiting.... look what arrived on our doorstep today!

Apparently we left a "Wabbie" as well.... but that one's not going to make it back in the house!

Farewell Wabbie.

2011-08-14T08:37:00.000-05:00

She's growing up... I can't stand it. I knew it was time. But she loves that silly pacifier. One of her very first words... "Wabbie" we all looked at each other with confusion... "WABBIE" she said a little louder and with a tad more urgency. Walking down the hallway with all the authority a fifteen month old can have...she showed us what she was referring to... Her WABBIE!

But today we said goodbye to the Wabbie... we packed them up and they are all going to Baby Dane. She's shed a few tears... but never asked to have it back. She's growing up.

Kindergarten Glory.

2011-08-04T15:11:00.006-05:00

The style.

The snack.The lil-sis.
The goodbye Mama and Daddy smile.

It still doesn’t feel like I should be saying Stella started Kindergarten today. I know we all talk about “How fast time goes…” I kept expecting tears to come, to be upset, to be anxious, to be worried, but it hasn’t happened yet…

Here she is… in all her Kindergarten glory, wrapped in Animal Print and Hot Pink, how else does one combat Kindergarten?!?!? I told her she could slip the headband off if it bothered her… she was quick to inform me that her teacher was “Fancy” and would want her to wear it.

I’m pretty sure she had a great day… but I’ll let her tell you.

NYC

2011-07-24T14:10:00.000-05:00

What a whirlwind New York city was for us... it had been over 10 years since Jay and I were last there. For him it was a family vacation... me, well, let's just say the last time I was here it was my sole purpose to make it on to TRL and ask Carson Daly to prom... not my best moment.

We arrived at Penn Station at 4:45 in the afternoon and after a quick check of the map and an even quicker glance at the Taxi line we "thought" we could walk it... yes, I just said walk the streets on Manhattan during rush hour with four suitcases and the Tiny Divas. No worries, our 5 year old could handle our 2 year old in the stroller... right?!?!? Good news, we did indeed make it. Bad news, this wasn't our finest moment of parenting as we rushed our 5 year old (again, responsible for pushing the stroller with our 2 year in tow) to make it through the crowded street without getting ran over. Wow... that really happened. (I can laugh about it now.)

Long before we arrived in NYC Jay and I had worked to prepare Stella with information and interesting tidbits on NYC. We watched "An American Tail" and "Night at the Museum" read "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" and of course re-read "Eloise." We study facts on 9-11, Lady Liberty and the creation of the Subway system. So by the time we arrived our agenda was packed with things we wanted to share with her.

Our first goal was to grab an open-top tour bus and make our way around to our first stop... Ground Zero. Although we made the decision (out of quiet respect for the area) not to take our children into the museum we did walk around the construction zone and what was once home to the World Trade Center. Jay and I both agree this was an emotional highlight for our trip... As we sat in a park for lunch we stared at Ground Zero realizing what once was and yet looked around and we were surrounded by construction workers breaking for lunch from building what will be known as the Freedom Tower. A true depiction of America's resilience.

Enjoying their first NY Hot Dog!

It doesn't matter how many times you visit her... she still makes you smile and feel proud to be an American.
On the Ferry Ride over crowds rush to one side of the boat in order the get a perfect view of Lady Liberty... it REALLY shifts the entire boat to one side... a little nerve-wrecking for us boaters.

We stopped by the famous FAO Swartz... I was prepared for "I wants" what I got was Vivian wide-eyed and in disbelief simply gasping..."I need MONEY!"

For what you ask.... Oh just a life-size bunny for the low price of $150.00 um... maybe next time Vivi.
A quick stop in Central Park before exploring the Natural History Museum...

I can't think of a better way to bid New York farewell than with a sandwich from KATZ deli... you know the place where "Harry met Sally"... "I'll have what she's having..."

The sandwiches really are THAT good...

Yew Nork - Stella Style

2011-07-16T19:54:00.000-05:00

Traffic, Taxis, Skyscrapers and Broadway shows… the Broadway Baby was in heaven. From the moment she stepped out of Penn Station all she wanted to do was soak it in… that was until Daddy and Mommy started saying Go, Go, Go and quickly discovered Stella is more of a Taxi girl than a Walking girl.

Stella fell in LOVE with NYC, the bright lights and the Broadway billboards grabbed her attention and held it so tightly she whimpered when we said goodbye. She watched in awe as performers sang to her at Ellen’s Stardust Café, squealed with delight when she spotted the Gershwin… home to “WICKED” and the billboards for “Mama Mia.”

She was giddy as she walked into American Girl Place and took her spot in line at the Salon. Overwhelmed at the choices for a new addition to the AG’s wardrobe, she took her time meticulously making her ONE allotted purchase.

Strolling through The PLAZA and discovering the home of one of her favorite book characters “ELOISE” had her seeing PINK, The highlight for Stella was of course her first REAL Broadway Show…Mary Poppins! We had saved the best for last (our final night in NYC) a quick cab ride over to the New Amsterdam had this little gal seeing stars. The show…amazing (if you like the movie of course) the music was so upbeat and had even the most non-Broadway Boy (Daddy) clapping along. She was so captivated that even the audience members sitting next to us were excited for her to experience this. It was all so worth it to hear…”Mama, Daddy this is simply WONDERFUL.” (the preceding comment was made in full dramatic Stella fashion).

All in all this little gal loved “Yew Nork” as she calls it…I have a feeling this won’t be her last trip.

A History Lesson lived.

2011-07-14T09:48:00.001-05:00

After leaving Bar Harbor it was a quick stop in Boston for my history lover husband before heading down to NYC. The city is so rich with history and the stories of how America gained her independence… During the late 18th century, Boston was the location of several major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.

We took the day to walk THE FREEDOM TRAIL and experienced so many things we had learned about in history classes. But for Jay the highlight along the tour was the Old North Church… Where The Sons of Liberty discovered the British’s plot to kill Samuel Adams and devised their own plan to have Paul Revere warn the countryside of the arrival of the British army.

Paul Revere met up with the church’s sexton (minister) to tell him how many lanterns to display in the church’s steeple to signal how British troops were advancing. Patriots in Charlestown learned what has been immortalized by the phrase One if by land, two if by sea in Longfellow’s Paul Revere’s Ride. The British were advancing by boat across the Charles River. These lanterns signified the beginning of the American Revolution.

Then just for fun we stopped in “Where everybody knows your name…” and they were glad we came!

And finally just to aggravate our friend Reyn who is a die hard Yankee fan... Jay asked to stop by Fenway Park and take a little photo to send to him.

Beautiful Bar Harbor... wicked GOOD.

2011-07-12T09:17:00.000-05:00

I know I keep saying this but Bar Harbor really is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen... I mean if you like mountains, the ocean, and an amazing landscape... here are just a few of the extra shots we collected that I hope helps to show its beauty.

On our last morning we were taking in the view from Acadia National Park... Jay and I pulled Stella aside and explained that the God who loves her created all of this for us to enjoy. I looked over at Jay and both of us were crying...we grieved leaving this magnificent display of God's handiwork.

As the locals say... it was WICKED good.

THE Wedding.

2011-07-10T20:38:00.000-05:00

When Natalie and Charlie came to us over a year ago and mentioned their desire for a destination wedding I think we all had a range of emotions from excitement to anxiousness… we really didn’t know what to expect. When they finally chose Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine we began to get one single question repeated over and over… “Why Maine” my answer to most people was simply “Why Not?”

You must understand these Fox boys that my sister and I love so very much have a VERY adventuresome spirit and it is one thing that makes me love my husband all the more. So when Jay said that Maine was beautiful I believed him but I had NO idea just how amazing this place was going to be.

Bar Harbor with its quaint streets and New England flair was, as the locals would say “WICKED” cool. By Thursday our family and friends, a group of about 50, had all arrived in Bar Harbor and we were soaking in the sights and all excited for the weekend that was in store.

It wasn’t until Friday night when we made our way into Acadia National Park and to the ceremony site that I realized what my husband meant by Beautiful… with its amazing view and untouched landscape Cadillac Mountain was simply breathtaking. I walked up to Natalie and Charlie misty-eyed and all I could whisper was “Guys this is AMAZING.”

After the rehearsal my in-laws hosted a much needed party, filled with lots of laughs and Lobster, really, really good Lobster. We devoured buckets full of mussels and enjoyed each others company until the frigid New England temps forced us back into our beds.

Saturday morning was filled with frenzy and a brief fret over the weather… but God gently reminded us who was in control and once we called on His name the clouds parted, the nerves calmed and a gorgeous sky welcomed the guests to Cadillac Mountain.

I was one of the last to step off the trolley…anxious to start the walk down to the ceremony site but when I rounded the back side of the trolley I watched as a stunning red car rolled up and in the back seat the most beautiful bride I have EVER seen…I lost it. At that moment I realized my baby sister was all grown up. Sure I’ve smacked her, pushed her, bossed her (more of this than anything) but still most days I do really like her and at that moment I lost it…she was stunning.

The moment was brief because let’s face it I had the Tiny Divas to deal with…the show was starting. Our Flower Girl was full on…entertaining with a small lyrical performance while Ms. Heather sang during the ceremony… Our Bitty Girl was too precious with a tiny bag of treats to keep her busy so she wouldn’t venture over the side of the mountain. But more than anything God used my husband in a mighty way that day to communicate the seriousness of the commitment being made and the expectations God has for this union.

“Charlie, will your children know Jesus because of you? Will your wife want a relationship with Jesus because of the relationship you model with Him?”

Once the I do’s were done it was time to have FUN! We set sail on the Acadian and enjoyed a pre-dinner cruise and returned to yet another amazing dinner.

The Tiniest Diva was too pooped to party and eventually ended up on the dining room floor… I myself looked down at my dress and could identify elements of makeup, lipstick, mud, blood and urine, none of which were mine...Oh what a night!

