9 Years

Today 9 years ago we became parents. We welcomed our beautiful baby Tyler into the world and he has been lighting up our life ever since.
He is a child with big ideas and even bigger dreams. He's a great oldest child and a wonderful big brother.
He loves making people laugh. He can organize like no other kid which is good because he keeps EVERYTHING!

Tyler is very sensitive and thoughtful and tries very hard to understand others.

Our family is so grateful to have Tyler.

We are so proud of the young man he is becoming.

Happy Birthday my wonderful boy. We love you so much.

Luck of the Irish

Well, we're not really Irish.

Just lucky enough to have two sets of Irish twins.

Today is one of the 3 days each year that Tyler and Peyton are the same age.

Tyler's 8. Peyton's 8.

Yep, great huh?

They bring out the best in each other and understand one another like no one else can. They know each others thoughts, dreams and wishes. They are each others very best friend.

8 Years

"Look at his hair!" Robert said as he held our brand new little baby up next to me so I could see him.

"How big is he?" I asked as he came much sooner then we expected.

"Look at his hair!" was the reply.

"Is he big enough?"

"Look at his hair!"

And then daddy and baby were taken off to the nursery while my c-section was finished.

When I finally got to hold him, I laughed as I realized why Robert was so shocked.
His tiny little head was covered in wild bright orange hair. He was so beautiful.
Peyton is an unlikely mix of extreme stubbornness, and gentle compassion. He is strong willed and peacefully accommodating. He is a friend to everyone and loves to make others happy. He likes being good. He has a fantastic sense of humor.

He loves blue, superheroes, drawing pictures, trucks and manatees. He could eat tater tot casserole and Hawaiian haystacks every night of the week. He wants to be a nautical archaeologist when he grows up. He can't wait to have a wife and kids and share a house with Tyler and his family.

God has trusted us with this amazing little boy and for that we will be forever grateful. We are honored to be his family. His short life has been a testimony of the love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. He has been carried by angels through his trials and stands as a witness of the truthfulness of the restored gospel.

I know that today we celebrated Peyton's last birthday. Next December 6th will be quiet around here. His eight years have been full of marvelous experiences and we're blessed to have been able to share them with him.

His strength has strengthened us. We have been sealed for time and all eternity and thus have the promise of being a family forever. Death cannot change that.

Happy Birthday my sweet Peyton. You make my heart happy.

Honesty is the Best Policy (I guess)

One thing I learned early on in motherhood is that if a child is old enough to talk, they are old enough unintentionally insult.

One morning I was in my bedroom still in pjs. I describe them at this point only because it is necessary to appreciate the coming conversation. My shirt is a solid khaki colored tee with a few buttons, the first ones undone, down the top quarter of my shirt. On either side of the buttons is a small flapped pocket. I don't remember what pants I was wearing because Trey had nothing to say about them.

"I like your shirt mom"

"Thanks Trey" (giving him a good morning hug)

"It looks like you should work at Disneyworld"

"Thanks Trey" (no longer giving him a good morning hug)

"You could drive the safari jeep!"

(I smile at this point because, quite frankly, I'm impressed by his attention to detail and to be honest, I couldn't really argue. He made a very valid point)



I've learned to really appreciate moments like this. Why? Because on Sunday mornings when I come out of my room with a cute dress and fabulous shoes on and Trey says "wow mom, you look like a princess" I know he's being completely honest.

Peyton Ricker Day

Here are some pictures from Peyton Ricker Day a couple of weeks ago...

Peyton and Sparky

Peyton with the Mayor and School Superintendent

Arrival at the school... It was nuts!

Peyton talks about all of his new brothers. Just last night they filled our street with fire trucks and our home with happiness when a bunch of them stopped by to bring cupcakes and sing Peyton happy birthday.

Out! Out Swirling Thoughts!

Every now and then my head gets too full of random swirling thoughts and although there is usually a good reason for them to be there, I find myself outrageously distracted by them.
Thrown into the mix is the comparison I always end up noting between my renegade thoughts and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. One thought leads to another which leads to another and so on. It's a good time, let me tell you.

In a week and a half Robert goes in for another scan. It was only two and a half years ago that I was standing in line at chick-fil-a when my cell phone rang. It was Robert's surgeon and he didn't want to talk to me. Just him. My heart sank as I knew exactly what was coming. Robert had cancer. This news came 3 days after my dad died of it, and 1 year before my mom was diagnosed with it. And then our little Peyton whose burial plot I selected on Monday. Like Peyton's scans, I always get so antsy before Robert's. One thing history has taught us is that anything goes.

Although I'm very likely to spend the next week or so in somewhat of a spacey trance, I appreciate the humbling reminder that I can't do this alone. It wasn't until my dad helped plan his own funeral service from his hospital bed at MD Anderson that I learned what his favorite hymn was. "I Need Thee Every Hour". Oh how true that is and yet how easy it is to forget.

Festival of Lights

The weekend before Thanksgiving was the annual Festival of Lights parade. The kids had been invited by the local fire department to ride aboard a couple of their trucks. They made their way past us smiling and waving. They were so excited! Peyton had all of his gear on.


We had arranged to collect the kids back at the fire station. Robert and I arrived first and were waiting when the first fire truck pulled up. Somewhere during the trip, Trey had convinced their new pal Benny that they needed a tour of the fire department.


So off they went.

Thanks Benny! (And Cindy, for letting us borrow him)

Well...

...not really a fan of the bouncy slide.

