In my favorite poem by Robert Frost, Nothing Gold Can Stay, he reminds us that like the seasons of nature, life is one season melting into another, and quickly fading away. This is my attempt to document each season in my life and my family.

Sad Little Puppy

Filed under: Elijah, Family, Kids, Kyra — Rachel at 12:20 am on Saturday, March 6, 2010

After the kids were sent to bed tonight, I heard heartbroken crying coming from the boys’ room. I went in there to find Elijah lying face down in the floor, sobbing his heart out into a wadded up blanket.

“What’s wrong, Elijah?” I asked.

“Kyra won’t sleep with us.” he cried.

My kids each have their own beds, but, generally speaking, they all sleep somewhere all together. Like puppies…all in a pile. Kyra occasionally breaks away from her brothers and insists on sleeping alone. Sometimes the boys don’t mind, but sometimes they do.

I told Elijah I was sorry, and he cried himself to sleep.

It was sad.

What’s New With The Harmon Crew

Filed under: Abby Jo, Army, Chris, Elijah, Family, Kids, Kyra, Owen — Rachel at 5:28 pm on Wednesday, February 10, 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything of substance here. We have been sick. The kids were sick for three weeks straight. I don’t even want to talk about it, though. I’m just glad it’s over.

I thought I’d write a little update post for all of the family types that care about such things.

Chris has had a few interesting things going on. Our church recently voted to pursue his ordination. Hopefully, sometime this month or next, Chris will be getting ordained. The church also made him a deacon, so, along with all of his new deacon responsibilities like serving communion and going to meetings, we also get to laugh harder about the “deacon’s kids” jokes. Or am I the only one who thinks that’s fun? Chris finished his MA with his seminary a while back, and so he is currently putting together his packet for the Army. Hopefully, within a couple months, he will finally be an Army Chaplain.

Rachel, who has recently began referring to herself in the third person, has not been doing much of anything. After recuperating from her surgery, she spent several weeks cleaning up poop and vomit. That took up most of her spare time. She has also been reading books, taking naps, and attending a new Bible study with Chris and some friends.

Kyra just finished up second grade half a year early. We are very proud of her. She is reading like a champ, and is doing pretty well in all her subjects. She is her mama’s right hand woman, and helps a lot around the house. She is especially helpful with taking care of her baby sister. She has decided that she is going to be a missionary when she grows up, and often refers to her future plans. I’m kind of convinced she will actually do it. She solicited a rather large sum of money out of her father to donate to the relief effort in Haiti the other day, and that is a very good skill for a missionary to have. Kyra makes friends very easily with random kids on the playground, and within the first five minutes of conversation she will have asked the kid if they are saved.

Elijah is working hard at kindergarten. He struggles with not getting frustrated at his mother for not moving at the pace he could move at. He’s very smart, and could be finished with the kindergarten curriculum by now if I weren’t such a slacker. Between the baby, the surgery, and the sickness, we’re just getting by with kindergarten. He is doing very well at it, though. He spends most of his days running up and down the hallway, jumping, making sound effects, and force choking invisible opponents. He also recently lost his first tooth.

Owen spends most of his time personifying awesomeness. He is the most hilarious kid I’ve ever met. He is incredibly mischievous, and he keeps us in stitches. He’s really rather rotten, but we love him.

Abby Jo has had a lot going on lately. She got two top teeth a few weeks ago, bringing her to a total of four teeth. She took her first steps yesterday, and I’m sure she’ll be walking soon. She loves her brothers and sister, and follows them around. She loves to play with them, and they are usually pretty good at letting her hang with them in their rooms. She can say “DaDa”, “Mama”, and “Yayuh” (Kyra). She’s great fun. She likes to point, clap, and laugh when someone else laughs. She is obsessed with all things electronic and spends a good portion of each day trying to get laptops, iPhones, playstation controllers, and remotes.

That’s about it for now. I doubt y’all could handle much more excitement without getting jealous, anyway.