Of course the professional pictures will much better but I do think this random collection of snapshots from our friends does a pretty good job of depicting an AMAZING experience.

2011-06-24T04:39:00.003-05:00

2. a temporary or provisional arrangement

This one little word. The switch from Associate to Interim who knew it could cause such emotion. Excitement, angst, confusion, hope, frustration, encouragement, fear. Just a few of the stops along our roller coaster of emotion as Jay continues to serve as the "Interim" pastor for our church. It's taken time, tears, sweat, patience, humility, grace and then more time and sweat, but together we are making it work...most days. This "Temporary Arrangement" during this "Intervening Time" is a mighty task...As you are reading this...shout out to Jesus on our behalf... would you?

Off the Bookshelf.

2011-06-20T03:55:00.002-05:00

Summer reading. It's fun...a girly little piece of Chick-Lit. Not this Summer. Following a long line of books that have ROCKED OUR WORLD recently this is the newest addition.Want to be challenged, read it. Then ask yourself "Do we as "Christians" have a heart inflamed for the wrong things, a head stuck in the wrong places, are we really serious about the call to not simply be his followers, but rather the actual Hands, Feet, and Presence of Jesus?"

Chapter 7: Simon the Pharisee once disdained Jesus’ kindness toward a woman of questionable character. So Jesus tested him: “Do you see this woman?” (Luke 7:44). Simon didn’t. He saw a hussy, a streetwalker, a scamp. He didn’t see the woman.
What do we see when we see . . .
• the figures beneath the overpass, encircling the fire in a five-gallon drum?
• the news clips of children in refugee camps?
• reports of 1.75 billion people who live on less than $1.25 a day?

I won't spoil it for you... put down the girly Chick-lit and pick it up.

Two.

2011-05-26T03:40:00.000-05:00

Vivian. Viv. Vivi. Viv-Gore. Boogie. Viv-Turd. Precious Girl. Harry. Maniac. Baby Girl. Little Jason.
Whatever we may call you... know that you are loved.
From your Wild Hair down to your precious little toes you are uniquely you.
Our mechanically inclined little one who loves to take things apart and work alongside Daddy with his tools all while sporting your collection of Tutus and yelling "I DO IT MYSELF"
I am convinced that one day You and Stella will be stranded with a flat tire and it will be you who fixes it without batting one of those incredibly long eyelashes of yours.
Here's to You Vivian for surviving two years in the Fox Den... just when we thought we knew all about parenting... God threw us a curve-ball named Vivi and we wouldn't have it any other way!

A Vivi-Gore Birthday.

2011-05-23T15:03:00.001-05:00

The tiniest of the Tiny Diva Duo is turning TWO! And this is how excited she is about it...

We laughed, we danced… we lit candles, she blew them out… and we re-lit them just to watch her squeal all over again.

And Just when she thought no one was looking… she swiped a bite (or 10) from the cake.

A Walk to Emmaus

2011-05-19T15:44:00.001-05:00

"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road..." Luke 24:32

A weekend away... a weekend with Jesus. He called, I answered. He said come sit with me awhile... I did. He said lay it down... I didn't want to. I was good with carrying my "stuff," after all some of it I've been carrying for 15+ years... He said let me turn that fake beauty pageant smile into a real one... let go of the "stuff," let go of the anger...

It was eleven years in the making... this little weekend getaway with Jesus. Just when I thought I had heard all I came to hear he opened my ears once again to his word, his promises. I love that God took me out of a large church with awesome graphics, loud music and cool programs to draw close to him. He used a run-down campground in the middle. of. nowhere.

double the fun

2011-05-04T12:56:00.006-05:00

Right now my house seems eerily quite...
You see there's only two of them now and for the last 3 days there's been 4.
Four beautiful, all girl, fancy little ladies at my house.
It's as if my girls knew this was the last party before we say goodbye.
We pulled out all the stops.
Every last plastic high heel, every fancy dress, any craft project we could think of, all of our Beauty Shop supplies
And all the laughter (and Drama) we could squeeze into 3 days.

To the Kelley Girls…

You have doubled the drama and doubled the fun

For what may have otherwise been a difficult move to a new town two years ago...

You will be missed.

2011-04-30T13:29:00.002-05:00

"I sometimes wake in the early morning & listen to the soft breathing of my children & I think to myself, this is one thing I will never regret & I carry that quiet with me all day long. " - Storypeople

love orphans... because he first loved us

2011-04-26T13:07:00.003-05:00

So I realized that I haven’t talked about the Easter Challenge on my own personal blog… here’s the scoop. A few months ago my friend Natalie of 5MillionMinus1 gave me a little ring-a-ling on the phone to ask if I would write a “Guest Blog” so… here’s what happened…

-I said yes not knowing what in the World I was going to say

-God convicted, I answered

-Shared my heart

-Orphans were cared for!

-God was Glorified

You can read the original post here… then the story gains momentum here and here and here and well… all over our little “Social Media” world via Facebook and Twitter and before I knew it entire churches, youth groups and many families I don’t even know were accepting the “Easter Challenge” and every last cent goes to feed and care for orphans via Feeding the Orphan s.

So many of my friends joined in this cause… and I’ve seen quite a few pictures of people rockin’ their Orphan shirts but none quite as moving as this one...

There she stands amid all the Easter hype and her shirt proclaims it all, she chose to feed a hungry child, she chose to make a difference… talk about making this little Children's Church Teacher BAWL like a baby, try looking out at your class and seeing that while their sweet little voices sing "I will Rise," whew, God is awesome.

She's leaving... there I said it.

2011-04-23T20:42:00.005-05:00

I had a friend once tell me she was swearing off friendships with Ministery/Seminary families... "All they do is love you long enough to make it hurt when they leave." At the time I put on my best beauty pageant smile and acted as if I knew exactly what she was going through as we said our goodbyes and I drove off into the sunset in search of the next great opportunity to serve. The truth is I had NO idea what she was going through... I have always been the one climbing into the U-Haul van, albeit tears streaming down my face, but it's always been me (well, Jay and I) that were the ones being called away with the excitement of the next ministry tucked under our nice vinyl seat while we waved farewell.

Not so this time... God called, he wants PK in Kansas and before we could stow-away in the U-Haul he stiff armed us and said no Foxes... your work here isn't finished. If you are envisioning me "huffing" with arms crossed, mad that Frannie's leaving, you've pretty much nailed my first reaction. Then there was the total denial... if I didn't think about it, talk about it, it wasn't really happening right??? Oh but then the days began to speed by and the reality of the goodbye is here.

Throughout the last two weeks God has made it so very clear that our work here truly isn't finished and that PK and Fran really are needed in their new ministry but that doesn't mean it's made this gut-wrenching reality any easier... Just the other day a lady stopped me in the grocery and noted her excitement that our church had an Associate Pastor (Jay) to help with the weekly teaching during the interim season, that it made the transition more stable. Then another sweet friend asked me if Jay was anxious to teach more regularly... both times I just wanted to scream "DON'T YOU PEOPLE REALIZE WE ARE LOSING OUR BEST FRIENDS!!!" OK maybe the second time I did more than *want* to scream it... pretty sure I actually did, like I said he was a good friend and if it had to be anyone I "lost" it on I was glad it was a couple who I know love and support us.

So here I am trying my best to crawl out of this state of denial... and into, well... I'm not sure what I'm getting into. But I do know this, the last two years have been ones for the books and there is no one I would have rather walked through it with than my friend Fran.

Two years of...
-Playdates
-Cookouts
-Ministry melt-dows
-Midnight Meetings
-Poolside Chats
-Boat rides
-All things Disney Princess
-Pre-school prep and Potty Training
-Choking down what KY calls "Mexican" food, thanking God when he allowed Chuy's to make it's KY debut
-Daily ongoing text conversations
-Middle of the night ER runs
-And the occasional well... things that would make our sweet Preacher Husbands blush and shake their heads.

I'll end this post with what may seem like two very random pictures but these two places (The Kelley dining table and our pool) hold so many memories for the four of us that one glance at them and all the fun-filled belly laughs and bawling like a baby pain filled tears come flooding back and I am reminded of just what an incredible journey we have shared together.

So here's to you Fran Kelley... and our last few weeks together, that will most certainly be jam packed with memories (and maybe even a few hugs if you are lucky).

You know it's almost Summer when...

2011-04-10T10:36:00.004-05:00

The Kabota Tractor crawls out for your inaugural ride of the season.

You unwrap the season's first "Bomb Pop" under a beautiful sunny sky.

And finally you know it's almost Summer when you find yourself once again enjoying a peaceful nap on the upper deck of "RESTORATION"

All about Abby-Cadabby

2011-04-07T10:15:00.000-05:00

The girls LOVE Sesame Street, although TV time is very sparse in the Fox home, Elmo and Abby make their way onto our screen each day. Stella has been a fan since age 2 and Vivian has quickly jumped on board the Sesame Street train. Each day when she hears the theme song fill the house she comes running to "her" spot on the couch and zones in to discover the Letter and Number of the day! So you can imagine their excitement when Jay and I informed the girls we were going to see the entire crew from Sesame Street live at the theater. Although Elmo was certainly meant to be the star of this show, from the eyes of the Fox Girls it was Abby Cadabby the pint-sized Fairy who stole the show. The girls danced and sang along to some of their favorite Sesame Street tunes and at one point I caught Stella mimicking their dance moves...

Can you tell from the Daddy in the picture that we went to the "Early Morning" show? Isn't he a trooper?

Weekend to Remember (Plagued with Reality)

2011-04-04T18:41:00.000-05:00

Wow let's just say last weekend was AMAZING... we spent the weekend in Nashville, TN for the "Weekend to Remember" marriage conference and had wonderful time. Jay and I first heard of the conference when we started attending Firewheel Bible Fellowship and were blessed to be sponsored for the weekend by a lovely couple from the Dallas area that truly goes to great links to invest in the marriages of younger generations. We loved it so much that we knew one day we would be "Group Hosts" and take a group to the WTR conference. God presented that opportunity in a mighty way this year as he allowed us to introduce 6 other couples to "Weekend to Remember" and provide them an opportunity to nurture their relationships.

