Monday, March 10, 2008

Miss Kelly

Between times when we get the kids pictures made, I forget how exhausting it can be and how frustrating it is to try to get all 3 to smile (or even look at the camera) at the same time! Saturday, we had our pictures made with Miss Kelly. The kids love their Miss Kelly and we wanted to have some pictures of her with them to put in their new room in Alabama. We love our Miss Kelly. A year ago, God sent Kelly our way after a very trying month of daycare. When I say that she has been a God-send, I mean it literally. It is tough leaving my kids at home every day ... but with Kelly, I know that they will be safe, happy and loved. Kelly, Al and I thank you for the past year ... for all that you have done for us and for Jackson, Addison and William. We love you and have a room ready for you in Alabama whenever you want to visit.
Miss Kelly with all 3 ... thanks Miss Kelly for the cute outfits! Jackson ... no, his hair is really not this color ... I guess I didn't do a good job of scanning the picture in!
William
Addison
All 3 with Miss Kelly
William, Addison and Jackson

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

The best news this year ...

We have had a lot going on in our lives these past 2 months. Many changes, many blessings from God. As I sit and think about the wonderful things that have transpired in the last 60 or so days, I have to thank God for His hand in them. You might think that the following things would head the list of the best news this year:
1. I got a great promotion!
2. We get to move closer to family!
3. We sold our house in 5 days!
4. We found a new house that we LOVE!
But NO! The BEST NEWS THIS YEAR was delivered to me today in 3 little (but significant) words: "He's all clear!"
Today, we had William's cardiac follow-up ... when he was born, William had a small hole in his heart. The kind that quite often closes on its own. But when we went to the Dr. last June (when he was 9 months old) it was still open. So they said come back in a year. With the impending move, I called this week and got us an appointment for today. One ECHO and one EKG later we got the "He's all clear." And that is the best news this year.
Once again, I am reminded of the GRACE of God and the power of PRAYER.

William a couple of days old ... 4 1/2 pounds or so!

William 16 months old and 26 pounds or so!

Sunday, March 2, 2008

God is so good

Wow! What a whirl-wind the past week has been. Our house went on the market here in Dallas on Friday the 22nd. We got an offer on Monday and were under contract by Wednesday! In this market, this is nothing short of God taking care of us. This really made house-hunting a lot easier ... we were in Alabama this past week looking for our new house. And we found one we love! It is everything that I would want in a new house and I can't wait to get into it!
Here are a few pics of the new house ...
And of course some pics of the kids ... because that is what you are all really here for!

All 3 in their new PJs (thanks Ben and Liz for the gift card!)

William!

Jackson pushing the door over on William!

Jackson upset ... you would have thought that William would be the one upset!

Addison sleeping! William sleeping!

Notice that there is not a picture of Jackson sleeping ... because he always wakes up first!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Raleigh to Charlotte to Seattle to Dallas to Birmingham!

Well, the Pollard family is on the move again! Some of you may have heard, but we will be moving to Birmingham, Alabama sometime in the next few months.

For those of you who may not know our "career" history, Al and I both started with Enterprise in North Carolina. In fact, for those of you who don't know our marriage history, we also met at ERAC (Enterprise Rent-A-Car).

Here is a flash-back for you:

Summer of 1995: I spent the summer in the field. I was working on my masters at NC State University studying Zoology. In fact, I was working on a project with the red-cockaded woodpecker (an endangered species) and I was living in Southern Pines and working on Fort Bragg. I took a couple days off to drive up to Raleigh to look for a place to live during the school year. On the highway, in the middle of a small town called Apex, my car broke down. A nice woman stopped and picked me up and took me in to a garage that she used on a regular basis. I was so rattled by my car breaking down that I didn't even get my shoes out of my car ... so I had to walk into the garage barefoot!

What to do! I had the garage tow my car in. The shop owner's wife suggested that I rent a car from ERAC. I told her I was only 24 and didn't you have to be 25 to rent a car? She said not with ERAC. So, we called the office ... they had one car left and agreed to hold it for me. The owner's wife took me into the ERAC office.

When I walked in the door (yes, by this time, I had my shoes on!), there was a very cute boy working there! That cute boy ... Al .... and I just celebrated our 10 year anniversary this past October.

About 5 months after we started dating, Al got a promotion with ERAC and moved to Charlotte. The next summer (1996), I went to work for ERAC in Raleigh. After 9 months of dating long distance, I quit graduate school and moved to Charlotte to be closer to Al. The following September (1997) we were married.

