Ellie's blog

Hello Ellie's friends,

This is Ellie's mom - the author of this blog that has brought you the highs and lows of our sweet girl's life since 2012.

This blog has been a sacred space over the past wonderful, beautiful seven years.  I get teared up when I go back and read about some of her hurdles and victories.  I have been posting less and less as time went on but then last fall my posting came to a stand-still.

Some of you are aware already that last fall, September 2018, I learned that I had a rare condition that made it hard for me to swallow.  It took months to figure out what was causing it and in January 2019 I had surgery to resolve it.  I became the patient in the house and Ellie was like a little nurse, very concerned about my bandage and scar after surgery.  She was very gentle with "Ma" as she calls me.  Here she is up in my lap only a day or two after the operation.  A hug from Ellie has healing powers!

I will have to have the other side of my neck operated on this summer but I am not worried about it at all because the first surgery went so well.

The irony of the past few months away from all of you has been the fact that I have discovered another blog-type website for people with the condition that I have.  It is an absolutely amazing resource for people trying to figure out what is wrong with their throats and search for a physician who is skilled in performing the delicate operation.  I have benefited so much from the site that I have now become somewhat of a moderator on there for others. I post things daily about my own experience and answer questions from others from all over the world!

I suppose I've realized (after being in denial) that the time I spend writing on this precious blog for Ellie has been replaced with time spent helping others on another forum.  As much as I miss writing about Ellie's sweet little life, I'm grateful that the Lord is using me elsewhere.  The only word to describe how I feel about not posting on Holey Ellie anymore is "bittersweet".

Ellie is doing wonderfully well and thriving and happy and healthy and strong and sweet and cute as ever and helpful and loving and...the adjectives are endless :).  This blog will remain active and open and who knows - there may come a time when I need to start putting information about her out there again.  That possibility makes me not want to cry right now.

I'd like to end by sort of "dedicating" this blog to someone.  As you know, Ellie's middle name is Louise after Jeff's beloved Aunt Louise.  Aunt Louise was/is Ellie's prayer warrior.  I can think of many phone calls, emails, notes and mass intentions from her during Ellie's scary days. It will come as no surprise to you that she did the same for Ellie's Mommy before and after her surgery in January.  Aunt Louise is a special part of our family and will even be Jacob's confirmation sponsor in May.  We are very tied to our Aunt Louise and she was our most loyal reader of this blog.  Ok, tears are starting. I must close.  Lots of love to all of our readers.  Ellie thanks you for your love and support during her "holey" journey.

Aunt Louise and Ellie - December 2018 ❤

Monopoly

Hi friends!

I just wanted to document that when Ellie was about 3 days old, I suddenly had the need to figure out what playing board games would be like with her.

Now I know. We all sit down to play Monopoly and she likes to do one and only one thing. Kiss the dice for everyone before they roll.

I would not have seen that level of cuteness and sweetness as a possibility.  Eye has not seen, ear has not heard what God has ready for those who love Him.

Summer!

A special month of May for Julia!  She made her first Holy Communion!

At home, Ellie was right by Julia's side as she opened presents :).

Ellie knew it was Julia's special day!

A nice Mother's Day moment at bedtime!

A quick smile going out the door for mass.

 Ellie participated in the May piano recital with the other children!  She did great!

Here she is performing "Old McDonald" with a little prompting from her siblings and mom. She played three instruments: a bell, a castanet and rhythm sticks.  She was SO proud!  So were we!!!

Summer is known for pop up thunderstorms in the south...

Xavier and Julia get scared when it thunders and usually hide under a blanket.  Of course, Ellie has to join in on the fun!  Left to right: Julia, Ellie, Xavier

 We had a fun (as always) trip to Tennessee this summer!

Ellie enjoys the kids's section of an amusement park there. She is getting so big and can really hold on to the rides!

She needs a buddy for some of the rides of course.  I was happy to sit with her but she kept requesting I put my hands on the middle handle to make us spin more!  We started going a little too fast for my liking! ;)

 

Ellie rode a boat chute with us even though we had assumed she would not want to. She pointed to the ride and gestured that she wanted to go with us and got right onto the ride.  The second we got in the dark tunnel, she started to regret it and made some panicky noises but we all jumped into singing nursery rhymes for the duration of the 4 minute ride!  She was all smiles from then on.  Here we are after getting a little wet.