The eclectic group ranged in ages from early 20s to mid 40s and from newly marrieds to re-marrieds and I never dreamed the response would be so overwhelmingly positive, after talking to nearly every couple in detail we believe everyone came away with valuable tools to benefit their marriage.

Here's a photo of that sweet little group... and some die-hard CATS fans.

OK so the Weekend great right? Then, came Monday... lots of unpacking, loads of laundry, stacks of ironing, and it was Stella's Spring Break! So that meant a few (read MANY) Sister squabbles throughout the morning. You see I was so enthralled with the idea of my little getaway that I totally forgot to plan any special activities for the first part of Spring Break and the girls had already spent way too much time together over the weekend fighting for Grandparents attention so they were DONE with each other and I was beginning to be DONE with them. (Somewhere at this moment I'm hearing Soul II Soul's "Back to Life...Back to Reality") Add to that a little pile of exterior sources of stress that came spilling back into the picture once we returned home and you have a perfect concoction for a Mommy Melt-down... I knew it was the enemy...oh was he trying to steal my joy... he wanted me to forget every positive, joyful, thing I had just experienced and get bogged down on all the "junk" that seems to be creeping into our lives... oh but then I heard this song and literally become a big running mascara MESS...

Thank You sweet Jesus, for sending me this and showing me that sometimes the stress I *Think* I'm feeling may just be your mercies in disguise...

Laura Story - "Blessings" Lyrics

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet Love is way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It's not our home

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

Haven't heard it yet... go listen to it now, but check your mascara after!

Beauty=Pain

2011-03-22T15:33:00.000-05:00

"If they ever do my life story, whoever plays me needs lots of hair color and high heels."
Charlize Theron

Oh I have a feeling that one day this quote will ring true for sweet Stella gore. This weekend The Tiny Diva and I had a Mama-Daughter Date and got all dressed up and headed downtown to a little local Cafe to hear our friend Mr. Reyn perform some amazing easy listening music. We had a ball and little Stella was certain he was performing just for her... I tell you that story because her wardrobe for the night consisted of a Grey Satin dress, hot pink tights, long white gloves trimmed in feathers, a white hat trimmed in matching feathers and the oh so stylish heels you see pictured above. This ensemble was oozing FANCY in Stella's little world and to be honest it put a smile on my face as well. So when she asked to sport the shoes again on Sunday night for a little Tex-Mex patio dining I agreed.

Well, here's where the story takes a turn for the worse... I was changing out of my Sunday napping attire when I hear "Daddy, do I look Fancy..." then a scream that I am sure was heard on the back side of our sub-division. I round the corner to see Ms. Fancy herself in a puddle of blood and Jay saying "Em, get your shoes on we're going to the ER."

After a quick drive out to The Kelley's to drop off Vivian (didn't want to battle a 2 year old in the ER waiting room) Stella was beginning to calm down by the time we got to the hospital and before we knew it we were having to ask her to STOP talking long enough for them to piece her back together. (True Stella)

Notice she opted to change into much "Safer" but also very Stylish "Boat Shoes" before heading to the ER.
The Wound
For one tiny moment... she was silent.

more pics of the kids

2011-03-21T14:31:00.000-05:00

Shocking right... one of these days I promise I'll post something deep and spiritual but today I need smiles and these 3 little cuties on my screen give me just that... On our way to meet Tedi's Mommy we pulled the car over to snap a few shots of the March Lillies. Stella, posing. Tedi, ready to run. Normal.

Here's what happens when I try to dress 3 kids... we miss buttons.

OK, this picture is WAY funnier if you were in the car minutes prior to taking this pics...
Me: Hey you guys we are gonna pick some flowers for Ms. Natalie and take a few pics... can you guys smile?
Tedi: I no smile, I do this (insert amazing Karate move, complete with sound effects)

So he did. It takes a real MAN to hold a girl's hand and still master his Karate moves.

Then there was Viv... who at first was shy and bashful...

And then came out of her shell only to do "The Monkey"
And that's ALL she wanted to do... I LOVE this child, the Lord knew I needed someone for comic relief in my house, otherwise the drama would just be too much.
And then we left... and took Tedi home.

2011-03-20T14:05:00.000-05:00

This little guy changed our life...

From his toothless grin, to his adored Woody Pajamas (don't be offended when he corrects you, they are. not. "jammies.") to his love for all things "Boy," we adore him. All last week "Tedi" visited with us and we loved every minute of it. Here are just a few things that we observed:

-Life with a Boy is louder. (Not in a bad way... it's just everything he does comes with "Sound Effects") Cars are always crashing, Sirens are always blaring.

-Life with a Boy is Easier, as far as dressing him goes. Compared to my Tiny Diva and the meltdowns she has over clothes I was shocked when Tedi simply put on what I told him to.

-Life with a Boy means getting dirty. I mean really dirty... he loves mud, doesn't mind snot and doesn't care if his hands are sticky and We LOVED that.

-Life with Tedi = Amazing for the Fox Family.

Wondering who "Tedi" is... checkout his family blog over there on our blog list... he's the 1 that was subtracted from the 5 million.

Farewell Harry Hair.

2011-03-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

So after months of pleading from family and friends and even the occasional stranger comparing her to "Harry" from Dumb and Dumber (the resemblance is quite striking, no?!?!?) We decided maybe it really was time for Vivian to have her first haircut.

Although she never whimpered... in true Viv fashion she was very serious throughout the entire process. I had so hoped to capture the moment on video but Viv was secured tightly to my lap and so I gave up on that idea rather quickly. Ms. Nikki is a DOLL (she often receives *Fancy* points from Miss Stella) and was so patient with little Vivi, taking her time and being oh so gentle.

Mean People Stink.

2011-03-02T14:41:00.004-06:00

(My apologies for the abrasive language contained in the blog post title.) Recently I have had three different friends become the victim of "MEANNESS." I don't think there is ANYTHING that will make me tear up faster than someone just being downright mean, whether it's to me or my friends.Now if you know me you know I'm not the type to go all "Mama Bear" and grab someone by the hair of the head, in the name of Jesus and shake the meanness right out of them. No, Emily in all her non-confrontational style just lays in bed bawling for the attacked and crying out to Jesus "Why do people have to be so MEAN?" Now that's some deep spiritual warfare huh?

Lately my ladies that love Jesus, and bless me with their presence on my little leather couches every other week to walk through this thing we call Life, have been studying Esther. Wouldn't you know it Beth Moore brought up Meanness in her study recently!!! How timely.

Throughout the study Beth gives a scenerio "It's Tough Being a Woman...." well this particular week it was "It's tough being a Woman in a MEAN world." Amen! Here are some highlights...
-Meanness ALWAYS has a HISTORY (There is a reason behind the Meanness)
-Meanness perceives a THREAT (Insecurity is at the heart of every rivalry)
-Meanness catches like a VIRUS (Coming in contact with a Mean Girl raises up your inner Mean Girl)

I don't know about you but I was shouting Amen while grabbing my stepped on toes with each of those statements. "The toughest part of being a woman in a mean world is not getting mean with it!" Why is it, especially around certain times of the month, we fall to sin and just get mean or as my friend says "NASTY" (she says it with such passion, I wish you could hear her) with those around us? Just the other day I called Jay at work and the first words out of my mouth were "I SHOULD BE LOCKED UP IN A CAGE." Instead of taking the high road I let my inner mean girl slip out via a mouth that wouldn't close... ugh I hate it when I do that! Praise God for his grace and his willingness to help me control my inner-mean girl.

Finally Beth explains that God's word warns us from Gossip which is (in my opinion) always an avenue of MEANNESS...
"Gossip finds an easy ear because our human nature finds SICK satisfaction in the deluded discovery that someone who seemed Superior was Inferior." Dwell on that for a moment, would you? SICK SATISFACTION...

So... there it is a warning against unleashing your Inner-Mean Girl... when you feel her pushing to get out fall on your face before Jesus and ask him to put her back in her cage!

We "borrowed" Kobi.

2011-02-23T20:16:00.004-06:00

Today was Pet Day at school and well... since we don't have a Pet... we borrowed one. You see the girls and I haven't quite been able to convince Daddy that we do truly need a dog. The girls ADORE all dogs but Yorkies hold a special place in our hearts! I grew up with a Yorkie, Little Demi and although she's quite old the girls do get to play with her some. But you can imagine our delight last year when we discovered our friends Ms. Delisa and Ms. Savannah love Yorkies as much as we do! Throughout the past year as we have grown closer to the Knopp family we have fallen in love with Peyton (Mama D's little man) and we were thrilled when Ms. Savannah brought home pint-sized Kobi. The two ladies (and their husbands) have been so kind to let our girls hold, kiss, pet, wag and all around smother their babies with love. So of course Stella was beyond excited when Ms. D agreed to bring over one of the babies for her to "borrow" for Pet Day!

Kobi, complete in his "Winter White" sweater ready for his Pet Day debut!

Stella educating all her friends on Kobi her "borrowed" pet and all his stats! Check out that little UK Cheerleader in the back, pretty sure she was making her way over to visit with a 140lbs Newfoundland!

Showing her classmates how small Kobi is and how he has to use a very tiny leash!

Letting everyone take a peek... even those afraid of dogs were wanting to pet little Kobi, who was SO incredibly agreeable!
Finally, Ms. Stella says goodbye to Mr. Kobi with a very big hug and kiss.

Thanks again Mama D and Ms. Savannah... if Daddy won't let us have a dog at least we've got yours!!!

