A snowy day in Tennessee...it makes me miss Baltimore...

Nashville got a few inches of snow this past weeked (4 inches to be exact in my area), and the people here were going crazy.  School was canceled at 6:30PM the night before the snow was supposed to start.  When I woke up on Friday morning, there was no sight of snow anywhere. 

But, by the time the afternoon rolled around, the snow was steadily flowing.  At first, I didn't think much of it--I mean, come on, I lived in Baltimore for almost 7 years and survived a snowstorm that totaled more than 2 feet of snow; and this was the first two weeks that I lived there...alone.  So, I casually thought to myself, this is no big deal. It's a few inches....they will clean it up...and then we can get on with our weekend plans. 

Well, let's just say they don't clean up snow in Tennessee like they do in Baltimore.  Hence, it is Sunday and the snow is still on all of the roads.  Some of the interstates are ok, but things are pretty much shut down.  (I'm starting to think it is a little irresponsible of the city government to keep the roads like this.)  This is different from Baltimore...very different.  

Emmanuel loves being outdoors, and I even got up the nerve to waddle my pregnant self outdoors with him.  These pictures were taken when there was just a little bit of snow on the ground outside of our apartment.   He kept saying, "Snow...snow..."

Emmanuel enjoyed the snow for a little while, but was definitely ready to come in and warm up.

As a special treat on Friday night, we got to hang out with Pastor Wy, Emmanuel's Godfather, who was passing through Nashville on his way back home.  It was so refreshing to see him and to spend time with him.  We love Wy and Shirley--and we are so thankful for them in our lives. If it weren't for Baltimore, we may have never met them.  Isn't it amazing that God knows exactly what we need when we need it.  

The Chopsticks, The Ballet, and The Library

Emmanuel has had a lot of fun over the last two weekends. Mommy and Emmanuel had a special date and went to see the Nashville Ballet and eat at Pei Wei for lunch. Emmanuel thoroughly enjoyed his Asian meal. He still LOVES to eat, and will eat just about anything we put in front of him.


This picture is especially for Erin-Ashley...Emmanuel tried really hard to use his chopsticks. You would have been proud!

Before having lunch at Pei Wei, we went to the Downtown Library (which has a really amazing section for children), and we saw the Nashville Ballet perform.

The instructor invited the children up on stage afterwards. Emmanuel was so funny. He would look at the dancers and then run to me (I was standing at the edge of the stage) and give me a kiss. Then he would go back and jump up and down and run to me and give me a kiss. It was a lot of fun.

And...we've made a friend! Well, sort of. Actually, Eli has known Jarvis and Jessica for many years. They were students at UTC when he volunteered with Intervarsity. Jarvis and Jessica have a sweet little lady who will be 2 on Valentine's Day. She and Emmanuel got together (at the library again) and watched a performance of "The Princess and the Frog."

I was pretty sure they were going to throw us out of the library afterwards because the kids were having so much fun running around with their veggie sticks. I am so thankful that Emmanuel has found a friend.

(Please continue to keep the people of Haiti in your prayers. Although the news stations have decreased their amount of coverage, the devastation and loss continues to be real and painful. Please pray.)

Emanuwell's first love note

On Sunday, January 10, 2010, my 18-month-old son received his first love note.  We were sitting in church and the 9-year-old in front of us passed back a note to my baby: 

Does she know that he can't read?  Does she know that his mama still tucks him in at night? Does she know that he is too young to receive love notes?  

Well, I predict many years of being the "bad mama" by protecting my son from little girls...little fast girls, might I add...

...and then there will come a time when he loves all of the attention from the little fast girls...

...don't worry, I am praying now... 

Merry Christmas from the Fosters!

Our Christmas this year was a little chaotic...it was a lot of traveling...a lot of family...and one busy toddler.  (Christmas plans definitely have to be flexible when you have small children.) 

This is one of our many "family pics" where Emmanuel is not looking at the camera.  For those of you who got our Christmas card, you saw that instead of choosing "the perfect family photo," we chose to highlight four pictures that were not so perfect...

Our Christmas celebrations started on Nov. 28 (my birthday) when we took all of the nephews and niece to chop down a live Christmas tree.  This is a tradition that Eli and I started our first year of marriage and one that we hope to continue for a while. 

The kids had a great time, and the weather was perfect (not like the frigid temps that we are experiencing now in Middle Tennessee.) 

Mia and Joshua posed for a picture...

while Michael and James helped Eli chop down the tree.

And, well, after we cut down the tree, we saw the above sign. LOL. 

Let me just say that I love a good Christmas tree, but I am not a huge fan of all of the Christmas commercialization.  I don't like to buy Christmas gifts.  I don't like Santa Claus.  I don't like how all of the unnecessary hoopla takes away from Jesus and his birth.   I also don't want Emmanuel to grow up thinking that Christmas is for him and about his gifts...it is my heart's desire that he recognize the one true gift of Christmas.  (Can you tell that this is a bit of an issue for me?)

Anyway, Emmanuel thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with his cousins on Christmas morning. 

Emmanuel with Mia and Joshua on Christmas morning. 

Playing with Joshua's new basketball game. 

Joshua...always smiling!  He's a happy kid. 

Emmanuel with his safety goggles on about to use his new Craftsman "saw."

Eli helping Emmanuel put on his safety goggles. 

Emmanuel playing with cousins, Kaylee and Ryan, in Atlanta.  Emmanuel just adored Ryan, and Ryan was really sweet with him.

While the adults and other children were playing the family game in Atlanta (at Eli's extended family's dinner), Emmanuel decided that he would explore up Aunt Dianne's steps...and up more steps...and into all of her rooms upstairs.  My pregnant behind got a great workout that night.  

Post-Christmas...and we are back at home...no more tree...no more gifts...no more ham, turkey, or casseroles (thank God!) 

It's a new year...

but...Emmanuel says that tools are still his favorite in 2010...

well, that and being silly. 

Happy New Year.