This is the Bible God's written word!

Savannah xxxxDrew xxxxBen xxxxEthan Steece


The "Diaper Darling", and as my grandson said "Diaper Dudes" meaning the grandpa's who go, are back on a regular basis. We did not go on a regular basis this past summer since the Stacee's were traveling and they had company in to visit them.

So now the Diaper Darling and Diaper Dudes are getting to love on these kids a couple of days a week for a few hours and some even go on Sunday mornings. Even thought we did not go on a regular basis this past summer some did go over just for fun.

I wanted the kids to have a Sunday school class on Sunday morning while Joe and Suzanne were able go to church so the Diaper Darlings will have Cradle Roll class for the kids on Sunday since they are unable to leave their home from now till April because of RSV - a respiratory disease that could effect the kids since they were born 2 months early.

They are looking at Bibles in these picture - or in the case of Ben he is eating his Bible - during the lesson the Diaper Darlings sing songs about Jesus and show them objects that go along with the songs and the lessons.



Ben


Ethan


Savannah


Drew

Thanks to Jody and her husband Lee for going on this first Sunday morning in October and for taking these neat pictures.

And thanks to Leslie and Sue W. for getting the songs and the props to be used in the lessons -

Suzanne's blog: http://thelifeofsuz.blogspot.com/

Where was this picture taken?

For the past 15 seasons I have been here - I have done so many different things here -I worked 5 days a week, 15 years ago, in the summer, Monday - Friday, when school was out for the summer-then as the years went by I cut back my hours - a little more each year - now I only work one afternoon a week for a few hours on Saturday.

I take tickets at the Picnic Pavilion on Sat. afternoons just for fun.

This is my team + 2 others who were not there today -

The weather was a little hot today - no wind at all - but it was nice being outside with my friends.

Thanks for visiting my blog?

This is what some of the trees in my back yard look like today in Texas but in a few weeks they will start changing colors - I love the fall when all the leaves turn different colors.











And this is one of the trees in the front yard.

Helping to form yet another team to Share the Care for Quads

Today I talked to the coordinator of Tina's Share the Care team - helping her to get all the forms in order, talking about having the main meeting to organize the team, to have back ground checks run on all the volunteers, etc... It is always a good idea when you are having people into your home you do not really know to have back ground checks run - it is done at many church for those teaching the children.

And you must have very strict rules about hand washing and sickness being brought into a home with one new baby let alone 4 new babies. And only people coming in who are on the scheduled.

Tina and her coordinator will have their group meeting soon to start her team - so all will be in place when Tina gets to start bringing her babies home.

If anyone reading this needs to start a Share the Care team for multiples or for a single person needing help for medical needs just ask and I will be glad to help you get started.

It is very easy - but it does take some coordinating at first -

Check out Tina's blog about her quads:
http://mcleanpartyofeight.blogspot.com/

Another team of "Diaper Darlings" to Share the Care

Three of the Lemonovich quads are home - John & Carrie's team - also named the "Diaper Darling" are helping care for 3 or their 4 quads - Elizabeth, John and Claire- as well as their young son Luke - they live in PA. They hope Kate will be home with them soon.

Read more about John & Carrie and their quads on Carrie's blog: http://www.alotoflemons.blogspot.com/

Carrie's sister, Susie, who I have been in contact with by email and phone is coordinating her team of "Diaper Darlings".

"Guests" from the hurricanes

On Monday Sept. 1, 2008 the Family Life Center at North Davis was all set up and ready to receive 140 "guests" from Louisiana as they arrived needing shelter from the hurricane. We were one of 3 shelters opened in Arlington to care for these people who had to leave their homes since the hurricane was headed their way. Three years ago to the day our church opened its doors to welcome our "guest" when Katrina hit. That time our "guests" stayed several weeks - this time our "guests" only had to stay from Monday afternoon till Wed. morning.

But now we may be doing it all over again with this next hurricane coming - we were told Sunday morning to be ready - we will be opening our doors again if people need our help this time from the Galveston and Houston areas -

Both times I helped - it is so nice to be a member of such a giving church -

More Quads !

Another set of Quads were born on Monday August the 18th. in Ft. Worth - three boys and a girl.

Check out McLean, Party of Eight blog:
http://mcleanpartyofeight.blogspot.com/

Suzanne S. and I went to visit Tina a few weeks ago to talk to her about setting up her Share the Care team for her new babies.

Carrie's quads born in PA. June 24, also at 26 week, will start going home soon -

See her blog for more information about her babies: http://www.alotoflemons.blogspot.com/

I have talked to Carrie's sister by phone and email about setting up her Share the Care team for their quads -

Diaper Darlings Party

Sunday Aug. 3, 2008


Ben knew to get rid of that tissue paper fast. Savannah started chewing on her bear as soon as she got it out of the sack. Yes - they are washable !


Drew - Savannah - Ethan - Ben
I sewed their names on their bears when I made them.

And now on to the Diaper Darlings party !

xxxxxxxxxxxxxJoyce xxSuexx Libbyxx Tempexx Lacyxx Linda

The first four are 4 of the 6 Captains for this team. Lacy is Suzanne's best friend from childhood and then me - the coordinator for this team of Mom's, Grandma's, Grandpa, and Great Grandma. Just think of all the "adopted" grandparents these kid's have! And one Diaper Darling will have her first child in March.