2011-02-23T19:49:00.004-06:00

It's official...the Big Gore is one step closer to truly being a Big Girl. With each new achievement we shed just a few tears... Stella of course celebrates like there's no tomorrow! Just over a week ago when double checking Stella's brush job before bed I noticed the tip of a permanent tooth peeping through behind her little baby teeth. In most parents this may have been cause for concern but I quickly remembered that this was exactly what happened to me as a child and my mom did indeed panic and rushed me to the dentist who assured her my baby tooth would eventually come out and allow for the new tooth to push it's way forward. (It did the only problem was the rest of my permanent teeth came in in varying degrees of crookedness) With a Mom who sported braces for four years and a Father who rocked the most intricate of braces and headgear, this little gal is destined for braces! But for now we are celebrating this milestone and a pretty cool first time visit from the Tooth Fairy!

Here's Stella account of the milestone (in a very shocking non-dramatic tone):
"Mama, I took a bite, I heard crunch. I took another bite and heard crunch. Then it fell out."

In true Stella fashion she left a note "instructing" the Tooth Fairy, only it was so late when she wrote it that based on her spelling I'm not sure she was completely coherent... "Dear Tooth Fairy, Stella just lost a tooth it's under the pillow."

A gift from the Tooth Fairy, complete with boutique packaging and a fancy thank you note!

Ms. Vivian

2011-02-21T13:44:00.003-06:00

Today Jay and I along with literally hundreds of others said goodbye to a woman many consider to be "Larger than Life" but to us she was sweet Ms.Vivian, a woman who encouraged my husband (and so many others) early on in ministry, a cornerstone of his home church Dunnville Christian and of course the Matriarch of Tarter Gate Company.
For those of you who didn't grow up in Kentucky, "Tarter" is the industry leading manufacturer of farm gates and now a host of other farm and ranch equipment... and yes it all started right there in little Dunnville, KY. Where Ms. Vivian clocked in to the office each day from 6:30am to 4:30pm for over 66 years (and until one week before she died).

My husband and I watched tonight as manly Tarter employees, big dudes with gate hauling muscles and feeble men who worked for Ms. Vivian decades ago broke down at her casket, sobbing at the loss of this lovely lady.

I love this quote from the local paper in Casey County, "Ms. Vivian was a tough-minded businesswoman who dealt with Japanese steel businessmen back in the early 1970s, something unheard of in those days. Over the years she dealt with salesmen, gate haulers, and politicians with equal aplomb.In addition to being the consummate businesswoman, she was the heart and soul of the company. She was known to be gracious, fair-minded, compassionate, and generous to a fault."

My Dad tells a story of how as a young man trying to break into the gate-hauling industry and provide for his family Ms. Vivian let him take his first load out on loan and pay her when he returned.

When she heard of the birth of our second daughter she flashed her famous grin and said "You know my Mama was Stella, and now this baby's Vivian... isn't that something..."

If our Vivian carries the slightest character traits of Ms. Vivian we will consider her blessed...

Impromptu Fashion Show.

2011-02-15T21:12:00.003-06:00

This Mama has seriously been struggling with her Big Girl moving into "Big Girl" sizes... the cute Toddler clothes season is officially over. I have discovered finding age appropriate clothes is quite a challenge once you move on up in the size world and you set a very small monthly clothing budget for your family of four (that includes shoes and a fast growing little Toddler). So today with our stash from the latest Consignment cash-in Stella picked out a few things which of course resulted in an after-bath FASHION SHOW... complete with signage! Daddy obliged and paused the UK game.

Love Fest '11

2011-02-14T20:21:00.001-06:00

The day started out with mischief as early this morning I heard the rustle of candy wrappers and caught little Miss Viv, who apparently had visions of sugar plums dancing in her head, in a mad hunt for the Valentine candy Mamaw and Pap Kirby delivered yesterday. Notice I grabbed the camera before delivering a love-filled reprimand.

Then it was off to the Valentine Party at Stella’s school where my heart melted as I watched her class offer a beautiful prayer over their sweet treats!

Love must have truly been in the air because even Viv was willing to share her grapes!
And finally it was the moment this little Girl (and her Mama) had been waiting for all day long... Daddy's arrival. Jay walked in the door armed with a single rose for each one of his "Girls" and we all swooned over the much loved Manliest Fox in the Den. After the Rose Ceremony Stella felt the need to step it up so she raced to slide into some plastic high heels and apply perfume, while Viv and I enjoyed our moment with Jay.
Jay made us all feel special and I must admit it was a VDay for the books as the two of us didn't feel the pressure to wine and dine alone in a fancy restaurant but rather enjoy an amazing Steak Dinner (prepared by the Manly Fox) and savor this moment of love with our girls. After all...One day they'll be getting ready for their own dates and we'll be warming the couch.

My Fancy Valentines

2011-02-13T19:41:00.000-06:00

Sweet Caroline oh and Maddy Bugs (aka Madalyn) hosted a most divine Valentine Party for their fellow little ladies and of course The Fox Girls were excited to attend!
Tu-Tu's and Tiaras were the wardrobe of choice for all of these Fancy Valentines! The group got things started with a very exciting round of Hokey Pokey!

Vivi's hair plume apparently made her top heavy and the ability to play musical chairs very challenging... so she opted to roll through the middle of the game instead!

During Ms. Fran's famous "Freeze Dance" Stella decided to bust out her new ballet moves... This game is becoming quite the rage here at the Fox Home!

And finally nothing says Valentine's Day like a table full of sweets!!! (Sidenote: Check out the look of sheer confusion on C's dad there in the corner... can't you just imagine him saying... "What have I gotten myself into by having girls?!?!?")

A Daddy DIY

2011-02-11T20:09:00.003-06:00

Jay does so many cool things with his gores, many revolve around their interests but this week he had the chance to introduce Stella to his beloved little world of woodworking. The two have been working diligently on a wooden “Valentine Box” for Stella to use at her upcoming Valentine Parties.

He was patient, she was fancy and together the two created this…

You can just feel her pride in this picture!

Snow Baby.

2011-02-10T08:42:00.000-06:00

While the big girls were off on an adventure in the snow Little Vivi made her way outside too! I'm pretty sure she ate as much snow as she tracked inside.

Finally, this is her "I've had enough of this White Stuff" face.

Snow day... yet again.

2011-02-09T19:33:00.000-06:00

My friend Alicia recently said... "Snow is beautiful but after awhile it loses its novelty." We've been hit hard (for Kentucky) this winter with a ton of snow! With each snow I keep thinking... this could be the last. So we bundle up and enjoy one more roll in the snow. Today Stella's friend Caroline was spending the afternoon with us when the white stuff began to fall and fall quickly. A product of her Floridian Mama, C's not much of a Snow Queen, but when you are at the Fox house we really don't give you an option, we just throw some ski pants in your face and say c'mon! Caroline adapted quite well eventually catching snowflakes with her tongue. The two girls played outside for nearly an hour before they needed a Hot Chocolate break!

Little Sister Fun!

2011-02-03T09:23:00.000-06:00

On days when Stella or her friend Caroline have a Field Trip at school, the Baby Girls aren't allowed to tag along so that means a playdate with Maddy-Bugs! Today C had a field trip so Maddy came over to play with Vivi at our house and the two enjoyed some fun girl talk, apple snacks and lots of playtime! I love their crazy expressions and how their friendship is evolving.

The Stool returns...

2011-01-08T09:33:00.000-06:00

Big Sister used the stool to get into a wide variety of things (you can read more about it here)... It looks as if Vivian has discovered the stool's World Conquering capabilities. But rather than using the stool to snag cookies and sitting to apply lipstick this little Gal is using it to reach the Ipod and the markers... hmmm, as much as they are alike these two little gores are also very different!

How could you reprimand someone who flashes this grin at you???

Baby it's COLD outside.

2011-01-03T19:30:00.000-06:00

Well... when it's too cold to ride bikes, too cold play on the playground and the roads are too slick to drive anywhere... you MUST Dance right?!?! At least that's been the Fox Sisters answer to the Winter Woes. In a moment of desperation this Mama (who was suffering from a tad bit of Cabin Fever) busted out the tap shoes, recital costumes and the loudest music I could find!

Stella teaching Viv some of her newest tap steps.

Viv rockin' Sister's old recital costume and with the help of some very think socks she was able to keep the tap shoes on!
I think Viv could almost follow along if she didn't have to focus on sucking her Passy quite so much.

Reading...

2010-12-22T21:25:00.009-06:00

I haven't been blogging much lately. The truth is I don't have much to say. I've been spending time with Jesus, just listening, taking it all in. God has directed me to some amazing blogs lately so I've been reading, and reading, and reading some more. Compared to these amazing women and their stories, my stories of daily life in the Fox home seemed minimal in comparison. I love to write, I do, but lately my passion for sharing has been weak, really weak, so I've just enjoyed reading, The Bible, some books and the blogs I mentioned, I know I'll feel the urge to jump back in soon I know it, but for now if you want a good read may I direct you to take in some of the following...
Kisses From Katie
Feeding the Orphans

And then of course there are some of my friends who themselves are amazing Godly women...
Kristin
Allysa
Natalie
all doing some amazing work for the Kingdom.

Singing Santas

2010-12-19T09:11:00.000-06:00

It was time for another holiday performance at the Campbellsville Christian Center for Education and of course Stella and her school Gal Pal Bailey were all smiles once they put their Santa hats on!
Mr. Isaac and his ever serious performance face alongside what looks to be a sleepy little Diva.

My girls, sporting some early Christmas gifts from Granna (check out those Boots!!!)

During the entire performance Vivian worked diligently trying to get down to the stage...thankfully I was able to keep her cornered in the back of the auditorium until the last song after which she raced to the stage for her own impromptu performance.

A Performing Turkey

2010-11-16T19:31:00.000-06:00

Stella has been singing her Thanksgiving songs since we tossed the Jack-o-lanterns in the trash. She was certainly ready to perform for the crowd at her school Thanksgiving performance. Sporting a Turkey shirt and Turkey hat she sang her heart out!

