A Thank You Letter to Katie Davis's Parents

To The Parents of Ms. Katie Davis, 

We've never met, but I owe you so much. I just finished reading her book Kisses From Katie where in I welled up a time or two. What an amazing girl. 

As I watched her story unfold, I felt a privilege to read her words. Her compassion is gold. And it has little to do with her heart, and it has everything to do with her reach. In her willingness to say yes to whatever God asked, she is leaving a legacy. One, I think, began with you. 

She mentions you were more than hesitant. I get you. Totally get you. My daughter is leaving for college in a couple weeks. This mamma's heart is a jumble of feels from excitement to depression. 

Reading this book on the front end of my daughter turning 18 and heading into her great big grown up story hit me hard. I couldn't help my thoughts: 

Is my Isabelle the next Katie Davis?

Is it weird that they both feel called to Africa to work with the hurting? 

Can Izzy score me an autograph if she ever runs into Katie at the market? A stalker selfie? 

The answer to all of those questions is probably no, but it's all beside the point. Because I'm changed. I'm a little different after reading Katie's story. I'm challenged in my gut to not only love like Katie but to teach my kids to love this way. Right now. 

No waiting. 

No more wondering. 

No guess work. 

Just love. Thank you for doing this-teaching Katie to love so well. 

I don't need my kids to be the next Katie Davis. Only Katie can be Katie. 

God is writing a story for each of my kids. Unique and crazy and audacious and beautiful. I'm just grateful that you loved well enough that now your girl gets to set a godly example for my little women. 

My daughter, The Squirrel, has started reading Katie's book. She's 11, and that seems a little young, but we know better. After all she was knit together in my womb by perfect hands. 

She's been sent into a world and asked to lead in greatness. Not unlike your Katie Girl. The Squirrel can't be the next Katie Davis. We are too focused on teaching her to love well and be the next Addison Noelle. And she's rocking it. 

Thank you for leading in love and in a great example of raising kids on purpose. 

Sincerely, 

Nonsense 

FlashBack Friday: Addison in Rare Form

It's important to remember where you come from and how you felt when your kids made you look crazy in front people in public. When she was 6.




Seriously, this girl gets weirder by the minute. Yesterday, her big brown eyes met me at the door full of tears of rejection and she claimed no girl anywhere would play with her! I asked if she wanted to come with me to run errands. She was instantly better and my eyebrows furrowed as I realized I was just duped by a five year old. First stop- Home Depot.






Scene- Garden center check out line. Beautiful weather, birds fluttering and chirping, flowers and shrubberies setting a melancholy scene.
Addison's voice cuts through everything: Mommy, why DID you take your shirt off in the car?
Mommy: (eyes wide stares blankly at clerk and mumbles) I had a tank top on underneath. :/
Clerk: hysterical laughter
Mommy: Thanks Addison. Sigh.

Second and last stop for the rest of our lives- Walmart.
Scene- Walmart check out line (sensing a theme?) Well, there isn't anything pretty about the inside of Walmart, but it was surprisingly quiet. (Of course it was.)
Addison: (looks at her mother, hands up as if she were surrendering) Sheesh Lady! You aren't even my mother. You are a stranger. Stranger Danger!
Mommy: blink. blink.
Addison: (laughs maniacally)
Mommy: (after realizing people are looking) Addison! You can't say that!
Addison: (nonchalantly) Why? What's the big deal?
Mommy: (Eyes wide) THE BIG DEAL IS THAT THE POLICE WILL TAKE ME TO JAIL!
Addison: (maniacal giggling then muttering under her breath as if she were threatening to say it louder) stranger danger. stranger danger (and she continues muttering all the way out to the car).
Mommy: Thanks Addison. Sigh.

Goodbye forever.

~Nonsense

Snarky Ain't All It's Cracked Up to Be

This is our squirrel. Well, that isn't her actual name, but it has been her label since our older daughter used her lisp to call this little one a crazy girl. It came out more like, "Crazy Squirrel." She was only a year old then. She is seven and still Squirrel.
This face is commonly found on her face. It means many things, and my husband can regularly be found trying to decipher it through loving conversation only a Daddy can deliver. He has grotesque patience. He could out meditate Ghandi. I mean it. Don't even bother with a staring contest.
I do not recollect what these two were talking about when I took this picture (it's easy to get distracted when I see my husband being delicious and a dad- I am human). Squirrel's face could mean any of the following depending on the day:

• This place is a tomb and I want to go to the nut shop where it's fun, or
• This guy has been disciplining me for three minutes too long, and I stopped listening six minutes ago, or
• I will not be appreciated until I am dead; you people don't deserve me, or
• Leaning against this counter isn't hard; I do it all the time, see?

When she was a smirk older than one, she could make you feel inferior. It's not a learned behavior, and I can't quite decide if this could somehow be considered her ministry or just rude.She could make Tony Robbins feel insecure. She is still honing her sarcasm, but the fact that she spent five minutes trying to convince her older siblings that the Indian man at the airport was my father (we are Lebanese), tells me she has real untapped potential. I DO know that I love being this girl's mamma.