Kid Quote

Filed under: Elijah, Family, Kid Quote, Kids — Rachel at 8:39 pm on Sunday, January 24, 2010

“Cleaning is nothing but losing energy.” – Elijah

Soft

Filed under: Abby Jo, Family, Kids, Photos — Rachel at 10:22 pm on Saturday, November 14, 2009

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Clapping, Crawling, Charming, and Crazy Eyebrow Raising

Filed under: Abby Jo, Elijah, Family, Kids, Owen, Videos — Rachel at 5:00 am on Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Parenthood Rocks!

Filed under: Elijah, Family, Kids, Kyra, Owen — Rachel at 9:23 pm on Tuesday, November 10, 2009

This whole parenting gig just keeps getting better and better. Not only are my children beautiful, hilarious prodigies, but they are very tech savvy as well. This provides me with lots of entertainment. I decided to share the most recent chat conversation held between me in the living room and Kyra on the computer in my bedroom.

Kyra: Hay

Me: Hey.

Kyra: what are you doing

Me: reading blogs

What are you doing?

Kyra: allmost going to get on your blog!

Me: :)

Kyra: :)

left a comment on your blog!

Me: thanks!

It’s bedtime now.

You need to get off the computer and go to bed.

You can read for a while if you want to.

Kyra: do you want me to tell the boy’s?:)

Me: yes

Kyra: Owen say’s no! Elijah say’s he want’s to sleep in your room can He? I think it’s a no!

Me: no

Kyra:  Elijah say’s your fired!

Freedom Schmeedom…What About The Baby?

Filed under: Abby Jo, Family, Kids, Photos — Rachel at 11:46 pm on Saturday, October 31, 2009

Yeah, I know. It’s been a while since we’ve had an Abby Jo update. So, for your baby coveting pleasure, here she is!

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Abby Jo is now seven months old, and is perfectly perfect in every way. She is the most gorgeous, sweet, and full of personality baby you could wish for. She is crawling now, and making a baby gate very necessary. She is eating lots of new foods lately…basically anything soft and not likely to choke her, or whatever the other kids drop on the floor. She had her six month checkup last week, and she weighed sixteen pounds and was twenty-seven inches long. That put her in the 75th percentile for height and 25th percentile for weight.  Her favorite food is applesauce, she hates wearing socks or shoes, she loves Elijah, and she likes to stick her tongue out.

Abby has had lots of firsts over the last few months.

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Her first trip to the beach.

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Her first trip to the ER. She had the flu.

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Her first pair of blue jeans. (I was more excited than she was.)

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Her first experience with swinging.

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Her first Fall!

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In case you can’t tell, I’m head over heels for this girl!

I Made Her Myself

Filed under: Abby Jo, Kids, Photos — Rachel at 2:13 pm on Thursday, September 24, 2009

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Captioning AJ

Filed under: Abby Jo, Photos — Rachel at 8:32 pm on Thursday, September 10, 2009

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Chris’ CHBOLC Graduation

Filed under: Abby Jo, Army, Chris, Elijah, Family, Friends, General, Kids, Kyra, Owen, Photos, School, Trips, Videos — Rachel at 11:58 pm on Tuesday, September 8, 2009

August 28, 2009 was a big day for Chris. He graduated from Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course, which finished up his chaplain training, at the Chaplain School at Fort Jackson, SC. The kids and I were so proud of him. Here are some photos and videos from our day. (I was having trouble with my camera, and I didn’t get videos of the last two platoons, including Chris’, singing their division songs, nor a photo of Chris walking across the stage.)

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Christopher before the ceremony.

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This is me with Mrs. Diann Hart, a chaplain’s wife that I got to know a little bit during my time at the Spouses’ Seminar. She, along with her two daughters, babysat all four of our children during the banquet.

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This is me with Mrs. Teresa Boone, the wife of the Commandant. I enjoyed getting to know her at the seminar.

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The whole family.

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This is us with Chris’ mom, Velvet.

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Me and Christopher

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Daddy and his boys.

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Daddy and his girls.

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Daddy and all of his young’uns.

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I love you, Christopher, and I’m very proud of you. I’m so glad you’re home!

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