Before the performance Ms. Sabo treated the kiddos to a celebration feast complete with Cheetos and Juice Boxes... because let's face it... junk food always make for a more interesting performance! Here are a few shots of Stella and her BFF's at the party! Isaac and Stella... the two are great friends and make a point to wait on each other to leave class each day, sometimes I believe it's to join forces against taunting their little siblings with the Treats they received in class each day!
This is Miss Bailey as sweet spirited as her grin is adorable. Bailey is Stella's best Gal Pal at school!

And of course, The little Turkey even made an appearance at the show!

Song of Solomon (PG13)

2010-11-07T14:57:00.004-06:00

Let me just tell you... (in case you didn't know)... PEOPLE... we are all just balls of sin, that's it, none of us are perfect (Thank you Jesus for your redeeming GRACE) and so when you put a large group of the above mentioned "Balls of Sin" together it's not always going to be pretty. I think we are sometimes too quick to assume that CHURCH is going to be this perfect little place where we all get along and everything is just... well...PERFECT. Um, yea, that's not always the case, you see, the church is made up of imperfect people, sinners. It's not always going to be a bed of roses. But this Fall my sweet little "Fully Devoted University" class (that's what we call our Wednesday night Bible Education classes at LGC) has REALLY been a bright spot in our lives.

Jay and I fell in LOVE with this group of LGCers. The group (most of whom we didn't really know until now)is an eclectic group of Jesus lovers. Some are loud, some are painfully shy, some are so very extremely private and proper while others can't wait to cross the line. And believe me this sexually charged study gives me, ahem, I mean THEM plenty of chances to do so. But regardless of our approach, together we dove deep into the Song of Solomon and Honey, let me tell you... this is some RACEY stuff!!!

The way he (Solomon) talks to her would make ANY woman become a puddle... But I love what

The SOS study by Tommy Nelson follows Solomon's relationship from attraction to dating and courtship, marriage and intimacy to resolving conflict, keeping romance alive, and committing to the end. Together our little group has laughed, cried, blushed, encouraged, openly shared and nearly peed our pants at the thought of our mate dressed as Bat Man to "spice things up a bit."

In today's society it often feels our marriages are plagued with infidelity and just in the short time Jay and I have been in ministry we have seen the devastating affects of this on marriages. It amazes us that the idea that God created marriage and within that covenant blessed us with Sex (THANK YOU JESUS)for whatever reason is something we as "the church" rarely discuss! So it is so encouraging to see a group of couples committed to being open, honest, real and above all DEDICATED to maintaining a healthy marriage. I am so proud of them!

So here's to you my FDU Class... I miss you now that the FDU Semester is over, hope this finds you eating many Rice Cakes!

Trick-or-Treating (by golf cart)

2010-11-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

Since we spent Halloween ’09 at Disney this was our first year to enjoy all the happenings of Trick-or-Treating in Forest Hills. We had heard from friends that our subdivision was one of the “Go-To” places for many little ghosts and goblins in Campbellsville. So we armed ourselves with tons of candy, called the Kelley Crew to come over, stoked up the fire pit and prepared ourselves for a night of Treating. Before we knew we had a house full of people and enjoyed a great time well after Trick-or-Treating hours were over!

Stella, always moments away from yet another wardrobe change, made a snap decision and declared she was bored with the Dorothy costume and asked to model her Ariel attire for the evening. I think secretly Viv was thrilled not to have to carry the load of the Lion mane again, but I’m not certain she loved the Lobster costume either.

Why walk around the neighborhood when you can load the golf cart down with these little cuties? Jay and Mr. Philip took the girls to gather treats while Ms. Fran and I manned candy distribution here at the house!

Turning 5 in the Land of OZ

2010-10-27T15:26:00.000-05:00

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home... to have a PARTY!!! Stella's 5th birthday was so much fun! Her current obsession of the music from WICKED and the movie The Wizard of Oz could not have come at a better time. The two have provided us with an easy idea for both Halloween costumes and the theme for Stella's big #5! It was a celebration in The Land of OZ as she and I had a blast creating decorations for the party (down to our very own Yellow Brick Road!) Stella of course jumped right into character as soon as her gingham dress and ruby slippers went on and before I knew it she had the scarecrow (Granna) outside on the Yellow Brick Road reciting lines from the movie and then later belted out a few lines of "Popular some of her guests.

Friends and family were in abundance and many adorned their favorite Fall costumes (Oz theme not required) for the party. The top award for Best Costume certainly goes to TT and Uncle Charlie for their portrayal of "Jessie and Woody" from Toy Story. Check out these costumes!

I loved the reactions of many of our guests as some believed them to REALLY be Jessie and Woody... little Tedi and Hayden just stared in amazement at their Real Life hero, priceless.

We ended the night with a Hay Ride through the subdivision and Ruby Slipper sugar cookies for everyone! Now... if only I could click my Ruby Slippers and have all the presents put away!

I just needed to know I'm normal.

2010-10-27T13:31:00.002-05:00

These last few weeks have been tough, really tough. It has been a battle at my house. The local Diva has kicked it into high gear and the local Mama is exhausted. Stella has always enjoyed the fancier things in life but lately her personality has fallen right in line with an extreme Diva as well and I am about to blow a fuse!!! Lately it seems our days are filled with whining, scowling (her not me) complaining and down right rudeness. I questioned her teachers and they all but laughed when I asked if they had experienced any discipline problems with her lately. Great?!?! So it's just with me... Seriously I was so concerned, upset and all out questioning my ability to be a parent that I mentioned to Jay the idea of discussing her behavior with our Family Counselor.

I admit it, I am so exhausted right now (most likely from chasing Vivian in order to keep her from high diving off the balcony) that it would be easy just to give in to her when she starts with whining, ignore the scowls and groans, and disregard the rudeness or even forget to follow through on the threats but that is NOT what God has called me to do. Parenthood is not a promise filled land of easy days.

Then today God uses a fellow blogger BABY BANGS to speak to me and reassure me that it will all be okay. That even the most devoted Christian Mamas endure days like I have had lately. Thus, Parenthood makes us rely even more on our heavenly Father, shocking right?!?!

I still plan to visit with our counselor, tweak our forms of reward and punishment and stay strong on our follow through but for today I'm hitting my knees because "He is ABLE" to raise my daughters more perfectly than I ever could. Eph. 3:20

Busted.

2010-10-23T14:38:00.000-05:00

Viv got busted writing on the walls, chairs, carpet, well... the entire house. She was warned. She has been punished. So... now I have documentation of her first official "Time-Out."

1. The "I am not afraid of you" face.

2. OK I'm sort of afraid of you face.3. Now "I'm really sorry for doing it" face.
4. If I smile and act insanely cute will you please let me out of here.
5. Whoo! Hoo! Timeout is over! Now I can return to my method of destruction!!!

Fall Fun.

2010-10-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

Oh how we are going to miss this weather.

Pumpkin Patch = Study Time for Daddy

2010-10-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

Daddy desperately needed time to study for his upcoming Mid-term and so the girls and I loaded up and headed to a local Pumpkin Patch complete with a petting zoo, hay ride and even a creekside campfire sing-a-long! The girls had a blast, even Baby Viv carried her perfect little pumpkin all the way home!

Tricks and Treats with Friends!

2010-10-11T14:02:00.000-05:00

This weekend we thought it would be cool to take part in Trick-or-Treating at the Louisville Zoo. Maddness and Chaos ensued but a good time was ultimately had by all. Thanks in part to enjoying the evening with our friends The Kelleys and The Hendersons. As you can imagine Stella was thrilled to discover one entire section of the zoo was dedicated to The Land of Oz! I am pretty sure the kids ate most of their candy before we even made it out of the zoo... now I must discover how to get sticky sucker gunk out of a furry lion mane. My Dramatic Dorothy and ever stoic Lion.

Meeting Dorothy at Emerald City!

Viv-a-licious

2010-09-29T13:28:00.000-05:00

When I wake up I look like this... Sister leaves for school and that means I get Mama all to myself (and we LOVE to read) so then I look like this...

But then something so terrible happens (like Mama refusing to let me play with the outlets) and I use this face...

Then I say "MINE" and I take my purse and start to leave...

But then I quickly realize how much I love my Mama and I revert back to this.... because let's face it, my parents can't handle anymore drama in this house!

Viv-a-licious.

an Apple today

2010-09-16T17:14:00.000-05:00

Stella's Preschool has been learning about each of the different food groups and so this week in honor of FRUITS the class hosted an Apple Party!!! Stella was so excited to head to school and sample each of the different Apple products her teacher was bringing. Among her favorites were Apple Pie and Apple Muffins. While we were in Etown for dance lessons the day prior to the party I made a quick stop at Target and to my surprise found an adorable "Apple" dress for the occasion!
Parents and their short people were also invited to the party so Vivian jumped in on the action and of course sampled EVERYTHING because the kid could eat 24/7!

These GORES are the "Apple" of our eye ;)

a Roll in the Sand

2010-09-05T17:26:00.002-05:00

We needed it, a vacation that is. Life here in the 'ville, Campbellsville that is has just been insanely crazy and stressful and that has bled over into our family life without us even realizing it. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, right? We knew life was only going to get even more hectic once Jay started back to class (yea, that's a whole different post) so on a last minute whirlwind (which for us is at least one week of planning) we headed to the Beach. The beach, not your typical Fox Family Vacation but... I NEEDED toes between my sand and Jay obliged. I love that this man will do ANYTHING for his girls, even if it means getting sand in every crevice of his body (a major struggle for someone with a touch of OCD) So for one week, there were no phone calls, no e-mail, no demands from Church, no places to be but with each other, together as a family. We built sandcastles galore, ate seafood until we nearly popped and slept as much as well possibly could. We enjoyed every last minute of it, and when we crossed the bridge back to the mainland, we cried, all four of us.

We decided we just weren't quite ready to hit the ground running so we just blew right by our exit and headed straight for Jamestown Marina... one last hoorah for summer. I must admit it helped to ease ourselves back in to routine and order. I mean don't we look SOOOO Rested in this picture?

A Sandy Farewell.