Nothing like a lazy river to forget about all the school work, doctor's appointments, laundry and bills :).

Ellie's first roller coaster! Can you see she's thrilled???!!

There was only one outcome possible when we got in the van to leave the park.

We've enjoyed some World Cup soccer which has taught us several country flags!

Cheering for England!

Back at  home, we had a fun 4th of July celebration.  The kids got to paint a US flag on their faces this time! 

We just love the PBS special on the 4th from DC.  So entertaining!  Ellie is so happy when all the kids do something physical like running around dancing to music and waving flags!  The benefit of her having three older siblings - there is always something entertaining happening!   

Ellie's room got a makeover this summer!

She loves her new space!  There was a queen sized bed in here that we removed and replaced it with lots of toys that were stored in the attic!  

This is an old entertainment center that worked out perfectly for a book and toy shelf!

She's so cute playing with the dollhouse.

And all four of our kids have LOVED matchbox cars!  Today she lined some up in front of her iPad and Julia said it looked like a drive-in movie!  :)  We also have some awesome Hess trucks and planes thanks to Ellie's Aunt Louise (who is continuing a family tradition). ❤

 Some older pictures here -

Playing in shaving cream at therapy.

All in red for Pentecost.

Ellie ready for church.

Ellie after a check up (and shots) at the doctor.  How relaxed does she look with her sucker?

And a sweet sister moment - Julia reading to Ellie.  What better way to end the day?!

Sweet, Sleepy and Six!

 April was a special month!  Ellie turned 6!

This month I tested my photography skills and took pictures of her sleeping not once, not twice, but three times!  Enjoy!

Look at that face!  We go in every night and take out a light-up aquarium she falls asleep with and I got brave and used the flash!  No 6-year-olds were awakened during the taking of this photo.

 What better way to start your birthday than some Chik-Fil-A!!!!!

And then balloons!!!!

 On top of all that - a visit from her birthday twin....her Papa!

And a chat with her name twin :) Aunt Louise!

And then a hamburger for lunch!  This day keeps getting better!!!!

 Julia loves helping Ellie open presents!

More sleeping!  This was a morning picture when I went to check on her when she was sleeping a little late.  She was totally out with her legs crossed!  Our little Ms. Manners :).

Heard of Where's Waldo?  Where's Ellie?

I found her!!!!  Her siblings were captivated by whatever she was looking at on her iPad. Speaking of, the grant we got for the iPad came with some app gift cards that we're still spending. This week we bought more than 10 books that are read by an author and have interactive games on each page!  It made Ellie's day when she got to lift the blanket off the boy's face in Pat the Bunny and he made a raspberry sound with his tongue ;)!

 
Outside swinging with some fun drinks Daddy picked up for the kids on the way home from soccer.  A tradition from his own childhood days...Icee's!!!!  I love Xavier's face.  Could he look more carefree???

Luckily Ellie was happy with some orange juice in her cup.

 Ellie at a Mexican restaurant for party #2!  She let Jeff hover the hat over her head but protested it actually being on.  We'll take it!!!

Daddy tests his upper body strength with the girls!  Ellie loved it so much!

 

Just for fun, a throwback photo of one of the many times he's done this with any and all combinations of our children :).  He looks the same!!!

 Ellie likes to help the kids do puzzles. 

She's in the cutest phase. She likes to play with people's toes. 

The kids are used to it.  They just let her do it!

We had a fun church picnic last weekend.  A huge milestone for Ellie - she tolerated loud music!  It actually wasn't that loud, thankfully, and we got right to business with food and dessert so she could settle in!

I love this sight. When Jeff leaves the kids all wave to him from this window. It's the perfect spot to sit and wait for him to come home too which they do often.

Our stair steps.  ❤

I leave you today with a final sleeping photo. Another morning "check-in" and I could not believe the girl!  She is a yoga master!  She's sleeping on her back with her legs folded up against her body!

 And her hands underneath to maybe prop herself up?  She was sleeping comfortably!

Next time I'll share some photos from Julia's upcoming First Holy Communion!  God bless, everyone!