Kindergarten Feast

The week of Thanksgiving, the kindergartners had a feast. They were allowed to come dressed up for the event. I, of course, recommended that Trey be an Indian. A very vital part of the original feast but more importantly, a much easier costume to come up with.

Trey had a different idea.

"I will look RIDICULOUS as an Indian!"

He was SO lucky we had an acceptable color sheet to sacrifice for the cause.

Sunday night here's what I came up with...


After taking this picture, he said "Wait! I need to do my Pilgrim face."



He was the lone Pilgrim at a party of Indians.

Peyton's Book

At the beginning of the school year, Peyton started working on a darling story about he and his teacher swimming with manatees. He spent free time at school working hard on this project and last week we all got to see the finished product. In a special presentation that was shown during the school's morning announcements, Peyton received a hardback copy of his book. A copy is also kept in his classroom and in the library. From what I hear, there's a waiting list to check it out.

The school also adopted a manatee, Nick, in his name. He received an adoption certificate and a fact sheet all about his manatee. He thinks it's so funny that Nick is a favorite with the ladies. As a special surprise he was given a giant stuffed manatee who he's named Nicky. Tyler, Trey, Bailey and Jack each received "younger siblings" of Nicky. We are now frequently joined at the breakfast table with this gigantic thing. It always brings out silly giggles.

Peyton is usually exhausted by the time he gets home from school. This is now what happens nearly every afternoon around 4:30 or so.

Barrington Living History Farm

Last week the kids and I returned to Washington on the Brazos state park to go to the Barrington living history farm. We'd been once before but were only to stay for about 15 minutes so I had promised the kids that we'd go back. We met some cousins there and the kids had a great time.

Jack in a huge wagon

Bailey spent quite a bit of time running around with this horse. She eventually got a stick to use as a crop and started whacking the back side of it as she galloped.

Trey became an expert at rolling this wheel.

This was Peyton's favorite. Each player has two sticks and the ring is tossed and caught between players.

Tyler's favorite was this red wheelbarrow in which he provided rides, and picking cotton.

A Surprise Delivery

Several months ago we took the kids to Target. They had each saved up their hard earned chore money and each had around $20 to spend. On the way to the store they were discussing what each of them really wanted. Once we got there, each child went down their own favorite aisle in search of something perfect. Robert and I patrolled the aisles running perpendicular to keep an eye on all of our little shoppers. As I passed the Lego aisle, I saw Peyton on the floor quietly sobbing. He had dropped to his knees across from the $100 pirate ship he had his heart set on. He had no idea it was so expensive but was well aware that he would never be able to save enough to buy it. He'd worked so hard and long to earn $20. He didn't complain. Nor did he end up spending very much of his money. He was heartbroken.

At our house Santa starts shopping early. He has to pace himself. There are a lot of kids in this house. A lot of wishes. Well, he bought the pirate ship about a month ago and had been keeping it well hidden until the time came for him to stay up until 4 am Christmas morning assembling the darn thing so it could be perfectly displayed amongst filled stockings, candy canes and other special goodies. Oh wait, did I say Santa does that? I meant Santa's wife. Santa would just as well leave things in the shopping bags.

A few weeks ago when Peyton started losing control of his right side we had a decision to make. We realized that even if we still have Peyton at Christmas there would be no way for him to fully enjoy the intricate ship. Our obvious option was to exchange it for something else. That just didn't seem fun and I kept thinking of him sitting in target sobbing. So we decided to do something else.

Last Sunday while we were at church Santa made a visit to our house. For the first time in Ricker history Santa was concerned that not all of the Christmas gifts would fit on the sleigh. He needed to bring a few early. In the sweet card he left he apologized if there was any inconvenience. By the fireplace were five wrapped gifts (see, I told you Santa, I mean Santa's wife starts shopping early around here).

Jack got a super cute musical spinner thing, Bailey a Belle doll set, Trey a matchbox airport, Tyler a great magic set, and Peyton the Lego pirate ship.

He and his dad stayed up late putting it together.

Houston Rockets

Last night Robert and Peyton went to see the Houston Rockets play. They had such a great time. Peyton enjoyed everything about it and nearly fell out of his seat he was laughing so hard at some of the break time entertainment. Just before half time Clutch, the mascot, showed up in the aisle looking for Peyton and asking for him by name. They then engaged in a war of silly string. Peyton came home with a stuffed Clutch, a dvd of Clutch's greatest hits, and a number of Clutch books that were a peace offering after the battle. Just before dozing off on the way home Peyton softly said to Robert "can you tell whoever gave us the tickets thank-you?" They really had a great time.

Car Playing Buddies

Today I had a quiet moment with Trey and told him Peyton's tumor is growing. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked "Does this mean he's going to die now?" I told him it would happen soon. His brow softened and tears filled his eyes. "Aw man! He's my best car playing buddy." I told him he still has some time to play cars with him. They fill the upstairs with massive cities. It's great.

Boy Angels

Yesterday morning's phone conversation with the school's librarian left me in tears. We were just trying to finalize arrangements for Peyton making the reading team. It made me cry. I'm much better now. When I got off the phone Bailey asked "mom, are those happy cries or sad cries?" I scooped her up and sat her on the kitchen counter. I told her that they were sad cries because Peyton's tumor is growing. I told her that Peyton is going to get to go live with Papa Owen and Papa Ririe and Jesus. I told her that we'll get to see him again but until then, she's the luckiest little girl ever to get to have a big brother angel to always take care of her. Her response...

"Wait! There are boy angels?"

Yes Bailey, there are boy angels. It made me smile.