2010-09-04T19:05:00.000-05:00

Vivi says... "I DON'T WANNA GO HOME!!!"

We said Goodbye to the beach today. Although the sand may no longer be between our toes I hope that our time together as a family this week will remain in our memory for a long time. Someday I hope we look back and tell the stories of how Vivi napped daily on the sand and how Stella talked to nearly EVERYONE she met on her daily walks along the beach. We made our way down to the beach one final time on Thursday and we played long and hard not leaving one gain of sand unturned. To you DESTIN... we bid a Sandy Farewell.

The END.

Because White Dresses + The Beach = Pictures

2010-09-01T21:20:00.000-05:00

And just to make you smile....

BEACHED (...and loving it!)

2010-09-01T20:56:00.000-05:00

Yet another day in paradise. Stella has sand and seaweed in every crevice but she doesn't seem to mind.

And Viv... well as long as she gets to hang with Daddy and take her nap by the sea... she's cool!

Beach Bummin'

2010-08-31T20:28:00.000-05:00

In desperate need of a getaway Mama and Daddy arranged for a trip to Destin, FL or a rather short notice. The girls are loving it and soaking in plenty of rays... well, at least as much as you can with 50+ SPF sunscreen. Stella loves to pretend she's Cake Boss and make creations out of the sand while Viv prefers to spend her time eating the sand (maybe it's because Sister's creations look so real) and burying her Passy in the sand. More updates to come... but for now we are off to enjoy the Sun (and sand)!

Objects in Mirror are more AWESOME than they appear

2010-08-25T16:28:00.002-05:00

So... it's been a year since we packed up and headed East, back to our roots here in the Bluegrass State. Although I love the journey that God is taking us on while we are here, sometimes I find myself staring in the rear-view mirror, longing to see a booming Metropolis, Firewheel Bible Fellowship, Dallas Theological Seminary and if I am really being honest an amazing Tex-Mex restaurant, all while the to-do list for my next event is scrolling through my mind and sitting just a little bit straighter but "I'm a TEXAN". Ok, so maybe I am one of those distracted drivers your Driving Instructor warns you about, but seriously though, with every move Jay and I try to evaluate and say... What was God teaching us while we were "there." Well, while "there" was Texas here are just a few of the things I think God was teaching me.

-The comfort of family nearby is nice but the comfort of following God's will is WAY better. He will provide a "new" family like no other, they are called FRIENDS, true, honest, open, REAL friends.

-Large highways and heavy traffic may seem intimidating but I must NOT allow it to scare me.

-Green space is a little (but please read very little) overrated when compared to meeting hundreds of amazing and unique people.

-Speaking of unique people, just because someone doesn't look or sound like you doesn't mean you don't have anything in common, on that same note, NEVER feel inferior simply because you add a few syllables to your words, (but do work on shortening the amount of time it takes you to say a sentence)

-When God calls you to do something that does NOT mean it's going to be all Sunshine and Flowers... it may be a month of 100 degree weather and hours of commuting, it will bring tears, pain and suffering, but HE IS WITH YOU!!!

Finally, Following God when he moves you 800 miles away from every last comfort of home, drops you in a church twice the size of any you have ever been a part of, slams you with some of the hardest classes/homework/career/child-care arrangements you have EVER endured, only to ask you to put your house on the market 3 years later (Just as you are feeling settled) with no other job or home in the future (did I mention the surprise BABY)... it flat out ROCKS YOUR WORLD!!!!

And at the end, you step off the ride like the kid who was terrified to get on in the first place, yelling, "Whoo Hoo God! Let's do it again!!!"

a Good Ol' Boys Dream

2010-08-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

One thing that I absolutely ADORE about my husband is that he befriends a wide array of people. His friendships run the gammot from MD's to PhD's, Soliders to Bikers, Gate Haulers to Farmers and even the occasional Racoon Hunter. I've watched and listened as he has debated Theology (using words I had no clue what they mean) and then 10 minutes later talk a friend through installing a hardwood floor or help his Dad bale hay. Simply a self-proclaimed Good Ol' Boy he learns something from and values everyone he meets.

One friendship he values tremendously here in Campbellsville is his buddy, Bryan. The two share many commonalities, among those an amazing work ethic and an extreme devotion to family and friends. The two really are too busy to sit still for very long and aren't what you would consider avid sports enthusiasts but secretly (well maybe not that secretly) these two get a thrill from Nascar. My husband, although he never sits and watches a race on TV has always yearned to partake in the action live. As he put it to me a few months ago, "I've always wanted to go to a race and if I could choose any race it would be this one."

The "ONE" he was referring to would be the "Bristol Night Race." So thanks to his fellow "Good Ol' Boy" it was a dream come true this Fall.

School DAZE and Hairdos

2010-08-11T21:08:00.000-05:00

The entire Fox Den has been in a bit of a daze this week as Stella-gore started Pre-K and the reality of early mornings and afternoon lesson review has hit us HARD. But I am happy to say we are nearly finished with week one and we are beginning to adjust. This schedule works out PERFECT for our little family. Stella is in school from 8:30-11:30 which puts order and structure into Daddy's morning (he's the lucky one who gets to drop her off) and allows me some time with just Vivi all alone. I love what my friend Fran said today (a mother of two and her oldest daughter also started back this week) "I am getting to know Madalyn now for the first time." You see last Spring when Stella started Glow-Worms (a 2 hr. program for 3 year olds) Vivian was still napping twice a day and it was all I could do to get her fed and napped before it was time to go retrieve Big Sister. Now the two of us share a full two hours of play time together, we even squeeze in a little Praise and Worship time (well, that's me singing badly at the top of my lungs to all my Jesus music on the Ipod and Viv doing her "unique" Praise Dancin' moves).

So now that the fog is clearing on our DAZE we are starting to enjoy this whole Fall School schedule and Stella's loving the opportunity to sport some new do's including the "Over the Top French Braid" and the "Rockin' Side Pony."

Seriously... this last picture makes me SUPER glad that I am at home with Vivian and NOT a teacher. God Bless their little (the teachers) hearts. Checkout the Tiny Diva, she's all performance, not distracted by the giggling kids behind her OR the crier to her left...

True Texan.

2010-08-09T21:18:00.000-05:00

“Some folks look at me and see a certain swagger, which in Texas is called "walking."” George W. Bush.

The one "TRUE" Texan in our family. Maybe that's where she gets her unique swagger...

Every day is a POOL Day!

2010-08-09T08:35:00.000-05:00

Seriously the girls have been in the Pool almost EVERY day this summer... we have been so BLESSED to call this house, home. The pool has been a source of entertainment for so many people this summer. I can't tell you how many times we've been at the lake with smiles on our faces knowing that our pool was being used by numerous different friends throughout the weekend. I think at one point I counted 20 different people that had used our pool during one week. WE LOVE SHARING IT! But at the top of the list of "Floaters" would be the girls' BFFs "The Kelley Kids." When we are both in town and the sun is shining it's a given that these four are in the water together. Fran and I joke that our house is the "Summer" Destination while her house is the "Winter" home (thanks to one rockin' play room and a warm and toasty thermostat). So here's to you Caro-LION and Maddy-Bugs... thanks for making this summer one for the books!

This is mermaid-Caroline, she was too busy swimming to pose for a picture. BTW this mermaid wouldn't even get in the water at the start of summer, now look at her go!

Here's what happens when you get tired of all the drama....
Viv: "Maddy, seriously, what are you doing?
Maddy: "I am inspecting this step to make sure it doesn't have any bugs on it, I refuse to get all those bug bites again from your stinkin' house"
Viv: "Whatever, you should really try this rock, it's really tasty. Mama doesn't even notice I am eating it. Crap Maddy we're busted, sit up and smile innocently."

We "Lake" It.

2010-08-01T08:13:00.000-05:00

If you know the Fox Family at all you know we LOVE us some LAKE! It doesn't matter how small, how big, how green, surrounded by hills, or a major Metroplex we just LOVE to be on the lake. Growing up my parents weren't yet boaters like they are now so often Mom would take us over to Green River Lake to the swim beach area and kick back in her chair (you know those plastic tubing kind that literally pull your skin OFF when you get up) while my sister and I splashed around in the Lake. My girls had yet to experience this type of Lake atmosphere since they are usually aboard some one's boat. So I was thrilled when a friend from church invited us over to her campsite where she's been camping nearly all summer to go splash down at the water's edge. The girls had a blast and got sand in way too many crevasses

Sweet Summer time...

2010-07-28T14:01:00.004-05:00

When I fall hopelessly behind in blogging, the computer beckons me during the girls quiet time, but my pool screams louder and it's competing with the laundry, the ironing and all the other things that consume my day. We've played hard this summer, really hard. In June the Parker's came to visit for a week, then there was the joy of christening the new houseboat then July has been a whirlwind with planning a rather large July 4th celebration for our church and welcoming little Tedi home, introducing new Children's curriculum at LGC and Jay preaching a few times this summer. Throw in a few lake trips and helping Charlie renovate a townhouse in Lexington and you have one busy little Summer.

I does strike me as odd that I blog less now that I stay at home... but then I realize I am enjoying the moment, living every little minute. When I worked I knew I was missing every moment so I tried hard to document everything. OK, enough with the sappy stuff... gotta run, Viv's awake, Stella's coming down the steps with outfit #5 of the day and it's nearly time to start dinner!

Dancing Dolly

2010-07-06T14:16:00.000-05:00

What a difference a year makes! Just last year our little Dancing Girl was all dressed up and so ready for the show but once the curtains opened she froze... this year not so much. The girl shook all her mama gave her and then some! We were all so impressed but I couldn't help but think back to last year as I sat there in my seat waiting for intermission. Last year her recital on Saturday was preceded by the birth of her baby sister on Tuesday and her Mama being in the hospital until Friday and then no dress rehersal but rather a quick shove onto a rather large stage! It's no wonder she didn't dance, man I feel a little guilty. No worries she made up for it this year! And if you ever want to see the video... just stop by because it's usually played at least once a day in the Fox home! "We are the Dancing Dollies of the chorus... we want to do our Dolly Dance for you..."