Below the pictures you will find the story of the Diaper Darlings with links to the Share The Care web site. It was so much fun having all of us together at one time and loving on those kiddo's. And yes I made the cake for this party also.









You did not have to worry about stepping on a child - they were never put down !


I like to I write about my daughter Marcie and how ALS has affected her life and my life - I also write about Share the Care – a wonderful way to share the care to others who may need a few extra helping hands at one time or another. It could be helping a family who has sickness in their family as my family does or helping a family who has been blessed with multiple babies all born at the same time. In both cases the families can do without the extra help but to those who lend the helping hands – they are the one so blessed.
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I have helped a lot of families form Share the Care teams – for people who have a family member with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) or as I have done in the past few months - help families of multiples form care teams for their new babies.
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I like giving back to others that which was given to me!
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I did not understand this until I had the opportunity to coordinate the Diaper Darling.
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Ten years ago I was teaching preschool and a group of people gave me some extra helping hand for 5 years – you can read all about this on the Share the Care web site http://www.sharethecare.org/
and read about Marcie’s Guardian Angel Team at http://www.sharethecare.org/pages/yourstories/stories/ystories_marcie_gibson.html - or look to the right of the page and you will also find the link: Share the Care for Marcie / Steece Quads.
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I finally understood 9 years later what people had told me for the 5 years they help me – they were the ones blessed by helping me and Marcie.
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The Diaper Darling – the “friends” who give Suzanne extra helping hands – are all Volunteers – mostly grandma and grandpa – some even great grandma – a few young mothers. The Steece quads have given the Diaper Darlings such great joy! Going to the Steece’s house is so much fun. I do not get to go nearly as often as I would like since I do care for Marcie at home - but all the Diaper Darling have told me many time what a joy it is lending extra hands to love on those babies and get loved back. And the Diaper Darling are so appreciated by Suzanne, Joe and their families – most living out of town so we are their “in town” family.
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I say all this so everyone reading this understands being a part of this team is so neat. God gave Suzanne and Joe 4 babies all at one time because HE knew they could care for them alone – but HE gave the Diaper Darlings to the Steece’s because HE knew the Steece quads had so much love to give to others !
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If you want to know more about how to form a Share the Care team just ask me - leave me your email address I'll be glad to help you.
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We had a GREAT party on Aug. 3 – to celebrate us as Christians being able to share the care – and isn’t that what God’s people do!

Visit Suzanne's blog for more info and pictures:

http://thelifeofsuz.blogspot.com/

Drew, Savannah, Ethan and Ben Steece are now ONE year old !

The Steece quads had a birthday last Friday - not one but two parties - one on Sat. for family and friends and another on Sunday afternoon for the Diaper Darlings - all the Volunteers and their families who have helped Suzanne and Joe since the kiddos all got home from the hospital last October -

I have pictures from both parties but I am waiting for Suzanne to post more picture's of the birthday party first -

http://thelifeofsuz.blogspot.com/

I did go with her and the kiddos last Wed. to Ft. Worth to go visit Tina - she is in the hospital now on bed rest waiting the arrival of her quads - it was very interesting as we maneuvered our way from the parking garage to the Dr. office who delivered her quads last year, to the floor of the hospital where Suzanne spent maybe 6 weeks before her babies were born - that is where were found Tina - that is where I first met Suzanne - and then as we were leaving - we stopped by NICU were her kiddos spent the first few weeks of their lives.

As Suzanne said - I am used to this but you are not -everyone we passed said "four" or fell over each other getting out the door of a room to see FOUR kids in a very long stroller -

One little boy announced - "that is to many babies" -

It was a very interesting outing for me - I loved it - the kids were great ! And we were gone about 3 hours.

My husband was at home with Marcie or I could never have gone.

We will help Tina set up a Share The Care team for her quads.

posted Sunday Aug. 10

Happy 1st. Birthday to

Drew, Savannah, Ethan and Ben Steece!

I made the caterpillar using jumbo cup cake pans.

The theme of the birthday party was "bugs"!
I used regular and mini size cup cake pans and made them into bumble bees and lady bugs.



Lots of mini bumble bees and lady bugs!

Ben xxEthanxx Savannahxxxxxx Drew
Suzanne and Joe

Suzanne is taking a big #1 candle out to each cup cake before giving them to the kids to eat.

Drew was born first

Then Savannah

Then Ethan

m
mmmmmxxmmm

Then Ben --- all born only a minute apart

The kiddos were striped down to their diapers and taken outside for their birthday cake - we sang Happy Birthday 4 time. Each child is an individual and deserves his/ her own Happy Birthday song to be sung to them. Singing first to Drew, Savannah, Ethan and then Ben in their birth order.

I think it was about 105 degrees in Texas or more on the day of their birthday party so we were not outside for very long - just long enough to watch the kids "play" in their birthday cup cake, lick their fingers and then we all went back inside to the air conditioning.

See her blog for more pictures.

http://thelifeofsuz.blogspot.com/