Al and I enjoyed Charlotte and were both working for ERAC. In fact, for about 1 1/2 of those years we were literally working in the same office. Then, in Nobember of 1999 Al got a promotion to Seattle.

So, we made our first move together with ERAC. In Feb of 2000, I moved to one of the most beautiful places in the United States, a place that also just happened to be one of the most dreary, gray places for 9 1/2 months out of the year!!!! But we had fun in Seattle. We joined a wonderful church -- Federal Way Church of Christ -- and both started to really build our relationships with God. I still miss our family there. In fact, last month, one week, I wrote our weekly giving out to Federal Way instead of our church here ... Richardson East C of C!!!

We bought motorcycles and rode almost every weekend. We went hiking and camping and out to nice dinners. It was a fun, carefree time in our lives and although it gets dark at 4:30pm during the winter and the sun doesn't come up until after 8am, we had fun ... well, we survived at first and then we had fun!

Then in October of 2003, I received a promotion to Dallas. What a change the last 4 years have brought. We don't ride motorcycles any more! Our definition of eating out is Denny's now! We have found another church that we really like and we have made a lot of friends.

And most importantly, we have a family of our own ... Jackson, Addison and William. They are teaching me so much about what is really important in life.

  1. God--everything that I have I owe to God. I am thankful for all that He has given us and all that He has done for me/us
  2. Al--I have a husband that is kind, generous, loving, fun, sexy, humble, a wonderful father, self-sacrificing and our family's spiritual leader
  3. Jackson, Addison and William--they truly are my salvation. Because of my children, I have grown closer to God. I talk to Him every day ... multiple times a day. Not just the prayers I used to pray when I wanted something really bad or had a sin that I was ashamed of. Really more like converations that always start off with me thanking Him for all of the blessings He has given me and ending with the same request each day ... help me to do all of the things I can to help my children grow up to love the Lord and praise Him and worship Him and some day be with Him in heaven.

Funny how family really puts your life in perspective. No need to worry about my new job or selling our house or finding a new one. I have put that all in God's hands and I know that He will guide us through it.

So, we are on the move! I will be starting in Birmingham (still with ERAC) in mid-March. We are very up in the air about when Al and the kiddos will join me ... much of it will depending on the timing of selling this house and getting into a new one in Birmingham. We have decided we can be apart for a month ... but no longer ... and that will require me fying back to Dallas every weekend.

So, pray for us. Let your voices join ours in our request that our house will sell relatively quickly, that we will find a new house in our price range that we love, that Kelly will be able to find a new job that she loves ... and that most of all, our family continues to draw closer to God, that we teach our children how to pray and that they have a love for the Lord that will lead them to eternal salvation.

We will keep you posted on our even-more-crazy-than-normal-life!

Quenta

Sunday, February 10, 2008

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon ...

These were all made last Sunday afternoon just hanging-out around the house after church. What a beautiful day it was! Without a doubt, the most fun thing in my life is just hanging-out in my house with my family. Once again, I am in awe at how much God has blessed me. And the best part of it all (well, at least equally as good as the wonderful 3 babies) is my husband. We enjoy spending time with each other and we love being together as a family. 10 years and counting ...
Miss Addison with her ball

Jackson and one of his favorite toys ... an empty "puff" container!

Addison

Jackson

William somewhere he is not supposed to be!

Addison ...

Addison looking like she just got "busted" doing something!

Did I mention that Addison loves balls? I kinda wish she like dolls but I guess she takes after her Mommy!

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

More play-date pictures ...

Our friends spent the night Saturday and left Sunday morning. The kids had a lot of fun playing together once they all got used to each other! A set of twins and a set of triplets makes for a lot of babies in the house!
Addison

Jackson and Mommy ready for Church.

Payten (I think!) and Addison

All 5! Lainey, Payten, Jackson, Addison and William

Eating breakfast!

Jackson!

Addison talking to Payten

Addison pointing to Payten's mouth?

William

I think there may be one missing ...

Addison

Lainey!

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Our first play date!

Our friends (the Brocks) came to town this past weekend and we had our first play date! We met Ryan and Kevin last year in our Multiples Class at Plano Presby. We had a lot of fun and the weather was great!
Ryan and Payten with Lainey and Kevin
The boys! They love the slide!

Poster-child for why you don't take triplets to the park by yourself!

Jackson loved climbing on the jungle gym!

Addison in the swing!

Jackson

Lainey swinging!

Jackson--our future basketball star?

I never get tired of seeing the trio in their big, red stroller!