Vivi turns (a WILD) ONE!!!

2010-05-31T10:50:00.000-05:00

The Fox Sisters love of Animal Print creeped it's way into a Party theme for Little Vivi's First Birthday! The weather was great, the Girls were in a fabulous mood and the family and friends were in abundance as we celebrated the first year of our Vivian. Did I mentioned how thrilled I am to have someone in our family celebrate a Birthday in the Summertime? Or the fact that a pool creates a built in party activity?

As I shared with friends earlier in the week... "You know your inner event planner is feeling suffocated when you get way to excited about planning your baby's party!

Auntie saying hello to her favorite Birthday Girl!
My guest tables even sported some Zebra.

I love this picture because it shows the chaos that is a child's birthday party but I love it even more for the fact that Jay's 70+ Grandmother is in the background taking pics with her I-phone! Can I be that tech-savy in 40+ years?
I am obviously more excited about Viv's first purse than her Daddy!

At some point (while all the attention was on Viv) Stella stripped from her Zebra pettiskirt and started a water gun fight!
The AMAZING Cake was compliments of Miss Leah-Rose, a 15 year old adorably "Fancy" friend of ours who is destined to be Central Kentucky's next Cake Boss!

"Daddy you do realize Mama would not approve of me eating this much sugar?"

Uncle Charlie took the Birthday Girl for a quick dip in the pool!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIVIAN!

Lead Them...

2010-05-31T10:28:00.006-05:00

Recently our church offered a time for "Family Dedication" a chance for us not to just dedicate our babies to God but a chance to dedicate our family to God and his will for our lives. This was also a chance for us to ask for the prayerful support of our church family as we strive to raise our girls in a Christian home and serve as role models for these wonderful gifts God has allowed us to "borrow".

Our prayer is that Stella and Vivian will each be strong, confident women, grounded in faith and deeply in love with Jesus Christ. We are so humbled when we stop to think that God chose us to raise these two amazingly different, oh so dramatic, unique little creatures.

The dedication service was also very special as Jason had the opportunity to dedicate The Kelleys, Phillip Kelley serves as our Senior Pastor and he and his wife Fran along with their two daughters have become very close friends of ours. It is a blessing to be doing ministry together as a team.

Jay and I heard this song recently and it really struck a cord with us. Especially the line... "Father Lead Me, 'Cause I can't do this Alone." Parenting at times can be so difficult but if we allow God to lead us, leading our children will be so much easier.

Let the waters rise...

2010-05-07T10:43:00.004-05:00

"There's a raging sea, Right in front of me, Wants to pull me in, Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise, If you want them to, I will follow You" - Mike's Chair

On Sunday our tiny little hometown of Liberty, KY was devastated by flood waters that rose so quickly local business owners found themselves trapped. My Uncle Steve serves as Mayor to the town and within minutes he was out in his boat aiding in rescue efforts and doing what he could to help this hurting city. Jason's father owns the small stip mall where his Insurance Agency is located and the entire area was under 2.5 feet of water. Over 80% of business in this small town is located on the Wallace Wilkinson Boulevard which was almost completely covered in 2-3 feet of flood waters. These pictures can even begin to tell of the devastation felt by the people of Liberty, even my parents were sucking water out of their basement that sits on a hill for days following. The affects of this will long be felt but for now it is awesome to see this tiny community joining together to press on toward recovery. God's timing is perfect... had we still been in Dallas, TX (800+ miles away) rather than an hour down the road we would not have been able to help as much as we have.
I love what my Mother-in-Law said the other day... "Never again will I sit in my home and hear stories of devastation and think, oh those poor people, next time I WILL dig, claw, scratch and fight my way to help my fellow man."

Quintessential Gatlinburg Tourists

2010-05-07T10:15:00.004-05:00

We recently spent 3 days in TN at the indoor waterpark "Wilderness at the Smokies". Although the place was incredible Jason and I just couldn't bring ourselves to be in the area and not visit the Smoky Mountain National Park and "the strip" in G-burg. So we kissed our traveling partners, The Kelley's, goodbye just outside of the Waterpark and Outlet Malls and made our way into the city. It had been four years since we last visited this little town nestled at the base of the Appalachian Mountains. Which doesn't seem like a long time but Jay and I grew up coming here every year for quick trips in the Fall or Spring. We didn't realize just how many hokey memories we have of this place until we make the trek with our girls, then all of our stories of miniature golf, late night ice cream, hand made taffy, car tracks, sky lifts, fried foods, river picnics and quirky souvenirs came flooding back. We couldn't wait to show our girls. As we climbed the mountain Stella and Jay even got the chance to see a bear! So as hokey as it may be we did Gatlinburg with our girls and loved it!

Wilderness Retreat

2010-05-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

Wilderness at the Smokies is a huge resort with two separate complexes, each with it’s own waterpark. We stayed in the resort adjacent to the indoor waterpark, which was just down the (sort of long) hall from our suite. We spent two complete days at the indoor waterpark and whenever one of the kids got tired or hungry,we could easily head back to our room. We partnered with the Kelleys for this little excursion and had a perfect room layout of two individual rooms joined by one large Kitchen and commons area. This setup was perfect for napping the babies and the kitchen allowed us to save on our food costs! After a VERY busy April is was nice to spend a few days away from home just enjoying each others company. The girls loved it, Stella was obsessed with the Water Playground, Viv loved the water spouts, Maddie was all about the swings and Caroline loved the wave pool.
Stella obliging me and going down a "little" slide so that I could take her picture.

Two Daddies enjoying their girls and a much needed getaway.

This is the reason I have very few pictures of Miss Stella, she hit the water slides HARD. With such short lines she and her Daddy could complete a run and march right back to the top to go again! It was hard to catch her in the kid areas to get a quick photo.

Pool predicament

2010-05-06T09:11:00.000-05:00

So a few weeks ago we found ourselves enjoying a nice little stretch of unseasonably warm weather for April in Kentucky. Our pool isn't open just yet (Jay's hoping to accomplish that next weekend) but the girls and I were dying to start enjoying some outdoor play and what's outdoor play without a place to splash. So... there I am at Wal-mart with cart full of groceries and flowers, two kids and I spot one of those little plastic pools... I gave in to my temptations, marched up to the counter and made the ten dollar purchase. Just one little problem, I drive a cross-over SUV, great for groceries and flowers not so great for hauling a pool that will NOT flex especially when I can't fold the back seat flat due to the risk of squishing two very important little people. So I do what I always do... (pick up the phone and call our family's resident Superhero) "Jay... I um...bought a pool and I um... can't fit it in my car... can you come get us at Wal-mart?"

The funniest part of this conversation is that Jay is minutes away from beginning a staff meeting, and does he slip out quietly to go rescue his wife? Of course NOT. He announces to the staff that his wife apparently hasn't noticed the rather large hole in our backyard and is stuck at Wal-mart with a pool she just purchased. Needless to say... I supplied a good laugh for the staff that day. But if it produces smiles like this I'll do it again next year!

Yes she has bathing suits, plenty of them, but she was just too excited while I was filling it that she sort of crawled right in!

In my Cute (but a little jealous) Shoes

2010-04-27T04:53:00.005-05:00

I admit it... I am a little jealous of the church. When your husband's in ministry, well folks, it's not your typical 9-5, 40 hour/week little desk job. He's down in the trenches helping people with their junk and that my friends is a 24/7 duty.

I love what Jay told someone the other day:
"What's your position?
I am a Janitor...
(insert puzzled look)
I clean up Spiritual and Emotional messes (with an amazing product called JESUS)"

It is an awesome job isn't it? But I think any Minister and Minister's wife (if they are being totally honest and not all Joel Olsteen, "The World is Perfect") would agree that being in ministry can at times be one of the hardest things for your marriage. Seriously how am I supposed to say "Now, Honey please don't go tell those people about Jesus tonight, I want you to stay here with me."

Thankfully I have a husband who is keenly aware of my "love language" - Quality Time and knows when I am running on empty. But I am also extremely thankful for God's providence of a small support system. You see when Jay finished seminary and God called him back to the local church, and specifically this rather large church in this rather small town God knew it was going to be grueling so he had already put some amazing women in place to be the support I need, some of whom are also minister's wives themselves so they totally get the idea of "Being Jealous of the Church."

So here's to you...
T- For your sweet spirit, and amazing honesty, you think we have it all together and I look at you and think you guys have it all together when in reality some days we are both in shambles.

K-For your "Let's kick their @$$ attitudes" when someone from our churches goes and hurts our husband's feelings. And then being humble enough to pull back and realize we are all big balls of sin and going boldly before the throne for that person.

A-For my not-so-long distance friend who is just far enough away that the people and places I mention mean nothing to you so you can give me your honest, unbiased opinion, and call me out when I am completely overreacting, thanks for keeping me humble.

Thanks girls for helping me stay secure in my "Not-so-Traditional Preacher's wife" role, and reassuring me that "You can still wear cute shoes." Thanks to you I am not quite so jealous.

My Vivi love...

2010-04-26T04:20:00.000-05:00

Budding Designer

2010-04-25T04:10:00.000-05:00

Lookout, Stella McCartney...Stella Fox is on her way!!!
Stella worked for nearly an hour last week on a rather interesting fashion design. During Christmas Nan and Grandpa Chris gave Stella a fully furnished sewing box. Yes, complete with pins! That's been interesting. If the house grows quiet I can usually assume that she is doing one of two things... painting or "sewing." Checkout that fringe... just a small touch of her Texas influence.