Addison in Rare Form

Seriously, this girl gets weirder by the minute. Yesterday, her big brown eyes met me at the door full of tears of rejection and she claimed no girl anywhere would play with her! I asked if she wanted to come with me to run errands. She was instantly better and my eyebrows furrowed as I realized I was just duped by a five year old. First stop- Home Depot.

Scene- Garden center check out line. Beautiful weather, birds fluttering and chirping, flowers and shrubberies setting a melancholy scene.
Addison's voice cuts through everything: Mommy, why DID you take your shirt off in the car?
Mommy: (eyes wide stares blankly at clerk and mumbles) I had a tank top on underneath. :/
Clerk: hysterical laughter
Mommy: Thanks Addison. Sigh.

Second and last stop for the rest of our lives- Walmart.
Scene- Walmart check out line (sensing a theme?) Well, there isn't anything pretty about the inside of Walmart, but it was surprisingly quiet. (Of course it was.)
Addison: (looks at her mother, hands up as if she were surrendering) Sheesh Lady! You aren't even my mother. You are a stranger. Stranger Danger!
Mommy: blink. blink.
Addison: (laughs maniacally)
Mommy: (after realizing people are looking) Addison! You can't say that!
Addison: (nonchalantly) Why? What's the big deal?
Mommy: (Eyes wide) THE BIG DEAL IS THAT THE POLICE WILL TAKE ME TO JAIL!
Addison: (maniacal giggling then muttering under her breath as if she were threatening to say it louder) stranger danger. stranger danger (and she continues muttering all the way out to the car).
Mommy: Thanks Addison. Sigh.

Goodbye forever.

Did You Know...

it is tricky to keep a four year old's cast cared for? Yeah, well, it is. So far she has dunked it in water...awesome, hit her brother with it :/, and thrown up in it. IN it. Yes, she threw up in her cast. ew. That's going to smell by next week when we have it taken off.

Pearl the Squirrel

Miss Addison, I have a feeling, will always have me laughing, even when I am old.

The Princess is Four Today

Miss Addison is four today. Four years ago I gave birth to that ginormous Christmas turkey in the middle of a snow storm just like the one we are having today. I woke up to my water breaking at 1:22 am, called my mother (whose flight landed at 1:23 am) and told her to hurry, called the midwife, and woke The Man. Twenty minutes after the midwife arrived, Addison Noelle Brewer was born at 8 pounds 12 ounces, in my bedroom. Fantastic. The instant she was born, my beloved mother whipped up the greatest breakfast, which I ate, in bed. THEN, I went to sleep, snuggled right next to my new little bean and my hubby. What an excellent way to be brought into the world. I am so glad to have you Miss Addie.

I love your scowl
I love your dirty looks to all the dumb people around you
I love your love of all things princess
I love your four year old wit
I love your huge eyeballs
I love how you cover your mouth with your hand when you giggle
I love that you respond to Pearl and Squirrel Girl
I love your exasperation with your siblings
I love you Missy

More Funnies From Pearl The Squirrel

On some level, I feel it is weird that so many of us still call Addison Squirrel. The other day Addison said, "why in the word shampoo is there the word poo?"

Blackeyes (not to be confused with black guys) and Bedtime

Both apparently very exciting. Layla Grace was playing at the neighbors when the little boy introduced her to GI Joe (GO JOE!). He also introduced her to a favorite childhood game: war with dolls (I mean figurines @@). They lined up their people and he told her where to stand. He should have told her where to look, because when he launched the bomb that was a rock, she mostly watched it hit her in the eye. Poor kid. He was grounded for the week! I told his mom that wasn't necessary, and that we mostly cracked up. She was beside herself. She is a good mom :)

And aren't bedtime just the most humorous. I mean, sure we are in a hurry to be free from all the shortness, but I just love tucking my kids in every night. Everyone has their own little ritual. Eli pretends to be a statue or sneaks Sam into his bed and tries in vain to keep from giggling. We have a knack for finding his butt cheeks through the cover and grab on for dear life. OR The Man takes to severely whacking him with a light saber. Sounds painful, but he misses perfectly every time. It always freaks Eli out!

Layla and Addison hide under their covers hoping no one will notice them. We pretend to be outraged at their disobedience and slam doors. The Man and I call to one another to get the spanking spoon, which always gets them giggling. And, by the time we finally pull back the blanket, their hair is so curly cue from the heavy breathing. They squeal as only little girls can, and then insist we wrap them up like a taco (layla) and a taquito (Addie).

Sam Fisher is my favorite because he wants a lullaby. We sing Rock-a-Bye Baby which he refers to as the baby song or I sing the Hebrew alphabet. Eli usually chimes in for a second round of the alphabet, then pretends to fall asleep midway through.


Izzy, doesn't realize it, but the whole time I am next to her bed, she is holding on to me. :) Sometimes The Man will throw her in her bed, but she is so knobby these days, she tends to gt hurt. Now he just pretends to jump on her, which freaks her out and makes me laugh. We recently decorated her room, and one wall is completely chalk board. So, I spent my time writing rotten things about her, and threatening her with punishments if she gets out of bed to change them.

Regularly we feel like doctors making the rounds, but I love it. I love how much my husband gets involved, too.