Bringing home Tedi

2010-04-23T04:28:00.000-05:00

I have talked some about Tedi on the girl's blog but for those of you who may not know, our friends Natalie and J.T. made the decision to adopt from Ethiopia last November and we feel so blessed to have been included in this decision from the onset, it has been a amazing, humbling, gut wrenching, ride thus far... after selling 500+ Christmas ornaments and 300+ t-shirts in Tedi's honor and a few AMAZING sacrificial gifts Natalie and J.T. are nearing their financial goal and are awaiting notification that they have "passed court" and date that they can bring their son home. You can follow their journey on their blog 5millionminus1.

Last weekend we attended a picnic in Tedi's honor to show support for our friends and hopefully raise a few more dollars toward the goal. It was an INCREDIBLE experience, we met so many other families who either had adopted or are in the process. Some with biological children of their own, some not. I couldn't help but think as I watched a family of 5 children (1 boy, 2 girls and 2 adopted toddlers) and another family (with a teen daughter) that is in the process of adopting, what a cool story these parents are giving their biological children, a sense of being a part of something bigger, something so meaningful.

I have been teaching the K-2nd graders at church lately and during our sharing time last week I told the story of Tedi and wouldn't you know it, this week before I could even share one of the kids asked me for updates on Tedi. God love their little hearts, they even begged me to bring in pictures of Tedi! (Which I am dying to share on here but can't due to regulations set by the adoption agency.)

This process has been a roller coast of emotions for us so I can't even imagine what Natalie and J.T. must be going through. Each time we get a new picture of Tedi or updates of his height/weight we are so excited but it is a sobering reminder that he's there in Africa and not here with us. But we take heart in knowing God's timing is perfect and that it's going to be one heck of a Homecoming!!!

I'll leave you with this, an excerpt from a recent post Natalie and J.T.'s blog by Guest Blogger Paul Gibson.

"I was talking to J.T. a few weeks ago during the midst of walking with my friends through their miscarriage. As he openly dreamed about the day he and Natalie would fly over to bring Tedi home, the reality of Tedi’s situation hit me with force; there are millions of children around Tedi, including Tedi, who experience the grief from what might have been. They too suffer the loss of their future; no families celebrating at their wedding, no parents present to rejoice over their high school graduation and no loving presence to say, “I love you, you are mine.” My friends’ grief continues to be great (due to the miscarriage), but imagine multiplying that grief by millions and we begin to understand the emotional plight of being an orphaned child in Ethiopia.

Thankfully, the story of Scripture teaches us that we are headed back towards Eden; the end of the story looks very much like the beginning. God continues to redeem all of creation (back to Eden) through the power of Jesus expressed in his followers. As a follower of Jesus and a partner in the ushering in his redemption, I am called to help the widow, poor, naked, sick and in Tedi’s case, especially the orphan. Therefore, I surmise that helping Tedi overcome his loneliness and hopelessness is bigger than helping J.T. and Natalie adopt (which I deeply support), but it is also about growing one step closer to Eden.

Picture this…J.T. and Natalie, their closest friends, and family are gathered around picnic tables. The smell of burgers and brats and the sounds of Jimmy Buffett are in the air. J.T. is laughing his classic laugh over a story from college while Natalie flashes her classic grin as she playfully picks at a friend. The food is about to come off the grill, so all the parents call their kids to the table. Around the corner walks a short red-haired toddler with dirt all over her face, a very active four-year old boy who loves to crawl up in his mother’s lap to cuddle, a pair of young girls secretly hoping, “I hope we can sit at the big kids table today,” and a little boy with big brown eyes; eyes that appear as if they can penetrate a person’s soul. That little boy with big brown eyes runs up to his Mommy and Daddy and asks, “Mommy, Daddy, can I have two hamburgers today?” J.T. and Natalie respond with a hug, kiss, and the following words, “Of course you can, Tedi.”

We love you Tedi!

Double Trouble

2010-04-21T04:03:00.000-05:00

Viv-Gore and Maddy-Bugs

For every ounce of drama (from their sisters) these two are all the more laid back

In the midst of every emotional meltdown these two just look at their Big Sisters as if they were an alien.

And for every (what seems to be) MAJOR CRISIS these two just roll with it and simply let out a belly grunt giggle. They ARE the second child.

But they are very mischevious... so don't get too distracted by the DRAMA (that is their sisters) because these two are Double Trouble.

Springtime Allergies

2010-04-20T03:44:00.000-05:00

EVERYTHING is in bloom here in the Bluegrass state and although we love looking at Beautiful trees like this...

We hate seeing our girl look like this....Poor Stella's eyes have been watering like crazy, she's sneezing her head off (so are Mama and Daddy) and she's on a straight diet of antihistamine. . The news reports say this is one of the worst years on record for Kentucky allergen counts.As a fellow allergy sufferer I know how miserable little Stella is and it breaks my heart. We are praying this all passes very quickly.

Easter!

2010-04-11T20:36:00.000-05:00

When your Daddy is a Pastor Easter morning can be pretty busy! So in order to allow Daddy to participate in all of our festivities we presented the girls with the gift baskets Saturday night. We read our Easter Story and I (not intentionally really) found myself never once mentioning the "Easter Bunny" but rather we simply told the girls we wanted to give them a gift to celebrate this wonderful holiday and the fact that (as Stella says) "HE IS RISEN" Although we tossed the Bunny to the side we did cave in to yet another hunt for plastic eggs! We invited the Kelley chicks over Sunday evening (by the way...GREAT IDEA, we were all able to take a much needed nap before even starting our celebration) for a great Easter Dinner and Egg Hunt!

Hey Guys I know we are supposed to be in Bed but can Viv and I come out and play???

Lillies with Big Sister

2010-04-02T10:08:00.000-05:00

Stella had been begging to see the "Lello Flowers" that I took Viv to. So this morning we loaded the car and make the quick trip over to the Lilly Patch. Stella wasn't thrilled at all at the fact the ground was still damp and Vivian well, she just wanted to eat the flowers today. But by the end the two were enjoying the morning.

Glow-Worm Spring Sing

2010-04-02T09:57:00.000-05:00

Stella's school hosted an open house this week so that the parents could see what our little "Glow Worms" had been up to this semester. Jay and I weren't sure what to expect from Stella as she tends to have a little stage fright, but man what a difference a year makes. This girl was all about the stage, smiling, dancing and at one point (much to our dismay) she announced "I am a Genius" followed by a rather large, dramatic curtsy. Obviously we need to have a few lessons on humility but over all we were so excited for our little Glow-Worm.

Finding the Lilly Patch

2010-04-02T09:49:00.000-05:00

Stella was busy with her "Daddy Date" this week and the weather was beautiful so Vivian and I decided to go scout out places to take some Spring pictures. Each Spring in Texas we search for a field of Bluebonnets so now that we are back in Kentucky it was time to find a great field of Lillies. The day was beautiful and although I knew I would bring both girls back later I was dying to shoot a few quick shots so...Vivian obliged.

And then in an instant she was SOOOO over it!

The Hunt for... Plastic Eggs

2010-04-02T08:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Stella's Easter Party and Egg Hunt at Pre-school! She had been looking forward to the day and came prepared with Glittery Eggs and an Easter Basket complete with rhinestones and the inscription "Hip Chick." Stella school is located downtown so the "greenspace" is limited near the school and traffic is in abundance so the teacher are very wise to conduct the hunt in the auditorium. I also thought it was great that each child brought ten eggs for the hunt and once each child had collected ten they were instructed to sit down and allow the others to continue hunting. After spending the last three years trying to conduct 5 hunts for over 600 kids and insane parents I was so relieved to be sitting back enjoying Stella in this very controlled environment.

Happy with "the Goods!"

Princesses On ICE!

2010-03-27T10:17:00.000-05:00

Stella and Caroline have been awaiting this day for months!!! So sporting their infamous "Princess Gear" (as if they ever take it off) they made their way to Rupp Arena to seats so close they could lick the ice!!!
The girls met up with Caroline's classmate Harper for a quick photo op and then it was time to watch the show!

This was pretty much Stella's face throughout the entire performance, to say they were entranced would be an understatment.
After all the planning and securing the awesome tickets Caroline's Mama wasn't able to make it due to a mix up in dates but thankfully her "Wayla" was in town from Florida and made the trip with us!

And finally just Mama and her Princess Gore.

Playing @ the Park!

2010-03-27T09:28:00.000-05:00

Our days of beautiful weather are often sandwiched between days of rain so we have been trying our best to hit the ground running on days when we awake to sunshine! Last week we joined some friends for the trek out to the local lakeside park. Ms. Lacey and Baby Callie even came over from Dunnville to enjoy the day with us! Unfortunately as soon as Lacey got there I totally ditched the camera and started talking so we don't have any pictures of Baby Callie but she was of course adorable! Both gals played HARD and CRASHED later that afternoon.
Little Miss Diva-Stella sporting her Flower Power Glasses

Vivian is not so sure about this whole swinging thing.

A Big Sister doing what Big Sisters do. Don't be fooled by the "gentleness" captured here. Just minutes before Vivian was flying WAY to HIGH!

Hanging with the Kelley Kid

2010-03-19T15:46:00.000-05:00

Our friends The Kelley's had to take their little Girl Madelyn to the ENT for her tubes yesterday so Big Sister (and a BFF to Stella) Caroline got to experience her first sleep-over here at the Fox Home! This is a HUGE deal. Trust me, if you only knew how protective my friend Fran is...I promise she owns up to it! The girls are both a bit on the dramatic side and we had one of their teachers compare their relationship to that of Sisters the other day, playing great one minute and then crying the next because the other "Hurt their Feelings." But the instant it's time to say good-bye the two are clinging to each other with dear life. The friendship is so sweet and sometimes after playing with Caroline, Stella reminisces of her Texas friend Aiden Parker...Lord help us if the 3 are ever together because those girls will surely fight over who gets to be his "Bride" while Aiden goes running for the hills.

The little Diva's put on quite the show with everything from walking the Runway, to Gymnastics on the trampoline and a complete performance of Pocahontas.

And Finally... because Stella has two Grandmothers that obviously spent way too much time wearing Bell-bottoms. Peace Yo!